2014 is almost over! What are your Product/Method Winners and Losers

[Sholapie]

winners:
-fingercombing- I haven't used a brush or comb since my BC in Jan and my ends feel great
-purification masque
-tresemme naturals conditioner
-diluting thick conditioners
-shea butter with moderation (although I find it hard not to overdo it and then I hate it)
-blue magic
-My satin pillowcase will be a winner every year from now til forever lol
-ogx coconut hydrating oil mist
-stretching hair (braidouts. twistouts, perm rod set, flexi rod set, rollerset anything!)

losers:
-ogx conditioners
-magnetic rollers hurt my scalp
-still not finding a good leave in conditioner

 

[CodeRed]

Winners:

- Co-washing - I thought it was going to leave my hair heavy but it doesn't

- Self relaxing

- Steaming - I <3 this thing so much I would marry it if I could. It's been better to me than any amorous relationship

- Nail Your Regimen thread

- Simplifying my routine to get rid of things that had no effect on my hair

- Detangling in the shower with conditioner

- Healthier lifestyle

- Reducing my stress

- Finding a good, informative Dominican shop in case I do want to go to the salon again

- Irish moss

- Aloe juice

- Coconut cream

- Giving my hair what it needs instead of following other people's hair

Losers:

- I don't know... there are some things that didn't work and it could have been the fault of my technique... Nothing ruined my hair or caused me a setback so I'll chalk it up to a learning experience and in the future maybe I could use it a different way and have it work.

 

[reeko43]

I like your list, my hair likes a lot of the same things. I've never tried Bobeam...how does it makes your hair feel.

charmtreese, I love Bobeam shampoo bars. They make my hair feel clean and not stripped. I also use the facial bars. My hair did not like the conditioner. I have been using almost three years now. Excellent customer service. Bobeam is the only online store I purchase from now.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I was depressed for most of the year, so I didn't really do that much in terms of experimenting with hair products. I think the only thing major I did was try my hand at yarn braids. I have to think on the winners/losers for this year and come back to this thread to update. Will be eyeing other people's suggestions in the mean time tho.

I was depressed too. I got so hair lazy, I'm surprised I have hair left. I do have some short patches.

 

[jbwphoto1]

Winners - Bobeam ACV and bentonite clay shampoo bar
OYIN Hair Dew
Shea Moisture jbco mask and leave in
Shea Moisture manuka honey mask
Modified MHM method
Finding all my now staples on the ground

Losers - Bobeam Condish
Darcys deep conditioning mask

reeko43, That shampoo bar is the one!

 

[jbwphoto1]

Good thread.

Winners
Clay washes
Taliah Waajid protective most bodifyer spray.
jbco
qhemet biologics heavy cream (but looking to just change over to making my own or just using the jbco )
Finger combing
water increase
Keeping it simple

Loosers
Shampoo
Combs
hot oil treatment
u part wigs

future experiments
Scalp exfoliation once a week to take over shampooing my scalp. I will be experimenting with sugar scrubs once a week so I can see if it does a good job at cleaning my scalp from build up.

NefertariBlu, I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but got this from the Indian Makeup and Beauty Blog newsletter.

http://makeupandbeauty.com/5-homemade-scalp-scrubs/

 

[DoDo]

Winners

Section washing

Deep Conditioning

Using lots of conditioner

Co-washing more often

Botanical gel drunk

Water based butter-creams

Responsible blow drying/diffusing

Finger detangling

Finding my staples and holy grail items

No-no ingredients like silicone and grease

Losers

Air-drying

combing too often

Not using enough conditioner

Not moisturizing often enough

Avoiding any and all no-no ingredients

Washing my hair loose in the sink

Repeatedly using hair advice that doesn't work for me

Refusing to be open-minded enough to experiment with new techniques

Allowing frustration to change how I feel about myself and my hair

 

[alex114]

Winners:
Belle Butters Unyevu Butter (ILOVEITTTTT)
Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque, and JBCO Deep Conditioner, and (lol i like Shea Moisture as you can see) Tahitian Noni and Monoi deep treatment
Shea Moisture Curling Milk
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
Using my heating bonnet 2x week to deep condition (with all organic products), without washing out
Washing with cone and sulfate free conditioner only every 2-3 weeks, using warmer water for scalp cleaning
Nylon Hair Nets for sleeping when my hair is in a fro/pineappling
African Pride Braid Spray (cheap and moisturizing for my cornrows)

Losers:
Aloe Vera Gel (Made my hair sooooo dry it was crazy)
Komaza Care Califia Hair Lotion (left residue and didn't seem to penetrate deeply into strands)
Coconut Oil (makes my hair dry and tangly) (using it up as a prepoo and for oil pulling, oh and for body)

 

[Bun Mistress]

I have gotten rid of:
Commerial Shampoo, combing dry hair, tangled hair forever

The keepers:
natural cleansers, box wood combs (recommend a Tan's, changed my life), tea rinses, and simple braid outs. I'll be back to HL in no time.

 

[JulietWhiskey]

Winners: Trader Joe's Tingle Treat as a Co-wash, Giovanni Nutrafix as a DC, Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner as a leave-in, SheaMoisture Curl Souffle gel as a styler/moisturizer, shortening mix of EVCO and EV Red Palm Oil for sealing, and Megatek as my protein treatment. Using products with centronium bromide/chloride to prevent and mitigate damage and aid in detangling. Finding my staple/Holy Grail products!

Losers: Not tending to my hair on a consistent basis. Using products that have behentrionium methosulfate because on my hair it acts like a silicone. Treating my hair harshly when detangling or wet combing.

 

[Queensheba88]

Winners:

Elasta qp dpr 11
Elasta qp creme cond. shampoo
Neutrogena trip. Mois. Daily deep cond.
Aphrogee 2 min recon.
Ors hair mayo
Tropic isle pimento growth oil
S curl no drip
Co washing once a week w/reg wash and deep condition
Scalp massages 3x week w/heat
Ghe
Ors lye relaxer
Wigs..wigs...wigs

losers:
No lye relaxers
Box braids
Sew ins- not enough scalp access
Blow drying

 

[CarefreeinChicago]

Winners
Swig cap my hair is growing back nicely and my edges are still in tact!

 

[PlainJane]

I have gotten rid of: Commerial Shampoo, combing dry hair, tangled hair forever The keepers: natural cleansers, box wood combs (recommend a Tan's, changed my life), tea rinses, and simple braid outs. I'll be back to HL in no time.

Hmmm tell me more about this box wood comb..

 

[Nightingale]

For my transitioning hair (and hopefully my natural hair):



Winners:
1. ITDF products
2. behentrimonium methosulfate
3. Avocado butter
4. Avocado oil
5. Regular cleansing with sulfate free poo or clay. My hair seems more moisturized and manageable with cleansing.
6. M&S and LC O/B. With the right products, it works really well.
7. One wash or one wash and one rinse per week. My hair feels much better without daily washing/rinsing.
8. Bunning. Great for me while transitioning. Easy to do, low manipulation style.


Losers:
1. Shea Butter. Sits on my hair, no benefit.
2. Coconut oil. Dry, crispy hair. Yuck!
3. Cowashing only. I need to cleanse regularly.
4. Aloe Vera. My hair hates it in gels or pure. Its fine in creams or conditioners
5. Heat styling and straightening. I'm over it. No more straightening for me. And I want to avoid heat damage.
6. Daily washing/rinsing.
7. PJism. I've found good products (or know what ingredients work for me) and don't need to blow $ experimenting more. Unless these products don't work for my natural hair, I won't buy anything new or untried from now on.
8. SheaMoisture conditioners and DCs. They just sat on my hair.


On the fence:
1. MHM. Not great for my transitioning hair because of the manipulation, but I learned a lot from trying it. I may give it another try when I'm natural.
2. Glycerin. I retried it while MSing or LCOing and had better results than before. I don't think I need it in my routine, but it isn't the devil.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Adding more winners:
LCO method
Moisturizing twice a day

 

[Lylddlebit]

Hits
Some of these were staples 2013 and prior. Those that have been used longer than a full year will be denoted with an asterisk (*). Staples identified with a tilde (~)

FHI Runway Pure hand touch. ~(year mark 4/2015)
Older Version of FHI Runway ~*
Resin combs(year mark 12/2014)~
Crack Styling Aid *~
Sedu Ultra Silent Lightweight Blow Dryer(year mark 3/2015) ~
Shu Uemura Ulitmate remedy line (year mark December 2014)~
Huetiful Steamer*~
Kizure Hot combs*~
Kerastase Fibre Architecte(year mark 6/2015)
Gloss Moderne deep conditioner*
Gorilla Snot~(year mark 1/2015)
Moroccan Oil*~
Mixed Chicks Deep conditioner*
Gold N Hot Stove *~
Moroccan Oil Boar Bristle paddle and teasing brush. ~(year mark 12/2014)
Silk Scarf*~
Cantu Leave in*
Kinky Curly Knot Today*~
Hydroquench systems 5 days moisture*



Misses:

Miss Jessies Sample Kit(with the exception of quick curls and curl recovery. Those two were good)
Gloss Moderne Lisse kit: get better results with a regular press.
Fotki: One day my journal was removed then I realized I needed to pay to get it back. I just wish I would have noticed that that was coming ahead of time.

I omitted the things that didn’t leave a significant impression one way or the other or that I need to use a bit longer to have a formed opinion on.

My no tangle brush was a staple last year but when I started using the resin combs I just stopped using it and I got the combs in December of last year.

 

[1BalancedBeauty]

I really like the Gold N' Hot dryer bonnet. I don't use it for treatments. I use it to help airdry and it's faboulous, not to mention inexpensive.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Smiley79 Shea moisture custard YUCK

Edit: My hair is natural, med density with very thick, wiry strands. I don't deal w/ split ends - just breakage.

#WINS

1. As I Am Coconut Cowash
2. As I Am Twist Defining Cream
3. Curls - Passion Fruit Control Paste
4. Elasta QP Mango Butter
5. ALL WAYS Castor Oil Conditioning Hair Dress
6. Alma & Olive Heavy Cream
7. Greenhousing

#NOPE

1. Ecostyler - It just doesn't hold
2. KBB Super Duper Hydrating Cream - I bought this for $15 and it's really disappointing. It's just waxy on my hair but I can't let it go bc of the money
3. Tangle Teaser
4. EDEN Natural Syling Elixir - It dries hard even if I seal
5. Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk

 

[Smiley79]

Oh yea I completely forgot to give a special WIN to As I am Coconut Wash! Great product.

 

[NefertariBlu]

jbwphoto1 thanks for the link.

I tried the scalp scrub of brown sugar and sunflower oil and I really don't know if or worked. My hair was scalp was really dirty so I ended up using shampoo. But I'm going to try again next week.

I really love a clean scalp but I hate shampoo on my hair. I really want to get rid of it all together since in using clays and I don't use silicone any more.

 

[charmtreese]

charmtreese, I love Bobeam shampoo bars. They make my hair feel clean and not stripped. I also use the facial bars. My hair did not like the conditioner. I have been using almost three years now. Excellent customer service. Bobeam is the only online store I purchase from now.

I received my Bobeam! I'll be using it tonight, I purchased the ACV & bentonite and cocoa & rhassoul. I think I will try the bentonite one first.

 

[HHSJ85]

Winners:
Jbco
Cholesterol
Shea butter
CON argan oil shampoo
Eden coconut shea curl defining cream
Eden coconut shea souffle
Head bands that i cut and use to make a snug ponytail holder
Adding msm to my spray bottle for bunning and also adding it to my conditioner for cowashing

Losers:
Air drying
Shea moisture mask
Silicon mix (it was great for my relaxed hair but does nada for my natural hair)

 

[Smiley79]

Is the Inversion Method a win for anyone? I don't see it mentioned as much anymore.

 

[Honi]

Winners:

CON Argan oil shampoo
Infusium 23 leave in conditioner
Mizani BB relaxer. I can't believe I used this and not my beloved Phyto and was ok with it. Hair felt pretty good.
Revlon Duo Tex - great protein treatment and so cheap!
Queen Helene cholesterol - yep went back ole' school. This one is the only one so far that feels like my hair is conditioned after using CON.
Ouidad comb - love this comb and the less hair that is in it

Losers:
None of my staple conditioners work with this shampoo.
Silicon mix
Kenra
Elucence
Jury is still out on AO products.

 

[Ogoma]

Winners:
- getting rid of a strict schedule and going by what my hair needs for cleansing, clarifying, PT etc
- using some sort of surfactant whenever I wash my hair (Ouidad Curl CoWash or my mix)
- Aussie 3 Min as my conditioner
- Aussie 3 Min as my leave-in
- Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Gelly to smooth frizz
- Cupuacu butter
- Babassu oil and honey for deep conditioning
- becoming a minimalist without even realizing it
- incorporating my hair seamlessly into my life.

Losers:
- complicated process or hair regimen
- the stress and cost of shipping things from the States

 

[spellinto]

Winners
Tension method (blowdrying on cold air)
Stretching NG in ponytails
Hair One Sweet Almond Oil Cleansing Cream

Losers
Most deep conditioners...I did like some but there was always some drawback
-includes NTM Mask, Aussie 3 Min, Moroccan Oil Intense Treatment, CON Argan Oil Treatment
Cross wrapping...It was a winner at first, but once I got a ton of NG it didn't work as well
Curls Passion Fruit Control Paste...this wasn't horrible but I prefer gels over pomades

Will add more as I remember them