My hair has thinned out A LOT since I joined this forum, maybe from a combination of post-partum shedding and getting lax about taking vitamins. Or maybe over-zealous experimentation, 
. Just as before I joined, I continue to mostly wear buns or ponytails, sometimes twistouts, very rarely straighten or use heat, and usually co-wash 2-4 a week, depending on the weather. I shampoo/clarify maybe once a month.
Changes I made this year:
- eliminated sulfate shampoos
- eliminated most silicone products (other than those for straightening and occasionally IC Fantasia gel for just my edges)
- use oils and butters, and most importantly, seal with oil
These changes I feel have helped with the biggest problem I had, namely, excessive dryness. A little improvement with split-ends, but single-strand knots are as bad as ever, maybe even worse, since I never used to pay much attention to them before. However, something, not sure what, seems to have loosened my looser textures, but at the same time, my tighter textures seem to have tightened.
erplexed
Now for pictures:
Twistout around the end of September, with barely-rinsed out conditioner and a little Jane Carter Nourish and Shine (which I do not like and won't be buying again, but that is another story). Note my usual APL-ish shrinkage.
Even my husband noticed that my hair is thinning, because when I did this wet bun in early November, he said I looked "bald" and called it a "puny" bun.
In preparation to use my new Maxiglide XP, I clarified my hair (Giovanni 50-50 Shampoo), did a caramel-like concoction treatment, and conditioned twice (Trader Joe's Nourish Spa). Here is a picture of my very SCARY ends before any leave-in products - this is what I mean about the looser textures getting looser, etc. My hair is damp, maybe half-way dry in this picture.
It doesn't look as bad after adding in my leave-in moisturiser mix (this time, aloe vera, jojoba and sweet almond oil with a little more TJNS).
I would have roller-set, but I was too tired (it was late). I sectioned my hair into maybe 25-30 twists, with some Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm and Sabino Moisture Block (the old formula that I have had since the spring, but never tried), put on a hair net, and went to sleep. Some 7 or 8 hours later, my hair was mostly dry, and I began the MaxiGliding process, expecting it to take hours. I set the iron to 5. I un-did each twist, comb it through with a fine-tooth comb, and flat-ironed it, one pass with the steam burst and going over it just once again without the steam. It was easy, TOO easy. I kept expecting my hair to revert as I was straightening, the way it usually does, but it didn't. I used the MiniGlide around my edges, and finished in about 1 1/2 hours. I added a tiny bit of SMB when I was finished.
I have never flat-ironed my hair before; I only used the blow-dryer and the electric hot comb when I wanted to wear it straight (AND that was a 6+ hour process, AND I would have to wrap my hair, AND avoid any hint of water, AND it would revert while I straightened). I am so surprised that it was so easy to get my hair straight with the MaxiGlide. But it really is very flat, even flatter than newly relaxed hair used to be. My barrettes slid right out of my hair! I tried to braid it to put it up, and the braid unraveled! I put a headband to keep it out of my face, and the headband slid out too! It is so weird to have hair this straight, and I doubt I will do this regularly; I am too used to curls and poof. This was only the second time I straightened this year; the last time was a lackadaisical blow-dry job for the purpose of trimming. Speaking of which, I have had very little growth... compare the end of March (after which I trimmed 1 1/2 - 2 inches) to now...
Maybe there is such a thing a terminal length, and this is it for me?
Anyway, I wasn't too crazy for the flat look. I put some castor oil mix on the ends and put them on rollers to sleep. I like the day 2 MaxiGlided hair a little better.
If I decide to wear it straight more often, maybe I will do a major trim, say, to the top of where my jeans are. I'll think about it.
. Just as before I joined, I continue to mostly wear buns or ponytails, sometimes twistouts, very rarely straighten or use heat, and usually co-wash 2-4 a week, depending on the weather. I shampoo/clarify maybe once a month. Changes I made this year:
- eliminated sulfate shampoos
- eliminated most silicone products (other than those for straightening and occasionally IC Fantasia gel for just my edges)
- use oils and butters, and most importantly, seal with oil
These changes I feel have helped with the biggest problem I had, namely, excessive dryness. A little improvement with split-ends, but single-strand knots are as bad as ever, maybe even worse, since I never used to pay much attention to them before. However, something, not sure what, seems to have loosened my looser textures, but at the same time, my tighter textures seem to have tightened.
erplexed Now for pictures:
Twistout around the end of September, with barely-rinsed out conditioner and a little Jane Carter Nourish and Shine (which I do not like and won't be buying again, but that is another story). Note my usual APL-ish shrinkage.
Even my husband noticed that my hair is thinning, because when I did this wet bun in early November, he said I looked "bald" and called it a "puny" bun.
In preparation to use my new Maxiglide XP, I clarified my hair (Giovanni 50-50 Shampoo), did a caramel-like concoction treatment, and conditioned twice (Trader Joe's Nourish Spa). Here is a picture of my very SCARY ends before any leave-in products - this is what I mean about the looser textures getting looser, etc. My hair is damp, maybe half-way dry in this picture.
It doesn't look as bad after adding in my leave-in moisturiser mix (this time, aloe vera, jojoba and sweet almond oil with a little more TJNS).
I would have roller-set, but I was too tired (it was late). I sectioned my hair into maybe 25-30 twists, with some Phytodefrisant Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm and Sabino Moisture Block (the old formula that I have had since the spring, but never tried), put on a hair net, and went to sleep. Some 7 or 8 hours later, my hair was mostly dry, and I began the MaxiGliding process, expecting it to take hours. I set the iron to 5. I un-did each twist, comb it through with a fine-tooth comb, and flat-ironed it, one pass with the steam burst and going over it just once again without the steam. It was easy, TOO easy. I kept expecting my hair to revert as I was straightening, the way it usually does, but it didn't. I used the MiniGlide around my edges, and finished in about 1 1/2 hours. I added a tiny bit of SMB when I was finished.
I have never flat-ironed my hair before; I only used the blow-dryer and the electric hot comb when I wanted to wear it straight (AND that was a 6+ hour process, AND I would have to wrap my hair, AND avoid any hint of water, AND it would revert while I straightened). I am so surprised that it was so easy to get my hair straight with the MaxiGlide. But it really is very flat, even flatter than newly relaxed hair used to be. My barrettes slid right out of my hair! I tried to braid it to put it up, and the braid unraveled! I put a headband to keep it out of my face, and the headband slid out too! It is so weird to have hair this straight, and I doubt I will do this regularly; I am too used to curls and poof. This was only the second time I straightened this year; the last time was a lackadaisical blow-dry job for the purpose of trimming. Speaking of which, I have had very little growth... compare the end of March (after which I trimmed 1 1/2 - 2 inches) to now...
Maybe there is such a thing a terminal length, and this is it for me?
Anyway, I wasn't too crazy for the flat look. I put some castor oil mix on the ends and put them on rollers to sleep. I like the day 2 MaxiGlided hair a little better.
If I decide to wear it straight more often, maybe I will do a major trim, say, to the top of where my jeans are. I'll think about it.
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