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Dreams_in_Pink
April 2nd, 2010, 11:31 AM
There's a fine hair thread, so it was obligatory for me to start one for coarse hair care :D

Seriously, how do we care for our wiry, sewing-thread-thick strands?

As far as i know (and experience) coarse hair doesn't split anywhere as frequent as fine hair does. This makes me believe that it's stronger than fine hair and doesn't require that much care. Could i be wrong? How does coarse hair show damage? How soft can coarse hair get, and what oils/products/routines work best?

Speaking of my own experience, pretty much nothing i put on my hair makes it smoother. I tried cones, conditioners, SMT, many kinds of oils (except for %100 pure coconut oil), WO wash, CO wash and SO. My hair's either weighed down or "sticky" (happens with conditioner) or brittle.

ETA: Have to mention this. I see there are many "OMG i found a coarse strand in my beautiful hair!" threads lately... Chill, people! coarse hair cannot be that bad, come oooon! :D

Dreams_in_Pink
April 3rd, 2010, 06:56 AM
*bump*

So, i'm the only coarse-haired member here? :D

Vermelha
April 3rd, 2010, 07:17 AM
I definitely have coarse hair. Like you described, my hair definitely is sewing-thread thick ^_^. Once, I picked up a pair of scissors with a strand of my hair. It held up without breaking.

But I wouldn't say it's invincible. I get splits because my hair is coarse AND curly and tends to get fairy knots. I get knots sometimes and because my hair is strong, knots are hard to remove. Those sometimes are worse than splits. But generally it's really strong; My hair can withstand high levels of heat with very little to no damage.

It's also coarse and dry, so I do regular oilings on my hair while it's wet. When it dries, it feels like a mixture of mink and silk (which is rather lovely, actually). I use warm coconut and castor oil mixed together on my hair and scalp. And because my hair is curly too, occasionally I'll use a little bit of vegetable shortening (not butter flavored, lol, unscented safflower and cottonseed oil, i'm not that crazy) on my length to smooth hair into buns and other styles, kind of like an inexpensive pomade. For some reason, my coarse hair loves to be oiled. I wonder if other coarsies are like that...

But I have had the stickiness before. I fixed that with using a bit less oil on wet hair, then brushing it through when dry to distribute. It got rid of the "stuck together" feel that my hair usually gets. If I've used too much oil, I'll just rinse with warm water and my hair still feels moisturized, but not sticky. I'm a WO washer too (well, mostly). When I actually have to do my hair (those wretched "special occasions") I use Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Shampoo because it has oil extracts in it and just SLS. My hair doesn't like conditioner very much. :-(

Also, do you brush? I brush with my wooden BBB. My finer haired friends think I'm crazy, but my hair can hold up to daily brushing. It really helps with the oiling.

Dreams_in_Pink
April 3rd, 2010, 07:57 AM
I'm lucky to have 2a hair then :D I almost never get any knots (and i sleep with my hair loose, go figure :D )

My hair hardly ever responses anything i put on it. Recently, my hair laughed hard on the overnight SMT treatment :D All it did was to cut down on the poof, which could well be a result of not using shampoo to get it out.

Only oils work; i'm thinking of doing an overnight deep oil treatment with coconut and olive oils on my length and ends. ;)

I'm neutral about BBB. I never use it on clean, dry hair though, i only use it for dirty or oiled hair. Besides, BBB breaks down all my wurls and makes my hair straight, which i don't like.

Vermelha
April 3rd, 2010, 08:29 AM
^^I brush through day-old hair, usually. Sometimes, I go overboard with the oil, so I do brush once my hair is dry from washing. But mostly, I brush when it's been a day or two. I'll need to do it more being that I'm starting to go even longer between washes.

I used to not brush because it actually is bad to run a brush through tight curls, but I braid or bun my length when it's wet and let it airdry so that my curls are much smoother and looser. Sometimes I band down my length. It actually turns out pretty straight and makes it easier for me to brush through.

But yeah, treatments laugh at my hair too. I have to leave them in for a really long time to get some softness. The only treatment I've used that actually made my hair feel like butter was Garnier Fructis 3-Minute Undo Treatment. I was amazed because my hair doesn't really respond to deep conditioners. I only left it in for 3 minutes too, or I think maybe less...it worked so well, my hair was borderline mushy...Oil is the only thing I can use that gives consistent results.

chopandchange
April 3rd, 2010, 10:32 AM
My underneath hair is coarse, but my top hair is much finer, silkier and smoother.

It's like I've had a partial hair transplant from an incompatible donor. :eek:

Katurday
April 3rd, 2010, 11:08 AM
I've got mostly coarse hair.I've found what works for me is really heavy oils (EVOO) for DT and lighter oils on wet hair for softness (Coconut). My hair usually does not split, but due to my ends being bleached, dyed, bleached, dyed, dyed, dyed, dyed... Cutting my hair feels odd because it feels like the scizzors are struggling to get through all the thick strands.

On another note, does anyone else who is coarse and fairly straight have problems with holding updos? I feel like my wiry strands are so slippery that everything just slips out of my hair.

Dreams_in_Pink
April 3rd, 2010, 11:14 AM
Sometimes I band down my length. It actually turns out pretty straight and makes it easier for me to brush through.

Oil is the only thing I can use that gives consistent results.

banding for straightening?? I have to try this one!! :D


My underneath hair is coarse, but my top hair is much finer, silkier and smoother.

It's like I've had a partial hair transplant from an incompatible donor. :eek:

I think that's the best combination; you have the silky-smooth canopy and coarse hair under to add volume. ;)


Cutting my hair feels odd because it feels like the scizzors are struggling to get through all the thick strands.

hhahaha i know what you mean!! Back when i chopped my ponytail it took me about a minute to cut it all off :D and yeah, the scissors weren't too sharp either though :D

chopandchange
April 3rd, 2010, 11:35 AM
I think that's the best combination; you have the silky-smooth canopy and coarse hair under to add volume. ;)





I tend to agree, although it frustrates me sometimes that I have two different sorts of hair. I am glad the silky shiny part is the visible part, on top, and not the other way around!

my2cats1
April 3rd, 2010, 11:48 AM
My hair is the reverse -- courser on the canopy and closer to medium on the underside. :rolleyes:

My hair type is one of the factors that influenced my decision to grow. It tends to mushroom into "triangle head" at shoulder length (unless I get LOTS of layers put in) so I hope that having some length will help weigh it down and make it more manageable.

Ending my use of all heat styling and brushes gave me a pleasant surprise -- my hair looks smoother and happier if I just let it dry naturally and use a wide tooth-comb. :cheese:

I've tried to go cone-free, but my hair rebelled. I use a combination of cones and oils now, and it seems to do the trick.

My course hair is nice in that I rarely get splits. Split ends are such a frequent concern here that I began to worry that I must not be seeing mine. I would clarify the cones away and then search and search....but no, no splits. It wasn't until I began to learn about my hair type that I began to relax about my unsuccessful split-end searches. Weird problem to have, I know! :p

Dreams_in_Pink
April 3rd, 2010, 11:57 AM
It wasn't until I began to learn about my hair type that I began to relax about my unsuccessful split-end searches. Weird problem to have, I know! :p

I wouldn't call that a problem; actually, examining your hair only to find that you have NOTHING to worry about is a very pleasant motivator :) I'd be so freaked out if i saw splits here at SL-APL length like fine-haired do :D

And about the triangle-head :D That's the reason why i'm growing my hair. Hair that forms a triangle when short and never breaks are signs that my hair was born to grow long ;) :D

chopandchange
April 3rd, 2010, 12:03 PM
I do get splits, but not very many now it's virgin again. And I cone as well. Without cones my hair was IMPOSSIBLE to detangle and I got horrific breakage just from trying to comb.

I do think my hair is probably quite strong and resilient due to its coarseness, but it's hard to know, because it's the only hair I've ever had, so I don't have any other hair to compare it to. My hair is "normal" for me. When I see the tentative, overly gentle way that some LHC people comb or brush their hair on YouTube hair videos, it makes me think my hair must be quite strong compared to theirs, because I certainly don't need to comb it like that, and if I did, it wouldn't have much effect. I think coarse hair needs a firmer (not rough) hand when you're grooming it.

TigerLily1
April 3rd, 2010, 12:07 PM
My hair is quite coarse as well, quite curly too. Already said this on another thread, but I am newbie here, but I started oiling with various oils, and trying to put my hair up, but am finding having to put it in a bun gives me trouble, I get irritated by it and want to let it down, on Thursday last week I couldn’t take it, and had to remove the bun and let my hair down. Braiding doesn’t annoy / irritate me, but it just looks ridiculous cuz my hair is not long enough for regular braids, I can never do a French braid on myself.

If I put my hair up while wet, it just stays wet, it never dries, that’s why I have to wait for it until its dried or use the cool setting on the hair dryer before putting it up.

Dreams_in_Pink
April 3rd, 2010, 12:29 PM
trying to put my hair up, but am finding having to put it in a bun gives me trouble, I get irritated by it and want to let it down, on Thursday last week I couldn’t take it, and had to remove the bun and let my hair down. Braiding doesn’t annoy / irritate me, but it just looks ridiculous cuz my hair is not long enough for regular braids, I can never do a French braid on myself.


as far as i can see from your avatar, you're the same length as me and i'm also not good with buns yet. If you're planning to go for waist or tailbone or further, that's when buns will become useful ;)

by the way, i also thought i'd never be able to french-braid my own hair, but months passed and now i can french, dutch and even french-rope braid my hair quite easily :D Just spend more time on this site and you'll learn them all when the right time comes ;)

Brownie
April 3rd, 2010, 12:48 PM
My underneath hair is coarse, but my top hair is much finer, silkier and smoother.

It's like I've had a partial hair transplant from an incompatible donor. :eek:

Sounds like our hair is very similar :D
My canopy is much more fragile and splits more easily, but the coarse strands get fairy knots all the time :rolleyes:
The Tangle Teezer is a lifesaver for me, I wouldn't have the patience to detangle my hair for over 30 minutes every day.

Oskimosa
April 3rd, 2010, 01:02 PM
I've got coarse, thick hair. It does what it wants. It really likes to be cut in a heavily-layered shag, but it seems to be ok hanging at this length too. Updos, well, I've given up on all but a few, at least for now. I think it will take extreme lengths to be able to do anything, and by that time, it will be larger than my own head :p

TigerLily1
April 3rd, 2010, 01:11 PM
Dream In pink, I do messy buns fine, the only thing is I cant stand them for the whole day, I can tolerate them for a few hours, but after that the bun starts troubling me, I don't know how to describe it, I become very aware of if, fiddling with it and dying to take it off, as if my hair is screaming to be free and let down, I can also braid it in the back a normal braid and that doesn't bother me at all, I forget about my hair completely.....

I looked at so many tutorial on you tube, but I think I must be dyslexic when it comes to doing French braids on myself, I can do them extremely well on others, but not on me. I will try to practice, perhaps it will be easier to do it when my hair is wet instead of waiting for it to dry, the problem is if I do my hair while its still wet, it never dries, it just stays wet (UK wet cold weather)

flowerlovelong
April 3rd, 2010, 01:14 PM
My thick hair takes about a day to calm down after a wash, even with coconut oiling. After that it's pretty manageable. Its also very dry from dyes. Just have to wait that out I guess.

chopandchange
April 3rd, 2010, 01:27 PM
TigerLily, if your hair is screaming to be free and let down, then you don't have to wear it in a bun just because you've read on LHC that it's what you "ought" to do.

It's a strange phenomenon that develops once people find LHC - the guilt that you feel when you do something that you "shouldn't."

Remember that all the advice here, whilst being massively helpful, is only that - advice. You don't have to follow it like a slave. Just find what works for you. If you want to wear your hair down, do!

If it's any consolation, I don't wear my hair in a bun, either. I usually wear it in two plaits.

I agree that most buns are uncomfortable. The only bun I've ever found that feels remotely comfortable to me (my definition of "comfortable" being that you forget about it entirely because it's neither hurting, pulling, nor feeling like it's going to fall out) is a Chinese bun - and my hair is still too short and too layered for it to work.

TigerLily1
April 3rd, 2010, 03:05 PM
chopandchange, thank you very much for your post, I did feel as if I ought to have my hair done up, but you are right, I don't have to.

I agree, comfortable to me is when I completely forget about my hair and not think of it, but when I have the bun (even loose one) its constantly at the back of my mind and I find my hands fiddling with the bun all the time.

I am funny like that, a few years ago I tried hair extension, but my life was such a misery I had to go to the hair dresser a couple of days after to have them removed, I just couldn't be comfortable with the extensions, and I see so many women have extensions and OK with it? I just don't get it... and don't get me started on the weave, I just have no idea how anyone can put up with such discomfort, but perhaps not everyone feels uncomfortable with these things? Maybe its just me?

Thanks againf or your post and your reminder that I should do what is best for my own hair and sanity lol

Brownie
April 3rd, 2010, 04:52 PM
It's a strange phenomenon that develops once people find LHC - the guilt that you feel when you do something that you "shouldn't."

Remember that all the advice here, whilst being massively helpful, is only that - advice. You don't have to follow it like a slave. Just find what works for you. If you want to wear your hair down, do!

Well said chopandchange :grin:

I can't find buns that are comfortable either :shrug: Almost everything pulls and hurts.

julliams
April 3rd, 2010, 05:08 PM
Course here. I have all kinds of hairs on my head but I must have enough course ones that my hair appears very textured and dry. I get a little tired of people responding negatively to my hair when it is au naturel. If I don't heat treat it, it has the appearance of dry hair and hairdressers are constantly telling me I need treatments. I do them twice a week so I can't do anymore than that.

When I left the hairdressers last week I had very smooth poker straight hair and of course I get loads of compliments from everyone like "it looks so healthy". Well I know that it is no more healthy than when I went into the salon - it's just coated with silicone and heat treated. Now that I have washed I'm back to the same fuzzy me.

I guess that is the perception of what healthy hair is to most people.

Well, at least when I go curly it lasts longer.

chopandchange
April 3rd, 2010, 05:24 PM
I get a little tired of people responding negatively to my hair when it is au naturel. If I don't heat treat it, it has the appearance of dry hair

When I left the hairdressers last week I had very smooth poker straight hair and of course I get loads of compliments from everyone like "it looks so healthy".

I am exactly the same!

My hair, in its natural state, looks dry and crunchy even though it's not.

Grrrr!

xoxophelia
April 3rd, 2010, 05:48 PM
I am exactly the same!

My hair, in its natural state, looks dry and crunchy even though it's not.

Grrrr!

I get the same thing too :/.. My hair just is really hard to get that.. "limp" thing going on. What I found helps is pinning up sections on the top when it is slightly damp in mini cinnamon buns and leaving it for a bit which smooths things out a little bit.

EVOO works reeeeally well for me too. I haven't done it for awhile. Oddly enough, my hair that was color treated many times and heat styled to death looks less C.. I think because it is damaged, but it just won't split. My ends just turn into little poles that won't bend, break, of stretch. haha

Vermelha
April 3rd, 2010, 07:20 PM
YAY! More coarsies!!!

I remember going to a salon to get a master braider to do my hair.

She told me that my hair texture was brittle (because it was coarse) and that it needed to be fixed. I told her that my hair has always been coarse, since I was a kid, and didn't understand what was wrong with it. She told me that hair wasn't supposed to feel like that. It was supposed to be soft, according to her. I was like O_o, whatever.

BonnyJ
April 3rd, 2010, 07:51 PM
Oh, oh me too :waving: Thank you for starting this thread! I thought I had this severely damaged (not of this earth) hair. I can oil the dickens out of it and the next morning it has devoured every drop.

I also have not mastered many buns and now I know why. My hair does braid well and seems to withstand a lot. I swear you can use my hair as fishing line.

I had quit cones but am wondering if I should give them another chance. I also use Garnier Triple Nutrition with 3 oils poo along with the conditioner.

Anyone have any ideas of how I could get some light smooth curls in my hair? What about using socks to curl just the bottom half when mostly dry. Anyone tried it?

And is there a hair safe way to straighten? If I bun or braid mine wet it also will still be wet in the a.m.

Take care fellow coarsies.

julliams
April 4th, 2010, 05:39 AM
Bonny J - I sleep with my hair damp to get smooth waves. For curls - how about this http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/bandana-waves/

I went without cones for 6 months and ended up with loads of splits so I've gone back to cones. Still experimenting myself.

Vermelha - I have the same problem. Hairdressers look at me like "you poor thing with damaged dry hair" and I'm like "no, this is good - this is just the texture - it's normal for me". Drives me crazy.

Dreams_in_Pink
April 4th, 2010, 05:53 AM
I get a little tired of people responding negatively to my hair when it is au naturel. If I don't heat treat it, it has the appearance of dry hair and hairdressers are constantly telling me I need treatments. I do them twice a week so I can't do anymore than that.

When I left the hairdressers last week I had very smooth poker straight hair and of course I get loads of compliments from everyone like "it looks so healthy". Well I know that it is no more healthy than when I went into the salon - it's just coated with silicone and heat treated. Now that I have washed I'm back to the same fuzzy me.

I guess that is the perception of what healthy hair is to most people.

You just read my mind!!!:D People have to understand that there are TYPES of hair, one is FINE and the other is COARSE. All these years i thought i was cursed with this full head of naturally damaged strands :rolleyes:

People should shut up about things they don't know. :nono:


She told me that my hair texture was brittle (because it was coarse) and that it needed to be fixed. I told her that my hair has always been coarse, since I was a kid, and didn't understand what was wrong with it. She told me that hair wasn't supposed to feel like that. It was supposed to be soft, according to her. I was like O_o, whatever.

I remember the time when i was at the hairdresser's to get my permanent extensions...They examined my hair and made the same statement that my hair was DRY. They did some kind of treatment to fix that :rolleyes: after my hair was washed and dried, obviously, my hair was same old coarse-brittle state :D they didn't comment at the non-existing result :D (i'm doing overnight treatments and my texture still hasnt changed a bit, how the hell they thought they'd make it smooth with a 20-mins treatment??)

chopandchange
April 4th, 2010, 06:39 AM
I remember the first time I ever cut my own hair, I messed up the front layers a bit, so I went to the hairdressers to get it fixed. She told me the ends of my hair were like "rat tails" - and this is after I'd just cut off about 7 inches! I had very, very healthy ends!!!

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Toadstool
April 4th, 2010, 08:53 AM
Yes! It does my head in. I hate the way it doesn't feel soft. When it was longer I was always cutting off non-existent "damage". It was a haitdresser who told me it wasn't damage, just texture,actually.

Dreams_in_Pink
April 4th, 2010, 09:41 AM
. It was a haitdresser who told me it wasn't damage, just texture,actually.

heh, you were lucky to face a true hairdresser then ;)

Bellona
April 4th, 2010, 09:55 AM
I've got coarse hair as well. I am still trying to figure out what works best for me. Cones make my hair dry at the bottom and greasy at the top, but no-cone products make it get really tangled. My hair is definitely prone to matting/tangling...yuck. I also hate wearing my hair up because it's heavy and pulls and hurts, and it's only at APL. When it was near waist I was having serious problems with tangling, so that's why I cut it all off (big mistake). Hopefully I can make braids soon, because those have always been more comfortable and flattering on me than buns/ponys.

My canopy is coarser than my under layer, so I often wear a half up to make my hair look "normal." Oil seems to help sometimes, but other times my hair just hates it and clumps together and looks horrible. So I will definitely be watching this thread for any tips ;) But the good thing about coarse hair is that it can take a beating. I grew to waist last year after changing from black to brown to blonde to brown and back to blonde again, all while blowdrying every other day and using the straightener/curling iron!

Vermelha
April 4th, 2010, 10:24 AM
Oh, oh me too :waving: Thank you for starting this thread! I thought I had this severely damaged (not of this earth) hair. I can oil the dickens out of it and the next morning it has devoured every drop.

I also have not mastered many buns and now I know why. My hair does braid well and seems to withstand a lot. I swear you can use my hair as fishing line.

I had quit cones but am wondering if I should give them another chance. I also use Garnier Triple Nutrition with 3 oils poo along with the conditioner.

Anyone have any ideas of how I could get some light smooth curls in my hair? What about using socks to curl just the bottom half when mostly dry. Anyone tried it?

And is there a hair safe way to straighten? If I bun or braid mine wet it also will still be wet in the a.m.

Take care fellow coarsies.

LOL @ Using hair as a fishing line! My our hair sounds very much alike, well except that mine is ridiculously curly.

About a safe way to straighten...I band my hair down the length with ouchless bands or scrunchies to straighten out my hair. It works well for me and I have 3c hair. I do it all the time and it dries faster and straighter than wearing it in a bun. Sometimes I do two banded ponytails, since my hair can be thick and hard to get through.

Vermelha
April 4th, 2010, 10:27 AM
You just read my mind!!!:D People have to understand that there are TYPES of hair, one is FINE and the other is COARSE. All these years i thought i was cursed with this full head of naturally damaged strands :rolleyes:

People should shut up about things they don't know. :nono:



I remember the time when i was at the hairdresser's to get my permanent extensions...They examined my hair and made the same statement that my hair was DRY. They did some kind of treatment to fix that :rolleyes: after my hair was washed and dried, obviously, my hair was same old coarse-brittle state :D they didn't comment at the non-existing result :D (i'm doing overnight treatments and my texture still hasnt changed a bit, how the hell they thought they'd make it smooth with a 20-mins treatment??)

LOL, many hairdressers don't know a THING. I mean, there is a such thing as naturally dry hair, just like there is naturally oily hair. They think they can fix everything. Are they aware that people are born like this? What are they teaching in beauty school?!?

Dreams_in_Pink
April 4th, 2010, 10:47 AM
LOL, many hairdressers don't know a THING. I mean, there is a such thing as naturally dry hair, just like there is naturally oily hair. They think they can fix everything. Are they aware that people are born like this? What are they teaching in beauty school?!?

Actually, i don't think our problem is dryness. Coarse hair is more "stiff", as in, it doesn't bend or flow like fine hair does. It cannot, cause the diameter of each strand is greater than that of a fine strand. This is usually perceived as "dry". If dryness doesn't go away after a SMT, it's probably just texture :)

Vermelha
April 4th, 2010, 10:53 AM
Actually, i don't think our problem is dryness. Coarse hair is more "stiff", as in, it doesn't bend or flow like fine hair does. It cannot, cause the diameter of each strand is greater than that of a fine strand. This is usually perceived as "dry". If dryness doesn't go away after a SMT, it's probably just texture :)

I wonder who came up with the term "dry hair" then? Kinda weird. But what you say makes perfect sense!

Dreams_in_Pink
April 4th, 2010, 10:57 AM
I wonder who came up with the term "dry hair" then? Kinda weird. But what you say makes perfect sense!

There IS dry hair; hair that's porous tend to go dry from time to time and needs to be conditioned. If overnight conditioning doesn't work though, i blame it on low-porosity and/or coarseness.

Toadstool
April 4th, 2010, 03:00 PM
Does anyone do CO? I think that might make it softer?

Dreams_in_Pink
April 4th, 2010, 03:03 PM
Does anyone do CO? I think that might make it softer?

it only made my hair limp. I need to try another brand though.

TigerLily1
April 4th, 2010, 03:43 PM
Which products does everyone here use to wash their hair, and leave in?

I am trying the Indian ayurvedic herbs and oils, the herbs are going well, but for leave in oils its hard for me to judge how much to leave in, in the past I had a drop of Almond oil and then added loads of serum, now I don't use the serum, I am having difficulty judging how much oil to leave in and which oil is best to leave in, some oils leave my hair looking wayward, and wiry e.g. coconut oil, I love using it for an overnight oiling, but not after washing and going out, some days I over do it and the hair is too oily, others I under do it and my hair is so dry and frizzy. I am continuing to experiment to find the exact amount that is suitable.

skarab
April 4th, 2010, 05:20 PM
Another coarse-hair owner here. Nothing can make it soft. I tried oiling a few times, but sometimes the hair just absorbed it seemingly on the spot but with no change to texture, and other times it just looked lank and oily :shrug: I just don't really care anymore.
I think the sleekest my hair has been has been with cones, but I don't like the chemicals in general, and have been using all-natural shampoos the last few years. Last 6 weeks have been WO, and I've been enjoying the hassle-free-ness of it. I mean, if my hair can't look sleek and shiny and soft no matter what I do, I might as well go for the least involved procedure and save hours of my life, right?
My hair is curly, btw, and unlike finer-haired curlies has not gotten more definition with WO (and CO just made it limp). I think the coarse texture confines me to having softer, frizzier curls, but you know what? I actually rather like them :redgrin:

masnmab
April 4th, 2010, 07:56 PM
coarse hair here!

I haven't used cones since summer 2007, with maybe 4 exceptions while I was away and had no choice. My hair is not naturally soft, and it hasn't been since I went cone free.

I've discovered that CO keeps my hair healthy and soft, while helping to maintain my curls. It also makes my scalp very happy. I did shampoo once last month, and may stick to 1x/month just for a deep cleanse.

I hardly ever use styling products anymore-just a bit of oil for shine. I love the Africa's Best oil, as well as Lilypad Body oils-the chocolate orange makes my head smell delicious.

tinker bug
April 4th, 2010, 08:09 PM
Chiming in that I have coarse hair too :D It seems to be coarser on top than on the underside, which can look pretty hilarious when I do half-up buns :o I might be a weirdie for saying this, but when I'm S&Ding, and I snip a coarser hair, I love the noise it makes. I guess you could say its glorifying to know I'm trimming off the weak part of my hair (the split) while the coarser thicker part becomes part of my new hemline. Or maybe I'm just bizzare :D




Does anyone do CO? I think that might make it softer?

I had some troubles COing from the time I started growing up until about 3 or 4 inches past waist. I'm now a little shy of tailbone, and COing is working great. It does make my hair seem softer (I use suave naturals apple flavor or whatever. Can't remember the proper name), and makes the poof down at the ends go away, just have to be sure to rinse it ALL out otherwise it makes my hair feel even coarser.

proo
April 5th, 2010, 06:37 AM
has anyone used a diluted honey mixture as a shampoo? seems like it could cleanse without stripping. always looking for that magic bullet - i shampoo once a week and this is my day. ideas?

PadmeAmidala
April 5th, 2010, 11:19 AM
I've got coarse hair, too - what helps me is coconut oil.

For a few weeks, I have put some of it in my hair every evening (I spray a little water on the lenghts, warm up the oil in my hands, and put it on).

The oil is completely sucked away in the morning, and the hair feels softer.

BonnyJ
April 28th, 2010, 06:42 PM
After experimentation I haved found that I need some cones. I have extremely coarse hair and have found my best hair care routine.
I use Garnier Triple Nutrition shampoo and condish for my CW then I use Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm for the last C.
After I am microfiber towel dry I spray on Pure Shine spray on luminator.
I now have lovely hair with a lot of slip. We coarsies get tangles just by looking at our hair and instead of spending about 1 1/2 hrs de-tangling I now can do it in 15 to 20 minutes. This is important as I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and it kills me to hold my arms up.
I also have nice waves/curls after drying and de-tangling.

I must thank LHC for this forum which has directed me to healthy hair care.

KajiKodomo
April 29th, 2010, 07:33 AM
I have coarse hair too! What helps my hair is to almost overload the ends with conditioner and oil (I use Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil). It soaks it all up within minutes.

I also have to use cones, otherwise my hair stays super poufy and doesn't even get close to being soft.

I also have thick hair, which I think is helped out by having coarse strands. I've had hairdressers say "oh my GOD" when they start looking through my hair, and I've had friends who just want to touch it since it looks so thick. It feels like a blanket on my head (and shoulders and back when it gets long enough), so I have to do something with it during the summer, haha! :D

Mrs Sgardelis
April 29th, 2010, 08:28 AM
My underneath hair is coarse, but my top hair is much finer, silkier and smoother.

It's like I've had a partial hair transplant from an incompatible donor. :eek:

I have the exact same thing:( All lovely and normal on top and abit wirey on the bottom

Sheltie_Momma
April 29th, 2010, 08:46 AM
Cool thread. I have a lot of problems with split ends and frizziness.

Products that work for me are:
Suave Professionals Sleek AntiFrizz Cream
Coconut milk treatments.
Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner
Aubrey Organics Island Naturals Replenishing Conditioner

For up-do's I couldn't do much until recently (I'm at about 32 inches or so, maybe a little less, I just got a trim)

curlylocks85
July 11th, 2010, 04:49 PM
There's a fine hair thread, so it was obligatory for me to start one for coarse hair care :D

Seriously, how do we care for our wiry, sewing-thread-thick strands?

As far as i know (and experience) coarse hair doesn't split anywhere as frequent as fine hair does. This makes me believe that it's stronger than fine hair and doesn't require that much care. Could i be wrong? How does coarse hair show damage? How soft can coarse hair get, and what oils/products/routines work best?

Speaking of my own experience, pretty much nothing i put on my hair makes it smoother. I tried cones, conditioners, SMT, many kinds of oils (except for %100 pure coconut oil), WO wash, CO wash and SO. My hair's either weighed down or "sticky" (happens with conditioner) or brittle.

ETA: Have to mention this. I see there are many "OMG i found a coarse strand in my beautiful hair!" threads lately... Chill, people! coarse hair cannot be that bad, come oooon! :D

This is me. I have coarse hair mixed with medium hair so some hairs are smoother than others are. Also, my hair is dry and when mixed together can create a weird feel to my hair. It took me a while to understand what was making my hair feel so dry or coarse.


The only thing that I found (accidentally) to smooth my hair was when I went swimming in a pond with my son. My hair since then has been incredibly soft. I can still feel some coarseness, but overall it is the softest my hair has been.

I have just accepted that my hair will never be as silky and smooth as other types, but I still love my hair and try hard to work with it and be happy with what I have.

Mitzy
July 11th, 2010, 06:01 PM
I am so subscribing to this thread!

My hair is so coarse and thick, I have had hairdressers refuse to do anything to it out of fear! Seriously, when it was waist length, I wanted a spiral perm (gah, it was the 80's, I was stupid) and the hairdresser made her boss do it cause she was scared. LOL

Now I am sort of starting over with a pixie cut and have no color so let's see if that makes it any softer. I wish I could have shiny hair. Since I was about 13 it has not been shiny except right after coloring or through using something with tons of 'cones to make it so. I am hoping the gray and the not coloring will help with that.

klcqtee
July 11th, 2010, 07:04 PM
As far as i know (and experience) coarse hair doesn't split anywhere as frequent as fine hair does. This makes me believe that it's stronger than fine hair and doesn't require that much care. Could i be wrong? How does coarse hair show damage? How soft can coarse hair get, and what oils/products/routines work best?



I've FRIED my coarse hair with bleach and dyes. Damaged coarse hair is very velcro-ey. Nothing better than hair that feels like horse hair, that sticks together like velcro, and crunches audibly. Ugh. Also, it's very possible to have splits on coarse hair. My hair was covered in them (before my second 2" trim in 6 months!). I guess I'm lucky I have coarse hair, I'd be much worse off with fine hair.

The only thing that makes my hair soft is oil. Coconut oil is good, but it makes it a little stringy because I need a lot to get softness from it, and very straight. I love EVOO! I soak my hair for four hours or so, then wash out (cone free CO). The day after my hair is so soft, I can't stop petting it. It unfortunately makes it very straight, but frizz free! After my next wash, it's still very soft, mostly frizzless, and back to its wurly self.

I have to buy more EVOO...

Virgin hair is also way softer than dyed hair, especially on a coarsie. I'm loving the manageability of my virgin hair.

Igor
July 11th, 2010, 08:13 PM
Coarsie here. The individual hairs of my scalp range from platinum blonde over brunette with a lot of red strands in it too and it seems like the darker hairs are the thickest/coarsest

Anyone else has to be careful with oil and protein? Supposedly it’s a common thing for us coarsies :shrug: Mine loves cones and cholesterol

Nexxus *something* was the only thing that made my hair super, super soft

HintOfMint
July 11th, 2010, 09:08 PM
A mix of fine, medium and coarse here! Canopy is coarse, mid level is medium, and underlayer is spider-silk fine.
The OP is right that the coarse hair doesn't split as easily. I would heat style every day, brush when wet, and use alcohol laden sprays, and the worst my canopy would get is dry. No splits, no white dots. Whereas, even with my most gentle routine, I still get splits in the underlayer.
Dryness is an issue for coarse hair, though. Dry coarse hair feels just awful and crunchy. An SMT helps. Also damp bunning. That somehow turns my hair to silk.

MrsGuther
July 11th, 2010, 09:14 PM
I have course hair as well. I get so aggravated by my hair texture and courseness. I am not sure exactly what is best to do with my hair. I usually just let it air dry and put it up in a messy bun during the day. Once in a blue moon I blow dry and heat style my hair. I know this probably is not doing my hair one bit of good, but I can't help myself. My hair is already super damaged on the ends from past highlighting damage, so I figure flat ironing the ends that are already damaged isn't such a bad thing since eventually I am going to cut off the damage anyways.

moominhapa
July 11th, 2010, 09:45 PM
Coarsie here. The individual hairs of my scalp range from platinum blonde over brunette with a lot of red strands in it too and it seems like the darker hairs are the thickest/coarsest

Anyone else has to be careful with oil and protein? Supposedly it’s a common thing for us coarsies :shrug: Mine loves cones and cholesterol

Nexxus *something* was the only thing that made my hair super, super soft

I have to be careful with oil and protein too. I have hairs of all different textures on my head, but on the coarsest hairs, oil just sits there on top of them and doesn't absorb at all. Then I end up with strands that are still kinky and coarse, but now with a coating of oil over them that is doing nothing at all. So when I oil, I usually do it lightly.

My coarse hairs are sort of a pain since they're not as soft and well behaved as the rest of my hair, but I guess the upside is that they're strong and make my hair thicker looking overall.

klcqtee
July 13th, 2010, 10:55 AM
Coarsie here. The individual hairs of my scalp range from platinum blonde over brunette with a lot of red strands in it too and it seems like the darker hairs are the thickest/coarsest

Anyone else has to be careful with oil and protein? Supposedly it’s a common thing for us coarsies :shrug: Mine loves cones and cholesterol

Nexxus *something* was the only thing that made my hair super, super soft

Protein is not my friend at all. I have some head pubes, because some of my strands are so coarse, and I thought they were just dry and brittle. I thought I'd try a protein treatment with an egg (among other things). My whole head was left feeling wiry and coarse.

eri401
July 13th, 2010, 11:37 PM
Yes! I have been waiting for a thread like this for a while.

I've got very thick hair strands and some of the ones underneath are very wiry. I always thought my hair was normal and soft until the meanest, most horrible hair stylist ever mocked my older sister's hair when we were teenagers. For years I piled on the heaviest conditioners because I was thus convinced my hair was somehow inherently "damaged" and dry. When I hit my mid 20s, I suddenly realized that my hair wasn't damaged/dry. It was just...thick Asian hair.

Oddly, the longer my hair is, the more manageable it is. I'm so happy I found this forum and started using EVOO. I usually wash with Garnier at the roots and coat my hair with whatever drug store conditioner there is. After my hair is damp (not soaking wet), I pat the length with really just a drop of EVOO and then I braid it and go to sleep. Sometimes it doesn't dry by morning but when it does, my hair is so soft.

I only wish there was a way to avoid braiding -- I don't like the waves.

christine1989
July 14th, 2010, 12:19 AM
Ha! I am the total opposite. Sometimes I say "OMG! I found a fine hair in my coarse hair! EEK!" I like the fact that my hair is stronger and resistant to splits. As for making it soft I have recently had great success with castor oil. It reduces frizz and evens out the texture plus it works great in conjunction with coconut oil.

klcqtee
July 15th, 2010, 01:21 PM
Has anyone tried Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream? I've been reading through that thread, trying to see how it might work on coarse hair, but haven't been able to find anyone with coarse hair that's tried it (though I'm only 1/3 of the way through the thread).

italianamama
July 15th, 2010, 02:12 PM
*Raises hand* me too!!! :D I'm with ya'll, I LOVE my olive oil! I usually oil in the morning and at night, and my strands just suck it all up and get happy. I just go right to the kitchen and pour some out.

I'll use coconut oil for really deep oilings, mostly because I love the smell. I don't use cones, and I think that's why my hair takes the oil better. I also use Biolage conditioning balm as a deep treatment and it's worth the money! Any other conditioner just doesn't seem to do the job.

I'm joining the I Hate Updos club! Unless my hair is due for a wash, it rejects all elastics, pins, and hair forks. I'll stick with my braids.

meph
July 15th, 2010, 02:52 PM
I just read the whole thread and I recognize so much. Another coarse haired person here *raises hand*.
My hair actually hates EVOO and loves coconut, for daily and heavy oilings. I use cones but have been cone free in the past, my hair doesn't care either way and I find it easier to be able to just grab a condish in the store without reading the ingredients (yes, lazy :p).
And don't mention updos. They're horrible, I can only do a bun with a gazillion pins when I'm at least at waist length. Everything else just falls out after a mere 5 minutes. Thank goodness for braids.

eri401
July 16th, 2010, 12:21 AM
Question:

When you find those extra wiry random hair (ahem, sometimes called pube-hairs), do they seem damaged to you? I found one the other day and it snapped in my fingers, brittle and crisp. All of my regular hair lately has been very stretchy though! It makes me wonder if those random hairs are indeed damaged and not simply "extra coarse" coarse strands.

jessie58
July 16th, 2010, 01:59 AM
My hair was medium coarse but it seems to be growing into all coarse these last couple of years.
It's wiry, curly, frizzy and nothing seems to tame it. The other day I though I had found a miracle cure to make it smooth, soft, tangle free and frizz free. I used Biolage Super Hydrating Balm in the shower, rinsed it out, applied Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, then applied Potion 9 Leave In Treatment. My hair was awesome, I could not believe how soft and smooth it was. I used it for a few days, then I dyed my roots and boing, back to frizzy, curly and unmanageable.

I'm still experimenting with the above named products and I think that the dye interrupted the absorption of the products so I'm still using them and waiting to see if I can get back those dream results.

mneh
September 12th, 2010, 04:18 PM
Woohoo, I'm so glad I found this thread. I've just read through it and can relate to so many of the things said :)


heh, you were lucky to face a true hairdresser then ;)

My hairdresser affectionately describes my hair as goat hair and jokes about taming the goat (particularly the hair on the back of my head, which is the coarsest). It was thanks to her that I learned my hair was in great condition and that it just has a different texture to the hair that I see on other people's heads. My hairdresser tells me I should be glad to have the hair I have because it can withstand a lot and, "you couldn't kill it if you tried". My husband jokes that two things would survive World War III: cockroaches and my hair LOL



Actually, i don't think our problem is dryness. Coarse hair is more "stiff", as in, it doesn't bend or flow like fine hair does.

This description makes a lot of sense to me - I have never been able to do cute hairstyles and always blamed my own ineptness, but I've lately realised that it has a lot to do with the texture of my hair, which, as you say, doesn't flow or bend well.



Another coarse-hair owner here. Nothing can make it soft. I tried oiling a few times, but sometimes the hair just absorbed it seemingly on the spot but with no change to texture, and other times it just looked lank and oily :shrug: I just don't really care anymore....I mean, if my hair can't look sleek and shiny and soft no matter what I do, I might as well go for the least involved procedure and save hours of my life, right?
My hair is curly, btw, and unlike finer-haired curlies has not gotten more definition with WO (and CO just made it limp). I think the coarse texture confines me to having softer, frizzier curls, but you know what? I actually rather like them :redgrin:

Oil has the same effect on my hair too and I was mystified by this because so many LHC-ers swear by using oil and cite lots of benefits. I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong until I read this thread. As for your thoughts on curl definition, I think I've just realised that I'm not going to achieve the same level of definition as finer haired wurlies and curlies despite trying all the advice I've found online for the last 6 months. This has made me realise that I need to learn to live with the texture I have rather than struggle in vain to make it behave in a way that it's not meant to, so I suppose that will free up a lot of time for me, if I'm no longer attempting to make my hair do the impossible lol.



Protein is not my friend at all. I have some head pubes, because some of my strands are so coarse, and I thought they were just dry and brittle. I thought I'd try a protein treatment with an egg (among other things). My whole head was left feeling wiry and coarse.

Again, I was mystified when I read about the wonderful effects egg had on the hair of other curlies because when I tried it, my hair hated it and went crunchy and became even more difficult to manage. Now, I know to avoid protein if I want my hair to stay friends with me :cheese:



I'm joining the I Hate Updos club! Unless my hair is due for a wash, it rejects all elastics, pins, and hair forks. I'll stick with my braids.

I am finding updos a challenge: my hair struggles against any style I attempt. It often slips out of hair slides or just explodes/breaks clips or ponytail holders. Also, because I have so much hair, I get headaches from buns, and plaits, and I can't do wispy or artfully-untidy looking hairstyles, my hair just looks too "definite" all the time (if that makes sense), it doesn't do artfully-placed, face-framing wisps, or little pieces of hair pulled back simply and quickly, it does definite clumps that hang round my face and look silly and it takes a lot of fiddling with to look even slightly, casual :(



When you find those extra wiry random hair (ahem, sometimes called pube-hairs), do they seem damaged to you? I found one the other day and it snapped in my fingers, brittle and crisp. All of my regular hair lately has been very stretchy though! It makes me wonder if those random hairs are indeed damaged and not simply "extra coarse" coarse strands.

I'm so relieved to hear that other people have these 'head pubes' too :) My DH has great fun finding them, and pulling them out for me to look at, and for years I've thought they were a sign of damage. But I've always had them so I think they must just be part of my hair - they do look very strange though :s

prettigurl
September 12th, 2010, 07:08 PM
I have coarse hair and the only thing that keeps it soft is washing it a few times a week and using a really thick conditioner. If I go longer than about 3 days without wetting my hair it gets crunchy.

Thinthondiel
September 12th, 2010, 07:43 PM
I managed to make my hair feel incredibly soft and light the other day... I did an overnight deep oiling with EVOO, and then I used a sulphate shampoo mixed half and half with baking soda (because I didn't trust CO to get it out, even though other people have said it works well). Then I used a lemon rinse (since my hair doesn't like vinegar) which I then rinsed out, and then I used conditioner. My hair was smoother afterwards than I can ever remember having felt before, and had this incredibly "light" feeling to it when I touched it.

Thinthondiel
September 12th, 2010, 07:53 PM
Question:

When you find those extra wiry random hair (ahem, sometimes called pube-hairs), do they seem damaged to you? I found one the other day and it snapped in my fingers, brittle and crisp. All of my regular hair lately has been very stretchy though! It makes me wonder if those random hairs are indeed damaged and not simply "extra coarse" coarse strands.

Mine seem stronger than the rest of my hair, and it takes a lot to snap them.

Perhaps, since your hair is stretchy, it is protein deficient? I have no idea if that would make the "head pubes" brittle, though. Maybe they're just too thick to become stretchy or something, and they snap instead?

Artsy
September 12th, 2010, 10:11 PM
Does anyone do CO? I think that might make it softer?

I CO for more than 1/2 a year now, it helped my hair a lot in calming it down. I used to shampoo it and get a lot of frizz until the 2nd day after wash, but my scalp was already getting oily by that time. I tried CWC, and tried diluting shampoo, and it didn't work. Decided to ditch the shampoo, and my hair is much easier to manage and to stretch the washes as well. I had to stop using all of the creamy leave-ins which were matting my hair somehow, however still using the clear ones. Blowdryer always makes me more frizzy, over-dried and porous. Silicones and glycerin are my best friends along with Monoi Miracle oil. Still, even after treatments and oiling it doesn't feel nice and soft, like my little sister's fine hair. Hers can be split on the ends and feel nice, mine sounds like hay right after a trim:) That's life I guess

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little_cherry
September 13th, 2010, 12:28 AM
*raises haind*
I have lots of coarsies...my hair is a combination of fine, medium and coarse strands, so sometimes its hard to balance things...one thing I've found that my coarsies love is Hemp seed oil....my hair is incredible after doing an overnight oiling! I love it better than olive oil.

Igor
September 13th, 2010, 01:51 AM
I think this is the right thread to share this in :lol: I had a funny exchange with curly haired Dutch friend
She was telling me how she thinks her hair is damaged and I asked why she thought so
As proof, she grabbed her hair and started rolling it between her fingers and it “crunched”
I asked her “Do you think my hair is damaged?” she said no
I did the same finger-roll with my hair and it “crunched” loudly
:lol:
Then I explained the differences in hair types and coarse hair :wink: Was hilarious to see her face!

Joliebaby
September 13th, 2010, 01:54 AM
I've been wondering whether my hair is coarse or medium. I used to think it was coarse, especially the top layer, but then I realized it was damage that was making it feel so coarse. When healthy, my hair feels soft.
The strands are thick but not as thick as sewing thread.
It likes oils and lipids and humectants a lot but does well without cones.
It doesn't split (unless subjected to extreme bleaching over and over).
It's poofy and voluminous and I like it like that. When blowdried straight at a salon it just feels LESS. More average, less like me.

So I guess my hair is more medium than coarse?

ETA:

I get that sound from hair too if I roll a bunch of hairs between my fingers. Does it mean my hair is coarse?



I think this is the right thread to share this in :lol: I had a funny exchange with curly haired Dutch friend
She was telling me how she thinks her hair is damaged and I asked why she thought so
As proof, she grabbed her hair and started rolling it between her fingers and it “crunched”
I asked her “Do you think my hair is damaged?” she said no
I did the same finger-roll with my hair and it “crunched” loudly
:lol:
Then I explained the differences in hair types and coarse hair :wink: Was hilarious to see her face!

Igor
September 13th, 2010, 01:57 AM
I get that sound from hair too if I roll a bunch of hairs between my fingers. Does it mean my hair is coarse?
Unless you know your hair is very damaged (Which I doubt :p ) then yes

Joliebaby
September 13th, 2010, 02:09 AM
I use it and like it a lot! I added a dollop of honey in my mix, My miracle product though is Phyto9 or Phyto7.

Has anyone tried Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream? I've been reading through that thread, trying to see how it might work on coarse hair, but haven't been able to find anyone with coarse hair that's tried it (though I'm only 1/3 of the way through the thread).

Igor: Thanks! I guess I'm a coarsie then. Helps explain the thickness too. My hair is SO not typical Scandinavian hair.

Othala
September 13th, 2010, 04:16 AM
I have coarse, wiry hair and there is no need with hair this thick to have protein treatments. What it needs is heavy doses of moisture and oils.

I tend not to get split ends unless I do something stupid like NW which dried my hair out terribly.

I think we are fortunate to have this hair type as the hair is basically quite strong, although not invincible, and therefore it takes a lot more mishandling to damage as compared to finer hair types.

Joliebaby
September 13th, 2010, 05:16 AM
I have always really liked my hair type too! No moaning from me about it.

jackie75
September 13th, 2010, 07:35 AM
My hair is coarse.


I have coarse hair too! What helps my hair is to almost overload the ends with conditioner and oil (I use Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil). It soaks it all up within minutes.

I love this oil! It does wonders for my hair. Makes it much softer. I find it works better than olive oil or coconut oil for me.


Has anyone tried Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream? I've been reading through that thread, trying to see how it might work on coarse hair, but haven't been able to find anyone with coarse hair that's tried it (though I'm only 1/3 of the way through the thread).

I made a batch of it a while back. In all honesty, shea butter did nothing for my hair. And I couldn't stand the smell of it.

When I had tail bone length hair 15 years ago, I used to get so upset because my hair was so "dry". I never colored it, heat styled or anything. I had some splits too. I ended up chopping it off only because I couldn't take care of it right. :(

Now that I understand my hair type and learned so much about hair care, I can grow it back long without so much frustration.

wickedwitch
September 13th, 2010, 08:27 AM
I've tried both grapeseed and olive oil, but neither was ever absorbed into my hair, leaving it limp and greasy.

aenflex
September 13th, 2010, 09:43 AM
I have coarse hair at the canopy and fine, soft hair underneath, all the way around. It's always been odd to me. One thing that really helps me is using the satin sleep cap. I thought maybe my canopy or outter hair was being more exposed/damaged than the rest, so I invested in the sleep cap and it has helped a fair amount.
Yes, like other coarsies, I almost never get tangles. And I cannot eliminate cones competely from my routine, but I use them sparingly.
Oils with the best immediate, aesthetic appeal (for me): Camellia, Grapeseed, Macadamia. Smooths the hair, makes it more shiny and tames it.
Oils with the best long term, moisturization (for me): Coconut Cream, Avocado. These two are not my favorite, but after a heavy oiling and leaving that oil in/reapplying over the course of 2-3 days, then a wash - WOW. Amazing results.

aenflex
September 16th, 2010, 09:23 AM
I have always had coarse hair covering the outter (visible) part of my hair. It has finally gotten to the point where I am happy with it's improved texture, though without stringent application of my routine, my hair would revert to it's normal, dry, rough, frizzy looking self.

Shampoo: Suave Naturals Rosemary & Mint - it's very cleansing, I wash 2 times per week and it works just fine getting out all the oils/butters.
Conditioner: Meh. Sometimes Giovanni 50/50, ACV, Biolage Balm, just whatever. I use just a very little in the shower. The trick to my hair keeping in good condition is not the in-shower-conditioner or even the shampoo. It's the between washing care...
Leave in after washings: Small dollop of coconut cream and a few squirts of Biolage Smoothing Shine Milk, emulsify and run hands through damp, freshwashed hair. Light oiling the 2 days after washes with coconut cream, avocado, or a mix of amla/sweet almond, macadamia, camellia, etc. Scalp massages for growth with these and other EO's, and capsicum.
I believe the combination of light cones and coconut cream on wet hair, and the use of a satin sleep cap, has dramatically changed my hair.

mneh
September 21st, 2010, 08:20 AM
I was colouring my hair at the weekend and I tried Finoriel's yoghurt and henna mix - it left my coarse hair feeling silky and soft; it still feels that way 3 days later. I am attributing this to the yoghurt in the mix, as I've hennaed my hair before and it has never felt silky soft afterwards (in fact, my hair very rarely feels silky or soft lol).

I chose to use 1% fat yoghurt because my hair is sensitive to protein (when I was a novice at natural hair care, I turned my hair into an uber-crunchy mess with a mayonnaise treatment:(). I noticed the silky/soft feeling as I was rinsing out the henna/yoghurt mud, my hair felt great and didn't really need conditioner, but I added some anyway to help seal in the colour.

I think I'm going to try applying yoghurt, on its own, as a deep treatment to see if I can replicate the effect. Has anyone else tried this?

Igor
September 21st, 2010, 08:43 AM
I think I'm going to try applying yoghurt, on its own, as a deep treatment to see if I can replicate the effect. Has anyone else tried this?

I never tried yoghurt on my hair but I’m beginning to get curious about trying!

mneh
September 21st, 2010, 08:53 AM
I never tried yoghurt on my hair but I’m beginning to get curious about trying!

I was nervous about trying yoghurt because my hair doesn't like protein much, but I agreed with Finoriel's reasoning that very low fat yoghurt wouldn't upset my hair too much because, in the past, I tried a treatment consisting of ACV, AVG, and dried skimmed milk powder, and that recipe had a somewhat 'softening' effect on my hair, but not as much as the recent henna/yoghurt mix. However, I left the henna mud on my hair for 2 hours, whereas the milk treatment I only tried for 30 minutes. Perhaps length of time spent on the hair has something to do with it.

Margeaux
October 12th, 2010, 07:12 AM
Bump.

Joining this thread! My hair is especially coarse on top and in the back, medium thickness on the sides, while the bottom layers are fine. Since the top layer is obviously the most visible, though, I'm known for my coarse hair - thick hair, crunchy hair, curly hair, however you want to label it. I, too, grew out my hair to escape the much-dreaded 'pyramid head'.

Since winter is approaching, my hair type's worst nightmare, I'm interested in maintaining my hair as smoothly (pun intended) as possible. Hit me! :D

Catia
October 12th, 2010, 12:13 PM
I have a vivid memory of sitting in the back of a pickup with my brother with fishing tackle, and both of us comparing my hair to the fishing line. I think I was 11.

I definitely think our hair is tougher, particularly since getting married to a man with beautiful, smooth, fine and very easily damaged hair. A simple ponytail is murder on his hair.

I think dye can be really damaging on my coarse hair simply because it takes nuclear strength to penetrate it. Temp or Demi dyes are spit back out. In particular, covering whites and lifting color. So in other words, yes, Coarse hair can certainly be damaged without toooooo much effort.

I do think my hair need a lot of moisture, even though I no longer think of it as "damaged". My hair is always it's most well behaved in the few days after a wash, then it turns into a "Weeping Willow tree"... as my Mom describes it lol.

Very good thread. :agree:

Venefica
October 12th, 2010, 03:56 PM
I have coarse hair, though it is fairly soft. I do not get much splits though it can happen, usually it is enough for me to trim my hair about an inch a year to keep any splitting in check. My hair is also strong, it can take chemical treatments, knotting and such things with no damage. If I pick up a shedded hair and pull on it I have to pull a bit before it will break as it is rather elastic. I like coarse hair, my only problem with it is that it definitely do not like to be but up into hairdos. It want to hang straight down.

KristiLe
October 12th, 2010, 04:00 PM
You know, now that you mention it, I've never seen a split in any of my "coarse" hairs, always in the finer ones, interesting observation! :agree:

klcqtee
October 13th, 2010, 11:58 AM
I have a few especially wiry hairs throughout my head. I always thought they were just super coarse head pubes, but I recently pulled one out to play with it, and when I ran my fingernails down it, instead of curling like ribbon, like most of my hair does, it split all the way down the length and broke off. Anyone else have this? It's not all of my hair, it's not a certain area of my head, or length, it's just intermittent pieces.

Dreams_in_Pink
October 13th, 2010, 12:08 PM
I have a few especially wiry hairs throughout my head. I always thought they were just super coarse head pubes, but I recently pulled one out to play with it, and when I ran my fingernails down it, instead of curling like ribbon, like most of my hair does, it split all the way down the length and broke off. Anyone else have this? It's not all of my hair, it's not a certain area of my head, or length, it's just intermittent pieces.

That might be heat damage; when water in the hair shaft boils, sometimes the strand looks thicker, but actually those "thick" areas are very fragile. Having a whole head of coarse hairs, i can guarantee that coarse hair never breaks that easily :)

little_cherry
October 13th, 2010, 12:13 PM
I use Vaseline Intensive Care lotion as a treatment for my coarsies.. the other night, I applied the lotion followed by a heavy oiling with Coconut and olive and left it on my hair for a few hours. As soon as my hair hit the water, it instantly felt softer. I COed it out. I know the ladies at LHCF use VITCL on their hair with raving reviews.

Cowgirl16
October 15th, 2010, 12:35 PM
Count me in! I have VERY course underneath hairs and just the top layer is medium to fine. I am like so many of you. I can oil my hair and have it still look rough and then the next minute it look oily and limp. :confused:
I joined LHC with my hair already TB so I had already found what worked and some of what doesn't. I have to CO wash at least every other day and do a regular shampoo wash every 4 days. My hair cannot go a week without water. I also have always used a leave in (usually Garnier). My hair seems to do ok with cones.
Since comig to LHC I have started trying new things (oiling...Africa's best is so far my fav). I have a paper and pen next to the computer to write down any new products I have heard LHC memebers rav about and I want to try.:blossom:

Issmene
November 17th, 2010, 01:01 PM
My hair is pretty coarse too, at least hairdresser always comment on it, it crunches when I roll it between my fingers, and I can barely get it too feel soft (or look soft for that matter) and it just refuses to shine xD. I also have a lot hair, but I actually like that. Oils do not make a lot difference, only EVOO, but cones do. My hair doesn't like harsh detegents, but likes co-washing

chelles2kids
November 17th, 2010, 01:36 PM
:waving: Another coarsie here!!

Problems I've encountered:

Dryness, fluffiness/poufiness, not as much shine as I'd like (I know...I know...being dark-haired doesn't help with this either), getting enough moisture with products that won't build-up after the first couple of uses, and finding styles that don't make me look like I'm still stuck in the 80's...you know what I'm talking about ladies/gents, BIG & POUFY...oh wait! I already mentioned that didn't I??:p

Some days I call my hair "The Beast" because after I wash/condition it, if I don't wet bun it for hours on end, it literally takes on a life of it's own and begins to "grow"...and as the day wears on it get poufier and fluffier and...see the pattern here??:misskim:


Ooo & I wanted to add that I really like the L'oreal Mega Moisture creme that you can find at Sally Beauty supply, Cinnamon Hair got me started using that after reading her blog & visiting her site.
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Mega-Moisture-Creme/LOREAL6,default,pd.html?cm_vc=SEARCH

Sooze
November 17th, 2010, 01:49 PM
Coarse, puffy and fluffy here too. Fair knots are a problem for me as my hair gets longer. Til I joined LHC I didn't even know there was a name fpor them - I just called them "my demon hair"

I cut my hair to try and prevent them. It didn't work. My hair got drier and coarser, i cut shorter and shorter. Big mistake. If only I'd fund this place sooner, been kinder to my hair and realised my regime wasn't that "weird" I could've saved myself two years of hair hell.

Thanks to a bad hair colour allergy, subsequent henna rescue and then finding LHC, I now have hair that has regained life and lustre. Fair knots will not worry me now, neither will coarse hair. Just to have hair, and hair that grows longer will sufice. There is a bright side.......

ziggystar
November 18th, 2010, 12:55 AM
Ah! I have had a lot of new experiences since I became natural with the properties of coarse hair. My hair is also extremely thick (which is one of the reasons why, combined with my super tight coils only beginning to drop, that I maintained a boy cut for two years because it literally took me hours to section through my hair!:().

I've only currently had the courage to grow it out and I've found several things help for maintaining softness and preventing that crunchy feeling.


Spritz:
In the morning I wet my hair with a mixture to keep it hydrated throughout the day. For me rose water is enough if I've taken care of my hair the previous night. I take olive oil and while wet I try to moisturize mainly the ends and one third up because I know my ends are mostly where the dryness comes from. I cowash every three days and deep condition on the weekends so wear and tear on the ends is what is usually problematic.

Night Routine: Add oil or spritz (in my case black tea with a little bit of water and a small amount of honey depending on if it's summer) and braid the hair. If you're worried about too much oil play around with the combination and remember to immediately braid and/or use a silk scarf or bonnet to keep in the moisture.

There are a lot of other ways to maintain non-crunchy dry strands. But these two have really helped me. Black tea and coconut oil increase the shine, and braiding or covering my hair at night seems to allow the oil to penetrate my strands more until the morning.

Personally I believe that conditioner is key. Finding a conditioner that works with your hair type. For me I sometimes like using my conditioner as a leave in as well and instead of spritzing my hair in the morning I just add leave in after I cowash my hair. I add Giovanni because it's like and I like my hair to be thick and not weighed down.

Coarse hair, once understood, is great. I have some fine hairs in the front which are the only strands that actually ever have any split ends and my hair is very strong even though it's CRAZY thick. I am however beginning to really enjoy thick hair.:D

Nera
November 18th, 2010, 03:49 AM
I have some strands of extremely coarse hair underneath thick and smooth locks. They break off at the ends, they are extremely tangled, fairy knots all over and also splits. There is nothing really that can help this problem, I'm just happy that I don't have this hair all over my head!

tiny_teesha
November 18th, 2010, 05:33 AM
I'm one of those crazies, my canopy is coarse and my nape hairs are fine. Not many medium hair in there.
I go insane, there is no way to make it all happy.
I think that blow drying and dove conditioner help, to be honest, in making it softer-though!

Aveyronnaise
November 18th, 2010, 05:47 AM
I am surprised to learn that others have the crazy type of hair that i have , it's comforting. I have some coarse , some fine . The really weird thing I noticed today is that the left side of my hair is noticeably straighter than the right side. but to be fair I side part not in the middle so ...
Anyhow i have some coarse hair .

italianamama
November 18th, 2010, 07:26 PM
I think dye can be really damaging on my coarse hair simply because it takes nuclear strength to penetrate it. Temp or Demi dyes are spit back out. In particular, covering whites and lifting color.

Agreed! I'm glad to see someone elses hair has been so dye resistant and that I'm not crazy :D I'm starting to get a couple silver strands (hellooooo genetics) and I'm SOOO glad that LHC has me on the Pro-Sparklies train.

Dreams_in_Pink
November 19th, 2010, 02:32 AM
I recently stopped using conditioner altogether and started to use "penetrating" oils to help detangle my hair. It works wonderfully, my hair's way lighter and softer :) I guess conditioner was coating my already thick strands, making them thicker.

Hana212
November 19th, 2010, 07:16 PM
I have very thick hair that is not 100% course but definitely not fine...
I find 100% virgin coconut oil works best and I surprisingly didn't see any results with SMT :O

starfire
November 22nd, 2010, 05:04 PM
Coarse hair here.
Best conditioner I've found so far is Joico Silk Results for thick/coarse hair.

Those extra wiry hairs bother me so much =( I usually snip them off as I find them.

mira-chan
November 25th, 2010, 07:46 PM
Coarse hair here too. My hair didn't get splits till after tailbone even when I was wearing it in a ponytail all the time. I had more medium hair as a teen then in my early twenties it all fell out in a couple of massive sheds that left me with thin ends. Now I have 90+% coarse hair oh my head.

My hair doesn't respond to moisture treatments either and it reacts really badly to any humecant (honey, aloe, glycerin). Oils on the other hand I can put on by palm fulls and it won't look oily at all in a couple of hours. Protein I can handle from time to time in small amounts, but can overload.

It's also non tangly. I was sick this past week and couldn't re-raid or comb my hair for 3 days, while I was bed ridden. I had maybe 3 small tangles when I did comb.

I never brush as not only brushed don't go all the way through my hair, I only used combs all my life so don't know how to use a brush without ripping out hair.

As for strength.. lets see where that meet picture is...

Here we go, all that stuff is hanging on one of my hairs.
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/meet/stronghair-1.jpg

Today I redid this, and my hair holds up 4 large Ficcare maximas clips easily, the 5th one broke it.

For hair care, I washed with Indian herbs for a while, which worked well but was not moisturizing enough on it's own so I used leave in conditioner with it. That's even with heavy oiling pre-wash. Oiling makes hair more malleable but not softer.

Olive oil doesn't work too well for me. I use coconut, camellia, sesame and castor oils.

proo
November 27th, 2010, 11:44 AM
Lately I've been doing the oil shampoo method described in the movie star hair care thread, followed by a lemon rinse - lovin it!

Watergallop
November 28th, 2010, 02:43 AM
I love this thread! I just read the whole thing and there were so many parts I wanted to quote and agree with but I don't know how to quote more than one person in a single message.

A hairdresser was the first person to correct me about my hair - I said apologetically as I sat down in his chair, "I know it's really dry and damaged," because I was so used to being chastised by hairdressers for that, and he lifted it and let it fall and said, "No it isn't, it's just coarse and thick." A ha! That's why hot oil treatments have no effect!

I dearly wish my hair was shiny but the only way it is is when it's been straightened, and the flat iron gives me tons of split ends so I've made a pact never to use it again.

When my hair was shorter I never combed it and let the waves stay in thick pieces and it looked great. Now that it's BSL if I don't comb it it looks stringy and dirty. Then when I comb it - poof! 1980s cotton candy frizz.

Lately I've been wearing it up most of the time, in a nautilus bun with a paintbrush for a hairstick. I really wish I could wear it down but I haven't found a method to avoid the 1970s dirty hippie look or the 1980s poofy newscaster look.

Coconut oil makes it super greasy and stringy but I've been putting it in my hair dry. It just dawned on me today that I should probably put it on my ends when they're wet so the oil *has* some moisture to lock in.

Apple cider vinegar has helped with the conditioner-stickiness problem that a couple other people mentioned, but it didn't leave me with shiny lustrous hair like I'd hoped.

I tried plopping last night but I think my hair's too long - it just made it look stringy. I tried sock bun curls which came out like Julia Roberts on Oscar night GORGEOUS - but, sigh, they fell out in about twenty minutes and my hair was its old self again. Which is frustrating because when it was shorter, it held curl no problem.

I need to experiment with gel and mousse and sock bun curls but I've been putting it off because I think it will be hard to find a product that doesn't make my hair sticky.

Do any of you coarsies use mousse or gel to hold curls? I'd love a recommendation! And sorry I didn't quote anyone's replies, I'm kind of new to using internet forums!

Dreams_in_Pink
November 28th, 2010, 03:08 AM
First off, you can quote multiple posts by clicking "quote +" button next to "quote" one :)

Mousse or gel?? are YOU kidding me my hair would be stiff and hurt like needles if i do! :D It already hurts my skin when ends rub against it! I guess my hair's way TOO coarse! :rolleyes:

mira-chan
November 28th, 2010, 08:21 AM
Flax seed gel was soft and held my waves nicely. Maybe try that? I've had no bad effects from it. I also get poof if I touch it. Braiding damp gives some wave definition too.

chelles2kids
November 28th, 2010, 10:07 AM
Coconut oil makes it super greasy and stringy but I've been putting it in my hair dry. It just dawned on me today that I should probably put it on my ends when they're wet so the oil *has* some moisture to lock in.

Do any of you coarsies use mousse or gel to hold curls? I'd love a recommendation! And sorry I didn't quote anyone's replies, I'm kind of new to using internet forums!

Try a deep oiling with coconut oil *before* you wash...then adding in a bit aftewards, as you already mentioned, while still damp.;)

I personally do not use mousse or gel, I try to stay away from anything that containes alcohol...but some people around tLHC boards have had luck with using 100% aloe vera gel, not the colored stuff you find in the suntan lotion area in Wal-mart, but the clear aloe vera gel.
I'm not really sure which area you'd have to look for it in...maybe if you do a "search" for aloe vera gel you could read some of the older posts to find out where people are buying it and which brands.
(There's a little "search" box at the top of the page, just click on on it and when the box appears, type in whatever subject you're trying to find out more about.)

Linky:
http://www.amazon.com/Aloe-Vera-100-Gel-12/dp/B0009VNI40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1290963746&sr=1-1

Here is the one that have:
http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Desert-Aloe-Vera-Gelly/dp/B00014D0A2
(Although I just read the ingredients on the back of mine & it has PEG-8 Dimethicone (?) along with some other ingredients *but* no alcohol)

Oooh & WELCOME to the tLHC forums!:grouphug:

Sagi1982
November 28th, 2010, 01:52 PM
I have straight, coarse hair, which seems to be unusual for Middleeuropeans... Its wiry and thick, but its mine ;-) .
It doesn't need much care, too.

Watergallop
November 28th, 2010, 02:41 PM
Try a deep oiling with coconut oil *before* you wash...then adding in a bit aftewards, as you already mentioned, while still damp.;)

I personally do not use mousse or gel, I try to stay away from anything that containes alcohol...but some people around tLHC boards have had luck with using 100% aloe vera gel, not the colored stuff you find in the suntan lotion area in Wal-mart, but the clear aloe vera gel.
I'm not really sure which area you'd have to look for it in...maybe if you do a "search" for aloe vera gel you could read some of the older posts to find out where people are buying it and which brands.
(There's a little "search" box at the top of the page, just click on on it and when the box appears, type in whatever subject you're trying to find out more about.)

Linky:
http://www.amazon.com/Aloe-Vera-100-Gel-12/dp/B0009VNI40/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=beauty&qid=1290963746&sr=1-1

Here is the one that have:
http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Desert-Aloe-Vera-Gelly/dp/B00014D0A2
(Although I just read the ingredients on the back of mine & it has PEG-8 Dimethicone (?) along with some other ingredients *but* no alcohol)

Oooh & WELCOME to the tLHC forums!:grouphug:

Thanks so much for the info and the welcome chelles2kids!

I have an aloe plant in the backyard but it seems like it'd be easier to use the clear stuff from the bottle. That's very appealing as it obviously won't *damage* my hair, so the worst case scenario is that it doesn't help my hair hold curls, not that it doesn't work AND dries me out.

On my next visit to the drugstore I'm going to pick some up and then try the sockbun method again and maybe post some pics of the results! (If they're good results...) :)

Watergallop
November 28th, 2010, 02:44 PM
First off, you can quote multiple posts by clicking "quote +" button next to "quote" one :)

Mousse or gel?? are YOU kidding me my hair would be stiff and hurt like needles if i do! :D It already hurts my skin when ends rub against it! I guess my hair's way TOO coarse! :rolleyes:


Flax seed gel was soft and held my waves nicely. Maybe try that? I've had no bad effects from it. I also get poof if I touch it. Braiding damp gives some wave definition too.

A ha! Quote+ worked! :)

I feel like mousse or gel would make my hair stiffer and bristlier than it already is as well... I'm going to try aloe gel first because it's easy and cheap to obtain, and if it doesn't work I will move onto flax seed gel. Thanks for the tips, ladies!

Aveyronnaise
November 29th, 2010, 05:24 AM
This is kind of funny but after reading this thread some and really examining my hair I have concluded that i don't have coarse hair.
I realized that I have some medium hair on the that slowly becomes fine on the way down to the nape.
I think I mistook thick hair for coarse or something.
But I have to say that LHC is super cool for getting me to really examine my hair well.

feb26
February 11th, 2011, 01:02 PM
:poot: Coarse/fine hair person hair. I'm half Portugeuse (3rd generation) with a mix of russian/german. Not sure but I think the fine hair is on top, with the coarse hair underneath. Semi-prone to tangles..I find reducing my brushing helps, though then my hair's less shiny/soft. I haven't tried any oils and don't have the triangle shape issue though my hair tends to grow out rather than long first. Mousse DOES help keep my hair in control. any tips are appreciated!

morecowbell
February 11th, 2011, 03:07 PM
Ah, I can already tell this thread will be a great help to me! :) I only recently started looking at my texture as a means to determine a routine... for some reason it just didn't seem to matter... :rolleyes:

I've had coarse hair all my life, so I've come to terms with the fact that my hair can't be super silky, shiny, and soft (no matter HOW many conditioners, leave ins, treatments, and more conditioners I buy!). I have a closet full of protein treatments and coney conditioners that were a huge waste of money! :mad:

I thought I'd make a list of products, and methods that have worked to make my hair feel and look less like a lion's mane (lol), I'd love to see other people make lists, too! :D

Things that don't work:
Protein (so many many many disasters haha)
cones (they work once and then my hair is dry, dry, dry)
any kind of styling gel (coats the already thick shaft and makes hair twice as big!)
ETA: stretching washes doesn't work for my hair, more than two days without a washing of some sort and things start to get a little 'Mojave' ;) (super dry hair with flyaways and crunchy ends)

Things that DO work:
SMTs!!! (I have one on my head right now and they are my go-to for soft hair)
damp oiling (just four drops for all of my length is enough to see the benefit without the oily look)
CO washing (helps alleviate the pouf factor)
and DAMP BUNNING! I can't say enough about how much of a difference this makes! After a wash (or in the morning after a spritz) I wait until my hair is 75% dry and either put it in a loose cinnamon bun, or into a low ponytail and 'caterpillar' it. The results are sleeker, shinier, softer hair. Every time! :cheese:

Glad to have joined this thread! :D

feb26
February 11th, 2011, 03:14 PM
I hear your pain!! conditioner works on me, but only if it's been left in 5-10mins.

things that do work: long conditionishing time
no brushing
serum

doesn't work: washing daily
gel (unless wet & braiding)
blowdriers

TheMechaGinger
February 11th, 2011, 03:16 PM
My hair hardly responds to conditioners either, the only thing it likes is coconut and olive oil. My hair especially hates cones for some reason, but hardly ever gets splits either which is so nice. I've been wanting to try 3MM to see what that does to it, I've heard great things. The hair on top of my head is about medium and straight but the underside is wavy and so course it's ridiculous, I can hardly wear half up hairdos haha

morecowbell
February 11th, 2011, 03:39 PM
I hear your pain!! conditioner works on me, but only if it's been left in 5-10mins.

things that do work: long conditionishing time
no brushing
serum

doesn't work: washing daily
gel (unless wet & braiding)
blowdriers

(bolded for emphasis)
Can I ask why you don't brush? I know that wavies and curlies don't brush because it breaks down curl structure, but what's the benefit for straighties (and coarsies in this case)?
I brush my hair to detangle and straighten out the little bit of wave I have, and don't feel there's any breakage or damage happening, but I have been thinking of taking a 'brush vacation' and seeing if I can't encourage some waves...

Are there any others that don't brush their coarse hair for reasons other than curls/waves? I'd love to know! :)

Joliebaby
February 11th, 2011, 03:39 PM
My hair LOVES wheat germ oil (it has ceramides in it). It might just be the best oil for me. My hair is not completely un-damaged though, so when I grow out my hair so that it'll be all natural colored, I wonder if things change? I remember when my hair has been it's healthiest it required very little pampering. It was always just soft, weighty and glossy. Now the ends are dry and definitely need some oiling and deep conditioning.

mira-chan
February 11th, 2011, 08:52 PM
Are there any others that don't brush their coarse hair for reasons other than curls/waves? I'd love to know! :)
I don't brush. If I want to encourage waves I don't comb either, just slightly finger comb. As for brushing, I have dry sebum so there is nothing to move down the shaft via brushing. This also means there is nothing to protect the hair from friction. Combs glide through smoothly, brushes scrape along slowly, feeling wise... and it's not a good feeling. It does not detangle the hair, instead it feels like it's tangling in my hair. (My hair eats things occasionally.) It's as if either the hair is breaking or the brush. I've tried a good BBB, a Denman and a widely spaced wooden brush with the same results.

Mind you I'm used to using combs, not brushes as I didn't own or tried to use a brush till I was in my teens with no success then either.

Red_Wednesday
February 11th, 2011, 09:20 PM
My hair LOVES wheat germ oil (it has ceramides in it). It might just be the best oil for me. My hair is not completely un-damaged though, so when I grow out my hair so that it'll be all natural colored, I wonder if things change? I remember when my hair has been it's healthiest it required very little pampering. It was always just soft, weighty and glossy. Now the ends are dry and definitely need some oiling and deep conditioning.


How do you use WGO? It's actually in one of my favorite products, and I've often wondered how it might work on it's own.

princess03
February 19th, 2011, 10:13 AM
I have coarse hair, my little sisters used to tell me I had horse hair and I used to envy their fine straight ruly hair not anymore!:poot:

Red_Wednesday
February 19th, 2011, 10:56 AM
I have coarse hair, my little sisters used to tell me I had horse hair and I used to envy their fine straight ruly hair not anymore!:poot:

@Bolded: That is sooo cool!! I just love it when people embrace their hair.

So many people have hair issues that range from thinning to out right balding. I think if more people considered that they could potentially be in the same boat they might stop complaining about their hair and be grateful for what they have. It took me a while to realize this myself, so one step at a time :).

veganstein
February 19th, 2011, 11:37 AM
Mine is coarse and ORANGE. I grew up in a community with lovely Filipino and Native American girls with classic-length beautiful glossy black hair.

I had terrible hair envy!

McFearless
February 19th, 2011, 12:10 PM
Are all coarse hairs bendy at awkward angles or is my hair just weird?

morecowbell
February 19th, 2011, 12:14 PM
Are all coarse hairs bendy at awkward angles or is my hair just weird?

Mine do... but only if I've slept on it or it's been in an updo. I also find crazy kinky hairs in mine from time to time that look like they've been wrapped around a square lol! :laugh:

Red_Wednesday
February 19th, 2011, 02:36 PM
Are all coarse hairs bendy at awkward angles or is my hair just weird?

Mine do too, but I agree with Morecowbell, it depends on how I've been wearing my hair.

jil
March 4th, 2011, 07:48 PM
My hair is a mix of coarse and medium strands throughout. I have noticed that my hair seems dry (mainly on the ends) and while it is soft there seems to be some breakage (not sure exactly, but I seem to have hairs that are every length from 1" down to the ends; could this be new growth?). I don't heat style, dye or use clips with metal hinges. I read through this thread and it seems that many people's coarse hairs are super strong. Any other "coarsies" experiencing dryness and/or possible breakage? Thanks!

mira-chan
March 4th, 2011, 08:35 PM
My hair is a mix of coarse and medium strands throughout. I have noticed that my hair seems dry (mainly on the ends) and while it is soft there seems to be some breakage (not sure exactly, but I seem to have hairs that are every length from 1" down to the ends; could this be new growth?). I don't heat style, dye or use clips with metal hinges. I read through this thread and it seems that many people's coarse hairs are super strong. Any other "coarsies" experiencing dryness and/or possible breakage? Thanks!
I got breakage just from SLS shampoo use more than once a week. It started breaking off at tailbone. So yes, dryness can cause the hair to become brittle and break. Usually at the ends only.

As for different lengths, I have that too. Most of it is new growth. Some of it is different terminal length. I have shorter hair lengths closer to the hairline. A whole natural layer that's about collar length.

carojane
March 4th, 2011, 08:36 PM
I have a mix of different strands, too. I've found super thin almost see-through blond strands and wiry black strands, but most are somewhere in the middle of the two.

My hair does kink easily - I wore a barrette yesterday to hold my too-long-to-be-bangs-but-short-enough-to-be-hellava-annoying bangs out of my face and I still have the crimp in it. And yet, the my hair is too heavy and thick to hold a curl for long.

On a side note - is there a community for type iii people?

jujube
March 4th, 2011, 08:51 PM
I kinda have a hard time figuring out if my hair strands are coarse, medium or if I'm actually a finie with just lots of hair. My (short) hair tends to be dryer than average, to not move at all and to stick to a particular shape (hold styles well). Like if I wear an elastic band, the elastic will leave a mark on my hair after I take it off. My hair is also quite porous, but I think this is just from damage.

I guess my question is, how does one recognize coarse hair?

ETA: I don't recall having ever had a split end, and my hair doesn't really shine.

lacefrost
March 4th, 2011, 09:03 PM
I have super coarse hair as well. The only part in my hair that's finer is my nape.

I really hate how people stigmatize coarse hair. You say that someone has coarse hair and they're like, "Nooooo! It's silky soft!" And it's like. . .you can have coarse and soft hair at once. Coarse hair is just thick strands. It's really not a bad thing. Especially if you're trying to grow long.

My hair really only shows shine when I set it in the twists, braids, etc. that I do. I do those styles cause I have do with the curls but if you guys are looking for more shine maybe you could set your wet hair on like flexi rod rollers or some other kind of roller. It would smooth it out.

My hair is pretty soft too, actually. I think people perceive only silky hair as soft but cottony hair (which coarse hair is like) is soft too. I basically say it like this: silk is all well and good for a dress but at the end of the night, you want to sleep on those Egyptian Pima Cotton sheets in your favorite night shirt. I just had to get over the need for it to feel like silk.

In order to keep it soft I don't use proteins, gels, or anything that builds on your hair really. It's all moisture and I really don't even leave conditioner in or oil it too much. Cause it builds up on my hair and makes each strand even thicker and sticky.

mira-chan
March 4th, 2011, 09:50 PM
I kinda have a hard time figuring out if my hair strands are coarse, medium or if I'm actually a finie with just lots of hair. My (short) hair tends to be dryer than average, to not move at all and to stick to a particular shape (hold styles well). Like if I wear an elastic band, the elastic will leave a mark on my hair after I take it off. My hair is also quite porous, but I think this is just from damage.

I guess my question is, how does one recognize coarse hair?

ETA: I don't recall having ever had a split end, and my hair doesn't really shine.
Coarse hair has thick strands. You can clearly hear them if you rub them together between your fingers.

My hair strands are 0.08 to 0.10 millimeters thick. Fine hair is 0.05 and below, Medium is 0.05 to 0.07mm. I think that was what the breakdown was.

This is what a single 0.1 mm hair looks like:
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/kitsunethief/hair%20styles/jan08hairwflash.jpg

It forms braid waves easily but that is attributed to the curliness of it. It's quite shiny especially when aligned together in a braid or in a bun but not when loose. not sure about hair cuts as I've never had a professional one but my hair springs out of hair styles from time to time. It doesn't want to stay bent. Hair bands or barrettes do not form dents for me.

It can feel soft just not in the same way as the fine hair that my friend has. It is softer with tapered ends as just cut/ blunt ends are sharp any poke painfully.

Hope that helps in classification. I'm on the coarser side of coarse hair, but not the farthest extreme.

CurlyCyndi
March 5th, 2011, 01:42 AM
I think I have coarse hair.. Yet I literally get split ends like crazy! I just cut off a bunch of them! My hair takes conditioner and oils very well though.

regardless of what my hair is I really love coarse hair.

feb26
March 5th, 2011, 05:47 PM
wow thank you for the visual of the .01mm hair!! I think my hair is fine but lots of it, it shines easily...however...I notice that it tangles easily (especially at the ends): while it will not hold a curl without ALOT of coaxing (perms fall out) it will hold a wave, especially if my hair is damp and up. I've also noticed when I'm in the shower or just out that it's quite wavy, and have been told I have natural wave on my left side but not as much on my right. I do think I have some coarseness in my hair because of my heritage (german/portugeuse) as well as how my hair behaves in general. and no, not many splits. has any one changed from a horseshoe shaped cut to a blunt cut with fine hair? how'd it work out? am thinking of doing this...

jujube
March 5th, 2011, 06:01 PM
Mira-chan thanks so much. I definitely can hear my strands when I rub them together! I also can't sport a blunt cut and do get "pokey" ends. I do think I have coarse hair, or at least medium-coarse, and that my other weird hair behaviors are just due to porous-ness.

gthlvrmx
March 5th, 2011, 06:19 PM
Sounds like our hair is very similar :D
My canopy is much more fragile and splits more easily, but the coarse strands get fairy knots all the time :rolleyes:
The Tangle Teezer is a lifesaver for me, I wouldn't have the patience to detangle my hair for over 30 minutes every day.

im actually like this too. my "poof" is coarser than my outer strands, combing it a struggle because after i untangle the outer hair, getting all those tangled curlified hairs near my scalp is harder

Luna12345
March 5th, 2011, 07:48 PM
hello everyone!
I have COARSE hair....now that it's getting longer it's making me get really frustrated. It takes a long time to comb and untangle, it takes so long to dry naturally after washing.
I've been using coconut oil on my hair and stopped using products since they have been making my hair feel crunchy.
I love TreSemme conditioners and I think anyone who has coarse hair should try them.:)
I'm using a wide tooth comb, not sure if this is good or bad.

TootsieRoll
March 5th, 2011, 08:43 PM
I also have coarse hair! When I was younger I thought it was a curse but I appreciate it more these days. When I used to straighten my hair. EEEKKK:shocked: I know! My hair would get so poofy and wiry (a real mess) Now that I am no longer damaging my hair my hair looks/feels so much better. I find that moisturizing shampoo & conditioners (and not washing my hair everyday) really helps with the static/frizz factor.

jujube
March 5th, 2011, 09:11 PM
Luna12345, have you ever heard of the Tangle Teezer? If not, search for it on the boards, it could really help your detangling issues. I also try not to use too much products, and my hair likes oils but it's still quite short.

PS. A Montrealer! I'm so glad to have finally found someone else! Where exactly do you live?

Luna12345
March 5th, 2011, 10:29 PM
Luna12345, have you ever heard of the Tangle Teezer? If not, search for it on the boards, it could really help your detangling issues. I also try not to use too much products, and my hair likes oils but it's still quite short.

PS. A Montrealer! I'm so glad to have finally found someone else! Where exactly do you live?

Thankyou!, i will look up that tangle teazer stuff.
Yay!, i'm also glad to meet another Montrealer. I live in the east end close to Metro Viau:)

mira-chan
March 5th, 2011, 10:55 PM
Feb26 and Jujube, You're welcome. I'm glad it helped.

My hair is not very tangly. I occasionally comb (medium to wide tooth) and usually finger comb a little if needed. I can't use brushes (tangle teaser too most likely) as my hair kind of locks it in and tries to eat them. Probably my technique as I grew up with combs only, no brushes. So I'm not much help with tangling questions.

I get fluff if I touch my waves in any way. Drying it in a bun or braid helps align the hairs, reducing the fluffiness. I wear it up all the time so usually this is not a huge issue.

I did not get any splits till tailbone length and longer.

Another lovely part of coarse hair is that baby hairs don't bend easily. Which means some days I can catch reception from outer space due to 4 - 6 inch hair antenna sticking up in some random spot. :wacko:

ETA: Just noticed my signature had one of these on the left, pointing up. :lol:

ingvild
March 6th, 2011, 12:59 AM
Coarse hair has thick strands. You can clearly hear them if you rub them together between your fingers.

My hair strands are 0.08 to 0.10 millimeters thick. Fine hair is 0.05 and below, Medium is 0.05 to 0.07mm. I think that was what the breakdown was.

This is what a single 0.1 mm hair looks like:
[pic]

It forms braid waves easily but that is attributed to the curliness of it. It's quite shiny especially when aligned together in a braid or in a bun but not when loose. not sure about hair cuts as I've never had a professional one but my hair springs out of hair styles from time to time. It doesn't want to stay bent. Hair bands or barrettes do not form dents for me.

It can feel soft just not in the same way as the fine hair that my friend has. It is softer with tapered ends as just cut/ blunt ends are sharp any poke painfully.

Hope that helps in classification. I'm on the coarser side of coarse hair, but not the farthest extreme.

Wow, reading this makes me think my hair is coarser than I think. :confused: I measured it in a physics experiment and I got 0.1 mm. Of course, that could be totally wrong, and I did choose a very thick hair :p I have many hairs that are finer too.

I just assumed I wasn't because the hairs are very smooth. I have a bunch of extremely wiry baby hairs though, it's quite annoying.

mira-chan
March 6th, 2011, 11:12 AM
Wow, reading this makes me think my hair is coarser than I think. :confused: I measured it in a physics experiment and I got 0.1 mm. Of course, that could be totally wrong, and I did choose a very thick hair :p I have many hairs that are finer too.

I just assumed I wasn't because the hairs are very smooth. I have a bunch of extremely wiry baby hairs though, it's quite annoying.
Coarseness relates to the thickness of the hair strand, not the wiriness, if you mean wiry as in rippled or frizzed shape. Wiriness then is more a factor of curl. I have both smooth coarse strands and wiry ones. Both can feel like a thin metal wire or fishing line, thickness and strength wise.

jujube
March 6th, 2011, 12:07 PM
Thankyou!, i will look up that tangle teazer stuff.
Yay!, i'm also glad to meet another Montrealer. I live in the east end close to Metro Viau:)

I'm close to metro Jean-Talon. :) End hijack.

Am I the only one who loves beer rinses? They do wonders for my hair.

ingvild
March 7th, 2011, 10:26 AM
Thanks for clarifying, mira-chan. I guess a hair type updating is in order :-O


jujube I've only done one beer rinse once, but my hair certainly loved it! I feel terrible pouring beer down the drain, though; beer is luxury. :p

Varney
March 7th, 2011, 10:56 AM
Love this thread! :heartbeat

I hadn't realized that it's not that my hair is totally messed up - it's simply coarse! Maybe there aren't that many coarse haired people here in Sweden and that's why I didn't think of it? I have started to embrace my hair the way it is the last couple of years though and it's gotten a lot better since then. I used to blow dry it, straighten it and then put on lots of silicone products. Because I wanted it to be like others peoples fine, smooth, straight hair.

I'm starting to be happy with my hair the way it is now. And when I started treating it well it started treating me well ;) It was really hard to manage a couple of years ago. I wouldn't have dreamed that my hair would ever look okay when air dried without any products in it.

jujube
March 7th, 2011, 12:22 PM
My wallet likes an occasional beer rinse more than Biolage Conditioning Balm and other expensive conditioners... I try doing them once every other week. They add so much shine and bendability, if that's a word.

jil
March 7th, 2011, 05:45 PM
Thanks for the tips mira-chan! I looked, and all of my shampoos have SLS, so maybe that is a factor. It seems that my differing lengths are not at one spot but all the way down the length (making any braid look messy). But maybe this has nothing to do with having coarse hair and is more about it being dry. :confused: I'll have to experiment!

jujube - I haven't tried a beer rinse. Is there a particular type of beer or brand that you have had success with?
Thanks!

mira-chan
March 7th, 2011, 06:43 PM
Thanks for the tips mira-chan! I looked, and all of my shampoos have SLS, so maybe that is a factor. It seems that my differing lengths are not at one spot but all the way down the length (making any braid look messy). But maybe this has nothing to do with having coarse hair and is more about it being dry. :confused: I'll have to experiment!

jujube - I haven't tried a beer rinse. Is there a particular type of beer or brand that you have had success with?
Thanks!
All my braids look fuzzy too. It's partially due to coarseness where shorter hairs don't stay bent in the braid. Plus my hair growth pattern, which has nothing to do with coarseness.

As for beer, no I haven't. There is none around to use in my house.

Artsy
March 17th, 2011, 11:30 AM
I have been wondering how many of coarsies here use shampoo bars? Are they working better than regular SC/CO/coconut oil shampoo?
I have been doing coconut oil shampoo for last few month, but now coconut oil builds up very fast, so I am looking for something new to try.


Love this thread! :heartbeat

I hadn't realized that it's not that my hair is totally messed up - it's simply coarse!


This is amazing how many coarse haired people have this kind of misconception. I was always told by my friends that my hair is frizzy and dry:( Only when I found the hair typing article here, I have realized it is not the case.
I guess I will have to live with the ponytail that sticks out rather than falls down like fabric:D

jujube
March 17th, 2011, 11:40 AM
I think I just figured out that my hair likes cones, and that the reason I thought it didn't the last time I used them was because I was using SLS. I just used a gentle cone-free shampoo and matching conditioner, but I ended by adding coney conditioner, and voilà. Hair finally looks and feels decent.

Are there other coarsies with short hair? Or who've had really short hair before? I'm getting a major case of triangle head, and my hair won't seem to move.

Artsy
March 17th, 2011, 01:17 PM
I think I just figured out that my hair likes cones, and that the reason I thought it didn't the last time I used them was because I was using SLS. I just used a gentle cone-free shampoo and matching conditioner, but I ended by adding coney conditioner, and voilà. Hair finally looks and feels decent.

Are there other coarsies with short hair? Or who've had really short hair before? I'm getting a major case of triangle head, and my hair won't seem to move.

The shortest that I have been was just below collar bone length, and if not heavy layers, I would have a triangle head myself. I have started going for one length once I reached BSL, and it still wasn't falling nicely until I reached mid-back:rolleyes: It is getting better now

Busybee
August 15th, 2011, 09:08 AM
I myself and realizing, while reading this thread, that the freakishly kinky hair, around the nape of my neck - is indeed coarse... and maybe not damaged. It doen't have split ends, but feels wiry and rough, and kinks up something awful.

I am currently recovering from medicine damage, and am trying all kinds of methods for new hair growth/thickness/softness........... but this wiry stuff underneath is impossible to tame, and it makes any hairdo look very weird, like I backcombed the underneath of my hair.

NOTHING seems to be working to smooth it out. If I do oils (light or heavy) I can't wear it down at all, and if I do a ponytail......1 hour after application, it's like the smooth canpoy looks greasy, and the kinks have kinked right back up and out.
More ofen than not, my hair just looks dry/brittle all over, even though the canopy hairs are "smoother" in comparison to underneath. SMT's aren't making a huge difference that I can see, ACV dried me out and made me tangly along with non-sulfates, and Fox's recipe makes me a greaseball with the tiniest amount.

I am afraid to go back to coating my hair with silicones - as it may achieve some smoothness......... but at what cost? How will my hair get the nourishment and moisture it needs if it's coated?

ARRRGGHHH! And I don't have the option of bunning it at work, when my hair is this THIN (compared to all you thicksters out there) cause it looks like a little dog turd on a huge skull.

Anyone feel me of have suggestions??:brickwall

Mingle
August 15th, 2011, 11:13 AM
I was reading through this thread, and I thought maybe another coarse-haired person could help me out? :D

I have thick coarse hair, and lately its been frizzier than it normally is and has also lost its waviness and the random curls. I miss them! Anyone got any advice?

Artsy
August 15th, 2011, 11:36 AM
I myself and realizing, while reading this thread, that the freakishly kinky hair, around the nape of my neck - is indeed coarse... and maybe not damaged. It doen't have split ends, but feels wiry and rough, and kinks up something awful.

I am currently recovering from medicine damage, and am trying all kinds of methods for new hair growth/thickness/softness........... but this wiry stuff underneath is impossible to tame, and it makes any hairdo look very weird, like I backcombed the underneath of my hair.

NOTHING seems to be working to smooth it out. If I do oils (light or heavy) I can't wear it down at all, and if I do a ponytail......1 hour after application, it's like the smooth canpoy looks greasy, and the kinks have kinked right back up and out.
More ofen than not, my hair just looks dry/brittle all over, even though the canopy hairs are "smoother" in comparison to underneath. SMT's aren't making a huge difference that I can see, ACV dried me out and made me tangly along with non-sulfates, and Fox's recipe makes me a greaseball with the tiniest amount.

I am afraid to go back to coating my hair with silicones - as it may achieve some smoothness......... but at what cost? How will my hair get the nourishment and moisture it needs if it's coated?

ARRRGGHHH! And I don't have the option of bunning it at work, when my hair is this THIN (compared to all you thicksters out there) cause it looks like a little dog turd on a huge skull.

Anyone feel me of have suggestions??:brickwall


I feel that my coarse hair does not accept oil very much, unless it is mixed in a shampoo:( I use cones on my ends once a week in a conditioner, and a serum depending on the day. The serum I use is cone free and is mostly made of fatty alcohols.



I was reading through this thread, and I thought maybe another coarse-haired person could help me out? :D

I have thick coarse hair, and lately its been frizzier than it normally is and has also lost its waviness and the random curls. I miss them! Anyone got any advice?

Did you try clarifying? If you have cone or protein buildup, you might need to clarify up to 3 times:rolleyes:

proo
August 15th, 2011, 11:41 AM
I know it's a leap, but water only wash once a week has improved my multiple personality hair 1000%.

HintOfMint
August 15th, 2011, 11:45 AM
I feel that my coarse hair does not accept oil very much, unless it is mixed in a shampoo:( I use cones on my ends once a week in a conditioner, and a serum depending on the day. The serum I use is cone free and is mostly made of fatty alcohols.




What serum do you use? Every serum I've seen has cones in it.

CurlAhead
August 15th, 2011, 11:51 AM
I want to have coarse hair too :( And I mean the whole head, not just single hairs. You guys are lucky to have that strong hair, I thought mine was strong because it is thick and Medium, but nope.. :(

Busybee
August 15th, 2011, 12:10 PM
What serum do you use? Every serum I've seen has cones in it.

I am curious too. What serums do you use?

I have tried 2 "no cones" serums recently, and they just felt like slimy gel, eventually 1/2 evaporating 1/2 drying like gel - and did NOTHING for shine or smoothness.

Also - does anyone find that cholesterol helps coarse caucasian hair?

*Trying to find what my hair needs (more moisture vs. more protein) Switching to the no cone regimen has blocked my sense of what the heck is going on. It's all just floofy and coarse looking, with a squeaky clean scalp - hahaha.

ingvild
August 15th, 2011, 12:24 PM
Wow, so much stuff here I never even thought about! :confused: Well, I washed my hair with an egg once, and it got very clean but dry (and I felt like it smelled like eggs until I washed it again - yuk).

I have recently discovered that evoo is great for my hair, though. While it's still wet I pat my length with evoo-coated hands. I try to be as low-maintenance with my hair as possible, and it seems to work well. I currently wash with no sulfate/no cone s&c, but will try out shampoo bars soon. :D I have also had success with CO, but I thought it was too much work.

Artsy
August 15th, 2011, 12:32 PM
I use Loreal's orange one with argan oil. I doubt the amount of argan oil there, but it works very well. The leave-in and conditioner from that line have cones, but not the serum

Artsy
August 15th, 2011, 12:40 PM
I am curious too. What serums do you use?

I have tried 2 "no cones" serums recently, and they just felt like slimy gel, eventually 1/2 evaporating 1/2 drying like gel - and did NOTHING for shine or smoothness.

Also - does anyone find that cholesterol helps coarse caucasian hair?

*Trying to find what my hair needs (more moisture vs. more protein) Switching to the no cone regimen has blocked my sense of what the heck is going on. It's all just floofy and coarse looking, with a squeaky clean scalp - hahaha.

The serum that I use doesn't dry like gel, I don't swear by it, but it used to work on my hair unlike other coney serums which eventually build up. It got discontinued, but came back few month ago with argan oil on the list, but otherwise unchanged.

I haven't tried cholesterol, my understanding is that it works similar to protein, but I can be wrong. I have tried some hair masks that contain some mineral oil, and they seem to work very well for shine and smotheness(better than cone-containing ones), but I don't use them often for build-up reasons.

Busybee
August 15th, 2011, 01:03 PM
The serum that I use doesn't dry like gel, I don't swear by it, but it used to work on my hair unlike other coney serums which eventually build up. It got discontinued, but came back few month ago with argan oil on the list, but otherwise unchanged.

I haven't tried cholesterol, my understanding is that it works similar to protein, but I can be wrong. I have tried some hair masks that contain some mineral oil, and they seem to work very well for shine and smotheness(better than cone-containing ones), but I don't use them often for build-up reasons.

Hate to be a pain in the butt, but could you give us the actual name? Loreal has at least 4 "orange" bottles of different serums their company puts out.

In fact - one of the "gel feeling" no cone serums I tried was a Loreal. It was "Eversleek Frizz Taming" serum, the new sulfate free one, and i thought it was lousy.

Hopefuly this isn't the same one you tried?

Artsy
August 15th, 2011, 01:24 PM
I know it's a leap, but water only wash once a week has improved my multiple personality hair 1000%.

This totally makes sense for coarse hair, but one has to be able to put up with greasy hair for a while:(


Hate to be a pain in the butt, but could you give us the actual name? Loreal has at least 4 "orange" bottles of different serums their company puts out.

In fact - one of the "gel feeling" no cone serums I tried was a Loreal. It was "Eversleek Frizz Taming" serum, the new sulfate free one, and i thought it was lousy.

Hopefuly this isn't the same one you tried?

No big deal, I'm looking at the bottle now, and it's Nutri-sleek with argan oil. This one is from a cheaper line than Eversleek. I have never tried Eversleek, so can't compare. The bottle itself does not have the ingredients list written, but as far as I remember no cones there.

Yame
August 15th, 2011, 07:12 PM
I'm really confused.. I read a few of the responses here and I can't relate at all. I have really coarse hair (the kind you could sew something with), but it doesn't look textured or damaged. Why is that?

Also, why am I the only person I've seen here so far with 1a hair that is coarse? Is this not very common?

mira-chan
August 15th, 2011, 08:20 PM
I'm really confused.. I read a few of the responses here and I can't relate at all. I have really coarse hair (the kind you could sew something with), but it doesn't look textured or damaged. Why is that?

Also, why am I the only person I've seen here so far with 1a hair that is coarse? Is this not very common?
Yours doesn't look textured because it is straight. Most of us have some wave to ours.

As for being common, your hair type is quite common, just not amongst those with European, Mid East and Indian descent where a bit of wave or curl tends to go with coarse hair. 1a and straight is a lot more common in Asia and the First Nations of the Americas. Of course you get the whole range of hair types in both areas but percentages are higher.

Yame
August 15th, 2011, 09:01 PM
Ahhh... I was beginning to question whether or not my hair is coarse, after all. It seems like most people here on LHC who have 1a hair have fine or medium hair. I don't think I've found my "hair twin" here yet. Plus, with all these "coarse hair issues" people on this thread have been describing, which I've never experienced, I really got confused.

I also really wasn't getting the negativity towards coarse hair. I always thought of it as a good thing. It's strong, resilient, and rather beautiful. I'd never thought of coarse as being synonymous with "dry," "damaged," "wiry," etc.

I had to try some new and tougher experiments to double check the coarseness of my hair. Yup, definitely coarse! When I came to LHC I already had an idea of what my hair type would be, but I did the recommended experiments anyway. I tried putting a strand on top of my (black) keyboard, and I could still easily see it. I tried rolling it between my fingers, and I could feel it and hear it (if it was close enough to my ear). Yup... definitely coarse. It's probably not on the coarsest range, but I wouldn't mistake it for medium, either.

I do have a lot of very fine hairs, though. However, those fine hairs are mostly somewhere between eye and chin length, with a few maybe all the way down to APL, but none of them have made it all the way down to my hemline (which is past WL). My hemline hairs are probably 90% coarse and 10% medium.


This thread helped me understand why my hair is so hard to style, though. I actually can hold it up really well with the buns I've been trying with hairsticks, but it can be a real PITA to actually get it IN the bun... if I try to twist my hair, or roll it up into a bun, it just twists or pops right back. In the tutorials I follow, this doesn't seem to happen at all... but for me it's a real struggle to get my hair to do what I want, and to just stay. Also if I braid it, I get all these braid fuzzies that look really thick and sharp... like needles poking out everywhere... Braids don't work for me!

Artsy
August 15th, 2011, 09:15 PM
Ahhh... I was beginning to question whether or not my hair is coarse, after all. It seems like most people here on LHC who have 1a hair have fine or medium hair. I don't think I've found my "hair twin" here yet. Plus, with all these "coarse hair issues" people on this thread have been describing, which I've never experienced, I really got confused.

I also really wasn't getting the negativity towards coarse hair. I always thought of it as a good thing. It's strong, resilient, and rather beautiful. I'd never thought of coarse as being synonymous with "dry," "damaged," "wiry," etc.

I had to try some new and tougher experiments to double check the coarseness of my hair. Yup, definitely coarse! When I came to LHC I already had an idea of what my hair type would be, but I did the recommended experiments anyway. I tried putting a strand on top of my (black) keyboard, and I could still easily see it. I tried rolling it between my fingers, and I could feel it and hear it (if it was close enough to my ear). Yup... definitely coarse. It's probably not on the coarsest range, but I wouldn't mistake it for medium, either.

I do have a lot of very fine hairs, though. However, those fine hairs are mostly somewhere between eye and chin length, with a few maybe all the way down to APL, but none of them have made it all the way down to my hemline (which is past WL). My hemline hairs are probably 90% coarse and 10% medium.


This thread helped me understand why my hair is so hard to style, though. I actually can hold it up really well with the buns I've been trying with hairsticks, but it can be a real PITA to actually get it IN the bun... if I try to twist my hair, or roll it up into a bun, it just twists or pops right back. In the tutorials I follow, this doesn't seem to happen at all... but for me it's a real struggle to get my hair to do what I want, and to just stay. Also if I braid it, I get all these braid fuzzies that look really thick and sharp... like needles poking out everywhere... Braids don't work for me!


I dont think there are a lot of 1a coarsies on this forum, but I am sure there are plenty in real life. My hair is more like 1b, but my ends are not virgin, so it could get to 1c with more trims. I have a lot of these hairs that bend at various directions right from the scalp, but most of my head is just thick and sleek. I don't get a lot of tangles because they are evenly distributed, but I can imagine how others can.
As far as braiding, it is a pain especially if you have layers, but some leave-in usually helps together with misting. I just spray rosewater before braiding and it seams to look neater. I still have to redo the style few times a day:) I don't care, these days messy is in style;)

Busybee
August 16th, 2011, 07:00 AM
Wanna know what's hilarious?
I had my hair in a ponytail at work yesterday -and it looked so stupid (mainly cause my hair is still layered0.

Anyways - the top layers were smooth and flat lying, and the bottom was all wiry, kinked out and looked like tumbleweed poofs that my coarse under-hair creates :? ........bad visual right? Haha

So last night, in frustration, I coated just the coarse bottom 1/4 of my hair with Fox's condition Cream (recipe contains your fav CO, unrefined Shea butter, and some Coconut oil), and threw it up in a bun.

This morning, although it is too oily to wear down, the bottom hairs are smoooooth and soft to the touch, albeit greasy looking. Now why can't I achieve this without the greaseball?!?! Whatever I guess it's french-twist-daytime-hairdo, again.

mira-chan
August 16th, 2011, 07:07 AM
Ahhh... I was beginning to question whether or not my hair is coarse, after all. It seems like most people here on LHC who have 1a hair have fine or medium hair. I don't think I've found my "hair twin" here yet. Plus, with all these "coarse hair issues" people on this thread have been describing, which I've never experienced, I really got confused.

I also really wasn't getting the negativity towards coarse hair. I always thought of it as a good thing. It's strong, resilient, and rather beautiful. I'd never thought of coarse as being synonymous with "dry," "damaged," "wiry," etc.

*snip*

This thread helped me understand why my hair is so hard to style, though. I actually can hold it up really well with the buns I've been trying with hairsticks, but it can be a real PITA to actually get it IN the bun... if I try to twist my hair, or roll it up into a bun, it just twists or pops right back. In the tutorials I follow, this doesn't seem to happen at all... but for me it's a real struggle to get my hair to do what I want, and to just stay. Also if I braid it, I get all these braid fuzzies that look really thick and sharp... like needles poking out everywhere... Braids don't work for me!
The standard advice in mainstream hair care is that coarse = dry/ damaged, because it doesn't feel as soft as medium or fine hair. I got that confusion as well. Mine is frizzy (dry and wiry too) but it isn't damaged at all. It also hates silicones which are supposedly a must for coarse hair if you read mainstream sites. :rolleyes:

Mine expands or sproings out of buns as well. You probably have even more trouble as straight hair is even harder to bend to the shape of the bun. Mine takes bun waves easily so just slowly expands to head devouring proportions instead of spring releasing. My braids are not quite as fuzzy if I oil the hair, but again, I have more wave so the hair is a bit more likely to stay in formation.

I also have a shorter layer of hair, about shoulder/ collar bone length, though it's not much finer than the rest of the hair.

newbeginning
August 16th, 2011, 07:14 AM
Another coarse hair here. I too get the poof and dry hair (yet oily roots). I'm still experimenting. I think my attempt at dying hasn't helped my texture. Also (as others have mentioned) my hair too is resistant to dye and it barely grabs it (though I think that may be due to being a natural red head and dye apparently not grabbing onto red hair).

Busybee
September 22nd, 2011, 10:58 AM
Another coarse hair here. I too get the poof and dry hair (yet oily roots). I'm still experimenting. I think my attempt at dying hasn't helped my texture. Also (as others have mentioned) my hair too is resistant to dye and it barely grabs it (though I think that may be due to being a natural red head and dye apparently not grabbing onto red hair).

Funny you mention the coarse hair not gripping to the dye. I get my hair dyed with Paul Mitchell products, and STILL only the newer/softer canopy hairs retain the color well after a month. The coarser hair just fades so quickly.

My alternative though is to get it dyed with something stronger, which I don't think is a good alternative necessairly for hair health.

Busybee
September 22nd, 2011, 02:49 PM
I am curious too. What serums do you use?

I have tried 2 "no cones" serums recently, and they just felt like slimy gel, eventually 1/2 evaporating 1/2 drying like gel - and did NOTHING for shine or smoothness.

Also - does anyone find that cholesterol helps coarse caucasian hair?

*Trying to find what my hair needs (more moisture vs. more protein) Switching to the no cone regimen has blocked my sense of what the heck is going on. It's all just floofy and coarse looking, with a squeaky clean scalp - hahaha.

To answer MY OWN question - my hair does not need cholesterol!!! UGGGHHH....

Bought the tub that was best highly rated at Sally's, and put it on in the shower like a conditioner, but let it set a while. Rinsed out........and rinsed again. It still felt like it was in there. Could NOT comb my hair, it was tacky and stiff feeling. It dried matte (no shine) and felt like I had straight lotion in my hair. Terrible experience, will never do again.

The wierd thing is.... I didn't read any "protein" in the ingredients, so I still don't know if my hair hates protein or not. Coarse/thin hair still looking for the right treatment combos.....

Merkaba
September 22nd, 2011, 02:57 PM
I found that Everyday Shea Lavendar Conditioner is the best thing I have found for my coarse hair. It literally soaked it up so I applied a ton....looked and felt not great when wet but dried beautifully! Warning: does NOT detangle hair well so use another conditioner on top or a leave-in spray. I used Garnier Triple Nutrition.

My hair almost never splits!

lacefrost
September 22nd, 2011, 08:56 PM
I love Yes to Carrots conditioner mixed with honey and olive oil. It's the only thing that makes my hair soft.

PetuniaBlossom
September 20th, 2012, 03:26 PM
Just found this thread and read it all the way through. Lots of good information here for those of us with coarse hair, or combination medium/coarse. Wonder why the thread went dormant for a year?
It's so good to learn that coarse hair which looks and feels dry and damaged, can actually be healthy hair, it's just different from sleek, shiny fine hair. What an eye-opener.

Faux
September 21st, 2012, 12:09 AM
I can blow dry and flat iron with very minimal damage. I have my hair professionally dyed too. My hair is really strong. I once had tailbone without any taper! I have a feeling my terminal would be quite long, but I think I'll be happy with waist (only 4 more inches!).

katfemme89
September 21st, 2012, 12:19 AM
My underneath hair is coarse, but my top hair is much finer, silkier and smoother.

It's like I've had a partial hair transplant from an incompatible donor. :eek:

Same here. I wonder wtf is up with that? Oh well, hey I'd rather have combination hair than none at all! LOL

katfemme89
September 21st, 2012, 12:24 AM
My individual hairs aren't "technically" super coarse. I mean they're thicker than fine, but not like my dad's or my husband's--their hairs are seriously like wires. But my hair is pretty inflexible (even though I moisturize a lot). Doesn't hold styles too well (my hair, when shorter, was notorious for springing out of buns and other updos!) So I'm not sure if I can technically "be" here since I am more on the medium side of coarse?

vb
September 21st, 2012, 07:13 AM
Another one here...still learning which one works..
I regularly apply coconut oil , apply henna once in a while and recently trying to CO wash.
Looks like my hair is liking it .... still need to experiment with lot of other treatments.

petali
September 21st, 2012, 07:33 AM
Fine-head here!
I just wanted to drop by. I am SUPER jealous of coarse hair! Everytime I find a coarse hair, I rejoice.

aet2009
April 18th, 2013, 03:21 AM
Anyone for reviving the coarse hair thread?

cooklaezo13
April 18th, 2013, 05:10 PM
I found that heavily oiling my hair with coconut oil at night before I wash it out the next morning makes my hair really soft. My coarse hair does not like protein. It seems to get build up easily, despite not using cones, and loves a good clarifying wash every now and then (once a month or every two months).

leslissocool
April 18th, 2013, 05:28 PM
I'm here. I think I might have posted before but I don't remember :lol:.

I can floss with one strand of my hair, it's really coarse. Some hairs are so much more coarse then others they feel like 4 medium strands of hair in one.

My hair is really shiny, I do use Paul Mitchell's super skinny serum, and my hair just adores cones. It soaks up everything, but like others said, my hair is NEVER soft.

aet2009
April 18th, 2013, 07:49 PM
My hair doesn't do that well with too much protein, but it does love coconut oil. I just don't use protein in any other products so there isn't a buildup. My hair loves CO but I also do well with non SLS shampoo occasionally. My hair is 2A, M/C, iii. My hair has been dyed and stripped time and time again and I have zero breakage or splits. My hair also does well with really heavy products. My sister made me a whipped body butter of shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, and coconut oil and it make my hair fantastically soft and shiny.

I have layers and seriously can't put my hair in braids. It's too short so I do two English braids, but the layers poke out and seriously stab me. Its kind of funny but not so comfortable. Like little needles

aet2009
April 18th, 2013, 07:49 PM
double post

~honeyflower~
April 18th, 2013, 10:11 PM
Another coarse haired here!

UltraBella
April 19th, 2013, 01:00 AM
I have coarse hair, I love that it's so resistant to damage and I don't have to baby it.
My hair LOVES protein and coconut oil.

proo
April 19th, 2013, 10:10 AM
Some of my hair is coarse, it's a blend.
But I went to yoga school with someone whose hair was like . . .almost quill-like it was so coarse.
She was asian - I touched her hair when we were assisting each other -
it poked me!
She said it can poke through fabric.

~honeyflower~
April 26th, 2013, 08:05 PM
This has been on my mind for awhile, how can you tell if coarse hair is dry or its just the texture? :confused:

Sharysa
April 27th, 2013, 10:49 PM
Whoo, coarse haired Filipino American here!

My hair is indestructible as long as I don't have it down. Slight breeze + Loose hair = SNARL BEAST AND SPLIT ENDS. The only problem is that I REALLY like having it down now that it's mid-back length, especially with braid-waves. I just make sure to oil it after every wash, S&D like crazy, and try not to let it down on a windy day.


This has been on my mind for awhile, how can you tell if coarse hair is dry or its just the texture?

If coarse hair is dry, then it's going to "crackle," feel like straw, and/or tangle more in the drier areas, especially the ends. Well-moisturized coarse hair isn't as soft as medium or fine hair, but it's still going to be very supple and smooth. Normal crackling is just a bit of noise, but dry-crackling is going to feel like sandpaper.

3 Cat Night
February 8th, 2015, 03:54 PM
Wow. This is an informative thread! It's good to know I'm not the only one with really coarse hair.

I love my coarse hair. I hated it when I was a little kid, but I came to terms with it by the time I was a teenager. I realized that it was stronger and more resilient than most people's hair. It seldom gets split ends or breakage and it looks thicker than it is, which is nice since I'm losing some due to PCOS. And mine does have some shine as long as it's healthy. It's like a thick satin as opposed to thin silk.

The thing that irritates me about it sometimes is that it refuses to be styled. It has a mind of its own. I can straighten it and it will be curly again in a few hours. I can curl it one way and it insists on curling the other. So I just let it do what it wants.

hydrationseeker
June 1st, 2015, 11:10 AM
Bumping this thread!

I have really coarse hair onthe crown and sides, at the back the strands are slightly less coarse I would say Med but when I mentioned this to my friend she laughed at my assumption.
anyhoo I have had such a great break through in getting my angry hair to calm and be soft.
A combo of aloe vera juice, pantheol and silk amino acids, either in my hair spritz or my DC and once I've sealed with a light hand of oil. My hair is happy, no audible crunch and I can't keep my hands out of it.
I've only just realised that my hair like a little oil. Not the gobs i would put on in an attempt to keep it soft!! Anyone else find this?

hinabelle
June 1st, 2015, 01:01 PM
My hair is more coarse than it is medium. It's soft when flat ironed or sometimes when BBB'd, but lately as I air dry it its coarseness is really presenting itself. I don't really mind, I like where it's at currently :) it does poke my face and my SO's on occasion and can sometimes get itchy. And if I let my hair hit my skin too hard when it's wet, it stings! My ends are pretty frizzy too, but from heat damage I believe. The hair under my canopy is nice, sleek, and smooth. I like coarse hair! I feel like F or M would be really hard (for me) to handle.

MM411
June 18th, 2015, 10:46 AM
I have coarse Filipino hair! The canopy (especially in the back) is coarse and and medium texture underneath. I've tried SMT and coconut oil for deep moisture treatments without success. Right now, I'm only using jojoba oil after a shampoo bar wash/citric acid rinse (1/8 tsp:2 quarts water). My hair is laying down nicely (no halo of frizz) with this no fuss regimen, even three days out. When I would blow-dry and straighten, I still got frizzy after a few hours, so now I'm just air-drying. My hair currently loves CV's babassu marsh mallow poo bar. I've also tried Creating Harmony's argan poo bar and their quinoa solid conditioner with initial success, but got very crunchy hair after about a month and did not improve after two ACV rinses. Never could get that initial silky feeling back. I'm inclined to think my hair doesn't like protein. I have two leave-in products with protein that are sitting on my shelf untried, so I'll know soon. I have no idea if my hair likes or dislikes cones, but I gave those up a while ago just in case and I'm not inclined to experiment I may dislike how coarse my hair is. It's pokey. And that hurts! But I do love how resilient it is. I've never had a split end from putting the wrong kind of product on it. Never had damage from a curling iron or straightening wand. I've never had to do a S&D. I can run a brush easily through my hair without causing a tangle. Those are things to celebrate.

alexis917
June 18th, 2015, 11:13 AM
I don't get splits often, mostly just those annoying one-strand knots. Or the bottom centimeter of my hair is inexplicably wiry and feels super dry. I don't like cones in my hair, and I CO-wash.

Alien Girl
March 13th, 2016, 03:11 AM
I do believe coarse hair is stronger than fine hair.. My fine-hair friends get split ends like no tomorrow while I haven't seen one since I was probably 12 and flat ironing my hair every day lol.

Even with bleached-to-white hair, I never saw a split.

Thick & coarse here. It get's so annoying though because of my damage.. I think damaged coarse hair tangles really bad :(

DizzyGinger
June 2nd, 2016, 02:30 PM
Hey, joining in! I've got thick hair and I think it's somewhat coarse though I'm still figuring it out! I'm a natural strawberry blonde and as a kid I had loads of fun pulling my hair down over my face and examining it lol. I had baby fine, smooth, platinum blonde hairs next to thick, coarse red hairs that looked like copper wires! I was fascinated by it. I encounter many of the same issues as well as benefits as others here so I think it's fairly coarse! my hair is crazy strong. never seen a split end in my life, even when I spent 2 years dyeing my hair brown, black, orange, multiple rounds of bleach...it just hung out and was like the Xena Warrior Princess version of hair :P

meteor
June 2nd, 2016, 05:27 PM
^ DizzyGinger, that's so awesome that your hair is super-resilient and super-strong, yay! :thumbsup:
By the way, strawberry blonde is such an incredibly stunning and super-rare natural color :crush: (some say it's the rarest shade of blonde, and blonde is already pretty rare as it is - http://facts.randomhistory.com/blonde-hair-facts.html) You are pretty lucky! :D
Oh and yes, it's totally normal to have a combination of hairs of different textures growing on the same head - hair is organic matter and it would be unrealistic for it to be completely uniform in structure, texture, etc ;) For example, I have lots of coarse, medium and fine hair... - it's pretty normal... (I do wish it was all coarse, but no biggie, in the grand scheme of things, it's easy enough to adapt to whatever texture the genes gave me.)

DizzyGinger
June 2nd, 2016, 05:33 PM
^ DizzyGinger, that's so awesome that your hair is super-resilient and super-strong, yay! :thumbsup:
By the way, strawberry blonde is such an incredibly stunning and super-rare natural color :crush: (some say it's the rarest shade of blonde, and blonde is already pretty rare as it is - http://facts.randomhistory.com/blonde-hair-facts.html) You are pretty lucky!

Haha thank you, but I've always considered it the rarest shade of red! :P I love being a redhead, everyone growing up called it red. Of course it turned more copper in my teens. I started dyeing my hair because it was fading to blonde. I tried to accept that for a bit but I just love being red too much!

meteor
June 2nd, 2016, 05:55 PM
^ Oh of course, DizzyGinger! :doh: Definitely red! :D So it's the rarest shade of the rarest color! :crush: You are super-lucky! ;)

Alex Lou
June 3rd, 2016, 12:41 AM
I have a variety of textures on my head. I don't actually think that my fine strands are more likely to split, although they are certainly broken more easily. There are some coarse curly/kinky hairs that I have that probably split more than any of my other hairs. Or maybe I just notice them splitting because they will split rather than break. These are some gnarly splits, btw. Because the strands are so thick, they split into what look like 2 coarse hairs until I look way further up the strands to see the split. My coarse and straight/wavy strands are very strong though.

sumirechan
August 1st, 2016, 02:31 AM
I have coarse Filipino hair! The canopy (especially in the back) is coarse and and medium texture underneath. I've tried SMT and coconut oil for deep moisture treatments without success. Right now, I'm only using jojoba oil after a shampoo bar wash/citric acid rinse (1/8 tsp:2 quarts water). My hair is laying down nicely (no halo of frizz) with this no fuss regimen, even three days out. When I would blow-dry and straighten, I still got frizzy after a few hours, so now I'm just air-drying. My hair currently loves CV's babassu marsh mallow poo bar. I've also tried Creating Harmony's argan poo bar and their quinoa solid conditioner with initial success, but got very crunchy hair after about a month and did not improve after two ACV rinses. Never could get that initial silky feeling back. I'm inclined to think my hair doesn't like protein. I have two leave-in products with protein that are sitting on my shelf untried, so I'll know soon. I have no idea if my hair likes or dislikes cones, but I gave those up a while ago just in case and I'm not inclined to experiment I may dislike how coarse my hair is. It's pokey. And that hurts! But I do love how resilient it is. I've never had a split end from putting the wrong kind of product on it. Never had damage from a curling iron or straightening wand. I've never had to do a S&D. I can run a brush easily through my hair without causing a tangle. Those are things to celebrate.
Coarse Filipino hair here too! I found two products that work well with my frizzy and coarse ends:
My top choice would be the Davines Oi Oil. You can buy this through the BeautyMNL website or local beauty stores/salons.
My second choice would be the Garnier Sleek & Shine Moroccan Argan Hair Treatment. Unfortunately, this one is something that I ask my boyfriend in the US to get for me in Target, since it's not available here. :( Such a shame, because it's a cheap oil that smells so good and works so well!

What I notice is that given our hot and humid climate, we coarse and thick hair types need products with silicones in them to tame the frizz. Also, I'm into K-beauty stuff, but none of the K-beauty hair treatment products work for my hair. They are so horribad in taming my frizzy hair.

Dancing Giant
January 3rd, 2018, 10:50 AM
My hair is more coarse than medium and I faced a few of the problems described here. It doesn't want to go into buns or braids and it springs out of them just minutes or even seconds after I finally get it all in. The triangle-head is one of the reasons I never cut my hair shorter than shoulder lenght. Even now, when I blow-dry my hair occasionally, after that I look like an exploded pillow. However, one of the advantages of that is a super voluminous ponytail.
Also, it is super resistant. My hair is bleached from a medium/dark brown to a platinum blonde for dying with directions and I still don't have any split ends although I last trimmed it over three months ago.
With the silicones it is a little bit different for me. I used silicones when I was younger simply because I didn't know better and since I was eleven or twelve I didn't use almost any silicones at all. For my hair, it doesn't matter if I use silicones or not.

Lizabeth94
January 3rd, 2018, 01:09 PM
I have medium hair on my canopy, and coarse hair underneath, like a horse's tail. On one hand its less prone to damage which is great, but it can be heavy, and I don't like the texture or the appearance. :rolleyes: I can make it look and feel softer by using certain shampoos and conditioners, my hair tends to like cones and sulfates (even though my scalp doesn't). Vinegar rinses can be helpful, but not if I use them every time. Most importantly I avoid heat, which makes my already coarse and crunchy underneath hair even crunchier.

ravenskey
June 18th, 2018, 02:46 PM
I have very coarse hair(it's been compared to horse hair quite a bit) and I have recently started CO washing and my hair loves it - it's way softer and more shiny looking!
Oiling is also a vital staple in my haircare - a twice daily occurrence.

The upside: very tough and more likely to break whatever I'm brushing/wrangling it with than break itself - as 2 brushes, a comb and several trillion pins and ties can testify :lol:

As for problems: triangle head is one of the reasons I grew out my lob(though I think this is a thick hair problem in general not just coarse), and hairdos exploding because my strands have broken whatever was holding it is common(though scrunchies + some new super long/strong hair pins have changed that(hopefully!)).

guska
November 29th, 2018, 12:57 PM
Great thread, it’s a pity it’s not very active.

I have straight, very coarse hair that kills braids waves five minutes after I take them out :lol: I couldn’t wear it down when I was at shoulder length, because my ends felt as if they were prickling my skin.

Khristopher
November 29th, 2018, 03:29 PM
(snip) I couldn’t wear it down when I was at shoulder length, because my ends felt as if they were prickling my skin.
I can totally relate to this! When I grew my past-chin length bob and it started reaching my neck/shoulders I would wear peacock twists 24/7. Feels so nice not worring about such discomforts now :cool: oh, I just remembered the triangle head shape problem as well

gingerninja
November 29th, 2018, 03:38 PM
I have slightly wavy very coarse hair,that feels kinda like horses hair and requires cwcc and pre oiling just for the ends to stop being so sharp and pointy and stay in a bun.
Pros: Very few split ends, resilient to mechanical damage, holds styles very well, look's thicker than it is.
Cons: Always feels dry except when saturated in oil, tangles are invincible, brushes,combs and hairforks get broken easily.

ravenskey
December 1st, 2018, 08:58 AM
^^^ Oh, yes...all so relatable. I believe someone on LHC called it Hulk Hair which is perfect. Prickly ends and always feeling dry except when oiled is the utter pits - at least it doesn't break easily - a must when tangles could be made of steel wire.

lushfanatic
December 1st, 2018, 09:33 AM
I have South Asian hair so naturally quite coarse but not as coarse as it could be. Regardless I find that my hair is quite resilient and just accepts whatever I throw at it, which can be both good and bad - bad because it tends to drink up all of the treatments I offer to it, which means I don't know what works and what doesn't!

I agree 100% about the prickly ends. I tend to saturate my ends in hair creams, oils, etc. daily, but find that nothing works long-term. I've come to accept that it's just my hair type.

guska
December 1st, 2018, 10:21 AM
Yey for more people joining this thread :cheer:

Do guys oil your hair? Light or heavy?

lushfanatic
December 1st, 2018, 10:56 AM
Yey for more people joining this thread :cheer:

Do guys oil your hair? Light or heavy?

I use about 4 tbsp of oil for my "heavy" oilings weekly and throughout the week I'll use up to a 2p-sized amount for my lengths and ends if needed.

Your pics in your sig are beautiful! Your hair looks pretty similar to mine, so how much oil do you use?

guska
December 1st, 2018, 11:26 AM
I use about 4 tbsp of oil for my "heavy" oilings weekly and throughout the week I'll use up to a 2p-sized amount for my lengths and ends if needed.

Your pics in your sig are beautiful! Your hair looks pretty similar to mine, so how much oil do you use?

Thank you! Those pictures are from a few years ago, back when I didn't even know oiling was a thing lol.

I actually don't oil at all... I've tried oiling with coconut oil and EVOO a couple of times, neither of them did anything for my hair. It was kind of just a waste of money for me :shrug:

ravenskey
December 1st, 2018, 11:51 AM
Yey for more people joining this thread :cheer:

Do guys oil your hair? Light or heavy?

Oh, yes...coconut or almond almost every day for detangling, and I use one of those or olive or rapeseed oil during/after washing.

lushfanatic
December 1st, 2018, 12:04 PM
Thank you! Those pictures are from a few years ago, back when I didn't even know oiling was a thing lol.

I actually don't oil at all... I've tried oiling with coconut oil and EVOO a couple of times, neither of them did anything for my hair. It was kind of just a waste of money for me :shrug:

Oh, really?? So what do you use to keep your hair shiny? I'm guessing conditioner? (Sorry... haven't read through the thread yet!)

guska
December 1st, 2018, 12:37 PM
Oh, really?? So what do you use to keep your hair shiny? I'm guessing conditioner? (Sorry... haven't read through the thread yet!)

Conditioner, yes, as it's the only thing that goes into my hair. My hair holds pretty well onto the shine that conditioner gives me :) Although my hair did stay remarkably shiny throughout my (infamous haha) one year period of WO in 2017, when actually nothing besides water touched my hair.

lushfanatic
December 1st, 2018, 12:49 PM
Conditioner, yes, as it's the only thing that goes into my hair. My hair holds pretty well onto the shine that conditioner gives me :) Although my hair did stay remarkably shiny throughout my (infamous haha) one year period of WO in 2017, when actually nothing besides water touched my hair.

Wow, I couldn't imagine doing that!! Your hair must be in a really good state. Do you use silicones?

I personally don't use conditioner anymore because a lot of women from my ethnic background prefer oiling before washing and don't use any conditioner. It seems to work well for me as although conditioner was okay and detangled my hair well, I felt like my hair started to become dependent on it and it was a dry, tangly mess without!

I remember when I was around 12 y/o and didn't wear a headscarf yet, and people would comment on how lovely my hair was. I used to hate washing and brushing my hair and I shampooed once a week (twice a week if needed) and didn't even know about conditioner.

Seems like coarse haired folk really benefit from benign neglect the most out of all hair types!

guska
December 1st, 2018, 01:00 PM
Wow, I couldn't imagine doing that!! Your hair must be in a really good state. Do you use silicones?

I personally don't use conditioner anymore because a lot of women from my ethnic background prefer oiling before washing and don't use any conditioner. It seems to work well for me as although conditioner was okay and detangled my hair well, I felt like my hair started to become dependent on it and it was a dry, tangly mess without!

I remember when I was around 12 y/o and didn't wear a headscarf yet, and people would comment on how lovely my hair was. I used to hate washing and brushing my hair and I shampooed once a week (twice a week if needed) and didn't even know about conditioner.

Seems like coarse haired folk really benefit from benign neglect the most out of all hair types!

Nope, no silicones for me. I avoid them like the plague! I have sensitive skin and scalp and buildup sounds... scary.

Yes, I myself benign neglected my hair from age 0 to age 11 (before I discovered there was such a thing as conditioner) and washed my hair once a week with a H&S shampoo. That's what my mom did and taught me. My hair was in really good shape and grew to TBL without me thinking about it at all haha. Then at age 11 I started CO-ing. I've since then tried all kinds of washing methods, but TBH, nothing beats CO for me, and after each tried-and-failed method, I've always gone back to CO.

lushfanatic
December 1st, 2018, 01:32 PM
Nope, no silicones for me. I avoid them like the plague! I have sensitive skin and scalp and buildup sounds... scary.

Yes, I myself benign neglected my hair from age 0 to age 11 (before I discovered there was such a thing as conditioner) and washed my hair once a week with a H&S shampoo. That's what my mom did and taught me. My hair was in really good shape and grew to TBL without me thinking about it at all haha. Then at age 11 I started CO-ing. I've since then tried all kinds of washing methods, but TBH, nothing beats CO for me, and after each tried-and-failed method, I've always gone back to CO.

Yes, the Head and Shoulders!! Lol. I sometimes wonder if such a routine would work now. I feel like because we were younger it worked but personally my scalp seems to be oilier than it used to be - hormonal changes? I also suffer/ed from psoriasis and other minor scalp conditions which makes it hard to go more than two days without washing. It's difficult because my lengths remain normal.

guska
December 1st, 2018, 02:08 PM
Yes, the Head and Shoulders!! Lol. I sometimes wonder if such a routine would work now. I feel like because we were younger it worked but personally my scalp seems to be oilier than it used to be - hormonal changes? I also suffer/ed from psoriasis and other minor scalp conditions which makes it hard to go more than two days without washing. It's difficult because my lengths remain normal.

Wow, I actually think my scalp and skin has gotten drier since I was younger. Drier and more sensitive. I'm still in puberty, though, so maybe there's a chance that my skin type will change suddenly. My whole family, besides me, has oily skin and scalp.

guska
March 10th, 2019, 12:57 PM
Great thread, it’s a pity it’s not very active.

I have straight, very coarse hair that kills braids waves five minutes after I take them out :lol: I couldn’t wear it down when I was at shoulder length, because my ends felt as if they were prickling my skin.

Three months later and this problem is reoccurring.

I divided my hair into three sections today after washing. Two on the sides of my head and on the back. Braided each section. Now the braid on the back of my head is prickling my neck but I can not take it out yet because otherwise I will not get my desired braid waves :lol:

Khristopher
March 10th, 2019, 07:10 PM
Three months later and this problem is reoccurring.

I divided my hair into three sections today after washing. Two on the sides of my head and on the back. Braided each section. Now the braid on the back of my head is prickling my neck but I can not take it out yet because otherwise I will not get my desired braid waves :lol:
Dang, those stubborn ends! Have you tried bending your braid up and securing it with a claw clip? Or maybe wearing a silky scarf as your hair dries, with added bonus for looking fabulous (?):rolling:

guska
March 11th, 2019, 12:29 AM
Dang, those stubborn ends! Have you tried bending your braid up and securing it with a claw clip? Or maybe wearing a silky scarf as your hair dries, with added bonus for looking fabulous (?):rolling:

Thanks for the suggestions! I was going to bed so a claw clip was not an option. I will try out the silk scarf option, only problem is that it might slide down my hair as it dries.

RottenMango
April 22nd, 2019, 12:39 PM
I have coarse, curly hair and my hair can feel wiry at times so I use tons of hair masks, leave in and serum. I trim the very ends only twice a year so like every six months.

guska
April 22nd, 2019, 01:03 PM
Nope, no silicones for me. I avoid them like the plague! I have sensitive skin and scalp and buildup sounds... scary.

Yes, I myself benign neglected my hair from age 0 to age 11 (before I discovered there was such a thing as conditioner) and washed my hair once a week with a H&S shampoo. That's what my mom did and taught me. My hair was in really good shape and grew to TBL without me thinking about it at all haha. Then at age 11 I started CO-ing. I've since then tried all kinds of washing methods, but TBH, nothing beats CO for me, and after each tried-and-failed method, I've always gone back to CO.

"Heh", is my only thought on that comment I wrote almost half a year ago (!). People do change :rolleyes:

I've changed my routine. Back to good ol' shampoo + conditioner combo. Back to sulfates and cones!

gin
July 9th, 2019, 09:07 PM
I have mostly coarse, straight hair, definitely feel the prickly ends and the new growth that just sticks up straight out of my head! I also have a ton of new growth.

Has anyone had any luck with softening their coarse hair to make stuff like ponytail buns possible and braids less unruly? Because of all the new growth, my braids have a ton of prickly ends just sticking out everywhere no matter what I try. I've tried braiding while damp, spraying water, using oils, etc. When I was washing less I still had this problem on Day 7-8 hair.

As far as the ponytail buns, I really want to do the pinwheel bun that torrinpaige does at the end here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZvXrEOfJ4w. But when I tried this, the hairs coming out of the ponytail are just too stiff to manage so the wrapping around and pinning wasn't happening. Plus I have thick and heavy hair. I figured if my hair would just "bend" more easily it would maybe be more manageable...

NeonPink
July 10th, 2019, 02:48 PM
I have coarse hair on the top half of my head and medium on the bottom half, I also have very curly hair and from reading this thread I've realized this is just my normal texture from having coarse hair. I actually thought the top half was just damaged cause its the most exposed one, but I've been babying my hair for a year now and nothing changed, which means this is just how my hair is.

Of all the things I've tried the only things that make my hair softer is pre-poo with sweet almond oil, then CWC with silicone free conditioners and sulfate free shampoo (sulfates make my hair even frizzier and drier). I've also bought recently the Garnier Aloe Air Dry Cream and it seems to be helping to tame my hair a bit, then after I apply it to damp hair I cover it all with sweet almond oil again, and keep oiling during the week until I wash again.

gin
July 10th, 2019, 09:03 PM
Of all the things I've tried the only things that make my hair softer is pre-poo with sweet almond oil, then CWC with silicone free conditioners and sulfate free shampoo (sulfates make my hair even frizzier and drier). I've also bought recently the Garnier Aloe Air Dry Cream and it seems to be helping to tame my hair a bit, then after I apply it to damp hair I cover it all with sweet almond oil again, and keep oiling during the week until I wash again.

Did any other oils work for you besides sweet almond oil? Just wondering because I've been experimenting with olive/avocado/coconut oils for pre-poo, though I put them on the night before rather than right before washing my hair. I have some sweet almond oil, so maybe I'll try using it too. Also, how often do you oil during the week? Every day? And all over your hair or just your ends? I only oil the lower part of my hair, and I don't remember to do it everyday. Recently I've just been trying to spray water on my hair everyday or twice a day to keep the moisture in, if moisture in fact helps soften hair...

I've also tried banana/honey or pumpkin/honey as pre-poo right before washing, though I haven't done those in awhile and can't remember what the results were like (I was paying attention to something else then). So maybe I'll try those again.

NeonPink
July 11th, 2019, 05:59 PM
Did any other oils work for you besides sweet almond oil? Just wondering because I've been experimenting with olive/avocado/coconut oils for pre-poo, though I put them on the night before rather than right before washing my hair. I have some sweet almond oil, so maybe I'll try using it too. Also, how often do you oil during the week? Every day? And all over your hair or just your ends? I only oil the lower part of my hair, and I don't remember to do it everyday. Recently I've just been trying to spray water on my hair everyday or twice a day to keep the moisture in, if moisture in fact helps soften hair...

I've also tried banana/honey or pumpkin/honey as pre-poo right before washing, though I haven't done those in awhile and can't remember what the results were like (I was paying attention to something else then). So maybe I'll try those again.

I tried coconut oil and it made my hair crunchy so I don't use it anymore, olive oil doesn't seem to do much to my hair. I like castor oil but it's a bit too sticky for everyday. Haven't tried any others.

I also oil the most the day before a wash yes. Rest of the week I oil every day or every other day, depending on how dry my hair is, and I use most of the oil on my ends but also a bit on my length and sometimes even on my head. Watering hair before oiling is also a good idea so the oil can keep the moisture in :)

Lions-mane
July 11th, 2019, 11:27 PM
What are cones? My hair is like what you described. Something that I have discovered that helps my coarse hair with sheen and elasticity is the gelatin lamination treatments.
Which reminds me I haven't done it in a while I should soon.

barnet_fair
February 8th, 2020, 05:04 AM
Coarse hair joys: when you S&D, you can feel and almost hear a little "crunch" as the scissors go through the strand.

cjk
February 8th, 2020, 08:27 AM
What are cones?

It is a fairly standard shorthand way of referring to silicones.

Most of the time when you look at an ingredients list, anything in the silicone family will end in the suffix -cone.

Dimethicone for instance.

poojasilk
February 8th, 2020, 09:10 AM
I have coarse hair and do weekly heavy coconut oil treatments, and I also use a silicone conditioner. I was wondering if coconut oil and cones are compatible? Does coconut oil absorb well even if I use cones?

lapushka
February 8th, 2020, 10:57 AM
I have coarse hair and do weekly heavy coconut oil treatments, and I also use a silicone conditioner. I was wondering if coconut oil and cones are compatible? Does coconut oil absorb well even if I use cones?

If water can penetrate after the use of silicones, I'm willing to bet that will too. ;)

Dutchbraids
February 9th, 2020, 09:39 PM
Has anyone else used baking soda, ACV, and rice water on coarse, greasy hair? I'm struggling with needing to wash every 2 days because its too greasy to put in buns or braids already. I just washed with them, in that order, and waiting for it to dry and see how many days I can get out of it. Has it worked for anyone?

Khristopher
February 10th, 2020, 10:19 AM
Has anyone else used baking soda, ACV, and rice water on coarse, greasy hair? I'm struggling with needing to wash every 2 days because its too greasy to put in buns or braids already. I just washed with them, in that order, and waiting for it to dry and see how many days I can get out of it. Has it worked for anyone?

I would avoid baking soda as it's too drying. If you want to extend in-between washes time, you'll have to endure an adaptation period where your hair will be greasy, that's just the way it is. Touching/combing your hair often will make your hair greasier, so I would put it in a braid or bun and forget about it for a while. I asure you, even if you're feeling like a greaseball, people won't notice as much as you do, if nothing at all.
That said, rice water will help you keep your hair build up free indeed, but be careful not to do it too often as it can lead to protein overload. For me, once a week/every other week is enough. Hope this helps!

lapushka
February 11th, 2020, 05:58 AM
Has anyone else used baking soda, ACV, and rice water on coarse, greasy hair? I'm struggling with needing to wash every 2 days because its too greasy to put in buns or braids already. I just washed with them, in that order, and waiting for it to dry and see how many days I can get out of it. Has it worked for anyone?

Avoid baking soda at all costs. It doesn't clean better. Instead it is very alkaline on the hair (not a good pH) and it just roughens up the cuticle / the hair. If you want to stretch washes, you'll just (as Khristopher said) have to get through that "transitional" period.

If you can't stretch washes, that is no big deal, just wash when it's oily!

blackgothicdoll
February 11th, 2020, 08:58 PM
Do most people with coarse strands also have low porosity hair? Is coarse hair just naturally difficult to keep moisturized? I'm at a loss, I do WCC, LCO, low poo and sulfate, no cones or Yes some cones, hair is just always dry!!!

lapushka
February 12th, 2020, 04:10 AM
Do most people with coarse strands also have low porosity hair? Is coarse hair just naturally difficult to keep moisturized? I'm at a loss, I do WCC, LCO, low poo and sulfate, no cones or Yes some cones, hair is just always dry!!!

That sucks. I think it takes a lot to "ruin" a C strand, far more than say a F or even normal strand of hair, so I think yes, it's safe to say it takes a lot more to damage it, therefore more chances of the porosity being normal to low (low won't even accept chemical services so...).

Maybe it's some of the products you're using? Maybe you need to up the clarifying washes.

I am normal porosity, and stuff builds up on my hair fast!

BerrySara
February 12th, 2020, 12:04 PM
Do most people with coarse strands also have low porosity hair? Is coarse hair just naturally difficult to keep moisturized? I'm at a loss, I do WCC, LCO, low poo and sulfate, no cones or Yes some cones, hair is just always dry!!!

I struggle similarly to retain moisture especially last 6 months. However, I used to have much lower porosity which was hard to moisturize but would at least hold it and last longer (could wash hair just once a week). Now that I dyed my hair back in Aug of last year, it turned my low porosity hair into high porosity (damaged) and I cant for the life of me retain any moisture. Now by day 3 my hair is so dry I have no choice but to heavy condition it, oil it and tuck the ends away.

I wonder have you evaluated your porosity recently? For me it changed drastically when I dyed my hair. Not sure if you still have some damage left but could have potentially altered your porosity?

blackgothicdoll
February 12th, 2020, 08:57 PM
I have no idea. A good half of my hair is likely norm or high porosity due to damage, and the other half I assume is low because it's received no chemical treatment, only herbal type dyes. I haven't tried a strand test because I read somewhere those are misleading. I think it is low porosity because water beads up on top of it, product just sits on it, etc. I'm wondering if heavy product application is making things worse? But I'd think it would help for my damaged ends. Seems like no part of my hair is happy these days, dry, knots, splits, just a mess. :/

gin
February 15th, 2020, 10:32 PM
My hair is pretty much low porosity and mostly coarse. For me, what's helped a lot is doing ROO (lapushkaknows a lot about it and has a whole thread on it!) before conditioning, and taking a little bit of time to squeeze/smoosh conditioner into my hair. I also do a final cold ACV rinse. I actually don't use much conditioner at all anymore, very little in fact, after doing ROO. My ends used to dry out and I'd oil them every day, and now I don't have to do squat to them in between washes. I wash my hair 1-2x a week (I was on a 2x/week schedule but since I've gotten pregnant I've gotten really lazy and go 6 days in between washes sometimes now). I don't do deep treatments or pre-poos anymore (no need to, and am too lazy to do them anyway), when I was doing them before every wash before.

The downside is I have a lot of oils and random DIY hair products that I don't use anymore! At least my husband uses my conditioners. :)

barnet_fair
March 17th, 2020, 08:00 AM
I'm coming to suspect that my hair is naturally high porosity. It's of South/SE Asian type and fairly coarse, although not as coarse as the classic Indian hair. I think perhaps Asian hair is usually coarse, but can vary in natural porosity depending on the region/ethnic group.

My hair really loves heavy oilings, and plait tassels can drink tablespoonsful of oil every day without looking greasy. But the main reason I suspect high porosity is that it takes very little time to dry - under 2h at WL and iii. This seems unusual based on what I've read on LHC...

It's completely virgin, but I did use a hairdryer until about BSL. So perhaps the cuticle is damaged, causing the high porosity - I'll have to wait several years to see.

jane_marie
May 8th, 2020, 01:45 PM
Hey lovely coarse haired folks!

I have noticed that my ends can easily get dry and when that happens, due to the thickness of my hair it just sort of looks like an old broom.

Case and point:

https://imgur.com/RqvqYwp

I'm starting to wonder if this is a typical coarse hair trait.

Does anyone else have this issue? If so are there any products that you have found that help?

Thanks so much. <3

blackgothicdoll
May 8th, 2020, 05:10 PM
Yeah my ends feel like barbed wire even when there are no knots or splits. I've gotta try to just ignore them, I think it's the overall thickness and sharpness of the end of the strand.

mira-chan
May 8th, 2020, 05:18 PM
Mine are wire feeling too, and when the ends are freshly trimmed can hurt the skin from poking it.

For the ends, I sometimes put some oil on freshly washed and still wet ends. That helps a bit. I just put it on the last 5-10 inches or so.

Rowdy
May 8th, 2020, 09:23 PM
Oh yes, I often describe my coarse hair as sharp. I've used CHI silk infusion for many years now and I like applying it to freshly washed dry hair.

jane_marie
May 9th, 2020, 06:03 PM
Thanks to everyone that answered this! I feel better knowing this is likely just part of my hair type. Lately I have been admire photos of ladies with fine hair and admiring how soft the ends look.


Yeah my ends feel like barbed wire even when there are no knots or splits. I've gotta try to just ignore them, I think it's the overall thickness and sharpness of the end of the strand.

This is so relatable for me. If I find anything that helps I'll let you know.


Mine are wire feeling too, and when the ends are freshly trimmed can hurt the skin from poking it.

For the ends, I sometimes put some oil on freshly washed and still wet ends. That helps a bit. I just put it on the last 5-10 inches or so.

Now that I think of it I might have skipped oiling before this photo. Thanks for the reminder. :)


Oh yes, I often describe my coarse hair as sharp. I've used CHI silk infusion for many years now and I like applying it to freshly washed dry hair.

Yes, sharp is exactly right. Thanks for the product recommendation I'll be looking into it!

Milynn
September 17th, 2020, 02:37 PM
Finally joining here! I have been lurking around this thread for a while, but as I was somewhat unsure of my hair type I stayed silent.

But yeah, my hair has been coarse since kid, it was always called a "horse mane". I have never had soft hair, and I definitely struggle with keeping this mane moisturized.

However, I am still happy with it being coarse - few days ago I actually counted what my ends have been through, and some of them have actually seen 5 rounds of bleach (3 whole head, 2 set of highlights), at least 8 normal deposit dyes, 1 round of henna, 1 round of indigo, 2 rounds of colorfix... oh, an protein overload. And showers hot as h*ll. Yet, this whole thing is still attached to my head :D And it does not look damaged, though the very ends are - I get some minor breakage when brushing, from one to six strands. Which has not affected to length gain, as it actually has grown about normal 1.5 cm (0,6 inch) a month for about last four months (6 cm in total). Currently between waist and hip, hip being my goal (missing 2 cm) and place to maintain for eternity.

It has survived through huge amount of damage (fixed my ways half a year ago), which I am very grateful of. Still waiting for the next may (2021) as then two rounds of whole head bleach have grown out, which will probably stop the breakage completely. It's more about mental issue though, as it does not really affect growth - it is just so heartbreaking when I see it. Without coarse strands I would probably be bald at this point.