Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2023

What would you like to address and improve as it relates to having luscious, healthy ends?

  • Breakage

    Votes: 36 54.5%

  • Thinness

    Votes: 30 45.5%

  • Unevenness

    Votes: 18 27.3%

  • Split Ends

    Votes: 36 54.5%

  • Dryness

    Votes: 32 48.5%

  • Roughness

    Votes: 14 21.2%

  • Knots

    Votes: 31 47.0%

  • Dullness

    Votes: 9 13.6%
  • Total voters
    66
Chicoro said:
I don’t think this is the reason. I just started back using protein July/Aug 2023.

I think it’s important to change the hairstyle. I don’t do that.

Also, clay has softened my hair. Shampoo left my hair hard and wiry.

It’s a precarious balance among all things. I have less breakage now than prior to changing to clay.

Thank you for taking the time to detail out the information and for making the suggestion.I will revisit this.
Click to expand...

Okay, so you are transitioning out of the cause already with the clay washes and already have a plan for it. That makes sense. Thank you for clarifying.
 
Napp said:
It’s not thick, long or full. Plus it’s very frizzy and resistant to styling. Hopefully next time I straighten and trim it will look better
Click to expand...
I don't see what you describe above based on your photos, but I will leave it alone. Hopefully, time and progress will allow you to recognize its good features as clearly as the ones you hope to improve.
 
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Lylddlebit said:
I don't see what you describe above based on your photos, but I will leave it alone. Hopefully, time and progress will allow you to recognize its good features as clearly as the ones you hope to improve.
Click to expand...

Same.

@Napp 's hair photos are the ones that get me the most excited. I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but your journey and transformation is it for me!
 
I was applying my epres treatment this morning and I was really paying atrention to my hair. My curls in the front have a spot along the length where they are very stretched out. I assume it’s from wearing my hair pulled back in a pony/puff.

I really like my puffs, but I’m going to reduce the frequency that I wear them.

And hopefully the Epres will help bring the curls back to normal.
 
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After thinking about @snoop and her deep knowledge of various ingredients and rotations, @Lylddlebit and her meticulous details, @GettingKinky and her vigilant observation of her hair changes and @Napp and her super neat unbroken haired bun, I came to some conclusions about myself and my own hair.

Cliff notes/summary to wall of text below:
These four ladies inspired me and helped me connect their ideas to my own hair care. As a result, I could be more gentle with my hair, I realized that shampoo is okay for my hair until it hits a certain length and age, I need to take down my bun weekly and that I am creating breakage by brushing my hair back to slick it down WHILE it is in a ponytail.


Details of text:
  • I am more gentle with my hair but I am still NOT gentle [as I can be]. I was making a bantu knot and contemplating something and realized I was yanking my hair around to form the bantu. Not good. When doing my hair, it is important that I am gentle and as fully present as possible. (Lylddlebit frequently mentions being adamant about treating hair with gentleness and being mindful and present with what you are doing. )

  • My hair cannot withstand the aggressions of shampoo and the onslaughts on my hair shafts after a certain point. Meaning, the more aged my hair, the less resistant and resilient it can be after shampoo use. My hair thrives INSPITE of shampoo up until it has no more 'protein' to give. Shampoo removes the protein from the hair. Older hair, at the ends being more damaged, will have less protein than newer hair. Thus, my hair cannot overcome what shampoo does to it after around mid back to waist length. By the time it gets to waist length, the count down to set-backs and plateaus and break points begins. My hair is tired and weak at this point, made bereft of stabilizing protein and protective lipids due to shampoo removing these vital components from my natural hair over time. It shows because the hair is weathered and is discolored on the ends, has more of a tendency to split and the result is my hair breaks. (Snoop always has an ingredient she can reach for due to a season change, a length change, water change, a texture change or state of the hair change. She provided the clay mix for my change due to velcro ends.)

  • My hair has been thriving with weekly washes, but I have had to stop them this and last week do to a wet cough, deep in my chest. I don't want to get pneumonia so it is best I don't wash my hair until my cough is dried up. BUT, I have been taking my ponytail down AS IF I were going to wash it. I learned that even though I may not be washing my hair once a week, my hair does better if take it down and RE-DO the braid once a week. I gently detangle it and skip the wash and condition but I do the other treatments like oil treatments (pre-poo) and coating (shea butter and vaseline) and re-braid. (GettingKinky- stopping frequency of buns due to noticing unwanted straightness in some areas. This helped me to connect to the benefit of re-doing my ponytail weekly, whether or not I was washing it.)

  • Once my hair is in a braid for the week, I cover my head at night. BUT, but...during the week I do not re-braid my hair. Instead I re-wet the hair and put the nylon around it and BRUSH the hair from my hairline to the braid: BREAKAGE! BREAKAGE! What I need to do is STOP brushing the hair while it is in the braid because I would surmise that the brushing is breaking the hair. The smoothed hair is okay but brushing all the way to the nylon holder to smooth the hair puts too much stress on the hair entwined in the braid. When I take my hair down, the major tangles are at the top of the braid, right below the nylon holder. That is because the hair has been broken off due to brushing it. I cannot brush my hair and do aggressive smoothing to get it perfectly sleek during the week. Fingers only and maybe my hair toothbrush used gently and conscientiously. (Napp has a flawless bun with NO broken hairs. She even has her nape laid down, something of which I have NEVER been able to achieve with my long history of bunning. The look of her bun inspired me to look deeper into why I might be getting breakage in my buns.)
Lessons Learned and Actions Taken:
  1. Stop shampoo except to clarify for Aphogee 2 Step and use clay
  2. Take down braid every week no matter what and re-do it.
  3. Stop brushing hair once it is in the braid during the week. Use fingers and maybe a toothbrush.
  4. Stay mindful and gentle every time I touch my hair.
The Devil is definitely in the details. devil::angeldevil:
 
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Napp said:
@Chicoro and @GettingKinky I never had any straightness happen to my curls and I wear a slick back every day for months at a time. I wish it straightened a little bit because that would make it easier to slick back lol I don't know if the difference is that I redo my hair every day vs letting it stay stretched out and dry.
Click to expand...
I take my pony down every night. I’ve always worried that sleeping with my hair in a bun/pony would cause breakage.

The whole front of my hair isn’t straighter. Just the area where the puff cuff wraps around my hair. It’s a short section of hair maybe 1-2 inches at most. Above and below that section it has its normal curliness
 
GettingKinky said:
I take my pony down every night. I’ve always worried that sleeping with my hair in a bun/pony would cause breakage.

The whole front of my hair isn’t straighter. Just the area where the puff cuff wraps around my hair. It’s a short section of hair maybe 1-2 inches at most. Above and below that section it has its normal curliness
Click to expand...
I remember the video you posted with the stylist showed the "damage" all in the front so that's what I was thinking of. I haven't worn my hair curly in months but even when I did I did not have this issue. It must vary from person to person. I still find it weird that that happened to you because you use bond builder treatments regularly if I'm not mistaken
 
Napp said:
I remember the video you posted with the stylist showed the "damage" all in the front so that's what I was thinking of. I haven't worn my hair curly in months but even when I did I did not have this issue. It must vary from person to person. I still find it weird that that happened to you because you use bond builder treatments regularly if I'm not mistaken
Click to expand...
I was surprised to see it too! I haven’t worn a puff in many weeks, and I do use the bond builder regularly, but I now realize that I need to pay much more attention to my hair every week before I wash it. That’s the only time I can really examine my hair without worrying about generating frizz and messing up my style. If I’m serious about my hair getting longer I need to start noticing any potential issues.
 
Chicoro said:
After thinking about @snoop and her deep knowledge of various ingredients and rotations, @Lylddlebit and her meticulous details, @GettingKinky and her vigilant observation of her hair changes and @Napp and her super neat unbroken haired bun, I came to some conclusions about myself and my own hair.

Cliff notes/summary to wall of text below:
These four ladies inspired me and helped me connect their ideas to my own hair care. As a result, I could be more gentle with my hair, I realized that shampoo is okay for my hair until it hits a certain length and age, I need to take down my bun weekly and that I am creating breakage by brushing my hair back to slick it down WHILE it is in a ponytail.


Details of text:
  • I am more gentle with my hair but I am still NOT gentle [as I can be]. I was making a bantu knot and contemplating something and realized I was yanking my hair around to form the bantu. Not good. When doing my hair, it is important that I am gentle and as fully present as possible. (Lylddlebit frequently mentions being adamant about treating hair with gentleness and being mindful and present with what you are doing. )

  • My hair cannot withstand the aggressions of shampoo and the onslaughts on my hair shafts after a certain point. Meaning, the more aged my hair, the less resistant and resilient it can be after shampoo use. My hair thrives INSPITE of shampoo up until it has no more 'protein' to give. Shampoo removes the protein from the hair. Older hair, at the ends being more damaged, will have less protein than newer hair. Thus, my hair cannot overcome what shampoo does to it after around mid back to waist length. By the time it gets to waist length, the count down to set-backs and plateaus and break points begins. My hair is tired and weak at this point, made bereft of stabilizing protein and protective lipids due to shampoo removing these vital components from my natural hair over time. It shows because the hair is weathered and is discolored on the ends, has more of a tendency to split and the result is my hair breaks. (Snoop always has an ingredient she can reach for due to a season change, a length change, water change, a texture change or state of the hair change. She provided the clay mix for my change due to velcro ends.)

  • My hair has been thriving with weekly washes, but I have had to stop them this and last week do to a wet cough, deep in my chest. I don't want to get pneumonia so it is best I don't wash my hair until my cough is dried up. BUT, I have been taking my ponytail down AS IF I were going to wash it. I learned that even though I may not be washing my hair once a week, my hair does better if take it down and RE-DO the braid once a week. I gently detangle it and skip the wash and condition but I do the other treatments like oil treatments (pre-poo) and coating (shea butter and vaseline) and re-braid. (GettingKinky- stopping frequency of buns due to noticing unwanted straightness in some areas. This helped me to connect to the benefit of re-doing my ponytail weekly, whether or not I was washing it.)

  • Once my hair is in a braid for the week, I cover my head at night. BUT, but...during the week I do not re-braid my hair. Instead I re-wet the hair and put the nylon around it and BRUSH the hair from my hairline to the braid: BREAKAGE! BREAKAGE! What I need to do is STOP brushing the hair while it is in the braid because I would surmise that the brushing is breaking the hair. The smoothed hair is okay but brushing all the way to the nylon holder to smooth the hair puts too much stress on the hair entwined in the braid. When I take my hair down, the major tangles are at the top of the braid, right below the nylon holder. That is because the hair has been broken off due to brushing it. I cannot brush my hair and do aggressive smoothing to get it perfectly sleek during the week. Fingers only and maybe my hair toothbrush used gently and conscientiously. (Napp has a flawless bun with NO broken hairs. She even has her nape laid down, something of which I have NEVER been able to achieve with my long history of bunning. The look of her bun inspired me to look deeper into why I might be getting breakage in my buns.)
Lessons Learned and Actions Taken:
  1. Stop shampoo except to clarify for Aphogee 2 Step and use clay
  2. Take down braid every week no matter what and re-do it.
  3. Stop brushing hair once it is in the braid during the week. Use fingers and maybe a toothbrush.
  4. Stay mindful and gentle every time I touch my hair.
The Devil is definitely in the details. devil::angeldevil:
Click to expand...
Great post! Fantastic regimen!
 
LHCF_Clay_Oct2023.png

I added this pic to the mini twists thread, but I'm posting here again because I like the look of my ends.

One thing that I notice in this picture is that the middle section looks shorter than the rest. I'm not sure if this is due to breakage or shrinkage. I'll have to remember to check when I wet/wash my hair on the weekend.
 
snoop said:
View attachment 492515

I added this pic to the mini twists thread, but I'm posting here again because I like the look of my ends.

One thing that I notice in this picture is that the middle section looks shorter than the rest. I'm not sure if this is due to breakage or shrinkage. I'll have to remember to check when I wet/wash my hair on the weekend.
Click to expand...
The middle section is HIGHER up on your head than the rest. I am inclined to think the middle section is the same length as the ‘longer’ looking twists. I think if you measured a twist from a mid and nape section, you might find them to be the same length.
 
@GettingKinky , @Lylddlebit , @snoop and @Napp

To conclude some thoughts on my breakage that you all helped me to arrive at, my hair breakage is PURELY mechanical. I do this mechanical breakage with a styling tool. That styling tool is a brush. This breakage is caused by my poor, grooming habit of brushing my hair hard, fast and rough when it is in a braided ponytail, during the week right before going to work.

The breakage was happening pro-actively during grooming, not passively during sleep.

It, the cause of the breakage, was right in front of me all along but I did not see it.

NOW, I ONLY use my fingers to smooth my hair down and back in the morning. I also carefully use a toothbrush to do any fine smoothing of the hairline and crown.

My expectation is that the ball of shedded hair, from self-inflicted hair breakage due to my part, will be a smaller ball this weekend, and will continue to decrease in size going forward.

The only CAVEAT is that due to having been ill, I have not washed my hair in the last two weeks, so I may have extra hair that was not removed due to not having had thorough detangling sessions like I get when I wash and condition.

If that hair ball doesn't get smaller this week, it should get smaller the week after. That is, if my assumptions about the benefits of not brushing my hair to the back, while in a tightly, braided ponytail, are correct.
 
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Ladies,
All of this can have a change on your hair:
  1. When you change your relationship status
  2. If you move houses,
  3. If you go from rent to own or from own to rent
  4. If you move neighborhoods, cities, states or countries
  5. If there are water changes due to moving or adding or removing a water filter
  6. If your body changes to a mom
  7. If your body changes to peri/ meni/post menopausal
  8. If your job/boss/duties change,
  9. if you develop an illness or if you heal an illness
  10. If you start or stop medication, if your medication interacts with one another
  11. If hair product formulations change of your staple products
  12. If you change products
  13. If your hair style changes
  14. If your hair texture, elasticity, tensile strength, moisture retention etc changes
  15. If your hair color changes from chemical lightening (coloring with dye)
  16. If your hair color changes to gray due to age
  17. If your hair color changes due to sun exposure
  18. If someone you love dies/or leaves your life/ grief in your life
  19. If your sleeping patterns change
  20. If your bedding changes
  21. If your hair has reached a certain length
  22. If your hair has reached a certain age
  23. If you lose teeth
Any and all of these potential changes can literally make you have to re-start your hair journey and make you have to re-acquaint yourself with your own hair.




I said up-thread that my issue of breakage was right in front of me, but it took working through the possible changes in my life to finally figuring it out, AND WITH the help and inspiration of my LHCF Sisters.

It is simple ONLY after once and AFTER you discover the issue. The hard part is trying to discover the issue!

Be patient and gentle with yourselves. An issue may be simple, but discovering that issue may be difficult and take time and patience.
 
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Chicoro said:
@GettingKinky , @Lylddlebit , @snoop and @Napp

To conclude some thoughts on my breakage that you all helped me to arrive at, my hair breakage is PURELY mechanical. I do this mechanical breakage with a styling tool. That styling tool is a brush. This breakage is caused by my poor, grooming habit of brushing my hair hard, fast and rough when it is in a braided ponytail, during the week right before going to work.

The breakage was happening pro-actively during grooming, not passively during sleep.

It, the cause of the breakage, was right in front of me all along but I did not see it.

NOW, I ONLY use my fingers to smooth my hair down and back in the morning. I also carefully use a toothbrush to do any fine smoothing of the hairline and crown.

My expectation is that the ball of shedded hair, from self-inflicted hair breakage due to my part, will be a smaller ball this weekend, and will continue to decrease in size going forward.

The only CAVEAT is that due to having been ill, I have not washed my hair in the last two weeks, so I may have extra hair that was not removed due to not having had thorough detangling sessions like I get when I wash and condition.

If that hair ball doesn't get smaller this week, it should get smaller the week after. That is, if my assumptions about the benefits of not brushing my hair to the back, while in a tightly, braided ponytail, are correct.
Click to expand...
Feel better soon @Chicoro
Great analysis.
 
Chicoro said:
@snoop
And, are you cleansing with the clay, detoxifying or conditioning?
Click to expand...

Yes.

I only put one thing on my hair while in the shower outside of water on wash days. So I guess it's doing all of the above. In addition to the clay/goat's milk powder I'll add a combination of some or all of the following:

ayurvedic herbs -- for strengthening, encourage growth, stave off greys
hydrolyzed proteins -- jojoba, rice, quinoa, etc.
charcoal -- for extra cleansing
honey, fresh aloe -- extra moisturizing
amino acids -- strengthening, restoration

Some other ingredients that I include are cetrimonium chloride, allantoin, inositol, ascorbic acid (vit C)...


So, my clay masks (can) do all of the things you asked about.
 
snoop said:
Yes.

I only put one thing on my hair while in the shower outside of water on wash days. So I guess it's doing all of the above. In addition to the clay/goat's milk powder I'll add a combination of some or all of the following:

ayurvedic herbs -- for strengthening, encourage growth, stave off greys
hydrolyzed proteins -- jojoba, rice, quinoa, etc.
charcoal -- for extra cleansing
honey, fresh aloe -- extra moisturizing
amino acids -- strengthening, restoration

Some other ingredients that I include are cetrimonium chloride, allantoin, inositol, ascorbic acid (vit C)...


So, my clay masks (can) do all of the things you asked about.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the detailed response.
 
Chicoro said:
I am just seeing this. I am still not sure you are talking to me but assuming that you are, thank you for the compliment!!!!!
No, the texture is not from a braidout, the curls are my natural curls.
Click to expand...
I was talking to you :) Your curls are beautiful. I am still waiting patiently for the day you decide to try a wash n go. It will be glorious.
 
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Chicoro said:
Can you tell me your tried and true steps for the near perfect wash n go that works for you, please?
Click to expand...
Here are my steps. Writing it all out it seems like a lot, but the whole process takes me just under an hour.


  1. Thoroughly wet my hair and rinse products out in the shower for at least 3 minutes
  2. Shampoo with my all purpose shampoo
  3. Shampoo with my moisture shampoo
  4. Divide my hair into 2 sections with duck clips
  5. Condition each section with my staple conditioner (4 tsp)
  6. Condition the ends of each section with my staple protein conditioner
  7. Thoroughly detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb followed by a detangling brush and squish my hair to make sure the conditioner gets everywhere
  8. Let my conditioner sit while I wash my body
  9. Rinse out my conditioner
  10. Divide my hair into 2 sections again
  11. Apply my botanical gel (Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic) to each half (my hair is soaking wet at this point)
    1. First apply to the ends of my hair (1 tsp)
    2. Then apply to mid section of my hair (1tsp)
    3. Then apply to my roots (1 tsp)
    4. Then split the section (into 4 more sections) so I can apply more gel to the roots (1.5 tsp) I also smooth my hair while I’m applying this gel
    5. Squish the gel into my hair. There has to be enough water to hear the gel squishing in my hair
  12. Apply a second stronger hold gel (Ecoslay Jello Shot) over the first gel
    1. Divide my hair into 4 sections
    2. Apply gel (1 tsp+) to each section coating it well
    3. Smooth my hair then rake each section well to separate the curls
  13. Diffuse my hair for 10 minutes on high speed high heat

Note - before I apply any product to my hair I spread it in the palms of my hands first. This makes it so I can apply it more evenly to my hair and I don’t have to use so much.
 
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GettingKinky said:
Here are my steps. Writing it all out it seems like a lot, but the whole process takes my just under an hour.


  1. Thoroughly wet my hair and rinse products out in the shower for at least 3 minutes
  2. Shampoo with my all purpose shampoo
  3. Shampoo with my moisture shampoo
  4. Divide my hair into 2 sections with duck clips
  5. Condition each section with my staple conditioner (2 tsp)
  6. Condition the ends of each section with my staple protein conditioner
  7. Thoroughly detail my hair with a wide tooth comb followed by a detangling brush and squish my hair to make sure the conditioner gets everywhere
  8. Let my conditioner sit while I wash my body
  9. Rinse out my conditioner
  10. Divide my hair into 2 sections again
  11. Apply my botanical gel (Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic) to each half (my hair is soaking wet at this point)
    1. First apply to the ends of my hair (1 tsp)
    2. Then apply to mid section of my hair (1tsp)
    3. Then apply to my roots (1 tsp)
    4. Then split the section (into 4 more sections) so I can apply more gel to the roots (1.5 tsp) I also smooth my hair while I’m applying this gel
    5. Squish the gel into my hair. There has to be enough water to hear the gel squishing in my hair
  12. Apply a second stronger hold gel (Ecoslay Jello Shot) over the first gel
    1. Divide my hair into 4 sections
    2. Apply gel (1 tsp+) to each section coating it well
    3. Smooth my hair then rake each section well to separate the curls
  13. Diffuse my hair for 10 minutes on high speed high heat

Note - before I apply any product to my hair I spread it in the palms of my hands first. This makes it so I can apply it more evenly to my hair and I don’t have to use so much.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the detailed instructions!!!!!
 
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