(1) What is your hair care regimen?
I wash and deep condition my hair once a week. On wash day, I do the following:
*STEP ONE: Pre-poo:
I take my bun down, wet my whole head and apply BURT'S BEE'S AVOCADO BUTTER PRE-SHAMPOO TREATMENT to my entire head. I put my hair back into a bun until I’m ready to wash it later that day. I try to let the Burt's Bee's sit on my hair for however long I can (usually at least a couple of hours).
*STEP TWO: Shampoo
When I wash nowadays I am using AVEDA DETOXIFIER shampoo first. It’s a clarifying shampoo, and I use it every week because I often get buildup easily on my hair and scalp during the week. I only use a small amount; a little bit goes a looong way. Next I use a moisturizing shampoo. I had just recently started using BUMBLE & BUMBLE CURL CONSCIOUS SHAMPOO (I have some samples of this that a friend gave to me), and it has been amazing on my hair. Before that I was using CREME OF NATURE ULTRA MOISTURIZING DETANGLING SHAMPOO. This is the bottle with the green label. I may invest in the Bumble & Bumble and just rotate between the B&B and CON shampoos weekly. ***Before getting out of the shower, while rinsing the shampoo out, I will quickly (yet gently) twist my hair into sections; it usually ends up being about 8 big, soaking wet twists. As I am twisting each section, I am GENTLY detangling with my fingers.
*STEP THREE: Deep condition
At this point after washing, my hair is still in the 8 big twists. Next I will apply either some ORS REPLENISHING PACK MOISTURIZING TREATMENT or AVEDA DEEP PENETRATING TREATMENT. After applying to wet hair in twists, I put on a shower cap and let that sit on my head for 30-60 minutes.
*STEP FOUR: Condition & Detangle
Next I get back in the shower and rinse the ORS or Aveda out. I then apply a generous amount of LEKAIR CHOLESTEROL to my whole head, on all of the twists. The Lekair product is excellent for detangling! Next I start to detangle my hair (keep in mind that I am still in the shower). To detangle, I make sure that my hair is SATURATED with the Lekair cholesterol. I use a big black wide-toothed comb to detangle it, one twist at a time.
I undo the first twist, detangle starting from the bottom, working my way up (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT-STARTING AT THE ROOT WILL CAUSE KNOTS AND TANGLES!) I detangle under the running water so the comb slides through my hair pretty easily. Then I quickly twist it back up and move on to the next twist until I've done my whole head.
*STEP FIVE: Bun it up!
Lastly, I will quickly undo all of the twists, and do one last pass through my whole head, loose, under the running water, with the detangling comb. I usually have to add more conditioner because my hair is very thick and big and bushy at this point. I can detangle it pretty easily all together at this point because all of the individual sections have been detangled. Next I add a little GIOVANNI DIRECT LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER. The last step then, is to put my hair into a bun. I reach for my boar bristle brush and brush my whole head back...all while still in the shower. I feel that doing it this way allows to me to stretch out my hair easiest. I don't have to wait til I get out the shower and have the "drippies" all over the floor. Plus, it may start to shrink up and/or dry by the time I get out the shower, I have a policy of NOT manipulating my hair dry, or even when it STARTS TO DRY. It's easiest to manipulate when it's soaking wet and just conditioned. So, I brush, brush, brush my wet hair with leave-in in it into a scrunchie. When I get out the shower, I tie it down IMMEDIATELY with a satin scarf. This is perfect for getting my hair to lie down.
Note: On wash day, once my hair has dried a little and is damp but not soaking wet, I'll take my bun down and add a little AVOCADO BUTTER to my whole head to seal in the moisture. And for moisture throughout the week, I have a spray bottle of Giovanni Direct diluted with water (it's like 2 parts water to 1 part GD.). I take my bun down like every other day and spray it with this mixture. Also, currently I have been getting my hair trimmed twice a year in the salon.
(2) Do you take any supplements? If so, what are they?
In the past, I have used MSM, biotin, and GNC Hair, Skin and Nails. Currently I am only taking flaxseed oil (I take one tablespoon daily).
(3) Currently, how long is your hair and what is your hair type?
Unstretched, my hair naturally shrinks to just above my shoulders. When straightened, the longest parts of my hair fall between 2-3 inches past my brastrap.
(4) What are the things that you feel have helped you the most in achieving and maintaining your hair length?
I must say that LHCF has definitely been a major factor in me having healthy hair and achieving length. Education is power when it comes to achieving any goal, and LHCF has been my major resource for all things hair-related ever since I joined this site. I am inspired daily by the stories, pictures and progress that the wonderful members of this site continue to share. I also must say that I couldn’t have achieved my hair goals if it weren’t for having a positive attitude, staying open-minded, and being willing to try new things that I wasn’t used to doing before such as protective styling, less frequent trimming, deep conditioning, etc. I am more conscious of my hair now and pay VERY CLOSE attention to any splits/damage, as well as the amount of hair any stylist is trimming whenever I do get a trim. Last but not least, I’d like to also mention that since joining LHCF I have learned a great deal about the importance of finding the proper balance between moisture and protein; recently my hair had become overmoisturized and if it hadn’t been for Sistaslick’s thread about this, I may have never realized what was happening or had taken the steps necessary to correct the situation. I’d like to thank all the members who are always eager to share info with others so that they can learn, as well as all of the continued complements and support from individuals who leave me comments and pm’s. Happy hair growing ya’ll - J
I wash and deep condition my hair once a week. On wash day, I do the following:
*STEP ONE: Pre-poo:
I take my bun down, wet my whole head and apply BURT'S BEE'S AVOCADO BUTTER PRE-SHAMPOO TREATMENT to my entire head. I put my hair back into a bun until I’m ready to wash it later that day. I try to let the Burt's Bee's sit on my hair for however long I can (usually at least a couple of hours).
*STEP TWO: Shampoo
When I wash nowadays I am using AVEDA DETOXIFIER shampoo first. It’s a clarifying shampoo, and I use it every week because I often get buildup easily on my hair and scalp during the week. I only use a small amount; a little bit goes a looong way. Next I use a moisturizing shampoo. I had just recently started using BUMBLE & BUMBLE CURL CONSCIOUS SHAMPOO (I have some samples of this that a friend gave to me), and it has been amazing on my hair. Before that I was using CREME OF NATURE ULTRA MOISTURIZING DETANGLING SHAMPOO. This is the bottle with the green label. I may invest in the Bumble & Bumble and just rotate between the B&B and CON shampoos weekly. ***Before getting out of the shower, while rinsing the shampoo out, I will quickly (yet gently) twist my hair into sections; it usually ends up being about 8 big, soaking wet twists. As I am twisting each section, I am GENTLY detangling with my fingers.
*STEP THREE: Deep condition
At this point after washing, my hair is still in the 8 big twists. Next I will apply either some ORS REPLENISHING PACK MOISTURIZING TREATMENT or AVEDA DEEP PENETRATING TREATMENT. After applying to wet hair in twists, I put on a shower cap and let that sit on my head for 30-60 minutes.
*STEP FOUR: Condition & Detangle
Next I get back in the shower and rinse the ORS or Aveda out. I then apply a generous amount of LEKAIR CHOLESTEROL to my whole head, on all of the twists. The Lekair product is excellent for detangling! Next I start to detangle my hair (keep in mind that I am still in the shower). To detangle, I make sure that my hair is SATURATED with the Lekair cholesterol. I use a big black wide-toothed comb to detangle it, one twist at a time.
I undo the first twist, detangle starting from the bottom, working my way up (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT-STARTING AT THE ROOT WILL CAUSE KNOTS AND TANGLES!) I detangle under the running water so the comb slides through my hair pretty easily. Then I quickly twist it back up and move on to the next twist until I've done my whole head.
*STEP FIVE: Bun it up!
Lastly, I will quickly undo all of the twists, and do one last pass through my whole head, loose, under the running water, with the detangling comb. I usually have to add more conditioner because my hair is very thick and big and bushy at this point. I can detangle it pretty easily all together at this point because all of the individual sections have been detangled. Next I add a little GIOVANNI DIRECT LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER. The last step then, is to put my hair into a bun. I reach for my boar bristle brush and brush my whole head back...all while still in the shower. I feel that doing it this way allows to me to stretch out my hair easiest. I don't have to wait til I get out the shower and have the "drippies" all over the floor. Plus, it may start to shrink up and/or dry by the time I get out the shower, I have a policy of NOT manipulating my hair dry, or even when it STARTS TO DRY. It's easiest to manipulate when it's soaking wet and just conditioned. So, I brush, brush, brush my wet hair with leave-in in it into a scrunchie. When I get out the shower, I tie it down IMMEDIATELY with a satin scarf. This is perfect for getting my hair to lie down.
Note: On wash day, once my hair has dried a little and is damp but not soaking wet, I'll take my bun down and add a little AVOCADO BUTTER to my whole head to seal in the moisture. And for moisture throughout the week, I have a spray bottle of Giovanni Direct diluted with water (it's like 2 parts water to 1 part GD.). I take my bun down like every other day and spray it with this mixture. Also, currently I have been getting my hair trimmed twice a year in the salon.
(2) Do you take any supplements? If so, what are they?
In the past, I have used MSM, biotin, and GNC Hair, Skin and Nails. Currently I am only taking flaxseed oil (I take one tablespoon daily).
(3) Currently, how long is your hair and what is your hair type?
Unstretched, my hair naturally shrinks to just above my shoulders. When straightened, the longest parts of my hair fall between 2-3 inches past my brastrap.
(4) What are the things that you feel have helped you the most in achieving and maintaining your hair length?
I must say that LHCF has definitely been a major factor in me having healthy hair and achieving length. Education is power when it comes to achieving any goal, and LHCF has been my major resource for all things hair-related ever since I joined this site. I am inspired daily by the stories, pictures and progress that the wonderful members of this site continue to share. I also must say that I couldn’t have achieved my hair goals if it weren’t for having a positive attitude, staying open-minded, and being willing to try new things that I wasn’t used to doing before such as protective styling, less frequent trimming, deep conditioning, etc. I am more conscious of my hair now and pay VERY CLOSE attention to any splits/damage, as well as the amount of hair any stylist is trimming whenever I do get a trim. Last but not least, I’d like to also mention that since joining LHCF I have learned a great deal about the importance of finding the proper balance between moisture and protein; recently my hair had become overmoisturized and if it hadn’t been for Sistaslick’s thread about this, I may have never realized what was happening or had taken the steps necessary to correct the situation. I’d like to thank all the members who are always eager to share info with others so that they can learn, as well as all of the continued complements and support from individuals who leave me comments and pm’s. Happy hair growing ya’ll - J
