Calling all Veterans!!!

[Mrs.Green]

I am a !! I finally mustard up enough courage and come out of lurk mode. I've been on this site 24/7 since January. I've gotten a ton of information from you guys and feel like I know you all peronally. I am very excited about my haircare journey to BSL.

I was just wondering from the veterans, if you knew then *beginning of your LHCF journey as a newbie* what you know now, what would you do different?

There are so many methods/products to try and as a newbie it is overwhelming you want to try everything. I am nervous to think that I almost have to go through being a product junkie, baggying, henna, airdrying, doing this and that in order to find out what works for me. I am hoping you gals could save me a couple mess ups . Thanks in advance for any advice.

My stats are 3c/4a just after SL but not quite APL

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

Hi Mrs. Green and welcome to the forum! I'm not a veteran but I've been here officially a year this month---I've learned a lot and tried a lot.

If I had any advice, I'd just say, don't feel pressured to try everything you see popping up on the board. I took my time trying to figure out what worked for me. And I'd also try to look for things that seemed to work for a mass amount of people.

I actually went through all the trial and error things you described, I just tried them one at a time. And I'm still trying many things, at my own pace.

Just find a couple of stable products, cut back on the heat and keep learning! The ORS (Organic Root Stimulator) brand works for a lot of people, Cream of Nature Shampoo (called CON on the boards, took me a while to figure that out!) works for a lot of people. And the Neutrogena Triple Moisturizer brand (called NTM) is a good starting product brand. Those three are inexpensive and readily available and most BSSs (Beauty Supply Stores) and grocery/Wal-Mart-like stores.

Don't overwhelm yourself and enjoy the ride!

 

[Mrs.Green]

Thanks for the response. I was hoping my thread didn't get lost in the shuffle of threads. I consider you a Veteran you've been here a year, that's long enough *I hope* to establish a routine and set products.

I just started using CON and I love it, I also use NTM leave in. I am happy with them both but when someone says OH YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS I get sooo tempted to try it cause it seems like the next best thing and everyone wants results right now.

But you notice the girls with the BSL, WL, Tailbone Length hair aren't usuaslly responding to the bandwagon post seems like they have their own little society, almost like they sit back and watch the newbies fall out over new products and such.

 

[didirose]

Welcome Mrs. Green! ITA ajoyfuljoy!
I guess I've been around for little while and the best most valuble advice I got here was to cut out the heat. Since joining, I pretty much use heat only after touch ups and for extremely special occasions. I haven't really been that much of a product junkie because I am very particular about the product that I use (read all the reviews and then pick) and I make myself use up a product completely before I pick up a new one. I have my staples, but my new goal now is to lean toward more natural and less harmful products.
HTH!

 

[KAT25]

the best advice I can offer is Keep It Simple don't over do it and you will be fine.

 

[Fine 4s]

Let me ask you this: If 25 veterans share their dos and don'ts with you, will you follow all of their instructions, all 25 of them?

You have to find what works for you and to do that, you have to try different things. Being a product junky to me means jumping on the new product bandwagon without taking into consideration your hair needs or characteristics etc. Well, you could think about it, make sense of it, do all the research in the world and slop that thing on your hair and ....NOTHING!

So, all this to say enjoy the process and make the best decision one can make given all the information you have.

However, you might want to do a search on this site about products that are overyhyped or techniques that are overhyped and in those posts, people will share what they felt was a bunch of crap FOR THEM. Another good thread was started about a week ago where folks were asked to describe their hair type in much greater detail than the usual 1,2,3,4 type. I'd do a search for Nappywoman and look for a thread about hair type. I suggest this thread because if you find someone that matches your hair type (natural vs. permed), check out their journal or fotki for some hair products/techniques. Again, this might not mean it will work for you but it's a good start.

Everybody is unique especially if you're talking about skin care or hair care stuff. It is not like buying furniture or a computer you WILL have to test out many, many products and that's the beauty of it all!

Your mind set will determine the pleasurableness of your hair care journey and how successful you will be or not be...


Don't know nothing,
Fine 4s

 

[Mrs.Green]

Fine 4s

No I wouldn't follow all of them, but the advice of 25 Veterans with the same hair type, hair needs, characteristics etc. that have found what works for their hairtype as opposed to 500 newbies with the same still trying to find their way helps narrow it down.

It just feels like a maze sometimes trying to figure out what to do/not do. That's why I called on the veterans who have been there done that to guide not just me but all newbies.

Thanks a bunch for your response.

 

[chenai]

Hi Mrs Green

Welcome to the forum, I know how this site with all its information can seam a little overwhelming, particularly if you're just beggining your journey. I wish you all the best in reaching BSL. To answer your question the most important things I have learnt here are to treat my hair VERY gently and never rush whilst doing my hair, to limit heat, to deep condition regularly and to be patient. Now that I have found what works I don't follow any bandbagons beacause they may cause me a setback.

 

[PinkPeony]

Fine haired type 4 with a lil 3c checking in.
I think my biggest mistake was trying to maintain a blunt cut while growing my hair out.
I still trim and even out occasionally but as a newbie I think it's important to SEE results so you know your reggie is working.
It was quite discouraging to be at nl for a year(I trimmed my hair halfway between SL and APL for bluntness) and I doubted my ability to grow hair.
Also find a stable reggie first before jumping on all kinds of bandwagons.
If you look at members with longer hair most of them have a rocksolid,easy reggie that they've been maintaining for years.

 

[MonaLisa]

Checking in for Class of '04...

Welcome to the board MrsGreen....

wanted to post a thread that I started and some really helpful ladies contributed some really great perspective/posts to it.

Hope it helps your thought process some while at the beginning of your journey..

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=198309&highlight=extracting

 

[Mrs.Green]

MonaLisa I could give you a kiss but I will just give you a instead. This is exactly what I was looking for and your thread summed it up in a nutshell. See what I mean. There is a sea of information out there and so much to read I don't know how I missed your thread *I tend to judge a thread by the title* guess i'll get to reading . Thanks so much~ LOVE your hair by the way.

 

[MonaLisa]

MonaLisa I could give you a kiss but I will just give you a instead. This is exactly what I was looking for and your thread summed it up in a nutshell. See what I mean. There is a sea of information out there and so much to read I don't know how I missed your thread *I tend to judge a thread by the title* guess i'll get to reading . Thanks so much~ LOVE your hair by the way.

Your welcome and thank you.

Do a search for Gymfreak, Sistaslick, Artemis to start with...quite helpful

 

[Mrs.Green]

Thanks Mona I'm heading there now .

Thanks to everybody that has posted and will post.

I am just so excited to see how this goes. Thank goodness i started my haircare journey at a good point, January and I had just gotten a relaxer and trim when I found this board. My next relaxer is April. It would have been this weekend pre LHCF. I relaxed every 8 weeks like clockwork. To make it so bad I relaxed my WHOLE HEAD *URGH, I could kick myself* and didn't moisturize cause I wanted a bouncy wrap . My hair is decieving it looks very healthy and I got a ton of compliments but I was doing everything so wrong. And I had the nerve to wonder why I could never get past shoulder lenght .

Needless to say the last 2+ months I've been washing and DC Saturday co-washing on Tuesdays. No heat *trying to master airdrying* and i've bee pinning my hair up. I am a pro with bantu knots that is usually my protective style clipped up with a claw clip off my shoulders. O and MOISTURE, MOISTURE, MOISTURE.

So Ive learned so much from you guys already, and I feel like there is progress I just don't want to get to April and there is no progress and I have to go back to the drawing board to find out what else is out there that may work.

Sorry for rambling

 

[locabouthair]

I've been on my journey for two years.

I would say to focus on health first. Many of us get discouraged because we go straight for length but we might have damaged ends that we need to let go.

Focus on your insides. Healthy hair starts with a healthy body.

And find a stylist you trust. I was going to different stylists and now i have patches in my hair because one of them didnt wash the relaxer out properly.

Good luck!

 

[gymfreak336]

Hi Mrs Green

I acutally just bumped one of the threads I started with Artemis for you. It has lots of links with some of the most essential info you need to read and understand first

The only other advice I want to give you is to listen and read. Alot of people here are afraid to read. There is a TON of info here but you have to be patient and read through it. Even if you set aside an hour a week just to search and read, it will help you. Listen with an open mind and read for comprehension. There are times when I have to go back and re read threads to make sure I fully absorbed what info was there.

Don't feel you have to overhaul your entire regime to get results, usually, its just a couple of things that needed tweaking to take you to the next level.

There are many many knowledgable ladies here so you are in the right place.

You can PM me if you need any extra help finding anything or whatever if you don't get any responses or find what you are looking for. I will see if I can help direct you to some helpful threads or answer the question directly for you.

Happy Hair Growing.

 

[Mrs.Green]

Thanks Gymfreak!!! I was looking for you!

That's pretty much what I've been doing reading and re reading. I've abandonded all my other fave sites i.e. Myspace etc. I spend so much time here and I wouldn't have it any other way. Soooo much information.

 

[BrooklynSouth]

I am a !! I finally mustard up enough courage and come out of lurk mode. I've been on this site 24/7 since January. I've gotten a ton of information from you guys and feel like I know you all peronally. I am very excited about my haircare journey to BSL.

I was just wondering from the veterans, if you knew then *beginning of your LHCF journey as a newbie* what you know now, what would you do different?

There are so many methods/products to try and as a newbie it is overwhelming you want to try everything. I am nervous to think that I almost have to go through being a product junkie, baggying, henna, airdrying, doing this and that in order to find out what works for me. I am hoping you gals could save me a couple mess ups . Thanks in advance for any advice.

My stats are 3c/4a just after SL but not quite APL

Welcome, Mrs.Green. Unfortunately...I still succumb to pjism once in a while, takes a while to really find your products and money may be wasted finding them. Do not be nervous, it's part of the process to buy and try..sometimes you go back a year later to find a 'bad' product can actually be a good one after all. Good luck and welcome to LHCF, it's a wonderful place.
Do differently? Don't know..had to buy and try.