info; great start for newbies or anyone who wants to add to their journal(s)

[DivaD04]

The Necessities​

Moisturizing shampooFor this I'd go with a sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates are found in regular shampoos (i.e. Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate ). You can use Creme of Nature which has no sulfates or many other shampoos just like it.
Moisturizing/protein conditioner
Your regular conditioner after a shampoo wash. See The Products for suggestions.
Moisturizing/protein treatment
Aussie 3 minute Miracle Deep Treatment is a moisture treatment. Nexxus KerapHix is a protein treatment. You can use whichever one depending on what your hair needs.
Leave-in conditioner/treatmentA conditioner or moisturizer used last. I always use a leave-in since I air dry.
Moisturizer (water based)Why water based? Other non-water based moisturizers are heavy. Water based moisturizers are light which is great for your hair.
Natural/Essential oils
Natural oils like Coconut, Olive, Sweet Almond, and Jojoba. Essential oils like Rosemary, Peppermint, and Tea Tree.
Satin scarf/bonnet
For nightly hair tying.
Seamless comb
Regular combs have seams that can rip out strands of your hair. Seamless combs are seamless, so no breakage.
Plastic cap/bags or sandwich bags
For deep conditioning. You can deep condition for 10 to 15 minutes under a dryer or without heat for an hour.
Vitamins
You can take a multivitamin, Biotin, Iron, Horsetail, MSM, Vitamin B12 Complex, Hair/Skin/And Nail Vitamins, Prenatal Vitamins, etc.
Empty spray bottle
It's for your own hair concoctions. Mix together glycerin and water, MN and Sulfur 8 Grease with a little bit of Coconut Oil, etc. It's up to you.
WATER, WATER, WATER!
64 ounces a day does your hair good.

CONES are what make the hair appear shiny but are also said to stop the hair from receiving moisture. Popular cones are dimethicone, simethicone and I think the worst is cyclomethicone which takes more than a normal shampoo to rid the hair of it. I think when you use cones you have to clarify regularly.

 

[DivaD04]

The Hair Books​

The Black Woman's Guide To Beautiful Hair: A Positive Approach To Managing Any Hair Type And Style
by Lisa Akbari
Awesome book for those who are just starting out.

Healthy Hair Care Tips For Today's Black Woman
by Cheryl T. Moss
Get a few tips you'll never forget. Good read.

Beautiful Black Hair: Real Solutions To Real Problemsby Shamboosie
A little pushy with the Nexxus and Dudley products, but still a good book. Learn the do's and don’ts of applying a relaxer.

Ultra Black Hair Growth II: Another 6 Inchesby Cathy Howse
The original black hair care book. Tons of information to help you grow your hair.

​

The Acronyms​

AO- Aubrey Organics

ACV- Apple Cider Vinegar
BA- Big Afro
BAA- Big Ass Afro
BC- Big Chop

BHM- Black Hair Media

BSS- Beauty Supply Store

BTW- By The Way

CON- Creme of Nature
EFA- Essential fatty acids

EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

HHG- Happy Hair Growing

HTH- Hope This Helps

IMO- In My Opinion

ITA- I Too Agree

LHCF- Long Hair Care Forum

LF- Lacefront

NG- New Growth

OP- Original Poster

PJ- Product Junkie

PM- Private Message

TIA- Thanks In Advance

TWA- Teeny Weenie Afro

WGO- Wild Growth Oil

 

[DivaD04]

The Vitamins​

Biotin (Vitamin H)
Biotin is helpful in cell growth, the production of fatty acids, metabolism of fats, and amino acids. It is used as a natural product to counteract the problem of hair loss in both adults and children. Biotin is also used to help with seborrheic dermatitis. It has been known to cause breakouts in some.
Vitamin A
Helps aid in the growth of skin cells. Also helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes.
Vitamin B12
Has been known to prolong the growing phase.

The Colors​

Semi-Permanent
Lasts through 8-12 shampoos. I've done a few.
Demi-Permanent
Lasts through 28 shampoos.
Permanent
Pretty self-explanatory. Lasts until you grow it out or recolor. A good product for permanent dying, in my opinion, is Bigen (http://www.bigenxp.com/bigen/index.php). You can find it at your local BSS.
Cellophane
A color rinse that acts as a conditioner and adds shine. Used primarily in Dominican salons.

Henna
A powder used in body art that is also used for hair coloring.

 

[Kimiche]

I check out and post on that forum sometimes. She always has a lot of helpful info. I give her much props for doing that.

 

[DivaD04]

The Ingredients​

Moisturizers
Whose role is to hold moisture in the hair? Usually these contain high proportions of humectants.
Reconstructors
Usually containing hydrolyzed protein. Their role is to penetrate the hair and strengthen its structure through polymer cross linking.
Acidifiers
Acidity regulators which maintain the conditioner's pH at about 2.5–3.5. In contact with acidic environment, the hair's somewhat scaly surface tightens up, as the hydrogen bonds between the keratin molecules are strengthened.
Detanglers
Which modify the hair surface by pH as acidifiers, and/or by coating it with polymers, as glossers.
Thermal protectors
Usually heat-absorbing polymers, shielding the hair against excessive heat, caused by, e.g., blow-drying or curling irons or hot rollers.
Glossers
Light-reflecting chemicals which bind to the hair surface. Usually polymers, usually silicones, e.g., dimethicone or cyclomethicone.
Oils (EFAs - essential fatty acids)
Which can help dry/porous hair become more soft and pliable? The scalp produces natural oil called sebum. EFAs are the closest thing to natural sebum (sebum contains EFAs).
Lubricants
Such as fatty alcohols, panthenol, dimethicone, etc.

The Essential Oils​

Tea Tree (Melaleuca)
A potent antiseptic and known antifungal agent. Stimulates blood flow.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Stimulates blood circulation.
Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)
Normalizes sebum secretion for skin problems.
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
High in menthol, this is used to stimulate the scalp. It is high manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A content; as well as trace amounts of various other nutrients such as fiber, iron, calcium, folate, potassium, tryptophan, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, riboflavin, and copper.

The Carrier Oils​

Castor Oil
A vegetable oil used for thickening. Sometimes added to the drug Miconazole...... Surprise, surprise.
Sweet Almond Oil (Oleum Amygdalae)
An effective emollient that mimics baby sebum.
Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera)
The mother of all oils to me. It controls dandruff, dry skin, and even helps form a chemical barrier on the skin.

The Anatomy​

Growth Rate
The number of hair that grows on the scalp, which grows at about ½ inch (13 mm) a month, averages at about 100,000-150,000. The hair shaft is composed of a protein calledkeratin, the cuticle, the medulla, and the cortex.
The Cuticle
The cuticle is the thinnest layer. It is transparent and consists of overlapping scale-like cells. It protects the cortex from chemicals.
The Medulla
The medulla is the core of the hair shaft and contains soft keratinized cells, which is key in helping to give hair its elasticity.
The Cortex
The cortex is the middle layer. It contains 75% to 80% of the hair’s protein structure. It is also where moisture and melanin (natural pigment) are held.
Hair FormationHair is formed by cell division at the base of the follicle, and is a part of a cycle of growing, resting, and shedding. The growing cycle can be as short as 2 years and as long as 10!

The Phases​

Grow, Rest, Shed
The anagen is the growth phase; the catagen is the intermediate phase; and the telogen is the resting or shedding phase.
Hair growth cycle times
The anagen phase lasts about 3 years (1000 days according to P&G) but can last up to 10 years for some. The catagenphase can last 10 to 21 days. And the telogenphase lasts up to 3 months.

The Hair Types​

2a, 2b, 2c
Loose curls.
3a, 3b, 3cThicker, coily curls. Alicia Keys and Tracee Ellis Ross fall into this category.
4a, 4b
Kinky, coliy hair. 4b is the thickest. Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill fall into this category.

 

[DivaD04]

The Answers​

Q: Does washing your hair really help growth?
A: When your hair's clean, there's nothing stopping it from growing.

Q: What are APL, SL, NL, MBL, EL, and WL?
A: These are terms for lengths where the hair reaches. ArmPit Length, Shoulder Length, Neck Length, MidBack Length, Ear Length, and Waist Length.
Q: What does hair need more...? Moisture or Protein?
A: Hair needs more moisture than protein.
Q: Should you take vitamins?
A: Yes! I'm anemic so I take an Iron supplement. So far, it's helping my hair. I had loss a lot a couple years ago when the anemia was at its worst. You can take anything from Biotin, MSM, Horsetail, Prenatal Vits, etc.
Q: Does rinsing with cold water help hair?
A: Cold water seals the cuticle which keeps moisture in. This helps your hair stay soft and keeps bacteria and debris out of your hair.
Q: Should I drink water EVERY day?
A: YES! It's not only good for your hair, but also for your overall health.
Q:Why do my temples seem revert after a relaxer?A: The temples/edges are a different texture than the rest of your hair. Plus it's exposed to water from daily facial washing. Very drying.
Q: Which is better Lye or No-Lye?A: Lye. Lye allows the hair to hold in moisture better. No-Lye is very drying. Although some opt for it cause it less harsh on the scalp, it makes your hair "poofy" and prone to damage.
Q:Where can I get stuff like glycerin/glycerin, essential oils, and vitamins?
A: Health food stores. Or online at: http://www.nutritionsmart.com

The Techniques​

Deep Conditioning on Dry Hair
A very popular way of DC'ing among BHM and LHCF members is this one. Start by applying the conditioner on your roots, shaft, and ends. Put a plastic cap on and let your hair sit under a hooded dryer for 15, 30, or 45 minutes. Rinse and apply a leave-in. The reason why, in my opinion, this works is because the hair's dry and is dampened by the conditioner so it penetrates well. (SIDENOTE- This technique is best for those who can't get protein to work with their hair.)
Carmelization Treatment
A great way to stretch a relaxer. It's a mixture of honey, olive oil, molasses, bananas, cornstarch, water, vinegar, and wheat germ oil. You apply it like you would a relaxer, let it sit for 30 minutes with a plastic cap on, rinse, shampoo with a sulfate-free shampoo, condition, and rollerset and/or blow-dry your hair and roots. Go to: (http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=66005&PN=1) for more info.
DustingA VERY light trim. Cutting only the damaged strands. About 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. Good idea if you don't want your scissor happy stylist to cut off your progress. A stylist cut 2 inches off my hair when I asked her for a light trim. *sighs*

 

[DivaD04]

The Basics​

Protective Styles
Protective styles are hairstyles that keep your hair off your clothes. Clothes tend to be harsh on your hair, especially the ends. Protective styling is great for retaining length. Great styles are: Flexi-rods, Rollersets, Braids, Ponytails, Phony Ponies, Sew-ins, etc.
Stretching
Going a while without getting a relaxer. Saves money and hair.
Line of Demarcation
The point where the natural hair and relaxed hair meet.
Shrinkage
When your hair appears to be shorter because of the tight curls of your natural hair.
BreakageBroken pieces of hair with no white bulb. Can be caused by too much moisture or protein. It can also be caused by poor hair care.
Shedding
Strands of hair with white bulbs on the root. Hair goes through a natural shedding phase, so don't worry if you're taking care of your hair and it suddenly starts shedding a bit. If you ARE worried, try using Garlic. It's been known to stop shedding.
The Baggy Method
This method is simple. You moisturize your hair, seal with an oil of your choice (I love Coconut Oil), and put on a plastic cap. You can leave on for half an hour or overnight. Your choice.

Texlaxed/Relaxurized
Not letting the relaxer take completely to the point of being bone straight. Basically under processed on purpose. Great method for those who flat iron bone straight hair anyway. I've done it before and I love it. Gives your hair some thickness.
Transitioning
Going from permed/relaxed to natural.
CO-Washing
A.K.A Conditioner Only Washing. Instead of using a shampoo, which can be harsh on your precious strands, you can use a conditioner. This way, you can wash everyday if you choose.
CWC-Washing
AKA Conditioner washing first then shampoo and condition again. This way your hair stays softer and more manageable after using shampoo. And makes your shampoo do less harm if it has lots of harsh products.
Pre-Pooing
A.K.A Pre-Shampooing. This is a method used to give your hair some good treatment before washing. You can pre-poo with a protein conditioner if your hair hates deep conditioning with protein, or you can pre-poo with garlic and olive oil if you're experiencing breakage/shedding.
The Dominican Blowout
A Rollerset followed by blowing out the roots with a hot ( I mean HOT) blow-dryer and a round brush. I love getting blowouts when I'm stretching because it gets my straight enough for me to keep stretching.
Scalp Massages
Massages to the scalp that get blood flowing to help growth.
Bumping
Replying to a thread to move it to the top of the page.

The Growth Aids​

Miconazole Nitrate
Miconazole Nitrate is an ingredient found in antifungal and yeast infection creams. This ingredient has been shown to help promote hair growth so many women opt to use it as a growth aid. A popular mixture is a tube of MN and a 1/4 jar of Sulfur 8 grease. You can find MN in Monistat and Neosporin AF. Or you can use the generic stuff. Family Dollar has a good MN.
MTG (Mane-Tail-Groom)
It's a growth aid used for horses but also for many women. It contains Sulfur, which is a great for growth. The makers of MTG (http://www.shapleys.com) have made a Human version called Sulu MAX GRO (http://www.suluhair.com).
Boundless Tresses
Another popular growth aid. It's similar to MTG with the Sulfur, but it doesn't contain Mineral Oil. (http://www.growthspecifics.com)
Surge Hair Revitalize Plus 14Yet another popular growth aid. It contains Biotin and Keratin proteins.

 

[DivaD04]

Basic Hair Care Tips for Newbies and Others
I don't claim to be an expert on hair but I have picked up a few things about it over the past couple years from this site and a few others across the net. So here's my tips I hope they help you

1. Be gentle always with your hair the longer it gets the gentler you have to be with it to maintain its good health because the ends normally get weaker the longer they are around. So in the words of many long hair experts, treat your hair like old lace.
2. Stay in good health and you help your hair stay in good health. A good diet some daily exercise, lots of rest and drinking water are a good start.
3. Try to learn your hair type so you can find products that suit it.
4. If you use any kind of styling product regularly then a weekly or biweekly clarifying may be in order. ( I've find a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a regular shampoo is a great gentle clarifier.)
5. A wide toothed comb with no rough seams and a boar bristle brush are usually good tools to begin caring for your hair with. (There are exceptions to this though certain hair types do better with no brushing and combing only and some hair types like mine like only finger combing so your mileage may vary with this tip.) On another note the purpose of using a boar bristle is the bristles gentler on your hair. Also they clean the hair strands as well as spreads your natural oil that your scalp produces called sebum.
6. Don't use hot water on your hair try to use cool or lukewarm water even warm water is better than hot. A cold rinse is said to be beneficial for your hair smoothing down the cuticles and making your hair easier to comb. You need only rinse long enough for your entire head of hair to be penetrated with the water to get the effect. Experiment and see if the cold rinse helps or not.
7. What works on someone else's hair won't necessarily work on yours. Everybody has a very individual head of hair. Unfortunately there is no pat product or routine that works for everyone. Trial and error and paying attention to what your hair needs is the only sure way to find a routine that works for you. And it takes a lot of experimentation sometimes to so don't get discouraged!
8. Looking at your hair's condition is also a good way to find out what it needs. Are certain areas of your hair dryer than others? More prone to splitting? More moisture and better conditioning could be the answer. Or perhaps daily misting with distilled water. (Misting is a term referring to having a spray bottle that you fill with a mixture of water, oils ect. of your choice then spray your hair with it as needed.)
9. If you have hard water and even if you don't, distilled water can be a nice treat for your hair. If you try a final rinse with it or perhaps just misting occasionally I think you will find your hair to be softer and more moisturized.
10. Damp up do’s can be very beneficial to your hair. A damp bun with your ends tucked inside to soak up the moisture is a very good thing for your hair. Even damp braiding can be good for you hair and (a plus for those of us with not very defined waves) it gives you beautiful waves. Also a damp up do feels great during summer a nice cool bun or braid on the back of your neck is a definite plus.
11. Conditioner is a useful and necessary hair care item. Depending on your hair type and condition you will want to use more or less of it. But in every case enough conditioning is good too much can be bad. If your hair is shiny moisturized you probably have found your routine. And that's great. If your hair is always weighed down brittle very tangly. Then I would suggest a look at your products and perhaps a clarifying treatment.
In conditioner there are some elements that may coat your hair any ingredient ending in -cone (cone is short for silicone) and also I think that Emulsifying wax is a coating agent. Look for these on your conditioner and shampoo ingredient list. If there are a lot of cones in your conditioner or emulsifying wax then that could be causing the problem try to find a conditioner with no cones or wax. If your hair behaves better after switching it may not like cones in large doses or at all. Another possibility is that you are over conditioning. Over conditioning symptoms are usually brittle hair and tangly hair. If that's happening cut down on your conditioning or try a lighter conditioner.
12. Shampoo look for shampoo's that have Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Myreth Sulfate listed on the ingredients list. These are two gentle cleansing agents. Watch out for these cleansing agents though, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate these are harsh cleansing agents. With natural shampoos I would suggest watching out for Olefin sulfonate which is also said to be harsh on the hair. You may also wish to try a natural shampoo with no sulfates which are usually available at your local health food store. If your hair doesn't like cones watch out for shampoos with multiple cones listed.
13. Ingredients I have already listed quite a bit about shampoo ingredients and also about the two coating agents in conditioner that I know about. Here are some things to look for in conditioner.
Sorbitol and Panthenol these are called humectants they hold moisture in your hair.
Soy protein and Wheat protein these proteins and others help strengthen your hair shaft.
Aloe Vera gel and amino acids, and Shea butter these are moisturizers generally beneficial for the hair.
Oils are considered to be beneficial as well especially Jojoba oil.
14. Don't disarrange your hair during showering by piling it up on your head or rubbing the length all together to spread the shampoo. A quarter sized amount of shampoo is all you need rub in between your hands gently massage your scalp with it then smooth the rest of it over your crown. Then just rinse your hair (if you have delicate ends you may wish to cover them with conditioner or simply hold the length out of the way while you rinse). You can leave your hair falling naturally down your back during washing or bring it in front of your shoulders. I don't recommend washing it hanging in front of your face like a curtain. If you have thick hair parting it in the middle and washing both sections apart from each other makes for less tangles. You don't need to wash your hair twice usually. Try washing it only once and see what happens.

15. When you put your hair up in a towel don't toss it forward in front of your face then wrap a towel around it. Try this instead grab your hair with one hand in a ponytail at the nape then bring the length up over your head and let it rest on the crown of your head while you grab the towel. Remember to keep holding onto the ponytail. Wrap the towel and then you're done. Or do it this way grab your hair and gently lays it over your head from the side tilt your head to keep it this way then wrap a towel around it and wallah!

16. When you're trying to get the excess water out of your hair doesn’t start rubbing it with your towel. Just simply scrunch your hair with your hands or gently (very gently! it's not a towel) twist it and wring it. When you take it down please don't start towel drying unless you have no damage or rough rubbing method just let your hair air dry if possible. If it's necessary to blow dry only do it so the hair is no longer wet then stop.

 

[DivaD04]

I've decided to go ahead and post th info her so if you ladies want to just look from here directly you can. The other day the bhm site was down so to make things easier, it's right here on lhcf. i hth. thanks to emih19 for her time....just putting this up over here was time consuming, I can only imagine her time researching.

 

[TaurusAngel]

Okay somebody has been on lhcf once or twice...lol But I was looking for one thing and found another. I don't see this person listed as a member but they have a laudry list of info all panned out. If anyone wanted to write/add stuff to their folder of informationn for future refernce or to give to a friend in need, check this out, it's from black hair media, this girl has listed some very good stuff.

http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=104988&PN=1

Tons and tons of info!!!!!!! Thanks for posting.

 

[Eisani]

Damn girl! I thought the whole point of posting the link was to avoid posting all that stuff Talk about dedication!!

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Damn girl! I thought the whole point of posting the link was to avoid posting all that stuff Talk about dedication!!

HAAAA! Yes - I agree. I found some of my own Old Posts!

 

[DivaD04]

i had a little time on my hands thats all. i've figure i might as well add it b4 bhm site go down 4 whatever reason again and folks starts typing....i can't access it, i get a messege that says blah blah blah....so yeah i added all tat tihs. emih had a gang of time on her hands, sheesh i was like man this is alot but hey i know there are alot of newbies and many more in the future.

 

[2Bossay]

very very informative...if i had of known that u had posted everything i wouldnt have went 2 the site...lol...kudoz 2 u tho...sum folkz r lazy & wont bother ne wayz...lol..but thx 4 da info about the vitaminz...havent taken biotin n awhile tho...guezz i betta get back on my grind...yez im very familiar with *hair, skin, & nailz* n da pink bottle from walmart...i definitely have seen resultz with those, 1 a day multi, biotin, & these other vitaminz called *hair* @ walmart...hmmm im thinkin i betta go buy me sum 2day...smh...dam shame rite?...ya i kno..

 

[QT]

Thanks for the thread..... However this seems like the same tips seem verbatim to one of our members (Sistaslick) i think she's on both board.... Anywho great info

 

[DivaD04]

very very informative...if i had of known that u had posted everything i wouldnt have went 2 the site...lol...kudoz 2 u tho...sum folkz r lazy & wont bother ne wayz...lol..but thx 4 da info about the vitaminz...havent taken biotin n awhile tho...guezz i betta get back on my grind...yez im very familiar with *hair, skin, & nailz* n da pink bottle from walmart...i definitely have seen resultz with those, 1 a day multi, biotin, & these other vitaminz called *hair* @ walmart...hmmm im thinkin i betta go buy me sum 2day...smh...dam shame rite?...ya i kno..

....girl ur too funny, yes i do like the pink bottle but never tried the others...if ur switching up let me know how they worked for you.

Thanks for the thread..... However this seems like the same tips seem verbatim to one of our members (Sistaslick) i think she's on both board.... Anywho great info

i don't know nor do i want to make my thread a problem, i was looking for one thing but found another. i thought her post was very informative and had an all in one collection of info for those w/ a bunch of questions.