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cryway903
September 17th, 2013, 04:58 PM
Hello,
I'm fairly new to the forum. I have a few questions but will start with basic info on my hair. I have nearly knee length hair (less then 2" until it reaches my knees). I lost those two inches in July when my hair tangled into a knot so bad it couldn't be untangled. Twice. I have to cut about an inch each time to remove the knot. Other then that it hasn't so much as been trimmed in 12 years. I have split ends and uneven ends (not sure how bad, I can't see it;-). I wear it in a single braid at the bottom of my head 24/7, ponytail holder in the end, do not use any kind of chemicals (no shampoo or conditioner), wash with dr bronners soap and vinegar about once a week, boar bristle brush most of the time, no comb. My hair is fine and on the thin side. Now for the questions:-). My hair is very prone to tangles and not happy when washed. With a vinegar rinse it is OK. All washing leaves a slightly oily look even the next day. What natural options are there for washing and conditioning? I'd also love any suggestions for hairstyles that might soften the thin slicked back look.
Thank you for any advice

SerinaDaith
September 17th, 2013, 05:35 PM
I am right at about armpit length so I have no idea how to even brush hair as long as yours. Have you ever done dry shampoos? Depending upon hair color there are options for what you can use. I use coco powder or cinnamon the brush it through, lighter haired girls I think use corn starch but don't quote me on that, I really don't know. YouTube has lots of longhaired divas that do fantastic things with length. Torin Paige and JJJ Long Hair come to mind and I know I have a few more gals on my subscribed list that remind me of my goals.

jrmviola
September 17th, 2013, 05:57 PM
I recently switched to a clay minerals shampoo that im happy with, i have finger length fine hair, somewhat thin. The name of the shampoo: "zionhealth Adama clay minerals shampoo" ingredients: "Purified water, certified organic aloe vera gel, sodium c12-14 olefin sulfonate (derative of coconuts), cocamidopropyl betaine (derative of coconut), soyamidopropylkonium chloride (soy based), polyquatemium-10 (cellulose gum), kanwa desert minerals, pathenol (plant based vitamen b), glycerin, mineral water, dead sea salt, dead sea minerals, hydrolyzed oat protein, hydrolyzed wheat protein, soy protein, certified organic jojoba oil, certified organic sunflower oil, sodium benzoate (plant based), potassium sorbate, ethyl hexyl glycerin, natural fragerence."

You might experiment with different oils and see if any of them help with the tangleing. Trial and Error. For me Coconut oil doesnt work so good but EV Olive Oil works great...

Hope some of that helps :D

cryway903
September 17th, 2013, 06:42 PM
Thank you for the responses. Unfortunately that shampoo won't work for me. We have soy allergies so have to avoid soy at all costs. I bought a new shampoo bar today called mami creations. Its a basic resicpe with organic coconut oil, organic shea butter, purified water and moroccan clay. I used it this afternoon with a vinegar rinse and so far like the result. I'm very interested in the dry shampoos if anyone can give me more info on how it works. My hair is dark blond/light brown if that helps or makes a difference.

kdaniels8811
September 17th, 2013, 06:46 PM
Have you thought about shampoo bars or herbs for washing? Try a light oiling on the length for the dry, knotty ends. Good luck and let us know what works for you.

emilyann
September 17th, 2013, 06:52 PM
If it's mostly the last inch or so that tangles and knots to the point of needing scissors, it might be damage from the elastics on your braid. Have you tried moving your elastic to a different length so that it's not stressing the same spot on your hair every day? Otherwise, there are a lot of buns you could try instead of a braid. If I start a french braid and leave a long tassel, I can bun it up with just a stick and no need for an elastic at the end, and the french braid distributes the weight on my scalp so it doesn't pull in one spot so much. Youtube torrinpaige for ideas and tutorials if you need help with hairstyles.

If vinegar rinses help, there's no reason not to continue with them :)

tigerlily.
September 17th, 2013, 06:54 PM
In between washing I sometimes use talcum powder as a dry shampoo.

Naiadryade
September 17th, 2013, 07:20 PM
Echo the light oiling for the tangled ends. A few drops of olive oil (on my MBL hair) does wonders for preventing and untangling knots for me.

Here's a list of some all-natural things I've used to wash my hair. I've also done Water Only. Definitely research these things before doing them... there are great threads on most of them.

- Lavender tea (very gentle, light cleaning; won't get out lots of oil)
- Baking soda diluted in water (can be harsh and drying, but good for clarifying)
- Bentonite clay (good, but left a build-up on my scalp over time with repeated washes)
- Egg (good occasionally, nourishing, gives volume)
- Clay and egg together (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=110609) (great occasionally, not drying)
- Terressentials (http://terressentials.com/)(liked this a lot, smells phenomenal, but it wasn't moisturizing enough for my dry hair)
- Shea Moisture Moisture Retention Shampoo, with the Deep Treatment Masque as a conditioner (using this now, love it, this brand has transformed my dry hair)

Before I discovered Shea Moisture, I was doing a conditioning herbal tea rinse after the other washes. It generally contained hibiscus, rose petals, and rosemary, sometimes with other things added too. This was sometimes in addition to a vinegar rinse, sometimes I added a little vinegar to the tea, and sometimes I just did the tea since hibiscus is slightly acidic on its own.

Some people really like to use Indian herbs to wash with, but I've never tried that, so I'll let them tell you about it. :)

Good luck!!

tigerlily.
September 17th, 2013, 07:32 PM
Naiadryade, do you use egg as a conditioner, or is it more for protein? I've heard of it being used for hair before I came to LHC, but I don't know any of the benefits or what it does.

Naiadryade
September 17th, 2013, 07:40 PM
I use it as a wash, like a shampoo alternative. It's very effective the first few times, then it seems to loose effectiveness with repeated washes for some reason--but I love it occasionally. I think it works by basically emulsifying any excess sebum/oil into itself, then rinsing away. You need to let it sit for 20 minutes for it to do its thing. I've read that the protein in egg doesn't really penetrate the hair because the amino acid chains are too big (I use Bragg's Liquid Aminos for the hydrolyzed protein). I don't find eggs particularly moisturizing/conditioning on their own, though they're not super drying either. I'll often use it to wash out a deep treatment if I do one between regular washes, because I find it to be gentler than a shampoo, but still very thorough, in the way it cleans and removes the oils.

RedNymph
September 17th, 2013, 07:42 PM
The best I could probably recommend is some sort of leave in conditioner. I know a lot prefer going organic, but sometimes I just use supermarket stuff. I recommend anything garnier. I have short hair but it is so thick and knotty that it requires a lot of care. Basically I put in some leave in conditioner and detangle my hair in a patient manner.

tigerlily.
September 17th, 2013, 08:06 PM
That's fantastic thank you! :) I think I'll give egg a go this week!

Leeloo
September 17th, 2013, 08:55 PM
Hello,
I'm fairly new to the forum. I have a few questions but will start with basic info on my hair. I have nearly knee length hair (less then 2" until it reaches my knees). I lost those two inches in July when my hair tangled into a knot so bad it couldn't be untangled. Twice. I have to cut about an inch each time to remove the knot. Other then that it hasn't so much as been trimmed in 12 years. I have split ends and uneven ends (not sure how bad, I can't see it;-). I wear it in a single braid at the bottom of my head 24/7, ponytail holder in the end, do not use any kind of chemicals (no shampoo or conditioner), wash with dr bronners soap and vinegar about once a week, boar bristle brush most of the time, no comb. My hair is fine and on the thin side. Now for the questions:-). My hair is very prone to tangles and not happy when washed. With a vinegar rinse it is OK. All washing leaves a slightly oily look even the next day. What natural options are there for washing and conditioning? I'd also love any suggestions for hairstyles that might soften the thin slicked back look.
Thank you for any advice

I'm not sure about natural options for washing hair, I just heard of egg or honey washes, but for conditioning is catnip. Here is the recipe: 1 level tsp of pet store bought catnip (flowers and leaves) to 250-300 ml of boiling water, let steep till cool, drip condensation back into container, rinse hair with catnip, put shower cap and wait an hour, then rinse out with water. This rinse keeps in the refrigerator for 10 days if you want to make a big batch.

jacqueline101
September 17th, 2013, 09:30 PM
Have tried a cony serum to help the tangles? They help mine.

Yozhik
September 17th, 2013, 09:33 PM
Maybe scalp washes would help you "freshen" your hair without causing tangling on the length? I've tried egg washes before, and I've also heard good things about baking soda (but it might not be good for you, because it involves a lot of manipulation and can strip your hair).

Also, I'd love to see a length shot! :flower:

And, of course, welcome to the community! :flowers: :flowers: :flowers:

cryway903
September 18th, 2013, 09:12 AM
I can't seem to add pictures. I dont know if its because I'm using a phone or if I just dont know what to do. If someone can tell me how I'll add them. My hairs measuring at 46.5 inches total length. The last ten or so inches are very thin, enough so that they seem to fade out in the pictures. Its the same area that always falls below the small cloth ponytail holder I wear.

PetuniaBlossom
September 18th, 2013, 09:24 AM
For your tangles, I recommend using a Tangle Teezer or a Goody Tangle Fix. I have both and they each work brilliantly at easing even the worst tangles out of my hair without sacrificing any length.
Do you rinse out the vinegar, or leave it in? I find that leaving it in gives the best results.
Welcome to the LHC.

Firefox7275
September 18th, 2013, 10:00 AM
Hello,
I'm fairly new to the forum. I have a few questions but will start with basic info on my hair. I have nearly knee length hair (less then 2" until it reaches my knees). I lost those two inches in July when my hair tangled into a knot so bad it couldn't be untangled. Twice. I have to cut about an inch each time to remove the knot. Other then that it hasn't so much as been trimmed in 12 years. I have split ends and uneven ends (not sure how bad, I can't see it;-). I wear it in a single braid at the bottom of my head 24/7, ponytail holder in the end, do not use any kind of chemicals (no shampoo or conditioner), wash with dr bronners soap and vinegar about once a week, boar bristle brush most of the time, no comb. My hair is fine and on the thin side. Now for the questions:-). My hair is very prone to tangles and not happy when washed. With a vinegar rinse it is OK. All washing leaves a slightly oily look even the next day. What natural options are there for washing and conditioning? I'd also love any suggestions for hairstyles that might soften the thin slicked back look.
Thank you for any advice

Dr Bronners is not natural it's made in a factory by chemical reaction, soap is alkaline (pH 9+) so damaging to skin (pH ~5.5) and hair (pH ~4.5). Since the pH scale is logathithmic 7.5 is 1,000 times more alkaline than 4.5, and 8.5 is 10,000 times more alkaline than 4.5. Vinegar resets the pH but does not reverse the damage. http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/curlchemist-porosity-and-curly-hair?page=4
If you want natural consider soap nuts or soap wort extract which are acidic like hair itself.

If you do want to use alkaline soap you would be best to 'patch repair' the damage with scientifically proven conditioning ingredients like ceramides, hydrolysed protein, 18-MEA and panthenol all of which are found in nature and in the human body. Also natural oils to protect the ends - coconut oil is the king as far as penetration is concerned. One product that is not a commercial conditioner as such and is full of natural ingredients is Komaza Care Matani repair treatment spray. You'd likely get better results from a conditioner like Komaza Care Matani leave in or Scientific Essentials hair conditioner: the emollients (fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants) give slip and reduce friction so patch repair and aid detangling. These ingredients might sound like chemicals but they are generally made from natural oils like palm or coconut anyway, just as alkaline soap is.

http://www.komazahaircare.com/matani-repair-treatment.html (hydrolysed protein, ceramides, panthenol, no silicones)
http://www.komazahaircare.com/matani-leave-in-conditioner.html (hydrolysed protein, ceramides, panthenol, natural oils)
http://www.scientificessentials.com/products/conditioner (hydrolysed protein, 18-MEA, panthenol, no silicones)