What's a healthy hair tip you believe in, but are really bad at doing?

[LongHairLesbian]

We all want long, beautiful, healthy hair, but some healthy hair tips are harder to follow than others! Which ones do you have trouble with? Personally, I have trouble with not brushing my hair when it's wet. It looks nasty and knotted when I get out of the shower, and finger-combing takes forever.

[kaydana]

Same as you. I always brush my hair when wet. I can't walk around with the post-shower wet, tangly mess (and it's a wet tangly mess whatever I do with it in the shower) because it just annoys me, so I brush it.

[ichosethis]

I have trouble with varying my hair so I don't always part it the same or bun it the same to reduce damage to certain areas. I know I shouldn't use two elastics every day to make a bun, but sometimes my pins won't hold at work and sometimes elastics are the first things I find when in a hurry. I've got some shorter sticks ordered so maybe I can wear sticks more (I'm not a huge fan of the longer 7 inch ones I got recently). I tend to wear my bun low and I know I don't vary my hairstyle enough but hey, at least I don't use heat and the only product I use is smoothing serums since it's winter and dry out!

[~Abi~]

Most definitely not brushing my hair when it's wet. I detangle in the shower with CO in my hair, but then I still feel this need to fix my part and brush my hair when I get out, even if my hair isn't tangley! It's a stupid habit that I need to break. And I'm still using elastics in my hair...but that's mostly because I just got my hair long enough to get it into a bun, and I use the elastics very loosely. I don't think hair sticks could hold it up yet.

[lapushka]

Detangling before a wash is key if you don't want a tangled mess after showering. So there's variations to how you brush out later (tangled mess versus not so tangled mess).

We blowdry (diffuse dry) over here. I don't consider it a "hairsin". IMMHO it's a perfectly normal thing to do (we're out of the darkages, ladies, please). Since it's on cool to warm, I don't consider it damaging - and it isn't. I've grown past hip twice now and haven't seen damage from years of blowdrying. The key is not to round brush (style) and to have the temperature to a comfortable level (if you can hold your hand in the airstream without it burning, you're okay). It's all in how you use your tools!

[Angelair]

I'm learning so much on here! What's wrong with wet combing? I detangle in the shower, then use the wide toothed wooden comb right out of the shower, and it doesn't feel like it's doing damage - otherwise, when are you supposed to brush?
And I agree with Lapushka - I think it's ok to blow dry on the cool setting? Isn't it just like having your hair in a breeze? I thought it's the heat in the hairdryer that does the damage?

[blue_eyes]

Wearing my hair up! I know that it helps prevent damage, but I just can't bring myself to do it when I go out in public. I do my best to keep it up when I'm at home, but I don't like how I look with it up, so I never keep it up when I leave the house. It drives me crazy because I know it'd be very beneficial to keep it up all the time, even if just for a few months.

[Beborani]

Lapushka if it helps to convince even traditional methods in India had heat drying component. Since our hair was super thick and long our grandmother would heat up some coal add fragrant bits of wood (?) called sambrani and cover it with large metal sieve and have us lay down over it with our hair spread over the sieve. In cooler months this was heavenly and your hair would be fragrant. I also use blowdryer --as long as you keep moving it around and keep it far enough I dont see a problem. In salons they point the blowdryer at a section of hair and pull it with a brush--that is damaging as you are changing the structure of hair with heat and tension but using it to evaporate excess water--sound common sense so you are not walking around with wet hair all day--that is more damaging.

[sarahthegemini]

Keeping hair up in a protective style - I don't like wearing my hair up, I think it looks ugly. So I wear it down. Quite frankly, I don't care if it's damaging. I am growing my hair long(er) and want to enjoy it, not have it contained 24/7.

[LongHairLesbian]

Detangling before a wash is key if you don't want a tangled mess after showering. So there's variations to how you brush out later (tangled mess versus not so tangled mess).

We blowdry (diffuse dry) over here. I don't consider it a "hairsin". IMMHO it's a perfectly normal thing to do (we're out of the darkages, ladies, please). Since it's on cool to warm, I don't consider it damaging - and it isn't. I've grown past hip twice now and haven't seen damage from years of blowdrying. The key is not to round brush (style) and to have the temperature to a comfortable level (if you can hold your hand in the airstream without it burning, you're okay). It's all in how you use your tools!

I always make sure my hair is 100% tangle free before washing, but it still gets super tangled in the shower. Like, if I try to brush it with conditioner still in, I have a hard time, so I don't bother; maybe it's my hair type? I don't know.
I've found that if I attempt to dry my hair on the cool setting of the hair dryer, it takes so much longer to dry it than if I had the setting on hot. I figure my hair will air dry on its own in about two hours, so I just put it in a braid and forget about it.

[DweamGoiL]

This :agree:

[LongHairLesbian]

Keeping hair up in a protective style - I don't like wearing my hair up, I think it looks ugly. So I wear it down. Quite frankly, I don't care if it's damaging. I am growing my hair long(er) and want to enjoy it, not have it contained 24/7.

I struggled with that for a while as well; I like to be able to see my hair in the front, rather that have it piled up on my head or on my back. Once I gained enough length, I found that side braids and ponytails were a great compromise for me. I find that I have to wear my hair up frequently otherwise it gets stuck and tangled on everything, but if that isn't an issue for you, you should wear your hair the way you're most comfortable and happy. :)

[DweamGoiL]

Keeping hair up in a protective style - I don't like wearing my hair up, I think it looks ugly. So I wear it down. Quite frankly, I don't care if it's damaging. I am growing my hair long(er) and want to enjoy it, not have it contained 24/7.

This :agree:

[LadyCelestina]

I also struggled with wearing hair up a few years back when I first learned that wearing it down all the time isn't the best for the condition. I tried to force myself into wearing it up even though I didn't like it.Eventually I just wore it down or however I wished.
Over time,as my hair got longer,it became more practical and enjoyable to wear it up more often than down - it sheds everywhere,it gets in the way of studying for me because I can't concentrate,it gets into my face while doing sports,gets caught in and on top of that,it tangles.
I kind of appreciate that I had a period where I had to force myself to wear it up,because now I know how to put it up and how to make it look good while up.


I'm bad at curly hair care.
The only "curly" thing I do regularly is not touching my hair while drying and scrunching.T-shirt wraps,not combing or brushing,co-washing,gels and such...thanks,not for me.I'm referring mostly to the techniques described in the Curly Girl book and/or commonly practiced by curlies on internet hair forums.
Then again I'm (quite) a bit biased against the CG book :D (---not sure if this sentence is grammatically correct.

[Anje]

Add me to the brushing/combing while wet crowd. Even if I detangle before, by the time my hair comes out of the turban it's in quite a disarray and always parted somewhere weird, so I can't resist combing it out. I shed like crazy if I comb in the shower for some reason, so I don't really consider that an option.

[EmmAutumn]

In the winter i have trouble not washing my hair with hot water, i just love hot showers in months when i'm always cold! Same goes with blowdrying (on low heat).

[neko_kawaii]

If I don't comb while damp the tangles are so much harder to comb out once dry. I comb before washing to reduce the amount of sheds in the shower but it does nothing to reduce tangles post shower. One of the (major) problem with applying curly girl techniques to my wavy hair is that by not combing at least once a day (and keeping it braided or bunned) those little tangles will become mats. Them moment my hair goes into a protective style the wave imparted by that style overrides my natural wave. Thank goodness I like braid and bun waves!

[Chromis]

I don't really have any bad hair habits truthfully. I'm pretty good about leaving my hair alone when wet or just gently putting it up and I like wearing my hair up during the day anyhow so updos are not a general problem for me.

What I do wish I was better about though? Braiding my hair earlier at night, so I am not stuck *just* about to go to bed and then realizing I still have to braid it when I totally could have done it earlier while I was waiting for something else. I still braid it anyway since that has been the number one best way to prevent tangles ever, but five nights out of seven I curse myself for not doing it sooner and then it feels like such a chore!

It is still too cold here for my favourite braided updos, or else I might just rebraid it in the morning so I wouldn't have to later. I still need both my hat and hood for now and my hood doesn't fit right if I have too large a bun! C'mon spring hurry up!

[ExpectoPatronum]

I'm a wet detangler too. Sometimes I'll be good and just finger comb, but using a wide toothed comb just works better. Plus, combing helps me distribute any product more evenly.

Other than that, I've been very good with my hair as of late.

[Bill D.]

We all want long, beautiful, healthy hair, but some healthy hair tips are harder to follow than others! Which ones do you have trouble with? Personally, I have trouble with not brushing my hair when it's wet. It looks nasty and knotted when I get out of the shower, and finger-combing takes forever.

Back when I had decently thick hair, I had this problem for a while. Here was my solution for what at the time was waist-length fine-textured hair:

1. Comb hair out well before getting it wet.

2. *Don't* pile hair on top of the head while shampooing, like in the commercials. This makes it into a tangled mess!

3. Run a comb down the length of the hair while rinsing it out. As water runs down the length of the hair, individual hairs separate which reduces friction. If the hairs are also still lubricated by shampoo which has not yet washed out, running a comb down the length becomes even easier. At least for my hair (when done properly) this was nearly effortless, allowed easy detangling, and was a real pleasure. Finish up the process by ensuring that the last runs down the length of the hair are done with your hair in the desired final alignment.

4. Dry hair carefully without disturbing its alignment.

5. With all the above being done correctly, I found I could then comb my hair out wet after leaving the shower, and nearly always without having serious tangles. I could then let it dry in the desired alignment.

Now all of this may not work with some hair textures or longer lengths, and as always there's the matter of tweaking the technique until it works right. At least in my case, it worked well. Decades later, and now that most of my hair volume is gone, I use an abbreviated method since there is far less hair to get tangled.

Good luck!

Bill D.

[queenovnight]

I'm on board with not keeping my hair in protective styles. I love a lot of protective braided hairstyles though. I just can't pull them off myself.

[two_wheels]

It's really hard for me not to comb after washing, as my hair loves to frizz. For the last couple of months I've been experimenting with pre-wash oiling with coconut oil (to help the post-wash frizz), then gritting my teeth and only finger combing after washing. Hate to say, but it makes a huge difference- last time I was at this length in 2011 I had a zillion splits, this time I can't find any.

So personally I'm going to keep trying to break the wet brushing habit, results are worth it.

[Layton]

Not washing it everyday

[ooglipoo]

I have a really hard time with protective updos... and I don't like oiling or braiding before bed. I'm a hair down kind of girl...

[breezefaerie]

I am a wet detangler. Comb before showering, comb in the shower while it's soaking in conditioner, and comb after the shower.
I also use elastics. Hair friendly ones, but I use them often as the basis for updos.
And, I am a frequent washer. I wash daily or every other day. This can be CO or CWC.

I have discovered that wearing my hair up all the time prevents me from wearing it down - I can't stand it getting stuck under my purse strap, tickling my face, getting in my way.

[shutterpillar]

I have a hard time not using those little silicone hair ties at the ends of my braids. I know they can be damaging, but I think they look so much neater compared to other things that have been classified as "LHC friendly." My hair is already fine and I have a hard time walking around with a giant scrunchie or terry hair tie hanging from the end of my braid. It makes my already measly braid tassle look even more measly. Hopefully I'm reducing damaging by putting them on and taking them off very carefully. I never pull them off my hair, I just carefully unwind them from around my braid. They're never pulled too tight either.

I also have a hard time not taking hot showers in the winter. I can stand it to be lukewarm as my final rinse, but never truly cold like I am able to tolerate in the summer months.

[meteor]

1) Cold rinses - my scalp and back feel terrible in cold water, especially in wintertime.
2) Deep treatments - too much effort and time involved.
3) Finger-combing only - I'm way too impatient for that. Wide-tooth combs are good enough.
4) Daily scalp massages - I'm just too lazy, and massaging my scalp makes my roots look really untidy and makes it harder for me to stretch washes.
5) Oiling regularly - I sometimes forget or don't have the time, and I don't like how oil attracts lint/dust and, again, oiling makes it harder to stretch washes.

[Dessi]

I think I brush my hair way too much. I just can't help it. Can't stay away from my brush. :mad:

[longishhair]

There is no way I would ever rinse my hair in cool or cold water even if it is good for the hair.
I spend enough time during the day cold/freezing and baby my hair quite a bit apart from taking showers at acceptable (i.e. warm) temperatures.
No cold showers for me *shudders* :laugh: :couch:

[Achlys]

I do brush my hair when it's quite wet (though not right out of the shower), but I'm very gentle and it's always detangled before the shower, fingercombed in there and fingercombed againd before brushing. Also I brush with a Tangle Teezer or a wooden brush with wide teeth.

I used to wear my hair down a lot because of laziness, but now it's less of a problem. I don't know many styles, though, and maybe I'm too harsh on my scalp with U-pins. I sleep on a cotton pillowcase and it's already disturbing me somewhat (unless I'm really sleepy). I also let my split ends be, and there is a lot. And my hairstick has seams.

[milque]

I am quite good at taking care of my hair, when it comes to just doing things to hair. Not combing while wet, keeping it in updos, rinsing with cold water, sleeping in braids, oiling, not using any heat etc. You name it, I can do it. Except for one thing.

I can't, just can't - maintain a good, healthy lifestyle. My sleeping pattern is bad, I don't exercise, my diet is meh, I love chocolates and junk food. And every time I hear someone say haircare begins from the inside, as in the inside of your body, I cringe a little bit because I know I am so bad at that! :shake:

At least I drink lots of water. :shrug:

[Achlys]

Ah, yes, being healthy. I'm really bad at it, too.

[Nadine <3]

I comb my hair when its wet. If I don't re arrange my part it dries weird and won't sit right. I blow dry my bangs on cool. I wear my hair down most day. I probably fiddle with my hair to much and I sleep on a cotton pillow case. I take boiling hot showers because I *will not* take cold showers when it's minus 40 outside.

I don't see the piont growing out my hair if I don't let myself enjoying it. Wearing it down, hot showers, and having bangs that don't stand straight up all make my happy so whatever lol

[Anje]

There is no way I would ever rinse my hair in cool or cold water even if it is good for the hair.
I spend enough time during the day cold/freezing and baby my hair quite a bit apart from taking showers at acceptable (i.e. warm) temperatures.
No cold showers for me *shudders* :laugh: :couch:
I don't know about you all, but the cold that comes out of my faucet in the winter is an entirely different category than what comes out in the summer. I need to keep a pitcher in the fridge in the summer because our "cold" tap water is sort of cool at best. I don't mind the occasional rinse with that. Cold water in the winter is icy!

ETA: That said, I'm really not a believer in cold-water washing. I wash in not-scalding warm water, and if it costs me 6 inches in terminal length, I'm willing to live with that.

[swearnsue]

I use silicone hair ties to tie off my braids.
I braid my hair the same way every night and don't move my part.
I sometimes don't bother to rinse with vinegar water.
I shampoo through twice even if my scalp isn't that oily.
I never deep condition.
I use my TT on very damp hair.
I brush my hair twice a day which is too much.

[hairpleasegrow]

We all want long, beautiful, healthy hair, but some healthy hair tips are harder to follow than others! Which ones do you have trouble with? Personally, I have trouble with not brushing my hair when it's wet. It looks nasty and knotted when I get out of the shower, and finger-combing takes forever.

Great thread LongHairLesbian! This has been on my mind alot lately,and I've been reconciling what works for me vs what is best for my hair lately.

After I joined in December I immediately eradicated blow drying. I stretched out washes, I never brushed when wet and I did cat nip rinses with every wash. ( I finger comb but only because I'm too cheap to buy a boar brush. ) I took vitamins. I studied my conditioners for "cones" and extensively researched old threads on the subject. I vowed to never step foot in a salon or dye my hair EVER again. I joined the "no dye" thread, and the "no trim for a year" thread. I bought a wide tooth comb and studied it for plastic seams in the prongs.

Flash forward 3 months, I am no longer on the no dye thread or the no trim for a year thread. I got so obsessed with the splits on my hair that I cut off 2 inches to get rid of my splits and layers.

Just this week I went on an LHC rebellion (at least that is what I call it in my own mind). After an encouraging post from a member saying "it's ok to dye your roots if it makes you feel better " I broke down and went to the store and bought a box of dye and I dyed my 3 month growth roots. Ahh sweet relief.

I always forget to take my vitamins. I don't have time to do the cat nip rinses and I am back to washing every day. I need to feel clean, right or wrong that is what makes me FEEL the best. If I am going to grow my hair long, I'd like to feel good on my journey there so I'm going to dye my roots, but I won't do highlights.

What's stuck is paying more attention to what is in my products. I now have the confidence to cut my own hair and I will NOT go back to a salon again. I don't blow dry either. All in all I have made alot of corrections to my routine and even though I don't do everything right I am more aware and I do what's right for me.

[hairpleasegrow]

Holy that was a long post ^ ! :)

[coconutterly88]

Haha, LHC rebellion, I can relate. I too have been doing all the 'right things' and while mindfully trying to consider the bigger picture. Unarguably my hair is in the best condition of my adult life but I can't help feeling on a day to day basis, it's just a bit... Meh. So today, I box dyed it then blow dried and flat ironed it. (Using an ammonia free formula, in a fairly inconspicuous tone and having the flat iron on 100, basically as low as it'll go as rebellions go, mine was more
'Pack a bag and sit at the bottom of the garden til tea time' than run away and join the circus...). It feels and looks nicer than it has in ages. Repeating previous sentiments; but what's the point if I can't enjoy it?!

[MeAndTheMaz]

My sins include:

Detangling from the bottom up. I'm working on it, but it still seems a little weird.

Taking nice hot showers. Just can't bring myself to back off the hot water for final rinse. I hate being cold.

I am also a wet comber (this seems, by far, to be the most popular sin). I have improved my routine, so it's not as bad as it used to be. By the time I'm done showering, it's not really all that tangley.

[SkyChild]

I just cannot give up dye and heat styling. I get bored with my natural colour and fed up with roots. I have to blowdry it for work. I do TRY to airdry when not at work.

[LongHairLesbian]

Great thread LongHairLesbian! This has been on my mind alot lately,and I've been reconciling what works for me vs what is best for my hair lately.

After I joined in December I immediately eradicated blow drying. I stretched out washes, I never brushed when wet and I did cat nip rinses with every wash. ( I finger comb but only because I'm too cheap to buy a boar brush. ) I took vitamins. I studied my conditioners for "cones" and extensively researched old threads on the subject. I vowed to never step foot in a salon or dye my hair EVER again. I joined the "no dye" thread, and the "no trim for a year" thread. I bought a wide tooth comb and studied it for plastic seams in the prongs.

Flash forward 3 months, I am no longer on the no dye thread or the no trim for a year thread. I got so obsessed with the splits on my hair that I cut off 2 inches to get rid of my splits and layers.

Just this week I went on an LHC rebellion (at least that is what I call it in my own mind). After an encouraging post from a member saying "it's ok to dye your roots if it makes you feel better " I broke down and went to the store and bought a box of dye and I dyed my 3 month growth roots. Ahh sweet relief.

I always forget to take my vitamins. I don't have time to do the cat nip rinses and I am back to washing every day. I need to feel clean, right or wrong that is what makes me FEEL the best. If I am going to grow my hair long, I'd like to feel good on my journey there so I'm going to dye my roots, but I won't do highlights.

What's stuck is paying more attention to what is in my products. I now have the confidence to cut my own hair and I will NOT go back to a salon again. I don't blow dry either. All in all I have made alot of corrections to my routine and even though I don't do everything right I am more aware and I do what's right for me.

I think you raise some interesting points in your post, like what's "technically" best for your hair vs. what makes you feel good. It's hard to do everything right all the time, and sometimes we don't want to change certain things that are comfortable/enjoyable for us. Reading this thread has made me realize that I make a lot more mistakes than I initially thought; I use (metal free!) elastics, I don't take vitamins, I don't always remember to tie my hair up before bed, I usually take warm/lukewarm showers. There may come a time when I am willing and practiced enough to "correct" these areas, but in the mean time, I'm doing what I can, when I can. Beautiful, healthy hair isn't usually a sprint, it's a marathon. It takes time, and I know I've come a long way already. And even though you and I and a lot of others aren't "perfect" to our hair, we've made improvements, and we all have a place on this forum. :)

[kganihanova]

I brush twice a day- granted with a BBB but still...

[Vanilla]

Varying up my styles more often is something I really need to do to vary the places that my hair gets mechanical damage.

I most often have my hair in a nautilus bun, or sometimes a braided nautilus bun. To me it's quick and easy and takes a few seconds to do. I should be more creative than I am on a regular basis (I know how to do a bunch of different styles). I have tried other buns, and I find the nautilus holds the best without feeling like it's too tight or pulling in one spot.

Also, not sliding hair elastics out of my braids and instead undoing them. I am super inpatient about that.

[Rio040113]

Varying my styles, I know how to do a decent amount of buns but I seem to repeat the same 3 constantly :rolleyes:

[Amygirl8]

I fully believe that keeping your hair up will keep it healthier.
Nevertheless, my go-to hairstyle every day is 'loose'.

[jupiterinleo]

I like very hot showers. Ain't nothin gonna change that. :rolleyes: Not even for my hair. It's gonna have to deal.

I wear it in the same place with the same bun every time. I like to keep my growing bangs out of my face, and the lazy wrap bun is quick and easy. My hair isn't quite long enough to make a Nautilus bun and others; it always falls out. The volume of my hair eats up a lot of the length when I bun it so there is less to work with.

Also, sun protection? Nah, I'm good. I don't believe too much in that one, though, so I guess it doesn't count.

[alexis917]

I like very hot showers. Ain't nothin gonna change that. :rolleyes: Not even for my hair. It's gonna have to deal.

I wear it in the same place with the same bun every time. I like to keep my growing bangs out of my face, and the lazy wrap bun is quick and easy. My hair isn't quite long enough to make a Nautilus bun and others; it always falls out. The volume of my hair eats up a lot of the length when I bun it so there is less to work with.

Also, sun protection? Nah, I'm good. I don't believe too much in that one, though, so I guess it doesn't count.
Same here. I need my water temperature to be just below "scalding" to enjoy my shower!

[woodswanderer]

Wearing hair up in protective styles. I usually only wear my hair up when I am outside or being active, but it is always up for those occasions. I wouldn't say I am bad at not doing this. I just don't find it necessary for myself. I've always had long hair, so I know how to move with care, and I am mostly maintaining lengthwise anyway. I may let my hair go to classic...maybe just stay at tailbone+. I'm lucky that I don't move in my sleep...one less thing to think about.

[Aderyn]

Oiling - it just slips my mind most of the time.
Non-gentle detangling - not that I rip through my hair, but I could be a bit more gentle, whether my hair is wet or dry. Guilty for the wet detangling, too.
Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase - I have a satin one, though the cotton is so much more comfortable! Not too concerned about this one, though, compared to the others.
Wearing the same styles - partly due to my length not being long enough for a variety of styles, but I usually wear LWB or hypno bun on a day-to-day basis, sometimes a nautilus.

On the plus side, one tip I've really been cracking down on is wearing my hair up. I've been doing so for almost a month now and I feel much more comfortable wearing my hair up and it feels a bit awkward when I wear it down now. Good timing too, as it's been pretty windy around here lately. Also been consistently containing my hair during sleep (braid or bun).

[excentricat]

A lot of the healthy hair tips my hair doesn't care about much anyway. Frequent, light oilings or weekly deep treatments just left it weighed down. I do struggle with two things that my hair wishes I would fix though. I take hot showers, especially when it is cold. My diet, while high in protein, has too much junk and not enough veggies.

[Jessleigh]

I think you raise some interesting points in your post, like what's "technically" best for your hair vs. what makes you feel good. It's hard to do everything right all the time, and sometimes we don't want to change certain things that are comfortable/enjoyable for us. Reading this thread has made me realize that I make a lot more mistakes than I initially thought; I use (metal free!) elastics, I don't take vitamins, I don't always remember to tie my hair up before bed, I usually take warm/lukewarm showers. There may come a time when I am willing and practiced enough to "correct" these areas, but in the mean time, I'm doing what I can, when I can. Beautiful, healthy hair isn't usually a sprint, it's a marathon. It takes time, and I know I've come a long way already. And even though you and I and a lot of others aren't "perfect" to our hair, we've made improvements, and we all have a place on this forum. :)

I agree with much of this. We can only do so much. Only what's manageable and enjoyable. I doubt there is anyone that does every single thing possible that is the healthiest for their hair. Making positive changes will bring improvements and that's what we're here for. I have my weaknesses. My diet sucks. And I will not wear my hair up every day. I enjoy hair that looks long. Therefore, I will wear my hair down on occasion. I personally don't feel that many of the up dos look youthful and that's an issue for me.

Just in the time I've been here I now have satin pillowcases, hair vitamins, professional shears, and am trying different shampoo/conditioners and different routines on my hair. That's a lot for me! And I'm enjoying it all. :)

ETA: And I pluck any and all gray hairs! :agape:

[hypersensitive]

I had a satin pillowcase for a while but I much prefer the comfort of my cotton one.

I should wear hat or something to cover my hair from the sun to prevent fading but hey, I love sunshine!

The occasional times when I blowdry, I always blowdry on the highest heat setting.

[Ambystoma]

I detangle when wet too, because it breaks up the wave clumps and helps it dry in a smoother, tidier shape - but I do it very gently with a wide tooth seamless comb in sections from the bottom up and since I use 'cones it's pretty slippy so there's no sense of pulling or stretching going on. I did it that way for years before LHC without any damage, and haven't noticed any since I went back to doing it again :shrug:

I also wear it down more than I should, but it's not tangle prone so it's just the rubbing on stuff that's the real problem there, aaaand lastly my biggest sin is not keeping it out of the sun more, but I'm working on that since the ends are now around 3 levels lighter than the roots which is just silly :laugh:

[starlamelissa]

satin pillowcases are bad for my skin, great for my hair. satin sleep hats are great for my hair, not for my sleep.

so i bun it or braid it, and sleep on cotton!

i like warm orangey red ginger colored hair. i know henna is the bees knees and all, but i like the simplicity of my preferred box dye. i get mistaken for a natural redhead all the time. (it helps that i have two naturally redhaired kids!)

[Nope]

Braiding. When my hair was long enough to braid, I don't know why, but my hands just did not understand how to properly braid. I am braid challenged. Maybe someday I'll understand how to do it, because it really is good as a protective style for bed time, and for nice waves. :P

[Nebulae]

Detangling properly.. usually I just attack my hair with the Tangle Teezer (from the bottom up though, but I could be a little more careful) when I should use my fingers and a wide tooth comb first, and finish with the TT. However I'm too lazy for that most of the time :p

[jacqueline101]

My big thing that's hard for me to follow is combing from ends up ward. I like to do the opposite and my other big sin is roughing up my hair with a towel. I've broken the roughing my hair with a towel when I dry.

[sarahramen]

I don't do a heavy coconut oil or deep conditioner before/at every wash. When I did this my hair was amazing, but I am always nervous that I won't get it all out and will have to take another shower.

[umbrellabones]

Wearing my hair up during the day. I'm doing it more than I used to, I just think I look SO much better with my hair down. it's taking a lot of getting used to. Also putting my hair in a protective style, like a braid when I sleep. When I get home from work or school I immediately throw it all up into a big bun with a hair tie on top of my head and I'm often too lazy to take it down, detangle, and braid it before bed. So i wake up in the morning with matted hair that takes forever to comb out, but do I learn my lesson? not really. I'm working on it :p

[spidermom]

Supposedly regular catnip rinses could help me with my split end problem, but it's the last straw that I just cannot take more than very occasionally.

[JessicaAnn]

I almost never put my hair up when I sleep. I have a satin sleep cap that I try to use frequently. But some nights I get my make-up off, my teeth flossed, my contacts out and I am just like "No More!" and I face plant in bed. It just happens and will continue to happen. I also don't vary my hairstyles much. It is either down or in a pony. I've put it up in a simple bun a couple of times recently, but that is rare.

[mysticmanic]

I can't seem to get used to detangling my hair from the bottom up. I always get frustrated trying to do it, so I start doing it from the top again. Ahh.

[meteor]

Argh, I forgot that I also almost always detangle from top down, rather than from bottom up. I'm too impatient.
And I almost never wear a hat to protect my hair from the sun.
The diet could also be way better - I'm not a big fan of vegetables, unfortunately.

[Weewah]

Apparently the Tangle Teezer is bad, but I just got mine and really like it for distributing my Co-wash in the shower. So I'm not quite ready to give it up yet.
Also I wear my hair down a lot, I have to wear it down for work, and I just feel it getting damaged. :(

[Tristania]

I believe in handling hair as little as possible, and as gently as possible. Alas, I have a tendency to play with my hair whenever it's not up in a knot. I also tend to get a little impatient when combing my hair (especially when running late in the morning), so I'm not always as gentle as I know I should be. Maybe it's just the length that's getting annoying.

[kelly20364]

I always comb wet hair. I don't take vitamins. My diet sucks and I don't exercise much. I don't always oil prior to washing. I never change my part----I should start doing that. And don't change up hairstyles very much. I also use those silicone elastics on the ends of my braids but don't know what else to use....without looking like I'm stuck in the 80s. :)

[meteor]

Several LHC-ers mentioned the elastic replacement challenge on this thread. I think I have this problem, too. Not to hijack this thread, but did anybody get a silk ribbon / scarf to work on braids without sliding off? I try weaving a silk ribbon into hair but it comes off so annoyingly fast.

[ladylowtide]

I wash my hair in hot water. I never use heat otherwise, as in not once in 3 years used a straightener or even blow drier, but I just can't stand cold water.

[Larki]

I wash my hair in hot water. I never use heat otherwise, as in not once in 3 years used a straightener or even blow drier, but I just can't stand cold water.

Ugh, neither can I! I compromise by not turning the water as hot as I'd really like to, and then at the end I gradually turn the heat down, a little bit every minute or so, and I go until the water hits lukewarm. Don't know if it helps or anything, but it makes me feel better. :p

[Michiru]

I'd say there are 2 things. Taking my hair vitamins ( I hate pills) and wearing my hair up when at home and music is on. My hair is always up outside but when I come in I let it down. When I lisiten to music I'm moving around a lot and my hair gets so matted.

[Jumper]

I'm another one who takes hot showers... At least in winter. It get so hot here in the summer that I do take cooler showers then. I comb it when wet sometimes. And I put it in a ponytail, but not as much as I used to.

I'm slowly trying to be less damaging on my hair.

[GetMeToWaist]

I also struggled with wearing hair up a few years back when I first learned that wearing it down all the time isn't the best for the condition. I tried to force myself into wearing it up even though I didn't like it.Eventually I just wore it down or however I wished.
Over time,as my hair got longer,it became more practical and enjoyable to wear it up more often than down - it sheds everywhere,it gets in the way of studying for me because I can't concentrate,it gets into my face while doing sports,gets caught in and on top of that,it tangles.
I kind of appreciate that I had a period where I had to force myself to wear it up,because now I know how to put it up and how to make it look good while up.


I'm bad at curly hair care.
The only "curly" thing I do regularly is not touching my hair while drying and scrunching.T-shirt wraps,not combing or brushing,co-washing,gels and such...thanks,not for me.I'm referring mostly to the techniques described in the Curly Girl book and/or commonly practiced by curlies on internet hair forums.
Then again I'm (quite) a bit biased against the CG book :D (---not sure if this sentence is grammatically correct.


Just out of interest, why are you biased against the CG book? Asking because I'm following some of the rules and it doesn't really seem to work - e.g. Gels etc. :)

[chen bao jun]

I think this is a matter of immediate benefits vs. long-in-the-future-hard-to--see-now-pain-in-the-behind-possibly-may-benefit-one-day. Being a tightly curly I can immediately see benefits from many things I learned on this forum. when I fingerdetangle in conditioner, cool rinse and vinegar rinse, use satin pillowcase, keep hair up and CWC I have no trouble with my gloriously curly completely untangled soft hair. when I don't I am in tangled, frizzy, takes hours to comb hell. Immediately.
so it's an instant benefit for me to follow the advice and I would keep doing it if I never grew an inch longer (but I am growing too).
I can see that for people that it jsut means a lot more trouble, just so that in the future their hair MAY one day be knee length instead of classic, the motivation would be harder to muster up.

[Chromis]

Ugh, neither can I! I compromise by not turning the water as hot as I'd really like to, and then at the end I gradually turn the heat down, a little bit every minute or so, and I go until the water hits lukewarm. Don't know if it helps or anything, but it makes me feel better. :p

Haha, I do this too only the opposite way. I start off with it cooler, then I pull my hair over my shoulder when I am done so I can bask for a moment in hot water without having it hit my hair. (I use a shower cap the rest of the time so I can have it as hot as I like!)

[ichosethis]

Adding in that I never finger comb unless I can't find a real comb and it's a tangled mess, I comb damp because my straight hair will not let those knots out if they dry that way, I should use cooler water and finish with a cold rinse but brrrr. At least I take my vitamins (most of the time). I'm also trying to wear braids at night, but my hair doesn't like to behave with braid kinks in it and it's hard to make a decent bun the next day.

[MadeiraD]

Wearing my hair up, I always end up feeling like it's pulling somewhere. Finding a comfortable up do seems to be really hard for me

[Ambystoma]

The diet could also be way better - I'm not a big fan of vegetables, unfortunately.

Do you like Spirulina smoothies? They're pretty easy and cheap to make at home if you do (I know the taste is a bit of a love it or hate it thing). I sneak a lot of extra green stuff into my diet that way.


Taking my hair vitamins ( I hate pills)

Can you get Gummy vitamins where you are? You can get ones designed for adult women that are chewable lollies like the vitamins aimed at kids - that way it might be a treat for you rather than a chore!

[Frida]

Combing my hair gently and from the ends upwards. I'm usually too impatient and ends up ripping through the tangles! :run:

[dancingpoet]

I'm another one who detangles when my hair is wet. Only thing is, I always use a regular brush because for some reason, my hair decides that it will tangle more when I use a wide toothed comb. At least I'm extremely gentle with it. I blame my mom- she was obsessed with my part being straight and my hair not drying "all wiggly wobbly." I have to get my part straight while my hair is wet, otherwise, it'll dry weird and keep trying to go back to the weird spot.

Oh, and my shampoo has sulfates in it, though I haven't noticed any negative effects.

I've gotten better with wearing it up. I always wear it up while dancing, but I usually left it down for work, but now it has become a habit to put it up for work, so much so that I have gotten comments when it's down without realizing how long it actually had been since I had worn it down.

[Faelin]

I have tried to reduce using elastics but sometimes, especially when cleaning or waking up late for class and in a hurry its just easier. I use plastic clips a lot too which probably isn't good. I have no idea how to use hair sticks, I've tried in the past and it just doesn't work or I'm not doing them right. :/ ...oh and the big no no I flat iron my hair maybe twice a week.