Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
- Love Bunny
- Posts: 1045
- Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:01 pm
- Location: Derby, UK
Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
Okay so I've been trialing and erroring for a long time with naturals now, mainly because I'm such a perfectionist hence no show off's of all my recent creations!
But after making loads and loads I have finally drawn some conclusions on how to make them (this is my opinion but if you are having trouble you might benefit from this ) turn out better, look better, stay smoother and generally look more natural!
I will upload some pics soon when I get chance after I go away so that you can see the difference.
I tend to use ALOT less hair than if I was doing twists. You seriously only need a smallish bunch of hair, especially if you are doing SE's. I think most peoples error when making naturals is using wayyy too much hair. So have a play, reduce your amounts and I'm sure you will have a better time if it. Another thing when making SE's/Harlequins, because the dreads arent essentialy sealed, they WILL come apart eventually at the top where the two sections are backcombed together so its best to use rubber bands around them to prevent this from happening if you wear them alot, you can get clear ones so it wouldn't look too bad
Secondly, try getting used to using straight KK, when the end are loose they look muuuch neater and I find the dreads alot lighter and softer and look nicer.
Backcombing. I know everyone tells you that the dreads NEED to stand up to the erection test, well I believe naturals don't. As long as you backcomb them enough not to come apart I think that is enough. Do you reallly want naturals that are stiff with no flexibility? The less hair you use and the lighter you back comb the more they have natural movement and are easier to manage. A full head of stiff naturals (especially long ones) are no fun when they are simply too stiff to do anything with and sticky outy.
A tip for when the ends look straggly when using jumbo braid. If you have straighteners with a heat setting set them to the lowest heat and straighten the ends in quick motions until they are smooth. You get the ease of making the dread with jumbo braid but the same nice finish to the ends as if you were using silky! If you want them to look as natural as possible, don't wiggle the ends or twist them
Lastly, sealing. The best way I have found is to pour boiling water down the lengths. If you want anything more hardcore than that, put them in the washing machine at 40 on a fast cycle. Make sure you pack them tightly and neatly into the bottom of a pillow case and tie it up really tight because they will come out and go all over the place if you don't ! If they go a bit wiggly, just pour boiling water down the lengths again and they will smooth out again!
I hope this will help troubleshoot some of the problems I have seen people having and hopefully make it a bit easier ^_^
x
But after making loads and loads I have finally drawn some conclusions on how to make them (this is my opinion but if you are having trouble you might benefit from this ) turn out better, look better, stay smoother and generally look more natural!
I will upload some pics soon when I get chance after I go away so that you can see the difference.
I tend to use ALOT less hair than if I was doing twists. You seriously only need a smallish bunch of hair, especially if you are doing SE's. I think most peoples error when making naturals is using wayyy too much hair. So have a play, reduce your amounts and I'm sure you will have a better time if it. Another thing when making SE's/Harlequins, because the dreads arent essentialy sealed, they WILL come apart eventually at the top where the two sections are backcombed together so its best to use rubber bands around them to prevent this from happening if you wear them alot, you can get clear ones so it wouldn't look too bad
Secondly, try getting used to using straight KK, when the end are loose they look muuuch neater and I find the dreads alot lighter and softer and look nicer.
Backcombing. I know everyone tells you that the dreads NEED to stand up to the erection test, well I believe naturals don't. As long as you backcomb them enough not to come apart I think that is enough. Do you reallly want naturals that are stiff with no flexibility? The less hair you use and the lighter you back comb the more they have natural movement and are easier to manage. A full head of stiff naturals (especially long ones) are no fun when they are simply too stiff to do anything with and sticky outy.
A tip for when the ends look straggly when using jumbo braid. If you have straighteners with a heat setting set them to the lowest heat and straighten the ends in quick motions until they are smooth. You get the ease of making the dread with jumbo braid but the same nice finish to the ends as if you were using silky! If you want them to look as natural as possible, don't wiggle the ends or twist them
Lastly, sealing. The best way I have found is to pour boiling water down the lengths. If you want anything more hardcore than that, put them in the washing machine at 40 on a fast cycle. Make sure you pack them tightly and neatly into the bottom of a pillow case and tie it up really tight because they will come out and go all over the place if you don't ! If they go a bit wiggly, just pour boiling water down the lengths again and they will smooth out again!
I hope this will help troubleshoot some of the problems I have seen people having and hopefully make it a bit easier ^_^
x
- Gracey
- Posts: 3034
- Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:46 am
- Location: Manchester UK
- Contact:
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
This is the way I make my naturals, and I reckon most others do too. The only slight change is that I palmroll both before and after the washing machine cycle.
What, that? It's a spade.
Gracey xx
Formerly known as Woolhairhabbit
Gracey xx
Formerly known as Woolhairhabbit
- Shedandy
- Posts: 718
- Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:32 am
- Location: Canberra, Australia
- Contact:
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
I totally agree with using straight kk! they seem to dread up a lot more solid and naturally and are less likely to go uber frizzy. The ends can be a lot nicer and less likely to tangle with each other. I think stright kk needs less sealing to! I made one that didnt need sealing at all with silky.
Thanks for the tip on straightening the ends! The ends on my wig keep tangling together as they have slowly gone frizzy and I was thinking of twist sealing but I might try this instead.
Also I didn't really think of the stiff is bad thing as I only wear naturals on a wig but that tip might come in handy when I finally get around to making a set of naturals to install, unless i get lazy and just make falls
Thanks for the tip on straightening the ends! The ends on my wig keep tangling together as they have slowly gone frizzy and I was thinking of twist sealing but I might try this instead.
Also I didn't really think of the stiff is bad thing as I only wear naturals on a wig but that tip might come in handy when I finally get around to making a set of naturals to install, unless i get lazy and just make falls
This be my Facebook dreads page ^_^ Feel free to add me
http://www.facebook.com/shedandys
http://www.facebook.com/shedandys
- starlotus
- Posts: 694
- Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:32 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Contact:
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
Thank you for this I want to take another crack at naturals again soon and I'll definitely be trying out some of your tips - especially with using the silky KK. I have a ton of that laying around and couldn't figure out what to do with it.
http://www.twistedkandi.com
http://www.facebook.com/twistedkandi
Etsy shop open again and taking custom orders! http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwistedKandi
My vegan recipe blog: http://www.vegan-fur-ninja.blogspot.com Yummy!
http://www.facebook.com/twistedkandi
Etsy shop open again and taking custom orders! http://www.etsy.com/shop/TwistedKandi
My vegan recipe blog: http://www.vegan-fur-ninja.blogspot.com Yummy!
- Librarynerd
- Posts: 754
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 9:22 am
- Location: Olympia, WA
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
Thank you for posting this! I've been playing around with making naturals this week and getting nowhere:( I think I'm using waaayyyy too much KK. Great tips, can't wait to get some silky to try too.
- ShadowThrone
- Posts: 4282
- Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:59 pm
- Location: Oslo, Norway
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
This is really useful
Also, I am the only one who has a giggle when I read
Also, I am the only one who has a giggle when I read
Love Bunny wrote: erection test
- Love Bunny
- Posts: 1045
- Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:01 pm
- Location: Derby, UK
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
I couldn't think what else to call it ! x
- FizzyPopLocks
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:04 am
- Location: Virginia USA
- Contact:
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
You're so right about less hair. My first naturals look sooooo poofy! I'll be sure to try less next time. Thanks!
- MadamGutterTrash
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 12:05 pm
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
I like steaming+palmrolling onto my pants/piece of coarse fabric (looks silly but the dread up nicely) THEN doing the boiling water poured over them. I think I have this fear that they wont seal and steaming makes me feel better? ..I dunno..
Sacha
- Sharaya
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 1:27 am
- Location: KY
- Contact:
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
What is "straight kk" ? Sorry if thats a dumb question, are you talking about silky hair for loose ext? or what?
- AnarchoFett
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:46 am
Re: Personal findings and tips from making naturals!
You've got it Sharaya. It's Silky Straight KK- the fourth down on this page http://www.ikickshins.net/bulk.php
I've been trying some naturals recently. When you say too much hair, how much are we talking about? I tried using a small amount for a few singles (the amount I'd use for a second level transitional) and they came out very tapered and very thin. I may have backcombed them too much though, that's possible.
I've been trying some naturals recently. When you say too much hair, how much are we talking about? I tried using a small amount for a few singles (the amount I'd use for a second level transitional) and they came out very tapered and very thin. I may have backcombed them too much though, that's possible.
A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having -V
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests