Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2013/2014

[Pennefeather]

Sometimes I think that we try too many new things at the same time. It can be hard to determine which ones are really helpful and neutral or even harmful to our hair.

My new things this month were switching to Wen to encourage low manipulation with my shampoos. I think that I have been so aggressive cleaning my hair that I encouraged knots and snarls. I also picked up a few new conditioners to try cowashing.

I also am trying oil rinses. The first one didn't help with detangling, but I am going to give it another try before saying that they don't work for me. I tried EVOO yesterday, and will coconut oil a try next week.

I think that the Shea butter is really giving me a nice seal for my ends. Still interested in experimenting with other butters. I am waiting for my mango butter to arrive, so that is can combine the two of them.

Also looking for a good detangling leave in.

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

I cut about a inch off yesterday. I'm done until FEB. thats my next dusting session.

 

[sugarbaybie]

Joining!

1. Are you relaxed, texlaxed, natural, transitioning, etc
2. Current Hair Length I'll have to wash and straighten to tell. I'll be back.
3. Any issue(s) you are having with your ends Thin
4. What you have tried to improve your ends Yes but before I didn't have the cure, now I do, vitamin d deficiency
5. What you are going to try to get those healthy ends Get sunlight daily - take vit d daily - reduce carbs- Nightly: moisturize, tuck in for protection, silk scarf nightly, every 2 months dust

 

[sugarbaybie]

@Pennefeather The best detangler around. For extra, apply an oil, any cheap veg oil from the grocery store will do, apply it plentifully on top of this (Idk using oil before and after using this may work also just be creative) and after getting from under the dryer with a plastic cap for at least 30 minutes rinse under running light warm water. Hair will detangle like silk.

 

[faithVA]

^^Thanks for the tip.

 

[faithVA]

Wearing a flat twist out today. My ends look a little better. I am still clipping splits/knots where my ends catch. I still have some but it isn't as bad as it was weeks ago.

I'm thinking tonight I will apply a moisturizer, spritz with water and seal my ends with castor oil to see how that works out for me. Since my hair is looking better in flat twist I will stick with that.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Wearing a flat twist out today. My ends look a little better. I am still clipping splits/knots where my ends catch. I still have some but it isn't as bad as it was weeks ago.

I'm thinking tonight I will apply a moisturizer, spritz with water and seal my ends with castor oil to see how that works out for me. Since my hair is looking better in flat twist I will stick with that.

faithVA

How do you do this wearing a twist out. I want to do the same but what's your method? Do you do a section at a time then retwist? My inquiring ends want to know. Lol

 

[faithVA]

cwmarie[/USER];19446789]faithVA

How do you do this wearing a twist out. I want to do the same but what's your method? Do you do a section at a time then retwist? My inquiring ends want to know. Lol

Do you mean how do I moisturize and seal wearing a twist out? If so, I take the section of hair that I m going to make a twist, then I will apply the moisturizer to it, spritz it with water and then apply the castor oil just to the ends of that section. Then I twist it. And I clip any splits while I am handling that section.

By the end of the day my hair has started to frizz so I don't worry about trying to preserve anything. My hair also easily defines, so as long as I'm not using the wrong product (too much glycerin), the water spritz will help to set it.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Do you mean how do I moisturize and seal wearing a twist out? If so, I take the section of hair that I m going to make a twist, then I will apply the moisturizer to it, spritz it with water and then apply the castor oil just to the ends of that section. Then I twist it. And I clip any splits while I am handling that section.

By the end of the day my hair has started to frizz so I don't worry about trying to preserve anything. My hair also easily defines, so as long as I'm not using the wrong product (too much glycerin), the water spritz will help to set it.

faithVA

Ok. Thanks!

 

[Angel of the North]

My hair is in need of some serious TLC, I've neglected my hair for the last 2 weeks and my ends are starting to look dry. I'm not ready to have wash day yet as I'm still sick with the flu, but I'm desperate to do a length check I may just add a bit of moisturiser and grapeseed oil and blow it out to do a quick LC

 

[faithVA]

I have been moisturizing my hair daily with CD Hair Milk and flat twisting. I diluted it last night with a lot of water and this seems to work better on my hair. I am still snipping splits as I run across them. Fortunately, I am finding less and less. January will be daily moisturizing and weekly cowashing. I will do a curlformer set at the end of the month and use my split ender. Hopefully with January Growth, daily moisturizing and a split ender trim, I will have a nice looking head of hair in February.

 

[Adiatasha]

Question- I got a blowout and a trim in October, I go to my stylist in December and she says I have split ends, mind you between October and December I was in a sew in. Is she scissor happy? Or is it possible for me to have a whole head full of split ends with out any manipulation?
Thanks!

 

[NowIAmNappy]

Question- I got a blowout and a trim in October, I go to my stylist in December and she says I have split ends, mind you between October and December I was in a sew in. Is she scissor happy? Or is it possible for me to have a whole head full of split ends with out any manipulation? Thanks!

I would look at my ends myself and see. The only way I can think of is if your ends were super dry while in the sew in and you never moisturized them.

 

[Adiatasha]

I would look at my ends myself and see. The only way I can think of is if your ends were super dry while in the sew in and you never moisturized them.

Yep you right. I wasn't moisturIzing like I used to.

 

[Mskraizy]

@Pennefeather The best detangler around. For extra, apply an oil, any cheap veg oil from the grocery store will do, apply it plentifully on top of this (Idk using oil before and after using this may work also just be creative) and after getting from under the dryer with a plastic cap for at least 30 minutes rinse under running light warm water. Hair will detangle like silk.

Yaaasss! I totally forgot about this! This product gave me some of the BEST braidouts especially on blow dried hair. THAT'S what I need to go and get!

 

[Mskraizy]

I just trimmed my hair like....what? I think a week ago. Yeah, the last time I deep conditioned.

I think I'm gonna make 2014 the year of trims for me. I know it sounds conflicting to hair growth but I'm just looking at all the over-trimming I did this year because I wanted to keep the cosmetic look of healthy, crisp looking ends. So I figured maybe every 2 months or so, trim off 1/4 of an inch no matter if my ends need it or not. I figured that within a year, I'll only take off 1.5 inches compared to the 4 or 5 inches I took off this year. Granted, 3 of those inches NEEDED to come off, but the last 2 was mainly for the cosmetic look and I don't want to do that again.

I figure if I trim more frequently but trim less every session, I'll retain more of my growth and keep my hair healthy so that I won't have the constant urge to take scissors to my hair and hack away. Cause when I see my ends start to taper and thin out, I'm looking for my scissors like it's crack or something. LMBO! And they don't even have to have splits or ssk's.

I just want to reach a happy and healthy waist length, not a straggly, see-through waist length. I want my ends to retain so much thickness and for me, trims are of the greatest asset to me. So come....the end of February? I shall be doing another small trim. =)

HHG ladies!!

 

[Super_Hero_Girl]

Currently deep conditioning and catching up on Homeland.

Sent from my iPhone 9s

 

[faithVA]

I misted and moisturized my hair and flat twisted it up for the night. Have been moisturizing nightly since Sunday. Hopefully I will shampoo tomorrow.

 

[Adiatasha]

Currently deep conditioning and catching up on Homeland. Sent from my iPhone 9s

Ohhhh that show is so good. I am completely caught up. Love Claire Danes character... It's written like a male character.

So I'm going to start back using my applicator bottle filled with oils so I won't have split ends when I take down this sew in.

 

[Adiatasha]

I went for a dominican blowout and my ends were yucky. See pic below



Sooo I let her cut it. This is after she cut it.



I know there is nothing I can do about it now.
But did she cut too much? I just was not sure about how much to cut. I knew my ends were bad ( I had been transitioning) but since this was the first time I had my hair straightened I didn't know how much would be too much.

Thanks in advance for your input

 

[Lilmama1011]

I went for a dominican blowout and my ends were yucky. See pic below

Sooo I let her cut it. This is after she cut it.

I know there is nothing I can do about it now.
But did she cut too much? I just was not sure about how much to cut. I knew my ends were bad ( I had been transitioning) but since this was the first time I had my hair straightened I didn't know how much would be too much.

Thanks in advance for your input

it looks great to me. nice and thick and your hair has a bump at the ends so its longer than the pic you posted

 

[faithVA]

I went for a dominican blowout and my ends were yucky. See pic below

View attachment 240569

Sooo I let her cut it. This is after she cut it.

View attachment 240571

I know there is nothing I can do about it now.
But did she cut too much? I just was not sure about how much to cut. I knew my ends were bad ( I had been transitioning) but since this was the first time I had my hair straightened I didn't know how much would be too much.

Thanks in advance for your input

I don't know if she cut too much but I think it will definitely help with your retention. It looks like she still kept you in range of your next hair goal.

 

[Angel of the North]

I went for a dominican blowout and my ends were yucky. See pic below

View attachment 240569

Sooo I let her cut it. This is after she cut it.

I know there is nothing I can do about it now.
But did she cut too much? I just was not sure about how much to cut. I knew my ends were bad ( I had been transitioning) but since this was the first time I had my hair straightened I didn't know how much would be too much.

Thanks in advance for your input

Adiatasha I fully understand the need for great looking ends. It probably feels like she took off more than she actually did and your hair is looking great. Depending on how often you need to trim the amount the stylist took off, it may be quicker/easier for you to get to your desired length and then trim and maintain your desired look for your ends, but that's only if the big trims bother you.

 

[Adiatasha]

Adiatasha I fully understand the need for great looking ends. It probably feels like she took off more than she actually did and your hair is looking great. Depending on how often you need to trim the amount the stylist took off, it may be quicker/easier for you to get to your desired length and then trim and maintain your desired look for your ends, but that's only if the big trims bother you.

Your right. Little snippets here and there isn't going to cut it (pun intended). The ends were bad and they had to go. But if I never plan on straightening my hair, how will I know how much to trim? I don't want to rely on straight hair in order to cut off bad ends.

 

[Angel of the North]

Adiatasha

When I get my trims on TU day, my stylist will always give me the blunt look that she knows I love minus the thin ends and that's my starting point. Over time, with shedding, splits, elements and such the ends will get thinner and start to look worse for wear. She usually takes off 1-2 inches.

My hair grows naturally in layers, I prefer a blunt cut but I don't mind a U or even a V shape to my ends. If I am not planning on wearing my hair down between touch ups (usually the colder months), I'm not too bothered by what the shape of my ends look like, or if my ends have gotten thinner over the period of my stretch (4 months) I will dust randomly maybe do a couple s & d's, this gives me the look of healthy ends, even when my ends start to look thin.

If it's a warmer time of year and I'm more likely to wear my hair down, I want my ends to be on point, I'm more careful about the way I dust my hair, aiming to maintain my blunt look and I use my splitender more frequently to catch any mid-strand splits. The amount I take off will depend on any splits and the overall look of my ends in this instance.

I think how you determine how much to cut will depend on the condition of your hair and the look you are trying to achieve. If you don't mind thinner ends or not having a blunt cut you could try S & D.

 

[Angel of the North]

My ends are looking and feeling dry so I'm babying them and m & s'ing 2 x per day. This morning I moisturised with Bee Mine deja's milk and sealed with the Mizani supreme oil, will use the same combination for rest of the week and see how it goes, if I like it I may continue, if not I'm gonna move on to avocado oil or carrot oil.

 

[faithVA]

I am misting and sealing my hair every night and retwisting. I used Natty Mist tonight, sealed my strands with hazelnut oil and sealed my ends with Natty Butter. I hope I can tell the difference when it dries. So far everything I have tried, my hair still felt very dry when it dried. I am focusing more on the ph of products now.

For right now I have my hair in twist and am wigging it. I don't think I can wear wigs every week though so I may put in flat twist extensions this weekend and alternate.

 

[spellinto]

Finally trimmed my ends today! Photos are attached They aren't perfect, but at least they're more uniform now. My hair feels much softer and tangle-free because of it. I trimmed a considerable amount off (don't know how many inches) but that's OK because I'm more concerned about health than length at this point. (As long as I'm BSL or longer I'm okay!)

I love Mskraizy 's post about frequent trimming. Trimming small amounts frequently is a great idea IMO. I'm going by the timeline of dusting every 6 weeks (although this time around, I cut off more hair than what's typical to dust, but it was definitely needed). I will lengthen the amount of time in between dustings if my ends start to show an overall improvement. I'm all for thick & healthy ends at WL too!

 

[spellinto]

How do you all protect your ends when you clarify? Do you use clarifying shampoos or other alternatives? I notice that if a shampoo is too drying/stripping my ends scream bloody murder!

 

[virtuenow]

How do you all protect your ends when you clarify? Do you use clarifying shampoos or other alternatives? I notice that if a shampoo is too drying/stripping my ends scream bloody murder!

Clarifying shampoo's are hair suicide for my already dry natured hair... I don't do them. If your hair feels that bad, its a sign you also should not do them. The last time I did one, I highly diluted it in an applicator bottle (8oz water, 2 squirts shampoo), and put it on my pre-pooed hair (i.e. do not rinse the pre-poo off first) and my hair survived. Oil rinses and/or mud washes are better (safer) and more effective ways to pull out impurites from hair and "clarify".