# Read this before you buy anything else!!!



## gymfreak336

We often come here and start asking questions about products...Which are the best, which ones should I use etc..... The problem with this is that we miss out on the fundamentals. It is important to have a strong foundation of knowledge before you venture out to buy anything. Many of us including myself have gotten caught up in a cycle of buying products and still not seeing result. A year later all you have left to show for it is a graveyard of stuff you don't use anymore and no added inches of hair. DON'T BECOME A PJ FOR NO REASON!!!!! Before you buy anything else, there are a couple of things you need to know and understand. 

This site has a ton of information and I know that it can be overwhelming. We, (Gymfreak and Artemis) have put together the Top Ten things you need to know before you spend any more cash. We have also included links to some of the most valuable and often overlooked information of this site. Whether you are a newbie or starting to be an old head like me, there is no substitute for basic hair care knowledge. Instead of worrying about what product to use (in terms of brand) or if one is better than the other, First know WHAT to use and WHEN to use it. You can't make educated product choices until you understand what you need first. Many times we use something, have a bad experience, say its crap, but really, the problem was that you shouldn't have used that *kind* of product to begin with. 

This top ten will help guide you into developing a hair care regime that will send you on your way to the hair you always wanted. 




*Number 1 *


No one can stress this enough…. Learning about Protein/Moisture balance is one the first and most important things you need to understand inside and out.  Think of your hair strands as a scale. Protein on one side, moisture on another; your goal is to keep the balance as steady as possible.  Too much on either side will through off your balance and throw you into hair hell. :heated:
Here are some links that break it down! 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278612/the_fine_art_of_protein_and_moisture.html

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=84746[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]


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## Artemis

*Number 2
*The Difference Between Clarifying and Chelating…

First off, please keep in mind that each hair product has a purpose. Once we learn and understand the function behind each product we own, we can move forward in making better decisions in regards to our hair...

Now…Clarifying shampoo is meant to eliminate product buildup from the hair, and shouldn‘t be used every wash. If you use silicones or greases heavily on a regular basis, you can benefit from clarifying once a month or so.  Regular shampooing should be sufficient in removing regular buildup on a regular basis. It's the method of your shampooing (in conjunction with using the right shampoo for your hair type) that gets the scalp and hair clean, not just the products.

Chelating products remove product buildup, chlorine, calcium, and medication deposits from the hair, so they are more thorough. A chelating product penetrates the strands all the way to the cortex and is also ideal for balancing the hair prior to chemical services so that the results will be even. So, really these products aren't meant for frequent use unless you have a specific need for them, like if you have hard water.

Here are threads that explains this in more detail (from LHC‘s Heidi):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=26643

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=12690&page=3&pp=15

So ideally, regular shampooing will get your scalp and hair clean if you do it correctly. No need to go out and buy all new stuff unless you have an extremely coating conditioning shampoo or a shampoo with a high pH, in which case, just swing by wal-mart and spend a few bucks on like Tresemme or something till you get your bearings.


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## gymfreak336

*Number 3 *

Porosity 

If you are constantly dealing with dryness, you might want to also look into checking your hair’s porosity. 
What is your porosity and why should I care? 
Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb materials like water into the hair. Think about it like a sponge. First of all imagine a brand new sponge. It will have tiny holes in it, and when you immerse it in water, it will soak up a large quantity, and be able to hold that liquid for a long period of time. This is because it has good porosity. Now imagine an old sponge. Its holes have become damaged and distorted. It might even be torn in some areas. When you immerse this sponge in the same amount of liquid, it will absorb far less and will certainly not be able to retain the moisture so readily. You should care about your porosity because Hair that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture as well as hair that has good porosity, making hair permanently dry. Poor porosity can and will cause breakage issues too. 
How to test your porosity 
One way- Test the porosity of your hair. In order to test accurately for porosity, use three different areas: front hairline, in front of ears, and near the crown. Grasp small strands of dry hair and comb smoothly. Hold the ends firmly with the thumb and index finger of one hand and slide the fingers of the other hand from the ends towards the scalp. If the fingers do not slide easily, or if the hair ruffles up as your fingers slide down the stand, the hair is porous.
The more ruffles formed, the more porous is the hair. The less ruffles formed, the less porous is the hair. If the fingers slide easily and no ruffles are formed, the cuticle layer lays close to the hair shaft. This type of hair is least porous, is most resistant and will require a longer processing time.

How do I fix it 
In order to help correct porosity issues, you need to focus on keeping your hair cuticles as smooth and flat as possible. Clear rinses, protein treatments and watching the pH of your products will all help with your porosity. 
For more detailed info check out these links 

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=94325&highlight=porosity

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/367189/hair_porosity_help_for_dry_damaged.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/375435/hair_porosity_help_for_dry_damaged.html[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]


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## Artemis

*Number 4* 
 Before you start throwing out products, try simply changing the way you use them first. Many of us have thrown out stuff when we first started out, just to return to it later. Try the CWC method with your existing conditioners. Try increasing the time of your deep conditioning treatments. Try wet setting if you don't already. Change your styling tools like use a shower comb instead of a fine toothed comb. Sometimes we only needed to make small tweaks to our existing regime in the first place.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ad.php?t=76816

*CWC means "Condition-Wash-Condition" by Martine (LHC):*
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=6582
 
*Sistaslick Regimen Building for Newbies:*http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/288340/hair_regimen_building_for_newbies.html


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## gymfreak336

*Number 5* 


*Protein seems to be one the most confusing things for alot of people. Here is some info that hopefully will help. *

For starters, proteins come in different strengths. One easy way to help gauge the strength of a protein is too look at the smell, consistency and the color. In general, the darker, stinkier, and more liquid a protein conditioner is, the stronger it is


Cosmetic chemists use lots of different kinda of proteins in conditioners. Here is some info about different ones 

All proteins are strengthening proteins to some degree but here are more specific characteristics of these proteins:

Collagen Proteins -- known for increasing elasticity in the hair.

Silk Proteins -- known for softening the hair.

Wheat Proteins -- a moisturizing and strengthening protein. Known for increasing the hair's ability to maintain & receive moisture.

Keratin Protein -- responsible for keeping the hair strong and pliable. This is the strongest of the (hair product) proteins and is actually the one hair is made from. This one re-structures hair that has been damaged or broken down by chemicals. It helps to replace the amino acid cysteine which is the main one lost during chemical processing. This is the heavy duty protein. If you see the following as an ingredient:

*a) Keratin protein -- the will re-structure and strengthen the hair cuticle (the outer layer only & the most important layer)

*b) Hydrolyzed Keratin Protein of Keratin Amino Acids -- this means that the Keratin molecules have been broken down and are small enough to go beyond the cuticle and penetrate the hair shaft. It will strengthen all 3 layers of the hair. That is why the term "deep conditioning" technically only refers to this kind of treatment using penetrating proteins.

*c) Hydrolyzed Human Hair Keratin -- This is an exact match for the keratin your hair has (or has lost due to chemical processing). This is the highest quality and most potent keratin that can be used in hair products.

*Vegetable protein -- Vegetable protein absorbs more easily into the hair shaft (than animal protein) and does not create build-up, leaves the hair very shiny, radiant, luxuriant, and healthy.

*Animal protein -- Animal protein breaks down into fatty acids, which coats the hair and create residual build-up.

Silk Amino Acids/Protein -- Natural Silk is the strongest, natural fiber known to mankind. Discovered in Japan and has been used for centuries in all kinds of products that require durability. Silk has a tiny molecule that can penetrate the entire hair shaft deeper than all other proteins without adding any weight leaving the hair feeling clean and non-greasy.

The link for the info above is here 
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=114629

Just because a product has protein in the ingredients doesn't make it a protein conditioner. Read here 

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=20494


Silk proteins are extremely benefical for relaxed hair. Navs broke it down here. 

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=112817


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## Artemis

*Number 6 & 7
What’s your Hair type? Know it, Love it, Embrace it, and Find your Cousins!*

Here’s a link to an all-inclusive way to find your hair type. Hopefully you’ll find it helpful:
http://homepage.mac.com/annsofie.henriksson/hairtyping/Personal27.html

No matter what your hair type, embrace what you have and work with it to keep it healthy and strong. No hair type is better than another; each type has its own strengths and weaknesses. The key to healthy hair is to learn what your hair can and cannot do, and embrace these facts. This allows you to be able to better tailor your regimen to fit your hair’s individual needs. It also makes it easier to stay consistent with your hair care.

Hair type and texture are everything and plays a part in what products and methods your hair loves and hates. While some products will work for most people across the board and are among the favorites here, when it comes to what is best for you and your hair, looking to people with your similar hair is invaluable.

For example, if you have fine hair, and you use a moisturizer that is better suited for someone with coarse hair, you may find that the product ends up being too much for your hair, resulting in breakage.

A strand of hair can generally have anywhere from 3 to 10 layers of cuticles on the shaft; fine hair on the lower end and coarse hair on the higher end…Fine hair has less cuticle layers than medium and coarse hair and many fine haired ladies tend not to use much, if any, product on their after styling. Coarse hair, however, can have as many as 10 (and sometimes up to 13) cuticle layers on the strand and has more room for the necessary moisture. Thusly, it takes a lot more product to weigh down coarse hair than fine or medium hair.

In addition to strand thickness, overall density of the hair is important to take into consideration when sorting through product recommendations. Thin hair may need more volumizing products while thicker hair may benefit from more smoothing products. So many factors come into play when searching for the right products for you, who better to help with this than your hair cousins?

Finding people who have similar hair types and concerns can help you figure which products you should try out, and which ones to just avoid. It helps narrow the search and it’ll also keep the hair care journey less overwhelming.

Find your hair twin and/or cousin:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=83668

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=177769


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## gymfreak336

*Number 8*


Wet test assessment 

Doing a wet test assessment will help you diagnose your problems and help guide you in picking your products in each wash. 

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=84746[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]


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## mzcris

WOW...thanks so much ladies!  This is awesome information and it really helps!!  Again thanks!!


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## gymfreak336

*Number 9 *

If your don't know what ceramides are then you are really missing out. Ceramides are like little fatty substances that help keep hair moisturized and help mantain elasticity. Here is the link about Ceramides and how to make them work for you. 

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131270&highlight=ceramides


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## gymfreak336

*Number 10 *


Overall Regime building help. One of our members Sistaslick   has wonderful articles that she writes. Here is the link to her regime building guides. They are wonderful resources. 

http://public.fotki.com/sistaslick/sistaslicks-healthy/regimen-building-pr/


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## Evazhair

Good Post! This should be a sticky and each newbie should read this and even some not so newbies!


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## Tallone

Awww man, why did someone have to post right in the middle before you got to number 10?!  Very Good and concise. This should be a sticky


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## HAIRapy

I wish I'd read this before I started being a PJ. I think when you're new, everything is so new and exciting and you're hopeful that everything that worked for someone else will work for you. I'm _just about_ over it though *whew* good thread.


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## Lady Esquire

My plan for 2008 is to tighten my regimen, and part of that is pinning down my staple products.  Your list helps with that. I read all of it, and I am sure I will again, before my next BSS trip.  THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU.


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## Supergirl

Gym & Artemis,

Very nice work on this thread.


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## Bint Yusef

Five stars, excellent post!


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## santia

EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. This is very helpful/informative. You girls ROCK!!!!


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## tricie

Gym & Artemis, 

You two* ROCK*!  This is so informative; I do recall the other thread that you referenced Sistaslick.

Thanks again; will be subscribing to this one!


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## Sistaslick

Awesome post girlies!!!! 5 starahhhs!!!  Y'all pulled together all the high points!


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## nappity

you all did the [email protected]* thing! Someone needs to pin this!!!
Thanks


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## nisha2004

Wonderful information! Very well put together. I nominate for a sticky!!!


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## Queen V

PHENOMENAL thread.  Thanks so much for putting this together, ladies.


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## *Luscious*Locked*Doc

I wish I had this when I first joined...darn this post is the bomb.  I also nominate it for a sticky.  At the least I'm going to subscribe so I can have it as a reference from here on out.  Thanks ladies  you 're the best


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## MrsQueeny

Great info ladies!!! Q


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## missty1029

You guys are awesome!!!!!! Thank you!!!!


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## ajargon02

Supergirl said:


> Gym & Artemis,
> 
> Very nice work on this thread.


 

This should DEFINITELY be made a sticky!!! Excellent work ladies!! I have read the articles that you linked and it's a wealth of information!! Thanks so much!!! I had to share this with as many as I could, I hope ya'll don't mind. This was an awesome thread!!!


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## Mandy4610

wow wow wow wow, this is a wealth of information. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I vote sticky for sure.


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## Sunshine0801

Excellent thread!!! Thanks so much ladies!


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## caribgirl

Wow! Very concise info that is so needed by all of us here! I appreciate the time and energy that you two fine, intelligent, and caring women have invested in educating us!


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## tsturnbu

WELL DONE!!!!!!!


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## LABETT

Great Thread Ladies-  Yes need to be a sticky.


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## Jetblackhair

*Thanks Gym and Artemis, this informations is WONDERFUL*

*STICKY PLEASE*​


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## SpiritJunkie

great thread!  i'm still learning and very happy to have all this fabulous and very informative info in one place,

u ladies ROCK!!!


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## Iluvsmuhgrass

This is so awesome! Sticky pleaaaaaaaase!


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## Wandabee

Nice work, Thank you very much


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## tiffers

All I can say is :wow:

This would've been really helpful when I first joined. It woulda saved a looooot of time and money


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## chenai

Great info, thank-you!


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## FineChyna

great info and thanks for posting it. this is a great reminder. 

*bookmarking now*


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## silverlotus

Excellent thread!! This is definitely sticky material.


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## scarcity21

thanks gym and artemis for this!!!


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## tinkat

Very informative!


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## PureSilver

*Excellent, i had to bookmark this page, the info is priceless. Thanks Gymfreak and Artemis it's a wealth of info and i'm sure that with all this info, i'll still get some things wrong*


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## Empress Yahudah

Great Thread Gym and Artemis!!!
Thanx for putting this all together


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## missvi

Great Post!!!


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## DivaRox

I'm so impressed-What a wonderful thread. Great job ladies. I get most of my "save and refer to later info" from you two anyway-especially the ceramide and vitamin threads you two started


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## Artemis

Um, how does a thread get turned into a sticky?


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## JerriBlank

This is a thread that all new members need to see when they first join.I wish i had this then.
All the basics and main points are highlighted.All the steps will def. save them a lot of time with breaking down what they need,in order to get it right faster.Very nice ladies
Two thumbs up!!


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## halee_J

*Excellent* thread; concise, comprehensive and very informative. This should definitely be a sticky


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## AprilSunShyne

Subscribing. Thanks ladies!


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## spamack78

I'm so excited about all the vital information I needed to begin my hair journey I'm a newbie and was a little overwhelmed in the beginning about all the different products, techniques, etc...LHCF have been recommending. I also felt like I was beginning to turn into a PJ...Thanks for lookin out ladies! I recommend this as a sticky.


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## winterinatl

You all really have done a bang up job with these primers.  Sistaslick, I looked at some of your AC articles and they are excellent as well.  What great resources we have!  I need to spend some more time over here; we've got new secrets to work with since I first joined up.


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## dlewis

good job

bumping for all to see


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## sonce

This is a fantastic thread! Thanks for your labor of love, guys!


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## natieya

You ladies rock! I just copied and pasted all this into a Word document. I'll be using it myself and passing it along to people when they ask how to grow long hair.


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## PinkPebbles

Gym/Artemis - This thread is like a GoldMine....a wealth of knowledge! Thank you so much for sharing.


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## Bliss806

Wow this was great!! I am a newbie and had a million and one questions. Majority of my questions were pretty much answered all in that one post. Thank you soo much for that post!! It was great! I am over here talking to the ladies at work about hair


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## Bliss806

I just wanted to say that this should be a MUST READ!! for all newbies because it really helped me understand hair and now I am going around preaching to people about hair  Reading this is definitely going to help me on my journey to long, healthy hair!! THANKS SOO MUCH!! Now I don't have to depend on my Dominican hair dresser to tell me about my hair (which she doesn't) I will know what to do myself.


THANKS AGAIN!! I Am going to invest in some new hair care products.


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## *Happily Me*

Bumping for friend


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## SleepyJean

If you haven't read this, you need to!!! This is great information, but it is definitely a lot.


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## MonaLisa

_*I just saw this!!!    Wow cousins! You two truly broke it down tag team style!! LOVE IT!!!*_

_*Wonderfully informative! If only something like this was around when many of us joined!!!*_


_STICKY! STICKY! STICKY!!! THIS NEEDS TO GO UP!!! *CHANT* STICKY, STICKY, STICKY...._


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## Ms Lala

THis is great info!  THanks.


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## joy30906

Thank you, ladies!!


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## gymfreak336

Bumping for Ms. Green


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## Mrs.Green

AWESOME Gymfreak !!!! I bookmarked this thread~ 

I also agree with the ladies, this should be a sticky!! The Newbies should get thread packets when they join that has the information and reference links *like you guys did* that are universal to everyone to save digging through 50-11 thousand threads. Then we can search the boards to build on and personalize the information that was given to us.


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## Jazala

Great thread. Thanks for posting this!

:sweet:


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## danigurl18

Amazing information!!


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## Jassy28

Thanks so much for the great thread, it is super informative. A must read for newbies.


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## Cinda2503

Thanks!!!!!  This is awesome!!!!!!


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## Platinum

Thank you for sharing. This is great info. I agree with the other ladies, this *needs* to be a sticky.


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## TaurusAngel

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!!! Very informative and great since i'm just now starting out with my regi. Sticky worthy


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## Dubois007

Great job!!!!!!!!!

Thank you ladies


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## MsKipani

I didn't see this thread before! Thanks gymfreak and artemis! (subscribing now!)


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## GroDeeLocks

Wow excellent.  Thank you ladies.  This really helps to understand our hair much better!


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## Dubois007

Bumping for other ladies


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## Lucky's Mom

This is AWESOME
Thanks


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## SparklingFlame

This is a great thread!!!!!

Thanks so much for posting.


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## NYAmicas

Thanks to OP and EVERYONE who has contributed this wealth of knowledge. I needed it bad!


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## jenteel

excellent!
thanks for compiling this!!!!


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## cocoberry10

Bumping! Thanks so much for this info. I'm subscribing!


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## cocoberry10

*Thanks. Porosity is still a huge issue for me!*


gymfreak336 said:


> *Number 3 *
> 
> Porosity
> 
> If you are constantly dealing with dryness, you might want to also look into checking your hair’s porosity.
> What is your porosity and why should I care?
> Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb materials like water into the hair. Think about it like a sponge. First of all imagine a brand new sponge. It will have tiny holes in it, and when you immerse it in water, it will soak up a large quantity, and be able to hold that liquid for a long period of time. This is because it has good porosity. Now imagine an old sponge. Its holes have become damaged and distorted. It might even be torn in some areas. When you immerse this sponge in the same amount of liquid, it will absorb far less and will certainly not be able to retain the moisture so readily. You should care about your porosity because Hair that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture as well as hair that has good porosity, making hair permanently dry. Poor porosity can and will cause breakage issues too.
> How to test your porosity
> One way- Test the porosity of your hair. In order to test accurately for porosity, use three different areas: front hairline, in front of ears, and near the crown. Grasp small strands of dry hair and comb smoothly. Hold the ends firmly with the thumb and index finger of one hand and slide the fingers of the other hand from the ends towards the scalp. If the fingers do not slide easily, or if the hair ruffles up as your fingers slide down the stand, the hair is porous.
> The more ruffles formed, the more porous is the hair. The less ruffles formed, the less porous is the hair. If the fingers slide easily and no ruffles are formed, the cuticle layer lays close to the hair shaft. This type of hair is least porous, is most resistant and will require a longer processing time.
> 
> How do I fix it
> In order to help correct porosity issues, you need to focus on keeping your hair cuticles as smooth and flat as possible. Clear rinses, protein treatments and watching the pH of your products will all help with your porosity.
> For more detailed info check out these links
> 
> http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=94325&highlight=porosity
> 
> http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/367189/hair_porosity_help_for_dry_damaged.html
> 
> http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/375435/hair_porosity_help_for_dry_damaged.html


[/quote][/quote]


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## gymfreak336

Bumping for sweetpea


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## morehairplease

AWESOME thread. thanks ladies


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## SouthernStunner

great job. subscribing


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## silverlotus

bumping cuz this thread is great!


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## victorious

I was checking subscribed threads looking for something else and found this *excellent* thread. It reminded me to do more acv rinses.

Bumping for anyone else who missed it the first time.


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## Smiley79

Thanks for that post GF.  Great info.


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## CenteredGirl

Awesome info. And the book release date is?


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## MonPetite

*Sticky Please?*

 Wonderful *Gym*! Thank you!


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## Lucky's Mom

OMG. This is GOLD.....


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## KLomax

gymfreak336 said:


> *Number 9 *
> 
> If your don't know what ceramides are then you are really missing out. Ceramides are like little fatty substances that help keep hair moisturized and help mantain elasticity. Here is the link about Ceramides and how to make them work for you. ​
> http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131270&highlight=ceramides


 
THANK YOU Gym & Artemis!!!!!​
This was the missing link!!!! I mixed L'oreal Nature's Therapy Mega repair w/DC...and I used L'anza Healing Colorcare Trauma Treatment as a leave in !!!! OMG !!!!​ 
LOOK !!!!


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## ajiamarie

This is amazing!  Thank you so much for bringing all of this together.  You've answered so many of my questions.


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## LaidBak

Bumping for the newbies.  This is fundamental stuff that you need to know.  I reread it often.


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## Angelicus

We have the most intelligent people in the world on this forum. This thread alone proves it. Thank you.


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## larry3344

Thx ladies this is what I need it, btw why wasn't it turned into a sticky it is very important.


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## gymfreak336

I forgot about this  

I need to go back and update it. 
Glad people are still finding it useful.


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## Highly Favored8

WOW thanks for bumping this up. I am subscribing.


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## ceebee3

This is an excellent thread. Thanks for bumping.


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## SimplyBlessed

This was very helpful especially since I'm new around here....thanks!!


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## jerseygurl

this is an excellent thread. Now I know what I'm missing with the SAA and ceramides. I've got to get that CHI silk infusion or better yet the SAA itself.


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## naijamerican

This really needs to be a sticky. I can't believe I missed this the first time!


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## JinaRicci

This.
You all are the best!!!  
This proves how amazing this community really is.


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## LaidBak

I'm thinking this needs to be be a sticky as well.  Until then I will make it my personal mission to bump this thread at least once a month.


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## otegwu

wow so informative, needs to be a sticky. this is great for newbies as well as long termers, brings alot back to mind! thanks alot.


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## *Muffin*

Anyone know anything about sulfur amino acids like cysteine and methionine?  Aubrey Organics GPB uses them and Lactalbumin (milk protein) in their GPB conditioner.  I use this as a protein treatment.  Do these proteins penetrate deep to repair the hair at it's three layers?  Awesome thread, btw .


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## Mertzy

Love it. This thread is right on time for me.


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## tuffCOOKiE

I just want to mention that the ACV rinse recipe in Sistaslick's article may not be good for everyone.  I tried it in that measure and it affected my cuticles in a terrible way.  i think it'd be better if you started with a very small amount in the water then build up if it didnt work the first time.


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## aero21

great info very informative


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## keepithealthy

This is a great thread thanks


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## LaidBak

bump.............


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## La Colocha

This does need to be a sticky, i wish i would have seen this when i first joined.


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## msa

LaidBak said:


> bump.............




You and me do the same thing...I try to bump important threads once a month or so. That way new people get to see them.


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## LaidBak

msa said:


> You and me do the same thing...I try to bump important threads once a month or so. That way new people get to see them.


Yup!  And this thread deserves everyone's attention.


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## isabella09

This is excellent! thanks very much


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## Netta1

This is the best thread ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Dogmd

how did i ever miss this one gymfreak?


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## Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll

Needs to be a sticky.  I've been here for over a year and this is the first i've seen of this.  I could have saved myself alot of pain and suffering and money and hair!!!

Please, Mods, Sticky this thread and others like it!  Pleeeeze!!


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## UGQueen

this isss soooooooooooo helpful
im forever grateful, im gunna study long and hard

thx once again


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## queenspence

Now this is a very informative thread!
I'm going to go back and really learn this stuff!


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## LaidBak

bumping for PurAngl1


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## Khaiya

Thanks for bumping, this is a very good thread, really should be a sticky.


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## Stepiphanie

I agree this should def be a sticky!


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## LaidBak

I see its time for me to bump this again.


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## peachfuzzz

WOW! subscribing


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## questionable

Great thread ... thanks for posting this !!!


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## dachsies_rule!

Subscribing!


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## Zawaj

OMG! Why is this not a sticky? This a great wealth of info!


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## jazzyto

Very good post that I saw last year/skimmed over but this year I read it and realized I could have saved my PJ self some money.  Betta late than neva.


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## NaturallyMo

Subscribed. This is great info.


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## KarmaKarmaDarling

this is a good Thread


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## ~Hair~Fetish~

subscribing to read later


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## LisaLisa1908

What an absolutely all-encompassing thread for hair care!  All newbies should read this!

Thanks to gymfreak, Artemis, and sistaslick for all of their contributions.  Mods PLEASE sticky!


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## Barbie83

Another vote for STICKY!!!


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## TreecyTresses

Oh yay. Looks like I joined at just the right time. Thanks for compiling and sharing the knowledge ladies.


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## tomnikids3

This is excellent useful information.  I just purchased the Joico family of products such as the Chelating Shampoo, Cuticle Sealer, Hydrator and Reconstructor.  I will be using this weekend excited to see how my hair reacts to this after I get a touch-up.


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## WaistLengthDreams

gymfreak336 said:


> *Number 9 *
> 
> If your don't know what ceramides are then you are really missing out. Ceramides are like little fatty substances that help keep hair moisturized and help mantain elasticity. Here is the link about Ceramides and how to make them work for you.
> 
> http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131270&highlight=ceramides




This top 10 list is AMAZING!  I knew nothing of these "Ceramides."  I guess that's my next hair research project....  Great Thread!


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## LaidBak

bumping


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## PinkPebbles

Bumping for someone!


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## Lola Laughs

Great thread--it alone is worth the $6.50 and then some. Should be a sticky.


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## WaistLengthDreams




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## g.lo

wonderful, this should be a sticky!!!!!!


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## catgurl

Can't believe I only just now found this! Sticky Please!


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## BeaLady

Bumping again.  Great thread


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## KinkyGenius

This really needs to be a Sticky.


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## Janet'

STICKY, STICKY, STICKY!!!!!!


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## D.N.A.

Wow, I remember reading this as a lurker. It's so important to do things with understanding; it saves you time and money. This thread, as well as Sistaslick's articles, _really _helped me out in the beginning stages of my hhj.


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## femmemuscle

thank gawd for this post!! I'm glad you ladies got together and did this.  It definitely helps to curtail my product junkie!


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## darlingdiva

Subbing


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## simplyhair

subscribing to read later...I need to read this a long time ago.


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## gvin89

Subscribing....


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## WaistLengthDreams

:bouncegre


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## Nix08

Subscribing - this should be bumped weekly for newbies to get to it first


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## sheba1

This should be a sticky   It's like the cliffnotes version to everything hair.


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## ConstantlyDynamic

happy someone bumped this post! i was about the turn into a PJ lol and my mother's bank account wouldn't like that one bit

great idea!


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## Nasdaq_Diva

Nix08 said:


> Subscribing - this should be bumped weekly for newbies to get to it first


It would be even better as a sticky! Right there at the top for everyone to read and learn from! Hopefully, that happens. There is so much information in this thread to allow it to keep getting forgotten amongst so many other threads. This should be pinned at the top!


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## manter26

I can't believe I've been here almost 2 years and this is my first time seeing this. Thanks ladies for the wonderful information!


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## PistolWhip

Great article for newbies and a refresher for vets! *A must read*


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## WaistLengthDreams

bumping...


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## NYDiva

very helpful


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## My Friend

Subbing Need to read often


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## EllePixie

Oooh, love the protein breakdown. Thanks so much!


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## LaidBak

This is my third time reading it and I am still learning new stuff.  So much good info!


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## gn1g

best thread ever and I really miss some of the old heads.


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## divachyk

bump, what a great thread.


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## silenttullip

So true... Even in my close to pj phase I had a goal... To find products that worked... Now that I've found a few good ones I like I don't buy new things unless its a treat... I found what worked and now I work with what I found.


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## LaidBak

Reread this thread again.  Bumping because its awesome.


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## soonergirl

Yep I remember this oldie but goodie...


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## coolsista-paris

Really good thread .à must!!!


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## NatrulyMe

@gymfreak336 & @Artemis


I appreciate the time you ladies put into this thread. I really love the breakdown of the protein (in which, I never knew). Thanks.


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## Smiley79

Wow can't believe I'm just now seeing this thread. Great info!!!! Thanks girls for putting it together.


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## icsonia22

Bump


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## scarcity21

Bumping!!!


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