Have you had success with your hair growth by just keeping it simple?

[jnicole]

I agree. When I joined LHCF almost 2 years ago I became a total PJ. I was buying every product mentioned. I did have good results with some of it, but mostly ened up with a closet full of stuff I wasn't using. Now I know which products work for me and my regimen is simple. Wash and condition weekly and moisturize daily. I do rollersets and pincurls. I've been using homemade products from some of our members and they've been working great. Realizing products that work for some won't neccessarily work for me and getting rid of the need to try every everything has been much easier on my wallet. It's all a learning process.

 

[Artemis]

My routine is very simple, but I like to collect products. Variety is the spice of life after all, but I only collect/stock up on stuff I know works with my simple routine.

 

[mahogany_horizons]

I think I have had success by keeping it simple.

Stretching relaxers 8 to 12 weeks.

VERY LITTLE DIRECT HEAT, only at relaxer time.

Wash with shampoo twice a week (I work out a lot, so my scalp sweats)

Deep condition twice a week

Moisturize and seal with oil

Protective styles/ bunning.

My hair is flourishing. While I love to try new things, I will never go too far. I have learned a lot on this board but I always had good growth/retention, so this site is the icing for me.

 

[blessedandlucky]

I just joined but I have already defined my kiss routine. I researched shampoos and conditioners, moisturizers and deep conditioning treatments and found my staples. I will use them until I am finished and assess my progress. I'm washing every 10 days or when my hair is dirty, deep conditioning every other wash, moisturizing and wrapping nightly and blow drying (otherwise no heat). I am positive this will help me meet my bsl goal. this board has a wealth of info but you gotta pick and choose!

 

[Muse]

I agree.....I just threw away a bunch of conditioner that I haven't even used.....and I'm combining more conditioner to get rid of some of it.....what a waste of money, that' why I'm trying to find a simple regimen....and deal with that, I have one more set of shampoo and conditioner and I'm done, I'm just going to watch my hair grow......I can't deal with no more products!!!

That's too funny but that's how I feel. I hate opening the closet and having products fall out, literally. I love the idea of having one shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer and sabino to seal. I did however pack up most of my products and am planning to donate them to the salvation army. You should try donating your stuff it'll make you feel better about the wasting money part

 

[fletches]

My hair seems to be growing longer & the curls are definitely more defined since I started using the moisturizing tips from this board, but as much as I try, I end up just keeping it simple. I look at all the products I have, and have no idea when to put what on, so I end up just cowashing & deep conditioning, and putting it back in a bun. But it's still growing, but then again, that could be b/c I'm pregnant so who knows.

 

[blessedandlucky]

My hair seems to be growing longer & the curls are definitely more defined since I started using the moisturizing tips from this board, but as much as I try, I end up just keeping it simple. I look at all the products I have, and have no idea when to put what on, so I end up just cowashing & deep conditioning, and putting it back in a bun. But it's still growing, but then again, that could be b/c I'm pregnant so who knows.

congrats on the new addition to your family!!

 

[1Aleeesha]

I agree that my regimen is simple. In the beginning I bought every product, tried every method because it all "sounded" good but that didn't last very long for me.

I simply wash, deep condition, moisturize, style and repeat.

 

[LushLox]

Well I think my routine is simple, but if I told my friends about what I do they'd be asking how I've got the time. All I do though, is DC twice per week (with steam) moisturise and seal. Occasionally, if I remember (or can be bothered) I'll do a pre poo with oils. Combing the hair on wash days only seems to be a really boon for me - it's helping me to retain my hair growth.

 

[empressri]

Everyone knows that I have a TON of products...but really the same regimen. Wash, detangle and deep condition, then twist. I oil my scalp during the week and use aphogee every 6-8 weeks. I may even do a bentonite every few months cause it's detoxifying but that's it. Less is more for me.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Hi Everyone. I am a new member, although I've been reading the Forum for a couple months. And I would like to say that I've learned so many things that have greatly benefited my hair and for that I say "thank you" Each and everyone of you has brought valuable information to my life.

My Hair was extremely damaged from my weekly obsessions to the Hair Salon. After a while, my stylist started taking both me and my $ for granted and got lazy and felt I needed her more than she needed me, which ultimately resulted in overprocessed extremely damaged and broken hair. Then on my Quest for HH, a friend of mine suggested that I become a DIY, which believe it or not, was scary. I have never taken care of my hair before because I had weekly trips to the Salon. So even though I've become a PJ in a short amount of time and have purchased so many products, I still feel it is cheaper and more beneficial than those weekly visits and if anyone messes up my hair it will be me and I will know exactly what I did and not rely on the moods & attitudes of someone who after years, I discovered only cared about the $ and not about my hair. I said all that to say, even though I now have an overabundance of Products and trying to nurse my hair back to health, I still try to KIS with the things I am doing. Again, thank you all. You have all been wonderful.

 

[SleekandBouncy]

2 years ago I cut my almost elbow length hair to my chin and since then it's grown to my shoulders twice and which point I cut it and did other things to it and I've maintained my haircut. It's now armpit length, it's even and thick and swing which was my goal when I first started. I've realized that simply doing nothing has worked the best. Well, I do something, but I don't do protective styling or wet buns or any of the stuff I used to.
I just relax (phyto) every few months, wash every 4 days and I try to wear my hair up when I'm not "profiling" (i.e., sitting at my desk, hanging about at home, etc.).
I don't moisturizer my hair I just keep them trimmed because I'm always trying new haircuts every few months.

 

[Vashti]

I have no choice but to keep it simple anyway. My hair hates too much manipulation. I've found what moisturizers, conditioners and hair care routines that work and I'm happy with that. It is nice to read about products that others are using and having success with though. You always learn something new and useful if you ever feel the need to tweak your own routine.

As far as hair vitamins, I've been taking vitamins on and off for years so for me that's second nature.

 

[bellesocialite]

I've noticed my hair has really taken off with the wig challenge this year. I don't do anything to my hair but wash then braid it then slap on a wig. Between washes, I only spray my braids with Wave Noveau. I really noticed a difference in my retention with my last touch-up. Keeping it simple is the way to go for me.

 

[NaturalBoss]

My routine is simple. I co-wash daily and throw it in a bun. I wouldn't even co-wash daily, but I workout and I like my hair clean. If I wasn't working out, I would probably wash my hair once a week and condition it once a week. If I had to pre-poo, DC, use all kinds of oils and growth aids in order to grow long hair, I would probably just go with a TWA. I'm lazy when it comes to my hair so I have to keep it simple.

 

[caribeandiva]

yes. i don't do well when things get complicated so i keep it as simple as possible.

 

[Anonymous1]

Yep at first i tried everything and every new product. Now i wash and condition once a week and do a protein treatment every other week. I am now BSL and my hair is getting thicker.

 

[OneYear]

I agree too, i've come to the point where i only deal with my hair once a week, im wearing braids and it's so much simpler just to leave it alone

 

[Miss AJ]

Basic training and tech school was when i had my key to long hair epiphany. All I had time to do was wash, moisturize, and bun in BMT. Once I got to tech school i had time to DC on the weekends. I went from full SL to APL in 4 months. Messed up that wonderful progress but as of now im back to that same regimen using twists as my growing out style.

 

[Curly CoCo]

Even though I just started my HHJ, in the past when I had braids and sew-ins my hair would grow very quick. This was before I knew about co-washing and moisturizing and sealing.

 

[bimtheduck]

This is the attitude I need to adopt, its just so much more effective.

 

[EccentricRed]

Co-Washing & Bunning. I don't do too much! It has benefited me GREATLY! The problems that I had prior to cutting off the relaxers and getting on LHCF was that I was doing entirely too much with my hair! Too many products & too many non-protective styles...

 

[lalla]

When I first discovered LHCF, I started doing a lot of things to my hair:
-DC twice a week
- CWs
- Protective styles...
and I started to buy a lot of products. My hair became much healthier ang grew a lot( to BSL I think).

Then I big chopped. And I started to have a simple routine ( wash, DC, moisturize, seal) and very few products: Le kair, shea butter, s curl, a few oils. I stopped doing CWs because I couldn't see any benefit. My hair grew all the same. Except when I cut it every few months, I gained length quite fast.

I spend much less money on hair now than I did before, 15 euros a month at most. I spend less time on my hair even though it is quite long . I'm less obsessed with my hair.
I have maybe 10 hair products, a lot of oils, and that's enough for me.

I have kept doing what made a difference to my hair:

• henna
• DC at least once a month
• oil rinses
• protective styles
• Scurl
• shea butter and castor oil on the ends

 

[simplyhair]

Subscribing but also want to add that I am just now finding out that hard water has been a culprit in messing up my solid hair routine.

I cannot believe all the products I have called a "miss" when it has been the hard water. I have so much mineral build up in my hair, it just sticks together like true velcro.

I feel like a victim and have been totally deceived. Well, no more! I'm taking back my hair and using the ION Clarifying Treatment suggested by my stylist. My stylist said that is the key when you have hard water. You need a treatment and the regular chelating shampoo will not do it.

I went to Sally's and they confirmed that the Clarifying Treatments are hard core. So, I equate that to protein conditioners and then there is Aphogee 2 Step...hard core, KWIM?

I will post a thread if I have any success with this treatment.

 

[AvaSpeaks]

Keeping it simple works for me. These days, more than ever. The longer it gets, the easier it's been to bring it down to the bare minimum. But keeping it simple has long been ideal for me and my hair.

It think that's the thing. So many of us are starting with shorter hair. so it does seem like we have to do so much to get our hair past that length that it always seems to break off at. Once we get our hair past that, then yes, it does becomes easier to be more simple.

I mean the things I have to do for rentention simply because I am trying to get my hair past NL/CL. It inches past it but my rentention is not matching my growth. I should BSL by now.

If I could K.I.S.S. then I would. If ANYBODY has a simple tips of getting hair past the neck/collar without all the "extra" stuff that I have to do, I would greatly appreciate it because I like the OP am getting so tired myself and ready to give up completely

 

[belldandy]

it has worked for me in the past. i was doing things i wasnt even aware of and my hair thanked me. stretching, cowashing (I didnt have a name for it, mom always did this), bunning. it was so simple and i wasnt even trying.

now i am trying and my formula is: dcing, moisture, ps, oil to ends, stretching and no heat

 

[CocoGlow]

It think that's the thing. So many of us are starting with shorter hair. so it does seem like we have to do so much to get our hair past that length that it always seems to break off at. Once we get our hair past that, then yes, it does becomes easier to be more simple.

I mean the things I have to do for rentention simply because I am trying to get my hair past NL/CL. It inches past it but my rentention is not matching my growth. I should BSL by now.

If I could K.I.S.S. then I would. If ANYBODY has a simple tips of getting hair past the neck/collar without all the "extra" stuff that I have to do, I would greatly appreciate it because I like the OP am getting so tired myself and ready to give up completely

Hey SIS...I totally feel your pain .. I too am somewhere between chin & shoulder length and I envy those who can pull their hair back into a simple bun & go about their business keeping it simple!

Sometimes twists/braids & the twist-outs/braid-outs can be too much manipulation for me ... what I've found is doing multiple rolls & buns can be another great option that you can do at this length b/c you are not trying to gather ALL of your hair into one big bun.... it keeps the hair stretched, the ends are protected, it's simple, cute, elegant and can lasts days -a week...you can also add accessories to spice it up! This sister inspired me, she has done sooo many different versions of her signature buns/rolls:

Basic French Roll version:
http://coilycrowns.wordpress.com/2010/01/17/the-split-roll/

Creative Rolls:
http://coilycrowns.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/the-roll-out/

Check out the rest of her blog for more!

 

[belldandy]

^^good post nappyrina

also for shorter hair, I am a big advocate of hiding your hair- under wigs. because i have seen my sis do it with success. taking care of your hair under it.

if you can get a gentle weaver...the right hair, this can work too. i dont have experience with it though.

+ rollersets every 2 weeks if they look nice on your shorter style...another option (this is what I did)

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

i like to say my reggie is pretty k.i.s.s. so yeah, works for me too

 

[Jewell]

I've found that my hair LOVES to be left alone, and I keep my regimen simple for schedule reasons as well as for the health of my hair.