Minimize Manipulation or Moisturize Daily?

[LittleMissScientist]

Which do you think is more important and why?

I believe a key factor to growing hair long is to minimize the amount of manipulation (combing, brushing, styling, etc). I think this is evidenced by the numerous testimonials about hair growing the longest when there was virtually no time to do it and it was consistently worn in a low maintenance style.

I also think moisture is key to maintaining healthy hair. However, in order to moisturize properly, I feel the need to manipulate my hair every day. To me this presents a problem because I feel like I am overmanipulating. It does not help that I love to experiment w/different hairstyles.

So, how do you ladies reconcile these competing hair needs (if you see them as such)? Are there techniques to moisturize the hair that require almost NO manipulation? Do you moisturize (as in wet your hair) everyday? I actually comb through my hair everyday when I do a CW, so that is still a lot of manipulation for me.

Thoughts and advice, please!

 

[webby]

I personally, got the most length when I stopped manipulating my hair. I combed once in the morning and only combed again at evening when I wrapped it. I only let a brush touch it when I had the roots blown.
However, proper moisture is equally important.

 

[flyjump00]

I think they are both equal but if I have to choose one, I would say min. manipulation and they moisture.

 

[LittleMissScientist]

I agree, webby and flyjump!

But then I get a little paranoid about not moisturizing enough. How do you style your hair on a regular basis to reduce manipulation while retaining proper moisture?

 

[NaturalRox]

OshunCurls, I've been wearing my hair in low manipulation styles for a few weeks now and keep it moisturized by conditioner washing daily. My twists lasts for nearly a week and remain soft throughout. HTH!

 

[Innocent_Kiss]

I think both are important, however, I don't agree with it being how much manipulation -- but what techniques and tools in which you manipulate

If you are using combs with seams, low quality rake like brushes, snagging hair accessories, and products that cause dryness, of course, breakage will come. If you're putting too much tension on the edges, wearing styles that are too tight, or you're bring to rough, of course, breakage will come. Low manipulation styles do help, but they only help avoid bad techniques (pulling, tugging, etc). I think moisture is key, though

Just my two scents

Now lemme take my unhealthy head of hair somewhere and learn instead of advising

 

[NGC]

I agree with Innocent Kiss. I actually try to do both (when I'm diligent). I moisturize my hair by at least rinsing it with water (even if I don't do a CW). When I rinse or CW I don't move my hair around too much. I basically "milk" the conditioner through my hair (if I CW) and then milking/rinse it out. While the water is still cascading through my hair I rebraid it(less tangles for me and I don't have to comb it)into two braids. I hop out of the shower and then apply whatever to my hair while it is still in the braids. I then fold my hair up similar to the avatar pic Kha has now. Ultimately that minimizes manipulation and moisturizes my hair at the same time.

My only problem is that I am too lazy to do this everyday.

 

[Chichi]

I was just thinking of this today

...

I have been doing daily conditioner washes for the summer and just decided to go back to my tried and true poo wash on Sunday with a CW on Wednesday.

I didn't care for the manipulation and I don't like styling my wet hair every day. There is really not too much that one could do with sopping wet hair.

Chichi

 

[Ayeshia]

I dont manipulate my hair so my curlies will be on point. I find that I do okay when I comb every couple of weeks.

 

[LittleMissScientist]

Brownie: It sounds like you have your regimen down!

I also sleep with a scarf to avoid brushing. I think that I will mix up some distilled water, conditioner and Sta-Sof-Fro and spritz this on the length of my hair in the mornings to revitalize curls and avoid having to conditioner wash and comb everyday. I also think combing everyday is too much manipulation...

Natural Rox: Your hair is so lush! I haven't done twists in a minute, but they are excellent for minimizing man. and retaining moisture. I have been doing daily CW, but that is becoming a little much for me.

Innocent Kiss: I think that how you manipulate the hair is definitely related to its HEALTH (i.e., whether there is breakage, thinning, excessive shedding and/or dryness), but how frequently you manipulate it has a stronger relationship to LENGTH. No matter how gentle you are with the hair, if you are consistently combing and brushing, you will lose hairs that may not have been "ready" to shed, which results in less retained length.

Chi Chi & Ayeshia: I also think I am going to cut back, esp. when fall starts.

 

[Boadicea]

I'd say both are important. I moisturize 2-3 times a week and don't manipulate my hair much.

 

[Kha]

I think both are important, I moisturize everyday because my hair needs it. I don't manipulate everyday, because the less I do as far as styling, the better. To answer the question, I think they are equally important for me.

 

[HoneyRockette]

I don't moisturize other than daily washing so I am going to have to cosign on minimizing manipulation. I stopped combing my hair all together and I only brush it back lightly with my son's brush in order to pull it back while it is wet. This seems to retain the most length for me.

 

[Leslie_C]

honeyrockette,
does your hair get knotted up from not detangling it when u wash? Id like to do this but am worried about that bc when I used to wear a phony pony a lot and not comb it much it would do that(matt up).

a couple of times lately Ive saturated it in leave in(Pantene detangle is great) and added another creamy leave in and some serum and/or oil and I can pretty much finger detangle but Im not sure if its ok to do all the time.

 

[HoneyRockette]

No, my hair never gets tangled. My conditioners are detangling so when I pin it up and then take it back down, it is still detangled. I pull my hair back when it is still wet. Maybe that would help.

 

[NaturalRox]

@OshunCurls: Thanks! Yes, putting twists in can be cumbersome - it takes me a good few hours to do but it's nice that I don't have to do any more with my hair until I take them down. And my hair remains moisturized too!

So daily CW's are becoming too much for you - how come? Does it take too much time or is it the drying that takes too long?

 

[LittleMissScientist]

[ QUOTE ]
NaturalRox said:
@OshunCurls: Thanks! Yes, putting twists in can be cumbersome - it takes me a good few hours to do but it's nice that I don't have to do any more with my hair until I take them down. And my hair remains moisturized too!

So daily CW's are becoming too much for you - how come? Does it take too much time or is it the drying that takes too long?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I feel you on the twists- they are one of my favorite styles

I have yet to try them since texturizing...maybe I will do them this weekend?

It doesn't take too long to actually do the CW, it's moreso the amount of manipulation that they require that has me worried. My hair gets pretty tangled, so if I CW everyday without combing each time, I have a really long and nasty combout on my hands at the end of the week. To avoid this I have been combing everyday. I think I may need to begin looking for a good detangling conditioner

 

[LittleMissScientist]

[ QUOTE ]
KhaLesSta said:
I think both are important, I moisturize everyday because my hair needs it. I don't manipulate everyday, because the less I do as far as styling, the better. To answer the question, I think they are equally important for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

KhaLesSta, do you comb every time you do a wash & go?

 

[Kha]

[ QUOTE ]
OshunCurls said:
[ QUOTE ]
KhaLesSta said:
I think both are important, I moisturize everyday because my hair needs it. I don't manipulate everyday, because the less I do as far as styling, the better. To answer the question, I think they are equally important for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

KhaLesSta, do you comb every time you do a wash & go?

[/ QUOTE ]

The only time a comb is used when I wash & go is when I'm combing the conditioner through in the shower. After it's rinsed out, there is no more combing.

Do you use a comb for your's? Your wash & go's are very pretty

.

 

[LittleMissScientist]

[ QUOTE ]
KhaLesSta said:
[ QUOTE ]
OshunCurls said:
[ QUOTE ]
KhaLesSta said:
I think both are important, I moisturize everyday because my hair needs it. I don't manipulate everyday, because the less I do as far as styling, the better. To answer the question, I think they are equally important for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

KhaLesSta, do you comb every time you do a wash & go?

[/ QUOTE ]

The only time a comb is used when I wash & go is when I'm combing the conditioner through in the shower. After it's rinsed out, there is no more combing.

Do you use a comb for your's? Your wash & go's are very pretty

.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, KhaLesSta. You know I'm just trying to learn from a master

I actually comb through while the cholesterol is in, then rinse and apply Awapuhi, after which there is no combing. I am thinking about just spritzing in the morning instead of going through this process everyday.

 

[EbonyEyes]

Both are equally important to me as a natural. My hair needs to be moisturized daily because it tends to dry out easily. And I keep my hair in twists 99% of the time because my hair does not like to be manipulated much. If I slacked on either one, I would be thanked with breakage.

Although I wear my hair in a little-to-no manipulation style, it's still very easy for me to moisturize my hair. I can rinse my twists everyday, followup with a leavein, and spritz during the day if needed.

-Ebony

 

[CocoaButterflyy]

both are really important to me since my hair is natural. I wear a style that requires no manipulation (two strand twists) and moisturize daily with moisture glaze and my hair has been doing great

 

[Kha]

[ QUOTE ]
OshunCurls said:
[ QUOTE ]
KhaLesSta said:
[ QUOTE ]
OshunCurls said:
[ QUOTE ]
KhaLesSta said:
I think both are important, I moisturize everyday because my hair needs it. I don't manipulate everyday, because the less I do as far as styling, the better. To answer the question, I think they are equally important for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

KhaLesSta, do you comb every time you do a wash & go?

[/ QUOTE ]

The only time a comb is used when I wash & go is when I'm combing the conditioner through in the shower. After it's rinsed out, there is no more combing.

Do you use a comb for your's? Your wash & go's are very pretty

.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, KhaLesSta. You know I'm just trying to learn from a master

I actually comb through while the cholesterol is in, then rinse and apply Awapuhi, after which there is no combing. I am thinking about just spritzing in the morning instead of going through this process everyday.

[/ QUOTE ]

I get my best wash & go's after using my cholesterol conditioner. Spritzing your hair with water in the morning should work just fine. I don't repeat the process everyday, I just apply some Awapuhi and I'm good to go.

 

[kitchen_tician]

Minimize Manipulation

 

[Neroli]

Minimize manipulation -- my hair grow like weeds when its fully braided and all I do is wash with a moisturizing shampoo once a week. No conditioner, no leave in, just wash that baby and tie it up. Somehow, I retain those inches way better when braided up and no combing or sytling . . .

 

[inthepink]

Lately, I feel like my hair will be healthier if I do both. I lose less hair when I condition wash everyday. Once I'm done styling my hair, I do not mess with again till the next day. As far as moisturizing, I feel like my hair gets moisturized better after it has been washed. I also still moisturize my ends, nape, and front at night before bed. I guess my answer is that I do both. I used to not do anything to my hair for days and it was ok while it was up but once I'd take it down, I'd lose so much hair b/c I had a tougher time keeping it moisturized.

Anyways, I suppose it's different for everyone. You just have to do what works best for your hair.

 

[Tracy]

Both - but for me, less manipulation wins out. My hair is fine - I have a lot of it - but it's fine, and I find that conditioner washes everyday make my hair too soft now that it's a little damaged. It does it's best when it's DRY (because having my hair wet all the time was taking a serious toll), and when it's straight.

If I can't manage that (because it's too hot to do the rollersetting thing), then I just comb through when I'm rinsing the conditioner from my hair, and apply my leave in. Then I put it in a bun and don't touch it until the next day. I usually do the CW at night and allow my hair to dry overnight in the bun.

 

[babyblue]

I think both are important in achieving optimal lenght and health. If all you do is just minimize manipulation you'll have hair thats long but dry with no elasticity.