I had a revelation

[Tamrin]

After being here and learning so much about hair. I realized all the bandwagons, all the product buying is making good hair care more complicated than it needs to be. The ladies with the healthiest and longest hair are the ones who do the least to their hair. Great hair comes from protecting it, moisturizing it, one good moisturizing conditioner and a leave in and avoiding heat and harsh chemicals.

I have spent the last 2 years buying products spending excessive amount on products. From Cheapie suave to Aveda to Ovation and Mega tek, oils and powders. Why all of that? When all you need is a few basic things. The money I have spent on products I can easily support a family of four in a developing country.

So my revelation is. I'm not buying anything else for the coming year until I have used all my stash. When I'm done I will be keeping just a few products. I realize the less I do to my hair the happier it is. With all that said. I'm now past APL the longest my hair has ever been all my life. I look forward to BSL by doing it the simple way.

 

[msa]

Great!

I'm all about keeping it super simple so I understand where you're coming from. I'm glad you found things that work for you.

 

[soulie]

Simplicity is great when it is working for you. The trick is finding WHICH of the myriad of products available are your magic few! Unfortunately that can require trial and error and money. But once you find them, isn't it wonderful?

 

[locabouthair]

I agree.

My hair grew the best when I wore braids and just used a braid spray to keep it moist.

 

[Tamrin]

MSA and Soulie you are both right. Simplicity is key.

 

[*Michelle*]

Congrats on your new length!!

I absolutely believe in KISS! Once you find your staples, it is the way to go!!

 

[lonelysky]

This is a great post. I think that it can be so easy to get caught up in all of the 'miracle products' and in regimens and stuff that we forget to keep it simple.

The best advice is to not go in debt over your hair. I don't think that there is much worse than having a bangin' head of hair, and no food on the table.

 

[I AM...]

Hi Tamrin!!!

I'm uber new to the site and I have noticed that those who have a significant amount of length have a more simplistic regi. I must say that where I am coming from in my just getting started state I consider this trial and error a pleasure. I have spent a couple of dollars for a standing hair dryer, a hair steamer, hair products and essential oils that cost me money even today. I have to say I proudly spend this money because I am doing my hair for myself for the first time in my entire lifeI have to be honest I believe my purchases have been well researched and my hair looks great.....IMHO. My results are magnificient and I'm effecting my squad positively. Each one, teach one....\

I am not disagreeing with your revelation but I agree that I'll simplify my regi as I whiddle away at the things that do not work for me.

Til then I'm enjoying my becoming

 

[PearlyCurly]

KISS is best

Im still trying to find products that work for my hair but i've put myself on budgets and goals! I've even thought about buying growth aids but you know my hair will grow no matter what, i have gotten growth w/o growth aids that ppl get WITH growth aids!

I make list of what i do & do not have.

And when i finally get to bun, i will probably be using less then half the stuff i use now.

No more deep conditioners/rinse out conditioners/leave-in conditioners until i finish the ones i have up. Im even trying to mix up different conditioners!

I cant but any rollers(i like to rollerset) until i have atleast 8in of hair.

I cant but any heat appliances until next year(thats when i will be using heat).

Im not going to be buying anymore non natural stuff either!

 

[Tamrin]

B like some of the ladies said. Trial and error is a part of it. Unfortunately we have allowed others to take care of our hair, to the point where we have to learn something we should know how to do in the first place. As time passes it will become simple. Until then.. Welcome to LHCF and Enjoy your journey.

Hi Tamrin!!!

I'm uber new to the site and I have noticed that those who have a significant amount of length have a more simplistic regi. I must say that where I am coming from in my just getting started state I consider this trial and error a pleasure. I have spent a couple of dollars for a standing hair dryer, a hair steamer, hair products and essential oils that cost me money even today. I have to say I proudly spend this money because I am doing my hair for myself for the first time in my entire lifeI have to be honest I believe my purchases have been well researched and my hair looks great.....IMHO. My results are magnificient and I'm effecting my squad positively. Each one, teach one....\

I am not disagreeing with your revelation but I agree that I'll simplify my regi as I whiddle away at the things that do not work for me.

Til then I'm enjoying my becoming

 

[LushLox]

Yes, simplicity and consistency is all you need. It's very easy to get carried away on here. It's no wonder some people tend to take breaks from the forum.

 

[msa]

Hi Tamrin!!!

I'm uber new to the site and I have noticed that those who have a significant amount of length have a more simplistic regi. I must say that where I am coming from in my just getting started state I consider this trial and error a pleasure. I have spent a couple of dollars for a standing hair dryer, a hair steamer, hair products and essential oils that cost me money even today. I have to say I proudly spend this money because I am doing my hair for myself for the first time in my entire lifeI have to be honest I believe my purchases have been well researched and my hair looks great.....IMHO. My results are magnificient and I'm effecting my squad positively. Each one, teach one....\

I am not disagreeing with your revelation but I agree that I'll simplify my regi as I whiddle away at the things that do not work for me.

Til then I'm enjoying my becoming

Welcome!

I'm just over here dying over your screen name.

Lawd I hope you come over to Off Topic and stay awhile.

 

[msa]

Just a suggestion. If you want to learn how to keep it simple...learn about ingredients. Once you figure out what ingredients do and how they interact with your hair, it's easier to avoid buying stuff you don't need because you already know it won't work for you.

 

[Tamrin]

I wanted to add.. your hair is

Congrats on your new length!!

I absolutely believe in KISS! Once you find your staples, it is the way to go!!

 

[Denise11]

Great thread!

I've purchased sooo much stuff since I came here October of '08. I just gave everything away, except for the few products that works for me. I was feeling kind of stressed out doing all of the stuff that I was doing, and having all of those products sitting around me like clutter.

Now that I'm doing much less, I'm feeling better about my hair. I'm not always doing something to it, and it's feeling so much better.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Just a suggestion. If you want to learn how to keep it simple...learn about ingredients. Once you figure out what ingredients do and how they interact with your hair, it's easier to avoid buying stuff you don't need because you already know it won't work for you.

Totally true

 

[*Michelle*]

I wanted to add.. your hair is

Thank you!

 

[Almaz]

Yep simple always worked for me

 

[jerseygurl]

What you said tamrin is absolutely true about the ladies with greater lengths using the KISS method but some of them might have had to join bandwagons and use millions of products to get to their current lengths. Now they are able to to simplify their regimens to what we see now.

For me, I had to find what works for me and follow that method (still in the process of getting my staples). Did I need to join any bandwagons to do that? No, just applying a little bit of common sense and rejecting any bad advice received in the past.

 

[Jetblackhair]

Great post. I'm looking for simplicity too.

 

[Muse]

Just a suggestion. If you want to learn how to keep it simple...learn about ingredients. Once you figure out what ingredients do and how they interact with your hair, it's easier to avoid buying stuff you don't need because you already know it won't work for you.

This really does work! I am experimenting with no sulfates and cones (except heat protectants) and that has kept me from purchasing A LOT of items.

OP, I totally agree and if I would've heed the warning of post like this in the beginning I would've save a LOT of money! I am trying to move over to more natural products like Ayervedic powders and oils to clean and condition my hair which seem to be working fine so far. It's cheaper and healthier but I find even with the Ayurvedic haircare regimen-which I believe is suppose to originally be a simple process-people have found a way to make that over the top and time/money consuming as well . I believe this regimen will work for me because I am going to keep it simple. I don't think I need to become a mixologist to benefit from the powders.

 

[Tamrin]

Great thread!

I've purchased sooo much stuff since I came here October of '08. I just gave everything away, except for the few products that works for me. I was feeling kind of stressed out doing all of the stuff that I was doing, and having all of those products sitting around me like clutter.

Now that I'm doing much less, I'm feeling better about my hair. I'm not always doing something to it, and it's feeling so much better.

The purchasing too much stuff and doing too much is time consuming. There are so many things I could have accomplished then.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

*in exaggerated voice* Well, duuuuuuuuuuuh. LOL, yeah, keeping it simple works the best.

I am about to simplify my regimen even more and just oil rinse, no cowashes. I hope to incorporate some shea butter. I want to use it as my leave in, since my hair likes heavy moisture. And that's it.

On weekends, I will do an ayurvedic tea rinse or make a paste. I think less is more when it comes to hair.

However, I think a lot of people need to try a bunch of products or do a lot of things to get their hair healthy enough to KIS. Once it is at a certain level of health, it becomes real easy to keep things simple.

 

[Tamrin]

At this point. I'm just doing a simple co wash 2 times a week, put in a little leave in and seal with oil and bun or braid out. I put on my scarf at night and only comb in the shower. I only moisturize when I do roller sets and braid outs.

 

[beans4reezy]

Good point. I am making an effort to keep things simplier as well. I think I am over the whole PJ'ism thing..well, for now, at least

 

[HoneyA]

Congrats on your revelation!

I do think keeping it simple is best. You might have to go through products to find the ones your hair likes but the techniques you use and the regimen itself should be simple to follow. That way it's not hard to be consistent with taking care of your hair. Consistency and the right techniques pay off.

I did buy products at the beginning because I had none to begin with but I was lucky to have found Babygurl's regimen (wash 2x a week, DC with heat, moisturise, bun) when I first started here. I followed it and it worked for me.

HHG and KISS!

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

Yes, I agree.

 

[~*Tigget*~]

After being here and learning so much about hair. I realized all the bandwagons, all the product buying is making good hair care more complicated than it needs to be. The ladies with the healthiest and longest hair are the ones who do the least to their hair. Great hair comes from protecting it, moisturizing it, one good moisturizing conditioner and a leave in and avoiding heat and harsh chemicals.

I have spent the last 2 years buying products spending excessive amount on products. From Cheapie suave to Aveda to Ovation and Mega tek, oils and powders. Why all of that? When all you need is a few basic things. The money I have spent on products I can easily support a family of four in a developing country.

So my revelation is. I'm not buying anything else for the coming year until I have used all my stash. When I'm done I will be keeping just a few products. I realize the less I do to my hair the happier it is. With all that said. I'm now past APL the longest my hair has ever been all my life. I look forward to BSL by doing it the simple way.

OMG! I don't know how long it took for me to finally get this same revelation. Now I do so much less to my hair. I definitely improved my haircare so thats what was needed. I have spent soooooooo much $$$$$$$$ trying everything on the board. For a while it was pretty ridiculous! I'm cured now. I only spend so much $$$$$ on the products that work for me

 

[Finally Free]

Congrats on your new length!!

I absolutely believe in KISS! Once you find your staples, it is the way to go!!

~~DITTO!~~

 

[Chevelure618]

So true. I do think that if OCT and Megatek work, it may help someone like myself who has a broken section, apply it just to that section so that it can catch up with the rest of my hair. Other than that, you are absolutely right.

Sometimes, when your staples stop working as well, switching up helps to jumpstart your hair again.