How Did You Create Your Hair Regimen?

[tinkat]

When I first got here, I was relaxed so I modified my regimen after recieving tips from the board...When I became natural, I kept some of the same practices but modified it bc I am now dealing with a new texture.

 

[PureSilver]

I got tips from hair care sites including lhcf. Everyone's hair will respond differently to products and treatment so it was a matter of much trial and error to come up with what i currently do. Right now i'm tweaking it a bit each time for the perfect regime for my nappy hair.

 

[sareca]

I didn't have a reggie at all when I first came here. I didn't even have a regular wash schedule. All I had was hair myths and folklore which definitely was NOT working for me. I built my reggie from scratch based on what I learned here. Basically I went from bandwagon to bandwagon until I found what worked. :creatures

 

[imstush]

Prior to LHCF my regimen - In 2000 I stopped relaxing my hair and just did wng and double strands, and just left my hair alone. I would wash and dc once a week. Then in 03 I relaxed, hated it and decided to transition (didn't know that term) again. I was also a gym junkie, so my trainer put me on a high protein diet. Until now I didn't realize how much that had thicken up my hair. Fast forward to 05 - Princess4Real suggested the forum and also told me about MTG. The next day I went online and signed up for both

Fast forward to now - I am back to just using natural products + ayurveda hair products. I still do not use direct heat. But I am still learning and revising a regimen.

 

[Isis]

I learned everything from online articles and websites on haircare because I had no regimen at all when I first came here. I found Babygurl's album quite early on in my journey and I patterned my regimen off hers because it was so simple and because she is the same hair type as I am. I used products recommended by growafrohairlong.com like CON poo and conditioner.I picked up other products along the way from LHCF and I found out what worked for me fairly early in my journey and I stuck to it. I tweak it a little bit every now and then but nothing major. Oh yeah, I visualize my hair at MBL every night before going to sleep. It's a habit now. It's like my lullaby

A very good technique to add!

 

[sweetcashew]

I created my current regimen long before finding the hair boards. I'd dyed my hair with a permanent dye and it was breaking really badly.

I started washing it more often, Using a Reconstructor once every 2 weeks, and following up my weekly protein deep conditioners with a moisturizing conditioner because it made my hair feel good. I really didn't know I was doing it all the right way. I just know that what I was doing worked for me so I kept doing it and I haven't changed it yet.

 

[sweetcashew]

Oh, and I realize now that I used LOA a lot to grow my hair. I always used to say when I touched my hair "Grow long and strong" And it did.
That's all!

I thought I was the only one that talked to their hair. I would talk to my hair and tell it how great it was doing and how good it looked. I'd tell it to keep up the good work and I'll reward it by pampering it. My family thought I was nuts but it got me through those long hair washing days.

 

[Spongie Bloom]

with my hair i was basically thrown into the deep end after having a twa for yrs in high school i decided to grow my hair and my sister did everything..i mean everything to my hair when she left for university i just could not manage and ended up cutting my hair to 3 inches of new growth in december 2005 and i joined this forum in november of 2007 and everything in my regimen i learned from you guys still learning

 

[LynnieB]

hey isis - i created my regimen on the fly based on particular issues i felt my hair was having at the time. Lots of trial and erroring.

if i had dryness, i'd find a product or technique for that, wirey coarse hair - something for that and so on and so forth.

pretty soon all the problems i had were no longer a problem and i had a product base (and a back-up or 2) that consistently works and i guess that's really what a regimen is all about.

i'm all up for trying a new product here and there. sometimes i'll take a product/technique idea (vo5, twistouts, cowashing, lo-poo etc.) from here or nappturality to test drive but i always have my base to fall back on.

 

[apemay1969]

Dang, I can't wait for the geek squad to get my computer back so that I can upload pictures.

Anywho, I didn't have a clue what to do with my hair. I had cut my 4 year old locs in 2005 and I had a Luda fro for two years until October 20th when i put in the first relaxer in 7 years.

Now I'm prepping for a relaxer this weekend because my hair is hard to comb through. This forum taught me about protein/dc balance - thank you sistaslick (spelling?). Our printer won't work on my husband's vista filled computer so I print threads EVERY DAY at work and read in the car on the way home. My husband just shakes his head just like I did when he ordered his Bose home theatre last week. Can you spell 'Impulse'?

Anyway, I'm working on a regimen and I'm overwhelmed with info. I think it's like when I got my locs. I inhaled information in the beginning and the reality was that I need to not rush the process, listen to folks, be very very gentle and breathe.

What I used to do is wash weekly with Pantene R & N shampoo and conditioner, put on their wrap spray, blow out, wrap and curl in the morning until I got bored and then I would put on a halfwig or phony pony.

I'm going to start deep conditioning with ORS replenishing pak (citrus, yum) twice a week after this relaxer. Pre poo - hot six, find a shampoo with no sulfates - where I don't know, probably do a search - dc, moisturize with elasta qp - which has protein, don't know if that's good or not, and then seal with Hollywood tea tree. I will begin to reach for products outside of my neighborhood Walgreens and bss once I get the urge. I'm feeling it for the amla oil - I just hate paying for shipping but I use enough gas searching for stuff so whatever. Oh yeah, I'm using MN mixed with castor oil and elasta qp, maybe I'll get some essential oils soon.

This is a journal entry not a thread entry. How rude

 

[Isis]

When I came here, I had a regimen close to Wanakee's guide that I got from other hair boards before this one.

I have had to change my regimen a little every now and then due to different needs as the hair grew. Now I'm almost at my goal, so I think this regimen will stay

The changes I have made are all towards a simpler routine: no combing/brushing, no shampoo, no complicated hair styles (a boring pony tail every day ) etc.

I have added Avocado butter.

Oh, and I realize now that I used LOA a lot to grow my hair. I always used to say when I touched my hair "Grow long and strong" And it did.
That's all!

I thought I was the only one that talked to their hair. I would talk to my hair and tell it how great it was doing and how good it looked. I'd tell it to keep up the good work and I'll reward it by pampering it. My family thought I was nuts but it got me through those long hair washing days.

Yes! Now how could I forget to mention this!
I always talk to my hair (my body too) and it certainly does work.

 

[foxieroxienyc]

What does LOA stand for?

 

[Isis]

What does LOA stand for?

It stands for the Law of Attraction. It's a universal law (meaning it applies to everyone regardless of belief systems) that simply states we attract into our lives whatever we focus on--the positive as well as negative.

 

[sonce]

Did you create yours from scratch? Did you come to LHCF already having a good regimen? Do you have one yet?

I created mine from scratch and it was through trial and error. I listen to my hair. If a method/product makes it feel like straw, then I stop. If a method/product makes it feel great, then I keep it. Through that process, I found that co-washing is great and deep conditioning is better, box braids are great but twists are good only in the short run (lead to breakage over time), brushes are great only when they don't have the little balls at the ends, shea butter is great but cocoa butter is bad news, coconut oil is wonderful but palm kernel oil is crap etc. I had infinite patience when learning how to care for my hair and I am reaping the rewards now because I have a great regimen that I put together over time.

 

[LongHairDreams]

I can't vote in this pole because how I got my hair regimen isn't listed. I got mine by reading what the ladies do on the hair sites like this one. Thanks ladies.

I co-wash 2x week and shampoo 1x month. This is way better then what I was doing....washing every 2 -3 weeks and not really using conditioner.

 

[Creatividual]

I created a healthy hair regimen before I found LHCF. I had an aunt who is a relaxed hair health guru and read Cathy Howse's book and her website and built a regimen based off of her teachings and my aunt's. When I came here, is when I found ways to IMPROVE my regimen and I couldn't be happier.

 

[TrendySocialite]

I have no problem admitting to the CASE method (copy and steal everything) LOL

I knew quite a bit about hair care and could often help other achieve their hair goals but very quickly began slacking on my own haircare.

After getting out of braids at the end of November, I decided I wanted to play with my own hair for a while. I must admit that I'm pleased. Especially since I've rediscovered my love and care for my own hair. Even when my stylist does it now, I feel better and feel like I'm doing something for my own hair. Luckily I have a very supportive stylist who will pretty much do anything I ask. This makes asking things of him (such as no direct heat) a lot easier.

Now I'm going through the products to see which ones will work between salon visits.

 

[Sunshine0801]

Before coming to LHCF, I did not have a set regime. I was introduced to a particular hair board (not this one) about four years ago right before I went natural. I used it mainly for style and product tips/advice, but not much more. Since I began coming to LHCF, I have been able to acquire lots of valuable advice on a large range of hair issues, and now have a set regime that is causing my hair to thrive and remain very, very soft.

Of course, there are still products/routines that I would like to try to further improve the condition of my hair (i.e. ayurvedic products, henna, and avocado butter), but what I am doing now is working great. Now, I DC regularly (even when in protective styles), pay attention to my ends (moisturizing and sealing daily), and wear my hair up with my ends tucked and hidden. I didn't do any of these things before coming to LHCF, nor did I have a consistent regime.

 

[MizAvalon]

Mostly just from trial and error over the years. I picked up some things from the board like CW and rollersetting though.

 

[FineChyna]

a lot of trial and error.

i think i am the poster girl for having the tools but being unsure how to use them for the longest time and no $$ to utilize the info

in college i was bored and looking online for answers as to why my hair was soooooooo messed up

after that i was reading the board and trying to try every new product i could without really realizing what i needed and always with a very limited broke college student's budget

the ONLY things i did correctly when i first joined was find a great shampoo/conditioner(joico k-pak) and take HSN vitamins and find a good conditioner (healthy hair butter).

my hair started becoming healthy so i started transitioning-i basically kept my hair shoulder length and then tried to doing wash n goes and braid outs which all looked stupid no matter what product i used

anyway i think the past few months i really woke up and finally absorbed all the info here and finally got my hair together and it is rewarding me

 

[Monigirl]

I learned how to develope a regimen by lurking Sistaslick's Fotki page and asking her hundreds of questions. Back in 2005. Sorry Sistaslick.

 

[luvmesumhair]

This is a very good thread!!!

 

[discobiscuits]

Trial & Error!
​

 

[Channie]

I was a salon every 2 weeks victim all through high school. Then going away to college, I was apprehensive about finding a new stylist. So I started doing my own hair. My regimen was basic Shampoo, Conditioner, Moisturizer. My products changed as my budget did and I was very impatient with them, expecting instant results. I didn't learn a full-out regimen until I stumbled on here and got ahold to SistaSlick's AP Articles. I was hooked ever since.

 

[Isis]

This is a very good thread!!!

Thank you!

 

[gymfreak336]

I started reading the basic hair care principles here and used them to develop my regime. I still was having issues though so that is when I started digging deeper and learning to listen with a more open mind and be more mindful of what I was doing.

My regime is designed to deal with my major concerns as a high density fine haired relaxed lady. My goal with my regime is to prevent major meltdowns while still being simple and easy.

 

[JustKiya]

So how did you create your hair regimen? Are you still learning how to create one?

Trial and error, definitely. And a LOT of reading/listening. A LOT.... and I don't really see that ever changing, unless I stop experimenting with new products - and that would mean that I stopped reading about hair, and that would mean that I wasn't haircrazy anymore, and well....... at the point that happens, I don't think I would care if I had a reggie or not.

I came to LHCF with a few ideas already from another online hairboard, and what I've learned here (and other places around the web) has definitely shaped my regimen - the only thing truely unique about it is the combination of things and my hair.

 

[charmtreese]

My regimen and products were born out of trial and error! It took be about 2 years to come up with a regimen and to find products that work!!

 

[Ballerina_Bun]

I started with Carolyn Gray before I found out about LHCF. I used that faithfully up until 7 months before finding out about LHCF. I've experimented a lot since then.

Now, I pretty much have a regimen that works and that I am happy with, though it changes when my hair needs change. I also have a winter regimen and a summer regimen. My hair reacts differently during these 2 seasons, so I just work with it I am always looking to simplify it and enjoy it more.

 

[JerriBlank]

Definitely Trial and Error
And also going back to what used to work for a specific problem,when that problem re occurs/comes back,so i don't end up working against myself.
I try to keep what i was doing that was Good before the board/books.