Top 3 Tips (for you) from the Hairboard this year

[Barbara]

The top 3 tips for me are tips that have been mentioned before this year, but I just started to incorporate the tips into my hair routine:

1. Wash infrequently for stronger hair that retains more length (I'll be washing at least once a month)
2. All my hair needs is shampoo, conditioner, and oil. Less products is best for my hair.
3. Leave hair alone as much as possible...gotta treat it like silk (the only manipulation I do now is whenever I wash and whenever I put my hair in twists, and I've cut back on combing my hair only when I detangle)

I learned these tips by watching my mother do my hair when I was a child and it still works.

 

[jgg]

Protective styles
Conditioner washes
How to air dry & maintain a style

 

[Barbara]

Balancing moisture and protein conditioners
Being aware of how scarves or wraps can thin the hair line
Clarifying shampoos

 

[tnorenberg]

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
2. No manipulation
3. Relax all but nape area....will try this next touch up.

 

[sweetwhispers]

Although i've been registered twice ( forgot my first one it was the BHMvsLHCF days ) and i've been registered since 05 i've only recently de-lurked and actively read.

* I discovered i wasn't deep conditioning properly
*Sulfur oil mix for my hairline ( i think its working.......

 

[Namilani]

~Nightly moisturizing (choice of Design Essentials leave-in, KeraCare Creme Hairdress, or KeraCare Oil Moisturizer, sometimes Mizani Night-time Treatment, seal with KeraCare essential oils, if I want to keep some shiny curls or a sleek look I will spray/apply KeraCare Oil Sheen, Proclaim Oil Sheen, or Proclaim Serum, and then I will alternate my wrap directions nightly and put on my satin scarf or a du-rag.

~Using high quality hair products! KeraCare changed my hair life once before in middle school. At the time I didn't know what was going on b/c I got my hair done at the salon. Now being an adult I spend most of my salary on what has also changed my hair life as an adult!

~Protein/Moisture balancing! Before this board if you would have asked me about a protein treatment, I probably would have told you it was part of the Atkins Diet ! I know that I need my protein for strength and then to moisturize via conditioner, etc so that that doesn't make my hair brittle.

 

[jrae]

1. Cross-wrapping is my new bedtime style. It has eliminated the need for daily roller-setting.
2. Silk Amino Acids as a pretreatment before relaxing
3. Lenzi's Request as topical growth aid and Bamboo for internal

 

[thiccknlong]

1. Waiting/Stretching between relaxers (something I did for lack of $$$ ) is DA BOMB ! I was thinking it was a bad thing, until I discovered it by accidence and learned how to do it with out breakage.

2. Conditioner washes !

3. Difference between moisterizers and oil. My hair would break with oil. I thought I was a freak or something. Now I moisterize. I add oil to help. Thanks LHFC sista's !

 

[IMFOCSD]

1.) Stretching relaxers
2.) Prepoo with protein
3.) Deep conditioning

 

[prospurr4]

1) Making sure my hair doesn't rub my collars/clothing - This was a BIGGIE for me. For years I couldn't understand why I kept getting an upsidedown "U" in the back of my head. Then I would have to trim the front/sides to match the shorten length of the back, preventing me from gaining length.. Now my hair is even. Thank God!

2) Stretching relaxers -my hair is stronger now since doing this.

3) Stopping usage of products/styling tools that dry my hair out, leading to breakage - all direct heat, too much protein, spritz, extra firm wrap foam, etc.

 

[cutiebe2]

1. pre-poo treatments- hot oil, conditoner ,protein etc
2. braid-outs
3. treat you hair in braids the same way you would when out of braids

 

[Finewine]

My tops three tips are:

1. Don't comb air dried hair
2. Learning how to stretch my relaxers with less breakage
3. Tips on how to dust/trim ( best thing I could of done for myself )

what do you do to your air dried hair? I thought I was doing something by no longer blow drying it . Thanks

Mine are
1. mix oil with conditioner
2. condition before relaxers (haven't relaxed since I joined though)
3. stretch relaxers at least 8-12 weeks ( I used to relax every 4 weeks)

 

[ShaniKeys]

1. protective styling³
2. leave-ins are my friend
3. overmanipulating hair leads to disaster

 

[homegirljiggy]

1.minimize heat usage!!! down to once or twice a month, used to be once a week
2. stop jumping from product to product, with no regimine, just like skin, hair like consistency
3. trim those ends at each relaxer keeps hair looking healthy
4. dye brush for relaxers

 

[Ms Red]

Cool thread.

Tips that work for me:

1. No Heat or Minimal (once every 6 months)

2. Washing and Co-Washing 2-3 times a week and no manipulation after detangling.

3. Moisturizing then sealing with oil and keeping it moisturized until next wash.

I guess I'm kind of minimalistic huh

 

[bLackButtaFly]

1. Using oil as a sealer.
2. Straightening without heat
3. Doing a great braidout w/ moisturzer and oil to seal

 

[GoingNatural]

seal with oil
cowash daily
bun or pony, especially at SL

(I learned all of this in 2006)

 

[Brownie518]

1. No Brushing
2. Stretching relaxers with minimal breakage
3. Moisture maintenance (daily moisture, cowashes, etc)

There are quite a few more but these are the ones that I think are helping me most.

So, thanks, ladies.

 

[bablou00]

There are way too many!!

1. Less manipulation is key
2. Finding what works best for you hair not someone eles
3. No combing while try and detangling in the shower

 

[LadyPaniolo]

1. Natural hair CAN grow long and gorgeous. Seeing you gorgeous ladies with BSL and longer helped me to brave the BC.
2. No/Low heat usage
3. Co-washing works wonders!

 

[Missi]

1: balance between Moisture & Protein Conditioner
2: straightening the hair w/o direct heat
3: combing out tangles at the tip working your way up

 

[tia123]

• Moisturize daily
• Deep Condition after shampoos
• To be patient

 

[chica_canella]

1) Washing hair in braided sections

2) protecting previously relaxed hair with porosity control before relaxing

3) Creamy Leave in conditioner

Ok, is this like doing a protein treatment. number 2 because my hair dresser gave me a protein conditioner under the dryer since i am getting a relaxer next time.

what does porosity control do to relaxed ends?

 

[chica_canella]

1: balance between Moisture & Protein Conditioner
2: straightening the hair w/o direct heat
3: combing out tangles at the tip working your way up

Is number 2 like roller setting?

 

[deontaer]

I've learned so much from this board, it's hard to limit them to just 3 things, but my top are:

1. How, when and why to use clarifying shampoos (this info saved my scalp from years of uncontrollable flaking and itching - thanks LHCF!)
2. Low manipulation is my friend: comb only on wash days, "a brush, what's that??"
3. MOISTURE, MOISTURE, MOISTURE. I never knew just how important this step was until you ladies showed me the light!

 

[tryingto]

1. stretching relaxers (from 6wks-18) with out damage
2. Moisturizing and Sealing
3. How to care for my hair

 

[envybeauty]

Less is more, don't be heavy handed with products.
Read the ingredients -- dimethicone is a no, no. Also no deionized water.
Moisture with water based leave in, then seal with oil.

 

[Cleve_gryl]

I love this thread!!

• Deep condition after every wash
• Moisturize everyday, seal with oil
• No direct heat, only hooded dryer

 

[shunta]

I love this thread!!

• Deep condition after every wash
• Moisturize everyday, seal with oil
• No direct heat, only hooded dryer

Yep, I was gonna pick the exact same things

 

[Andrea']

The top 3 tips for me are tips that have been mentioned before this year, but I just started to incorporate the tips into my hair routine:

1. Wash infrequently for stronger hair that retains more length (I'll be washing at least once a month)
2. All my hair needs is shampoo, conditioner, and oil. Less products is best for my hair.
3. Leave hair alone as much as possible...gotta treat it like silk (the only manipulation I do now is whenever I wash and whenever I put my hair in twists, and I've cut back on combing my hair only when I detangle)

Ditto to everything you have said! These are the "main" tips that I follow