I'm like "Help I'm new!". I have 4a/b hair. I need someone to spell out exactly what my hair regime should be to have healthy, long hair. What products they used, what combs or brushes, how often you washed your hair, what vitamins you take -- I want to learn it all, but this is a huge website to monitor. I've tried the co washes, but they dry out my hair. I have shoulder length, relaxed hair, but my ends are dry. I use Nexxus or Dudley products, but I will throw them all out if someone can recommend "the answer". Thanks in advance those who respond.
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Help from those who have been successful!!!!
- Thread starter ctmom
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dontspeakdefeat
Hair Coach
Hi Ctmom!
There is no one answer for you hair. Finding the right products and routines is trail and error. What works for one may not work so great for others. Take the conditioner washes. I absolutely swear by daily co washes but you say they dry out your hair. I feel the opposite. They leave my hair extremely moisturized, soft and manageble. That's just an example of the point I was making above.
I think it is best to keep your routine simple. You should try anything or everything because it is the newest rave on the board. Hair likes tlc and consistancy.
This is my motto: Healthy and Vibrant is the Key. Length will eventually come for me. I have decided to just let my hair "be" What I mean when I say this is, stay consistent with your hair and don't do too much stuff to it and it will respond to all the extra love it is get by retaining length.
For dry hair I do a twice weekly extra virgin olive oil(evoo) pre shampoo treatment(Thanks Boadecia). This works wonders for dryness. If you have dry ends you need to find something to use on them daily. Remember oil is not a moisturizer, it is used to seal in moisture. For my ends I use s-curl, TIGI ego boost and coconut oil.
I don't think you have to throw out your products you just need to find out exactly what to do with them.
I would suggest that anyone wash their hair at least once a week and do a deep conditioner. You have to condition to combat whatever styling stress you have put upon you hair for the week.
I think it is key to minimize heat. I usually only use heat when I want to see the length of my hair. Otherwise I use airdrying methods to dry and style my hair. If you can do this you will start to notice the length accumulating.
Wearing protective styles is also key. You don't have to wear your hair up everyday of the week but protecting the ends the majority of the time will help in length accumulation.
I feel that stretching relaxers to avoid overlapping and overprocessing of the already relaxed hair helps to keep your hair in optimal shaping so it won't break.
There is so much I could tell you but I would like to know a little about your routine so I can help you fill in the spaces or answer any questions you may have.
You can check out my progress and routines in my album. Hopefully some of this will help!
There is no one answer for you hair. Finding the right products and routines is trail and error. What works for one may not work so great for others. Take the conditioner washes. I absolutely swear by daily co washes but you say they dry out your hair. I feel the opposite. They leave my hair extremely moisturized, soft and manageble. That's just an example of the point I was making above.
I think it is best to keep your routine simple. You should try anything or everything because it is the newest rave on the board. Hair likes tlc and consistancy.
This is my motto: Healthy and Vibrant is the Key. Length will eventually come for me. I have decided to just let my hair "be" What I mean when I say this is, stay consistent with your hair and don't do too much stuff to it and it will respond to all the extra love it is get by retaining length.
For dry hair I do a twice weekly extra virgin olive oil(evoo) pre shampoo treatment(Thanks Boadecia). This works wonders for dryness. If you have dry ends you need to find something to use on them daily. Remember oil is not a moisturizer, it is used to seal in moisture. For my ends I use s-curl, TIGI ego boost and coconut oil.
I don't think you have to throw out your products you just need to find out exactly what to do with them.
I would suggest that anyone wash their hair at least once a week and do a deep conditioner. You have to condition to combat whatever styling stress you have put upon you hair for the week.
I think it is key to minimize heat. I usually only use heat when I want to see the length of my hair. Otherwise I use airdrying methods to dry and style my hair. If you can do this you will start to notice the length accumulating.
Wearing protective styles is also key. You don't have to wear your hair up everyday of the week but protecting the ends the majority of the time will help in length accumulation.
I feel that stretching relaxers to avoid overlapping and overprocessing of the already relaxed hair helps to keep your hair in optimal shaping so it won't break.
There is so much I could tell you but I would like to know a little about your routine so I can help you fill in the spaces or answer any questions you may have.
You can check out my progress and routines in my album. Hopefully some of this will help!
Nonie
Well-Known Member
Your question isn't an easy one to answer because what works for one person may not work for the next. Please don't think I'm passing the buck when I say what I'm about to say, but that's what I did and I believe it helped make this forum all the more useful and easier to navigate.
My suggestion is that you go to the homepage of this forum and check out the books list there, then buy or borrow one of them from the library. The books will give you the basics in haircare so that you are a little bit equipped in the knowledge of what hair needs to be at its very best. With that knowledge, you will then find the forum so much more useful coz you will know what questions you still have and so what to "zoom in" on. Also you can be more precise in seeking the products appropriate for your hair, because you will be able to understand it better. Am I making sense?
A wonderful site that gives a great braid regiment is www.growafrohairlong.com Although Robin (the owner) has relaxed hair, there's a member of this forum Den1 who had natural hair and grew it to about waist-length when stretched using that regimen. (She was the Feature of the Month not too long ago, so you can check out her regimen on the homepage.)
But I really recommend you get one of those books, coz following a regimen without understanding why isn't very wise coz you won't know when sth isn't working for you and a change is due.
In case you're interested in knowing which book *I* read in the beginning, it was Cathy Howse's book. Many pple are put off by her attitude which can seem know-it-all-ish (new word
)and all the information she gives is well-covered throughout this forum. But Cathy's book summarizes the main points in an orderly fashion (if you ignore the typos) so that it's easy to follow and absorb. I haven't read any of the other books listed but I have heard rave reviews about them, so really any of those is worth a read.
HTH
[ETA: DSD
We were typing at the same time and we ramble the same; only your info was better.
]
My suggestion is that you go to the homepage of this forum and check out the books list there, then buy or borrow one of them from the library. The books will give you the basics in haircare so that you are a little bit equipped in the knowledge of what hair needs to be at its very best. With that knowledge, you will then find the forum so much more useful coz you will know what questions you still have and so what to "zoom in" on. Also you can be more precise in seeking the products appropriate for your hair, because you will be able to understand it better. Am I making sense?
A wonderful site that gives a great braid regiment is www.growafrohairlong.com Although Robin (the owner) has relaxed hair, there's a member of this forum Den1 who had natural hair and grew it to about waist-length when stretched using that regimen. (She was the Feature of the Month not too long ago, so you can check out her regimen on the homepage.)
But I really recommend you get one of those books, coz following a regimen without understanding why isn't very wise coz you won't know when sth isn't working for you and a change is due.
In case you're interested in knowing which book *I* read in the beginning, it was Cathy Howse's book. Many pple are put off by her attitude which can seem know-it-all-ish (new word
HTH
[ETA: DSD
dontspeakdefeat
Hair Coach
Nonie! Would have never thought to recommend a book. That was good!
