LHCF experts & "OG's" provide some helpful advice to this "newbie"

[aquarian1252004]

LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

Hello to all the beautiful ladies of LHCF,
First let me just say how blessed I feel to be a part of such a magnificent and educational website for women of color like. After running into this website by "chance" I have decided to start my commitment to keeping up a natural hair “regime.” Over the years I have put my hair through hell relaxing, frying, dying, and blow-drying. About a year ago I thought enough was enough and decided to go all natural. I cut my hear down to what little new growth I had left and decided to start from scratch. Making the promise to stay away from relaxers and heat until the day I get married (whenever that may be). However, I am not having the greatest luck as far as achieving my goals of length, thickness, and just over all healthy hair. As I tend to get board very easily I like to change my styles frequently from wearing wigs, to weaves, to braids, to just rocking a twist out or whatever. About a week ago I as per the LHCF discussion board suggestions I have started taking supplements. I am currently taking a multivitamin, silica, MSM, evening primrose oil, pantothenic acid, biotin, and cod-liver/flaxseed oil. Woo! Lets see if I can keep up with that commitment. I also have a problem with excessive dryness and have yet to find a moisturizer that can combat this problem and believe me I have tried many (most of them contains some form of alcohol which dries my hair out). I am currently trying keracare moisturizing lotion w/ Jojoba oil which really isn't cutting it for me either. I have tried wild growth oil which I like however, it is a bit expensive seeing as how you only get a little bit. I need something more economical that I could use everyday or on an as needed basis. I AM A PRODUCT JUNKIE LADIES, and I think I may need help! Going to the beauty supply store for me is like a kid going to the candy or toy store. Anyway, as a newbie I am open to receive any advice or suggestions my more experienced and knowledgeable LHCF sisters may have. Thank you in advance and God bless!

 

[crazyabouthair]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

Welcome to the board. I don't know much about caring for natural hair so you're probably better off getting advice from our natural ladies. I know you will get great info here so just hold on until our naturals sign on. Again welcome.

 

[KAddy]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

 

[kitchen_tician]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

/images/graemlins/weird.gif Welcome!!! /images/graemlins/weird.gif

I don't have any advice either, but I wanted to say Hello. /images/graemlins/wave.gif I also use and love WGO. One bottle lasts me 3 months, but I don't use it everyday.

 

[SVT]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

Welcome aquarian! /images/graemlins/wave.gif

Whenever my hair is on the dry side, I like to do an overnight conditioning treatment. All I do is slather on some moisturizing type conditioner and then cover my hair with a plastic cap before going to bed. I rinse the conditioner out in the morning and style as usual.

I've been doing conditioner washes (use conditioner the same way as shampoo) for a couple of years now and that has helped tremendously with dryness.

A third tip I picked up a while back was to carry a small bottle and spritz my hair as needed throughout the day. You can mix whatever you want into your bottle. I prefer water and conditioner.

I noticed you're attempting to moisturize your hair with oil based or oily type products. You might want to try water based products instead. /images/graemlins/up.gif

HTH!

 

[nurseN98]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

Hey Aquarian, welcome! /images/graemlins/wave.gif
You probably will get a lot of different advice here. What I suggest is you pick one you like the most and try to follow it for a week or two then see how it's going. I've been transitioning so it's been a battle for me to find a routine but I usually am able to stick with one for a few months while my hair goes through it's issues.

Some things that have helped me:
1)Try conditioner washes for keeping moisture in your hair. I think a lot of naturals do only conditioner washes and clarify occasionally but I do them in between shampoos (I shampoo 1x/week)cause I get buildup really fast

2)I don't know if you sleep with silk/satin scarves but this helps and occasionally moisturize your hair at night and wrap some saran wrap around your hair before you put on your scarf. This helps keep in moisture too.

3)I found that since I've been transitioning, a lot of commercial moisturizers don't work for me. I have to use butters like Carol's Daughter type butters. I make them myself but I'm getting lazy and because of my occasional flare-up of PJ'itis, I just bought a new one from a company called OYIN. The butter mixtures work a lot better for me to maintain moisture to both natural hair and my relaxed ends.

4)Lastly (sorry so long) do you deep condition weekly? This also helps a lot with keeping my hair strong. Some ppl use heavy proteins(Aphogee)/deep cond. combo but I use light protein(aubrey GPB)/deep cond.

I'm gonna try to pull up some threads that I saved. If you do searches for different topics, a lot of the transitioning threads also have good info in them too.

 

[kombov_dymond]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

Welcome!! /images/graemlins/user.gif

 

[Nay]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

The ladies have already given you some good advice. I'm going to co-sign and say that I have noticed that these things have helped me to have hair that is more moisturized and less dry:

* Washing my hair every 5-6 days.
* Using LOADS of conditioner and really letting the conditioner set for a while. (I like CON and Elucence)
* Sleeping with a silk or satin scarf to keep my hair from drying out on the pillow.
* Putting products on my hair while my hair is dripping wet. It seems to "lock" in the moisture.

And, by the way, welcome to the board!

 

[LABETT]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

WELCOME.

 

[oglorious1]

Re: LHCF experts & \"OG\'s\" provide some helpful advice to this \"newbie\"

Welcome, Sta Sof Fro, worked great for me, or if you really want to get really inexpensive moisture, try some glycerin and water from walgreens, I would recommend you dilute the glycerin to your liking...