Combing My #Curls

No Comb

I don't comb my hair when it is dry. Ever. Unless maybe I've blown it out and I'm going for a super duper big afro. I don't see the point. Curls, especially frizzy curls, can be almost impossible to deal with at times. Even running my fingers through my strands when my hair is dry is a hazard. And there's nothing worse than the dry, grating, cracking/snapping noise the hair makes when the strands are breaking. Horrible. Even to style, I don't use a come or brush on dry hair anymore. Unless it's a soft brush and I'm smoothing the front of my hair or my edges down. My front edges are actually in a bit of trouble at the moment anyway. They're thinning, especially on the right, and since Castor Oil (which is great for thinning edges) is not recommended on the CG method, I have to find something else that will help.

What's the alternative?

Some women "finger-comb"; basically de-tangle with their fingers. Now my hair, I think, is too thick for that. I don't have the time or patience to sit down, going through knots and tangles with my fingers. I can't do it. But it is one method or recommended solution, and the women who do it claim it has helped. Check it out on youtube.

I detangle in the shower with conditioner, water and a wide-tooth comb. My comb stays in the shower and that way I'm not tempted to use it at any other time. It's still a slow process though.

My method:

wet the section of hair
pull away any shredded hair/loose strands that may already be dangling or snagged on to the rest of our hair
apply a good amount of the conditioner of your choice
Use a wide tooth comb to gently go through the knots
work from the tips to the roots, little by little.
rinse the conditioner (not completely if you dont want to)
twist/braid/clip detangled section out of the way
Move on to next section and repeat step.

Even this process requires the patience of a saint. Usually about halfway through I get tired or fed up and I'm tempted to just stop. But this way also helps stretch the hair out a little, which reduces shrinkage and knots once the hair is dry.

Some people say stuff like "my hair is hard. I have to comb it all the time". I'm not an expert, I'm just sharing my experiences and my ideas, but I don't think your texture matters too much when it comes to combing natural hair. Natural hair, no matter the type, is pretty delicate and it can get really dry. You're not doing yourself any favours yanking it with a comb when it's not wet. Having said that, if combing it all the time is working for you, by all means, carry on.

Exceptions

I think the only other time I comb my hair dry, is when I'm twisting it sometimes, and I havent had time/don't want to (co-)wash it. I normally use a leave-in conditioner or something though to provide a little slip. It makes the whole process a lot easier.

That's about it for now folks,

Stay blessed xx