So many ladies are hung up in the belief that 4C hair type is hard to manage and filled with limitations. When the truth is…our hair rocks!
Find out your Hair Type here
Before we get into 7 reasons why we should all show 4C hair some more love a little about me and my 4C hair…
Inspiration Behind this Post
Recently, I was told that I was delusional for thinking that 4c hair is not hard to manage. By this point I have heard all of the complaints about 4c hair; it’s so dry, it’s hard to grow, and it is so hard to comb. However, what this sounds like to me is that you have not learned to master your hair. And that yes, you probably have unrealistic expectations.
My hair has no trouble growing, my breakage is kept down to a minimum, if my hair gets dry I know how to keep it moist, (read about here in Keep Your Hair Balanced and Moisturized) and the majority of my hair styles take 5 to 10 minutes to accomplish. This is because with time I have learned how to provide the best care for my hair.
It wasn’t always that way, I even went through a time where I had to cut my hair; it was that damaged. But still my hair isn’t “hard to manage”. It wasn’t manageability that was the issue, it was lack of knowledge. I didn’t know how to care for my hair at that time.
The Truth
As your hair grows longer it will be more work especially during your wash and detangling time, but this doesn’t mean that’s the absolute burden that people make it out to be. Or maybe it is! You have to come to this conclusion on your own.
What really needs to stop happening is the comparison of your hair to other women’s hair. Just because your hair is different it does not make it inferior. This only means we have to provide the right type of care for our hair type. And I say this with love and from personal experience. Love your 4C hair! It’s unique, versatile, and beautiful!
Here are the 7 Reasons Your 4C Is The Best
#7 Our edges can get laid and we can get waves.
(Me in the above picture, I used Shea Moisture Curling Souffle and it got my edges right!)
#6 We can do cool styles like this.
And this.
#5 It’s the best hair type for dreadlocks
Locking takes little to no time at all, which means you don’t spend much time in the “Ugly Phase” (the stage where your dreads are frizzy and are starting to take shape).
#4 Protective hairstyles like twists and braids hold up very well for quite some time
Making it easy for you to moisturize, get up, and go.
#3 Even though shrinkage is annoying sometimes it creates some pretty cute styles!
#2 Because this looks awesome!
#1 It is filled with surprises.
We Have Moved To Naturalhairrules.com 
4c hair is not the kind of hair I’d personally want,, but I think this is a good article about learning to appreciate what you were born with. I think 4C hair is sometimes dry and tangles , especially when grown into am afro. One thing I worship about 4c hair, is the way it goes into afro. I have 3C hair, and it’s annoying as heck. So I know that I couldn’t handle having an even coarser texture. I prefer softer textures, yet I am not into straight hair. I’d never want straight hair either. I would be happiest with a 3a texture, and I think most women wish they had softer hair than they do. But it’s about learning to appreciate the hair you have already.
4c hair isn’t necessarily coarse or hard. Mine is quite fine and soft. The only differences I really see between 3c and 4c is that the curls are tight enough to be called coils and the “shrinkage”. When my hair was really dry from either relaxing or wearing wigs, it actually did not shrink or afro but would stand out all crackling brittle. That said, I would rather have 3c or 4a but even that is only because of the people I have to work with. Stereotypes still abound and big afros or super coily hair is a distraction for them and later an annoyance.
Sweet list. I love all of these styles. And although shrinkage may seem like a pain, it opens up your style options IMO
Don’t really care for the term “ugly phase,” though. I think every stage of the dreading process is beautiful. What can I say…I’m biased 😉
I think that regardless of hairstyle, what matters more is your attitude towards your own hair. The better you feel about it, the easier it is to style it. The attitude that we have towards ourselves reflects on our all around physique.
I have type 4 hair, and it took me 45 years to love and appreciate it just the way it is. I’m not looking for anybody to look at me and say, “Oh, I wish I had your hair!” I agree that we all need to stop that juvenile nonsense. Love on your own hair and stop looking down (or up) on women whose hair isn’t like yours.
I am still learning about my 4c hair. But I have decided to do what my family use to do to my hair when I was a child. And that is using the regular shampoo and conditioner and greasing my scalp. Yes, I am going to use hair grease. It didn’t hurt my hair before and it won’t hurt it now. I am seeing better results then any other routine I tried before. This is just my hair journey.
I have never experienced 4c natural hair that laid down like pics 6 or 7.
im angry that the first comments i read said “i’ve never seen 4c hair lay like that. looks more like 4a”. seriously how are you going to tell someone what kind of hair they have based on an internet photo?? and have you seen every head of 4c hair?? I pull my 4C hair back like that and get smooth edges all the time. stop with the arrogance. just because you aint seen it don’t mean it doesnt exist -_-
I disagree because I have 4c hair and every picture that was shown I can relate to..my hair looks just like those pictures. And some these comments are on point for 4c hair. I’ve been natural since 2008. I’m not trying to be rude at all… Ijs
Sorry my comment was made to reply to Ellie… The person comment before me…
Articles like this are very encouraging for me. I’ve been transitioning for 7 months now and my natural hair is 4c texture. I love my natural texture and can’t wait to big chop, however, the lady who has been braiding my hair off and on for the past few years seems to be bothered with the fact that I am choosing to transition. My last few trips to her shop, she has seemed to be “annoyed” with having to handle my thick, transitioning hair ( I handle it just fine at home by the way). I’m trying to find a stylist in my area who actually respects my decision to go natural. She’s a talented stylist, but I refuse to give my hard earned money to someone who is constantly sighing, sucking their teeth and making comments while they are braiding my hair.
I agree with you. Same thing happen to me and I stop going to her and found someone who specializes in natural hair and know the time and patience it takes to handle my type of hair.
I have 4c hair and I constantly get these little balls of tangled hair on my ends….even after washing…I am going to braid my hair up for a while but I was pretty much wearing twist outs and just a fro…is anyone else experiencing this?????
I used to get those when I first went natural. For me it was a combination of not protecting my hair (scarves, bonnets, etc.), not detangling well enough (my denman saved my life) and using the wrong types of moisturizers- a lot of the ‘popular’ moisturizers are for low porosity people who don’t need a lot of moisture. If your hair is high porosity like mine, you’d probably do better to stick with thicker leave-ins.
@Nicol I only get those when u need a trim.
White people hate us and the mixed black people at just ratched where the first thing that comes out of their mouths is negativity, i hate the hoodrat movement mixed individuals have.
Wow! Lump everyone in together why don’t ya! I am on here to celebrate that I believe that 4c hair is the best too. (I have probably 4a/b)
huh??? what you are saying, makes no sense,she’s not speaking for all of the 4C’s in here!
Shannon,
Wow… that was an awfully prejudice thing to say. “That hoodrat movement mixed individuals have.” Just read that out loud to yourself for a few times. Eventually you’ll realize how dumb that made you sound.
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I have 4c hair and i have learned to embrace it, to become empowered by it i also want to challenge it. I have tried several products im not really happy with any i would like something I can use to get moisture in place of just oily dry hair