Veteran HHG......

[ClassyDiva]

Ive been viewing a lot of threads.... Especially threads of MBL and HL growers. I have a few questions though.... May be stupiderplexed or not... Just a thought. I'm just a semi-newbie to the site. Growing my hair has been the hassle of hell. But I've managed to get my hair growing. I think I'm peaking SL now :scratchch: but I have a few more months to go. I mean I've gone through products and some stuff works.... Others . Any who..... Like I was asking... How long did it take u to figure out what products were good for your hair and what wasn't? Secondly, How did u tame yourself to not use heat? My hair and heat.... Work together. If I try to air dry or rollerset (still can't do it myself)... It's a disaster. It's very dry... Brittle... And Lots of breakage. I get so :heated: I just feel like Britney Spears'n it. Pointers and Tips are great advice.

ETO:I just stretched for 4 months and 8 days. My Reggie is all over the place.
This is what I used last. Hope it helps:

Shampoo with Suave Naturals Shampoo/Conditioner (first time use... Hated it)
Raccoppii by RRLine Lacion Liquid (for growth)
Organics Hair Lotion or Creme of Nature Lemongrass &Rosemary Leave-in (whichever is closest)
I blow-dry and flatiron after. I use high heat for blowdrying and low heat for flat ironing.

I am switching my Reggie as soon as my new products come in. The products will be:

Pantene Relaxed and Natural Poo/Conditioner
Raccoppii by RRLine Lacion Liquid (for growth)
Carols Daughter Dynamic Duo (hair elixir and balm)
Carols Daughter Macadamia Heat Protectant Gloss

BTW.... Please Give Your Direct Criticism.... I don't mind.


Thanks In Advanced.

 

[carameldimples]

I can't offer much help I am a newbie too, but I will say that you will get more help by listing your regimen and then others can chime in and possibly give more feedback.

 

[lala89]

That sounds like lot of heat, but I know how you feel about having a hard time using less. When I wore off of heat in 2008, I switched flat ironing my hair on max heat 3x/week to flat ironing on low 1x/week. After I started seeing my petrified hair immediately breaking less, it motivated me to straighten only once a month. During the colder months I straighten once a month and summer I don't use heat period.

If your hair is relaxed plus you use heat often and its breaking you may want to try a protein treatment and follow it up with a good dc. Maybe your hair air dries poorly because of the ingredients in the products you use? Have you tried wet bunning?

 

[MilkChocolateOne]

This is a good place to start

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=50291

http://journals.fotki.com/dontspeakdefeat/newcomer/

 

[ClassyDiva]

That sounds like lot of heat, but I know how you feel about having a hard time using less. When I wore off of heat in 2008, I switched flat ironing my hair on max heat 3x/week to flat ironing on low 1x/week. After I started seeing my petrified hair immediately breaking less, it motivated me to straighten only once a month. During the colder months I straighten once a month and summer I don't use heat period.

If your hair is relaxed plus you use heat often and its breaking you may want to try a protein treatment and follow it up with a good dc. Maybe your hair air dries poorly because of the ingredients in the products you use? Have you tried wet bunning?

My bun will look like (big girl speaking) Hawaiian Dinner roll. Lol I dislike the bunning style right now. I mostly wear it in a wrap (because I hate my hair blowing in the wind) or I comb it back and Bobby pin it. If I'm going somewhere special like out with my SO or to work then I give it a bump or curl.... I try not to use too many products that will make my hair feel yucky. If the feel of my hair isn't right I'm like OMG Lord Help me. I do need to protein my hair..... Just thought about that more as I was lurking the site.

 

[mzteaze]

OP it sounds like you have a preference for straight hair.

I will try to answer several different questions,
1) I've never used any of the products you listed so no opinion there. If you aren't using protein, at least, occasionally, I would suggest using it. Preferably some type of reconstructor since you regularly blowdry AND flat iron.

2) If you can, try to eliminate one of those heat sources. For me, the easiest to do was to use either banding or some other method to let your hair dry (with a leave in), then flat iron. I should state here, I found that my hair tends to get fairly straight with slight tension when drying. If you decide to try hair drying or using a hooded dryer, make sure you hair is completely dry before attempting to flat iron.

For me personally, I don't mind wearing my hair curly, so I only use direct heat (blowdry or flat iron) no more than 4 times a year.

3) Air Drying
It sounds like your leave-in (reggie to some extent) isn't working if your hair is dry and extra brittle when air-drying. It sounds like you really need to infuse a lot of moisture into your hair particularly because you use direct heat a lot. Some suggestions:

- Consider using Chicoro's moisture pre-poo. Its easy to mix up at home (aloe vera + oil of your choice, coconut oil). I have found this helpful in infusing lots of moisture into dry/parched hair.

- If you aren't a mixologist, consider purchasing products that do the same thing for your 'poo and DC.

- Or consider using a steamer or overnight DC.

4) What are you doing for deep conditioning? Esp because you do use a lot of heat, how are deep conditioning your tresses? Your reggie has no moisture/protein balance at all.

5) Rollersetting - this is a great idea if you want to cut down on heat. Check out the 2011 thread which has some excellent tips. Use a hooded dryer instead of air drying.

All of the obvious suggestions here - make sure hair is wet when rolling; use a leave-in or setting lotion; roller the hair using slight tension; don't remove the rollers until hair is completely dry.

6) Are you natural, relaxed or transitioning?

 

[ClassyDiva]

Thanks I usually use my Organics Hair Lotion which is why Im doing alot of changes. I know one thing from 4 months ago til now my hair on my siggy has grown longer.

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