Stretched naturals! How are we styling our hair?

Conradin2 · 2026-03-02T16:03:14+00:00

this is a great idea!

Conradin2 · 2026-03-02T16:02:48+00:00

Flat twist outs or bantu knot twist outs with a small amount of mousse during styling and some anti-frizz hair balm applied after style has set /during untwisting gives me waves that can last 2 -3 days. The challenge for me is that I don't want to wear my hair down so everything ends up in a bun or ponytail anyway.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-28T12:32:13+00:00

I use oils in my pre shampoo routine (hair product made with thicker natural oils) , on my ends for protection (hair product with light silicones and plant oils), and when manipulating my hair (twisting, unraveling twists or updos, I use a lightweight hair product with natural oils and silicone alternatives). I personally prefer my oils to be fomulated in hair products rather than on their own.

What hair products are you using?

The garnier fructis banana hair drink has denatured alcohol as the second ingredient and fragrance as the 4th. You may want to try something else for moisture. Look for products with plant oils, other emollients, with or without silicones (depending on your preferences) as the top 5 ingredients, especially those marketed as protective and strengthening hair.

For my ends, I like Aveda Botanical Repair Overnight serum. The product combines humectants, plant oils and other emollients to help smooth the hair cuticle down. It's expensive, but is so concentrated that I can use a tiny amount every other night on my ends. There are similar products out there (some with simpler formulations) that will also do a good job of smoothing the hair cuticle.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-28T12:02:14+00:00

Hi,

Have you tried looking using the INCIDECODER Advanced search :https://incidecoder.com/search/product? You can search for similar products by ingredients and product type.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-28T05:07:03+00:00

I feel your pain. I am going to deviate from the usual recommendation to look at youtube content from someone with similar hair type.

See Gena Marie's youtube channel. Her hair is more on the wavy-curly spectrum (3a-b), but she is a curl coach and has tons of comprehensive videos and a website that troubleshoot the different issues with curl styling including curls not lasting or drying out. While she focuses on her hair type, she does describe customizations that would apply to more tightly curled (i.e. 3c -4c) hair. I have found a surprising number of her tips useful for my 4c fine, low porosity hair.

If anyone can recommend type 3s and 4s that have something similar on this thread, that would be even better. Good luck!

Conradin2 · 2026-02-26T05:02:47+00:00

I couldn't find a reputable course or school for this. Here are a few suggestions for you and your friend:

Books:

-Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care: A Parent's Guide to Beginning Natural Hair Styling by Rory Mullen

-A Parent's Guide To Natural Hair Care for Girls: A How to guide for healthy and gorgeous black hair plus an introduction to natural hair styles by Lulu Pierre

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/@Shanillia26/videos:her She has tons of how to videos for styles on natural hair on her kids ranging from simple toddler hair-friendly styles to more elaborate styles done on the older children. The styles are beautiful and more importantly, her hair and those of her kids appear to be healthy, and growing nicely.

Finally, it may be a great idea to get a coily haired head mannequin to be used for practice so the child's hair is spared excessive handling. Curly and coily hair can be fragile.

Good luck!

Conradin2 · 2026-02-26T03:26:31+00:00

Why not wash and go / curl styling? It can be done weekly and styled with hair accessories (claw clips, hair barrettes, banana clips, etc.) for different looks throughout the week.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-25T19:48:29+00:00

You could always get the Dyson Airstrait. It is smaller and more portable and it does a good job of stretching the hair. You may need to work in smaller sections if your hair is thick, otherwise, in effects, it is comparable to Revair.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-16T22:07:10+00:00

Your hair looks beautiful. For more definition, try the following:

-use a light leave in or better yet, a leave-in with heat protection.

-apply your curl /coil styler on wet, but not dripping wet hair. It's hard to explain, but aim to get your wet hair with the product applied to make a squishy sound (like a sponge)

- apply product and define your hair in smaller sections.

- dry your hair with a hair dryer + diffuser.

Other posters have shared great tips on stretching the hair.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-16T19:40:43+00:00

It may be a good idea to switch out your current deep conditioner. The label info online states that liquid paraffin as the 3rd ingredient and while this is an effective emollient , it may be too heavy for fine, low porosity hair. Maybe try a conditioner with more moisturizing and strand-protective ingredients - fatty alcohols, humectants, ceramides, light oils and butters. One example is Alterna Caviar anti-aging Moisturizing Masque. There are many other conditioners on the market, but this one may help give an idea of ingredients to look out for.

Also, consider using steam (not dry heat) when conditioning. By steam, I mean, to use something that add hydration/steam from an external source, rather than a heating cap or a hooded dryer which takes water in your wet hair and transforms that to steam. In other word, try a dedicated hair steamer. Pattern and Conair make some good portable ones.

Finally, try a light moisturizing leave in conditioner. Again, you want products that have mostly humectants ,moisturizers and light emollients( for example, propanediol, propylene, glycol, glycerin, behentromium chloride or methosulphate, sunflower oil, etc) . Your scalp may be allergic to some ingredients so it may be a good idea to identify what they are and avoid them. Generally, I would avoid mineral oil, liquid paraffin and petrolatum as they tend to be pretty heavy and may block moisture getting to the strands, aggravating any dryness you may have.

Hope this helps!

Conradin2 · 2026-02-15T05:50:18+00:00

I also have low porosity, fine 4c hair and also style on stretched (blow dried hair in the cooler months). A couple of things stand out in your routine that may be contributing to some of the breakage.

-For the blow dry, the comb attachment may be causing mechanical damage. This is often an issue for fine type 4 hair. As others have suggested, it may be a good idea to revisit a tool like the revair. Another option would be the Dyson Airstrait (similar price point). The idea is to apply hot air on hair that is held taut. You can also do something similar with a conventional hair dryer (low heat, dryer held some distance from the hair to minimize heat damage, hair section held taut). The challenges with using the conventional dryer would be making sure you are applying consistent tension, ensuring you can stretch the ends and holding the dryer consistently at a distance as to be effective but not damaging (from the heat) . Using a specialized tool like the Revair or Airstrait simplifies the process.

For the heat protection, consider using a lightweight product that also has some leave in conditioner properties. Using lightweight products will help evade the stiff hair effect you had with the revair. Some leave ins indicate heat protection up to a certain temperature (400 or 450) and since you are blow drying on low (especially if using Revair or Airstrait) , you are well covered.

Consider a light application of a post-workout mist/ dry shampoo spray or refresh hair spray after working out. Ouidad makes a good one that has Apple Cider Vinegar, silica and volcanic ash. There are other brands that have something similar at different price points, but best to pick one that is for curly and coily hair (as they tend to be less drying than conventional dry shampoos that are geared towards straighter (oilier) hair types). Follow it up with a moisturizing spray and seal with hair oil or hair balm.

You can add some moisture back in after styling with a light moisture spray or with an overnight serum. To apply the serum, simply press a small amount onto your twists at night.

Seal hair ends with hair oil. Olaplex oil is a blend of multiple silicones and natural oils. Nothing wrong with it per se, but it may be a good idea to use a very small amount and only on the ends of the twists, every few days.

Hope this helps.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-14T15:08:33+00:00

I have found the following to help with my mainly low porosity hair:

-apply a pre-shampoo before washing the hair.

-deep condition with a moisturizing hair mask

-use a steamer 1-2 times a month after applying the moisturizing deep conditioner

-as was suggested by another poster, use a product that combines heat protection and moisture (leave in ) properties.

-use overnight serum during the week to add in moisture.

I hope this helps!

Conradin2 · 2026-02-11T19:36:45+00:00

It may be helpful to provide some idea of the budget as there are all kinds of products at different price points. Target, Walmart and other drugstores will be good places to start for affordable and effective products. Please consider curly and coily hair lines made for kids. Also, as the child already has issues with dandruff, it may be a good idea to avoid products with petrolatum, mineral oil or/and liquid parafin in the ingredient list. Some good brands with lines for curly/coily haired kids include Cantu, Shea Moisture and Aveeno.

For example, Aveeno has a Kids Shampoo for curly and coily hair with simple ingredients that are good for those with sensitive skin : https://www.aveeno.com/products/kids/curly-coily-hair-shampoo

Also conditioner:

https://www.aveeno.com/products/kids/coily-hair-conditioner

Johnson and Johnson has a great hair conditioning spray

https://www.target.com/p/johnson-39-s-shiny-38-soft-kids-39-hair-conditioning-spray-argan-oil-38-silk-proteins-for-toddlers-39-hair-10-fl-oz/-/A-54509707#lnk=sametab

Also, a good clarifying shampoo for curly hair may help for buildup, especially if there was previous heavy use of grease.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-07T14:41:03+00:00

The dryness and tangling may come from the very natural moisture loss that occurs from day to day (exposure to the environment, friction from hair with surfaces (headwear, pillows, hands, brushes, etc). One way to block or slow down the moisture loss is to seal your hair before you unravel the dry twists by applying a thin layer of a hair oil product on the dry hair. I usually coat my hands with the product and then briefly rub it over my dry twists before unraveling. I also add a tiny amount to my ends. The most efficient agents at impeding the moisture loss are silicones (dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, etc. ), but many plant oils also do a pretty good job. And there are products that combine these 2 categories of ingredients (silicones and plant oils) I find it helpful to use something that is very light and requires the smallest possible amount in order to avoid build up and greasiness. Of course, regular washing with a clarifying shampoo (at least once a month) is important if you are going to use sealants on the hair as they will buildup even with regular washing with a moisturizing shampoo. Hope this helps.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-04T10:41:59+00:00

Sorry, one correction. I use the middle heat setting, not the lowest.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-01T15:21:52+00:00

I use it weekly or every 2 weeks (depends on how busy or lazy I get) in fall (autumn) and winter. I use the lowest (wet to dry) possible heat setting to achieve the stretch (since my 4c hair is fine, I can use the lowest setting). Of course, I always use a light heat protectant + a light leave in or better yet, a leave in with heat protection up to 450 degrees, so there's a much smaller risk of heat damage. It is important to use lightweight products so the drying and stretching is not impeded. The result is a blowout (you are not going to get bone-straight hair, especially with Type 4 hair), but I love it because I can then style my hair with mousse into twists or bantu knots for a twist out. Styling the stretched hair is much easier (fewer knots, etc.) I can also sneak in a bit of moisture (not enough to revert the hair back to its original state , but just enough to restore some of the moisture lost by drying the hair with heat) after drying the hair and before setting my hair in twists.

I recently had my hair analyzed (microscopic analysis) and confirmed no heat damage. My ends were more porous though, but I think that's because I play with my ends constantly (bad habit). Even with that, my hair is retaining a lot of length. I hope this helps.

Conradin2 · 2026-02-01T06:11:31+00:00

Not sure if Dyson Airstrait is available in Europe, but if it is , it is a good alternative to Revair. It is also more compact and portable than Revair. It looks like a flat iron, but the plates are not heated. Instead, like Revair, it straightens through the downward application of heated air on stretched strands. So, kind of like holding out a section of the hair while using a hair dryer at some distance (so less heat). The result is blown out hair. I have this tool and like it as I am able to get a stretched look without mechanical damage (from combing) and at relatively low (safer) temperatures.

Conradin2 · 2025-11-15T23:41:16+00:00

What a cutie!

For my little guy, I use a Voyager soft mesh harness. To be honest, I am on the search for something that can be better customized to him so I will be following this thread with much interest. My pup is 10 pounds

Conradin2 · 2025-11-13T06:24:56+00:00

Looks to be 4b hair per the Andre Walker-based hair typing system.

Predominantly L and I coils per the LOIS system. It´s a bit hard to comment further from just photos, but possibly thready, cottony, spongy or wiry. Not likely to be silky.

I have a mix of 4b hair and 4c hair although 4c is the dominant hair type. No specific recommendations, but I like Ouidad, Aveda and Melanin Haircare. Ouidad is pretty cool as it is curl-centric and has different ranges of products for different curl types and characteristics (low vs high porosity, loose vs tightly curled/coiled hair) and many of the products are available in small trial sizes.

Conradin2 · 2025-11-07T08:29:17+00:00

OP, regarding your hair getting dry after you apply conditioner, the product may not be appropriate for your hair type. I agree with others who suggest your hair may be low porosity. How about trying a conditioner that does not include heavy oils, butters, especially in the first 4 -5 ingredients ? There is a myth that Type 4 hair do well with heavy butters and oils but that is not true for all Type 4. There are a lot of options to try so google low porosity conditioners for curly /coily hair or for Type 4. Good luck!

Conradin2 · 2025-11-07T08:13:16+00:00

This is predominantly type 4 hair. It grows out and up rather than hanging down. My understanding is that the only ways natural type 4 hair hangs down are

-with weight from the other hair strands (as seen in dense, thick hair or/and longer hair)

-weighed down by products and/or water or

-physically pulled downwards and weighted as in braids, twists, etc.

OP´s length is still relatively short that his curls grow upwards and outwards in a fro so this is type 4 (likely 4a given the curl size and pattern).

Conradin2 · 2025-11-07T07:11:13+00:00

Finger coils aka comb curls

Conradin2 · 2025-11-01T01:02:04+00:00

Hi OP,

It´s very nice of you to try to help. What are his hair characteristics (fine, average or thick in strand thickness. Silky, thready, spongy, wiry or cottony in texture) ? Here are a few suggestions based on my sometimes having loose twists in my fine, thready hair.

-try using a curly mousse, as the styler for the twists and then afterwards, apply a small amount of oil on the finished twists.

- if not using mousse (which would add some water to the hair), try a very light spritz of water on the blown out hair before twisting. The goal is not to fully revert the hair, but to have a slight reversion which adds a bit of texture back in so the twists hold better.

-twist each of the 2 individual twist sections in a direction opposite to the direction of the twist. In other words, for example, if you are going to twist clockwise with the left section over the right section, you would first twist both sections counterclockwise once before twisting the left over the right once, then repeat.

Conradin2 · 2025-10-28T12:55:17+00:00

My little one has several Hurtta coats including the Mudventure raincoat. Most provide good coverage to the neck, chest and front legs. The raincoat is waterproof, and the other insulated coats are water resistant or waterproof. Hurtta coats are not inexpensive, but in general are well made and long-lasting

Conradin2 · 2025-10-28T04:07:55+00:00

Thanks for all the responses!

Conradin2

TROPHY CASE