Newbies let get together and get results.. All r welcome

Galadriel said:
Thanks! I used the sprush from Sally's BSS

sally_sprush.jpg



I very gently smoothed the relaxer onto my new growth (but not too much). My hair is dyed, but I was so crappy w/ it that it looks like a highlight job :lachen:
But thanks for the compliment!

ETA: the color I used was from the Garnier line, the one that's made specifically to lift dark hair one or two levels (I chose a medium brown color). I really like this brand and it doesn't seem to dry my hair as much as other dyes I've used in the past.
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I am SOO glad you tried that sprush thingie!!! Do you like it better than a brush or your fingers? Would you recommend it? (I was thinking about buying it, but it kinda looked gimmicky to me, so I opted not to.) But if it really works, holla!

Any permanent color makes my hair feel like straw. I'm gonna try my Color Showers semi-permanent color this weekend to cover my grays and post to my FOTKI this weekend. I'll let ya'll know how it turned out.

Also, CUTE baby!:yep:

OT, Are you a LoTR fan? ( your screen name is the name of an elf queen, "the Bearer of Light," in LoTR)
 
HotRibena said:
My fellow newbies - I'll call this one "lessons learned":

So I've been doing my ayuvedic method for the past month with great success...no more shedding or breaking and my hair was feeling as strong as ever. I did feel though that my hair was not holding moisture and hit the threads looking for the answer :bookworm:. I did the porous test (I think that strand is still bobbing somewhere), I did the stretch test (I couldn't figure that one out) and I did the "run your fingers along some strands test" (uh?) - well, my "conclusion" was that I needed to clarify as I had been using so many oils and moisturizers. I went and ordered some "special" natural clarifying shampoo and was excited to see it in the mailbox today.

Well, I used that shampoo and thought "uhm, my hair feels a little different"...I then proceeded to condition it as usual..."uhm, there's no slip happening here" - no problem, I'll just condition again - maybe a little longer. After rinsing and before I even towel dried, as I looked in the mirror I said "OMG I have got a MAJOR problem here". That mess was so tangled and mangled...I couldn't comb it, run fingers through it, or part it - it was snapping and popping all over the place :pullhair:. I started spraying stuff in it, rubbing stuff in it and praying that it would somehow normalize...naw...that hot mess just sat there staring back at me in the mirror.

It was time for a major DO OVER. I grabbed my oils and powders and started mixing like a mad woman. I then jumped back in the shower and proceeded to conduct my usual regime and I am happy to say that all is well and back to normal.

The lesson for us newbies is that this healthy hair thing is a game of trial and error and unfortunately we may have to experience the errors to find out which products work best for our hair.

Oh yeah...anybody want a bottle of Qhemet Biologics Egyptian Wheatgrass Cleansing Tea?

j
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:lachen::lachen::lachen: Not really funny, but kinda really funny! :lachen::lachen::lachen:

I'm glad you got it all straightened out in the end, though-- That's what really matters! Ummmm...I'll let you hold onto the Qhemet Biologics Egyptian Wheatgrass Cleansing Tea...:lachen:
 
I have a question.

I'm getting a relaxer Sunday and I'm really debating whether or not to let the stylist trim my ends. I want to see if I've retained some length (or if everything I've been doing in the past month was a waste) but I can't tell if my ends are damaged beyond repair. They are definitely uneven but I'm not seeing any split ends.

Maybe I'll just have her dust? Decisions, decisions...
 
My dear Ladies

Please forgive me that I have not been as active this week but I am putting in some serious time at work (deadlines) and its showing. I can hardly keep my eyes open when I get home. Im not eating (no time) and bc of that I get major headaches. Im still trying to show my hair some attention thou even with one eye close.

Everyone new to this thread welcome and plz fit right in.

I also co wash last night bc my hair was so dry and I over did it with my oils and it was jus a mess. I must say I like co washing so far and my hair looks much better tonight.

Happy valentines Day Everyone...
 
FindingMe said:
I am SOO glad you tried that sprush thingie!!! Do you like it better than a brush or your fingers? Would you recommend it? (I was thinking about buying it, but it kinda looked gimmicky to me, so I opted not to.) But if it really works, holla!

Any permanent color makes my hair feel like straw. I'm gonna try my Color Showers semi-permanent color this weekend to cover my grays and post to my FOTKI this weekend. I'll let ya'll know how it turned out.

Also, CUTE baby!:yep:

OT, Are you a LoTR fan? ( your screen name is the name of an elf queen, "the Bearer of Light," in LoTR)
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The sprush is awesome! I'm kind of slow when it comes to applying with relaxer, but the sprush was so easy that I made good time, and there was no mess! It's definitely a keeper for me, so much better than the traditional tint brush. It also helped me have firmer control over the application. I HIGHLY recommend it.

And do please let us know about how the color showers turn out! I've been on the fence about buying some.

And thanks for the comment about my little one. She's a year and a half now and has me and dad running all around after her.

Lizzie.jpg


Here's her newly arrived brother...

Dante.jpg


I am definitely a fan of LOTR (the books and movies) and "Galadriel" was also (funny enough) my nickname in college. I am still not sure why, but several professors and my friends all called me this--they said I had a rebellious spirit...and I'm petite :lachen:
 
Beautifullyblack said:
I have a question.

I'm getting a relaxer Sunday and I'm really debating whether or not to let the stylist trim my ends. I want to see if I've retained some length (or if everything I've been doing in the past month was a waste) but I can't tell if my ends are damaged beyond repair. They are definitely uneven but I'm not seeing any split ends.

Maybe I'll just have her dust? Decisions, decisions...
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I would go with a dusting...but that's just me b/c I absolutely hate getting my hair cut/trimmed (I only do that grudgingly) :rolleyes:
 
pr3tty said:
My dear Ladies

Please forgive me that I have not been as active this week but I am putting in some serious time at work (deadlines) and its showing. I can hardly keep my eyes open when I get home. Im not eating (no time) and bc of that I get major headaches. Im still trying to show my hair some attention thou even with one eye close.

Everyone new to this thread welcome and plz fit right in.

I also co wash last night bc my hair was so dry and I over did it with my oils and it was jus a mess. I must say I like co washing so far and my hair looks much better tonight.

Happy valentines Day Everyone...
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Aww, no worry Pr3tty...there are lots of helpful and friendly newbies here ready to roll out the welcome mat for other newbies :yep:
I hope everything at work turns out OK, and happy Valentine's day as well.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone! :yay:

I am trying to create a regimen that will work for me and my hair based on what I have been reading so far...

prepoo with motions moisturizing conditioner
poo 2X with keracare hydrating detangling shampoo
condition with keracare humecto creme conditioner
DC with ORS hair mayo for 20 min under hood

This week I air dryed and twisted with Mango Butter. I like twisting my hair, but it takes sooooo long :yawn::cry: and after a few days (like right now) its just dry and frizzy. I really prefer straightening my hair, but that requires blowdrying and flat ironing... and last week when I did it, I found myself flat ironing twice a day!! :wallbash:

Now this may be a dumb question, but is curl wax bad to use? :perplexed Because I used it when flat ironing my hair, but something told me it wasn't the best idea (maybe the sizzle of my hair and that burning smell :covereyes
 
daephae said:
:welcome3:Girl, you're hair is too cute! I love it! As a newbie, I learned by reading, reading, reading...it took weeks but I finally have a good grasp on the concepts. I also found information from LHCFers macherieamour, sistaslick, mochamadness, kinikakes and sareca really helpful and informative. We're all pretty much in the same boat but we'll all share what we know! What we don't know, the veterans will definitely tell you. Everyone here is sooo great, just ask!
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Thanks Daephae! I will definitely look for them and see what I can learn from them. And from what I have been reading so far, everyone is so helpful here and willing to share the knowledge!
 
ivyQuietstorm said:
I WANT IN TOO!!!

I am a newbie and until now it seems like everyone is going 50 mph and I'm at about 15! I've tried to jump in on other topics, but basically I got the cold shoulder :cold:. You just don't know how bad I have been wanting to converse with some folks on my level. Anyway, enough chit-chat, here's the scoop:

I have managed to put together a regimen and it needs a little tweeking, but here goes:

My hair is 4a/b natural...neck length (unstretched)
Hair Goal: SL (Unstretched) Dec '08

Regimen for the past week (I wash 2x's per week):

Pre-poo with EVOO, honey, and a few drops of peppermint oil. I have been doing this for 1 hour, but I pre-poo'd overnight last night.

Co-Wash Main & Tail Moisturizing Conditioner which I may have to get rid of because the third ingredient contains alcohol which is not helping my moisture problem.

DC with Nexxuss Humectress 1 hour under hood dryer on low. I think it's okay. It's nothing to write home about, but since I bought it...I'm using it.

Moisturize: Glycerine and Water, Seal with Castor Oil.

Everyother night I apply Carefree Curl Gold and seal with castor oil for moisture. My hair is so thirsty.

Apply no heat and wear a wig daily with my hair braided underneath.

I'll post pictures tonight before I hit the hay. I'm suppose to the 2" of perm cut off this weekend before my journey gets deep. But you'll see.
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Welcome! You sound like you're going at least 40 mph yourself! :grin: You have a great plan and I'm sure it will get even better as you play around with the new things you are learning here. What is EVOO?:perplexed
 
unique4lyfe33 said:
i am a newbie and i would like to join in on this challenge. my hair is currenlty on my neck (as u can see, profile pic) and my short term goal is to have it shoulder length. i also purchased some mtg whitch i will be using when it arrives.:yawn: But i am not sure how i will be using yet. if anybody has any advice please let me know.
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I don't really have any advice, but welcome!
 
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Good morning all,:grouphug3:

I will probably post my updates on Tues. or Weds. I have a 2 1/2 hr R&B linedance class on Monday nights and usually follow w/weekly hair routine the next day.

I am going to post my reggie in my journal(easier to revise).

I rollerset my hair..I used 1 3/4 mesh rollers(couldn't find larger mesh rollers)...I didn't like it.:violin: My ends are SOOOOO dry. Anyway, I loaded up the ends w/castor oil and brushed it back into a pony tail. I will try larger magnetic roller the next time.

rollerset.jpg


I also used henna/indigo.
 
KLomax said:
Good morning all,:grouphug3:

I will probably post my updates on Tues. or Weds. I have a 2 1/2 hr R&B linedance class on Monday nights and usually follow w/weekly hair routine the next day.

I am going to post my reggie in my journal(easier to revise).

I rollerset my hair..I used 1 3/4 mesh rollers(couldn't find larger mesh rollers)...I didn't like it.:violin: My ends are SOOOOO dry. Anyway, I loaded up the ends w/castor oil and brushed it back into a pony tail. I will try larger magnetic roller the next time.

rollerset.jpg


I also used henna/indigo.
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Make sure you moisturize before you seal...oil is a sealant. If you don't moisturize first you'll seal moisture out which will result in increased dryness. I learned that from sistaslick! LOL
 
daephae said:
Make sure you moisturize before you seal...oil is a sealant. If you don't moisturize first you'll seal moisture out which will result in increased dryness. I learned that from sistaslick! LOL
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Moisturize before you seal!?! :perplexed I thought oil does moisturize? Well what would you use to moisturize and what would you use to seal?
 
Can I please, pretty please, join? I still can't even figure out how my hair should be done to take comparison shots. It's pulled into a bun after I wash it so it's curly when I take it down. Should I take pics wet after washing and dc'ing?

I don't know what I'm doing, la la la.:spinning:
 
KLomax said:
:thankyou: Any suggestions.
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Well, it depends on what you need. If your hair is breaking you probably need a protein moisturizing conditioner. If it's dry but not breaking you may just need a good non-protein moisturizing conditioner.

Here is a link to sistaslick's fotki. She has several published articles on regimen building, product selection, hair breakage, etc. Read them all when you can. This is how I learned a lot of what I know. She actually gives some suggestions on products too.

http://public.fotki.com/sistaslick/sistaslicks-healthy/regimen-building-pr/help-with-building-/

http://public.fotki.com/sistaslick/sistaslicks-healthy/hair-breakage-and-s/
 
cocopuff06 said:
Moisturize before you seal!?! :perplexed I thought oil does moisturize? Well what would you use to moisturize and what would you use to seal?
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You would use a moisturizer like water based leave-ins (braid spray, elasta QP H-TWO, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch, etc) or a thicker cream consistency moisturizer (like you would use with a shampoo) like Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Conditioner, KeraCare Humecto, Nexxus Botanoil, etc. Also keep in mind that some moisturizers are protein rich and some are not. You have to determine what your hair needs and when.

Sealants are oils. There are two types of oils. Carrier and essential.
Carrier oils are oils such as EVOO, castor oil, coconut oil, sweet almond, jojoba, etc. Essential oils are oils such as peppermint, rosemary, ylang ylang, tea tree, etc. You have to add essentials into carriers to "carry" the oil because essentials are too strong to use alone.
Thats about all I know. :sekret:If I said something incorrect, someone will correct me.

Here are sistaslick's published articles that helped me when I first started on the board. I'm definitely not an expert but they gave me a great understanding of the products and regimen building.

http://public.fotki.com/sistaslick/sistaslicks-healthy/
 
apemay1969 said:
Can I please, pretty please, join? I still can't even figure out how my hair should be done to take comparison shots. It's pulled into a bun after I wash it so it's curly when I take it down. Should I take pics wet after washing and dc'ing?

I don't know what I'm doing, la la la.:spinning:
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You can take as many pictures as you'd like, both wet and dry. :) Whenever I do something to my hair, I take pictures every step of the way. That way I can compare length, texture, shine, etc. The more pictures I take, the more I feel I can track progress...and I have nothing else better to do, haha.
 
Happy Valentines Day EVERYONE!!!

Now that I've got that out of the way, sorry I didn't post any pictures last night. :spinning: I was so exhausted after my shower, I layed on the couch and it was over cassanovah for me! LOL!! (I'm a lame)

Anyway, I'm so glad that I have a "hair crew." Y'all are wonderful. I just read through the suggestions and how everyone has everyones back. It's great. I can feel the love already!

Nothing new to report today, I just gotta get y'all some pictures TONIGHT FA SHO! And don't laugh if my hair looks like crap:blush: because I am a lil' nervous about the whole posting thing. I'm very natchal.

Anyway, I have to get back to work. I'll holla lata.
 
FindingMe said:
Girl, I know. I was SO discouraged this week as it seemed like everything I was trying to do was just not taking me further towards my goal and I just felt...STUCK. :perplexed I didn't even do my weekend wash...I just let my hair do whatever...:ohwell:

THEN, to make it worse, I started reading this thread that talked about how hard the water is where I live and how bad that is for your hair and basically the only solution is to get a water softener system to treat the water in your house that costs like thousands of dollars and how people were tallking about how they were using bottles of distilled water they bought from the store and i started thinking ,like "ok...how far am I really trying to go with this hair thing? Can't I just take what I have and go on on...?" whew...:ohwell:

I just kind of felt overwhelmed, :perplexed like you know how they say a little learning is a dangerous thing, I just felt like I was reading too much and trying to do too much and it was taking me in another direction from where I want to be. :wallbash: I started to feel bad about trimming all my growth off from the past 2 months bc I wanted my hair to look clean and even. But I just had to sit down and realize that I am trying to grow my hair strong and healthy for me and that what I do may not work for everyone and vice versa.

I think we are all so new at this, we need to cut ourselves some slack and realize that it is going to take some trial and error on our part before we get it right and that we allow ourselves to mess up sometimes and be ok with that.:yep: I mean, we all want to be on here reporting that we have over an inch of growth every month and show pics in our FOTKIs with our hair hanging down to our butts, :lachen:but the reality is that we are new at this and we have a lot to learn and we just need to go at OUR pace and not try to keep up with the vets and others who have been doing this for a few years.

ivyQuietstorm, keep your head up! :drunk: We are still learning and we WILL get better at this, I promise!!! I mean we are better than we were before (even with our minor setbacks), so we only have room to go up!!! :yep:
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Hey, sis (I hope you don't mind me calling you that, but that's the name I give my friends). Thank you so much for the encouraging words. You are so right in everything that you spoke. I've got my chin up and chest out. And I'm in this for the long haul!

I'm glad that I have you ladies because I really don't have any friends or family members that are serious about this journey. So they aren't interested in my hair findings. It's sad, but true. Not to mention I have a cousin who does hair professionally and she had the nerve to tell me "...what if you are one of those people who's hair will only grow to a certain length and stop. Everyone's hair doesn't grow." She sounded like a fool. But whatever, I didn't even entertain the comment. I can't wait to show all the haters what a little education can do for your hair.

Thanks again for the pep talk. I really needed it to put me in perspective.

Talk to you later,
Ivy.
 
ivyQuietstorm said:
Hey, sis (I hope you don't mind me calling you that, but that's the name I give my friends). Thank you so much for the encouraging words. You are so right in everything that you spoke. I've got my chin up and chest out. And I'm in this for the long haul!

I'm glad that I have you ladies because I really don't have any friends or family members that are serious about this journey. So they aren't interested in my hair findings. It's sad, but true. Not to mention I have a cousin who does hair professionally and she had the nerve to tell me "...what if you are one of those people who's hair will only grow to a certain length and stop. Everyone's hair doesn't grow." She sounded like a fool. But whatever, I didn't even entertain the comment. I can't wait to show all the haters what a little education can do for your hair.

Thanks again for the pep talk. I really needed it to put me in perspective.

Talk to you later,
Ivy.
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:offrant:Some people are just sooo :wallbash: I'd been wearing a wig then a sew-in but last night I took the weave out....so this morning after a staff meeting (in front of numerous coworkers) this girl says, "UM. You just don't know what to do with your hair. You say you're gonna let it grow but you know you're gonna cut it." (All while she was wearing a dayum wig, she's a dry headed scuttlebutt underneath). I was like "...'scuse me? u talkin to me?:heated: I swear she's the devil. She's only seen me with short hair, never with hair flowing down my back...I'm even more determined now! People are so negative.
 
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Beautifullyblack said:
I have a question.

I'm getting a relaxer Sunday and I'm really debating whether or not to let the stylist trim my ends. I want to see if I've retained some length (or if everything I've been doing in the past month was a waste) but I can't tell if my ends are damaged beyond repair. They are definitely uneven but I'm not seeing any split ends.

Maybe I'll just have her dust? Decisions, decisions...
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This is a question that I've been asking myself when it is time for me to get a touch. I feel like everytime I get a relaxer and my stylist trim my ends, she is trimming off the equivalent length of my new growth and I am stuck at square one! :spinning:. I am trying to take very good care of my ends by moisturizing them every night with Elasta QP Mango Butter Moisturizing and then sealing them with coconut oil. I am considering telling my stylist to trim them every other relaxer (every 16 weeks). But, it all depends on how my ends are looking at that time. Let us know what you decided when you get your relaxer and Happy growing! :grin:
 
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