Skunk hair

[CurlsBazillion]

I give these tips the side-eye just cuz it came from a stylist. They tend to know a good amount about styling and very little about hair care.

Case in point, the last stylist I came in contact with--at a party, not at a salon. I don't do salons!--advised me that a texturizer would be much better for my hair's health than leaving it natural.

curlyninjagirl OMG wow thats gotta be a joke. I mean maybe she was just being mean or funny because she can't possibly mean that lol.
but yeah ur so right some of these stylist get their props on styling but hair care isn't their strength or even a concern of theirs. To all the ladies that have wonderful knowledgeable stylists I gotta say I'm jealous because I'd much rather let someone else do my hair.

 

[lilsparkle825]

May I ask how long and in what condition her hair is in?
When i used to go to salon's they were always preachin bout this and that but their hair was always overdyed, over processed, 1-inch long, and/or wigged/weaved up. That's why i would never take what they say seriously because their hair was RAGGEDY!! My hair was ALWAYS BSL and healthy (to the untrained 'non-professional' eye)...I am more apt to and have taken advice from non-cosmetologist LHCF ladies bc u can look at their hair and their regimen and see that it works...whether its co-washing, or shampooing their hair every 2 weeks (like haircrush), or not trimming... Advice from these salon 'professionals'/stylists on the other hand...not so much

You beat me to it. As soon as I read the OP I immediately started wondering what this "stylist" has on top of her head.

Anyway, the "advice" in the OP is laughable, and it really did come off as a "don't shoot the messenger but she said _____ and I laughed right along with her" type of thread. I hope your account was hacked because I can't figure out for the life of me why someone who has been on the board as long as you would be a firestarter posting some mess like this.

On a more personal note, cowashing and infrequent trimming is what got me to BSL. And this junk about cowashing = smelly hair....do you (general you, not directed at the OP) know how many compliments I get about how good my hair smells? I use shampoo about once a month (sometimes more, sometimes less) yet I put water and conditioner on my hair about 3x a week and my hair ALWAYS smells great.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

I forgot to ask in this thread what products did she suggest...

 

[ecadnacmc]

Your friends rule # 2 is exactly why I've been basically natural since 1997 but still haven't made it to APL. My hair is the healthiest & longest it's ever been since childhood because I swore off hairdressers who kept cutting off all of my new growth.

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[pookaloo83]

I give these tips the side-eye just cuz it came from a stylist. They tend to know a good amount about styling and very little about hair care.

Case in point, the last stylist I came in contact with--at a party, not at a salon. I don't do salons!--advised me that a texturizer would be much better for my hair's health than leaving it natural.

Ok?! What stylists know about co washing? They would be like co who?

 

[virtuenow]

I forgot to ask in this thread what products did she suggest...

Lol, you've got to be kidding!! Probably Blue Majic and baby oil...oh, and pink oil for those "light" days.

 

[mEmYSELFaNDj]

I guess all I can say regarding this topic is my hair is the longest its ever been since finding the hair boards Mar 2009 and starting my hair journey in June 2009. I began to cowash my hair 2-3x/wk, cut out regular shampoos(for the most part), and I haven't trimmed my hair since Dec 2008. I can admit that my ends can use a good dusting so they will look uniform but I figure once I reach my goal I can maintain at that length and dust on a regular schedule. I dont use shampoo regularly, not because I'm lazy but because honestly when I joined the boards the bandwagons said that was a no no, they said it was stripping and dries out the hair which leads to breakage, so i decreased my use of shampoo. I was willing to try whatever worked for the other ladies that hair went from nothing to something. Now my reason that I dont like to use it that often is because I dont like the way my hair feels after using shampoo it does feel stripped and dry. Oh, and my man has never complained of my hair stinking lol I do use shampoo prior to doing any heat styling of my hair, prior to installing a weave and after removing a weave install. So anywhere between 1-2mos. I am not a person who thinks dirty hair grows faster or any of that, and I dont think my hair is dirty just because I dont use shampoo often, like I said my hair stays cowashed, dc'd, rinsed and smells fresh at all times.

History:My entire life my hair never got past CBL. At one point I used to get my hair pressed every two weeks and had it trimmed regularly as needed(every 6wk or so like the stylist always preach) but still never passed CBL.

I find it funny that when doing the things the stylist say to do I've never had what I consider long hair, but when I get on the hair boards and do things that have worked for other ladies that have grown their hair down to their butts, I have grown my hair from CBL(what I thought was my terminal length) to now Waistlength, oh and that was within 2years. I just think things work differently for different people. I'll continue to go with what works for me.

 

[WhoIAm]

Co-washing is a hair forum thing anyway, so I gave the post a side-eye. Most people don't even know what that means.

Besides, a lot of the women that still visit salons are not DIYers, so they tend to stretch their Salon hairstyles. Hence the 1 every 2 week washes and hence "skunk hair". Most LHCFers know how to take care of their own hair and have no need to save stinky hairstyles for 2 weeks.

Message is geared to the wrong audience.

 

[virtuenow]

Ok?! What stylists know about co washing? They would be like co who?

That's when I knew this forum was suspect...When have you ever heard a stylist suggest "co-washing"--(esp. one like this). The only people who seem to know about co-washing (and actually use that term) are lhcfers & other hair board members. Well. I have met one stylist in all my years of hair care-- and thats out of dozens... but, that was years ago- by a white stylist who knew more about hair care than any stylist I ever encountered. Plus she didn't use the term "co-washing", just slap conditioner on and rinse your hair on lazy days. She was very rare and hard to come by and retired about a year later (darn). Co-washing is becoming more widespread due to WEN. This thread totally ignores that there is a large-- growing market for co-washing.

 

[curlyninjagirl]

@curlyninjagirl OMG wow thats gotta be a joke. I mean maybe she was just being mean or funny because she can't possibly mean that lol.
but yeah ur so right some of these stylist get their props on styling but hair care isn't their strength or even a concern of theirs. To all the ladies that have wonderful knowledgeable stylists I gotta say I'm jealous because I'd much rather let someone else do my hair.

DayDreamist I wish I was kidding but he (the stylist) was completely serious! He couldn't wait to get me in his chair so he could help me. He went on to explain that leaving my hair in its natural tangly state would hinder it's "health". They (stylists) seem to use that term very loosely, I don't know what they mean when they say it. Could they mean "growth" or "appearance"?? (OH and he tangled his hands all up in my 'fro!!! Ick!)

Anywhoo, I say NO, THANKS, to both their advice and their services! I'm a DIYer for life!

 

[virtuenow]

I guess all I can say regarding this topic is my hair is the longest its ever been since finding the hair boards Mar 2009 and starting my hair journey in June 2009. I began to cowash my hair 2-3x/wk, cut out regular shampoos(for the most part), and I haven't trimmed my hair since Dec 2008. I can admit that my ends can use a good dusting so they will look uniform but I figure once I reach my goal I can maintain at that length and dust on a regular schedule. I dont use shampoo regularly, not because I'm lazy but because honestly when I joined the boards the bandwagons said that was a no no, they said it was stripping and dries out the hair which leads to breakage, so i decreased my use of shampoo. I was willing to try whatever worked for the other ladies that hair went from nothing to something. Now my reason that I dont like to use it that often is because I dont like the way my hair feels after using shampoo it does feel stripped and dry. Oh, and my man has never complained of my hair stinking lol I do use shampoo prior to doing any heat styling of my hair, prior to installing a weave and after removing a weave install. So anywhere between 1-2mos. I am not a person who thinks dirty hair grows faster or any of that, and I dont think my hair is dirty just because I dont use shampoo often, like I said my hair stays cowashed, dc'd, rinsed and smells fresh at all times.

History:My entire life my hair never got past CBL. At one point I used to get my hair pressed every two weeks and had it trimmed regularly as needed(every 6wk or so like the stylist always preach) but still never passed CBL.

I find it funny that when doing the things the stylist say to do I've never had what I consider long hair, but when I get on the hair boards and do things that have worked for other ladies that have grown their hair down to their butts, I have grown my hair from CBL(what I thought was my terminal length) to now Waistlength, oh and that was within 2years. I just think things work differently for different people. I'll continue to go with what works for me.

mEmYSELFaNDj Wow, thats a very inspiring story, thanks for sharing.

 

[ecadnacmc]

...looks around.....chuckles....backs out of thread to go cowash lol.
LMAO!
"rules were meant to be broken" lol

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[mischka]

someone should put a direct link from this thread ---------> to the "why don't people respect those who went to cosmetology school" thread.

 

[Nonie]

Im sure i have read nonie mention more than once she leaves her hair bare after the condition wash routine etc i on the other end use oils on a regular basis yes regular oiling for my hair protects my ends.

coconut I almost missed this point. While it's true that I do leave my hair bare, the fact is between July 2003 (when I joined the forum) and December 2003 when my hair looked like sh**, I was following the rule of moisture, moisture, moisture as if my life depended on it as I'd read in Cathy's book and found to be a motto on the forum. I shared that much in the post below--but it didn't stop my ends from looking like Cathy's in just 4 months when in two years my hair had grown beautifully. Further proof that for me, trimming is essential.

@Guitarhero The reason I feel comfortable pointing out Cathy's holy ends (bless them)--no pun intended--is because I saw the same thing happen to my fine hair when I switched from following a "closer to Wanakee regimen" with regular trims to following "Cathy's regimen" of no trims.

I adopted Cathy's moisture moisture moisture regimen. I adopted her DCing regimen. Both very good additions that were lacking in my regimen. Logic would tell you that my hair should've thrived and I should've seen even better results. But I didn't. I was doing better things to my hair and my ends thinned like I hadn't seen them do in over 2 years. The one thing I changed (besides adopting two new good habits) was I stopped trimming my ends like Cathy and I paid gravely.

I do not believe fine strands, especially 4B hair can afford to be worn down like Cathy does, never get trimmed and still look full. Everyone knows that hair that isn't moisturized is susceptible to breakage yet for almost 24 months I had seen my hair thrive without moisturizing whatsoever after I adopted a regimen of regular dusting/trimming. Coincidentally it was the same trimming schedule Wanakee advocated. I didn't protective style or seal ends or moisturize my hair with leave-ins so I was slacking as far as Wanakee's regimen is concerned, yet that one thing that Cathy scoffs at stopped my ends from looking like hers and allowed my hair to grow longer than I'd ever known. And when I decided to take her advice and stop trimming, my ends started to look like hers. I had to cut off 2 inches to get my hair to feel like I was used to it feeling/looking like.

I do think for someone who hasn't been on hair forums and seen as many gorgeous heads of hair as I have, Cathy's hair is impressive. I too thought it was before I found forums, which is why I bought her book. I found her book when I had already mastered another regimen (www.blackwomenrejoice.com) and had seen my hair grow longer than I'd known it to grow all my life following that regimen. I was just curious to learn more--which I did: I learned about protein treatments and DCing from Cathy--and then when I found out that some people on the forum didn't trim either, I was convinced to give Cathy's suggestion a try. I regretted it big time in just 4 months. That's all it took for my hair to deteriorate--and that's with MOISTURIZING and DCing added to my regimen.

I believe Cathy has good basic info on how to care for hair and her book is a good foundation for a newbie to forums as it can be a good starting point so you can navigate the forum without feeling overwhelmed, but I do think her not trimming or PSing thwarts her progress and is why her hair doesn't look "impressive" to a lot of hair fanatics even after all those years. The one thing that turned a lot of people off and made her lose credit in some folks (beside pushing her products in her books while knocking others) is she is quick to call every other program out there a scam. She seems to have this chip on her shoulder where she puts a lot of energy painting everyone else doing the same thing she's doing in a bad light. Not cool and unnecessary IMO , coz if you're good, you don't need to knock others down to feel tall.

Source

 

[SUPER SWEET]

Lol, you've got to be kidding!! Probably Blue Majic and baby oil...oh, and pink oil for those "light" days.

 

[lilsparkle825]

That's when I knew this forum was suspect...When have you ever heard a stylist suggest "co-washing"--(esp. one like this). The only people who seem to know about co-washing (and actually use that term) are lhcfers & other hair board members. Well. I have met one stylist in all my years of hair care-- and thats out of dozens... but, that was years ago- by a white stylist who knew more about hair care than any stylist I ever encountered. Plus she didn't use the term "co-washing", just slap conditioner on and rinse your hair on lazy days. She was very rare and hard to come by and retired about a year later (darn). Co-washing is becoming more widespread due to WEN. This thread totally ignores that there is a large-- growing market for co-washing.

For real! And then the stylist supposedly said her clients need to STOP cowashing? Why would they stop doing it when it seems as if the people coming to her don't even know what it is?!

 

[mzteaze]

That's when I knew this forum was suspect...When have you ever heard a stylist suggest "co-washing"--(esp. one like this). The only people who seem to know about co-washing (and actually use that term) are lhcfers & other hair board members. Well. I have met one stylist in all my years of hair care-- and thats out of dozens... but, that was years ago- by a white stylist who knew more about hair care than any stylist I ever encountered. Plus she didn't use the term "co-washing", just slap conditioner on and rinse your hair on lazy days. She was very rare and hard to come by and retired about a year later (darn). Co-washing is becoming more widespread due to WEN. This thread totally ignores that there is a large-- growing market for co-washing.

Its interesting that you mention this but every time I go to Aveda, the advisors (I have talked to several) ALL suggest that I co-wash with conditioner instead of using shampoo more than once a week.

However, I have never heard a stylist use that term or suggest it.

 

[virtuenow]

For real! And then the stylist supposedly said her clients need to STOP cowashing? Why would they stop doing it when it seems as if the people coming to her don't even know what it is?!

Exactly! If the people going to her don't even have enough hair knowledge to wash out the most grimmiest of smells...Do you think they really have any idea what co-washing is? Even if they do, do you think they are actually doing it?? Methinks not. Very suspect...

 

[Bluetopia]

Its interesting that you mention this but every time I go to Aveda, the advisors (I have talked to several) ALL suggest that I co-wash with conditioner instead of using shampoo more than once a week.

However, I have never heard a stylist use that term or suggest it.

I'm shocked you say that because I go to Aveda salons exclusively and the one time i requested a co-wash the stylist REFUSED to do my hair and said that she could not let me leave her salon without shampooing my hair.

"you're not leaving here with dirty hair!" she declared.

ironically the time i'd been there before - the wash i'd received had stripped my hair soooo much my scalp had been tight for days afterward. so dirty hair was clearly the least of my problems

that's when i realized that salon visits would be interludes mores than regular visits. and i went right back to co-washing.

 

[MsSanz92]

I'm gonna bite the bullet and say that I think the OP's stylist meant that women should not just co-wash and never use shampoo, which I do agree with. Co-washing works for my hair too, HOWEVER I do think most people should be shampooing their hair, whether it be every week or every 2 weeks. I just don't think that conditioner alone suffices for cleansing out all product from the hair and scalp, and shampoo is needed occasionally to remove buildup, particularly from co-washing conditioners which are often laced with cones. I feel like a lot of people are quick to jump on the "all stylists are evil" bandwagon and not acknowledge that some people act as if every and anything that a stylist says is wrong. Many black women have jacked up hair not just because of salons, but mostly due to them poorly taking care of their own hair because of a lack of knowledge. Don't get me wrong, some salons do mess people's hair up and the whole thing about trimming I do not agree with because most salons don't know what a trim actually is. This whole point about shampooing seems like a big misunderstanding to me.

 

[CrownCola]

:scratchch: so cowashing sometimes refers to completely replacing shampoo with condish???
No ma'am.
I assumed it was ALWAYS referring to replenishing moisture between shampoos.

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[Arcadian]

-A

 

[MsSanz92]

:scratchch: so cowashing sometimes refers to completely replacing shampoo with condish???
No ma'am.
I assumed it was ALWAYS referring to replenishing moisture between shampoos.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2

Some people do refer to co-washing as using conditioner instead of shampoo for washing the hair, even when they would normally wash their hair with shampoo. Traditionally, people who co-wash did do it only between their normal wash day but some people have totally replaced normal wash days with shampoo with co-washing in their regimens.

 

[Jewell]

DayDreamist I wish I was kidding but he (the stylist) was completely serious! He couldn't wait to get me in his chair so he could help me. He went on to explain that leaving my hair in its natural tangly state would hinder it's "health". They (stylists) seem to use that term very loosely, I don't know what they mean when they say it. Could they mean "growth" or "appearance"?? (OH and he tangled his hands all up in my 'fro!!! Ick!)

Anywhoo, I say NO, THANKS, to both their advice and their services! I'm a DIYer for life!

Precisely. After all the wasted money, half-done styles, and my hair staying the same length for years when I was going to a stylist regularly (supposedly one of the better ones concerned with health in my area at the time), I say all of 'em can go kick rocks cuz I'm DIY'ing it...so all credit from growth and retention I can attribute to myself and taking the time to learn and research from hair boards.

 

[RegaLady]

Co-washing is a hair forum thing anyway, so I gave the post a side-eye. Most people don't even know what that means.

Besides, a lot of the women that still visit salons are not DIYers, so they tend to stretch their Salon hairstyles. Hence the 1 every 2 week washes and hence "skunk hair". Most LHCFers know how to take care of their own hair and have no need to save stinky hairstyles for 2 weeks.

Message is geared to the wrong audience.

Yes, yes, yes! You think. I really don't know any woman outside of LHCF that cowashes. I really don't. And pretty much alot of women on this board do not trust stylists.

Also part of a stylist job is to wash dirty hair, is it not? Its like a garbage man asking people to put potpourri in their trash cans so he doesn't have to smell stinky garbage. Ummm, it goes with the job, no matter how long a person does or does not wash their hair. The bottom line to me is to do what works for you and not care whether a stylist thinks my hair smells like sex or skunks.

 

[CrownCola]

Some people do refer to co-washing as using conditioner instead of shampoo for washing the hair, even when they would normally wash their hair with shampoo. Traditionally, people who co-wash did do it only between their normal wash day but some people have totally replaced normal wash days with shampoo with co-washing in their regimens.

Me no likee this concept.
I suppose clarifying regularly could suffice?


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[Embyra]

alot of conditioners have cleansers in them ie Cocamidopropyl betaine......the same ones that are often found in sulphate free shampoos so i dont see the problem

on the tresmme website i read they recommend curly/dry textures to conditioner wash

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

Ok I just left my girlfriend's home and a very comical discussion. She left corporate America making a large salary, great bonuses and professional title to work for herself to become an independent hair stylist. I admire her for pursuing her real dreams and true talents.

Anywho - today she told me she did not realize how nasty women were until she began doing hair. She said she can tell if a woman had sex, smoked, worked out, sweated or whatever just by washing her hair because the hair will give off a foul odor. She said most women do not even realize their hair smells that bad but it does. Here are some tips she gave and I thought I would share:

1. Wash your hair once a week or don't go no MORE than 2 weeks without washing it. The hair goes where your face goes and you would not imagine not washing your face for that length of time.

2. Stop using conditioner as shampoo. It isn't shampoo, will cause buildup in your hair over time and if it has protein in it, will harden it to the point it snaps.

3. Your hair gives off a foul odor if it hasn't been washed in a while - stop being lazy, use that shampoo, lather up at least twice and use a deep conditioner with a plastic cap and let it sit so it can penetrate.

4. Whether natural or relaxed, trim your ends every 6 to 8 weeks. Keep those ends healthy so split ends don't run rampant in your head of hair.

5. If possible, rest from the relaxers. All those chemicals as you get older do not bode well especially if you begin to take blood pressure or thyroid medicatioin which thins your hair.

That's it for now.....but she could not stress enuff, wash your hair like you would wash your behind! Stop being lazy ladies...your hair is funky! Can you say skunk hair?

I can go 2 weeks and a few days without washing my hair, and while my hair dont smell rose fresh at the end of that time, it aint like funky Friday either.

It just smells like old hair.

 

[OhmyKimB]

------------------deleted--------------------------

 

[ecadnacmc]

DayDreamist I wish I was kidding but he (the stylist) was completely serious! He couldn't wait to get me in his chair so he could help me. He went on to explain that leaving my hair in its natural tangly state would hinder it's "health". They (stylists) seem to use that term very loosely, I don't know what they mean when they say it. Could they mean "growth" or "appearance"?? (OH and he tangled his hands all up in my 'fro!!! Ick!)

Anywhoo, I say NO, THANKS, to both their advice and their services! I'm a DIYer for life!

I think I went 2 the same stylist or his cousin. Sad thing, I believed him & allowed him 2 ruin my hair by pressing it super hard & slathering me with grease 2 keep it straight. In addition was told 2 never get it wet or let moisture anywhere near it. Slather grease on it 2x/day, & only let him do it until he got it healthy. SMH! I was so desperate 4 longer hair I followed his rules, until my nape broke off horrifically : (

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