Your Absolute Essentials.

[Daydreamer.]

What are your absolute essentials for haircare? By "absolute essentials," I mean products, masks, tools, techniques, supplements, hairstyles, hair accessories, etc. that you use daily/often to maintain your hair. Your "must haves."

[Daydreamer.]

As for me, I'm somewhat of a minimalist when it comes to haircare. I need shampoo, conditioner, oil, flaxseed gel, and hair masks. Also, a scrunchie for buns/ponytails and a pair of scissors for trimming.

[Horrorpops]

Ooh I like this! Mine would be
Shampoo and conditioner
Oil
Honey
Wide tooth Comb
Dry shampoo
Elastics
Bobby pins
:) that would do me I think!

[parkmikii]

A shampoo and a conditioner, coconut oil for pre wash, neem and tea tree oil, my wide tooth comb, U pins and a hairstick :)

[JustPam]

S&C, tangle teezer, Kimberlilys defrizz spray, hairdryer, dry shampoo, elastics. I suspect that list will change slightly when I get my balayage in 2 weeks :)

[LadyCelestina]

Conditioner, shampoo, hairstick :D maybe a few bobbypins,an elastic, and scissors for S&D... I do use gel,oils and things,but I don't *need* them.

[Nique1202]

I'm actually dreaming about hiking one of the very long trails in a couple of years so I've put some thought into my bare necessities lately!

I can use pretty much any high-sulfate shampoo and any coney conditioner with a little protein in it and have reasonably happy hair. Other than that I just need a bottle of my favourite serum, a wooden comb, a few elastics for braids, and my spin pins. Oh, and some small sharp sewing scissors for S&D. A stick or fork would be a bonus but spin pins will hold even center-held buns pretty well for me, and I don't generally need any masks, deep treatments, or SMTs.

[JessieJames180]

Dr. Bronners soap
Olive oil
Comb
Scrunches
And henna have to have my henna

[lapushka]

My wide tooth comb, TT brush (even though I only use them weekly). And my WCC/LOC/(ROO) methods are my staples in my hair care. I don't need much beyond that. Besides a major stash of S/C and styling products. ;) :p

[lapushka]

Dr. Bronners soap
Olive oil
Comb
Scrunches
And henna have to have my henna

Welcome to the forum, BTW! :)

[yahirwaO.o]

Shampoo
Elastics
Bamboo Brush (optional I could get away just fine with finger combing)

Done!!!!! XD

[Arctic]

Shampoo, conditioner, bobby pins, comb, scissors, elastics.

[missrandie]

Here's what I'm taking with me on my month long trip tomorrow:


Conditioner
Applicator bottle for said conditioner in proper dilution
Oil blend for the ends
Conditioning cap
Tshirt turban
Aquis turban
Tangle Teezer
Wide tooth comb (EIA)
Widu brush
African Butterfly combs
Some clippies
A barette
Leave in conditioner
Styling cream
Sleep cap
Silk pillowcase


Of these things, the only ones that I find essential are the conditioner, the oil, the comb, the Widu, the Aquis, the sleep cap, and whatever holds my hair up best.

Everything else is a nicety.

[meteor]

- wide-tooth comb
- hair stick
- elastic
- hair fork
- shampoo

I can survive without other things, but I really love conditioner, silky smooth scarf (for sleeping) and oil, too.

[casiopeia]

Shampoo, conditioner, a D-tangler (tangle teezer ripoff that is better than the tangle teezer), claw clips and other hair ties, supplemental iron, hair shears, baby powder (as dry shampoo), and a serum or leave in.

[Quasiquixotic]

I would need shampoo & conditioner, tangle teaser, scissors, silk pillowcase, tusk, Ficcare, and acrylic stick

[lapushka]

Oh I forgot my aluminum forks. :o

[hobbitlocks]

This is fun to read:
- Shampoo (diluted plus some tea tree oil)
- Conditioner
- Panacea leave-in
- I probably could get away with finger combing but I wouldn't very happy about it, I prefer the wide-tooth comb.
- Some way to put it up, or even just a ribbon to tie off braids.

[Llama]

Shampoo
Conditioner
Brush
Shears
Something to put my hair up (stick, fork, clip, elastic, etc)

[endersworld]

I tend toward minimalism with my haircare. At any point, you'll find the following things readily available in my arsenal:
Herbal Essences shampoo/conditioner (cycles through pink, purple, red, and light blue)
Coconut oil (deep conditioning - I need to switch to something else, but want to finish off my jar before I buy something new)
Hair scissors for S&D
Tiny clear elastics for holding braid ends together - cheap enough I can chop through them if they're tangled in my hair
One stick, one three-prong fork, my crescent, two DPN forks, and roller pins
Paranda, for getting the best overnight braid waves possible all the way down to my ends

Other things I own:
BBB (used before weekly washings so I don't get too many straggly hairs clogging up the drain)
Rag curler cloths (used rarely, need to make more because apparently my hair is too thick to get decent curls with just two of them)
various hair toys of several kinds

[Chromis]

Wide tooth comb
Ficcare
Larger diameter hairstick or a hair fork
Shampoo bar
ACV/citric acid
Little silicone ties for night braid
Hair turbie
Shower cap
Some form of hair oil
Hair scissors for S&D

I have other things that I like, including my BBB, but those are the general basics.

For travel, I am a bit simpler. Wide tooth comb, Ficcare, simple stick, silicone elastics, shower cap. I don't wash my hair if the trip is under a week or two and it is rare for us to take longer trips than that.

[Phoe]

I am fairly minimalistic in all aspects of my life, and thanks to LHC have managed to do away with so many unneccessary hair things, and have come out with happier healther hair because of it.

CANNOT DO WITHOUT:

Suave coconut conditioner
Black Scrunchy
Gentle Hairtie (I'm a ponytail addict but am trying to break the habit)
Tiny elastics for braids
Tangle-Teezer
My trusty hair scissors (won't let a stylist near my hair again after a disaster in August.)

COULD DO WITHOUT, but I have them anyway and use them sometimes:

Pureology Chelate Shampoo (every few months)
Biolage Deep Conditioner (once a week or so)
Baby Oil (I sometimes smooth a drop on my ends and I honestly don't know if it's even necessary, hehe)
Blowdryer (BAD! But at least I only use it on low heat and low speed)
Round Brush while blowdrying (Double Bad)


I also have bobbypins and 2-3 jaw clips and cloth headbands that kinda just are there but they don't get much use. I know I'd kick myself if I did away with all bobbypins though, haha.

[Chocowalnut]

Shampoo
Conditioner
Wide tooth comb
Elastics or hair stick or clip (anything I can use to put my hair up)
Those are my must haves. I also love to have leave in oils or creams and deep treatments.

[Anya15]

Shampoo (must be sulfate free!)
coconut oil
wide toothed comb
hair elastics (the cloth covered kind)
my "decorative" bobby pins - I use them to pin up my shorter layers and usually match the color to my clothes
Aloe gel
Scissors for S&D

[jazzhands]

Shampoo and conditioner
Tea tree and lavender oil
XZ balsam spray
Wide tooth comb
Bamboo brush
Headbands, claw clips and scrunchies
A few decorative barrettes
Swimming cap

I've a lot of bobby pins and other knick knacks but I don't consider them essential.

[Sweets]

I'm actually dreaming about hiking one of the very long trails in a couple of years so I've put some thought into my bare necessities lately!.

Oooo, can I ask which one?! We are planning on hiking a portion of the TRT this summer, but I only have 9 days of vacation so we probably won't do the whole thing (new to LD hiking and all...). A dream of mine would be the CDT and portions of the PCT (not the whole "Mexico to Canada" thing). We both have an ancestral connetion to the AT, but I just don't want to be around THAT many people while hiking. Give me bears and solitude any day!

One of the reasons I started growing again was so that I could be comfortable long-term while hiking. For some reason, I can't stand the wind whipping my hair into my face, so it's either pixie or pony/braid/bun. I'm nearing being able to pull ALL of my hair back soon.

My essentials for now are:

sulfate or non-sulfate shampoo, I alternate
As I Am coconut co-wash
fingers to detangle
bobby pins and silicone elastics

Pretty low maintenance at the moment, haha.

[Frankenstein]

Shampoo
Conditioner
Deep conditioner
Coconut/olive oil
Satin bonnet
Wide tooth comb
Wet brush
Elastics

[JessieJames180]

Thank you!!

[JessieJames180]

Welcome to the forum, BTW! :)
Thank you!!

[neko_kawaii]

Absolute essentials:

water
fingers
hair stick or fork
soap

Things that make life easier:

Shampoo (daily and clarifying)
Conditioner
Oil
Long piece of old tshirt sheet (improv turbie)
Silk sleep cap
Wide and fine toothed combs (wide alone misses too many tangles)
Hair stick or fork
Hat and/or bandana

[Estrid]

As it is now... the only thing I absolutely need is shampoo. I can go without conditioner, oils and brushes/combs, but shampoo I need.

I hope that will change for me, I want my hair to look a bit better, I am just a bit too lazy right now x)

[catasa]

Well, my absolute essentials that I could get by on without big problems for at least a while are:

- shampoo (or at least something reasonably suited to wash hair)
- a satiny scrunchie or hair stick to keep hair up

With these added I would be quite happy:

- Mineral oil
- Silk pillow case

And throw these in as well and that is basically my current routine :)

- honey
- t-shirt wrap
- wide-toothed comb (but I can get by quite well with fingers)

[Hairkay]

Water
a little oil
DIY fruit hair mask (once a week)
satin cap

[Nique1202]

Oooo, can I ask which one?! We are planning on hiking a portion of the TRT this summer, but I only have 9 days of vacation so we probably won't do the whole thing (new to LD hiking and all...). A dream of mine would be the CDT and portions of the PCT (not the whole "Mexico to Canada" thing). We both have an ancestral connetion to the AT, but I just don't want to be around THAT many people while hiking. Give me bears and solitude any day!

One of the reasons I started growing again was so that I could be comfortable long-term while hiking. For some reason, I can't stand the wind whipping my hair into my face, so it's either pixie or pony/braid/bun. I'm nearing being able to pull ALL of my hair back soon.

(Hope this doesn't go too off-topic!)

Ideally, I want to go hike New Zealand's Te Araroa trail. It's said to be one of the hardest long-distance treks mostly because of the solitude and it's quite new so there's not nearly as much information about it as the US trails. On the plus side, though, it's got no bears or large predators, few or no venomous insects/arachnids/snakes, and no disease carrying mosquitoes or ticks. I've also been in love with NZ ever since watching the Lord of the Rings films when they came out.

[Robi-Bird]

Pretty much any conventional shampoo and conditioner.
Hair fork or stick.
Fingers.

[Garnetgem]

Shampoo
Conditioner
Clarifying shampoo
Tangle teezer
Hairnets
Scrunchies
Snag free hair elastics
Wide tooth comb
Hair dressing scissors(for my weekly S&D)
And my plastic comb which i have had and used daily for the past 27 years can not do without it!

[embee]

Denman brush
wide tooth comb
MeiFa Allwood hairstick.

[lillielil]

If needed, I would be fine with just a bottle of CO-appropriate conditioner and a stick. I usually use quite a bit more than that, though.

[reilly0167]

Ok now here goes. :writer:
Shampoo and conditioner
Coconut , olive and castor oils
Wide tooth comb
Honey
Boar bristle brush
Hair sticks
Henna( of course)
Bobby pins and a couple of elastics
:D

[endlessly]

For haircare products, I'm pretty loyal to Lush Cosmetics, so my essentials are: Jason and the Argan Oil/Karma Komba/Godiva shampoo bars, Veganese Conditioner, R&B hair moisturizer, and Retread deep conditioner. For styling/tools: a wide-toothed comb, Tangle Teezer, and various gigantic hair clips.

[Groovy Granny]

Shampoo, conditioner, mineral oil, wide tooth comb, scrunchy, and a claw

[FantasyBoudicca]

Schawrzkopf shampoo/Sunsilk shampoo
Frizz Ease or Sunsilk conditioner
My big wood brush
My wide-tooth comb
A LOT of U-pins
A couple of hair ties
At least one hair stick or hair fork
My microfiber hair wraps or some kind of small towel

You can imagine how much space my 'hair stuff' takes up in my bag when travelling :lol:

[restless]

Shampoo
Conditioner
Coconut oil
Acrylic/metal stick or fork

[Stormynights]

4I use the obvious ones, shampoo, conditioner, oil, hair ties, acrylic fork, and a buff. After I shampoo I pull the buff around my neck and pull it up while holding my hair on the top of my head. Then I just let the ends fall back in the buff. I keep a microfiber towel around my neck to catch the drips. This works best for me. Lately I have been using a pony dry and I think I need to add that to my must have list.

[Loreley]

My hair is pretty low maintenance. I only use the basics.
Shampoo, conditioner (when I'm too lazy I skip this), coney serum, tangle teezer and a pair of claw clips. That's all I need. :-)

[Mademoiselle]

I need shampoo sulphate free ( sulphate give mi lion frizz ), schwarkopft ultimate repair mask for condition, olive and coconut oil,a large claw and a wood brush :)

[pahbee]

Nature's Gate Replenishing Chamomile Shampoo
Pre-poo (especially on the ends)
Occasional gelatin protein treatments + henna
Coconut oil or milk
Wide-toothed wooden comb + fine-toothed plastic comb to detangle.
Tresemme Botanique Conditioner

In order of :p-ness.

[turtlelover]

A basic, silicone free sulfate shampoo (most are fine), my GVP Nexxus Humectress clone from Sally's, my Tangle Wrangler brush, my scissors, scrunchies, spin pins, and coconut oil could probably get me by for awhile. Oh....and my semi permanent dye that I use every 2 weeks.

[Anje]

I don't need much and normally don't use much. Ideally, shampoo and conditioner. (I've done water only, but my ends got dry. They're in better condition now, though, and might not.) Wide tooth comb is easier than fingers, but I went 4 days last week with only finger combing, including 2 washes.

Pretty much, I just need a stick. Maybe a tie for a braid or a sleep bonnet. All else is optional.

[rowie]

Good idea! Mine has changed depending on the milestone. Here is my recollections condensed.

* From a bald Buzzcut all the way down to upper waist length:

-Natural cone free products.
- extra virgin coconut oil, Japanese tsubaki camellia oil, evoo
- body shop wooden comb, bbb, rat tail comb for smoothing the top of my head after completing an updo.
- silicone clear elastics for the ends of my braid.
- Ficcare clips and Flexi 8s since I am bun challenged and sticks don't work for my hair.

* From Hip length all the way to my current classic length +

- Neutragena Clarifying shampoo, and any coney conditioners like Pantene.
- Finger comb the length only, use a rat tail comb to smooth out the top of my head after I complete my updo if at all needed.
- Tsubaki Camelia oil and sometimes mineral oil.
- no more elastics for the ends of my braids. At this length I can finally make buns with no elastics needed for the end of my braid.
- Hair sticks 98% of the time for the week! Finally sticks works for me, so many years of not getting them to hold right, and sadly classic length is the length I can get single stick updos to hold like a rock, no need for Ficcares. :rollin: although I still will wear a Ficcare or Flexi 8 if there is a terrible windstorm so I'm not ready to let my Ficcare collection go since I've had them for many years with so much memories built with certain pieces.

[AmyBeth]

Mild shampoo, the coniest condish I can get my hands on. My Rogaine, my Madera comb, a hairstick, some plant oil and my satin sleep cap.

[Gaalsong]

shampoo
conditioner
oil
spin pins
small elastics
silk pillowcase or satin cap

[Eastbound&Down]

HE shampoo and conditioner
Tangle teezer
Coconut oil
Elastics/something to put it up with

That's really it, nice a simple. S/C once a week, finger comb or use TT every other day, coconut oil when I feel I need it, put up in a bun except when sleeping, then I wear it loose.

[Brijna]

Shampoo bar, ACV, and oil for prewash and Leave in for hair wash and care
Fork and hair elastic for updos or braids
Aloe Vera Spray, Body Cream and Oil for LOC in between hair washing

That is the basic, you may want to add some bobby pins and a wooden comb which I use sometimes before doing a hair style, normally I use my fingers to detangle.

[Persiangirl01]

Shampoo
Conditioner
Some oil (nut or mineral)
Wooden comb/wooden brush
Hair tie/clip

[daPerley]

Coconut oil
Conditioner
Wooden comb
Scissor (sharp one)
A stick of some kind
A hair tie

[Dommydomdom]

Hmm...this is actually a good question.

Absolute minimum - just my hands and either a little claw clip or a hair stick/fork (but only for 2 weeks).

Then WO washing after that for a couple of months will get me by.

But I generally like to do a dilute castille soap wash and ACV rinse (including a big jug) every couple of weeks and brush with my bamboo wide toothed comb and BBB. I also use one of those no-kink/telephone-cord-like hair ties and a head band for exercising. Oh, and a silk/satin pillow case :)

[lithostoic]

Shampoo, conditioner, big scrunchie, argan oil, regular hair tie, big claw clip

[Katia_k]

Clarifying shampoo, conditioner, leave-in, T-shirt for drying, wide-tooth comb, satin scrunchy, and spin pins (these are new I'm not sure if they're an essential yet but I am in deep and frightening love so I assume they will be.) And I suppose henna is now essential, unless I want roots.

It's so weird that this list has gotten so much longer than it used to be...but my hair is thanking me for the extra attention.

[Impulsive]

Water
Suave Conditioner
Leave-in Conditioner
Wide Tooth Comb
N.B Hair Salve
Denman Brush

[sumidha]

Absolute essentials would be my wood bristle brush, coconut oil and a hair tie.

The slightly longer list would be cleansing and conditioning agents, wide tooth comb, scissors and hair fork, plus the brush and coconut oil.

[mermaid lullaby]

Mine is shampoo,conditioner, coconut oil (pre poo), seamless comb, hair pins, mineral oil.

[EdG]

My essentials are shampoo, a wide-tooth wooden comb, and two hairsticks. :meditate:

Nice-to-haves include a space heater and fan to speed drying.
Ed

[trolleypup]

Water, S&C, vinegar, microfiber towel
metal slide barette*, fingers, fine wood comb*
S&D scissors*
small metal chopstick*, pony scrub & hairtie*

* - these items all live in my little blue pouch that is part of my daily kit.

I could cut the towel, vinegar, and wood comb...but I wouldn't be happy about it.

[Salwety]

My essencials are:
- conditioner
- oilve oil
- wide toothed plastic comb
- a scrunchy or a plastic clip

[H o n є y ❤]

- Water
- Oil
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Shea Butter
- Shears
- Conditioning cap

[vampyyri]

I love this idea!!

Suave Naturals Clarifying Shampoo
Nature's Gate Aloe Conditioner (first condish also as a leave-in)
Loreal Mega Moisture Mask (coney sealing condish)
Macadamia Leave-in Cream
Baby Oil
Microfiber Turbie Twist
Tangle Teezer

[lulikrueger]

Tangle Teezer
Sulfate-free shampoo
Hair masks
Oils(natural, not mineral oil) and EOs(specially castor oil and tea tree EO)
Good scissors
Flexi rods
Hair ties
Satin pillowcase

[missmex]

All I really need is my Wet brush, my Redken anti snap shampoo, hair ties, my new hair stick, and any decent conditioner.

[Silverbrumby]

My list.

1. Anti fungal poo

2. Electric dermal pen

3. Conditioner

4. Argan oil

5. Hair stick

[lulikrueger]

Great thread, by the way! :cheer:

[Mimha]

The absolute sine qua non survival kit :
- plenty of lukewarm clean water (sorry, I worked many years in semi-desertic areas, so believe me : water is a key ingredient !)
- one liter plastic jar
- one soft cotton towel
- organic shampoo (that I dilute, so one bottle lasts many months)
- wide tooth comb (of horn, or seamless hard rubber one)
- one wooden hair fork (2 prongs)

The totally sufficient pack :
- all what is mentioned above, plus :
- my wooden brush
- some olive/argan oil
- rosemary and lavender EO
- apple cider vinegar
- my hair scissors

The luxury extras :
- all what is mentioned above, plus :
- grapefruit seed extract (interesting stuff to fight scalp itch when I misbehave several days with carbohydrates... :oops:)
- green clay or ghassoul (for occasional use, when I want to give my hair some extra body, or when I want a totally chemical-free wash)
- my narrow bb teasing brush (that I DON'T use to tease my hair :scared: but as a wonderful tool to evenly spread a very small quantity of oil on my ends^^)
- my small S&D scissors (I hardly ever S&D, so let's say... to feel busy when I am in a procrastinating mood for something else ?)
- some soft hairties
- some hairpins
- some hairsticks and one or two medium Ficcare

... Lol. This makes me realize that I run with an ultra luxurious equipment, from which I hardly use half, ha ha ha ha ! :laugh:

[Doreen]

TT brush, Tresemme conditioner, and any sulfate shampoo. Plus a hair stick 6"

On a regular basis I do use a thicker conditioner on the ends in addition to Tresemme but it's not strictly 'essential'

[Agnieszka]

Claw clip for peacock twist- my everyday hairstyle- absolute essential as I'm growing out pixie with no trims and my hair is in a mullet phase :-/

Nioxin shampoo for fine hair
Protein conditioner (tresseme keratin smooth or anything with cones and protein)

Tangle teezer or wide tooth comb

Dry shampoo and hairspray for volume.

[Vivalagina]

Bare essentials-
Shampoo
Small elastic hair ties

Would love but don't *need*-
Conditioner
Tangle teezer

[Kome]

Hmmmm.....

-Bleach and devoloper
-Bright, unnatural hair dye colors
-jojoba and coconut oils
-Joico K-pak Reconstucter Conditioner

[Decoy24601]

Absolute Essentials:
LUSH Shampoo Bar
Conditioner
One Hair-Tie
LUSH R&B Leave-In Hair Moisturizer
Olive Oil
Wide-Tooth Ox-horn/Wood Comb

Things I can live without but would like:
Hair Sticks
Hair Pins
Hair Spray (max hold, I don't use often)
Fine-Tooth Ox-horn/Wood Comb
Protein/Moisture treatments

[BoopBoop1]

Shampoo, green/black tea/chamomile, coconut/olive oil, scrunchies and a chopstick :)

[beraemcclary]

I'm a super shortie so I'm not sure I count. But I'm learning a lot from your lists, thank you!

For now, I'm good with: Wet brush, shampoo, scissors...but putting a horn brush on my list.

[JustPam]

S&C, tangle teezer, Kimberlilys defrizz spray, hairdryer, dry shampoo, elastics. I suspect that list will change slightly when I get my balayage in 2 weeks :)

So, changes in essentials post-bleaching are:

+ Protein
+ Coney serum
- Hairdryer

Much expected :D

[Ashflower89]

I'm a big fan of benign neglect, but there are a few basics I won't let myself skip over.

- Slow bottom-to-top detangling with a wide-tooth comb, finger detangling throughout the day to avoid more brushing
- Very minimal blowdry/straightening for special occasions, once or twice a month tops... I may blowdry if I absolutely have to go out in winter after a shower, not a fan of crunchy icicle hair
- Lazy loose buns at work to avoid tangling at the back of the neck
- I'm finally at the length for proper sleeping braids so that's a new routine as well, my hair is already wavy but the braids keep my sleeping side from being mashed flat.
- After trying nearly the entire Herbal Essences line, I've learned that my hair likes Hello Hydration the best (and my nose loves the smell too XD)
- The only non-shower product I use is coconut oil for shine and taming flyaways. Not a huge fan of using it in winter because the oil actually hardens back up in the cold and makes crunchy hair. Haven't found a good lightweight winter oil yet

This is my first time heading to APL since 2006 so... I don't have any essential hair toys really. I'm not even good at buns, I just pull a ponytail into a loop and let it flop down. I really don't know what I'm doing here lol.

[Agnes Hannah]

My essentials are:
Wide toothed hand made comb
hair pins and pins
condish
tubie towel
silk sleep cap
silk pillow
argan oil
hairtoys including sticks, forks, ficcares and vintage hair slides, and tige boule hairslides
sulphate free poo

[hayheadsbird]

Absolute bare minimum, water, acv, a hair tie for sleep and spin pins for day time.

Otherwise it would be the above plus shampoo bar, conditioner, wide tooth wooden comb, horn comb, bbb, some acrilic sticks and my horn fork.

[celtic]

mine is short but here we go, BBB, Mixed oil, [ I use a mix of coconut, castor, e.v. olive oil, rose hip, and shea butter. ] i heat to mix all, use daily. poo i use is baby poo, tresemme clarifying poo. [ i change poo once a month, ] condish is tresemme deep hydrating, and daily defense coconut. [ i wash my hair once a week. and change condish twice a month.] i also make a hair knots spray which i use twice a day. i do not take vits but thinking about it, eat healthy, lots of fruits and veggies, nuts and grains. I braid my hair for sleep daily and combine either braid or bun during the day.

[Olavi]

My ABSOLUTE essentials are my combs and seamless hairties. Everything else I can live without, but without combs and hairties it would mean short hair for me.

[HairPlease]

-Soft fabric scrunchies
-Silk pillow case
-Dry oil spray

[Johannah]

1. An SLS-shampoo, I'd I prefer a creamy one.
2. Andrélon Keratine Repair Conditioner
3. Andrélon Keratine Repair Spray
4. Gelatin
5. Jeterforks

[vampyyri]

-Clarifying shampoo every wash (Super oily)
-Washing my bangs only between washes
-Silicone free conditioners for squish to condish (V05 Strawberry & Suave Naturals Green Apple)
-WCC
-Detangling in the shower
-Turbie Twist or cotton t-shirt for drying
-LOC with my conditioner, Shea Mositure's CES, and a serum
-Braided cinnabuns or LWB when hair is about 80% dry

So far my hair loves this treatment!

[HappyHair87]

My essentials right now are:

Tresseme Flawless Curls conditioner and shampoo

Garnier Buttercream leave in for curly hair

Wetline Xtreme gel

Coconut oil :)

[Noppera-bo]

http://65.media.tumblr.com/avatar_1511916b0fb5_128.png

[Zindell]

I'm quite the minimalist, thus my essentials are also all I need and use:

Sharp scissors (I trim my own hair twice a year)
"Shampoo" (Organic powder of soapnuts and herbs, I wash my hair once a week)
Compact Tangle Teezer (I brush my hair once every morning)
Gentle beak clip (For hot summer days)
Terry elastic (For hot summer nights)

[Tysiphone]

My ABSOLUTE essentials ♥

◦ Scrunchies
◦ Silk Pillow Case
◦ Tangle Teezer
◦ Cocoa Powder

[missmelaniem]

ultimate essentials... these are things I use more than once a week:

shampoo
conditioner
deep condition
mason pearson detangle comb (mentioning the name because this baby GLIDES through my hair and was the best 35 bucks ever spent)
aveda paddle brush
tangle genie
paul mitchell super skinny serum
moroccanoil oil spray stuff (the exact name escapes me at the moment!)
HAIR TIES - my hair is always up in some form... i use the braided ones with the plastic bead at the moment, am waiting for one of those plastic spiral ones that look like a phone cord?


Wanting to add:

turbie twist (no i really do not have one of these!)
jaw clip (on its way to me now woot!)

[enting]

shampoo, vinegar, comb, sesame oil for easier detangling and combatting dryness, and some means of putting my hair up, be it pins or claws or a stick or fork.

I use a bbb for scalp scritching, but I went for a long while without one before buying it, so I don't consider it an essential. Likewise I don't consider scissors to be an essential because I don't use them all the time, I can go for weeks without it.

[Decoy24601]

Changing my list:

1: EIA wide-tooth comb
2: EIA BBB
3: Flaxseed Gel
4: SLS shampoo
5: Conditioner
6: Hair sticks
7: Hair scissors

[Lauraes]

Once I find products I like, I stick to them like my life depends on it, so that's why I got so specific describing the products. :lol:

1.) Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner (my holy grail)
2.) Pantene Ice Shine shampoo
3.) Garnier Whole Blends Smoothing leave in conditioner
4.) Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner
5.) A silk/satin sleep cap
6.) Hair ties (for braids)
7.) My wide tooth comb
8.) A Tangle Teezer
9.) Sharp hair cutting scissors
10.) Claw clips

[kidari]

sulfate-free moisturizing shampoo
chelating shampoo
moisturizing conditioner
protein treatment conditioner
deep treatment hair mask
spray conditioner
leave-in cream
coney oil serum
coconut oil
coconut milk
aloe vera gel
glycerin
rosewater
camellia oil
scissors
creaclip
my favorite hair tie
jumbo foam bendy rollers
scarf
two mini claw clips
wide tooth comb
wet brush

that's a long list but if that's all i had it would be all i would ever need minus the things i use to color my hair but that's not a necessity

[Thraven]

Shampoo bar
ACV
Virgin coconut oil
Jeter fork
Acrylic hair stick pair, 6"
Hair tie

That's what I need to *survive*, but obviously I like having more. :lol:

[lithostoic]

Shampoo, conditioner, big scrunchie, argan oil, regular hair tie, big claw clip

Add to that deep conditioner, avg, honey, and shorter claw clips. Btw when I said regular hairtie I meant the small skinny size that's good for tying off tapered braids.

[Ambystoma]

My essentials are:
1. Sulphate free shampoo for my scalp
2. SLS shampoo for the rest
3. Silicone conditioner
4. Silicone serum
5. Chelating shampoo
6. Stick/fork

I like, and use a seamless wide tooth comb bt I could get by with just fingers and don't braid much so don't consider elastics essential but I'd like to wear braids more often. My hair doesn't seem to like deep treatments or anything very much, the same old stuff all the time with a monthly clarify has left it in the best condition ever.

[spirals]

It's hard to say, but I suppose
--soap for my scalp
--conditioner
--detangling comb
--brush of some kind
--scrunchie for bed (maybe could even live without that)
--wooden stick (which is also a maybe, since my hair has traction and will stay in a self-holding bun)

Edited: I forgot scissors. Those are essential.

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Pre-wash oil mixture (hemp, castor, grape seed coconut, almond and rosemary EO)
Shower cap & hair turban
Gliss hydra miracle conditioner
Water
Dove hair therapy daily treatment conditioner
Hair tonic (bergamot, bay rum, + above oils) for scalp after wash
Shea conditioning cream
Satin bonnet
Scissors (s&d)
Wide tooth combe
BBB used after 3rd day wash daily keeps scalp clean and reduces shedding
This is for now list might change to hair needs

[lucy.kate1994]

The things I absolutely couldn't do without are shampoo, a wide toothed comb and macadamia oil

[animetor7]

I stretch washes and space out other treatments and such a lot, so I'll split my list into segments based on time. ^_^
Daily essentials:
coconut oil
dry shampoo (in case of oily roots)
tangle teezer
hair toy

Weekly essentials:
Shampoo bar
conditioner
Vinegar rinse
coney serum
wide tooth wooden comb
Plus above daily tools

So not as simple as some, but what I find is necessary to maintain my hair. :)

[Dark40]

I need my shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, heat protector, oil, and blow-dryer.

[Imalath]

In extreme scenarios, I could get by with a little bit of oil and my homemade knitting-needle hair fork. It wouldn't be pretty, but I could manage with some time and effort.

If I was packing for a trip to somewhere like a hotel that provides samples I would just take my comb and my hair fork, and maybe a bit of ribbon to tie off my braid with. My hair and scalp are fairly tolerant of most shampoos and conditioners over the short term, and I like to pack light. It takes time and lots of luggage space for my own hair products, and usually when I travel I want to have fun or connect with my family, and simplifying my routine gives me more time and less stress.

I took a short trip for work earlier this year and took a sample bottle of my current shampoo and a tablespoon of my leave in tucked into my suitcase. I ended up just rinsing with water while I was away, then clarified when I got home and gave myself an SMT and got right back to my regular routine. I never could tell the difference after the first wash.

[Maelyssa]

Hands down my absolute musts are Max Green Alchemy shampoo & conditioner, NightBlooming's Freya's salve (depending on how my hair is that day I may also use a few drops of one of the NightBlooming oils too) and now my Grah-toe Studio's wooden detangling comb (previously the Tangle Teezer). And always a hair friendly toy such as flexi, ficcare, fork or sticks.

[Nightamin]

Tangle teezer, coconut oil, mineral oil and the deep conditioner from Joico's Moisture line (moisture balm I think).

[Shiranshoku]

Interesting thread! I immediately thought about it based on timeframes, so...

For 1 day: a hair fork/stick
For 1 week: a hair fork/stick. My scalp would get greasy, but I'm not prone to tangling so I could get away with finger combing and a high cinnabun and still look passable.
For 2 weeks: all of the above + shampoo

Any longer than that and I'd need a conditioner and coconut oil/macadamia oil. And a hairtie. I don't necessary *need* to braid, but I like them. And scissors.

Best not show this to my SO, since I have A LOT of stuff :D

[triumphator!]

V05 Conditioner, oil, tangle teezer, elastics.

[202_bh_rider]

hmm, this is tricky. I could get by with an
- elastic (hair friendly type with the tie)
- coconut oil
- some kind of shampoo
list of things that would make life easier:
- satin pillow case
- natural conditioner
- aloe Vera gel
-wide tooth comb
- boar bristle brush

not must haves, but they definitely make my life easier!

[swearnsue]

Pantene shampoo, conditioner, Palmer's Olive oil Hair Milk, Tangle Teaser and coconut oil.

[Wendyp]

Hey I found this thread too since we're on holy grail stuff and all that lol

[RebekahE]

Comb or tangle teezer, normal shampoo, shampoo for SD flare ups, a light conditioner and a heavier cone free conditioner, a trimming scissors, and my hair tie.

[bparnell75]

Hey I found this thread too since we're on holy grail stuff and all that lol

I am far from a minimalist. I have lots of shampoos conditioners, oils, combs brushes and tons of hair toys. Until the apocalypse I see no need to be any other way. My hair and its adornments are my hobby. I'll scrimp somewhere else.

[Chromis]

Wide tooth comb
Ficcare
Larger diameter hairstick or a hair fork
Shampoo bar
ACV/citric acid
Little silicone ties for night braid
Hair turbie
Shower cap
Some form of hair oil
Hair scissors for S&D

I have other things that I like, including my BBB, but those are the general basics.

For travel, I am a bit simpler. Wide tooth comb, Ficcare, simple stick, silicone elastics, shower cap. I don't wash my hair if the trip is under a week or two and it is rare for us to take longer trips than that.

I last answered this thread in 2016 - since then I have moved cross country and spent a chunk of of it with no electricity or running water and out of boxes/luggage. My list still looks the same. The only optional in there is the oil, but we do use coconut oil in the kitchen too, so I would have it on hand either way if nothing else.

Shower cap is still essential and it is the thing I am most annoyed by if I forget it while traveling too.

[Jane99]

Hair stick, silk scrunchie, silk pillowcase, wide tooth comb, coconut oil, Shea Moisture masks
The shampoo I change up a lot
The conditioner I have my own recipe and it is holy grail to me
The hair scissors and henna help a lot too
I also use argan oil and broccoli seed oil after every wash
and some kind of chelator. The coconut oil is one but I’ll do a vinegar rinse every few weeks and a hard water shampoo once a month

[bokeh]

This was a great thread to resurrect! My essentials: My Quattro hair fork, elastic ties for braids, wide tooth comb, night cap, shampoo & conditioner (I'm not picky about these.) Leave-in conditioner (I like Kinky Curly Knot Today.) Oh, and a silicone hair catcher for my shower drain and a shoe box where I collect loose hairs when I comb until I dispose of them every week or so.

[aloewurly]

I need a sulfate shampoo, a coney conditioner, and a claw clip. Anything else I use is just for pleasure, not necessary :pegasus:

[ExpectoPatronum]

If I had to pair it down to things I use the most often:

-Giovanni shampoo and conditioner (TTTT and 50:50 respectively)
-Nightblooming Selkie detangler
-Nightblooming hair salve(s) - I own samples of all three and use them interchangeably.
-JBCO
-Wooden wide-toothed comb
-Satin scrunchie or other gentle hair tie for braids
-Turbie twist

I can get away with only those products.

[Wendyp]

I am far from a minimalist. I have lots of shampoos conditioners, oils, combs brushes and tons of hair toys. Until the apocalypse I see no need to be any other way. My hair and its adornments are my hobby. I'll scrimp somewhere else.

Ha! I agree. Add bath stuff too, I'm obsessed with bath bombs lol

[Bri-Chan]

Shampoo and conditioner, an elastic tie, hair stick and (if I still have some space) a leave in or an oil.

[valkyrie90]

My hairsticks, scrunchies and hair claws . Also all the herbs I need to wash my hair. And my hair oils too. I'm lost without them!

[Finda]

I've tried some new products recently and the following have proven useful, so I adapted my routine a bit:

- Tangle Teezer wet detangler

- Coconut Oil

- L'Oreal Paris Elvital Oil Magique Jojoba Shampoo
- Garnier Fructis Hair Food Mask (Aloe or Banana)
- John Frieda Repair&Detox Mask
- Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger MirrorSmooth Conditioner
- Pantene Pro-V Argan (Silicone based hair oil)

- Microfiber Towel

- Spin Pins
- Hairsticks and Forks

[illicitlizard]

This is a fun one!
My must haves are

Tangle teezer wet brush
Some form of clarifying shampoo
Conditioner with some protein in it
TO Argan oil
Hair stick
2-3 small claw clips

Everything else I could probably live without, WL is kind to me thus far.

[Eastbound&Down]

Bare essentials that I absolutely have to have or my hair is a tangled mess: my HE shampoo and conditioner, and a clip or scrunchie. Other things that are nice but not absolutely essential are my tangle teezer, my Aussie 3MM, and my hair oils. I’m pretty minimal at this point in my hair journey.

[lapushka]

My shampoo, a cheapy hairstick or fork, and my (dupe) Wet Brush, if I couldn't afford more. Something to cleanse, something to detangle, and something to hold my hair up. That's it.

[Diana Prince]

An anti-dandruff shampoo, a moisturizing conditioner or mask, a detangling leave-in, Wet Brush, a velvet or silk scrunchie and a hair-dryer.

[Lady Neeva]

Shampoo with sulfates in it, coney conditioner, wide tooth seamless comb, hair dryer with the cold heat option, deep conditioner, snap clips, bobby pins, scrunchies, fold over elastic hair ties, hair forks, hair sticks, beak clips.

[MoonLady]

My absolute essentials are a lot because I'm a little hair obsessed.

Products
* shampoo & conditioner
* heat protection (bc I'm bad and use heat often)
* olaplex 3 (to keep damage from bad things I do low)

Tools
* satin bonnet (legit can't put my head on a pillow without one anymore)
* wide tooth comb
* blow dryer (yes, still bad)
* hair scissors for s&d

Yeah, I think I could survive and be decently happy with just those if I ever decide to exercise some hair minimalism

[Shorty89]

Absolute essentials would be:

Products: * Down Under Naturals Raspberry conditioner

Maybe also some coconut oil

Tools: * wooden comb
* Harder BBB
* Jeter four prong fork
* Few soft elastics for sleeping
* scissors

I suppose if I needed to, I could survive without the BBB.

[7up]

My absolute essential would have to be brushing my hair before shower, which seems maybe obvious, but I skipped that step for many years prior, and goodness the toll to detangle pre-tangled hair! I can’t believe i even use to do that. Also maybe my current essential would have to be leave in cremes/oil/primers after shower … they smoothen and soften my hair so much better than any conditioner I’ve tried and without using any my hair will be in distress. (It’s previously bleached so yeah it is essential)

[aloewurly]

I need a sulfate shampoo, a coney conditioner, and a claw clip. Anything else I use is just for pleasure, not necessary :pegasus:

Now I realized I can even go without the conditioner if I use mineral oil!

[Stray_mind]

Right now i never wash my hair without my special hair elixir. I find wonderful hair care products at the pet store i work in. :lol:

[cutie-pie]

Hair oil mixture
Hair band
Hair clips for the layers
parandi

[Hedwig]

I have a fairly minimal three step routine going: shampoo, conditioner and leave in cream. But my deranging brush is also a must that I could not live without (I‘ve tried on vacation but it’s always tragic).

[AmyBee]

Shampoo and conditioner
Hair mask
Serum
Air drying cream
Wet brush
Robe belt for overnight curls

[Bat]

Wide tooth Comb
Leave ins
Oil
Hair masks
Clarifying shampoo
Blue/purple Shampoo
Heavy conditioners

[Mariekeeee14]

The ultimate tangle teezer
Satin scrunchies
The innate life rose elixir
Nightblooming Freya salve
Jessicurl deep conditioning treatment
Noughty wave hello conditioner
Calia hydrating leave in spray
Carina Organics sweet pea leave in spray
Filter showerhead
Rotating sulfate free shampoos
Washing twice
Doing the squish to condish
Conditioning twice
I don’t squeeze water out of my hair during my shower, only after
I microplop after I take my hair out of my hair T-shirt

[DropStitches]

My essentials:

- 1 gentle, sulfate-free shampoo/shampoo bar
- 1 sulafate-y shampoo for clarifying periodically
- Garnier Hair Food for conditioning and leave in
- Some sort of oil (current preference: Science-y Hair Blog’s What’s Cookin’ Blend)
- At this length (APL) a sturdy claw clip, cos it’s currently the only thing that holds my hair up
- Small, fabric-covered elastics for braids
- Wooden brush
- Rat-tail comb
- Henna
- Microfibre towel or an old, long sleeved t-shirt for drying
- Satin silk sleep bonnet

[C_Bookworm]

1. Wet brush
2. Silk scrunchie (sleep braid)
3. Aussie 3 minute miracle (HG conditioner)
4. Sally Beauty GVP version of Sebastian Potion #9 (HG leave-in)
5. Henna/indigo

[cinamio]

-Satin pillowcase
-satin hair cap
-wet brush
-boar bristle brush
-Not your mother’s curl talk masque
-any sulfate free shampoo

[alewyn]

Silk pillowcase and headscarf/wrap
Wide-toothed wooden comb
Jojoba oil
A natural conditioner bar for co-washing
Pure henna

[Abacus]

1. Showerhead water filter
2. satin bonnet
3. olive oil
4. Rice water

[clairenewcastle]

Keratase Elixir Ultime L'huile Original.....my absolute essential hair product.

[Ylva]

Clear sulfate shampoo
Some nice conditioner or mask (I can use this for double-conditioning as well as leave-in if I so desire I guess!)
Tangle Teezer or an equivalent brush
At least two hair ties so I can wear 1-2 braids
A hair stick and two Amish pins for buns

I may have a pretty complicated haircare routine, but in the end, I could make do with very few things! Nice to be posting in this thread now as I had to rethink my haircare essentials just a few days ago. I was away from home/my flat and decided to see how my hair would be without any leave-in. It was just fine!

[Lady Neeva]

sulfate shampoo
coney conditioner
oil
bobby pins
hair ties (scrunchies or fold over elastic)
hair scissors
blow dryer with cool setting
A beak clip for when I am working out

[ladyofthewoods]

Viori shampoo bar
Viori conditioner bar
Blu butterfly organic amalaki scalp oil
Wood comb
Bamboo brush

[KokotheHen]

Natural sulfate and silicone free shampoo and conditioner
Oil (preferably argan)
MapleBurl hair fork
BBB
Silk hair tie
Wooden hair brush

[ArienEllariel]

Wooden pin brush
BBB
Suave strawberry or coconut conditioner
Nizoral shampoo
Satin scrunchies
Hair scissors for cutting splits

[Arciela]

Thick and curly tangle teezer
Wet brushes
Dyson dryer(I use it on coolest setting)
Head and shoulders honey shampoo
Cones
Satin scrunchies
Hair sticks for my LWB