New with some questions and a pic!

[LandyNova]

Hi everyone!

I'm Landy, I'm 28 from PA. I began growing my hair out in the winter of 2013, and I give myself a 1" trim every 6 months or a half inch trim every 3 months. Prior to growing my hair out, I had the ombre bleached ends, my hair was down to about my breasts and I had "long layers." I *try* to go to my hair stylist once a year where she usually does a S&D on my split ends.

My hair dries naturally FRIZZ-wavy, unless it's humid and warm, then it dries frizzy-curly. It's really an unkempt, untamed look and not good at all for me, so when my hair is not in a braid or ponytail, I straighten it. I've recently gotten a Barber infrared ionic hai straightener as it seems to do less damage than my ceramic one.
I've been going gray since 2010 when I was 23, so while the pic is an accurate representation of my natural hair color, it is dyed. I do this once every few months. I deal with eczema on my back and some acne breakouts on my back, just super sensitive skin, so I really have be careful with hair and skin care products. I have my skin care routine sort of figured out, but I'm at a total loss with what products to use on my hair, esp cause it's long and I want it to be even longer!

I have some issues going on that I really need some help with from you gals!

1. Can you recommend a very natural, SLS free shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner regimen for my hair type that won't agitate my skin conditions on my back? (unruly frizzy kinda curly wavy)

2. Is there a way other than trims, S&D, etc. to alleviate knots?

I have tried low-poo and no-poo products and they were not for me - made my hair very dead weight, and I produce a lot of oil naturally... I'm half Italian.. heh. I also use a wee bit of natural cold pressed coconut oil in the summer to tame frizz, but it irritates my skin so badly, that I think I may need something gentler but still gets the job done.

Currently on a crusade to find the right shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner that would help my curls be more bouncy than frizzy and would love if you guys could make some recommendations!

http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s410/bwsblog/longhairfeb2015_zpsk6sq7doc.jpg

[DakarNick]

Welcome! Beautiful hair!

[lapushka]

Gorgeous hair! Welcome.

You might try washing your hair in the sink or over the bathtub, upside down. It will help with the eczema, surely. Here's a helpful video on washing that way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwnlC12W8vk

[yogagirl]

Welcome and OH my gosh, your hair is gorgeous!!

Are you sure you're only 25 inches? It looks much longer.

As for styling products, I don't have any suggestions unfortunately. For the frizz, have you tried damp bunning and when you take it down apply leave in conditioner? I feel like that helps with my frizz, but of course not like a straight iron... Of course a straight iron will cause damage over time and make it feel more frizzy :( It's kind of a vicious cycle. For what it's worth, I love your waves!

About the skin issues on your back, have you tried keeping your hair of your back when you have conditioner in it? I.e. in the shower and after the shower when it's still wet. Since I started doing that I barely ever get pimples on my back.

[Lady Mary]

Hello! Wow, your hair is wonderful. Really pretty curls.

I suffer from the same issues you do on my back, I switched to shampoo bars and it seems to have alleviated my problem. I found that conditioner was mostly the culprit. So now I use Chagrin Valley Café Moreno shampoo bar and an apple cider vinegar rinse after. My hair is probably about as thick as yours but my waves don't compare, so I'm afraid we have a different texture. (My hair is much longer than my photo, sorry, it's very outdated!) I am sure someone will come along with some advice for your hair type. Welcome to the board!

[molljo]

Gorgeous hair!

Did you measure correctly?? Your hair is way longer than 25 inches. Start from your hairline above your forehead, over the crown, and down your back.

As as been said, heat straightening your does damage your hair, which will cause more frizz. There's just no way around it. Luckily, there are plenty of no heat straightening methods available on the forum. The best way to go about searching is to use google by typing in "site:longhaircommunity.com" followed by what you want to know.

As for traditional products, I know there's a poster here with a similar hairtype as you with very sensitive skin who uses John Masters Organics products. It's quite pricy but it does work.

Have you looked into alternative washing and conditioning methods? Bentonite clay, soapnuts, shikakai for washing, catnip tea soaks for conditioning?

[endlessly]

Firstly, your hair looks lovely, so nice work so far!

As for a few answers to your questions, when it comes to sulfate-free products, you could always consider looking at something containing witch hazel since that is a natural astringent. Typically, I would recommend products by Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics since they use natural ingredients, but their shampoos do use a form of sulfate even though they are extremely gentle. Their conditioners and leave-in treatments, on the other hand, are absolutely heavenly and I swear by them for saving my hair from past damage.

The only other way to help with knots or tangles is to use a conditioner or leave-in treatment that is meant to help detangle. Like you, I always seem to have knots or tangles and it doesn't seem to matter what I do, they're just always there. I use a wide-toothed comb and a lot of hair moisturizer plus quite a bit of patience and that's the only truly effective way I've found to help with the knots.

Also an eczema sufferer here with extremely sensitive skin and the R&B hair moisturizer from Lush is what I use for my leave-in treatment and so far (knock on wood), I haven't noticed any issues with it. I tried coconut oil when I had first joined this site, but had a similar reaction, then I switched to almond oil which also didn't work, and finally olive oil which again, same reaction.

Best of luck on your long hair journey!

[moontree]

Welcome LandyNova! I have frizzywavy/curly hair too and it took me a while to find products that made my hair happy. I use this shampoo http://www.alaffia.com/store/pc/Neem-Shea-Scalp-Recovery-Shampoo-18p141.htm just on my scalp and http://www.yestocarrots.com/product/yes-to-carrots-pampering-conditioner?product_id=1221008 this on my length. I don't straighten my hair - I found it made the frizz way worse - and when I put it up I use a soft boar bristle brush to smooth the parts over my scalp. I sometimes use that brush on the whole top 'frizz' layer because it really helps to calm it down... I also do an ACV rinse every once in a while to get rid of buildup.

For what its worth I think you have beautiful hair!

[AZDesertRose]

I don't have any real advice about shampoos or anything, but I wanted to say two things.

Thing 1: Welcome to the community!

Thing 2: OMG you have beautiful hair!

[gthlvrmx]

Have you considered Baby Oil/Mineral oil for your hair? It helps keep your hair smooth and slippery so there's less chance of getting knots with that. Are you talking about fairy knots or are you talking about tangles? Baby oil should be OK on your skin and you can put it on your hair when you just washed it, so it's best to try it on damp/wet hair. You only need 1-5 drops of baby oil to get your hair all oiled.

[Flowerness]

Welcome! You have beautiful hair! I have found that using hair oil or olive oil on the length of my hair makes it bouncier and it helps the wave/wurl pattern. I also like to use conditioner twice because it also helps the wurls pop out, and it makes it softer. If I want to straighten my hair, I use more silicone-laden conditioner and products (or anything that says it has oil in the shampoo/conditioner) and that helpsweigh it down and straighten it out. I also like to use hair oil on damp, clean hair for shine and to fight any frizzies. If none of this helps, I do a dt, or smt. (Deep conditioner)

Good luck on your hair journey! You've come to the right place for ideas/help!

[yahirwaO.o]

Yeah another one who says...... try oling your hair with any of your preference. And yeah you have some serious beautfiul hair and waves going on!!!!! :)

[YvetteVarie]

I don't have anything to say since our hair types are totally different, except you have beautiful hair. And welcome to LHC

[Auni]

Hi everyone!

I'm Landy, I'm 28 from PA. I began growing my hair out in the winter of 2013, and I give myself a 1" trim every 6 months or a half inch trim every 3 months. Prior to growing my hair out, I had the ombre bleached ends, my hair was down to about my breasts and I had "long layers." I *try* to go to my hair stylist once a year where she usually does a S&D on my split ends.

My hair dries naturally FRIZZ-wavy, unless it's humid and warm, then it dries frizzy-curly. It's really an unkempt, untamed look and not good at all for me, so when my hair is not in a braid or ponytail, I straighten it. I've recently gotten a Barber infrared ionic hai straightener as it seems to do less damage than my ceramic one.
I've been going gray since 2010 when I was 23, so while the pic is an accurate representation of my natural hair color, it is dyed. I do this once every few months. I deal with eczema on my back and some acne breakouts on my back, just super sensitive skin, so I really have be careful with hair and skin care products. I have my skin care routine sort of figured out, but I'm at a total loss with what products to use on my hair, esp cause it's long and I want it to be even longer!

I have some issues going on that I really need some help with from you gals!

1. Can you recommend a very natural, SLS free shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner regimen for my hair type that won't agitate my skin conditions on my back? (unruly frizzy kinda curly wavy)

2. Is there a way other than trims, S&D, etc. to alleviate knots?

I have tried low-poo and no-poo products and they were not for me - made my hair very dead weight, and I produce a lot of oil naturally... I'm half Italian.. heh. I also use a wee bit of natural cold pressed coconut oil in the summer to tame frizz, but it irritates my skin so badly, that I think I may need something gentler but still gets the job done.

Currently on a crusade to find the right shampoo, conditioner and leave in conditioner that would help my curls be more bouncy than frizzy and would love if you guys could make some recommendations!

http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s410/bwsblog/longhairfeb2015_zpsk6sq7doc.jpg

We're hair twins, except yours is much longer! I honestly smiled in understanding to EVERYTHING you posted. I have the same hair texture, probs, color, and skin issues. So I feel your pain deeply!
I went SLS and cone free for 2 years, and my hair protested the whole time!! The best I found that worked for me then was suave coconut condish, and biologe deep moisture mask. I liked the Aubry organics line as well. In all honesty though, I went back to my pantene, and my hair just seemed to sigh in relief. I find that putting my hair up in a twist or bun while still damp helps a great deal with the frizz factor, and when I take it down, I have waves that look very natural.
Someone mentioned baby oil or mineral oil, my hair can't take that, for knots I just use wee bit of jojoba oil, or coconut oil or serum on my ends. I don't know how much work you've put into trying coconut oil because it's my favorite all time remedy for almost anything on my skin and hair, so maybe try one new thing to make sure it is the coconut oil?
Going curly? I LOOOVE anything with mag sulfate in it, I was rocking paul mitchell round tip last summer and it helped my frizz form curls beautifully!
Oh, the backne, yeah, that SUCKS! I started washing my back after rinsing out my conditioner, and that has helped tremendoulsly!
In conclusion, reading your post, I did not expect to see such beautiful hair! THAT made my day as you have my dream hair and I didn't expect it from someone with my same hair qualities.

[winship2]

Another vote for washing your hair leaning over the tub (or sink). Since I've done that I don't get back breakouts, and since I no longer use soap on my skin the psoriasis I've had behind my right knee for 16 years is almost completely invisible. I'm a BIG believer in keeping products away from sensitive or damaged skin. And-- beautiful hair. Welcome!

[-Fern]

We're hair twins, except yours is much longer! I honestly smiled in understanding to EVERYTHING you posted. I have the same hair texture, probs, color, and skin issues. So I feel your pain deeply!
I went SLS and cone free for 2 years, and my hair protested the whole time!! The best I found that worked for me then was suave coconut condish, and biologe deep moisture mask. I liked the Aubry organics line as well. In all honesty though, I went back to my pantene, and my hair just seemed to sigh in relief. I find that putting my hair up in a twist or bun while still damp helps a great deal with the frizz factor, and when I take it down, I have waves that look very natural.
Someone mentioned baby oil or mineral oil, my hair can't take that, for knots I just use wee bit of jojoba oil, or coconut oil or serum on my ends. I don't know how much work you've put into trying coconut oil because it's my favorite all time remedy for almost anything on my skin and hair, so maybe try one new thing to make sure it is the coconut oil?
Going curly? I LOOOVE anything with mag sulfate in it, I was rocking paul mitchell round tip last summer and it helped my frizz form curls beautifully!
Oh, the backne, yeah, that SUCKS! I started washing my back after rinsing out my conditioner, and that has helped tremendoulsly!
In conclusion, reading your post, I did not expect to see such beautiful hair! THAT made my day as you have my dream hair and I didn't expect it from someone with my same hair qualities.

Haha, another hair texture twin chiming in! :toast:

YES, I have a lot of the exact same issues, including my back breaking out very easily or getting hives/rash when I try new hair treatments. =/ What I have had GREAT success with, though, is doing an apple cider vinegar rinse after shampoo + conditioner, then rinsing with cool water. It made my hair very smooth and it even felt less heavy, but it also helped a lot with the frizziness.

My hair also drinks up coconut oil, so I just apply a small amount to the ends and brush to distribute. That gives me great slippage = no tangles.

And I'm with Auni, my hair is nowhere near as long as yours, so it's SO motivational to see such gorgeously long M/C hair! Thank you for sharing! :o

[LandyNova]

Hey everyone!

Wow, I am truly humbled by the warm welcome here and thank you so much for giving me some hope that my hair isn't too bad off looking. My hairstylist is very, very good and while she understands and respects my very long hair, even does the twisty type S&D for me, I only see her once a year because honestly, she does still always want to cut so much off. And a lot of people are not really used to seeing such long hair, and because my hair is on the thin side, and naturally wavy-frizzy (loose curly/frizzy in the summer), it's actually inspired some of my friends to get get a trim. LOL. they think it's just a little unruly looking.
I really wish my ends were a little more tamed, but even when my hair was shorter, the ends would be unruly.

Thanks for letting me know about the length, I'll have to re-measure! I'm so new at this stuff and honestly don't know what a lot of the letters and stuff mean (yet!!)

I had a similar experience with SLS free stuff... it was like it wouldn't clean my hair enough. Oh, and yes, definitely always wash my hair over the tub after my shoer is over. It's like walking a tightrope trying to keep my hair away from my back.

It's unsettling because... I had some very serious health problems in 2014 and the meds, antibiotics, heart pills, etc. actually caused my hair to start to fall out in clumps. I was mortified, but thankfully, that only went on for a couple of months. Those same health issues are tied into my skin problems with acne, and so my dermatologist can't help me with it. Just have to hope with a lot of time it will balance out.

The knots I get are at the ends and they are tiny little balls of knotted up hair. It's not too bad if I straighten my hair at least once a week. My waves/curls whatever you want to call them depending on the season and humidity, are not *usually* as tame as my photo depicts. That was definitely a good hair day! lol.

Oh, on coconut oil: My hair DRINKS the cold pressed Spectrum coconut oil, it really really helps, but... if it even comes near my shoulders or back, forget it, breakout city. I have more issues with breakouts than eczema on my back, and I have a feeling my skin doesn't like SLS because I had to switch to really natural bar soap from shower gel. Still trying to figure out if it's gonna help or not. Interestingly, SLS-free shampoo does NOT take the coconut oil out of my hair, so I guess it is true that it is not oil-stripping. But not real sure if that's such a great thing since my top gets very oily while my ends are rather fine and weak/frizzy. I currently use Suave Keratin Infusion shampoo and conditioner with a generic leave in conditioner. I like the idea of something helping to enhance my curls! Going to look into some of the products recommended here.