hair obsessed or hair conscience?

[charmtreese]

I really do not consider myself a bandwagon jumper. While some things are really tempting, I normally limit myself to one or two bandwagons a year! With that being said I was giving myself a pat-on-the-back the other day for not being a “have to follow the latest trend hair obsessed crazy lady” and then I took a closer look at my regimen and realized it’s pretty “hair obsessed” or maybe it’s not. Maybe I’m just doing what it takes to obtain my goal of long and healthy hair.

Here is a list of all the methods I use on the regular basis as a part of my hair regimen:

You be the judge: hair obsessed or hair conscience?

1. Low Manipulation (wash & twist my hair weekly)
2. Low heat (once or twice a year)
3. Weekly Deep Conditioning
4. Finger Detangle Weekly
5. Ayurveda (I use Mahabhringraj oil at least 3 times a week)
6. Baggie/GHE Nightly
7. S & D (Search & Destroy trimming method)
8. Pill popping (Current list of vitamins: biotin, iron, Silica, HSN, MSM, Multi)
9. Daily oiling & Massage (but not inversion)
10. Hair Dairy, picture diary, monthly measuring (don’t judge)
11. Daily youtubing and LHCF reading

Bandwagons I jumped on in 2014:

1. Paltas – I like it, but probably will use what I have and not repurchase. Didn’t see major grow from the treatment.
2. Inversion – Just can’t keep up with it
3. Sulfur growth aids - I don’t think my scalp likes sulfur, unless its Sulfur 8 grease (go figure)

What are the methods you use? Do you think you are hair obsessed or hair conscience?

 

[Prettymetty]

I do #8 and #11. Other than that I am pretty low maintenance, but I still feel like this hair growth thing is an obsession for me

 

[Evolving78]

Think of it this way, you care for your hair at home, so trying out new things, products, and ideas comes with the territory. We as black women didn't do all of this when we were going faithfully to the salons.

 

[Evolving78]

Think of it this way, you care for your hair at home, so trying out new things, products, and ideas comes with the territory. We as black women didn't do all of this when we were going faithfully to the salons.

I do think the growth thing is a bit of an obsession, but a lot of us have been told we couldn't grow our hair long, or some of us have yet to experience having long hair.

 

[sunnieb]

I'm obsessed with being hair conscious.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using LHCF

 

[havilland]

I'm obsessed with being hair conscious as well. I like long healthy hair and for me that requires work and conscious obsession! Hahaha

Here's my "have to" OBSESSED LIST


I have to deep condition weekly at minimum. TWICE IS BETTER

I have to do a deep protein treatment every 6-8 weeks.

I have to drink my water.

I have to take my vitamins.

I have to keep away from heat.

I have to keep my ends in check.

I have to use low manipulation.

I have to use quality products.

I have to stay away from chemicals. Dyes and relaxers damage my thin hair and stunt my retention.

I have to learn all I can (ie obsess over you tube gurus and blogs and books about hair)

I have to stay away from experimenting with stylists. I stick with home care or appointments with Reniece.

I have to use quality products and stick with what works. No bandwagons.

-----I have always been "into" hair and using meticulous care and what I considered good products but before I did all of the above, my hair was short and healthy. Now it's "long" and healthy. (At least it's long to people IRL).

 

[sunnieb]

I don't see a problem with anyone's list.

Heck, I slather honey on my hair each week as a dc.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

What the Ladies said: "consciously obsessed".

I am in some stage of Peri-menopause so, I am fighting a whole slew of hormonal issues.

So, I am consciously obsessed at dealing with that.

Some Methods I use (in no particular of relevance):

M&S twice per day
Tea/Coffee Rinses
Cowashing or Co-Cleansing instead of Shampoo
Vitamins including Biotin (currently taking Visvical & Biotin) in 2015 will switch to Phytophanere by Phyto & Biotin.
Growth Aides
Have to wrap my Hair at Night
Must Steam and/or Must DC on a Regular

 

[overtherainbow]

I'm hair obsessed. I mean today I seriously contemplated writing a short academic essay on the representations of black hair in post civil war novels.
-Yesterday I cringed at the thought of borrowing my SIL's sulfate shampoo for the weekend.
-I refuse to use any hair tools besides my croc clips and strictly finger detangle.
- Having a bad wash day equals an overall off day.
-I cannot leave a store without visiting the hair section. Its even harder for me to leave empty handed.
-A little part of me dies inside whenever I see split ends or SSKs

 

[GettingKinky]

Before I reached APL I was obsessed. I was constantly thinking about my hair and wishing I would hurry up and get to APL. I was checking my length ALL the time.

Now that I'm not so focused on length I think I'm just hair conscious and not obsessed.

My biggest thing now is to have products with good ingredients.

I'm also trying to simplify and minimize the # of products I have and the amount of time I spend.

 

[rileypak]

I'm "consciously obsessed".

My current must-do/obsession list:
1. Ingredients/formulations are the main thing I obsess over; lots of research, lots of experimenting; I like learning what works for me and what doesn't, paying particular attention to the formulations
2. Seamless combs
3. Supplements (Collagen, bamboo extract, hair vitamin, b-complex)
4. DC every wash
5. Protein treatment every other week
6. Double sealing
7. Low manipulation styling
8. All satin/silk everything (bonnets, pillowcase, shower cap lining, scrunchies, scarves)
9. Scalp health
10. Minimal direct heat use
11. Ayurveda (products containing ayurvedic ingredients are used every wash day)

TBH, I don't even think it's really obsessive though.
Everyone cares about their hair like this....right?

 

[BFeathers]

I'm hair obsessed in that I like touching mine....a lot. I miss touching my hair. As it is now, though I probably look crazy I like sticking my fingers under my weave to feel the NG under my braids....a lot. I can sit and stare into space brushing my hair or just playing with it. Kinda like I'm doing right now. Peck typing while feeling a nice groove in the back of NG under a braid.


I mirror check my hair everywhere because I really like looking at it. I've looked in silverware

 

[NaturalBoss]

There are some people who are hair obsessed, but I don't see anything wrong anyone's list posted so far. It's the same thing as a person doing 50 push-ups, 50 squats, 100 crunches, etc., drink 8-11 glasses of water, eat fruits and vegetables....blah, blah, blah.

Hair obsessed to me is doing a length check everyday, and your routine consists of monistat 7, cayenne pepper, sulfur, curly girl method, inversion method, hairfinity vitamins AND hair vitamins from Walmart, etc., etc....that's doing way too much.

 

[Lilmama1011]

For me hair obsessed definitely. All I care about is my hair health. I don't use any heat unless under a dryer and that's rarely. When i see people flat ironing on 450 I'm thinking "that's not healthy." also " I don't like the way they comb their hair, they should comb from bottom to top" . I'm not hair conscious because I would be doing fancy styles. I suck at styles and won't do certain styles because I'm worried about tension and breakage so....

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I used to be obsessed when I first started my journey. When I realized I was worshipping my hair, I stood back and stopped. I pay it no mind and the funniest thing is, now it's growing like crazy and I'm retaining length. Don't get me wrong, I don't neglect it. I just don't worship and coddle to every strand, every minute, every hour of the day.

 

[missyrayne19]

I was similar to PinkSunshine77 in that I was obsessed in the very beginning of my journey. I mean, the idea that I could not only grow my hair to whatever length I wanted but also be chemically treated at the same time?? AND have healthy hair to boot?! You best believe I was on youtube, hair boards, and blogs 52 times a day Hair was all I talked, thought, and dreamed about for a long, long, loooong time.

That was 3 years ago. Not saying I'm not into length, because I totally am haha, but it's not the be all end all like it was. My hair will always grow. And as long as I maintain and take care of it, I will retain every inch that grows out of my head.

My regimen is fairly simple:

Pre-poo with oil
Shampoo 1x a week
DC 1x a week
Rollerset every wash day til about 8-9 weeks post; after that, heatless styles are what I do
Somewhere in there I might throw a flat iron session in but that's only 1x every 2-3 months

 

[ckisland]

I voted hair obsessed and that's totally okay!! We are on a hair forum, so no judging

I was so hair obsessed my first time around, and now I forget I have hair on my head some days . My regimen is shampoo or cowash, condition, and add gel, and that's not going to change for awhile.

I have a length obsession itch that comes and goes, and my straightening itch is popping up again. Regimen-wise, the only steps I'm adding to my regimen will be alternating DCs and HOTs. My hair doesn't need more than that, and for that I'm thankful

 

[starchgirl]

I'll say in a long term loving relationship with my hair.

When I was first transitioning, I was obsessed with finding the right product and the right technique to give me beautiful loopy curls that reached my knees! My hair relationship was passionate and tumultuous - lots of products, bandwagons and styling fails!

Now, almost six years later, my hair and I are on cruise control and - I'm happy at my current length but I'm not actively growing or cutting it, I wear buns most of the time out of ease rather than protective styling, I use direct heat sparingly and I can rock my signature braid and curl when the mood strikes.

 

[jbwphoto1]

I'm obsessed with being hair conscious as well. I like long healthy hair and for me that requires work and conscious obsession! Hahaha

Here's my "have to" OBSESSED LIST


I have to deep condition weekly at minimum. TWICE IS BETTER

I have to do a deep protein treatment every 6-8 weeks.

I have to drink my water.

I have to take my vitamins.

I have to keep away from heat.

I have to keep my ends in check.

I have to use low manipulation.

I have to use quality products.

I have to stay away from chemicals. Dyes and relaxers damage my thin hair and stunt my retention.

I have to learn all I can (ie obsess over you tube gurus and blogs and books about hair)

I have to stay away from experimenting with stylists. I stick with home care or appointments with Reniece.

I have to use quality products and stick with what works. No bandwagons.

-----I have always been "into" hair and using meticulous care and what I considered good products but before I did all of the above, my hair was short and healthy. Now it's "long" and healthy. (At least it's long to people IRL).

Before I reached APL I was obsessed. I was constantly thinking about my hair and wishing I would hurry up and get to APL. I was checking my length ALL the time.

Now that I'm not so focused on length I think I'm just hair conscious and not obsessed.

My biggest thing now is to have products with good ingredients.

I'm also trying to simplify and minimize the # of products I have and the amount of time I spend.

I voted hair obsessed and that's totally okay!! We are on a hair forum, so no judging

I was so hair obsessed my first time around, and now I forget I have hair on my head some days . My regimen is shampoo or cowash, condition, and add gel, and that's not going to change for awhile.

I have a length obsession itch that comes and goes, and my straightening itch is popping up again. Regimen-wise, the only steps I'm adding to my regimen will be alternating DCs and HOTs. My hair doesn't need more than that, and for that I'm thankful

I'll say in a long term loving relationship with my hair.

When I was first transitioning, I was obsessed with finding the right product and the right technique to give me beautiful loopy curls that reached my knees! My hair relationship was passionate and tumultuous - lots of products, bandwagons and styling fails!

Now, almost six years later, my hair and I are on cruise control and - I'm happy at my current length but I'm not actively growing or cutting it, I wear buns most of the time out of ease rather than protective styling, I use direct heat sparingly and I can rock my signature braid and curl when the mood strikes.

havilland, very nice regimen. These are all the things I should be doing.

GettingKinky, at the bolded. I'm just trying to find fewer products with fewer ingredients. I'm just not up to being a kitchen technician all the time. Sometimes I think I'll just buy some clay and some oils and call it a day. Now I'm thinking that should be a hair challenge --- How many weeks can you go with three or less hair products?

ckisland, at the bolded .

starchgirl, working on getting to the bolded part. If I keep following you ladies, I should be there soon.