Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2023

[keranikki]

Your hair looks thick, full and even from root to tip. We all know how hard that is to achieve. Yet, YOU’VE done it! I want to put my fingers in your pretty hair.

Thank you!

 

[GettingKinky]

Thanks @Lylddlebit
Your post has inspired me to get more serious about reaching my length goals.

Based on your information, I think I need to be more careful when I detangle. I always do it in the shower when my hair is full of conditioner. I use a detangling brush and it removes quite a bit of hair. And sometimes it removes a clump of hair instead of individual strands. Maybe I should go back to starting with a wide tooth comb and then finishing with the brush.

What is your technique for removing tangles? Do you use your fingers?

For sure wearing a wash n go results in more tangles than if I bunned for a few months.
Maybe I should do a 3-6 months bun challenge. But I know I would miss my curls…

 

[GettingKinky]

Do you ladies every worry about mechanical damage from buns/ponytails.

Whenever I watch stylists trim people’s hair on IG they often point out damage people have from pulling their hair back frequently. My puff-cuff doesn’t seem to put stress on my hair, but maybe it isn’t as gentle as I think it is.

 

[Lylddlebit]

@Lylddlebit I wish I could cut my own hair. My eye hand coordination just isn't there lol

How did you quantify that you were losing 33% of your hair?

I clarified that figure in my post to 2-3 times but let me explain, in order to be more clear.


I shouldn't have said 33%. I was thinking of from the mindset that it started to take a good 3(sometimes even 4) washes and detangle sessions to yield the same volume of strands in the detangle tool and drain catcher that one detangle session previously took. So I should have explained/worded that better.

I did track that experience. Before I improved my detangling method I detangled like normal after a one-week wash(no braid or extra factors, but after one week old natural style) and kept the ball of hair in a jar under the bathroom cabinet. Each week I would wash, detangle, and compare that week's hairball to the original hairball. Before the end of the year, I noticed my week-to-week hairball would be 1/3 to 1/4 the size of my baseline hairball. Granted, that comparison is just from the year I got my hair from APL to BSL. So I was loosing less hair on a head of more hair and I was able to get to longer lengths with even smaller hairballs as more time went on. However, when I look at that initial year where I made a plan, applied it, and saw results, I tracked it pretty well. To this day I keep a jar under my bathroom cabinet so I can track how I shed hair from one wash day to the next lol. It tells me a lot about:

1. How much hair I lose depending on what tools I am using and how well I use that tool
2. How much hair do I lose at the end of the month after a press versus the end of the month natural
3. How much hair do I cumulatively lose washing week-to-week at the end of the month, versus cumulative hair lost at the end of the month washing every 2 weeks or just once that month
4. Is such-and-such product impacting how much hair I lose or keep
5. Is this condition or state of my body causing an increase or decrease in hair fall
6. It allows me to test a product on a hairball instead of my hair when I am leery of a new product

etc. LOL me and my haircare quirks.

 

[GettingKinky]

@Lylddlebit I’m so into measuring and tracking and using metrics to reach my goals, but I never occurred to me to save my shed hair.

For how long do you keep your hair before you get rid of it?

I’m so tempted to try this, but for sure DH would think I was crazy.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@GettingKinky Gone head and save that hair girl. He probably already thinks that

 

[Lylddlebit]

Thanks @Lylddlebit
Your post has inspired me to get more serious about reaching my length goals.

Based on your information, I think I need to be more careful when I detangle. I always do it in the shower when my hair is full of conditioner. I use a detangling brush and it removes quite a bit of hair. And sometimes it removes a clump of hair instead of individual strands. Maybe I should go back to starting with a wide tooth comb and then finishing with the brush.

What is your technique for removing tangles? Do you use your fingers?

For sure wearing a wash n go results in more tangles than if I bunned for a few months.
Maybe I should do a 3-6 months bun challenge. But I know I would miss my curls…

I tailor my technique to the tangle.

• Example 1: First wash after a 3-5 week-old press. My hair will be a bit dry but should not be tangled/matted at all because it was straight and did not get tangled during my press. I also won't have trapped hairs because shed hair would have dropped during my comb-throughs during my press. So detangling it will be easy as 1-2 quick swipes on each section deep conditioned hair and my focus will be on replenishing moisture.
• Example 2: Hair dry and ready to tangle. Maybe I can see that it is moderately tangled and slightly matted before I wash it. I don't want to risk adding matting with shrinkage or product build-up. So, I spray it down with an ACV Aloe Vera juice mix to become damp, not wet. Then I will use my hands to break my hair down. Gently pulling the hair loose where the tangles will naturally separate helps me to get sections. Once I do that, I apply conditioner then use a bone comb with medium bristles or the end of a rat tail comb to see if I can pick the tangles out of chunks of hair instead of dragging the detangle tool through it. If I can pick tangles out of a section of damp hair and loosen the tangles, that will prepare my hair to run a detangling tool like the Felicia Leatherwood brush through it without ripping the hair out. After I detangle, I wash and complete a deep conditioning treatment before styling.
• Example 3: Hair tangled and matted. I need to soak my hair in a detox rinse to try to loosen the product up and off my hair so the shed hairs in it will release more efficiently. After I detox my hair, I rinse the treatment off then apply a conditioner full of slip and oil for lubrication. Once the product is applied, I pick, pull, and separate my hair as gently as I can to release tangles and matting. Ripping and tearing is a bad sign. Ripping and tearing may be unavoidable, but the more of it that happens, the greater the setback will be. The longer matting is allowed to develop the more chance of a setback. If I get frustrated during the process I won't do it right. When I do it right, I gently release the tangled/matted area with my hands, pick it out with medium teeth or the end of a rat tail comb then smooth it out with the detangle tool. It may sound funny to wait to use the tool after I have manually detangled instead of using the tool to detangle, but matted hair is a process to salvage. It is easily ripped out when rushed. Split ends and SSKs are on stand-by if I rush. So, my best chance for success is reducing the matted section/tangle to a state that the tool will work efficiently on.
• The more hair I can gently work out the tangle/matted piece, the better chance of the tool gliding through to smooth everything out while picking up shed hairs, instead of breaking weak ones. There may be knots/matted sections that require I stop and then pull individual hairs out of the knot/tangle one by one then I can continue with the pick before using the tool to rake through. There may be knots that are essentially multi-strand tight knots requiring scissors. Most of the time I can get the most severe tangles/matted sections down to like 5 hairs to cut out, but that takes as long as it takes and the chances of success fly out the window if I get frustrated.
• Example 4: A routine wash. I can wet down, finger detangle/ smooth out shed hairs with my hands, and rinse conditioner(or leave it in) before styling. I may not even need a tool. Hair can be gently smoothed and pulled apart with hands to remove shed hairs all on its own or I can follow up with a tool. I just have to keep in mind to use a tool by wash 4 because even if it feels great and the finger detangling is efficient, there will be shed hairs within natural hair that need thorough removal to prevent matting from sneaking in there.
• Example 5: Style worn minimal tangles/ or haven't used a tool in 4 weeks+. Wet hair down, and apply conditioner or a shampoo. Smooth shed hairs out with the praying hand's technique. Most shed hairs will slip out with a water stream and gentle smoothing/raking. After conditioning/deep conditioning take a detangle tool and detangle.
• Example 7: Detangling to prep for pressing/ Stretching is detailed here. https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...s-challenge-2023.854461/page-26#post-25875617

Emphasis on things that work for me

• If I have setback scenario, I am typically fine and can minimize the impact to salvage my hair. It is when setbacks combine that I get flanked.
  • For example, the setback I am recovering from now is from hormonal shedding that started when I switched to natural family planning. My hair thinned out some but was still pretty full and still long. When I thought my shedding tapped off, I decided to hide my hair to boost its thickening back up. That would have worked...but I had two shedding spikes while I was hiding my hair and to compound that further, I was keeping my hair damp in a low manipulation style. My hair was not strong enough to handle two back-to-back matting sessions that followed hormonal shedding. If it was just the shedding I would have been fine. The back-to-back matting sessions alone could have been overcome. Even balancing out moisture overload with protein would have been easy on its own. However, the three factors combined created a well-rounded "L". For both loss and lesson. Sometimes it is better to just let a setback ride and pick up where I landed than it is to try to overcompensate for a setback.
• If my hair has signs of matting, I take steps to loosen the matting and tangles before washing, because matting can get worse if I wash first.
• If there are no signs of matting or severe tangles then I detangle after my hair is conditioned/deep conditioned.
• Detangling under the water stream gives great slip.
• I never detangle hair with a protein treatment in it. Only after the deep conditioner/moisturizing conditioner is applied because protein can make hair strong enough to break instead of give slightly, before bounding back as I detangle.
  • Moisturized hair is more malleable than super-strong hair.
• Not every wash requires a thorough detangle. Sometimes smoothing out the shed hairs works fine and minimizes manipulation which can offset mechanical damage.
• The more I use tools the higher quality they should be. If I didn't comb my hair but a few times a year, it probably wouldn't be a big deal to use whatever cheap combs or brushes I got on sale. Since combing my hair regularly and thoroughly, I use well-crafted combs and brushes that can glide through an afro as efficiently as they can a silk press.
• Frustation=sabotage.
• Allowing hair issues to compound=sabotage.
• I pick the best tool for the tangle.
• If hair is tangled or matted, damp hair is stronger than wet hair. I will wet it to damp or let it dry a bit, to damp.
• When hair is matted, I try to apply enough product for slip without creating product build-up.

There are a lot of different ways to detangle. The way I do it depends on the tangle

• Sometimes I go from the ends up.
• Sometimes I start mid-strand and glide the tool down until feel resistance. When I feel resistance I go right under the tangle, pick it out then smooth the tool though it.
  • This can help prevent going over fragile ends over and over.
• Sometimes I have to pick the tangle out before attempting to glide a tool through it.
• I stop when I feel my hair giving my tool resistance. If I pull a tool through despite feeling resistance, there will be breakage.

I hope that helps.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Do you ladies every worry about mechanical damage from buns/ponytails.

Whenever I watch stylists trim people’s hair on IG they often point out damage people have from pulling their hair back frequently. My puff-cuff doesn’t seem to put stress on my hair, but maybe it isn’t as gentle as I think it is.

I try to be moderate with damaging things. I can use a ponytail holder fine but I have flexi-8 hair clips, hair sticks, hair pins, and hair forks that I can use instead. If you want to add a few of those into your rotation, that can help. They can be easier on the hair than ponytail holders.

 

[Mapleoats]

@Lylddlebit can you share your detangle tool
Collection? I feel like I've seen a picture that you shared but can't remember where

 

[Lylddlebit]

@Lylddlebit I’m so into measuring and tracking and using metrics to reach my goals, but I never occurred to me to save my shed hair.

For how long do you keep your hair before you get rid of it?

I’m so tempted to try this, but for sure DH would think I was crazy.

The year is my max.

It's funny if I use my hot comb I will grab a handful of it roll it into the ball and test the comb on that instead of a paper towel lol. At the end of the year I burn it up(I can be kind of superstitious about my throwing hair away). One of the cabinets is just for my hair stuff. That is where I keep it and DH leaves my "hair stuff" alone..for the most part

 

[Lylddlebit]

@Lylddlebit can you share your detangle tool
Collection? I feel like I've seen a picture that you shared but can't remember where

I have a lot of them. lol, I have a picture of my hairsense collection on my media page but I will take a picture of more of the tools and post soon...it's a pretty large collection. I will post before the end of the day tomorrow maybe tonight.

 

[Mapleoats]

I have a lot of them. lol, I have a picture of my hairsense collection on my media page but I will take a picture of more of the tools and post soon...it's a pretty large collection. I will post before the end of the day tomorrow maybe tonight.

Thank you! I have one other question. Im curious from your experience how often you rotate protein/moisture treatments and when you think your hair needs protein? Do you have a go to protein treatment?

I feel like I rarely do protein treatments these days since I do Olaplex but maybe I need to reintroduce it to my regimen

 

[Lylddlebit]

Thank you! I have one other question. Im curious from your experience how often you rotate protein/moisture treatments and when you think your hair needs protein? Do you have a go to protein treatment?

I feel like I rarely do protein treatments these days since I do Olaplex but maybe I need to reintroduce it to my regimen

Here it is:

The one you may have remembered when I posted my hairsense collection. I reposted that, here for ya.

My hair doesn't need a lot of protein. If I use them frequently, they make my hair hard and can cause matting at my roots. Once every 3-4 months is my ideal rotation. I also follow them up with a moisture mask to prevent it from making my hair too hard. Sometimes it is as often as once a month if I am pressing my hair back to back. Right now I am using up my Ouidad 12-minute deep treatment(which has been discontinued for a long time, but it is the first protein treatment I loved...so I stocked up the year it got replaced. I am on my last bottle). I plan to buy the It's a 10 + Keratin Deep Conditioner on the Ulta sale later this week (it will be 50 % off the liter 10/20). I haven't come across a protein-deep conditioner I loved in a long time. Still searching.

 

[MzSwift]

The year is my max.

It's funny if I use my hot comb I will grab a handful of it roll it into the ball and test the comb on that instead of a paper towel lol. At the end of the year I burn it up(I can be kind of superstitious about my throwing hair away). One of the cabinets is just for my hair stuff. That is where I keep it and DH leaves my "hair stuff" alone..for the most part

OMG, my mom used to make me do this growing up and I never understood why! I stopped doing it once I moved out of the house. lol

 

[Lylddlebit]

OMG, my mom used to make me do this growing up and I never understood why! I stopped doing it once I moved out of the house. lol

it is because some people use hair for curses and spells within witchcraft.

 

[MzSwift]

it is because people use hair for curses and spells.

I'm not surprised by what you're saying.

I'm surprised that my mom actually had us doing it. I come from a family of super Christians - you know, "witchcraft bad" and all of that.
I was literally out in the freezing cold every week burning my hair in an ashtray and my friends would always ask me why but I didn't have an answer. I still remember the smell of burning hair. lol

Anyway, funny enough I lean more toward "spiritual." And mixing up my hair concoctions brings me so much joy! So maybe it's all coming full circle.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Wow I need to ask the Holy Spirit is that bad to burn hair. I just burned some yesterday.

 

[GettingKinky]

My grandfather used to scold my mom when she threw our hair away. He would say if a bird took your hair and used it in its nest you would become bird brained.

 

[Lylddlebit]

Wow I need to ask the Holy Spirit is that bad to burn hair. I just burned some yesterday.

LOL it's not burning it to practice. It's burning it to prevent someone who means you harm from getting their hands on it and misusing it against you. You won't go wrong in the Holy Spirit leading you so go ahead and ask lol.

***My mom and maternal grandparents are from Louisiana. Paternal grandmother Arkansas. Paternal grandfather Belize. I did what I was told as a kid but ALWAYS asked why lol.

 

[MzSwift]

@GettingKinky

Yes! My mom said it was something about birds using the hair to make a nest but she didn't understand it enough to explain it like that, so I didn't understand it either. lol I was like, I don't mind helping birds to make a nest for their babies. Lol

@ItsMeLilLucky

Lol!! Oh sorry, I didn't mean that it was forbidden. I just meant that my family is the type to say something like "The blood of Jesus is all the protection I need." So for my mom to have me practicing a non-Christian way of protection is something I'd love to pick her brain about during our next chat. lol

To be honest, I believe that Black Americans have always laced our Christianity with other things, even if it's something like believing in astrology, power of ancestors and superstitions. Heck even "catching the Holy Ghost" was something - my brother and I used to ask why the Holy Ghost was only caught in Black churches. lol
I felt our practice of Christianity (non-Catholic) was different because African slaves originally came from somewhere that practiced a different form of religion and they, as a new mixed group of Africans, adopted Christianity in order to survive here in the US.

I personally don't believe that there's anything inherently wrong with Hoodoo or witchcraft and I didn't mean to imply that.

@Lylddlebit
Interesting! My mom and maternal side are from Arkansas. My dad and paternal side are from Louisiana. My paternal great-grandmother is from Haiti.

**************************
It feels like things are coming full circle bc on this board we tap into knowledge of herbs and powders (some would call it root work) to use internally and externally. And we share techniques and ways of binding our hair that are more traditional and/or holistic. In this thread, we're using the techniques to keep our ends healthy and protected. This thread has been so helpful because of the useful tidbits that have been shared!

 

[Chicoro]

Do you ladies every worry about mechanical damage from buns/ponytails.

Whenever I watch stylists trim people’s hair on IG they often point out damage people have from pulling their hair back frequently. My puff-cuff doesn’t seem to put stress on my hair, but maybe it isn’t as gentle as I think it is.

Where is the damage specifically, around where the hair tie rests when securing the pony? In the crown? In the back of the head?On the hairline? At the nape?

My hair breaks where I tie a knee-high around the pony, if I do get breakage.

I use cheap, nylone knee-highs which rarely break my hair and rarely have any hair attached in them. Also, I make sure to remove the tie at night which mitigates breakage happening due to rubbing while sleeping, for my hair.

 

[Mapleoats]

@Lylddlebit your detangling tool collection is dreamy

Where are these two teal/grey brushes from? I circled them in the pic below

 

[MzSwift]

@GettingKinky

I picked up the nylons tip from @Chicoro back in 2010 and I've been using it ever since. I've used them both as a natural and relaxed head and I experience very little mechanical damage.

I buy the silky stockings that are really soft. I cut legs horizontally into 12-18 inch strips and use them to create puffs. They created less stress on my hair too (fine strands) by securing the puff without being tight. Bonus: the feet can be used separately to cover my bun and the "panty part" is used to protect my wigs when I'm storing them. Eliminating extra waste!

I also use them as ponytail holders by cutting the leg horizontally into 4-5 inch strips. They last at least a year that way, some I've had for 4-5 years.

 

[Lylddlebit]

@Lylddlebit your detangling tool collection is dreamy

Where are these two teal/grey brushes from? I circled them in the pic below

Fromm Style Smoother Paddle Brush

Curl Studio Style Smoother Paddle Brush

Style hair with ease using our Style Smoother Paddle Brush. This cushion paddle brush effortlessly smoothes & detangles thick, curly & textured hair without frizz.

www.frommpro.com

Fromm Curl Shaper Brush

Curl Studio Shaper Styling Brush

Shape & define curls effortlessly with Fromm Pro. Our styling brush expertly shapes, separates, defines and styles wet curls without frizz. Designed for professionals.

www.frommpro.com

EZ Detangler knock off form Amazon or Aliexpress
Amazon product ASIN B087NP4K56
Enjoy and I am glad you like it.

ETA: with the exception of the Denman 38(petite version), I prefer the Fromm brushes to Denman, and they are cheaper. When you sign up for an account you can get a discount and they offer sales and discounts regularly.

 

[Chicoro]

@GettingKinky

I picked up the nylons tip from @Chicoro back in 2010 and I've been using it ever since. I've used them both as a natural and relaxed head and I experience very little mechanical damage.

I buy the silky stockings that are really soft. I cut legs horizontally into 12-18 inch strips and use them to create puffs. They created less stress on my hair too (fine strands) by securing the puff without being tight. Bonus: the feet can be used separately to cover my bun and the "panty part" is used to protect my wigs when I'm storing them. Eliminating extra waste!

I also use them as ponytail holders by cutting the leg horizontally into 4-5 inch strips. They last at least a year that way, some I've had for 4-5 years.

@MzSwift

Out here using nylon panty hose like the Original People in America, used the buffalo: Nothing wasted. Every, single, part used.



Nylons: MzSwift modern day version of the buffalo.

 

[MzSwift]

@MzSwift

Out here using nylon panty hose like the Original People in America, used the buffalo: Nothing wasted. Every, single, part used.



Nylons: MzSwift modern day version of the buffalo.
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I forgot to mention that I also use them as hair tea pouches and to sift out my herbs and powders when I infuse oils or make teas.


OMG! I didn't even think of some of those things!

Thank you, thank you so much for giving me some new ideas for reuse!!!

 

[GettingKinky]

Where is the damage specifically, around where the hair tie rests when securing the pony? In the crown? In the back of the head?On the hairline? At the nape?

My hair breaks where I tie a knee-high around the pony, if I do get breakage.

I use cheap, nylone knee-highs which rarely break my hair and rarely have any hair attached in them. Also, I make sure to remove the tie at night which mitigates breakage happening due to rubbing while sleeping, for my hair.

I don’t personally notice any broken hairs from my puff cuff, and I don’t slick my hair back or do them on wet/damp hair, but I just wonder if there is damage that I’m not seeing.

This stylist frequently talks about ponytail damage. One time she mentioned that that damage is not solely from the ponytail holder but also from the constant over direction of the hair. She makes me a little concerned about switching to buns as a style for length retention.

Lazhane Hightower on Instagram: "STOP Ever wondered what I’m thinking while doing your hair? Take less than a minute to hear me explain her curls and show her shocking results at the end. • • #OrlandoCosmetologist #HairStylist #SilkpressOrlando #

15K likes, 141 comments - hairbynay247 on May 4, 2023: "STOP Ever wondered what I’m thinking while doing your hair? Take less than a minute to hear me explain her curls and show her shocking results at the end. • • #OrlandoCosmetologist #HairStylist #SilkpressOrlando #WinterGardenSilkpress...

www.instagram.com

 

[Chicoro]

I don’t personally notice any broken hairs from my puff cuff, and I don’t slick my hair back or do them on wet/damp hair, but I just wonder if there is damage that I’m not seeing.

This stylist frequently talks about ponytail damage. One time she mentioned that that damage is not solely from the ponytail holder but also from the constant over direction of the hair. She makes me a little concerned about switching to buns as a style for length retention.

Lazhane Hightower on Instagram: "STOP Ever wondered what I’m thinking while doing your hair? Take less than a minute to hear me explain her curls and show her shocking results at the end. • • #OrlandoCosmetologist #HairStylist #SilkpressOrlando #

15K likes, 141 comments - hairbynay247 on May 4, 2023: "STOP Ever wondered what I’m thinking while doing your hair? Take less than a minute to hear me explain her curls and show her shocking results at the end. • • #OrlandoCosmetologist #HairStylist #SilkpressOrlando #WinterGardenSilkpress...

www.instagram.com

Thanks for taking the time to explain and for illustrating with a video.

 

[Napp]

I don’t personally notice any broken hairs from my puff cuff, and I don’t slick my hair back or do them on wet/damp hair, but I just wonder if there is damage that I’m not seeing.

This stylist frequently talks about ponytail damage. One time she mentioned that that damage is not solely from the ponytail holder but also from the constant over direction of the hair. She makes me a little concerned about switching to buns as a style for length retention.

Lazhane Hightower on Instagram: "STOP Ever wondered what I’m thinking while doing your hair? Take less than a minute to hear me explain her curls and show her shocking results at the end. • • #OrlandoCosmetologist #HairStylist #SilkpressOrlando #

15K likes, 141 comments - hairbynay247 on May 4, 2023: "STOP Ever wondered what I’m thinking while doing your hair? Take less than a minute to hear me explain her curls and show her shocking results at the end. • • #OrlandoCosmetologist #HairStylist #SilkpressOrlando #WinterGardenSilkpress...

www.instagram.com

I feel a way about how some of these instagram stylist assess “damage” but that’s just me. It almost makes me want to get back behind the chair again and make my own series lol

 

[GettingKinky]

I feel a way about how some of these instagram stylist assess “damage” but that’s just me. It almost makes me want to get back behind the chair again and make my own series lol

You think her assessment is incorrect? What parts do you disagree with? I do feel like IG stylists are always finding damage and I never know if damage is that common or if that’s just what they choose to highlight in their posts.