How Do You Plan Your Weekly Regimens?

[IDareT'sHair]

Hey Ladies:

Got Curious one day about "How" You Plan Your Regimen and thought I would Ask the Beautiful Ladies of LHCF.

You Lovely Ladies are such a Wealth of Information and you may help somebody along the way.

Please feel free to share.

What you do to keep your Regimen going and Hair Flowing?

 

[Prettymetty]

I schedule my wash days (Sundays) and I usually alternate between moisture and protein conditioners. This is a moisture week so Sunday I am using Kerastase Nutri Thermique as my dc.

As long as my schedule permits this is my normal wash day. My regimen gets easier when my hair is straight, because I just cross wrap at night (blowouts lasts 2-3 weeks).

 

[ResultsMayVary]

ETA: After years of struggling I had the Komaza hair analysis done and was able to get to the root of my issues and eliminate guesswork.

I now have a set schedule for protein and DC, but my overall goal has been to get a hair regimen that followed my lifestyle and usually this means everything else depends on my workout schedule..

If I plan to workout all week I know that means water rinsing every 2-3 days and I should wear styles that do not need a lot of product or manipulation. I'll only use a leave in and grease for sealing and my hair in a high pony/updo that week.

If I have a few days before my next workout, I will wear my hair straight/flexirod sets/curlformers (usually curlformers because they can easily transition to an updo if I decide to workout).

But in terms of a regimen set in stone..
(Sun/Monday) always shampoo/wash days
Protein treatments always bi-weekly
A DC is always once a month

 

[movingforward]

I don't have a set plan. When I'm not PSing; I use a light protein and DC on a wekkly basis.

 

[caliscurls]

Voted: How Your Hair Looks/Feels and then Build Regimen

However, my hair journey has evolved to allow this. In the beginning I grabbed whatever (didn't know better), then moved on to what I heard was working for others, and when that proved to be unsuccessful I started seriously journaling.

It was through journaling that I really started to learn my hair, understand its characteristics, needs, and what really worked in the long term vs what appeared to work initially.

Now, roughly 2 years after I began seriously journaling I don't do it as much. I make notes every one or two months but mostly just keep track of length progression.

My hair routine is one that I've developed over time, learning enough to finally assess by look and feel what it needs and go from there on a daily basis as well as wash day. That said, the routine is pretty much consistent because I know, for example, if I don't deep condition my ends at minimum every 2 weeks retention will suffer in the long run.

It's worth noting, while fairly consistent with products and techniques, I do allow myself to try new products every now and then or new approaches. It's just easier for me to pick out what's likely to work now and detect sooner if it's not.

I've also evolved from having a seriously complicated routine to keeping it extremely simple. Too much of a strict routine and things I had to do at one point became burdensome.

For anyone starting off I would highly recommend journaling if you're finding yourself struggling. Consider your hair somewhat of a "project" or "study" for a while and make detailed notes on what works and what doesn't. It will pay off.

Great thread!

HHJ!

 

[PJaye]

I would say that I'm flexibly methodical. Ever since the beginning of my HHJ, my sole plan of attack has been to categorize my hair's attributes, needs and preferences in addition to all of its current pressing issues, e.g., dryness. This, coupled with lots of research, has enabled me to build and maintain a solid, effective regimen. And, although I will adhere to a set schedule (weekly cleansing and conditioning, layering via LCO, etc.), I always leave enough room in my routine to: (1) try new products and techniques; (2) address unexpected issues; (3) mitigate any adverse effects caused by ineffective products; and (4) deal with plateaus and stalemates.

 

[trclemons]

I am very methodical with my regimen and product rotations (see below).

REGIMEN

Nightly = LCO and use butter/pomade on ends, baggy & massage scalp. NOTE: A protein spritz is used for the "L" on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays and moisture spritz is used on the other days.

Tuesdays = Wet plaits & pre-poo with cowash conditioner under heat cap for 30 minutes; wash scalp & plaits and rinse out cowash conditioner; add in moisturizing conditioner and rinse out 80% of it with cold water; dry in turbie 30 minutes & air dry until 30 minutes before bedtime; LCO and use butter/pomade on ends, baggy & massage scalp.

Biweekly CoWash Saturdays = On Friday night, take plaits out; spritz hair with AVJ/water/Infusium 23/ginger oil mix & re-plait; baggy overnight. On Saturday morning, take out plaits & apply DC relaxer style & sit under heat cap for 1 hour; rinse out DC; cowash scalp & hair; add in moisturizing conditioner and rinse out 80% of it with cold water; dry in turbie 30 minutes & air dry 1 hour; LCO and use butter/pomade on ends, plait hair & let it air dry; at bedtime, spritz (if hair has dried), baggy and massage scalp.

Biweekly Shampoo Saturdays = On Friday night, take plaits out; spritz hair with AVJ/water/Infusium 23/ginger oil mix, apply oil & re-plait; baggy overnight. On Saturday morning, take out plaits & apply DC relaxer style & sit under heat cap for 1 hour; shampoo scalp & cowash hair; apply reconstructor & shave; add ACV rinse & moisturizing conditioner and take shower; rinse out 80% of the ACV/moisturizing conditioner combo with cold water; dry in turbie 30 minutes & air dry 1 hour; LCO and use butter/pomade on ends, plait hair & let it air dry; at bedtime, spritz (if hair has dried), baggy and massage scalp.


PRODUCT ROTATION SCHEDULE

Biweekly = CoWash Conditioners, DCs, Leave- Ins, Moisture & Protein Spritz, Oils, Pomades/Butters

Monthly = Moisture Conditioners, Reconstructors, Shampoos

Miscellaneous = Use 8 ounces of one brand of ACV Mix until it is gone.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

These Are Some Really Great, Insightful Posts Ladies!

Please keep them coming!

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I've learned a lot about the 'importance' of planning out an effective regimen and knowledge about products synergies.

We've been reading a lot of posts of folks asking for 'help' because either their Regimens consisted of mostly all Proteins or all Moisture related products.

My Wash Days are Tuesdays/Saturdays and I will usually write out a 'tenative' Regimen (while at work) of what I plan to use and what I used last wash day.

Daily, I usually go by 'how my hair feels' and make adjustments for that with the appropriate products and/or techniques.

I think there is some real merit in Building an effective Regimen, making a Plan and working the Plan and making necessary alterations.

 

[Ajna]

A few years ago I was on a strict regimen, then I became a product junkie, developed an overly complicated regimen, of course it did not take long to loose track of the regimen. As life happened I just did stuff. At the beginning of 2015 I started my regimen, initially it was a strict schedule. Now I try and keep it as simple and flexible as possible. Some things remain true like I typically need henna treatment every four to six weeks, or my hair needs to be saturated in water every three to four days and when I do it regardless of if I co-wash or not I add oil then rinse. Other things like do I need water, a co-wash, clay, DC or a prepoo all are determined by the state of my hair. I think reducing the amount of product I keep in my hair makes it easy for me to figure out what is going on.

 

[toaster]

I voted "keep it all in your head" but I sometimes remember to write it down in my planner. I wash my hair weekly and alternate shampoo and cowash weeks. Once a month, one of the cowash weeks is a protein cowash. Nightly I moisturize and seal and I always wear my bonnet. I use the same products because I run through products so quickly, I just repurchase what I like and what fits into my budget.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

@toaster

Nice Post!

 

[Aggie]

What Determines Your Regimen?

1. Very Methodical/Keep a Hair Diary or Journal
2. Schedule Protein or Moisture and work your Regimen
3. How Your Hair Looks/Feels and then Build Regime

The above are what I voted for. The first one journaling is not a broad thing for me. It is highly specific. For example, how I texlax my hair was recorded with various ways I've tweaked it until it became absolutely perfect for my hair. I have written down every result I've experienced just in case I want to go back and repeat something.

I schedule my protein and moisture treatments when I am not wigging it or protective styling my hair and they often are done on the same day. Hard core proteins are done every 6-8 weeks depending on how my available time. While wigging it however, I tend to cowash, water rinse every couple of days and use a spray on moisturizer/leave-in conditioner until wash day.

I also use number 3 when needed. I never have very mushy hair or dry, damaged hair anymore since I've learned to tweak my regimen based on my hairs' needs. I pretty much know when it needs what now but it has not always been that way. Thanks to lhcf, I have learned so much about my hair and how to take care of it.

My hair does not like to be touched too often so I protective style 3-4 weeks at a time, let it down, deep treat and color and back up she goes after about 7-10 days. My hair grows a lot better when I leave it alone most of the time.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

You ladies ALL GOT IT Goin' ON!!!!

If I was a "Newbie" or Struggling through my Hair Days, I'd be all up in here

This is a wealth of Knowledge and reading all of the responses have been extremely Helpful and Educational.

This is a thread like the 'old days' when folks shared Volumes of Helpful, Well thought out, Strategic Information.

Thanks Ladies!