Hair Care Tips (:-) My 1st Post

[kittenz]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could comment on my hair regimen and give me any advice.

*I have 4a/b (not sure which one) hair and it is relaxed (Every 6 to 8 weeks).
*I wash it once a week (daily washing is not an option) with Mane and Tail DC Shampoo (neutralizing shampoo when I relax) and use Mane and Tail Conditioner
*Every 2 weeks I use Lamuar's Bone Marrow Treatment (I love this stuff)
* I don't use leave in conditioner, just hair grease before I style my hair
*After washing I usually spiral curl or wave my hair because it lasts all week until the next wash

This seems like a good routine to me yet my hair wont grow. It's a good length and I love the thickness, texture and body, but it stays the same length. I shed alot too. Especially before a relaxer. But when I get braids and kinky twist my hair grows like crazy then manages to get back to its original length. Help please.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S.- I know strecthing my relaxer would be a big help but because of the extra shedding it seems to do more harm than good. The longest I strecthed was for 6 months with only one month of braids. My roots grew but the ends were awful. In the end I had maybe an extra inch of hair.

 

[PrettyBrownEyes]

What do you mean it won't grow? Are you constanlty seeing little pieces of broken hair? I'm not referring to the shedding? How often are you getting trims and how much is taken off? Lastly, how long have you had this routine?

 

[kittenz]

What do you mean it won't grow? Are you constanlty seeing little pieces of broken hair? I'm not referring to the shedding? How often are you getting trims and how much is taken off? Lastly, how long have you had this routine?

I've been doing this for about a year. My hair has been one constant length, it not getting shorter or longer. I don't trim that often but my last trim was about a month ago I took off about an inch. That inch grew back and now it's the same length again and not progressing anymore. I see little pieces of hair every day. I try to be a gentle as possible when combing and I also see long strand of hair on my clothes. My hair is very thick. Any suggestions. Thanks

 

[NeeSee]

Hi kittenz and welcome to the board.

 

[locabouthair]

are you moisturizing your ends daily? if not the ends will continue to break off and it will appear as if your hair isn't growing. even in braids u should use a moisturizing spray.

 

[*Frisky*]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could comment on my hair regimen and give me any advice.

*I have 4a/b (not sure which one) hair and it is relaxed (Every 6 to 8 weeks).
*I wash it once a week (daily washing is not an option) with Mane and Tail DC Shampoo (neutralizing shampoo when I relax) and use Mane and Tail Conditioner
*Every 2 weeks I use Lamuar's Bone Marrow Treatment (I love this stuff)
* I don't use leave in conditioner, just hair grease before I style my hair
*After washing I usually spiral curl or wave my hair because it lasts all week until the next wash

This seems like a good routine to me yet my hair wont grow. It's a good length and I love the thickness, texture and body, but it stays the same length. I shed alot too. Especially before a relaxer. But when I get braids and kinky twist my hair grows like crazy then manages to get back to its original length. Help please.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S.- I know strecthing my relaxer would be a big help but because of the extra shedding it seems to do more harm than good. The longest I strecthed was for 6 months with only one month of braids. My roots grew but the ends were awful. In the end I had maybe an extra inch of hair.

Can I ask what exactly this is? Your hair is growing if you have new growth to get a relaxer every 8 weeks...you must not be retaining the growth so you need to concentrate on keeping your ends healthy and moisturized. Very minimal heat and protective styles...

 

[kittenz]

are you moisturizing your ends daily? if not the ends will continue to break off and it will appear as if your hair isn't growing. even in braids u should use a moisturizing spray.

No I don't. Great advice. Is spritz bad? I use spritz to make my style last, with it my styles can last two weeks but I have to wash it before then so I only go 1.

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[TeeKay21]

How long is your hair? If it's shoulder length you need to be wearing it up off your clothes to keep the ends from breaking and snagging on the fabric of your shirts.

Speaking of bunning, when you put your hair up, you should do like the other ladies suggested and put a nice coating of moisturizer on your ends to keep them strong and healthy.

ETA: Spritz is very drying (it usually contains alcohol) and can cause breakage.

(I know I don't have long hair, but I learned these tips from all the LHCF long haired chicas that are my inspiration!)

 

[kittenz]

Let me clear this up. My hair does grow. But it doesn't "seem" to be growing because it's not getting any longer. I guess it justs breaks off at the same rate. Can anyone suggest a good daily moisturizer?

 

[kittenz]

How long is your hair? If it's shoulder length you need to be wearing it up off your clothes to keep the ends from breaking and snagging on the fabric of your shirts.

Speaking of bunning, when you put your hair up, you should do like the other ladies suggested and put a nice coating of moisturizer on your ends to keep them strong and healthy.

My hair is between shoulder length and APL. (That's my goal along with a large thick ponytail. ) I'll try this. Thanks.

 

[Katt73]

Welcome Kittenz!
You mentioned that you're using spritz...if it's the kind I'm thinking of that makes your hair sizzle when you use hot appliances , that's not a good thing. They're usually high in alcohol content and are extremely drying to the hair. I'd recommend that you stop using that ASAP.

 

[Kacie]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could comment on my hair regimen and give me any advice.

*I have 4a/b (not sure which one) hair and it is relaxed (Every 6 to 8 weeks).
*I wash it once a week (daily washing is not an option) with Mane and Tail DC Shampoo (neutralizing shampoo when I relax) and use Mane and Tail Conditioner
*Every 2 weeks I use Lamuar's Bone Marrow Treatment (I love this stuff)
* I don't use leave in conditioner, just hair grease before I style my hair
*After washing I usually spiral curl or wave my hair because it lasts all week until the next wash

This seems like a good routine to me yet my hair wont grow. It's a good length and I love the thickness, texture and body, but it stays the same length. I shed alot too. Especially before a relaxer. But when I get braids and kinky twist my hair grows like crazy then manages to get back to its original length. Help please.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S.- I know strecthing my relaxer would be a big help but because of the extra shedding it seems to do more harm than good. The longest I strecthed was for 6 months with only one month of braids. My roots grew but the ends were awful. In the end I had maybe an extra inch of hair.

Welcome to the forum! Have you read the Starting Out Guide yet. That is like the hair amendments around here. First thing, please stop using spritz period. The weekly heat styling also needs to go. Since you say that your hair is thick you should try braidouts or bantu knots to achieve a wavy curly style. I wish I was a thick haired lady so I could have pretty braidouts.

 

[kittenz]

Welcome Kittenz!
You mentioned that you're using spritz...if it's the kind I'm thinking of that makes your hair sizzle when you use hot appliances , that's not a good thing. They're usually high in alcohol content and are extremely drying to the hair. I'd recommend that you stop using that ASAP.

Oops. That could be the culprit. But I spray on the spritz when I finish my hair not while using the iron. My hair would stick to the barrel. Is this still bad?

 

[kittenz]

Welcome to the forum! Have you read the Starting Out Guide yet. That is like the hair amendments around here. First thing, please stop using spritz period. The weekly heat styling also needs to go. Since you say that your hair is thick you should try braidouts or bantu knots to achieve a wavy curly style. I wish I was a thick haired lady so I could have pretty braidouts.

Okay no more spritz :-( That'll be hard but thanks for the advice. What about mousse? Where is this starting guide?

 

[Finewine]

How long is your hair? If it's shoulder length you need to be wearing it up off your clothes to keep the ends from breaking and snagging on the fabric of your shirts.

Speaking of bunning, when you put your hair up, you should do like the other ladies suggested and put a nice coating of moisturizer on your ends to keep them strong and healthy.

ITA. I used to have a similar problem with retention and protective styles have been key. I rarely use direct heat on my hair and when i do i use a heat protectant and try to only touch the hair once. I pre-poo with a cheap conditioner, wash, DC with a good conditioner and seal it, then airdry (i'm going to start using a leave-in as well).

 

[TLC1020]

Hey Kittenz and welcome to LHCF.. I'm a newbie myself
Your hair is probably growing but you are probably not retaining your length/ends or maybe your hair is in a resting phase. Try to minimize manipulation, alcohol(spritz), increase protein/moisture balance, deep condition at least once a week and try increasing your protective styles...

 

[lovenharmony]

Okay no more spritz :-( That'll be hard but thanks for the advice. What about mousse? Where is this starting guide?

I suggest you read all of the "where's my favorite sticky" threads in this forum. They helped me alot to understand what methods are best for my hair and products to stay away from. Anything like mousse, gel, spritz and/or hairspray is a definite NO NO for our already dry hair. Also try not to use direct heat (blowdryers, curling irons, flat irons) frequently...maybe once a week with the right heat protectant product on your hair. Since you relax as well, protein becomes very important to keep our ends strong. Oh, and welcome aboard!

 

[elaine07]

Welcome Kittenz! Please stop w/ the spritz. Throw it away if you have to. You must, must, must, moisturize daily. Since your hair is a good length, you need to keep it pinned or bunned up. I know ponytails get boring after a while, but you have to do that to retain length. I hear garlic poo is good for shedding, but I'm not sure which one. Hopefully one of the ladies can chime in. I'm a newbie also, but I've learned a lot from the ladies over the past few months. Just read, read, read... and you'll learn everything you need to know. Also, it's a good idea to join one of the challenges we have going on. There are several to choose from. That will help keep you motivated! p.s. Good Luck on your journey!

 

[Kacie]

Here's the Guide to Starting Out
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=50291

 

[Missi]

Let me clear this up. My hair does grow. But it doesn't "seem" to be growing because it's not getting any longer. I guess it justs breaks off at the same rate. Can anyone suggest a good daily moisturizer?

Ultra Black Hair Creme Lotion Moisturizer: its the best hair moisturizer for dry, damaged, or chemically treated hair: it stops breakage & dryness.....and I love it

 

[kittenz]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I already know several things that I can change in order to retain my length. I'll keep you guys posted on my progress maybe even get an album and definitely fill-in my profile and read the Starting Out Guide. Thanks again.

 

[Missi]

Oops. That could be the culprit. But I spray on the spritz when I finish my hair not while using the iron. My hair would stick to the barrel. Is this still bad?

That is very bad: also using grease followed by heating: its like frying chicken: thats wat ur doing to ur hair: the key is to use moisture lotion and hair spray (ex: UBH Dew or Dove Sheer Mist) make sure that water is the first ingrediant....trust me: once u start to change ur hair care products u'll hair will style much better w/o spritz and stuff: Until I started washing my hair in the shower: I could never get my hair in a flat smooth ponytail: which resulted in jam & brushing: now that I wash it in the shower: my hair looks better then using the jam and brush: trust me: eliminating the bad habits will result in great hair... ~HTH~

 

[Lady Esquire]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could comment on my hair regimen and give me any advice.

*I have 4a/b (not sure which one) hair and it is relaxed (Every 6 to 8 weeks).
*I wash it once a week (daily washing is not an option) with Mane and Tail DC Shampoo (neutralizing shampoo when I relax) and use Mane and Tail Conditioner
*Every 2 weeks I use Lamuar's Bone Marrow Treatment (I love this stuff)
* I don't use leave in conditioner, just hair grease before I style my hair
*After washing I usually spiral curl or wave my hair because it lasts all week until the next wash

This seems like a good routine to me yet my hair wont grow. It's a good length and I love the thickness, texture and body, but it stays the same length. I shed alot too. Especially before a relaxer. But when I get braids and kinky twist my hair grows like crazy then manages to get back to its original length. Help please.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S.- I know strecthing my relaxer would be a big help but because of the extra shedding it seems to do more harm than good. The longest I strecthed was for 6 months with only one month of braids. My roots grew but the ends were awful. In the end I had maybe an extra inch of hair.

I notice you shampoo and condition weekly. Also add in weekly deep conditioning. Please find a leave-in conditioner, daily moisturizer and an oil (to apply on top of the moisturizer to lock in the moisture). The grease will clog up your scalp and it just coats the strands and does not moisturize. The weekly heat has to go as well.

Now shedding is a natural process, with the white bulbs straight from root. If it is excessive shedding, try garlic shampoos to curb it and reevaluate your diet and stress level. If your hair is not growing passed a certain length, you may be experiencing breakage...which is a sign that your hair is off balance some how. Broken hairs of various lengths...now, that is not a good sign at all. Read the sistaslick moisture/protein balance info.

Baggying is a great way to get those ends back into shape. If you decide not to baggy, when you condition, deep-condition, moisturize daily, and seal with oil -- always concentrate more on the ends. Your hair IS growing, unless you have some internal health issues. But most likely, it IS growing, but you are not retaining the growth cause your ends are breaking off. Once you start paying more attention to the ends (adding more moisture), you'll retain more, and start seeing the growth.

There's tons of info here that will help you tweak your regimen. Good luck!

 

[beaux cheveux]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could comment on my hair regimen and give me any advice.

*I have 4a/b (not sure which one) hair and it is relaxed (Every 6 to 8 weeks).
*I wash it once a week (daily washing is not an option) with Mane and Tail DC Shampoo (neutralizing shampoo when I relax) and use Mane and Tail Conditioner
*Every 2 weeks I use Lamuar's Bone Marrow Treatment (I love this stuff)
* I don't use leave in conditioner, just hair grease before I style my hair
*After washing I usually spiral curl or wave my hair because it lasts all week until the next wash

This seems like a good routine to me yet my hair wont grow. It's a good length and I love the thickness, texture and body, but it stays the same length. I shed alot too. Especially before a relaxer. But when I get braids and kinky twist my hair grows like crazy then manages to get back to its original length. Help please.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S.- I know strecthing my relaxer would be a big help but because of the extra shedding it seems to do more harm than good. The longest I strecthed was for 6 months with only one month of braids. My roots grew but the ends were awful. In the end I had maybe an extra inch of hair.

I have 4a/b hair too and it sound like your not giving it enough moisture. . Moisturizing your hair daily is a MUST. Find a good leave in conditioner or make your own. (I have a spray bottle filled with diluted V05, jojoba oil, and lavendar oil, i use it when my leave in runs out) You can also doctor up some leave in too make it more moisturizing. Adding essential oil and honey. Try to see if you can wash more often, maybe not with shampooo but how about conditioner? Try it with a lite conditioner like v05 Strawberries and cream.
Also, that hair grease has got to go!
Alot of hair greases contains petroleum or mineral oil which dries out hair, dont use products that contain them, it seems to moisturize for a little while , but it weighs down the hair and dries it out. Try stretching your relaxers and extra 2 weeks the next time you get a touch-up, then from their see how long you can go. Be sure to relax only the new growth.
Protective style your hair, try buns, weaves, braids, twist, to avoid combing manipoulating hair which can cause alot of breakage. The style options are endless!
Try Baggying your ends, at night moisturize your hair focusing on your ends oil your hair ends with castor or jojoba, dont over do it! Pull your hair into a pony tail , place a ziplock bag over it and secure the pony tail. You can even add a phony pony to it if you want and call it a day!
When you comb use a wide tooth comb or use your fingers! You should notice alot of growth about length retaintion this way!
Try gowth aids; Surge plus 14 Hair Revitalizer, Mane Tail Groom, or the popular Boundless Tresses. Massage scalp daily.