How Do You Enjoy The Fruits of Your Labor & Keep Your Hair Healthy?

[kblc06]

Preferably at the same time . It always seems that when I get to a point I feel comfortable with my hair's progress and want to wear it in a wash n go or a weekly rollerset, I get split ends much more frequently which leads to a minor setback. For those of you who want to enjoy wearing your hair down, how do you keep it healthy (ESPECIALLY if you have fine hair). Do you just not worry as much about split ends, SSK, etc?

 

[Black Ambrosia]

bumping for responses

 

[xcuzememiss]

Making sure when you trim your ends you use a pair of really sharp shears. For hair use only and making sure the ends are moisturized and oiled. It has worked for me lately

 

[Bun Mistress]

That is a good question. I PS about 90% of the time even when I straighten b/c I'm afraid of loosing grow. (everytime I see a broken hair I die a little inside) But then I think back to every person I know (white black otherwise) with really healthy long hair has to do the same thing much of the time, too. Even the girls that you think have it so good b/c they have this long thick hair and wear it down and blow dry all the time have split/damange ends that have to be cut regularly.

So to make a long story short does it just come with the trade? I think so. I used to wear my hair out everyday (I was sl) and rollerset twice a week. Did I see growth no, but I wasn't trying to grow out my hair. Now I am so thanks to LHCF I learned what was ok then isn't going to cut it now that I want longer hair.

 

[ceebee3]

I usually protective style 2-3 days a week and I wear my hair out for the rest of the week.

I didn't protective style for 3 months and I still maintained all of my growth. I don't really use heat and I deep condition and rollerset weekly.

Edit: I don't worry about split ends, I trim every 6 months and I haven't had any problems. I dust occasionally.

 

[foxieroxienyc]

Well I have fine hair and I also wear my hair out almost everyday. When I first started my hair journey I spent a lot of time ps-ing however I really hated it. I feel more feminine with my hair blowing in the wind. Plus I was really inspired by hair goddesses like Sylver2 and for me Cathy Howse who both said they don't do protective styling, yet their hair is WL and gorgeous.

My formula has been just keeping it very simple. I like to wear my hair 2 ways, long and straight lol. I dc 2x a week. I use heat 1-2x a week (lately it's only been 1), but the dc's have really helped to keep my hair moisturized. On the other days that I don't straighten, I'm rocking braidouts. I use protein regularly to maintain my hair's structure - this has helped tremendously. I normally do a hardcore protein treatment 1x/mon, but lately I've been mega tekking so my hair is getting protein more often (I upped my moisture too). The other thing has been finding the products that work for me. Thats's key. Also, I now trim only 2x a year and splits are never a problem.

I decided early on that I'm going to do this my way. And so far after almost 2 yrs and a few learning curves, I've got this.

 

[AnitaTheLengths]

Bumpity Bump! More responses please! I'm texlaxing today and leaving my lace front off and wearing my own hair out for the first time in over a year+ to work. I had severely damaged, eaten up hair! I lived for flat irons and would flat iron 3x a day without heat protectant. I've learned what my hair likes and dislikes, but after I texlax and attempt to wear my hair down this week, I PRAY that I don't fall back into my old ways.

 

[shunemite]

I had severely damaged, eaten up hair! I lived for flat irons and would flat iron 3x a day without heat protectant. I've learned what my hair likes and dislikes, but after I texlax and attempt to wear my hair down this week, I PRAY that I don't fall back into my old ways.

Sweetheart I did that with curling irons in high school early college I went from neck length hair to a Halle Berry cut in months! (Memories)

To the OP, you may not have split ends, just fine hair that looks see through at the ends.

I have fine 4b hair, and I'm learning (learning) to love it. I listen to it, is what I do. I realized that since it's so thin, I don't have to blow dry coz it dries so fast. So I gave away my blow driers (yes, plural, I had 3, PJ). I wrap it after I wash and DC and sit under the soft hooded drier on cool/ low. I do flat iron once a week, but on a low temp. During the week I wear it down in a neck length bob styled with caruso rollers covered with end papers (very important). Styled with my shower comb, not a fine tooth. Cathy Howe taught me that I don't need protein every week. I use my Keracare humecto for DC every week, and then once a month is when I do protein. She also taught me not to trim as often. This year I've only trimmed twice. If I comb and I see snapping or stray hairs, my z pattern new growth is coming in and it doesn't like it. Right now I'm experimenting with Wave Nouveau on the roots only, and it actually helps.

As for the appearance of the ends, if you have fine hair, your ends may just appear split coz you have skinny hair. That part, I learned from Nick on TLC's "What not to wear" is solved by having a hair cut/ style where most of the hair is almost at the same level. Makes sense, but I'm not cutting my hair. So what really helps me is doing a rinse that's one shade darker than my hair. I currently have a dark wine rinse by beautiful collections and my ends appear fatter/ fuller and I always wear them bent under.

P.S. Have you subscribed to the "Fine haired ladies" thread? I learned so much from it. http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=138027

 

[prospurr4]

I refuse to NOT enjoy my hair. I wear it in protective styles half the time, and down the other half....depending on my mood and/or choice of clothing.

To maintain healthy hair, I keep my ends moisturized, manipulation low, protect my ends from rough clothing and avoid direct heat. In this way, I am able to retain length, while still enjoying my hair.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I wear my hair in protective air-dry styles (but make them cute) about 40% of the time and straightened about 60% of the time, lately thats been upped to about 50/50. I keep it moisturized, make alot of my DC's in my kitchen however I lovelovelove lekair cholesterol and aveda DC's

But I have to tweak my trimming, i think I may trim 2-3 times a year hopefully I can keep it to two and then down to one, I have to get back on top of my ends.....I'm due for a trim

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Making sure when you trim your ends you use a pair of really sharp shears. For hair use only and making sure the ends are moisturized and oiled. It has worked for me lately

Are you one of those people that can do their own trims?

You're really talented, I have yet to master that......as soon as I can do that myself I won't need to pop by once a yr for a trim anymore....that'll be a good look.

But the thing is i love my layers....so idk how I could do that myself and make it come out nice and consistent:scratchch