In search of a new routine

[caress]

Yesterday I took out my braids and I just got finished combing and detangling my hair. Currently I have Dark & Lovely Dry Hair Healer (a cholesterol conditioner with shea buttter and cocoa butter) in my hair as my preshampoo treatment. I plan on using a clarifying shampoo followed by a moisturizing one. Then I'll do a deep moisturizing conditioner under the dryer. This is not necessarily going to be my weekly routine. Eventually I want to get a relaxer again but not until my hair and scalp are at their healthiest. My ends are thin and tangle easily. They also form knots all the time. My edges are thinner than they used to be and I'd like to fill in those areas as much as possible.

I was thinking of wearing flat twists or cornrows with a ponytail hair piece as my basic hairstyle. I should be able to do this quickly and it should last maybe 2 weeks. This should give me a break from heat styling and excessive manipulation.

Any suggestions? Oh and currently my hair just touches my shoulders although there are some shorter layers.

 

[caress]

Ok I had a visitor today so now I'm back to delaing with my hair. It's time to condition it. Any advice at all? I think I forgot to sya that my hair doesn't like proteins.

 

[Allandra]

Hi Caress,

I think flat twists are cute (especially with a ponytail). If it can last for two weeks, I say definitely go for it. Since your hair doesn't like proteins, maybe you can do a deep conditioning treatment with your favorite moisturizing conditioner. Does your hair even like mild proteins?

 

[sweetcocoa]

Hi I like the sound of your maintenance style. My hair didn't like alot of protein either when I was natural. It was a year before I did one and my hair did benefit from it...but only about once every other month. To keep my hair moist I used a mixture of Pantene Pro-V Smooth and Sleek and Paul Mithcell Supercharged with a little oil as a leave in on wet hair. I sealed it in with Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter... but it worked well without the hair butter also. I still do this (I've only been mildly relaxed for a week). This leave-in routine is a keeper for me. It keeps my hair when I air dry from drying out.

 

[TinyT]

Well, about the hair tangling alot, and forming knots on the ends. If you are using a moisturizing conditioner that detangles, and you still have lots of tangles, you may need to dust the ends just a bit. I also find that on my 4b hair, when little knots form on the ends, that is an indication that I need to dust the ends a bit. I only dust every 4-6 months or so. By the way the Jilibere shower comb really helped when I detangled my hair after having braids/cornrows.

Tracy

 

[Courtney]

Hey Caress,

I just took my braids out 3 days ago and I know what you mean. My ends are kinda ragged, my hair is dry and tangles easily, and I need a relaxer. Of course when you come out of braids you have to wait a while to get a relaxer, so I was a bit frustrated. I came up with a good routine and I think I'm gunna stick with it even when I get my relaxer. First I wash my hair with Pantene Smooth and Sleek shampoo, then I condition it with Pantene Natural and Relaxed Conditioner. Then I wrap my hair as tight as I can with Motions or TCB wrapping lotion. Once it's wrapped, I mist it with Luster's Pink Glosser Mist then I actually let it air dry over night with the tightest scarf or cap on it (partly because my hooded-drier broke but whatever works, lol). once I comb down my wrap, because I have so much new growth, I gentle blowdry the wrap with a paddle brush. If I'm going out or something, I'll flat Iron my hair. I know heat is bad, but I figure since I air-dry, I can get away with the flat iron. If you have a hooded dryer though (which is probably better) you won't need to flat-iron, your hair with already be straight, and the LP glosser spray makes it shiny and feel nice. If you have alot of new growth like I do, even if you do use a hooded dryer, I would still suggest you gentle blowdry your roots with a paddle brush. Not only will it soften your new growth, but it will give you wrap a lot of body. When I finally get my relaxer I plan to minimize a little bit and just wrap my hair and sit under my future hooded dryer. I know you mentioned the twist and stuff, so maybe I've waisted my time with the whole straight hair routine, but I thought I'd just help you out 'cuz I love the sleek, shiny look and I was coming out of braids too. But regardless, I hope everything works out for you!

 

[Courtney]

Oh, PS: The wraps usually last for two weeks so you don't have to do anything for a while. Just comb your hair down in the morning and go!

 

[caress]

You know I haven't paid attention to whether or not my hair tolerates certain proteins and not others. The last protein conditioner I used was the Elasta QP Breakage Control Serum before I got my braids put it and my hair still feels dry and hard. I used Redken Heavy Cream as my deep conditioner yesterday and that usually helps but didn't seem to yesterday.

Anyway, I didn't do the flat tiwists yet but I'm gonna attempt to do them tonight and we'll se how that goes. Wish me luck!

I do plan to get a haircut pretty soon so hopefully that will take care of my ends. However, my hair is not relaxed so I won't be able to wrap my hair yet but it sounds like a goos routine Courtney. The only thing positive about this expereince is that I found a new product that I like: Redken So Long Heat Treat. It's fairly softening and detangling and it helped to starighten my hair as I was blowdrying it. So far so good but I think I may add some oil and/or a moisturizer to my hair when I use it next time.

Anyway, thanks ladies for your suggestions.