Help Setting Up Hair Care Routine

[elocin9911]

I know I'm probably not the first person, nor will I be the last to ask it, but is there anyone out there who can help me decipher what my hair is telling me it needs? I know the language, I'm just not sure in how to apply the knowledge. My hair is about 23" long (virgin hair, too) and tends to be dryer at the ends and more oily at the roots. I already shampoo once a week, but with the winter months it's going to be killing me and my hair. Does anyone have any tips/recipes to help maintain my hair's luster and shine? A longshot, I know, but I figured why not?

[hennalonghair]

Hey elocin
My best advice is for you to take this question to the main (mane)forum where more people will see it. You have it in the henna and hair recipes section which is generally much slower than the other.

[elocin9911]

Thanks! Do you know how to do that? I'm looking through the tips and help page, but don't see how to do it. Love your hair-it's so pretty!!!

[elocin9911]

Nevermind, figured it out! Thank you anyway!

[Madora]

I know I'm probably not the first person, nor will I be the last to ask it, but is there anyone out there who can help me decipher what my hair is telling me it needs? I know the language, I'm just not sure in how to apply the knowledge. My hair is about 23" long (virgin hair, too) and tends to be dryer at the ends and more oily at the roots. I already shampoo once a week, but with the winter months it's going to be killing me and my hair. Does anyone have any tips/recipes to help maintain my hair's luster and shine? A longshot, I know, but I figured why not?

I'm mystified by your comment: "I already shampoo once a week, but with the winter months it's going to be killing me and my hair". What's going to be killing you?

The best thing for your hair is benign neglect...which means doing next to nothing for it than is absolutely necessary. Wash it when it needs it. Air dry it, wear it up to protect delicate ends, handle it gently! detangle with a wide tooth comb every day, and brush it daily with a pure boar bristle brush!

The brushing is very important because: it exercises the hair follicles and helps promote growth, removes dead hair cells and lint/dirt from your strands, which helps to keep them cleaner longer, distributes the hair's natural sebum/oil down the strands. Brushing daily leaves your hair smooth, shiny, lusterous and incredibly soft. Quality is more important than quantity, and a good bbb is a must. However, not all bbbs are created equal, so you need to choose one wisely. And while you may have a bbb, HOW you USE that brush is what determines the quality of your hair. Improper brushing can kill your hair most effectively. You need to learn how to brush properly if you want healthy, beautiful hair.

Also, a good diet with plenty of water intake is a plus in maintaining a healthy head of hair. It cannot be stressed too lightly. Eat meat, veggies.

Exercise moderately

Only wash your hair (with a gentle shampoo (perhaps diluted a bit with water) when it is dirty. Once a week is fine. Follow the shampooing with a little bit of conditioner.) If you can stretch your washes, even better!

Remember: LESS IS MORE. The less stuff you put on your strands, the better! A lot of hair junk just accumulates on your strands, causing buildup, which can lead to cranky hair and hair that looks dull and lank.

To get rid of buildup, use a clarifying shampoo (once a month is sufficient). Follow the clarifying shampoo with a conditioning treatment!

I cannot emphasize enough that if you want to grow to a great length, you need to be gentle with your hair when detangling and brushing! Go slowly! Detangle in small, thin strips and always work from the ends of the strands up to the roots! Avoid unfriendly hair products (rubber bands, elastics, clips with sharp edges) and unfriendly hair techniques: braids or buns that pull, using ponytails, pulling back all your hair very tightly (which over time can lead to traction alopecia/hair loss).

If you are bugged with fly away, static-ky hair, use a drop or two of mineral oil to help tame those little fuzzies! Also makes a great alternative to conditioner and is a great detangler.

Oiling: it doesn't sound like your hair needs it. Brush your hair to help distribute the oil you have down the strands. If you find your ends are thirsty, give them a tiny bit of mineral oil every week.

Don't overdo the oiling thingie! Not all oils are hair friendly either. Some actually help dry out your hair. Here is a link to Understanding the Drying Capacities of Oil by former LHC hair maven, Ktani (from her Hairsense BlogSpot:http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2011/12/understanding-drying-capacity-of-oils.html

Also, don't pile on the oils. Try one first and see how you like it (or not). Then clarify and try another oil. That way, you know which oil did not work for you (opposed to adding 2 oils and not knowing which one is NOT working for you).

When oiling, you don't need a lot! Please see link for video tutorial by Heidi W, a LHC member who had beautiful knee length golden hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hjVwPKMQDYk

Remember, if you use a lot of oil, you're going to have to spend extra time getting rid of it when you shampoo...plus any residual mechanical damage from dealing with snarls/tangles that come with the procedure.

And never oil your scalp! It has its own PH balance and that balance should not be disturbed.

Be sure your combs are free of rough spots and keep all hair utensils squeaky clean. Clean out your brush every day.

Hope this helps..based on more than 40 years dealing with waist length and longer moderately thick hair.

[pixicat]

I never brush my hair, only right after the shower when it's still wet. I've always thought it would break my thin hair. I already have a lot of short hairs that seem to have been broken I don't know why :(

[hennalonghair]

Thanks! Do you know how to do that? I'm looking through the tips and help page, but don't see how to do it. Love your hair-it's so pretty!!!

Sorry elocin. It was my bedtime so I logged out.
Thank you kindly for the compliment.
And good luck with your question
I'm sure you'll get lots of helpful info from LHC members.

[Madora]

I never brush my hair, only right after the shower when it's still wet. I've always thought it would break my thin hair. I already have a lot of short hairs that seem to have been broken I don't know why :(

You just solved your problem, pixicat. Hair is weakest when it is wet. Therefore, wait until it is completely dry...and then use a wide tooth comb to detangle it gently BEFORE you put a brush to your hair. If you just brush your hair w/o detangling it first, you're asking for tons of damage! (unless your hair is very, very short 4 inches or less!

[calmyogi]

Hennlonghair I have some serious hair envy going on over here too! You have very beautiful hair! And this post was so helpful. I never used a comb to detangle first but just used my brush to do it.

[pixicat]

You just solved your problem, pixicat. Hair is weakest when it is wet. Therefore, wait until it is completely dry...and then use a wide tooth comb to detangle it gently BEFORE you put a brush to your hair. If you just brush your hair w/o detangling it first, you're asking for tons of damage! (unless your hair is very, very short 4 inches or less!

:rolleyes: I had no idea about that. Thank you so much for your help!!

[Madora]

:rolleyes: I had no idea about that. Thank you so much for your help!!

You're very welcome, pixicat. Might I suggest: many members cringe at the thought of brushing their hair after it has completely dried..mostly because they are afraid of tangles/mats/snarls still being in the dry hair.

If that is your concern, then you might want to try this:

1 Bring all your dry hair in front of you, like a curtain
2 Take your wide tooth comb and take a baby swab (a cotton swab, q-tip thingie), dip the swab in a tiny bit of mineral oil (aka baby oil). Then lightly coat the tines of your comb (both sides) with the swab.
3 Then section your hair by taking small, THIN strips, and combing out the strands from the bottom of the ends, up to the roots.
4 The mineral oil helps combat tangles..and helps protect your strands at the same time. (It is very lightweight, doesn't smell, washes out in next shampoo)
5 Each time you have successfully detangled a section, put a band around it...or clip it, to keep it apart from the hair that you have not yet detangled.

6 When finished detangling all your dried hair, part it in the center, from your nape to your forehead.
7 Take the section on your right and hold it in your right hand
8 Take the section on your left and hold it in your left hand
9 Stand erect
10 Take the hair in your right hand and bring it back over your right shoulder and let it drop down
11 Ditto for the hair in your left hand

The more control you have over your strands through the detangling process, the less chances for mechanical damage. That's why you "hold on" to your hair, instead of flinging/tossing it back. You don't want to encourage more snarls by tossing/flinging!

[hennalonghair]

Hennlonghair I have some serious hair envy going on over here too! You have very beautiful hair! And this post was so helpful. I never used a comb to detangle first but just used my brush to do it.

Thank you but I think you have Madora to thank. I didn't really participate much. I've been painting my bathroom....lol

[lapushka]

I don't know whether your hair is straight or wavy. Because if it is wavy or curly, then all rules above do not apply. You need to comb / brush it when wet and slippy with conditioner and leave it the heck alone when dry in that case. Since your details aren't filled out, thought I'd give you this tidbit of info, just in case.

[elocin9911]

Hi Madora-when winter time comes around my hair gets really dry and straw-like because of the cold, so I sometimes have to go a couple weeks without shampooing, and in turn that makes my hair super oily.

[elocin9911]

Hi lapushka, thanks for pointing that out. I totally forgot to include that. My hair is naturally wavy, but at the roots it's straight and it has a few loose ringlets at the bottom in addition to my waves.

[pixicat]

You're very welcome, pixicat. Might I suggest: many members cringe at the thought of brushing their hair after it has completely dried..mostly because they are afraid of tangles/mats/snarls still being in the dry hair.

If that is your concern, then you might want to try this:

1 Bring all your dry hair in front of you, like a curtain
2 Take your wide tooth comb and take a baby swab (a cotton swab, q-tip thingie), dip the swab in a tiny bit of mineral oil (aka baby oil). Then lightly coat the tines of your comb (both sides) with the swab.
3 Then section your hair by taking small, THIN strips, and combing out the strands from the bottom of the ends, up to the roots.
4 The mineral oil helps combat tangles..and helps protect your strands at the same time. (It is very lightweight, doesn't smell, washes out in next shampoo)
5 Each time you have successfully detangled a section, put a band around it...or clip it, to keep it apart from the hair that you have not yet detangled.

6 When finished detangling all your dried hair, part it in the center, from your nape to your forehead.
7 Take the section on your right and hold it in your right hand
8 Take the section on your left and hold it in your left hand
9 Stand erect
10 Take the hair in your right hand and bring it back over your right shoulder and let it drop down
11 Ditto for the hair in your left hand

The more control you have over your strands through the detangling process, the less chances for mechanical damage. That's why you "hold on" to your hair, instead of flinging/tossing it back. You don't want to encourage more snarls by tossing/flinging!

Thank you so much for! I'm going to try it and see what happens, my hair is a little damaged right now and it's my fault :D

[mira-chan]

I know I'm probably not the first person, nor will I be the last to ask it, but is there anyone out there who can help me decipher what my hair is telling me it needs? I know the language, I'm just not sure in how to apply the knowledge. My hair is about 23" long (virgin hair, too) and tends to be dryer at the ends and more oily at the roots. I already shampoo once a week, but with the winter months it's going to be killing me and my hair. Does anyone have any tips/recipes to help maintain my hair's luster and shine? A longshot, I know, but I figured why not?
For shine and ot help with dryness of ends, putting a little bit of oil on the ends. A couple of drops of an oil (Olive oil is usually around and is good) rub between hands and then smooth over hair and finger comb in. Add more if necessary but less is more to start with.


Thanks! Do you know how to do that? I'm looking through the tips and help page, but don't see how to do it. Love your hair-it's so pretty!!!
The moderators can move your thread, you can click the report button (the little triangle on the left bottom of the post) to report it and ask for it to be moved. :)


I never brush my hair, only right after the shower when it's still wet. I've always thought it would break my thin hair. I already have a lot of short hairs that seem to have been broken I don't know why :(


I don't know whether your hair is straight or wavy. Because if it is wavy or curly, then all rules above do not apply. You need to comb / brush it when wet and slippy with conditioner and leave it the heck alone when dry in that case. Since your details aren't filled out, thought I'd give you this tidbit of info, just in case.
To both posts above, if you want to keep your wave/ curl patterns no brushing or even combing when dry. It will break up and frizz. Try some different things see what works for you. I, for example cannot brush my hair at all, wet or dry. Nor can I comb it wet but it dries without tangles. Your hair may do something else than any of us but try and see what works best for you.


Hi Madora-when winter time comes around my hair gets really dry and straw-like because of the cold, so I sometimes have to go a couple weeks without shampooing, and in turn that makes my hair super oily.
I don't get oily roots but I do deal with very dry hair. Holding your conditioner in the hair longer like a mask helps. Oiling helps many people with this. Also misting with an herb tea and oil mix helps a few people. Considering your roots are oily, brushing will help spread the sebum through the hair, helping protect it and make it supple.


Hi lapushka, thanks for pointing that out. I totally forgot to include that. My hair is naturally wavy, but at the roots it's straight and it has a few loose ringlets at the bottom in addition to my waves.
You're probably somewhere in the 2b-3a range of hairtype then, probably closer to the 3s if your hair is dry now. Hair tends to curl more with more moisture but again, this varies for people.

[spidermom]

I agree with pretty much everything Madora said except the mineral oil. I'd advise coconut oil instead, only a small amount, distributed as Madora describes. Coconut oil essential fatty acids can be absorbed by the hair and add to the strength and flexibility of hair. Mineral oil only coats; it doesn't add to the condition of hair at all.

[Madora]

Hi Madora-when winter time comes around my hair gets really dry and straw-like because of the cold, so I sometimes have to go a couple weeks without shampooing, and in turn that makes my hair super oily.

Hello, elocin9911. I'm not familiar with your winter hair condition problem. Generally speaking, though, your hair needs more moisturizing during the dry winter months, so if you can do that, you might be ahead of the game.

To help with keeping your hair healthy, you might want to look into brushing it daily with a pure boar bristle brush. Daily brushing with a pure bbb helps: distribute your hair's natural sebum (oil) down the strands, removes dirt/lint trapped in your hair, exercises the hair follicles which promotes good growth, and if done regularly and consistently day after day, leaves your hair shiny, soft and silky. But be advised! Not all boar bristle brushes are created equal..and success in hair growth depends on: hair genes, diet, general health, how you detangle your hair with a wide tooth comb before you brush it, and HOW you use that brush! There's more to detangling and brushing than just putting them in your hair and having at it! If you'd like tips on how to: buy a brush, how to detangle, how to brush, please let me know and I'd be happy to send more details. In any event, good luck!

[Madora]

Thank you so much for! I'm going to try it and see what happens, my hair is a little damaged right now and it's my fault :D

You're welcome, pixicat! That's the great thing about hair. It may be damaged, but if you're patient and careful, you CAN restore it to health! Good luck to you!

[Anje]

Hi elocin9911. I'm just moving your thread over to the Mane forum, where it'll get some more views and responses (even though you seem to have gotten a fair number thus far).