Things I've learned on the LHC...

[hayheadsbird]

That my hair likes CWC- http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=53421
How to use a hair stick
Kimerlily's defrizz spray is magical
SMT can work wonders
'Cones are not evil
SLS has its place and can be very useful
My hairtype - I have waves people, WAVES!
How to S&D
It's okay not to trim
I don't need to use a comb or bush - http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=139530
Oiling my hair requires minuscule amounts, and coconut oil is a bad idea for me.
How to have the best skin I've ever had - this was a life changer for me though not really hair related, but if it wasn't for here I'd never have gone on to discover skin care that actually works for me - http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=130981&page=110&p=3313207#post3313207
Amish pins and spin pins are magical inventions.



Been thinking about this a few days, how happy I am with my hair and life in general ATM, because it's in the best condition it's ever been in and I'm really enjoying it. It's not perfect, but I'm enjoying the journey! I realised that the biggest difference is because of what I've learned here, so I wondered if anyone else feels the same? What have you learned about that's made a difference?

[Seratopia]

What a creative and fun thread this will be!

Things I've learned:
Trim those splits out! No, don't pull them further up your hair (lol @ 13 year old me at the time)
Your scalp hates coconut oil but your hair loves it
Fine hair is beautiful
Learned what henna is
Learned about hair sticks
Learned new hair styles (protective)
You're bunching your hair on your head to shampoo? Noo!
Hair can have mechanical damage from wearing it down (life changer for me - knew no styles - wore hair down 24/7.. 19 years.)
CWC/ACV Rinsing/SMTs!

Plenty more but I'm tired lol. Thank you LCH <3

[animetor7]

Things I've learned on the LHC:

Shampoo bars rather than traditional shampoo are an option and don't irritate eczema!!! :D Just remember to include a dilute vinegar rinse afterwards.
Cones are not evil (learned later on after joining the LHC early on I went cone-free for a while and my hair hated it!!!)
Olive oil is too heavy, coconut oil is just right
a little bit of oil every day works better for fine hair than extremely heavy oiling right before a wash
Don't wear the same style every day! This can cause mechanical damage, this includes varying tassel-length for sleep braids

And so much more. :)

[hayheadsbird]

And I've made a typo on the thread title...if a mod happens along please could you fix it for me? ;)

[Mimha]

Oh that's a nice thread ! :)

What I have discovered I was ALREADY doing right without knowing :
- dilute shampoo and stretch washes
- air dry
- no perm no dye
- that keeping it up protects it
- S&D (thought I was the only crazy one on Earth to cut my hair one by one !! :laugh:)
- gentle detangling

What I have discovered that helps me so much EVERY DAY since I joined :
- wide thooth combs (didn't know they existed because I had never seen any !! :thud:)
- hairforks !!!! (the life saving miracle tool !)
- easy, damageless and quick updos (oh if I had know about them when I was in my 20ties !...)

And last but not least : I have discovered other crazy people like me, sharing my love for long natural healthy hair, who made me discover how pleasant it can be to care about my hair ! :) I have always been cutting my hair when I reached TBL+ length because I was fed up of all the washing-detangling-drying process. What a pity ! Now I enjoy every moment of intimacy with my hair : the burden of grooming has become a relaxing self-pampering time for me, thanks to the LHC ! :flower:

:D :D

[sarahthegemini]

How to secure my hair with a fork :cheese: And that I'm much wavier than I thought.

[lapushka]

Oh gosh...

WCC was born when I messed up and fiddled with CWC and drying shampoos for my SD, and decided to switch things around. I am on that method for... oh so long now.
LOC method, amazing thing to discover.
ROO method, equally great, even though I don't use it every week now (lately).

(^^ All of these are links in my signature!)

Especially the methods are and were eye openers.

I also love sulfates and silicones. Sulfates keep my SD at bay, I discovered (also an important discovery). Silicones prevent major tangles in my hair, which have become prevalent after BSL.

I was able to stretch from 2/3 washes a week to just one a week, due to my scalp normalizing (I think so), and also the added length to my hair.

If I think of more things, I'll be sure to post them.

[Mrstran]

I absolutely love this site. In the short time I've been here I've learned too much to list, but I'll name a few that have made the biggest difference on my hair.
Oils! I was already using coconut and almond, but I have learned about many others that I my hair loves even more.
I don't have to get trims, I can just snip my own splits instead.
How to wash without ratting my hair and Cwc method.
There is a benefit to wearing hair up, and here I was encouraged to try new updo's. I learned how to use a chopstick 2 days ago, when the only thing I knew how to do before was a simple pony.

[lithostoic]

I can cut my own hair without a mirror (under the chin method).
My scalp actually hates conditioner.
It's okay to wash your hair WAY less even if it doesn't stay "clean".
Aloe vera gel isn't just for skin.
There are some neat hairstyles using sticks.
I do not in fact have thin hair.
It's normal to have large sheds occasionally.
My hair color and type is not boring or undesirable.
My hair grows faster than average.
Hair past tailbone isn't weird!

[poli]

I got great general advice for my hair type:
- don't brush or comb wet hair
- rinse well and then some
- choose what works for both your scalp and your hair
I also learned to cut my own hair, discovered new methods (CWC) , products (shampoo bars) and styles.
Thanks LHC :)

[littlestarface]

I've learned stuff from the pretty long haired curlies on here, like the type of products they use and boy right as soon as I find out I buy it hah! For some reason in my weird head I think "if it makes their hair like that, than mine will look like that too right?!" loool!

I also learn about different good shampoos... honestly this place is the best when it comes to products cuz everyone here writes down the ingredients, they say how harsh or not it is and everyone gives reviews about it. I would've never bought the right stuff if it wasn't for this place.

[Upside Down]

Cool thread!

Ihere's mine:
-henna
-egg shampoo
-coconut oil
-herbal rinses
-keratine streightening
-heat protectors
-scalp only washing
-herbal essences
-clarifying
-buns
-hairtoys
-braids
-hairties out of socks

Not hair related
-j&k skincare
-menstrual cups (are not for me :( )
-what's paleo
-how to stop carrots from rotting
-family cloth egsists
-etc etc

[hayheadsbird]

*snip*

-how to stop carrots from rotting


Where? This is something I need to know!

[JaneHathaway]

⚫️CWC - the first recommendation I tried; it made an immediate positive difference
⚫️Apply conditioner only from ears down - ummmm, this explains why my front and crown used to be so limp and flat
⚫️Try one new product/technique at a time to pinpoint what works/what doesn't
⚫️Protein treatments and SMTs
⚫️Air drying
⚫️Putting it up - had no idea there were so many different ways and bun types; looking forward to having the length to try more than LWB & twists
⚫️Hair forks! Sticks! - again, had no idea these existed but getting some and learning to use them motivates/encourages me to keep growing
⚫️Growing out natural color/silvers after dying - great tips to make the process more tolerable; pics of others' journeys provide inspiration to continue
⚫️Members here are very generous about using their own knowledge and experience to help others

[Stub]

How to put up a bun with a single stick and have it stay!
How to use sticks in the first place.
That I even like buns. (was just never something that occurred to me before)
Amish hair pins (sheer magic!)
That even if it seems like some product is magic for nearly everyone else on the board, it doesn't mean MY hair will like it.



Where? This is something I need to know!

I don't know what Upside Down found, but I put mine in a bowl completely covered with cold water in the fridge. They last forever!!

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Some of the things I leant:-

S &D splits
Sleep in a bonnet
Use a wooden comb
Don't brush my curls
Protect my hair ends
Join challenges to help minimise hair damage
Always brush and comb hair starting at the bottom and working gently with a little at a time to the top. Also don't do it if I do not have the time.
We are a community to support and encouragement each other
Proof read my comments before posting
Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream is better for daily use than daily oiling
Pick up your shed hair as you comb
Oh yes clarify

Thank you LHC for all that I have learnt and a lot more that I still need to learn

[RavenRose]

Some things I have learned-

-The roll protein and silicone have in shampoos and conditioners.
-Sometimes crunchy ends are because of too much product buildup.
-My hair tolerate small amounts of both, but can get overloaded quickly.
-why clarifying is important when using sls free products especially when they contain protein and/or silicone.
-I need deep moisture more often- weekly is preferred.
-WCC/LOC- my hair is so happy with this method plus a leave in and oil/serum.
-What hair type I am and how to encourage the waves.
-Boar Bristle Brush! Makes my hair shiny and smooth, distributes the sebum down the hair to make the scalp less greasy, meaning I can stretch washes an extra day, even if it pulls out the waves.
-My hair doesn't like coconut oil, plus it is very pore clogging. My preference is Argon, jojoba, sweet almond or Shea butter.
-My hair loves a tiny amount of silicone serum with argon/Shea oils in the mix, But builds up after a week (see points 2&3)
-different braids and buns to keep my hair up.
-that I like hair forks and sticks
-My hair doesn't like Aloe
-My hair is low poristy, which is one reason I have such a hard time with dyes and even with Henna to take and darken. I also means that warmth is the key to getting moisture into my hair.

[Nymphe]

Ugh, I wish I could look back at my posts pre-2008 because I am sure I forgot a bunch of things I used to do.

~I remember using SMT once a month for a while.
~I remember the article posted about the woman who did WO for years, wondering if I could do that.
~OCM
~The challenges and reviews helped me steer clear of certain items and techniques, while trying others.
~Microfiber towels
~Most of all, this forum is a great resource to dispel any myths and misconceptions I had about the hair of other racial groups. (Leave it to me to post uncomfortable thoughts; it is my lot in life, LOL!)

[Upside Down]

Where? This is something I need to know!

Put a paper towel in the box/bag/fridge with them! They can't be moist.

On the vegetarian thread ;)

I also heard about keeping them in water but it isn't too habdy having a bowl of water in the fridge (plus a toddler).

[animetor7]

Reasonable support for the existence of the Higgs-Boson particle. Oh wait, wrong LHC. ;)

For those who are confused, the Large Hadron Collider is a very important and very huge machine/lab that recently found strong support for an integral but not observable particle in physics. It is also abbreviated as LHC, and about half the time I forgot to search for the long hair community and just type in LHC it's wikipedia article pops up instead. It always makes me smile because I remember talking about the scientists working there trying to "find" the Higgs-Boson when I was taking intro physics, and now they've at least found strong support for it. Sorry if this is too off topic, I just couldn't resist. :)

[hayheadsbird]

Reasonable support for the existence of the Higgs-Boson particle. Oh wait, wrong LHC. ;)

For those who are confused, the Large Hadron Collider is a very important and very huge machine/lab that recently found strong support for an integral but not observable particle in physics. It is also abbreviated as LHC, and about half the time I forgot to search for the long hair community and just type in LHC it's wikipedia article pops up instead. It always makes me smile because I remember talking about the scientists working there trying to "find" the Higgs-Boson when I was taking intro physics, and now they've at least found strong support for it. Sorry if this is too off topic, I just couldn't resist. :)

I did have to read that twice to work out what the Higgs -boson particle was 😂😂

[Hairkay]

Getting into the habit of wearing hair up/protective styling
S & D
Exploring more food hair masks besides banana
Washing hair in braids/plaits
Trimming once a year
Improved my scritching