How can I improve my routine?

[zuzannaa.aaa]

I really don't know how good/bad my routine is for my hair, so I was wondering if anyone who knows better than I do can critique it. I have BSL wavy hair (it ranges from 2a-2c depending on the day) and it's not quite fine but not quite medium. I usually have it down but when it's up it's in a messy bun. I also touch it a lot which is a habit I'm trying to kick. Okay, I think I got the basic information down, so here's my routine.

Once a week:
Hair mask (2 eggs and 4 tbsp olive oil) for 2-3 hours or overnight depending on how much time I have. I use CWC to wash it out.

Twice a week:
Using the CWC method, I condition with Aussie Mega moist and shampoo with Garnier Whole Blends Green Apple & Green Tea refreshing shampoo. I comb it with a wide-tooth comb after getting out of the shower starting at the bottom and making my way up, and then I just leave it alone to air dry.

Twice a day:
In the morning, I comb through my hair until I can't find any knots or tangles, and then oil it with 1-2 drops of coconut oil. I do the same thing before bed except I spend way more time combing my hair since I have a lot more time and it's really soothing. I finger comb my hair whenever I feel like it, which is usually 3-4 times a day since I get really bored and distracted in my classes.

Sorry if I was unclear about anything. I'm really trying to grow my hair out to waist length like it was a few years ago before I chopped it to CBL.

[pamrlyn]

Hay There! It sounds like you are doing a lot of great things for your hair. So - is your hair liking it - or are you liking the way your hair looks & feels? It all depends on the results that you want. For me - I try to make the most of my waves & wurls but that's just my goal, not necessarily yours... - so anyways, the only time I comb it is when it's full of oil or conditioner. then being careful to not mess up the strands after rinsing. blotting hair, plopping type of stuff. After that it's finger detangling only - & then spritz & scrunch to get the waves back together. you can google "curly girl method" to get all the details.

[Ophidian]

The first question I would ask, like pamrlyn , is do you like how your hair feels on this routine? If it's working for you, then it's a great routine! If you are having specific issues, though, then we can help troubleshoot.

[zuzannaa.aaa]

Thanks for responding so quickly! I mostly like how my hair reacts to this but I think I'll take pamrlyn's advice on making the most of my waves since my hair has been full of volume at the roots but the waves have been stretching out so that it's more like a 2a than a 2c just one day after washing. I like how much slip there is thanks to the cones so that my hair no longer sticks together. It doesn't get tangled as often as when I didn't use conditioner. My hair is pretty healthy so my biggest concerns are preventing breakage and enhancing the waves.

[Ophidian]

That makes sense. In that case styling and handling techniques might be key, like you said. Good luck!

[Melisandre]

The only thing I can find you COULD improve on is wearing it up in a more protective hairstyle like a braid or a bun with a stick instead of letting it down. I know I'm not a good example with my jaw length hair ;) but I plan to do just that when it's long enough to actually wear up or in a braid. All else you do for your hair seems alright to me, especially if your hair likes it.

[lapushka]

Do you like your DIY masks? If so, just keep doing what you're doing. If it's protein you're after (eggs?), then egg molecules are too big to penetrate the hair shaft, so you might want to try gelatin instead. Protein once a week, or every week is too much, though.

Also 2c hair... Well, everybody does things differently I guess, but I never comb or brush my hair throughout the week. I only comb/brush right before a wash, and after my hair comes out of the towel, right before I style it, I'll comb through one more time with a WT comb, but that's it. I leave it alone from that point on to the next wash. When I need to put it up in its bun, I just grab it and don't even go through it with fingers. I don't smooth it. Nothing. Just pull it up - done.

YMMV. Everybody does things differently; doesn't mean it's good or bad. :)

[Reyesuela]

Egg masks don't do anything because the protein chains are too big. :). Olive oil doesn't really do anything in a mask situation like that, but it can be a general conditioner to lock in moisture.

The less you brush/comb your hair while maintaining it, the better.

[Wildcat Diva]

Occasional clarifying and chelating. Monthly? Quarterly? Occasional protein treatment with gelatin? Science-y hair blog has a recipe for this that I like.

[Reyesuela]

Your coconut oil routine will help keep it healthy. :). Silicone is up to you. I love it, personally. If it provides the right amount of slip, it provides the right amount of slip.

Whether you ever need a clarifying shampoo depends on whether your hair gets buildup. Mine doesn't.

[Crystawni]

Critique, you say?

*grabs red pen*

Take this with a pinch of salt. :wink:


I really don't know how good/bad my routine is for my hair, so I was wondering if anyone who knows better than I do can critique it. I have BSL wavy hair (it ranges from 2a-2c depending on the day) and it's not quite fine but not quite medium. I usually have it down but when it's up it's in a messy bun. I also touch it a lot which is a habit I'm trying to kick. Okay, I think I got the basic information down, so here's my routine.

Once a week:
Hair mask (2 eggs and 4 tbsp olive oil) for 2-3 hours or overnight depending on how much time I have. I use CWC to wash it out.

Does this benefit you, or is it possible it could be weighing your hair down? Moisture, etc., is good, but sometimes too much stuff on healthy hair can hide its true beauty.

Twice a week:
Using the CWC method, I condition with Aussie Mega moist and shampoo with Garnier Whole Blends Green Apple & Green Tea refreshing shampoo. I comb it with a wide-tooth comb after getting out of the shower starting at the bottom and making my way up, and then I just leave it alone to air dry.

How do you dry it? Towel, turbie, shake? And is your comb seamless so that it's not snagging your hair? As for combing wet hair, you may be stretching and damaging the strands when they are at their most fragile. I know a fair few people, mainly curlies, detangle in the shower when their hair is slathered in conditioner, but I'm not sure it's good practice for finer, wavy hair.

Twice a day:
In the morning, I comb through my hair until I can't find any knots or tangles, and then oil it with 1-2 drops of coconut oil. I do the same thing before bed except I spend way more time combing my hair since I have a lot more time and it's really soothing. I finger comb my hair whenever I feel like it, which is usually 3-4 times a day since I get really bored and distracted in my classes.

It may be beneficial to add a drop or so of coconut oil to your ends when your hair is damp after your shower, to lock in some moisture that would, in turn, encourage your curlies. Other things to try: bringing your scalp oils down to give your hair a good drink; giving your scalp a bit of a gentle massage for stimulation and relaxation.

Sorry if I was unclear about anything. I'm really trying to grow my hair out to waist length like it was a few years ago before I chopped it to CBL.

Whatever you're doing, just remember to enjoy the journey! Protect your length and ends when you can with updos, avoidance/awareness (handbag straps, seatbelts, chair backs...), and gentle handling, but don't get too caught up in everything as those ends will be snipped off somewhere along the way (unless you decide to go for terminal). Oh, and maybe a spritz of water to dampen your ends, and a bit of cupping (ends in cupped hands to encourage sproing) can be used on your length on the non-wash days. And, and, and, remember, it's all inside out, so take care of yourself, too!