The No Routines, Intuitive Hair Care Thread

[KameRose]

What do you intuitively do for your hair?

I recently came across the concept of intuitive eating. (https://alissarumsey.com/intuitive-eating/what-is-intuitive-eating/) And while this rings true to a *lot* of my eating habits, I have come to realize this rings true for a lot of my hair care habits as well.

So this thread will be for all the things we find ourselves intuitively doing for our hair.

I've been feeling a little out of sorts here seeing all the different hair care routines and how structured and rigid they all seem. I have previous described my hair care as flighty from week to week and as experimental as I search for what seems to be the best for me. And it still *is* very experimental as I try out different products. However, I think I will be embracing this intuitiveness concept.

So I'll kick off this thread by saying that I often feel guilty stretching my 'weekly' washes. Currently this will be my third week since I last washed my hair and I plan to wash my hair tonight. I like to let my natural oils meander down and coat my hair sometimes and my hair has gone from that nice healthy amount of natural oils to that greasy grimy feel. I will probably use my Maui Moisture shampoo to get rid of this grimy feel and to get rid of the waxy build up on my scalp and follow that up with two conditions with the coordinating conditioner, so a WCC method this wash. Where as the last time I washed my hair I think I did an unstretched 'weekly' wash and just did a double CO wash, since my hair was rather dry and needed some moisture in it stat. Once my hair is partially dry I am thinking about trying out one of my untested oils.

[leayellena]

I am in. I always change between WCC, co and nw/so depending on how my hair feels

[Joules]

My hair care obsession turns 10 years old this November, I went through so many routines and so much research that I think my intuition in this particular area is dead. Or I can say that my routine was developed with intuition, idk. The only thing I do when I feel like it is clarifying, but even that is based on my routine and therefore is a part of it.

[lapushka]

Gotta do what's best for your hair. My hair seems to thrive on its routines, but there was a time I just went with the flow (my scalp was a mess back then, though). LOL!

[LadyCelestina]

Although I'm not a big fan of Intuitive Eating, I can get behind "intuitive" or flexible routines!

I've never had a set routine like some people here do. I always just go by what my hair needs or by life circumstances. Some days, my routine might be limited to a simple S&C with some conditioner left in. Other days, I will go full out with oil, multiple products, rinses...

It means always having a bit more products on hand (I like to keep a lighter and a thicker conditioner, gentler and harsher shampoo, a cream or serum of some sort and a styling product + my oils are kitchen oils), but it's worth it.

[Begemot]

I'm not sure if I practice intuitive hair care :confused: My routines get formed when I find what works for my hair. If something doesn't work or stops working, I'll change my routine. So I try to listen to my hair's needs and then form a routine. I like my routines but I'll try something new or switch things up a bit if I feel like it. I like to read about hair care and search for new products and methods and compare them, think about hair etc. because that way I can make better choices, but that kind of interest doesn't sound very intuitive...?

[LadyCelestina]

I'm not sure if I practice intuitive hair care :confused: My routines get formed when I find what works for my hair. If something doesn't work or stops working, I'll change my routine. So I try to listen to my hair's needs and then form a routine. I like my routines but I'll try something new or switch things up a bit if I feel like it. I like to read about hair care and search for new products and methods and compare them, think about hair etc. because that way I can make better choices, but that kind of interest doesn't sound very intuitive...?

I think what OP meant is something along the lines of "Well I washed my hair yesterday but it feels kinda icky, so I'm to shampoo it today using a harsher shampoo and wash full length, even though I usually wash roots-only every 3 days"

or

"I usually S&C, but my hair is very tangled and dried out by the wind, so I'm going to do a pre-wash oiling and a CWC wash to loosen up the knots"

Basically responding to what your hair seems to need, or in other words, not really having a set routine.

[Begemot]

LadyCelestina, I have pretty set routine but I would do both of your examples if that was my hair feeling icky or very tangled. I have routines but I will respond to my hair's needs. I think those kind of instances (icky, tangled hair) are rather rare for me because of my routines.

[bokeh]

Yes, 'intuitive hair care' is totally where I am and it's a great place to be. First I had to do lots of research and experimenting and I learned a lot so that now I can take that hard-earned knowledge and apply it to my hair care on a daily basis. Hair feeling producty? Clarify and sulfates are OK! Hair feeling dry? Condition only then oil the ends or maybe even do the whole shebang with a wash and a deep condition. Is my grey hair getting yellowed? Purple shampoo, acid vinegar rinse, deep condition etc. Not ready for a cleaning but I sweated in the garden or the gym? Water only wash! Scalp itchy? Wash it! Scalp feels fine? Yeah, just bun it. I'm really in a happy place with my hair these days and I really owe a debt of thanks for all I've learned from the wonderful people who contribute to this form! Intuitive Hair Care and Benign Neglect all the way!

[LadyCelestina]

LadyCelestina, I have pretty set routine but I would do both of your examples if that was my hair feeling icky or very tangled. I have routines but I will respond to my hair's needs. I think those kind of instances (icky, tangled hair) are rather rare for me because of my routines.

Oh, I didn't want to make it sound like having a routine means not listening to your hair's needs! :flower: I hope I didn't come across that way!

My hair is sort of unpredictable, so that's why I prefer some flexibility.

Off topic: Idk what it is, but both my hair and my skin are totally unpredictable... like I've had skincare products work for me for months and then start breaking me out... And same for hair products, years ago my hair used to love gel and I could use a lot of it and really hard hold ones too, but now it seems to hate all gels and mousse too. Like I just had to wash my hair again today as it felt gross, sticky and limp from putting in some gel yesterday... And this is a gel which worked for me the first three times I used it :lol:

[Begemot]

Oh, I didn't want to make it sound like having a routine means not listening to your hair's needs! :flower: I hope I didn't come across that way!

My hair is sort of unpredictable, so that's why I prefer some flexibility.


You didn't, no offence taken! :D

[KameRose]

:hifive:

Yay, glad to hear i'm not so alone!

Joules and lapushka how wonderful that you've found structured routines that work well for you. :beerchug: I do hope to one day get to that point, but i feel that will be a few years away. There are lots of different methods and various products I still want to try out.

Exactly LadyCelestina. Just dealing with what is happening here and now and not getting bogged down with concept of what is considered 'proper'. I went through something similar long before I found my way to LHC, when I broke away from the double shampoo every other day method that was drilled into my head when I grew up. My mother had been particularly vocal when I changed my hair care routine. But that was the start of my hair care journey.

I did end up doing a double scalp wash last night followed by a double condition to the lengths. I skipped my usual post mermaiding step because I felt that my hair need to keep that smidge of conditioner on it. I also smoothed in two pea sized globs of an untested hair food once my hair was half dry. The end result when my hair dried is my hair still sporting a nice layer of oils, except for my ends which were rather dry, so I just gave them another half pea sized glob and my scalp is wonderfully build up free right now.

I think I am really going to enjoy this, embracing this intuitive hair care concept. I sure it can vary for everyone as to what it entails, for me it is going to be all about doing what feels right for both me and my hair's well being and happiness. Also, not punishing myself or my hair. An example would be forcing a wash on it before either of us are ready. I mean if we are both happy with our current state and don't feel we need it, why force the issue? And yes, I *am* speaking of my hair like it has it's own mind and opinions. So Begemot I do think you are practicing your own intuitive hair care. If you or your hair are becoming unhappy with the same dull routine and just want to shake things up every once in a while, that shouldn't feel like a problem because after all if either or you are unhappy and finding no enjoyment from your routines, then what is the point?

Ok, enough rambling. I think I'm just repeating myself now, I'll stop. :p

[KameRose]

Bahaha, I took so long composing my previous post, I missed the four above it.

I do think routines are great! It speaks of vast experience and being in tune with you and your hair's needs. That you are able to identify and meet those needs before they even become an issue. As long as the routines are done because they actually work well for you and not just because they are routine. Which I know sounds a bit silly, after all why would you keep using a routine that doesn't work for you? :silly:

[Natalia_A00]

I don't have a fixed routine and I haven't figured out one that works for me so... I think I kind of do intuitive hair care. For example, if my hair feels drier than normal, I do a treatment (SMT, use a deep conditioner), etc. Sometimes I don't have time to wash my hair and I don't do it. Also on weekends, when I have more time I'm like, hey let's use coconut oil (that's if I want to look extra pretty the next day because coconut oil usually makes my hair smooth and shiny). I do random recipes, for example, I prepare fermented rice water or watch one of those youtube videos about miraculous hair masks (contaning eggs, mayonnaise, aloe vera and so on). I like to try new things and recipes.
I usually use a deep conditioning mask once a week, but I always forget the last day I did it, so basically I use them whenever I want or feel like they're necessary.
My hair care routine is disorganized, like my life!

[Corvana]

I suppose I do this...? I don't really do anything my hair or scalp don't want, but it does fall into a bit of a routine. Not a schedule of any sort, but a routine. I wash weekly or bi-weekly, and I tend to do the same things. Do I need to clarify? Then I clarify. Always gotta ACV rinse because my water is super hard. Sometimes I gotta do an extra condition, but not too often because I've figured out how much I need to do most of the time.

I've always liked my hair to feel a certain way, so I've always used products and washed certain ways to maintain that. I've only changed a handful of things since joining LHC, and most of those are really just occasional anyway.

[zmirina]

luckily my hair is very easy to take care of. i really do not need masks and oilings, but i like to think that massaging my scalp will help with hair growth....

[Joules]

The problem with intuitive hair care for me is that I found my hair to be very counter-intuitive. Like, it used to be super dry no matter what I did. I co-washed and sulfate-free washed and oiled and deep conditoned it into oblivion, it continued being dry and velcro-ey with occasional yet short-term improvements. It never felt overloaded, in fact for years I thought my hair was impossible to overload. Well, it turned out it was indeed overloaded with product and hard water buildup. It took me 8 years to realise what was going on. Occasional improvements coincided with me using harsher shampoos (which I didn't even realise were harsher at the moment). It wasn't until I bought a super harsh sulfate-y Pantene Aqua Light (lapushka recommended it to someone here, I saw it on sale and decided why not) (lapushka influenced my return to sulfates and silicones a lot tbh :lol:), it made my hair so silky soft, shiny and healthy looking down to the very ends, and things finally started to click in my head. So now I don't even know anymore, the only choice I have is to stick to my routine that seems to be somewhat ok, and maybe occasionally try something new, but only after researching the scientific side of it first.

[ursaV]

I work irregular shifts at a pool, so my wash days depend on that for now. Those are pretty routine (saturate with tap water and silicone CO/swim/wash out with sulfates/non-silicone CO). But my hair hates it! My length generally looks good but I have more splits than usual, and my scalp hates sulfate shampoos on such a regular basis. I love being intuitive and doing whatever I feel like my hair needs, and definitely washing less. Which I can start again next month because I am not going to be working there anymore, yay!

I'm glad you made this thread because sometimes I feel like I should have a routine, but I'm such an "organized chaos" type of person I wind up doing whatever strikes me at the moment.

During the summer I am going to experiment a bit with WO and see how that works. I'll also go back to caring for my hair with my usual intuition, and that is mixing up random hair masks from household ingredients and using whatever oil tickles my fancy. Aloe plant needs trimming? I'll do an aloe mask! Extra green tea? Spray it on my scalp! I also like to take baths with different herbs, so whatever goes in my bath also goes in my hair. My hair has very little splits when I keep it natural and intuitive :o I'm also very fortunate that my hair is easygoing and I have soft water, so experimenting never goes too awry.

[AutobotsAttack]

I like the principle of this. I find myself going off of how my scalp feels concerning washing. Sometimes it’s a lot more spaced out concerning frequency. Sometimes I wash a bit more if my scalp is being fussy.

Only I follow on somewhat of a routine is my relaxing frequency, but even then it’s not on any fixed interval.