CP uses various DCs in her regimen. Here is one of her latest videos on DCs and she lists 5 favorites:
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Idk that anyone’s can evaluate whether Ayurveda is “worth” the investment for you. Do you value DIY? Customization? Natural? Organic? Do you see Ayurveda as a time investment? Is it the start of a healthier lifestyle? Is it just what you hope to be more effective than the commercial stuff? Only you can evaluate that.
My two cents is that
ayurveda is for everyone who wants it. There is an Ayurvedic regimen for every budget and lifestyle, from the cheapest most DIY to the most expensive pre-mixed or readymade or commercial. You can make it as simple or complicated as you like.
There are plenty of herbs and oils and foods and supplements that have loads of scientific and anecdotal evidence backing their efficacy at providing moisture if you’re primarily interested in moisture.
A few I can think of offhand are hibiscus, fenugreek, avocado oil, and bananas. They have been excellent at providing or aiding in moisture retention for me personally.
I would say like anything else, you can overdo it when focusing on just one thing. So moisture/protein balance is important to maintain regardless of hair length because you’re going to optimize your styling and aesthetic results by maintaining that balance.
There’s more to Ayurveda than henna, and as many folks on this thread could tell you, there’s a host of ways to use henna that could be individualized to your use to make it the most beneficial to you. In other words, however you used it before may have been too concentrated or too often, or simply your relaxed hair had a certain reaction that your natural hair won’t. You’ll never know until you try!
Sorry for the novella!
Hope this helps!