Your Hair Game-changers...

[mizukitty]

I wanted to start a thread aimed toward the many different lovely people on this forum to help each other out with a small tidbit of info that could potentially change someone's hair for the better. Whether you're new to LHC or a seasoned hair care pro, everyone has a tip or trick (whether it be super simple or more involved) that they use to aid them in their journey to amazing lengths. Share your most game-changing technique, practice, or product here!

I'll start...

My hair is about 1c, it has a slight body S wave and frizzes horribly if brushed when dry. My game changer was simply learning not to touch my hair when it is wet. Allowing it to air dry without disturbance cuts the frizz by about 90%. I have struggled with a frizzy mess for my whole life, and am still amazed by how much this helps. While this might be a no brainer for wavies and curlies, I always classified my hair as "straight" even though it really wasn't!

[meteor]

Great idea for a thread!

My game changers have been:

1) Scalp Only washes:
- partial: with a bun - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBOVM-dHlc
- full: with a braid - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwREj8Kadlo or while holding braid above head
My thick hair takes ages to wash and dry, so scalp washes are a great time saver, good for my sanity and for limiting wet manipulation, hygral fatigue, exposure to detergents, etc...

2) Giving up brushes and using wide-tooth combs only: I haven't seen a split end since.

3) Giving up on salons: no more hair pulled out while being brushed out wet, no more unwanted cuts and no chemical damage.

4) Simple braided updos: the best tangle prevention tool IMHO.

5) No wet detangling: my hair sticks to itself when wet, so I just need to comb it out again and again while it's drying. But if I don't touch it and wait it out till it's dry/damp, I detangle faster and lose less hair.

6) Braided washes (in 4-6 braids, from shoulders down) if I need to scrub my scalp more thoroughly or won't have much time to detangle later.

7) Conditioning length/ends in plastic wrap while I'm towel-drying the scalp area. This saves so much time, since I'll just rinse the length/ends 20-30 mins later, and my scalp is already pretty dry by then.

8 ) Wrapping towel/t-shirt around length, like a snake/tube and putting it around shoulders - this keeps hair not bunched up together and prevents tangles from forming during towel-drying.

9) Detangling while unbraiding hair from the bottom - this helps me detangle bottom-up and keeps tangles isolated from each other and easier to attack one by one, one braid section at a time.

10) Putting hair up before I get dressed (to avoid catching hair on snaggy materials). And if I need to wear a static-inducing item (e.g. wool), I wear a silk bonnet while putting the thing on to help with slip and keep hair up. I also put a silky scarf under a warm scarf to create a smooth barrier between the tangle-inducing item and my hair to avoid nape tangles & frizz.

[Saldana]

Meteor's tips are all good!

If I had to pick the one thing that made the most difference in my hair, it would be: No. Heat. Ever.
I used to blow dry all the time, use curling irons, heated rollers....now I use it maybe once or twice a year, maybe.

[XiaoBaiTu]

Mine was braiding it while wet, and keeping it in that braid all week. It prevented my curly hair from tangling, which meant way less damage on wash day/detangling day.

[lapushka]

My game changers are in my signature. WCC, ROO (rinse-out oil) & LOC. Awesome methods, especially for longer hair (longer than BSL).

[Deborah]

I have two.

(1) I never had a lot of split ends, but since I stopped blowing my hair dry I have none.

(2) Washing with Indian herbs has been wonderful for my hair.

[hobbitlocks]

LOC was a big game changer for me -- although sometimes I skip the oil step and just use the cream (specifically Nightblooming's panacea has made a big difference in how my hair feels!).

[proo]

LHC
Pretty much just checking in here for ideas.

[Garnetgem]

Never brush or comb wet hair and always let it air dry,always wash in tepid water(this has stopped the shedding during wash and tangles later)i always give a cold water rinse as it makes my hair silky and shiny and because of this i no longer use conditioner since 7 months as i feel its not needed now...never touch hair i know its something we like to do at times but it makes it get greasy sooner than it would otherwise.

[Frankenstein]

Sleeping with a satin bonnet and wearing hair up.

[MsPharaohMoan]

Ignore it and enjoy it!

[AspenSong]

Satin sleep cap was a huge one for me. I prefer to sleep with my hair more "loose" feeling, and having it loose in the cap accomplishes that and I wake up completely tangle free everyday and that's great.
Wearing my hair up - simple, but it helps me.
Baking soda and vinegar washes occasionally. Doesn't work for everyone, but my hair LOVES them and is so happy afterwards.
And I know it's a general no-no, but I lightly detangle with my Tangle Teezer while my hair is wet. I avoided doing it for a long time and I would get bad knots and tangles and they were worse to get out on dry hair. I started using my TT after I did my leave in conditioner and oil and my hair detangles so much easier when it's wet and then it pretty much stays that way to dry.
And lastly, for me, getting rid of cones changed my hair in amazing ways. I don't think they're evil or bad in any way, but my hair feels and behaves better without them for the most part.

[Llama]

-Giving up hot tools
-Giving up bleach and dye
-Wearing it up with hair sticks
-Stretching washes from every single day to every few days
-Detangling with wooden comb and brush

[Anya15]

For me, it was:

- Learning to work with my natural texture, and not brushing/combing it like crazy and then wondering why I have poof
- Using fingers/ WT combs only to detangle.
- Aloe vera.
- Conditioning. I struggled to do just the right amount so that my hair doesn't get overloaded, but it's worth it. Hardly any tangles!
- Daily spritzing+oiling. Spritzing with diluted conditioner and then oiling the hair lightly keeps it moisturized. I usually do this before bed, and braid my hair. In the morning I wake up to smooth, shiny, tangle-free hair! Saves so much time in the morning, too :D

[Borgessa]

For me, it was:

- Learning to work with my natural texture, and not brushing/combing it like crazy and then wondering why I have poof
- Using fingers/ WT combs only to detangle.
- Aloe vera.
- Conditioning. I struggled to do just the right amount so that my hair doesn't get overloaded, but it's worth it. Hardly any tangles!
- Daily spritzing+oiling. Spritzing with diluted conditioner and then oiling the hair lightly keeps it moisturized. I usually do this before bed, and braid my hair. In the morning I wake up to smooth, shiny, tangle-free hair! Saves so much time in the morning, too :D

Haha that's me, you are going to have to teach me this one :)

[school of fish]

My biggest game-changer was acceptance. Every other game-changing practice I've adopted has fallen out of that :)

Once I accepted my hair's nature my focus shifted from trying to make it look like I had a different hairtype to nurturing the best version of my hairtype possible.

Since I'm no longer fighting against its nature, not only am I happy with its look, but also its care. My hair management is so much easier now that I'm responding to what it likes rather than me telling it what it should like ;)

[Aidin]

Mine was braiding it while wet, and keeping it in that braid all week. It prevented my curly hair from tangling, which meant way less damage on wash day/detangling day.

What kind of braid or hairstyle do you use during the week?

[Aidin]

My biggest game changers are:
-Satin bonnet or pillowcase - Cotton pillowcases used to make my dry 3c hair, extra dry and frizzy, therefore forcing me to wash it more often to replenish the moisture and style. Now my styles last longer and my hair is never dry.
-Finger combing - Any other combing style, as gentler as one is, one can't feel the knots and inadvertently may rip them through. My breakage has dropped to a minimum.
-Having my hair up in loose buns most of times

[littlestarface]

The best ones are

-Silk bonnet
-Always have it up away from danger
-Moisture
-Accept my hair type and deal with it.

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

My game changers are:-

Oil washes, keeps my scalp clean and is gentle on my hair.

Regular DT'S keep my hair hydrated, manageable, shiny and less tangles.

LOC styling method, keeps my hair hydrated and prevents frizz.

Satin bonnet keeps my hair hydrated and easy to manage.

Wooden comb

Braids seems to do a better job than buns in retaining moisture and reduce tangles.

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

My game changers are:-

Oil washes, keeps my scalp clean and is gentle on my hair.

Regular DT'S keep my hair hydrated, manageable, shiny and less tangles.

LOC styling method, keeps my hair hydrated and prevents frizz.

Satin bonnet keeps my hair hydrated and easy to manage.

Wooden comb

Braids seems to do a better job than buns in retaining moisture and reduce tangles.

[polarnatt]

My game changers:
- Tangle Teezer, I used to literally cry whenever I brushed my hair because detangling it hurt like crazy, then I got a TT and my whole world changed
- not washing my hair every single day, stretching my washes to every 3-4 days
- growing out my natural hair colour and only getting highlights once a year to prevent boredom.

When I was a teenager, my hair was horribly damaged and dry (I didn't even use conditioner), and to mask it I kept dyeing it and heat styling it. I thought I wasn't able to grow my hair past APL, but after introducing those three things mentioned in my routine, my hair grew to waist length without effort or even really noticing. :)

Newer things that have changed my hair game:
- plopping
- curly hair products & gel.

Never thought I could have such pretty waves instead of a frizzy, poofy mess!

[HairPlease]

My number one game changer was learning that stretching washes was never for me. I tried for many months, sulfate free, cone free, sulfates, cones, several brands, so I can't blame the product. My hair and scalp are simply miserable unless I wash every day or every other day, and that's just me.

Moral of the story: what works for most, may not work for you, so if you keep trying a bit of tried and true advice but it isn't working for you after say, 4 months or so, it may not be for you.

[missmelaniem]

-decent quality comb (MP=life-changing)
-lightly oiling frequently
-wearing it up most days

[arr]

My top game changer has been doing my own trims, no more salons. I was constantly being set back by having too much cut off, uneven trims, unwanted layers, hair disasters in general. Other important things have been no hot tools, LOC, and wearing hair up.

[lunasea]

Stepping away from the scissors. After a lifetime of hair that never got longer than APL, I now have hair to my waist for the first time. The bottom half is horribly damaged from dye and heat, but now that I know that I can grow long if I stop cutting and I can deal with growing out the damage.

[Chromis]

Learning not to pile my hair on top of my head when washing, not ripping a brush through it while wet, and braiding at night were probably the very largest game changers.

Learning lots of ways to put my hair up instead of having to rely on ponytails that always got caught on things and damaged my hair terribly was another. I have happily never done another one since I learned how to use hairsticks!

There have been many other things that have made a giant difference, but those were the big game changers.

[Obsidian]

So far is been

Satin pillow cases. My hair used to knot terrible at night from me moving around so much. Now I just have a few minor tangled that come out with finger combing.

How to comb/brush properly. No more damage once I stopped ripping a brush though it from the top.

Being more conscious about my hair and what my actions might do to it. Especially in regards to mechanical damage

Henna. This has been the biggest game changer for me. I never was happy with my natural color and constantly dyed/ bleached my hair. I would change color every few months and my hair was a damaged disaster.
Now I love my color and my hair is the healthiest is ever been.

[LaísB]

One of my game changer is surely cocnut oil, like that thing is liquid gold :) it makes my hair so soft, shinny and just way better. Also putting it up everyday ahs helped me a lot with tangles.

[Arctic]

It's really difficult question! The only thing that comes to my mind is a specific shampoo that has healed my scalp and continued working for a decade. It might not sound much but it was a big confidence boosted when I noticed how powerfully awesome this shampoo was. (And before someone asks: it's a Finnish brand called XZ, their Suklaa-Vanilja (chocolate-vanilla) shampoo, containing piroctone olamine - which I assume is the ingredient behind the effect. To my knowledge the shampoo/ brand isn't available outside Finland, unfortunately.)

[EdG]

Wearing hair up has probably made the most difference. Other game-changers include wooden combs, water-only washing, and stretching washes.

Hair toys are also a game changer. :cheese:
Ed

[Hairkay]

Low manipulation styling as well as wearing updos. Washing hair in plaits/braids helps too. I also water wash and use DIY hair masks.

[Katia_k]

Ditching hair ties has been the biggest game changer. My hair isn't perfect yet--we're still learning about each other, but it seriously got so much less awful once I switched first to silk scrunchies, and then finally to hair toys only. I only use a tie of any kind to tie off a braid. I still shed a ton but I don't feel like I'm ripping my hair off, and I can wear buns without horrible headaches.

[Simsy]

Ditching the hair brush. Omg...there is hair...and curls!!!...under all that frizz. Also length. The mop is healthier and easier manage at nearly tbl than it ever was at bsl or above.

[Shiranshoku]

Untangling from the bottom to the top, instead of the other way around. It's so simple in hindsight, but I had never seen anyone else brush their hair like that before I joined LHC.

And a silk or satin scarf for sleeping. I've only been doing this for half a year or so, but the difference in how my hair looks in the morning is still shocking.

[animetor7]

Definitely protective updos and stretching washes are the biggest ones for me. With washing also using the gentlest shampoo possible, which for me is any type of shampoo bar. Ditching chemical dyes, heat and other damaging methods was also very important in improving my hair's condition.

[coco mane]

Using apple cider vinegar rinse has been the best for my hair and eating more protein

[Mrstran]

A mix of-

A ton of Water, Omega 3-6-9, a multi vitamin, healthy foods, keeping hair up, and heavy oiling.

These have done the most for me

[kidari]

here are mine:

LHC
Feye's method for self trims/Creaclip/no more salons
if something does work for you, don't force it (every other day is my limit to stretching washes... I can do every 2 days max)
remember scalp health is just as important
SMT and Kimberlily's defrizz spray and soaking hair in coconut milk pre-wash and vinegar rinses (all miracles for my hair)
oiling hair
wearing it up in protective styles
dusting and S&Ds and microtrims
heat free curls of all kinds that have been game changers for me over the years
also, I've let go of putting so much priority on length and I'm much happier with hair shorter than waist

[Strands]

I have 2 game-changers.

1- Instead of CWCC, I CWRCC. The R is the rinse. I like to do witch hazel or green tea as of now. I might try ACV later and other things, but for now these two have been best. Witch hazel is alcohol free and aloe vera infused, one part hazel to 3 parts water, tea is just plan old full strength or half water if I don't want the caffeine rush! Makes my hair shiny and completely clarifies my length but is less drying than shampoo.

2- Foamify your Shampoo. Take an EMPTY and CLEAN bath and body works hand foam soap and put in a tablespoon of your shampoo to a quarter cup of water. Gently swirl it around in the bottle to dilute, and pump it out as a foam. It is way better than just diluting it and rinsing it in, and one bottle of it lasts two washes for me.

[Rhoward]

My game changers are a fairly recent discovery but the difference in the health of my hair is amazing!

- WCC
- accepting my natural colour and giving up chemical dye
- overnight oil treatments
- weekly deep treatments
- trimming my own hair and avoiding hairdressers
- satin pillowcases
- wearing my hair in protective styles

[hobbitlocks]

[...]

2- Foamify your Shampoo. Take an EMPTY and CLEAN bath and body works hand foam soap and put in a tablespoon of your shampoo to a quarter cup of water. Gently swirl it around in the bottle to dilute, and pump it out as a foam. It is way better than just diluting it and rinsing it in, and one bottle of it lasts two washes for me.

I really like this idea. I will have to buy some type of foaming soap at the store next time I need soap!!

[Strands]

I really like this idea. I will have to buy some type of foaming soap at the store next time I need soap!!

It works amazing. I divide my head in 4 to 6 sections and clean the scalp one at a time. It was AMAZING how much gunk got off and very little scrubbing and very little running into the length. I will never go back LOL :bounce:

[Katia_k]

Ditching the hair brush. Omg...there is hair...and curls!!!...under all that frizz. Also length. The mop is healthier and easier manage at nearly tbl than it ever was at bsl or above.

THIS. Before, I always thought "I can't ditch the brush, my hair would be a tangly yetti-like mess!" Then my friend finally talked me into (dry) brushing daily with a wide-tooth comb, which was better but still damaging. Someone else told me to ditch that, and I said "can't tangles blah blah". But I finally ditched all non-shower brushing (after a few times of going out without brushing and actually getting compliments on my hair and deciding maybe I should try it), and it has made a world of difference. I have curls instead of poofy waves, and I'm not ripping my hair apart daily. My family hates it and hints at me to brush every time I go home, but it's been a miracle.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

easy
- tangle teezer
- co washing
- oils
- hair sticks

[turtlelover]

Henna, no cones, and no heat (except VERY rare blow drying when the weather is horrible and I have no time for it to air dry) have all helped me. Also, my hair stays healthier when I use coconut oil regularly, which I need to start doing again.

[pandabarrier]

Hi everyone! I was thinking today how far I came along in the hair journey. It's hip now, the longest ever. So I remembered the tips from this thread I read a while ago were useful, so here's my turn:
1. Diluted shampoo
2. Silk sleep cap
3. Wearing hair up. Amish pins!
4. Hair diary. Good for troubleshooting.
5. Better diet, fresh veggies, more protein.
6. LHC
7. CWC
8. Wide tooth comb. I use Hercules Sägemann
9. Henna gloss
10. Scalp massage and yoga, to calm nerves (job is stressful)

[Reyesuela]

Minoxidil and other hair loss products.

I have more hair at my temples now than when I was in college. And to think I believed I just had wispy temples!

[Rebel Rebel]

Using a cream shampoo for my babyfine dry hair has really helped maintain a level of softness, hydration and shine. I still have bad hair days but not nearly as many. Next would be my silk pillowcase and silk hair cap. I wake up with smoother hair and zero tangles. I also believe I have less breakage than I would as a result of using all of those products.

[Aredhel]

CWC has been a pretty big game changer for me and my dry/tangly ends. :)

[Mrstran]

Humectant conditioner topped with a good mask for my over processed hair. Before using these, I was still having breakage even after my big chop. These make my hair feel like silk.

[tigress86]

Wet wrapping my hair straight. Once I learned about this, I was able to ditch the straightener for good.

[lovetoread]

Love this thread! There are some great ideas here, so I will be checking back regularly.

[Alissalocks]

Treat your hair like antique lace. Never pull, tear or rip at it, wet or dry. Never lean or put pressure on it, ever.

No heat styling, sets only.

Oil. CWC. SMT.

Braids every night to cut back on tangles, therefore reducing daily damage.

Hask leave in Shine Treatment.

Combs, never brushes. Used to have the worst split ends and a false terminal of bra strap length until LHC changes. :love:

[enting]

The absolute biggest game changer for me with growing my hair was keeping it covered half the time. I had always noticed that my hair grew more in the summer when I wore bandanas, but then I started wearing protective styles and adding a scarf on top (especially whenever I went outside) and half a year later I had noticeable healthy growth. My body temperature runs cold and my hair is pretty fragile, and I guess this took care of both at one shot.

Other things that have made me happier with my hair are:

1) using vinegar rinses instead of/in addition to conditioner

2) learning how to self trim (no more "accidental" 6 inch chops)

3) learning how to s&d. I've learned that rough or tangly areas of my hair are nearly always caused by midshaft splits or ssks. s&d allows me to cut those out without
needing a large chop. Large chops wouldn't help with those anyway, being so far up

4) oiling of all sorts

5) no longer using elastic bands in my hair (aside from scrunchies for use when trimming). They seemed to multiply my midshaft splits.

I've also given up a brush for a wide toothed comb, but I can't quite tell if that made a large difference.

[nfraser]

Wet wrapping my hair straight. Once I learned about this, I was able to ditch the straightener for good.


Would love to to know what wet wrapping is!

[mermaid lullaby]

LHC taught me hairupdos specifically for long hair. The best tool I've ever had is for updos and buns are "Good Hair Days" hairpins. I get these at Sally's. 170 bobby pins can be replaced with just 6 hair pins for my thick hair if I want a cinnamon bun.

[Natashap]

No more Henna.

Seborric dermatitis changed my scalp completely.

cant stay in oil for long.

leaving it alone.

[tigress86]

Would love to to know what wet wrapping is!

There are variations to this technique, but it looks something like this (I usually wrap a silk scarf around it and keep it wrapped overnight):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CpG0LaYCMg

[Aredhel]

As of late, ACV has been a huge game changer for me, helped me extend my washes to a week by getting rid of scalp itchies. :)

[_flora_]

This thread might be another game-changer for me. But up until now, mine were:

1. Tea rinses;
2. Diluted shampoo (natural, organic);
3. Oils, specially sweet almond oil;
4. Rice water (fermented and boiled with herbs);
5. Finishing the wash with cold bottled water (low pH and low dry residue).

[reilly0167]

My new game changers I'm very fond of is the rinse out oil method with herbal essences naked cleansing conditioner.

[Panedora]

my issues was frizz at the bottom and my game changer was restorative olive oil on the ends after i shower, it changed my hair life lol. i have tried sweet almond oil but the olive oil really did it for me.