Questions that don't deserve their own thread

[beha]

Thread for anyone with questions that don't deserve their own thread.

My questions:

Would henna do anything for my black hair other than pigment it? Will it condition it or something?

If I wanted to experiment with silicones would it ruin my 10 years of sulfate and cone free?

[Ylva]

If I wanted to experiment with silicones would it ruin my 10 years of sulfate and cone free?

People who experience permanent, irreparable damage from silicones are few and far between. That is extremely unlikely. If it doesn't work for you, you can just wash them off wish a sulfate shampoo and go back to silicone and sulfate free.

[Katia_k]

Silicones are not a death sentence. As said above, quick sulfate wash, a deep condition if you're really concerned, and you'll be on your way.

Henna might make your hair feel nicer, that really depends on the person. Color-wise the most you'll get is a red sheen. But a lot of people like how it makes their hair feel.

[CopperButterfly]

Henna might make your hair feel a bit thicker and a bit shinier.

[SleepyTangles]

Henna always gave me thicker, glossy, frizz-less hair, so I always sing its praises to anyone aware of what kind of commitment It Is :)

Silicones are way less commitment, my hair does not like them but no hurt in trying.

[Bat]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

[SleepyTangles]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

Can hormones be absorbed through skin? Not sure.
Feels like placebo, and considering the price and potential side effects of hormone-based treatments I'm not sure it's worth to try...

Five years ago the Monistat thread was still active. Many girls used that medicine to get faster growth. I've always wondered if the trend stopped due to any side effects, or if it just went casually silent...

[Suortuva]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

Whoa, that was a new one! Never heard about that, and there's sometimes crazy things going on...

[ZoeZ]

Also not good for the environment, washing bc pills down the drain.

[Bellalla]

Can hormones be absorbed through skin? Not sure.
Feels like placebo, and considering the price and potential side effects of hormone-based treatments I'm not sure it's worth to try...

Five years ago the Monistat thread was still active. Many girls used that medicine to get faster growth. I've always wondered if the trend stopped due to any side effects, or if it just went casually silent...

Well, since birth control comes in a skin patch form, I would say yes, and that it would REALLY mess up dosage, and be a terrible idea.

[Bri-Chan]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that
I would be afraid about side effects of something that isn't created to be used on hair and skin. At this point, why not assuming some simple hair growth pills? I mean, that kind of things should be safe.


I was wandering about my 2a waves. I really like them but I noticed that if I use too much mask or if I don't use any styling product, the waves least less then a day. So, can hair be wavier because of dryness? My hair is bleached and damaged . Also with the stylers, the driest they make my hair, the most my waves are defined.
Without styling products, with the days it becomes straighter but still in clamps.

[Kat]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

Why? What would be the point of this? Where is this person even getting birth-control pills to do this with? I assume that where you live, they don't require a prescription and aren't paid for by health insurance?

I also don't imagine the shampoo would spend enough time on the scalp to make a difference anyway.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

Please don't do that even if it works. We already have enough water contamination from the urine of people on birth control that is leading to the extinction of underwater species. We don't need straight birth control pills getting flushed down the drain

[bokeh]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that Soon your friend will be long-haired and pregnant!

[beha]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

I agree with all of the folks warning against flushing the stuff down the drain. In general, if it's a prescription drug don't mess with it!

Try pre-natal multivitamins, biotin, or MSM.

[beha]

I was wandering about my 2a waves. I really like them but I noticed that if I use too much mask or if I don't use any styling product, the waves least less then a day. So, can hair be wavier because of dryness? My hair is bleached and damaged . Also with the stylers, the driest they make my hair, the most my waves are defined.
Without styling products, with the days it becomes straighter but still in clamps.


I was wandering about my 2a waves. I really like them but I noticed that if I use too much mask or if I don't use any styling product, the waves least less then a day. So, can hair be wavier because of dryness? My hair is bleached and damaged . Also with the stylers, the driest they make my hair, the most my waves are defined.
Without styling products, with the days it becomes straighter but still in clamps.

I am also 2a. My natural waves returned when my hairdresser removed a lot of weight and also damaged ends. Weight is antithetical to waves; perhaps the mask is adding too much weight, and perhaps this is why your hair looks wavier when it is dried out. Also my hair is wavier the first day thanks to the residual moisture from bathing; after a day the residual moisture is evaporated such enough that the texture of my hair is different.

My conjecture is that you should find the right balance between moisture retention and weight. Consider a lighter mask or some other lighter product that still restores the health of your hair. Also look into the curly girl method and cherry pick some techniques that may help you achieve the waves you prefer.

[Bat]

I'll tell my friend to stop doing that then :D

[hennalonghair]

I was wandering about my 2a waves. I really like them but I noticed that if I use too much mask or if I don't use any styling product, the waves least less then a day. So, can hair be wavier because of dryness? My hair is bleached and damaged . Also with the stylers, the driest they make my hair, the most my waves are defined.
Without styling products, with the days it becomes straighter but still in clamps.

A flat out YES! Curly hair is naturally dry and takes extra care to keep its unique texture. Bleach is damaging as you clearly know. It needs protecting. What I discovered is that adding a touch of oil after washing and conditioning can seal in moisture some. Silicones can be very drying for some curlies. Since they are plastic they coat the hair. This seals in moisture but also causes a barrier from moisture getting to your hair so I can’t use them. They only work good about a day for me. What I do now every morning when I get up after detangling is wet my hair with wet hands add a dollop of conditioner to plop into the ends. Since doing this my hair keeps it’s curly texture and is much less dry. Oddly enough it took most of my life to discover this though.

[hennalonghair]

Oh it’s curlier when it’s dried out?
I misunderstood. Mine is the exact opposite.

[Bri-Chan]

I am also 2a. My natural waves returned when my hairdresser removed a lot of weight and also damaged ends. Weight is antithetical to waves; perhaps the mask is adding too much weight, and perhaps this is why your hair looks wavier when it is dried out. Also my hair is wavier the first day thanks to the residual moisture from bathing; after a day the residual moisture is evaporated such enough that the texture of my hair is different.

My conjecture is that you should find the right balance between moisture retention and weight. Consider a lighter mask or some other lighter product that still restores the health of your hair. Also look into the curly girl method and cherry pick some techniques that may help you achieve the waves you prefer.

Ok I'll look for a lighter mask. I recently converted to WCC (conditioning twice) because I tried and for the first washes my waves looked stronger, but now not anynore (build up?). For sure the damage because of bleaching doesn't help. I don't know how much can the weight be guilty in my situation because my hair is very fine and I have a 3 inches ponytail.

[Bri-Chan]

Oh it’s curlier when it’s dried out?
I misunderstood. Mine is the exact opposite.
Yes! I also expected the opposite reaction when I started taking care of my waves properly.

[blackgothicdoll]

Why do people choose Amish pins over bobby pins? Do they even compare as far as holding ability?

[Dark40]

I've heard that henna is very good for the hair! It conditions the hair leaving it looking shiny!

[hennalonghair]

Yes! I also expected the opposite reaction when I started taking care of my waves properly.

And here I went on a rant thinking I knew just what you were talking about , yet hadn’t a clue. :rolleyes: :lol:

[hennalonghair]

I've heard that henna is very good for the hair! It conditions the hair leaving it looking shiny!

Used that for 35 plus years.
It sure does.

[Dark40]

Used that for 35 plus years.
It sure does.

Wow! I bet it does. My mom used it on her hair a month ago, and it left her hair shiny too! She used the black indigo mixed with the amla powder. Now, that's what really gives it the shine (The amla powder).

[CopperButterfly]

Why do people choose Amish pins over bobby pins? Do they even compare as far as holding ability?
For me they can can hold more hair, and my hair is thick and slippery. I prefer a wider pin for buns, it does hold better. Bobby pins are great for pinning up braids though.

[SleepyTangles]

Why do people choose Amish pins over bobby pins? Do they even compare as far as holding ability?

To me they are very different. Like comparing a hammer with a screwdriver.
Amish pins hold big bulks of hair, even supporting a whole bun. Bobby pins held flat and smoothly small amounts of hair and are great for finishing touches.
You can't use an amish pin for small strands, it needs a lot of hair to work. Vice versa, I don't think Bobby pins can hold a proper bun without bending, or snagging few hairs.

[Kat]

Why do people choose Amish pins over bobby pins? Do they even compare as far as holding ability?

Gosh, yes. Bobby pins hold like three hairs, so you have to use 70 of them just to hold up a bun. And then when you take them out, they rip your hair out with it.

Whereas a regular hairpin will hold a lot more, or can be used similar to a mini hair fork, and slides out when removing.

[ynne]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

[Simsy]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I call at curly and stretched, but I don’t update my siggy or jump threads until I’m there curly. I also do a preliminarily call at “wet”; mainly because I know I’m only a month or two away at that point,

[Bri-Chan]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I usually call it wet... Because it's the only time in which I can see the actual length. With dry (and wavish) hair I lose almost 2 inches.

[Bellalla]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I straighten my hair semi regularly, so I call it at its straightened length. My curls are way too unpredictable. That said, I don't really have length goals.

[lapushka]

Question from me: a friend told me their hair started growing a little quicker by crushing birth control pills into a powder then adding it to their shampoo will be curious to what you all think of that

Does that friend have a fortune? BC pills are expensive, and you would at least need a box (about 50 euro) to do this for 10 washes. So that's not realistic at all. To me this is beyond everything; just too much. I mean... Of all the things I've read, this has to top it all. :shocked:

Never mind explaining it to your doctor, who has to prescribe these for you. How are you going to justify it? Doc, it's for my hair? :no:

[blackgothicdoll]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

My hair will likely never fall past my shoulders when curly, and even when stretched with braid waves the shrinkage is still 50%. Thus, I only measure my hair stretched.

People have called it cheating in the past, but they can politely go take a seat somewhere. :o

[jane_marie]

I call my milestones dry. When I get around to measuring I always measure stretched.

You do you. I don't think it matters either way as long as what you call has some basis in reality.

-------

My waves are going away due to heaviness and length. I have been a bit sad about it but recently decided my waves aren't exactly gorgeous anyway.

I have been toying with idea of doing heatless curls once a week after my wash routine (Probably rag curls because they are easy).

Would doing heatless curls once a week cause a lot of damage over time?

[MusicalSpoons]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I have much less shrinkage than curlies but there is still a few inches difference between freshly washed texture and thoroughly combed out. I tend to 'technically' call it at thoroughly combed out (I guess stretched, if I could stretch it out with my hands) then 'properly' call it once it looks that length more often than not, so loose texture, has been bunned, but not combed out ('stretched'). So I guess yes, kind of partially stretched :)


I call my milestones dry. When I get around to measuring I always measure stretched.

You do you. I don't think it matters either way as long as what you call has some basis in reality.


:spitting: You're not wrong there! :rollin:

[ynne]

@ everyone who chimed in, thanks so much!


I usually call it wet... Because it's the only time in which I can see the actual length.
Oh, is your hair straight when wet? Mine is only straight when I physically hold it stretched (or actually straighten it, but I don't really do that). I didn't know that happened to wavier textures! :)


You do you. I don't think it matters either way as long as what you call has some basis in reality.
Thank you. :) I guess it really is just a matter of preference since everyone does it differently.


*


Would doing heatless curls once a week cause a lot of damage over time?
I never tried doing that regularly, but since braids, buns etc. also alter the texture and bend the hair in various ways, I don't think it would be too different? Especially if it's a relatively gentle method in the first place. But that's just a guess!

[Miss Thyme]

My sister tells me she was recently admiring her hair for being virtually free of splits, but then she tried an egg treatment and a week later it was full of splits. She isn't sure whether she can blame the egg or not, so I ask on her behalf: Is it fair to blame the eggs? Or does it take longer than that for large scale damage to occur?

[Bri-Chan]

Oh, is your hair straight when wet? Mine is only straight when I physically hold it stretched (or actually straighten it, but I don't really do that). I didn't know that happened to wavier textures! :)

When soaking wet,it' is perfect straight. The more it loses water, the more the waves come back. Like, when I apply the mask and I leave it for few minutes before rinsing, the length develops some waves in that time. Oh, and I detangle my hair before washing, so it's straighter then usual before washing.


My sister tells me she was recently admiring her hair for being virtually free of splits, but then she tried an egg treatment and a week later it was full of splits. She isn't sure whether she can blame the egg or not, so I ask on her behalf: Is it fair to blame the eggs? Or does it take longer than that for large scale damage to occur?
I don't think one treatment can be enough to bring to split ends. Usually eggs are good for hair. Maybe the treatment made her splits more visible then before?

[ExpectoPatronum]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I call mine on stretched hair mostly because my curls can vary in length based on how I styled them/the weather/how they feel. One day my curls can look BSL but other days they can shrink to near APL! At least measuring on stretched hair keeps the measurements consistent. I do include both in my signature, however.

[Hairkay]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I don't consider it a dilemma. My hair is super curly with a lot of shrinkage. The only consistent way to notice a change of length is to stretch it out. It can look shoulder length at bsl, mbl and waist length. Length also varies in a single day. I don't blow dry or flat iron the hair straight just note it when taking a shower when it's heavy with water stretching the little curls out or tug it down to see how far it gets. My hair looks longer in plaits than it does wearing it loose because plaits stretch out the curls and kinks a bit.

[jane_marie]

Is it possible for texture to change?

I have noticed some spiraling in my new growth. I'm not sure if that's my actual texture but the rest is weighed down and not showing it, I just have some hair like that and always have or it's a new thing entirely.

[MusicalSpoons]

Is it possible for texture to change?

I have noticed some spiraling in my new growth. I'm not sure if that's my actual texture but the rest is weighed down and not showing it, I just have some hair like that and always have or it's a new thing entirely.

Yup, and you can have random locks or patches with different texture too!

[CherryFrizz]

Regarding milestones: I get excited about nearing a milestone when my hair hits it in the shower. I call it stretched dry. And, I happily note it when it finally reaches that milestone unstretched. My hair only has 2a waves, and, yet, there's a good 3-4 inches, 7-10 cm between those three markers.

Regarding treatments and split ends: When I had very damaged hair, I had no split ends. The hair would just break off if it split. As I took better care of my hair, slowly I started to see splits. The hair was healthier, and was strong enough to hang on, even when split.

[beha]

Is it possible for texture to change?

I have noticed some spiraling in my new growth. I'm not sure if that's my actual texture but the rest is weighed down and not showing it, I just have some hair like that and always have or it's a new thing entirely.

Yes, in two ways - nature and nurture. In the latter case I think lots of people have different textures on different days depending on moisture in the air, time since washing, and product. If you have a curl pattern, a different routine and set of products can train your natural hair into entirely new texture and over the course of months you could even go from a type B to a C.

[beha]

^Oops I meant from a type 2 to a type 3.

[GRU]

I have been toying with idea of doing heatless curls once a week after my wash routine (Probably rag curls because they are easy).

Would doing heatless curls once a week cause a lot of damage over time?

I don't see how rag curls with no heat could be a problem... the rags are gentle, and you're not manipulating the hair absurdly or anything. I say go for it!

[yamsha23]

My sister tells me she was recently admiring her hair for being virtually free of splits, but then she tried an egg treatment and a week later it was full of splits. She isn't sure whether she can blame the egg or not, so I ask on her behalf: Is it fair to blame the eggs? Or does it take longer than that for large scale damage to occur?


@Miss Thyme, my hypothesis is that because eggs are a clarifying wash, it may have washed off the silicones that were mending/hiding her splits?

OR else they were no split ends but her hair really didn't like the protein in eggs? Is it possible to break because of protein overload?

[Ylva]

@Miss Thyme, my hypothesis is that because eggs are a clarifying wash, it may have washed off the silicones that were mending/hiding her splits?

How are eggs clarifying/able to wash away silicones? I've never heard this before.

[yamsha23]

How are eggs clarifying/able to wash away silicones? I've never heard this before.
All I know is that raw eggs are clarifying...
I don't know if they remove silicones efficiently.

[Ylva]

All I know is that raw eggs are clarifying...
I don't know if they remove silicones efficiently.

Would you be able to explain why raw eggs are clarifying? What in them makes them efficient for washing?

[Miss Thyme]

@Miss Thyme, my hypothesis is that because eggs are a clarifying wash, it may have washed off the silicones that were mending/hiding her splits?

OR else they were no split ends but her hair really didn't like the protein in eggs? Is it possible to break because of protein overload?

I don't know too many specifics of her hair care routine but her conditioner is cone-free, so even if eggs are clarifying I doubt that's it.

Her (and my) suspicion is that it's the protein that did it. We just don't know how soon that kind of damage would develop, and if the eggs can really be blamed? She mentioned some splits being up to 3 cm (1.2 inches) in length.

[SleepyTangles]

Does that friend have a fortune? BC pills are expensive, and you would at least need a box (about 50 euro) to do this for 10 washes. So that's not realistic at all. To me this is beyond everything; just too much. I mean... Of all the things I've read, this has to top it all. :shocked:

Never mind explaining it to your doctor, who has to prescribe these for you. How are you going to justify it? Doc, it's for my hair? :no:

Maybe the friend used to take BC, then stopped, and now has a leftover box that's otherwise useless? :hmm:

[SleepyTangles]

All I know is that raw eggs are clarifying...
I don't know if they remove silicones efficiently.

I always thought that raw eggs were a conditioning/protein treatment! I think their washing properties are quite mild...

[Bri-Chan]

I washed my hair with eggs years ago. Yolk + vinegar (I can't remember how much of both) and it actually worked.My hair was clean. Wasn't it popular in the past? Yolk + something alcoholic, I remember the empress Elisabeth of Austria's hair cleanser was made with yolk and cognac.

Maybe the white can be a too strong protein treatment?

[Ylva]

Indeed, people (my longhair great grandmother included) have used eggs to wash their hair, but I was still under the impression that its cleansing properties are quite mild and certainly not strong enough to clarify with. But I'd love to hear more about the actual science of egg washing if anyone knows more.

[SleepyTangles]

I washed my hair with eggs years ago. Yolk + vinegar (I can't remember how much of both) and it actually worked.My hair was clean. Wasn't it popular in the past? Yolk + something alcoholic, I remember the empress Elisabeth of Austria's hair cleanser was made with yolk and cognac.

Maybe the white can be a too strong protein treatment?

I think the cleaning part is the vinegar/cognac... Egg yolk is very fat and conditioning, tough It does foam a little bit :hmm:

[Bri-Chan]

I think the cleaning part is the vinegar/cognac... Egg yolk is very fat and conditioning, tough It does foam a little bit :hmm:

Vinegar is not a cleanser. And here it's used to neutralize the egg's smell... egg is fat, yes, maybe it works as a COW?

[yamsha23]

I washed my hair with eggs years ago. Yolk + vinegar (I can't remember how much of both) and it actually worked.My hair was clean. Wasn't it popular in the past? Yolk + something alcoholic, I remember the empress Elisabeth of Austria's hair cleanser was made with yolk and cognac.

Maybe the white can be a too strong protein treatment?

Me too, two years ago I used to wash my hair with eggs + something like 2tsp of rhum but I have stopped the rhum because it was drying.
My hair was clean and voluminous.

[Khristopher]

well... about the egg yolk wash, egg yolks act as emulsifier, this is what I found:
"Many proteins in egg yolk can act as emulsifiers because they have some amino acids that repel water and some amino acids that attract water. Mix egg proteins thoroughly with oil and water, and one part of the protein will stick to the water and another part will stick to the oil." (source (https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/eggs/eggscience.html))
So it really would clean the hair by emulsifying the oil in the scalp, and being mild enough to not strip it all like a sulphate.
The alcohol part I do not understand yet but I love egg yolk+beer combo.

[ynne]

Vinegar is not a cleanser. And here it's used to neutralize the egg's smell... egg is fat, yes, maybe it works as a COW?

I thought that white vinegar or ACV are actually used specifically for cleaning, not just around the house, but hair too?

[Ylva]

well... about the egg yolk wash, egg yolks act as emulsifier, this is what I found:
"Many proteins in egg yolk can act as emulsifiers because they have some amino acids that repel water and some amino acids that attract water. Mix egg proteins thoroughly with oil and water, and one part of the protein will stick to the water and another part will stick to the oil." (source (https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/eggs/eggscience.html))
So it really would clean the hair by emulsifying the oil in the scalp, and being mild enough to not strip it all like a sulphate.
The alcohol part I do not understand yet but I love egg yolk+beer combo.

Apparently it works like a co-wash then, like Bri-Chan suggested. Thanks!

[Bri-Chan]

I thought that white vinegar or ACV are actually used specifically for cleaning, not just around the house, but hair too?

I know that a lot of people use vinegar as cleanser, but it actually hasn't any cleanser. It's effective with limestone with taps or pots, but it doesn't clean.
I knew that it's used with egg to cancel the eggs' smell.

[SleepyTangles]

well... about the egg yolk wash, egg yolks act as emulsifier, this is what I found:
"Many proteins in egg yolk can act as emulsifiers because they have some amino acids that repel water and some amino acids that attract water. Mix egg proteins thoroughly with oil and water, and one part of the protein will stick to the water and another part will stick to the oil." (source (https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/eggs/eggscience.html))
So it really would clean the hair by emulsifying the oil in the scalp, and being mild enough to not strip it all like a sulphate.
The alcohol part I do not understand yet but I love egg yolk+beer combo.

Oh, that's so cool :D

[MusicalSpoons]

I thought that white vinegar or ACV are actually used specifically for cleaning, not just around the house, but hair too?

Around the house it can be a disinfectant as it can kill some bacteria - if the solution is strong enough and stays wet long enough to work. It breaks down limescale too, though it's not a detergent that will clean soiled surfaces like soap and water will. For hair the main use is in preventing mineral buildup (the same way as it breaks down limescale) and some people's hair likes it as an acidic rinse for settling the pH back down after using a cleanser with a not-ideal pH, or after rinsing with water (which even at pH 7 is technically higher than hair and scalp would like, and many people have water with a higher pH than that).

An experiment showing 'washing' with ACV
https://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/07/can-you-wash-your-hair-with-baking-soda.html
https://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2014/11/caucasian-hair-cleansing-shikakai.html


Edit to add: Khristopher​ thanks for posting that, very interesting!

[Idun]

According to this website https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321971 it’s the egg whites that some people believe can be used as clarifier.

I’m more familiar with using egg whites to clarify broth. Lol

[beha]

Is there an essential compositional difference between a hair mask and a conditioner? Especially with natural, silicone and sulfate free products. They "tend" to differ in some ways sure but it seems like each category comes in such a variety of compositions that there's no actual difference and they can be used interchangeably or as you please.

[Bri-Chan]

Is there an essential compositional difference between a hair mask and a conditioner? Especially with natural, silicone and sulfate free products. They "tend" to differ in some ways sure but it seems like each category comes in such a variety of compositions that there's no actual difference and they can be used interchangeably or as you please.

I think that the biggest difference is that masks are formulated to stay on you hair for X minutes before rinsing out, and conditioners to be washed out instantly.
It obviously depends from the mask and the conditioner we're talking about, but usually mask are deeper treatments. You can find light or deep conditioners, but you cannot easily find a light mask.
Also, maybe in the conditioner could be included more ingredients (or at higher concentration) that can be not safe if not rinsed out soon, like potentially irritating for skin or something similar :confused:

[MusicalSpoons]

Is there an essential compositional difference between a hair mask and a conditioner? Especially with natural, silicone and sulfate free products. They "tend" to differ in some ways sure but it seems like each category comes in such a variety of compositions that there's no actual difference and they can be used interchangeably or as you please.

I don't know, but in my experience a mask can still be lighter than a rinse-out conditioner, and I use them interchangeably as a kind of deep conditioner by leaving them on for hours anyway :shrug:

Bri-Chan makes an interesting point about the concentration of ingredients - it may be that masks have higher concentrations of the conditioning ingredients and less water than rinse-out conditioners, especially when you find a mask and conditioner in the same line with almost identical ingredients lists but the mask is more expensive :lol: But that's just a personal hypothesis, no actual evidence to back it up!

In terms of ingredients not to be left on, methyl(chloro)isothiozolinone should not be left on skin, so if your conditioner contains them as preservatives and you want to use it as a mask/leave it on for long, just make sure it doesn't go on your scalp.

[jane_marie]

I have been playing around with curly/wavy styling lately. I recently cut off some chemical (bleach and henna) damage. Yesterday I CO with a curly conditioner then did the bowl method. I was shocked to see that my new growth looked like it was trying to form some loose spirals.

Does bleach and or henna straighten hair? Is it possible that my virgin hair is curlier than the 1c/2a the rest of my hair is?

[ynne]

I have been playing around with curly/wavy styling lately. I recently cut off some chemical (bleach and henna) damage. Yesterday I CO with a curly conditioner then did the bowl method. I was shocked to see that my new growth looked like it was trying to form some loose spirals.

Does bleach and or henna straighten hair? Is it possible that my virgin hair is curlier than the 1c/2a the rest of my hair is?

Both made my hair appear straighter, so while I don't know the science of it, I think so, yes. With bleach, I imagine because of damage?, since the hair was weaker and not as elastic, but that's just as a guess. With henna, it happens to many people! Some can go several applications before any visible effect, from what I've read around LHC, but I don't have the links saved. Oh, and since length (=extra weight pulling at it) can also straighten hair, you now have 3 things going for curlier texturer, I think! :) That's very exciting.

[Lady Stardust]

I have been playing around with curly/wavy styling lately. I recently cut off some chemical (bleach and henna) damage. Yesterday I CO with a curly conditioner then did the bowl method. I was shocked to see that my new growth looked like it was trying to form some loose spirals.

Does bleach and or henna straighten hair? Is it possible that my virgin hair is curlier than the 1c/2a the rest of my hair is?

Yes that can happen. I think it varies from person to person. My hair isn’t bleached but it is hennaed, and the hennaed part is straighter than the virgin regrowth.

[Ylva]

I have been playing around with curly/wavy styling lately. I recently cut off some chemical (bleach and henna) damage. Yesterday I CO with a curly conditioner then did the bowl method. I was shocked to see that my new growth looked like it was trying to form some loose spirals.

Does bleach and or henna straighten hair? Is it possible that my virgin hair is curlier than the 1c/2a the rest of my hair is?

My hair spirals slightly about 15 cm into the bleach. Beyond that, the texture just dies out abruptly. That is where the barrier of one and two bleachings is. I've also definitely heard of people's textures loosening because of henna.

[jane_marie]

Both made my hair appear straighter, so while I don't know the science of it, I think so, yes. With bleach, I imagine because of damage?, since the hair was weaker and not as elastic, but that's just as a guess. With henna, it happens to many people! Some can go several applications before any visible effect, from what I've read around LHC, but I don't have the links saved. Oh, and since length (=extra weight pulling at it) can also straighten hair, you now have 3 things going for curlier texturer, I think! :) That's very exciting.


Yes that can happen. I think it varies from person to person. My hair isn’t bleached but it is hennaed, and the hennaed part is straighter than the virgin regrowth.


My hair spirals slightly about 15 cm into the bleach. Beyond that, the texture just dies out abruptly. That is where the barrier of one and two bleachings is. I've also definitely heard of people's textures loosening because of henna.


Interesting! Thanks ladies! I'm excited to see what my non processed hair will be like when it grows out!

[spidermom]

Why does it itch so much where my hair touches my skin?

[Lady Stardust]

Why does it itch so much where my hair touches my skin?

I had that problem when I developed a reaction to some conditioner I was using. I think it only happened when my hair touched my skin while the conditioner was still in. As far as I remember, it didn’t happen if I washed upside down and kept my hair away from my skin until after the conditioner had been rinsed away.

[Linden]

When I dry my hair for a hair typing photo, am I allowed to scrunch/fluff/do anything to it as it dries? If I just let it hang down when wet the weight of the water pulls the waves out. Maybe this is the point of a hairtyping photo, but it feels like it's not accurate to my hairtype. Anyone with wavy hair know if there is a way to dry it without either losing or adding unnatural waves to it?

[Suortuva]

Why does it itch so much where my hair touches my skin?

Does this happen with dry hair?

I can't offer any explanation or help, sorry, but I might have a similar issue, kind of... DH's skin gets extremely itchy always when my hair touches him, and I have seen his skin develop a bloody, itchy rash during a minutes when I leaned my head to his shoulder. It's kinda scary. And we are talking about dry hair. I don't know if it's just my hair or the products, when he got that super bad reaction, I had used some Maui Moisture products for washing, they shouldn't be bad, or... But no matter what I have in my hair, his skin reacts very badly.

I have thought about asking about this, so now it's done.

The good thing is, he totally approves me sleeping in night cap, because I'm doing it for his safety...

[ynne]

When I dry my hair for a hair typing photo, am I allowed to scrunch/fluff/do anything to it as it dries? If I just let it hang down when wet the weight of the water pulls the waves out. Maybe this is the point of a hairtyping photo, but it feels like it's not accurate to my hairtype. Anyone with wavy hair know if there is a way to dry it without either losing or adding unnatural waves to it?

For me, scrunching etc. only helps preserve the existing texture for longer, so I don't consider that unnatural curls, but I get what you mean! I was recommended to pin half of my hair up to lessen the effect of gravity and allow the bottom layers dry without being squeezed, but I don't know if you'd find it helpful. I'm also unsure if plopping is allowed? That could help, but it could also mess up your wave pattern. And maybe if you dried your hair on low heat, but I'm not sure if that's allowed either, it should be imho.

[Bri-Chan]

When I dry my hair for a hair typing photo, am I allowed to scrunch/fluff/do anything to it as it dries? If I just let it hang down when wet the weight of the water pulls the waves out. Maybe this is the point of a hairtyping photo, but it feels like it's not accurate to my hairtype. Anyone with wavy hair know if there is a way to dry it without either losing or adding unnatural waves to it?

I think every type of manipulation is not allowed. When I did mine, I just squeezed the hair gently and I put it in a towel for 5 minutes.

[Dark40]

I have a question about hair length. I know that this a question that gets asked a lot around here. What length is your hair when it touches the top of your butt? Would it be called hip length or BCL?

[blackgothicdoll]

I have a question about hair length. I know that this a question that gets asked a lot around here. What length is your hair when it touches the top of your butt? Would it be called hip length or BCL?

Depends on anatomy. Some people with high butt cracks can be HL and BCL at the same time. Those markings are less than an inch apart for me. :o

[ynne]

I have a question about hair length. I know that this a question that gets asked a lot around here. What length is your hair when it touches the top of your butt? Would it be called hip length or BCL?

Locate your actual hip bones and your BCL, and then you can see if it's the same!

[Dark40]

Depends on anatomy. Some people with high butt cracks can be HL and BCL at the same time. Those markings are less than an inch apart for me. :o


Locate your actual hip bones and your BCL, and then you can see if it's the same!

Ok, thank you both for explaining that better to me. Now, I understand more. I'm short like 4'11", and I guess that HL and BCL would be less than an inch for me too. :)

Yeah, for some people their hip bones and BCL are the same!

[Bri-Chan]

I have a question about hair length. I know that this a question that gets asked a lot around here. What length is your hair when it touches the top of your butt? Would it be called hip length or BCL?

I'm short (5'3'') with looong torso, and my hip bones are quite high, and HL to BCL takes more than 4 inches on me.

[hennalonghair]

I’m 5’7” with an exceptionally long torso. BSL to WL took forever to get to and there’s about 4 inches from hip to BC length but not much from BCL to TBL so my tailbone length is much longer than most.

[jane_marie]

Hey everyone. Sorry to use this thread for another dumb question. :P

I got my a bunch of damage cut off recently and I want to double check on what this length is. I have been calling it BSL but is it actually MBL, APL? It seems a bit unclear to me.

Sorry about my messy back hallway and weird lighting issues.

https://i.imgur.com/JuIgy7cg.jpg
https://imgur.com/edit?deletehash=NSYpdAlKYVWTdjM&album_id=SRILOP5

To be fair my waves are stretched in this due to practically wearing a cinnamon bun for three days straight. :shrug:

[Bri-Chan]

[B]jane_marie /B] I agree with BSL. I think MBL is somewhere between BSL and WL. At least, I always considered it that way.

[jane_marie]

[B]jane_marie /B] I agree with BSL. I think MBL is somewhere between BSL and WL. At least, I always considered it that way.

Okay thanks. I just wasn't sure if it looks past BSL or not.

Thank you. :flower:

[Ylva]

Regarding hip and BCL, I guess it's technically possible that they would be very close to one another, but for me, with my hips being high and my height 5'4, they are a year's growth apart, so about 12 cm I guess (4.7 in).

I agree, your hair looks at least BSL, jane_marie.

[SleepyTangles]

Does bleach and or henna straighten hair? Is it possible that my virgin hair is curlier than the 1c/2a the rest of my hair is?

Totally! I can confirm this.

[meepster]

Is there some way to make a “conditioner” out of home ingredients? Does anyone have any good recipes? I’m trying to DIY all my personal care for health reasons.

[Dark40]

I'm short (5'3'') with looong torso, and my hip bones are quite high, and HL to BCL takes more than 4 inches on me.

I bet. Yes, you are short. You are the same height as my mom but her hip bones are not high at all. She has a longer back than me. Wow, HL to BCL takes more than 4 inches? That's a lot of hair.

[LittleHealthy]

Is there some way to make a “conditioner” out of home ingredients? Does anyone have any good recipes? I’m trying to DIY all my personal care for health reasons.

Google 'hydrating masks' and that might help? If you are wanting a nice moisturising finish, a lot of people actually do an apple cider vinegar rinse instead of using conditioner! Aside from that, moisturising masks with aloe vera might work!

[Bri-Chan]

I bet. Yes, you are short. You are the same height as my mom but her hip bones are not high at all. She has a longer back than me. Wow, HL to BCL takes more than 4 inches? That's a lot of hair.

Actually I measured the distance yesterday and it seems 3.8 inches. So less than 4 inches, but still quite a lot.

[curiouscat13]

Can I use coconut oil instead of conditioner? I don't really enjoy the way conditioner makes my hair feel.

[Feral_]

Can I use coconut oil instead of conditioner? I don't really enjoy the way conditioner makes my hair feel.

I do. I apply a few drops to my damp hair after washing and it leaves it very soft.

[Feral_]

Is there some way to make a “conditioner” out of home ingredients? Does anyone have any good recipes? I’m trying to DIY all my personal care for health reasons.

I made one from aloe vera gel, argan oil and 2 drops of rose geranium oil for fragrance. Combed it through damp hair and it left my hair very sleek. Took out my waves through!

[Dark40]

Actually I measured the distance yesterday and it seems 3.8 inches. So less than 4 inches, but still quite a lot.

Ok, yes 3.8 inches does still seem like a lot.

[Jane99]

Is there some way to make a “conditioner” out of home ingredients? Does anyone have any good recipes? I’m trying to DIY all my personal care for health reasons.
A lot of people love catnip tea rinses and some use instead of conventional conditioner. There are tons of conditioning things you can use. Coconut milk, oat milk, marshmallow root, oils, DIY conditioner using emulsifiers and conditioning agents... yogurt, egg, fenugreek... you name it, someone’s put it in their hair.

[GRU]

Hey everyone. Sorry to use this thread for another dumb question. :P

I got my a bunch of damage cut off recently and I want to double check on what this length is. I have been calling it BSL but is it actually MBL, APL? It seems a bit unclear to me.

I've always considered BSL and MBL to be the same place -- MBL came about when we had guys who wanted to discuss length, but they didn't have a "bra strap" to compare it to, so they used "mid back" instead.

APL is higher -- like where your sleeves are. The outer edges of your U-hem are APL, but I would call your length (in the center) BSL/MBL.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

I've been bothered by slight itching after washing. I feel it for a few hours as the hair is drying and sometimes a bit more on the subsequent day. Then it goes away.
I wondered if it was an irritation caused by the shampoo I use which has been open for probably over a year. I finished it and opened a new one from a different brand but I still get the same thing.
I have mixed skin and my scalp is in between oily and dry and I use a strong sulphate shampoo because I have a hard time lathering anything else and sulphate-free shampoos require me to scrub my head very thouroughly which gives me a very tight dry feeling in the head later.
Any suggestions as to what to do?

[curiouscat13]

So, I have this habit of running my hands through my hair a lot. I don't pull on my hair or anything, I just like touching it. Is that bad for my hair/will it be bad in the long run? Is it a habit I should try and kick?

[Dark40]

So, I have this habit of running my hands through my hair a lot. I don't pull on my hair or anything, I just like touching it. Is that bad for my hair/will it be bad in the long run? Is it a habit I should try and kick?

Hey, I like to do the same thing to my hair too! I also love running my fingers through my hair too. I don't see anything wrong with doing that. As long as you're not pulling on your hair. You should be fine.

[squirrrel]

So, I have this habit of running my hands through my hair a lot. I don't pull on my hair or anything, I just like touching it. Is that bad for my hair/will it be bad in the long run? Is it a habit I should try and kick?

For me... it’s not something to encourage. I love the sensation, and am very tactile, but I can encourage tangles by doing so, and my hair gets a lot of manipulation anyway. It really depends on how strong your hair is... I see you have BSL as your end goal... that might mean that it isn’t a huge deal for you. My hair is near BCL, the ends are thinning some, and the hair I have is a little more fragile and prone to splits. If I can avoid doing things that will increase it’s chance of friction damage I shall try to do it. For me that means braiding and putting my hair up. Maybe if I continue to do this, and micro trim some, I will reach longer lengths with healthier ends.

[auburntressed]

So, I have this habit of running my hands through my hair a lot. I don't pull on my hair or anything, I just like touching it. Is that bad for my hair/will it be bad in the long run? Is it a habit I should try and kick?What is our hair for, if not for our own enjoyment?

I also love playing with my hair and touching it a lot. I keep my hair up most of the time, however. The only time I have it down is usually when I brush it out before bed, or when I am putting it up for work.

So, usually when I am brushing it out before bed, that is the time I set aside to just feel the texture and enjoy it. I also do some S&D if needed, and then I bundle it up into a knot with a silk scrunchie for bedtime.

[Feral_]

If you wear your hair in braids does it make it wavier over time when it’s not in the braid? :confused:

[lapushka]

I have been playing around with curly/wavy styling lately. I recently cut off some chemical (bleach and henna) damage. Yesterday I CO with a curly conditioner then did the bowl method. I was shocked to see that my new growth looked like it was trying to form some loose spirals.

Does bleach and or henna straighten hair? Is it possible that my virgin hair is curlier than the 1c/2a the rest of my hair is?

The thing is, you need to take a "hairtyping" picture for a hair typing, so you can do none of the manipulation for that at all. That doesn't (of course) mean that you can't oomph up your hair for the rest, but it does often bring your markers down.

Bleach and henna both made my hair more wavy. I guess the dryness and higher porosity did something there. :shrug: I really have no explanation. Usually these things straighten out hair more. It's just odd.

[curiouscat13]

Hey, I like to do the same thing to my hair too! I also love running my fingers through my hair too. I don't see anything wrong with doing that. As long as you're not pulling on your hair. You should be fine.
It is a lot of relief to hear that. :)


For me... it’s not something to encourage. I love the sensation, and am very tactile, but I can encourage tangles by doing so, and my hair gets a lot of manipulation anyway. It really depends on how strong your hair is... I see you have BSL as your end goal... that might mean that it isn’t a huge deal for you. My hair is near BCL, the ends are thinning some, and the hair I have is a little more fragile and prone to splits. If I can avoid doing things that will increase it’s chance of friction damage I shall try to do it. For me that means braiding and putting my hair up. Maybe if I continue to do this, and micro trim some, I will reach longer lengths with healthier ends.

I guess I have to reduce playing with it a bit. I apply oil on my hair, and my hair ends up being very dry if I play with it too much.


What is our hair for, if not for our own enjoyment?

I also love playing with my hair and touching it a lot. I keep my hair up most of the time, however. The only time I have it down is usually when I brush it out before bed, or when I am putting it up for work.

So, usually when I am brushing it out before bed, that is the time I set aside to just feel the texture and enjoy it. I also do some S&D if needed, and then I bundle it up into a knot with a silk scrunchie for bedtime.

Thanks. I think keeping a specific time where I am allowed to touch my hair will help. My hair is coarse(I think) , so it will hopefully not get damaged very fast.

[MusicalSpoons]

I've been bothered by slight itching after washing. I feel it for a few hours as the hair is drying and sometimes a bit more on the subsequent day. Then it goes away.
I wondered if it was an irritation caused by the shampoo I use which has been open for probably over a year. I finished it and opened a new one from a different brand but I still get the same thing.
I have mixed skin and my scalp is in between oily and dry and I use a strong sulphate shampoo because I have a hard time lathering anything else and sulphate-free shampoos require me to scrub my head very thouroughly which gives me a very tight dry feeling in the head later.
Any suggestions as to what to do?

If you haven't already, you could try diluting shampoo so it spreads easier and lathers more readily. It sounds like you might possibly find a happy medium of a less-strong sulphate shampoo that still cleans effectively but doesn't require too much scrubbing.


So, I have this habit of running my hands through my hair a lot. I don't pull on my hair or anything, I just like touching it. Is that bad for my hair/will it be bad in the long run? Is it a habit I should try and kick?

If it's a mentally benign habit and your hair doesn't appear to mind it, you will probably be okay. Texture may play a role as it gets longer though, because the more texture a hair has (waves or curls) then the more likely it is that manipulation will make it frizz and dry out from separating the hairs out of clumps. In other words, see how it goes! ;)

[lapushka]

Can I use coconut oil instead of conditioner? I don't really enjoy the way conditioner makes my hair feel.

Be careful with coconut oil, though. For quite a few people it doesn't work as an oil, as it can make hair feel brittle and dry.

[Eleanor_]

I was messing around with scrunching techniques to try and encourage my waves more and my hair seems to have formed loose spirals! Is this a sign that I'm a very very very loose 3a? Or do waves normally have very loose spirals?

[Bri-Chan]

I was messing around with scrunching techniques to try and encourage my waves more and my hair seems to have formed loose spirals! Is this a sign that I'm a very very very loose 3a? Or do waves normally have very loose spirals?

Maybe your just wavier than 2a.

[Lady Stardust]

I was messing around with scrunching techniques to try and encourage my waves more and my hair seems to have formed loose spirals! Is this a sign that I'm a very very very loose 3a? Or do waves normally have very loose spirals?

Wow those spirals sound lovely :)

According to the hair typing guide, hair should not be manipulated when you’re determining its type. So, your hair type will be how it is without being scrunched. If it doesn’t form spiral curls without scrunching, it won’t be 3a.

However it’s good to know what your does when it is manipulated! I think that’s at least as interesting as what it does when it’s left alone :)

The hair typing system used on LHC is different to some other systems, in that it differentiates between spiral curls and “waves”. As far as I understand it, this means that 2a and 2b have side-to-side waves, and not spirals. In practice though, I’ve noticed that some people class themselves as 2a (for example) because they have long S shaped waves, but actually they form spirals. They choose 2a because the hair “reads” as long loose waves, rather than curls.

Other hair typing systems I’ve seen just use the length of the wave (is it long and stretched out, or shorter like braid waves) without reference to whether the wave goes side to side, or spirals.

There was some discussion on the forum a while ago about whether there should be a separate category for 3 dimensional (spiral) waves, that “read” as waves rather than curls.

ETA: Here’s the thread (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148483)

[MusicalSpoons]

When I dry my hair for a hair typing photo, am I allowed to scrunch/fluff/do anything to it as it dries? If I just let it hang down when wet the weight of the water pulls the waves out. Maybe this is the point of a hairtyping photo, but it feels like it's not accurate to my hairtype. Anyone with wavy hair know if there is a way to dry it without either losing or adding unnatural waves to it?

You know, I have this same dilemna. When I first hair typed beyond 1b I had a few people tell me it looked 1c or 1c/2a but with length having pulled out some of the waves (I later typed as basically 2a but with a random straight stretch in the middle, hence sitting at 1c/2a now). But the top of my hair is definitely, definitely 2a with some locks even trying to form wurls, and when I wake up after airdrying overnight it almost always looks 2a the whole length ... but that's not a true hairtyping photo because the ends were on the floor and effectively plopped. So I really don't know what the answer is. Ligeia Noire took her hairtype from basically waist down because the weight of her hair pulled the top straight and her true texture showed after that - maybe that's a pointer to the answer for you. If your picture you posted relatively recently (was it on the Classic to knee thread?) was a typing photo, I would have said just go by the waves in the bottom half of your length :shrug:


If you wear your hair in braids does it make it wavier over time when it’s not in the braid? :confused:

I can't imagine it would have any permanent effect :hmm:

[Dark40]

In order to get a good hair and scalp cleaning do you have to scrub your shampoo into to your roots? Or, could you just gently rub it into your roots? Because, I've never believe in vigirously scrubbing my scalp to just get it squeaky clean.

[Bri-Chan]

If you wear your hair in braids does it make it wavier over time when it’s not in the braid? :confused:

This happens to me, with every thing who changes my waves pattern. My hair need a lot of time for heatless stylings, but where the styling is setted, I usually need two washes to come back to normality. I don't braid that much and for sure not for enough hours, but I think it can be possible.

[Eleanor_]

Interestingly, now its dried it's straight to bsl then has loose curls / waves.

Musicalspoons if I can pick which system I use I think I'll go for 2a, it definitely gives an overall appearance of waves more than curls.

I'm just hoping I'll learn to get a consistent pattern at some point!

[SleepyTangles]

In order to get a good hair and scalp cleaning do you have to scrub your shampoo into to your roots? Or, could you just gently rub it into your roots? Because, I've never believe in vigirously scrubbing my scalp to just get it squeaky clean.

A gentle massage is enough, really! I personally don't need vigorous scrubbing more than once every two or three months :)

[Dark40]

A gentle massage is enough, really! I personally don't need vigorous scrubbing more than once every two or three months :)

Yes, that's what I thought! I agree hat a gentle massage is enough. Yeah, me too also personally don't need vigorous scrubbing more than once every two or three months. :) Sometimes I go a little bit longer. Like, 6 months.

[jane_marie]

I have a wedding to go to tomorrow. Are Frida braids too weird for a casual outdoor wedding?

[CherryFrizz]

No, not weird. I think Frieda braids would look like a special updo for the occasion.

[Feral_]

Head position for washing - is it better to wash hair with head upside down? Blood flow to scalp etc? Realise the length of ones hair will affect this. I tend to wash mine stood up in the shower then flip it over to do underneath.

I heard of some long haired folk using a bucket of water to wash the length too, dunking it in :confused:

Just wondered what people’s preference was :)

[TatsuOni]

Head position for washing - is it better to wash hair with head upside down? Blood flow to scalp etc? Realise the length of ones hair will affect this. I tend to wash mine stood up in the shower then flip it over to do underneath.

I heard of some long haired folk using a bucket of water to wash the length too, dunking it in :confused:

Just wondered what people’s preference was :)

I stand up while washing it. It's the most comfortable and causes less thangles than if I were to "flip it around".

[MusicalSpoons]

Head position for washing - is it better to wash hair with head upside down? Blood flow to scalp etc? Realise the length of ones hair will affect this. I tend to wash mine stood up in the shower then flip it over to do underneath.

I heard of some long haired folk using a bucket of water to wash the length too, dunking it in :confused:

Just wondered what people’s preference was :)

Upright for me, I don't wish to deal with the tangles. My arms and shoulders preferred it but my back and neck didn't!

[beha]

I don't flip it over in the shower due to tangles. I imagine flipping in the shower along with the right technique/product would increase crown volume.

[Tinyponies]

Head position for washing - is it better to wash hair with head upside down? Blood flow to scalp etc? Realise the length of ones hair will affect this. I tend to wash mine stood up in the shower then flip it over to do underneath.

I heard of some long haired folk using a bucket of water to wash the length too, dunking it in :confused:

Just wondered what people’s preference was :)

Hey there :) I wash in a bucket and have been flipping it, and slowly figuring out ways to minimise the resulting tangles (it’s getting better). But your comment about people dunking the length in made me wonder if maybe I could avoid flipping somehow? Like maybe get clever with pouring water from a jug onto my scalp but not soaking myself. Hmm

[MadelineMomo]

Has anyone else noticed more shedding during quarantine?

It could easily just be that I'm brushing it less often, so more's coming out when I do brush it. But I've been less physically active/in poorer health, and stressed out to boot, so it could be that too. Just wondering if other people are noticing this.

[Amenahh]

Head position for washing - is it better to wash hair with head upside down? Blood flow to scalp etc? Realise the length of ones hair will affect this. I tend to wash mine stood up in the shower then flip it over to do underneath.

I heard of some long haired folk using a bucket of water to wash the length too, dunking it in :confused:

Just wondered what people’s preference was :)

I do wash it first upright and then flip it over to get to the back of the head better.
It seems to work well for me, otherwise I have trouble getting it clean underneath.


Has anyone else noticed more shedding during quarantine?

It could easily just be that I'm brushing it less often, so more's coming out when I do brush it. But I've been less physically active/in poorer health, and stressed out to boot, so it could be that too. Just wondering if other people are noticing this.

I haven't noticed more shedding, but if you're brushing it less often, you'll definitely notice more when you do brush it. I often have days where I just put my hair in a bun without brushing it, and then, before I wash my hair, I brush it and all the hairs shed on the previous days come out as well.
--


I'm thinking of getting a satin pillowcase.
Is it as good for the hair as a silk one?

[Feral_]

Hey there :) I wash in a bucket and have been flipping it, and slowly figuring out ways to minimise the resulting tangles (it’s getting better). But your comment about people dunking the length in made me wonder if maybe I could avoid flipping somehow? Like maybe get clever with pouring water from a jug onto my scalp but not soaking myself. Hmm

You could use one of those Boot Buddy cleaners people use for horses and dogs! :laugh: It's tricky not to get water everywhere doing the jug method - waterproof coat required haha.

[Tinyponies]

You could use one of those Boot Buddy cleaners people use for horses and dogs! :laugh: It's tricky not to get water everywhere doing the jug method - waterproof coat required haha.
I looked this up - do you mean a squeezy thing with a brush attached? :) I’m sure there’s an idea forming... eventually we’ll build a fabulous cold rainwater shower.

[Ylva]

I'm thinking of getting a satin pillowcase.
Is it as good for the hair as a silk one?

While silk is a material, satin is a weave. You could get a satin pillowcase that's 100% cotton. Make sure it's "silk satin" - that will be as good as silk, in my opinion.

[Feral_]

I looked this up - do you mean a squeezy thing with a brush attached? :) I’m sure there’s an idea forming... eventually we’ll build a fabulous cold rainwater shower.

Yes that’s the things. Popular with dog handlers and horse owners anything involving animals and mud. It’s called a Mud Daddy if you look it up. My bad, the Boot Daddy is the smaller version, sorry. Reckon you could rig something similar up!

[Tinyponies]

Yes that’s the things. Popular with dog handlers and horse owners anything involving animals and mud. It’s called a Mud Daddy if you look it up. My bad, the Boot Daddy is the smaller version, sorry. Reckon you could rig something similar up!
Yes! Hmm I bet there’s a solution here in a think outside the box kind of way.

We use a pressure sprayer for wetting the walls when doing building work but the flow is too small. That mud daddy is a really cool idea. Thanks so much!

Now I’m wondering what I could rig up. The mud daddy website said people use them as a shower at festivals - that’s making me wonder about those solar heating shower bags people hang up. Hmmmmmm perhaps I can rig a big bucket up in a tree or something!

[MusicalSpoons]

Hey there :) I wash in a bucket and have been flipping it, and slowly figuring out ways to minimise the resulting tangles (it’s getting better). But your comment about people dunking the length in made me wonder if maybe I could avoid flipping somehow? Like maybe get clever with pouring water from a jug onto my scalp but not soaking myself. Hmm

The first thing that came to mind was laying back on a bench or other flat platform at the right height with a bucket at the end for dunking lengths, so you could (with enough co-ordination) pour the water over your head and nowhere else. A little bit like in a salon, come to think of it, that sort of orientation/setup.

[Tinyponies]

The first thing that came to mind was laying back on a bench or other flat platform at the right height with a bucket at the end for dunking lengths, so you could (with enough co-ordination) pour the water over your head and nowhere else. A little bit like in a salon, come to think of it, that sort of orientation/setup.

That sounds good! Better for scalp hair but I’m guessing the lengths past a certain length might still take it as an excuse for a party.

*imagining salon setup in woods all made out of scrap wood and branches with buckets in trees to dump on your head*

Again the ultimate is to have lifted water, it seems. (Aside: ever seen “ram pumps”? Water pumps that work by building pressure against one way valves, no electricity!).

[Amenahh]

I'm sure this has been asked 1000 times before, but I can't seem to find the answer, so sorry about the silly question:
How do I insert an image into my response?

I tried adding a length shot for another thread. I first uploaded the image to my picture album on LHC, but then couldn't figure out how to insert it.
The 'insert image' button didn't do anything.

Edit: I sorted it out! :)

[Firefox7275]

Does this happen with dry hair?

I can't offer any explanation or help, sorry, but I might have a similar issue, kind of... DH's skin gets extremely itchy always when my hair touches him, and I have seen his skin develop a bloody, itchy rash during a minutes when I leaned my head to his shoulder. It's kinda scary. And we are talking about dry hair. I don't know if it's just my hair or the products, when he got that super bad reaction, I had used some Maui Moisture products for washing, they shouldn't be bad, or... But no matter what I have in my hair, his skin reacts very badly.

I have thought about asking about this, so now it's done.

The good thing is, he totally approves me sleeping in night cap, because I'm doing it for his safety...

Late reply, hope you see it. That sounds like it might be a strong allergic reaction.

The most common allergens in cosmetic products are fragrance ingredients (including essential oils) and preservatives. If haircare products that you use are marketed in the European Union, many fragrance ingredients/ components have to be listed separately on the label. This can be very helpful in identifying culprits.

Be aware that it is common to react to a group of fragrance ingredients with similar chemical structures. Next year the EU list is being expanded which should make this process easier.

If the issue is fragrance components, it is worth knowing that some become more allergenic and more irritant as they oxidise. This happens with an older product, especially if it has been exposed to the air, to light or to heat.

Let me know if I can help any further: I have a decent working knowledge of ingredients.

[eshta]

I have a flax seed heating cap that I love and used to use with DT’s a lot. We recently remodeled our kitchen and don’t own a microwave anymore. Does anybody have any experience with heating flax seed pillow things with an oven or crockpot on lower temperatures? Can it be done? I miss my heating cap 😢

[Xlena]

I know this might be a stupid question but... is white vinegar the same as white wine vinegar or it's something different? xd That's the only thing I've ever seen with "white" and "vinegar" together, I think I've never seen just "white vinegar" alone so I'm a little confused.

[Firefox7275]

Duplicate.

[Firefox7275]

I know this might be a stupid question but... is white vinegar the same as white wine vinegar or it's something different? xd That's the only thing I've ever seen with "white" and "vinegar" together, I think I've never seen just "white vinegar" alone so I'm a little confused.

White' vinegar is a clear distilled vinegar. Acetic acid but no other flavour as such. Popular for mild descaling tasks.

[Ylva]

What reason could there be for hair to prefer a slight amount of hardness in water (still soft, but not super soft) to completely soft water? Do the minerals give any conditioning benefits in small quantities?

[Firefox7275]

What reason could there be for hair to prefer a slight amount of hardness in water (still soft, but not super soft) to completely soft water? Do the minerals give any conditioning benefits in small quantities?

"Some fine-haired or thin-haired people don't mind a little bit of hard water build-up - it adds some volume and "grip" to hair."

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/hard-water-and-your-hair.html

[Ylva]

"Some fine-haired or thin-haired people don't mind a little bit of hard water build-up - it adds some volume and "grip" to hair."

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2016/03/hard-water-and-your-hair.html

Hmmmmm, that's not what I experience, though. My hair becomes softer with our well water as opposed to the communal water. Thank you anyways.

[MusicalSpoons]

What reason could there be for hair to prefer a slight amount of hardness in water (still soft, but not super soft) to completely soft water? Do the minerals give any conditioning benefits in small quantities?


Hmmmmm, that's not what I experience, though. My hair becomes softer with our well water as opposed to the communal water. Thank you anyways.

Interesting. What other differences are there between the two water supplies, do you know?
The only other thing that comes to mind is whether there might be any interaction between the minerals and conditioning agents in products - but that's a very nebulous wondering and based only on the notion of ingredients and hard water ions having (ionic) charges but ... I really have no further insight as to whether it might be at all possible :shrug:

[Ylva]

Interesting. What other differences are there between the two water supplies, do you know?
The only other thing that comes to mind is whether there might be any interaction between the minerals and conditioning agents in products - but that's a very nebulous wondering and based only on the notion of ingredients and hard water ions having (ionic) charges but ... I really have no further insight as to whether it might be at all possible :shrug:

I am unsure if there is chlorine in the communal water. If there is, at least not much because I don't detect any scent or taste (which I do in the city). Other than that, I can't think of anything. I have not measured the pH of either.

[Firefox7275]

Interesting. What other differences are there between the two water supplies, do you know?
The only other thing that comes to mind is whether there might be any interaction between the minerals and conditioning agents in products - but that's a very nebulous wondering and based only on the notion of ingredients and hard water ions having (ionic) charges but ... I really have no further insight as to whether it might be at all possible :shrug:

Is this where your train of thought is heading?

"We must ask ourselves - if the hair is charge-free, how will it bond to cationic-charged conditioners for better slip? Indeed, it seems that cationic conditioners are more strongly adsorbed to hair (adhere more firmly)*above pH 3.7. You need some negative charges on there, people!*A lower-than-4.5 pH would be completely counter-productive in a cationic conditioning product."

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/ph-and-your-hair-little-redox-to-make.html

[Suortuva]

Late reply, hope you see it. That sounds like it might be a strong allergic reaction.

The most common allergens in cosmetic products are fragrance ingredients (including essential oils) and preservatives. If haircare products that you use are marketed in the European Union, many fragrance ingredients/ components have to be listed separately on the label. This can be very helpful in identifying culprits.

Be aware that it is common to react to a group of fragrance ingredients with similar chemical structures. Next year the EU list is being expanded which should make this process easier.

If the issue is fragrance components, it is worth knowing that some become more allergenic and more irritant as they oxidise. This happens with an older product, especially if it has been exposed to the air, to light or to heat.

Let me know if I can help any further: I have a decent working knowledge of ingredients.

Thank you so much for replying me, I appreciate it, and this was really interesting.

When that really bad thing happened with Maui Moisture products, they were brand new, it was first time I was using them. Though we have had this problem long before. But I think there were something special with them.

Anyway, I just try to avoid letting my hair touch him, and I can't really experiment and say hi let's see how you react after this wash...

[ynne]

Thank you so much for replying me, I appreciate it, and this was really interesting.

When that really bad thing happened with Maui Moisture products, they were brand new, it was first time I was using them. Though we have had this problem long before. But I think there were something special with them.

Anyway, I just try to avoid letting my hair touch him, and I can't really experiment and say hi let's see how you react after this wash...

It sounds like strong allergy to me, too, and unlikely to be related to your hair. Could he by any chance get tested for allergies? It sounds like something that might catch him off guard in future.

[MusicalSpoons]

Is this where your train of thought is heading?

"We must ask ourselves - if the hair is charge-free, how will it bond to cationic-charged conditioners for better slip? Indeed, it seems that cationic conditioners are more strongly adsorbed to hair (adhere more firmly)*above pH 3.7. You need some negative charges on there, people!*A lower-than-4.5 pH would be completely counter-productive in a cationic conditioning product."

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/ph-and-your-hair-little-redox-to-make.html

Not really, because I know that's to do with extremes of pH, but it probably subconsciously is a factor in the nebulous notion :hmm:

[Lucy McLucyFace]

I put this question elsewhere but may as well put it in here just to get some more answers :eek:

I've been looking into solid shampoos produced in my country (not cold process soap) and I've noticed that pretty much all of them contain some protein ingredient like wheat protein or hydrolyzed rice protein. Would these give me a protein overloaded if I used them? And why do they all have protein?

[beha]

^People who do not need extra protein will experience a negative effect. Usually buildup. I don't think they're a necessary ingredient in solid shampoo. I'm always surprised by monolithic markets. Kind of like my search for a cheap unlined notebook brand. I can get expensive unlined or cheap lined, never both.

[ynne]

^People who do not need extra protein will experience a negative effect. Usually buildup. I don't think they're a necessary ingredient in solid shampoo. I'm always surprised by monolithic markets. Kind of like my search for a cheap unlined notebook brand. I can get expensive unlined or cheap lined, never both.

You mean just a plain, unlined notebook? I think I could walk into any stationery store here and find some (in various types of binding, unsure which one you are looking for), that's interesting. The only ones I really struggle to find – without paying too much for a fancy brand – are dotted. Hope you find some soon!

[Ylva]

Thank you for taking the time to ponder on my question, Firefox and Spoons! I suppose it will remain a mystery until I get around to doing some testing with pH and such. :)

Also, I would like to experience how my hair behaves with truly hard water. As far as I know, I've never used such.

[jane_marie]

I've had a really hectic two days and left in my SMT... for over 36 hours. I'm getting ready to wash it out now. Is my hair going to be wrecked?

[MusicalSpoons]

Thank you for taking the time to ponder on my question, Firefox and Spoons! I suppose it will remain a mystery until I get around to doing some testing with pH and such. :)

Also, I would like to experience how my hair behaves with truly hard water. As far as I know, I've never used such.

I really don't think you're missing out on anything good! ;)


It's an interesting question - please let us know if you find out any more about your water :)

[Firefox7275]

I put this question elsewhere but may as well put it in here just to get some more answers :eek:

I've been looking into solid shampoos produced in my country (not cold process soap) and I've noticed that pretty much all of them contain some protein ingredient like wheat protein or hydrolyzed rice protein. Would these give me a protein overloaded if I used them? And why do they all have protein?

Educated-ish guess as to why they are so common ....

Most bar shampoos/ soaps/ conditioners have butters in which easily build up or weigh hair down. Might be in an attempt to counteract that?

ALTERNATIVELY maybe protein is the only substantive ('sticky') conditioning agent that is natural and works in a dry-ish product?


Could you get protein overload? Yes, but the butters are as or more likely to be problematic. Even if they do not build up, research shows that butters increase combing forces. The reverse of 'slip' basically.

[beha]

You mean just a plain, unlined notebook? I think I could walk into any stationery store here and find some (in various types of binding, unsure which one you are looking for), that's interesting. The only ones I really struggle to find – without paying too much for a fancy brand – are dotted. Hope you find some soon!

Thank you ynne! I've found unlined at a reasonable price for 'recreational' use, journaling and the like. But for school and studies, the price and styling of stationery store options don't exactly suit my preferences. For that I'd love to find cheap spiral bound unlined for under $3.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

^People who do not need extra protein will experience a negative effect. Usually buildup. I don't think they're a necessary ingredient in solid shampoo. I'm always surprised by monolithic markets. Kind of like my search for a cheap unlined notebook brand. I can get expensive unlined or cheap lined, never both.

I find this problem very often, such a shame too. I was really meaning to buy something local since the point of solid shampoos is to be environmentally friendly. There's nothing environmentally friendly about shipping products overseas back and forth so it's redundant...


Educated-ish guess as to why they are so common ....

Most bar shampoos/ soaps/ conditioners have butters in which easily build up or weigh hair down. Might be in an attempt to counteract that?

ALTERNATIVELY maybe protein is the only substantive ('sticky') conditioning agent that is natural and works in a dry-ish product?

Could you get protein overload? Yes, but the butters are as or more likely to be problematic. Even if they do not build up, research shows that butters increase combing forces. The reverse of 'slip' basically.

Well it was specifically a shampoo. But I've noticed too that many solid shampoos are full of butters under the excuse that it's "a gentle wash". Smells like silly beauty trends!
And I didn't know it could increase combing forces, that makes it even worse :(

[ynne]

Thank you ynne! I've found unlined at a reasonable price for 'recreational' use, journaling and the like. But for school and studies, the price and styling of stationery store options don't exactly suit my preferences. For that I'd love to find cheap spiral bound unlined for under $3.

This might not solve your problem, but for school purposes, my preferred combination is a spiral-bound notebook with pre-cut pages (like this one (https://potreby-skolni.cz/blok-a4-special-cisty-bocni-spirala-15013-bobo~velky.jpg), it's one of my two favorite cheap brands, but I don't think they exist in your location; their inside looks like this (https://i.actva.cz/i/1/1/fb5/3efb5/600x600/y7KO06_600x600xffffff_b2aa7e0734b2ab77.jpg)) so that it's easy to carry with me (I used just one for all classes) & it can be flattened, and then I put them in binders at home, for long-term storage. :) It feels like the best of both worlds.

[blackgothicdoll]

Is there a chance I'm misclassifying my hair? How can I be sure whether my hair is fine or coarse? Can you tell by looking at my pictures?

[-Fern]

Is there a chance I'm misclassifying my hair? How can I be sure whether my hair is fine or coarse? Can you tell by looking at my pictures?

By the thickness of individual strands--and you may have a range of thicknesses. Coarse hair also isn't usually smooth down the shaft... and I don't necessarily mean it's curly, I mean you can feel angles on it as you run your fingers down along an individual strand (if that makes sense). Fine hair might be kinky/curly, but has too small of a diameter to really notice the uneven surface that coarse hair has. Sometimes fine strands are even kind of floaty.

It's hard to tell from your pics, but your hair looks F/M to me. :o Hope that helps!

[Beckstar]

I'm tempted to start calling milestones with partially stretched hair; I only wear it very curly for 1-2 days, then it's a looser pattern (and longer) until the next wash. So realistically, it's somewhere between curly and stretched length most of the time. But the length would vary too much...

Does anyone else have the same dilemma?

I call it at stretched because my curls are never the same tightness day by day so the curly length can vary greatly.

[Firefox7275]

Well it was specifically a shampoo. But I've noticed too that many solid shampoos are full of butters under the excuse that it's "a gentle wash". Smells like silly beauty trends!
And I didn't know it could increase combing forces, that makes it even worse :(

Smells like formulation compromises to me. From my POV the silly beauty trend is the concept of a simple water-free equivalent to a complex water-based haircare product.

If the bar was water-miscible it would disintegrate on first use. The user would get a huge dose of detergent - not gentle on skin or hair. But not all ingredients in shampoo/ conditioner are water miscible, so a mainstream product is made in different 'phases' based on solubility, and then these are mixed very thoroughly.

Solid oils and butters keep the other ingredients distributed, allow the outside of the bar to change from solid to liquid slowly and with a pleasant feel.

If you want to reduce your packaging waste, an alternative is buying a strong detergent shampoo and diluting small batches right down with water before you use it. Most of us use far more than is required.

[curiouscat13]

When I was growing up I was always told not to braid or bun hair when wet. But when looking online I've seen a lot of people braid hair and keeping it braided when drying it.
So I guess what I want to know is whether it's better to leave hair down or if it's completely fine to put it in braids,buns etc as it dries.

[CuteCrow]

Is there a chance I'm misclassifying my hair? How can I be sure whether my hair is fine or coarse? Can you tell by looking at my pictures?

The best way I've seen is comparing it to your body hair, of course this I most helpful if you shave.

Coarse:
- thickness the same or wider than body hair
- wiry texture if you rub it between your fingers
- can be seen even in same coloured background, clearly seen when holding against a light.

Medium:
- similarly or less wide than body hair
- can be felt when you rub it but it hasn't that wiry texture
- can not be seen in similar coloured background but is clearly seen in different coloured one

Fine:
- clearly less wide than body hair
- if you rub it between your fingers you barely feel it
- can only be seen in a contrasting coloured background. Sometimes barely if you have light coloured hair

Classify hairs from all around your head (nape, crown, sides..) and see if most of them fit at least two of the requirements for one category. I can not really tell from your pictures.



So I guess what I want to know is whether it's better to leave hair down or if it's completely fine to put it in braids,buns etc as it dries.

Hair is at its more delicate state when wet. It's usually better to let it on its own until it dries. Forcing it to dry in a shape that it's not its natural texture only damages it.

[Lady Stardust]

Is there a chance I'm misclassifying my hair? How can I be sure whether my hair is fine or coarse? Can you tell by looking at my pictures?

There is a thread on here somewhere about how to measure, but I can’t find it at the moment. As far as I remember it included this link (http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/is-your-hair-fine-medium-or-coarse-how.html)which shows how to measure hair strand thickness.

[Hairkay]

When I was growing up I was always told not to braid or bun hair when wet. But when looking online I've seen a lot of people braid hair and keeping it braided when drying it.
So I guess what I want to know is whether it's better to leave hair down or if it's completely fine to put it in braids,buns etc as it dries.

It depends on your hair. I plait mine when it is still damp. If left to dry loose it will shrink up more and become tangled. Tightly curled hair tends to do that. Also when it is damp there's some slip allowing the strands to glide past each other instead of when it is totally dry. That's when shrunken curls hook up and too much manipulation trying to sort it out can cause hair to break off.

[enting]

It depends on your hair. I plait mine when it is still damp. If left to dry loose it will shrink up more and become tangled. Tightly curled hair tends to do that. Also when it is damp there's some slip allowing the strands to glide past each other instead of when it is totally dry. That's when shrunken curls hook up and too much manipulation trying to sort it out can cause hair to break off.

This is what I was going to say. It really depends on your hair.

[Simsy]

When I was growing up I was always told not to braid or bun hair when wet. But when looking online I've seen a lot of people braid hair and keeping it braided when drying it.
So I guess what I want to know is whether it's better to leave hair down or if it's completely fine to put it in braids,buns etc as it dries.

Gonna have to agree with the others, it really depends on your hair. Mine won’t dry properly in a bun or braid; but I can put it up for an hour or 2 if I need to and not hurt anything. If your hair dries ok while restrained, you should be fine.

[Amenahh]

Is there any difference between a conditioner and a hair mask - not a DIY mask for pre-shampooing, just a regular one that you use in the shower after shampooing.

My conditioner was making my hair feel terrible, so I started using my hair mask instead, and it seems to do exactly the same thing as a conditioner.
I leave it for a few minutes after shampooing and then rinse it out.

[Feral_]

The reference to terminal length hair. Is the final length determined by genetics?

Wonder if some folk will never have long hair because of this?

[curiouscat13]

Hair is at its more delicate state when wet. It's usually better to let it on its own until it dries. Forcing it to dry in a shape that it's not its natural texture only damages it.


It depends on your hair. I plait mine when it is still damp. If left to dry loose it will shrink up more and become tangled. Tightly curled hair tends to do that. Also when it is damp there's some slip allowing the strands to glide past each other instead of when it is totally dry. That's when shrunken curls hook up and too much manipulation trying to sort it out can cause hair to break off.


This is what I was going to say. It really depends on your hair.


Gonna have to agree with the others, it really depends on your hair. Mine won’t dry properly in a bun or braid; but I can put it up for an hour or 2 if I need to and not hurt anything. If your hair dries ok while restrained, you should be fine.

Thanks a lot for your answers. My hair takes way too long to dry normally and it is quite manageable, so I guess not braiding when wet is probably better for me,

[Tinyponies]

The reference to terminal length hair. Is the final length determined by genetics?

Wonder if some folk will never have long hair because of this?
Yeah, as I see it, that final length must be genetics plus an *absolutely unavoidable just by being alive* bit of damage.
Edit: bar health issues that would cause a shorter length or brittle hair etc.

What’s the shortest terminal length on a human? I would guess that the average terminal length is pretty long because it’s not something we regularly see here. People who are “stuck” at a certain length often find ways to mitigate damage/stop damaging/prevent damage and on they grow.

Our sweet Sarahlabyrinth for example has a lot of dyed hair and Sarah I wouldn’t be surprised to see your thickness travel down, and then your length increase a bit more.

Who knows? I guess only one way to find out...

[squirrrel]

Our sweet Sarahlabyrinth for example has a lot of dyed hair and Sarah I wouldn’t be surprised to see your thickness travel down, and then your length increase a bit more.

Who knows? I guess only one way to find out...

I have wondered whether this, mixed with the shed Sarahlabyrinth mentioned a while back, might have resulted in a stall... I also look forward to hearing your progress over the next few years Sarah.

[Dark40]

Has anyone ever used their conditioner as a leave-in before? And, I'm talking about a coney conditioner.

[Kat]

Has anyone ever used their conditioner as a leave-in before? And, I'm talking about a coney conditioner.

Yup. I usually try to purposely under-rinse my conditioner. I also mixed up my own leave-in with the 2 conditioners I use for regular conditioning, sometimes my VO5 that I use for CWC, a leave-in conditioner I have, and some coconut oil.

But, my hair always sucks up this kind of thing. I see people recommend to put just a couple drops of oil in an entire length of hair, and my hair laughs uncontrollably. So, YMMV if your hair doesn't need/like a lot of moisturizer.

[Dark40]

Yup. I usually try to purposely under-rinse my conditioner. I also mixed up my own leave-in with the 2 conditioners I use for regular conditioning, sometimes my VO5 that I use for CWC, a leave-in conditioner I have, and some coconut oil.

But, my hair always sucks up this kind of thing. I see people recommend to put just a couple drops of oil in an entire length of hair, and my hair laughs uncontrollably. So, YMMV if your hair doesn't need/like a lot of moisturizer.

Yup, I thought so. I don't see anything wrong with doing it. I also did that yesterday to my hair as well. I co-washed with Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditoiner. Then, after out of the shower I applied the It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Treatment and after that I applied some Herbal Essence Hello Hydration as well.

Oh, ok. I love anything by VO5! They are excellent for co-washing and leave-ins. I bet your hair does suck up this kind of thing. Yes, I also add a few drops of any eseential oils in my conditioner as well. My hair loves moisture. I think with the hair type I have ( which is relaxed and color-treated) it love/needs lots of moisturizer a lot more than protein conditioners. I try to balance out the moisture/protein thing but I feel that with my relaxed and color-treated hair it needs more moisture at times than protein. If I do a protein treatment with a protein conditioner (which is a light protein conditioner) I only do that once a week. Or, even twice a month.

[Dark40]

Is there any difference between a conditioner and a hair mask - not a DIY mask for pre-shampooing, just a regular one that you use in the shower after shampooing.

My conditioner was making my hair feel terrible, so I started using my hair mask instead, and it seems to do exactly the same thing as a conditioner.
I leave it for a few minutes after shampooing and then rinse it out.

Oh yeah, there is a difference between a conditioner and a hair mask. Especially, if it says, "Intensive Moisturizing Hair Mask." What kind of conditioner and hair mask do you use?

[Firefox7275]

Has anyone ever used their conditioner as a leave-in before? And, I'm talking about a coney conditioner.

My routine is very modified from the original Curly Girl method. I have stuck with the original 'rule' of leaving in or adding back a regular conditioner. They have a better balance of ingredients for my hair issues than many haircare products marketed as a leave-in.

I include some silicones now: water-soluble and amine functionalised that resist building up. Back in the day when I first started trying CG I was using a mainstream coney conditioner.

I cannot see any reason why not to, especially if you are shampooing occasionally. It does not necessarily have to be a harsh clarifying shampoo either if you are aiming to prevent major build up rather than treating major build up. There is no scientific evidence that silicones are damaging to hair, and some evidence of their benefits within a balanced haircare routine.

My dye-damaged hair does well with hydrolysed protein in conditioner or a leave in treatment every wash, but the smaller (keratin, collagen, silk) rather than the larger ones (wheat, soy). Protein is moisturising, it helps hair hold the right amount of water.

[Dark40]

My routine is very modified from the original Curly Girl method. I have stuck with the original 'rule' of leaving in or adding back a regular conditioner. They have a better balance of ingredients for my hair issues than many haircare products marketed as a leave-in.

I include some silicones now: water-soluble and amine functionalised that resist building up. Back in the day when I first started trying CG I was using a mainstream coney conditioner.

I cannot see any reason why not to, especially if you are shampooing occasionally. It does not necessarily have to be a harsh clarifying shampoo either if you are aiming to prevent major build up rather than treating major build up. There is no scientific evidence that silicones are damaging to hair, and some evidence of their benefits within a balanced haircare routine.

My dye-damaged hair does well with hydrolysed protein in conditioner or a leave in treatment every wash, but the smaller (keratin, collagen, silk) rather than the larger ones (wheat, soy). Protein is moisturising, it helps hair hold the right amount of water.

Ok, cool. I bet your routine is very modified following the Curly Girl method. As to curly hair needs a lot more moisture than fine or straight hair. The regular conditioners do have a better balance of ingredients for my hair issues too than many haircare product on the marketed as leave-ins.

Oh, my hair loves slicones! It's great the you include them in your routine. You are very right that there is no scientific evidence that silicones damages the hair, but there is evidence of the benefits that it gives your hair. What is your natural hair texture or hair type right now? Is it curly or straight? Right now, my hair texture is relaxed but my natural hair texture or type is curly 2c/3a.

I totally agree with you on if you use a coney conditoner why not? Especially, if you are shampooing occasionally, and you are right a clarifying shampoo doesn't have to be a harsh one. When i use a clarifying shampoo it is a gentle one once a month. I also agree with you that there is no scientific evidence that slicones are damaging to the hair, but there is evidence that there are beneficial to your hair. There is this youtuber I follow on there, and on her instagram page. She always talks about how she feels about using silicones and sulfates. She doesn't use them at all. She uses hair products that are silicone-free and sulfate-free products. I totally disagree with her. I've been using a silicone conditioner for the last 5 years, and I have not seen any ounce of damaged hair on me, and I've been able to grow my hair to almost WL.

Yes, dyed damaged hair protein conditioners do work really well.

[Dark40]

My routine is very modified from the original Curly Girl method. I have stuck with the original 'rule' of leaving in or adding back a regular conditioner. They have a better balance of ingredients for my hair issues than many haircare products marketed as a leave-in.

I include some silicones now: water-soluble and amine functionalised that resist building up. Back in the day when I first started trying CG I was using a mainstream coney conditioner.

I cannot see any reason why not to, especially if you are shampooing occasionally. It does not necessarily have to be a harsh clarifying shampoo either if you are aiming to prevent major build up rather than treating major build up. There is no scientific evidence that silicones are damaging to hair, and some evidence of their benefits within a balanced haircare routine.

My dye-damaged hair does well with hydrolysed protein in conditioner or a leave in treatment every wash, but the smaller (keratin, collagen, silk) rather than the larger ones (wheat, soy). Protein is moisturising, it helps hair hold the right amount of water.

Ok, cool. I bet your routine is very modified following the Curly Girl method. As to curly hair needs a lot more moisture than fine or straight hair. The regular conditioners do have a better balance of ingredients for my hair issues too than many haircare product on the marketed as leave-ins.

Oh, my hair loves slicones! It's great the you include them in your routine. You are very right that there is no scientific evidence that silicones damages the hair, but there is evidence of the benefits that it gives your hair. What is your natural hair texture or hair type right now? Is it curly or straight? Right now, my hair texture is relaxed but my natural hair texture or type is curly 2c/3a.

I totally agree with you on if you use a coney conditoner why not? Especially, if you are shampooing occasionally, and you are right a clarifying shampoo doesn't have to be a harsh one. When i use a clarifying shampoo it is a gentle one once a month. I also agree with you that there is no scientific evidence that slicones are damaging to the hair, but there is evidence that there are beneficial to your hair. There is this youtuber I follow on there, and on her instagram page. She always talks about how she feels about using silicones and sulfates. She doesn't use them at all. She uses hair products that are silicone-free and sulfate-free products. I totally disagree with her. I've been using a silicone conditioner for the last 5 years, and I have not seen any ounce of damaged hair on me, and I've been able to grow my hair to almost WL.

Yes, dyed damaged hair protein conditioners do work really well, and yes they are also moisturizing.

[Tinyponies]

My mum has neck length white hair, and has used box dye blonde for a few years, and recently pointed out to me tufts of 1 1/2 inch broken hairs, particularly on top of her head.

I wonder, in case the subject comes up again, in LHC hair friendly terms what’s the best most gentle way to maintain a light blonde colour on white hair?

Herbs? Demi? Wash out colours?

I’m in uk and have no knowledge about products for colouring hair, any specific names for me to look up to get an idea would be great too.

[Lady Stardust]

My mum has neck length white hair, and has used box dye blonde for a few years, and recently pointed out to me tufts of 1 1/2 inch broken hairs, particularly on top of her head.

I wonder, in case the subject comes up again, in LHC hair friendly terms what’s the best most gentle way to maintain a light blonde colour on white hair?

Herbs? Demi? Wash out colours?

I’m in uk and have no knowledge about products for colouring hair, any specific names for me to look up to get an idea would be great too.

Have you looked into cassia, or is that too much palava? My hair is going grey in places, and some areas stopped taking henna properly (so I stopped using it a couple of years ago). I wonder whether white hair could be resistant to some herbal dyes, but I think that would vary from person to person.

Holland and Barrett might have some more gentle dyes that don’t contain ammonia or peroxide.

Camomile tea rinses? I’ve no idea how much colour they impart.

White hair sounds absolutely beautiful. My mum’s hair didn’t go snowy white, it was silvery, but she struggled to find a dye that suited her. In the end she left it silver and it suited her so much better than even her natural pigmented colour did.

Of course your mum might not want to keep her hair white, but if it is snowy white, it might mean she has cool “winter” colouring and white will really suit her, Just a thought!

[KokoroDragon]

My mum has neck length white hair, and has used box dye blonde for a few years, and recently pointed out to me tufts of 1 1/2 inch broken hairs, particularly on top of her head.

I wonder, in case the subject comes up again, in LHC hair friendly terms what’s the best most gentle way to maintain a light blonde colour on white hair?

Herbs? Demi? Wash out colours?

I’m in uk and have no knowledge about products for colouring hair, any specific names for me to look up to get an idea would be great too.

I don't know how accessible these are to the UK, but coloring conditioners like Arctic Fox and Overtone will probably work well. Punky Color would also work, but I don't think they have much of a selection of natural colors.

As for herbs, I know chamomile is used to lighten hair, but I've never looked into what one could use to dye white hair.:shrug:

[Tinyponies]

Lady Stardust, KokoroDragon, thank you very much for your replies and suggestions. I never thought to look in Holland & Barrett - will do so.

A colouring conditioner might be just the thing!

Cassia does look great though I’m finding it hard to get a definitive answer on what colour you get if any, on hair like Mum’s. Maybe it does differ on hair type and that’s why. This is just a bit of research in case she does bring it up directly again and maybe a simple product goop would be a good first step.

I think she’d look better natural too (well that’s my personal preference). Mum loves “being blonde” and is a few steps from seeing otherwise. It would be great to help her get healthier “blonde” hair if I get the chance.

[Lady Stardust]

Lady Stardust, KokoroDragon, thank you very much for your replies and suggestions. I never thought to look in Holland & Barrett - will do so.

A colouring conditioner might be just the thing!

Cassia does look great though I’m finding it hard to get a definitive answer on what colour you get if any, on hair like Mum’s. Maybe it does differ on hair type and that’s why. This is just a bit of research in case she does bring it up directly again and maybe a simple product goop would be a good first step.

I think she’d look better natural too (well that’s my personal preference). Mum loves “being blonde” and is a few steps from seeing otherwise. It would be great to help her get healthier “blonde” hair if I get the chance.

Superdrug do some colour conditioners, but again I’ve never used them. I wonder if there’s a blonde equivalent of a blue rinse? (I wish that had stayed in fashion. So many pastel coloured ladies, it was a joy to see.)

[Tinyponies]

Superdrug do some colour conditioners, but again I’ve never used them. I wonder if there’s a blonde equivalent of a blue rinse? (I wish that had stayed in fashion. So many pastel coloured ladies, it was a joy to see.)

A rinse might be great. It’s really perplexing me. Seems like going blonde from white isn’t that popular a thing? Mum was brunette but dyed her hair various browns with box dye for as long as I remember to cover her greys. She sees her blonde now as fun and rebellious after a life containing periods of quite severe repression. :)

I looked up arctic fox and overtone, they seem more focused on vibrant colours and are US based too. Holland and Barrett has a giant range of permanent dyes and a few semis but not a light blonde semi that I could find.

I saw on the herbal board people adding chamomile to cassia, maybe that’s how it works?

[Lady Stardust]

A rinse might be great. It’s really perplexing me. Seems like going blonde from white isn’t that popular a thing? Mum was brunette but dyed her hair various browns with box dye for as long as I remember to cover her greys. She sees her blonde now as fun and rebellious after a life containing periods of quite severe repression. :)

I looked up arctic fox and overtone, they seem more focused on vibrant colours and are US based too. Holland and Barrett has a giant range of permanent dyes and a few semis but not a light blonde semi that I could find.

I saw on the herbal board people adding chamomile to cassia, maybe that’s how it works?

Ah I totally get why your mum is enjoying blonde hair then :)

I found Nightshade’s article on herbal hair colouring. Lots of info in there.
http://web.archive.org/web/20120307003024/http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=2

It would be worth collecting shed hair for experiments, if that’s possible.

Is a toner the same as a rinse? I’ve never been blonde so I don’t know how it works, but I think the natural colour is bleached out and the toner gives a semipermanent colour on top?

[KokoroDragon]

It seems like the blonde dyes that are widely available are color lifting. This is quite the perplexing situation, I must say. I wonder, if you used a light brown coloring conditioner but rinsed it out right away, would that work?

Maybe this question does deserve it's own thread?

[Tinyponies]

With no history of regular salon visits or much home dying, I honestly have no idea about toners or colouring conditioner.

Thanks for linking me to nightshade’s article, Lady Stardust. What a beast!

Who’d have thought. Maybe it *does*, Kokoro.

[Jane99]

I did some hairball tests on my hair (naturally a dark ashy blonde) on senna powder marketed as laxative and cassia powder marked for hair, as inspired by Nightshade. I left the hairballs for hours in the mud. The senna was much brighter than the cassia. But after hours it was very yellow.

[Tinyponies]

I did some hairball tests on my hair (naturally a dark ashy blonde) on senna powder marketed as laxative and cassia powder marked for hair, as inspired by Nightshade. I left the hairballs for hours in the mud. The senna was much brighter than the cassia. But after hours it was very yellow.

Very cool experiment Jane. Thanks for sharing!

[Bat]

how does one find out if they have protein overload? like what are the symptoms to look out for?

[zashin66]

Why does my hair choose to grow I curly now when I'm with I spitting distance of grey instead of when i was dewy-eyed.

[SleepyTangles]

how does one find out if they have protein overload? like what are the symptoms to look out for?

Usually hair feels stiff, almost crunchy. Like is lacking on elasticity.

[SleepyTangles]

Why does my hair choose to grow I curly now when I'm with I spitting distance of grey instead of when i was dewy-eyed.

Not sure, but my hair can change texture over time. Weather and humidity can boost my waves. Also, I think that It also can structurally change in the years.
Grey hair can be thicker or curlier, expecially when they are just coming in

[Bat]

Usually hair feels stiff, almost crunchy. Like is lacking on elasticity.

Good to know, thank you! my hair feels nice after my Castor oil treatment but it sure is frizzy to look wanted to make sure it wasn't for overload

[curiouscat13]

I got a shampoo, and I saw that it contains both silicones and sulphates. Will that cause build-up of I don't use any other shampoo to clarify?

[Ylva]

I got a shampoo, and I saw that it contains both silicones and sulphates. Will that cause build-up of I don't use any other shampoo to clarify?

No, the sulphates will take care of that.

[0xalis]

Anyone have any advice on how to wear a satin hair scarf for daytime use??? I want to cover my hair while I get past this awkward phase and I know I should save my wigs for outings, so I was thinking of using scarves for at home use. When I try googling all I find are sleep styles...

[SelenVinland]

The youtuber Loepsie has a few tutorials about styles involving hair scarves, although her hair may be longer than yours it might be worth it to check those out?

Here is one of her scarf videos, she has several though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD4JoXSlM2M

[0xalis]

The youtuber Loepsie has a few tutorials about styles involving hair scarves, although her hair may be longer than yours it might be worth it to check those out?

Here is one of her scarf videos, she has several though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD4JoXSlM2M

Oh yeah I've seen her before!
I ended up finding a style that works and covers all of my hair (except a few pesky bangs >:0 haha)

[Jane99]

Question, does it really matter what you use to dry your hair when it’s wet? Like I know you shouldn’t rub a cotton towel all over your head because that is damaging. But if you gently use a towel? I hear of people using t-shirt material and that sounds like it would get soaked very fast, and microfiber. Thoughts?

[KokoroDragon]

Question, does it really matter what you use to dry your hair when it’s wet? Like I know you shouldn’t rub a cotton towel all over your head because that is damaging. But if you gently use a towel? I hear of people using t-shirt material and that sounds like it would get soaked very fast, and microfiber. Thoughts?

I've tried using an old t-shirt, and I've tried gently using a towel. I've found that for my hair, even if I use the towel gently it gives me more frizz than the t-shirt. The shirt does get soaked quickly, but with my hair's current length I find one shirt to be enough. I also have a big cotton scarf the size of a towel I sometimes use, and that gives similar results as the shirt but, because it's bigger, it doesn't get soaked as much.

[Dark40]

Hey, can anyone tell me what happened to longhaired websites like: www.ethniclonghair.com and www.longhairindia.com? Where can I find some beautiful longhared Indian ladies?

[lapushka]

Question, does it really matter what you use to dry your hair when it’s wet? Like I know you shouldn’t rub a cotton towel all over your head because that is damaging. But if you gently use a towel? I hear of people using t-shirt material and that sounds like it would get soaked very fast, and microfiber. Thoughts?

I use a microfiber towel (smooth surface kind, so the sports bathtowels). I don't rub it on my hair. I just wring my hair out with my hands, then gently wrap my hair in the towel and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Comes out nice and damp enough for styling.

[Simsy]

Question, does it really matter what you use to dry your hair when it’s wet? Like I know you shouldn’t rub a cotton towel all over your head because that is damaging. But if you gently use a towel? I hear of people using t-shirt material and that sounds like it would get soaked very fast, and microfiber. Thoughts?

I use a large square of muslin cloth, gently wrapped around and draped up out of the way.

[ynne]

Question, does it really matter what you use to dry your hair when it’s wet? Like I know you shouldn’t rub a cotton towel all over your head because that is damaging. But if you gently use a towel? I hear of people using t-shirt material and that sounds like it would get soaked very fast, and microfiber. Thoughts?
I think it matters because a towel has rough surface, no matter how gentle you are. Any rubbing sounds like it would be fairly damaging, though. I never do more than gently squeeze my hair, or put it up in a "plop" if I don't care about its texture, and a large cotton t-shirt holds up really well. :)

[AmeerahKhanNot]

I have a question and I can't seem to find anything online about it: I'm thinking of cutting my hair into a U shape since I dislike the blunt hemline I have right now, but I occasionally like to put my hair into a side part instead of my natural path that I usually wear which is slightly to the left. I'm wondering if you can part your hair anywhere with U and V hemlines or will that just make it look off?

[jane_marie]

I have a question and I can't seem to find anything online about it: I'm thinking of cutting my hair into a U shape since I dislike the blunt hemline I have right now, but I occasionally like to put my hair into a side part instead of my natural path that I usually wear which is slightly to the left. I'm wondering if you can part your hair anywhere with U and V hemlines or will that just make it look off?

Generally when you cut hair you should part your hair to your preference before cutting so the shape looks precise. You can certainly part use different parts with any hemline regardless of how it is cut but it will look slightly off. Most often no one will notice unless you point it out. Still, I would make the part in the spot you think you would wear it most often.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

I have a question and I can't seem to find anything online about it: I'm thinking of cutting my hair into a U shape since I dislike the blunt hemline I have right now, but I occasionally like to put my hair into a side part instead of my natural path that I usually wear which is slightly to the left. I'm wondering if you can part your hair anywhere with U and V hemlines or will that just make it look off?

From what I've heard this is the rule of the thumb:
-If you always wear your parting in a different place, middle part to cut.
-If you mostly wear it in a specific place, put the parting there to cut.

[Bri-Chan]

Jane99 On me, yes! Regular towels make my hair more frizz than usual. I usually use a microfiber towel, but not a regular microfiber towel. One with a smooth surface.

[Jane99]

Thanks for your responses everyone!! I do actually get a lot of frizz... hadn’t even thought it could be the towel :)

[Dark40]

Hi all,

Is it possible to grow 3 or 4 inches of hair within a three month period without taking any vitamin supplements?

[CuteCrow]

Hi all,

Is it possible to grow 3 or 4 inches of hair within a three month period without taking any vitamin supplements?

I think it depends on your normal growth rate. If you already grow more than 1/5 inch a month I think it's very possible to grow 3-4 inches in three months with a couple of lifestyle changes, like wearing your hair up at all times, protecting it at night, no heat at all (not even blow dry in "medium" heat), maybe oiling your ends, washing as little as necessary, scalp massages every night, etc. And also general healthy habits like drinking enough water, eating healthy and getting enough protein, and exercising daily.

[Iyashikei]

Question: Is it normal that conditioner has such a strong scent? I conditioned my hair for the first time yesterday evening and now I can't put my head on my pillow without smelling it. Or is it possible that I didn't rinse it out properly?

[pixitolong]

is SL shoulder length?

[Simsy]

is SL shoulder length?

Yes, it is.

[Suortuva]

Question: Is it normal that conditioner has such a strong scent? I conditioned my hair for the first time yesterday evening and now I can't put my head on my pillow without smelling it. Or is it possible that I didn't rinse it out properly?

Some products can be that heavily scented. And some hairs hold scents better. And it's not always necessarily to rinse out conditioner properly... Um, not really answers...

[CuteCrow]

Question: Is it normal that conditioner has such a strong scent? I conditioned my hair for the first time yesterday evening and now I can't put my head on my pillow without smelling it. Or is it possible that I didn't rinse it out properly?
It could be both, a lot of conditioners have a really strong scent. Look at the ingredients and see how high in the list "perfume" or sometimes "aroma" is, that'll give an idea of how strong the scent is. Not rinsing out your conditioner completely shouldn't be a problem unless your hair is greasier than usual or you have an itchy scalp


is SL shoulder length?
Yup.

[Dark40]

I think it depends on your normal growth rate. If you already grow more than 1/5 inch a month I think it's very possible to grow 3-4 inches in three months with a couple of lifestyle changes, like wearing your hair up at all times, protecting it at night, no heat at all (not even blow dry in "medium" heat), maybe oiling your ends, washing as little as necessary, scalp massages every night, etc. And also general healthy habits like drinking enough water, eating healthy and getting enough protein, and exercising daily.

Hmmmm, ok. Yes, that's true it does depend on your normal hair growth rate. I was just asking. Because, I had this girlfriend of mine that had Hip Length/BCL hair, and I hadn't seen her in a couple of months, and she went through the "big chop," and chopped it all off up to BSL, and then when I saw her with it at BSL another 3 months had passed, and I hadn't seen her again for 3 months, and one day I saw that her hair hair grown back down to hip length/bcl again! I never knew what her regimen or hair growth rate was but to me it grew very fast! I guess she was eating healthy drinking plenty of water, and excercising too! But she was soooo skinny that she didn't even need to excercise..lol I was wondering! Because, I know that my hair growth rate per month is 1 inch. Or, 2cm a month. My friend did have relaxed hair, and she was using heat by blow drying every single day I'm assuming. I'm not sure.

[SwanFeathers]

Hmmmm, ok. Yes, that's true it does depend on your normal hair growth rate. I was just asking. Because, I had this girlfriend of mine that had Hip Length/BCL hair, and I hadn't seen her in a couple of months, and she went through the "big chop," and chopped it all off up to BSL, and then when I saw her with it at BSL another 3 months had passed, and I hadn't seen her again for 3 months, and one day I saw that her hair hair grown back down to hip length/bcl again! I never knew what her regimen or hair growth rate was but to me it grew very fast! I guess she was eating healthy drinking plenty of water, and excercising too! But she was soooo skinny that she didn't even need to excercise..lol I was wondering! Because, I know that my hair growth rate per month is 1 inch. Or, 2cm a month.

I suspect she got hair extensions

[Dark40]

I suspect she got hair extensions

No, she never had any hair extensions. Because, this was back in the 1980s, and extensions weren't popular back then. When me and her first met she had very thick 2c/3a curly hip length/bcl hair! I looked doubled at it. Or, I looked at it a long time to see if it was her hair, and it was hers

[Dark40]

Hi all,

Is there a such thing as deep conditioning your hair too often under a hooded dryer with a thick/heavy deep conditioner? Like, Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream?

[Jane99]

Maybe your friend was going through some hormone changes and that led to growth? Or your perception can change when you don’t see someone for a long time, you may have perceived her hair as shorter, then longer, with the time in between?
And I would think that frequent deep conditioning could lead to buildup if you do it “too often” but what’s too often for me wouldn’t be too often for you

[Hexana]

Is it normal for hairsticks to pull on the scalp when doing buns with them? I am just starting to get to a length where I can try doing simple buns with hairsticks, but unless I do them tightly (so that they pull on the a hair a little) the sticks immediately fall out.

[Dark40]

Yes, that could be possible that my friend was going through some hormonal changes, and that could made me see some growth in such a short period of time.

Yes, you could be right about how often you deep condition may not be too often for me. I used to deep condition but without heat 2 years ago twice a week. But I was only using a hair mask, and not a heavy thick conditioner. Thank you very much for your response.

[apollosdrawer]

My mom and I both have baby fine hair. Our hairs are so fine that if you hold a single hair between your fingers, you can't feel it. I have never noticed split ends on my hair or hers as I trim. I figured that I must get them, but they're just too small to see with the naked eye.

Should I worry about this and trim more frequently? Or would practically microscopic splits not matter much? Is this a blessing or a curse, lol? I know what seems to work best for my hair, but I'm wondering if anyone is in the same situation and what they think of it. Maybe there's something I haven't considered

[Bri-Chan]

My mom and I both have baby fine hair. Our hairs are so fine that if you hold a single hair between your fingers, you can't feel it. I have never noticed split ends on my hair or hers as I trim. I figured that I must get them, but they're just too small to see with the naked eye.

Should I worry about this and trim more frequently? Or would practically microscopic splits not matter much? Is this a blessing or a curse, lol? I know what seems to work best for my hair, but I'm wondering if anyone is in the same situation and what they think of it. Maybe there's something I haven't considered

Hi, my hair is very, very fine. I don't get split ends easily. I don't think my splits are so small to be invisible, because now that my hair is damaged sometimes it splits and in that case is visible! And my bleached hair is obviously finer that my natural hair, so very very little diameter. I guess it's just possible to have hair not prone to split ends.


Is possible for very damaged hair to not like proteins that much? I bought a protein conditioner (with a lot of protein) but it makes my hair straighter. So I tried mixing it with another (and light) conditioner, but still I cannot appreciate it. My hair usually like very oily products over everything.
Yeah, it could be the conditioner I bought the problem ... just wondering.

[Feral_]

Combing. Specifically detangling.. I’ve read conflicting advice on combing direction. Crown down or ends up? I comb from the crown down til I meet resistance, then work up to that area from the ends. My reasoning was if you start with the ends first then you’re combing / over-handling more of the oldest hair?

How are you lovely long haired people combing? :confused:

[MusicalSpoons]

Combing. Specifically detangling.. I’ve read conflicting advice on combing direction. Crown down or ends up? I comb from the crown down til I meet resistance, then work up to that area from the ends. My reasoning was if you start with the ends first then you’re combing / over-handling more of the oldest hair?

How are you lovely long haired people combing? :confused:

I comb pretty much like you, usually.

[Bri-Chan]

Combing. Specifically detangling.. I’ve read conflicting advice on combing direction. Crown down or ends up? I comb from the crown down til I meet resistance, then work up to that area from the ends. My reasoning was if you start with the ends first then you’re combing / over-handling more of the oldest hair?

How are you lovely long haired people combing? :confused:

I start from the last 3 inches more or less. Then, I add more inches and this until the crown. But my hair has always several tangles.

[Tinyponies]

Is it normal for hairsticks to pull on the scalp when doing buns with them? I am just starting to get to a length where I can try doing simple buns with hairsticks, but unless I do them tightly (so that they pull on the a hair a little) the sticks immediately fall out.
How long/thick is your hair, and what buns have you tried? What kind of stick is it?

My first guess is that this may well resolve as your hair gets longer. The hair will anchor against the stick better and you’ll be able to have a looser bun.
With the length you’ll also be able to try various different buns which will hold better.
If it’s the case that you’re just a tad early for stick buns, you might be able to do some wicked experiments with half ups and double / triple buns.

[Tinyponies]

Combing. Specifically detangling.. I’ve read conflicting advice on combing direction. Crown down or ends up? I comb from the crown down til I meet resistance, then work up to that area from the ends. My reasoning was if you start with the ends first then you’re combing / over-handling more of the oldest hair?

How are you lovely long haired people combing? :confused:
Echoing the other replies, your description fits what I do too :)

[Elliandra]

Combing. Specifically detangling.. I’ve read conflicting advice on combing direction. Crown down or ends up? I comb from the crown down til I meet resistance, then work up to that area from the ends. My reasoning was if you start with the ends first then you’re combing / over-handling more of the oldest hair?

How are you lovely long haired people combing? :confused:

Great question and interesting replies! Looks like I might be in the minority! I comb from the bottom up. You might be right about over combing the ends. My hair isn't too fragile at the end, yet, so I haven't thought of that. I felt like combing down would compact a tangle. Maybe I'll try it you're way though, see how I get on!

[MusicalSpoons]

Great question and interesting replies! Looks like I might be in the minority! I comb from the bottom up. You might be right about over combing the ends. My hair isn't too fragile at the end, yet, so I haven't thought of that. I felt like combing down would compact a tangle. Maybe I'll try it you're way though, see how I get on!

If it compounds a tangle that can't be combed out from below, I'll use my fingers. It probably depends on your hair though; mine rarely tangles beyond what fingers and a comb can deal with.

[florenonite]

My mom and I both have baby fine hair. Our hairs are so fine that if you hold a single hair between your fingers, you can't feel it. I have never noticed split ends on my hair or hers as I trim. I figured that I must get them, but they're just too small to see with the naked eye.

Should I worry about this and trim more frequently? Or would practically microscopic splits not matter much? Is this a blessing or a curse, lol? I know what seems to work best for my hair, but I'm wondering if anyone is in the same situation and what they think of it. Maybe there's something I haven't considered

Nah, if you don't see them they're probably fine. I have fine hair and never noticed splits until I got some damage about a year ago - now I can DEFINITELY see them and keep having to cut them off.

[lapushka]

From what I've heard this is the rule of the thumb:
-If you always wear your parting in a different place, middle part to cut.
-If you mostly wear it in a specific place, put the parting there to cut.

That is what I always thought and what always worked for me. I always wear a side part, but used to use a middle part to cut.

[blackgothicdoll]

Do most people here not use BSB (below shoulder blade) as a milestone? BSL on me is so close to waist, it's frustrating. But there's no BSB thread :/

BSB is a more accurate milestone IMO because some people wear the bra right under their armpits, ppl like me wear them at waist, and some don't wear them at all! :o

[Tinyponies]

Do most people here not use BSB (below shoulder blade) as a milestone? BSL on me is so close to waist, it's frustrating. But there's no BSB thread :/

BSB is a more accurate milestone IMO because some people wear the bra right under their armpits, ppl like me wear them at waist, and some don't wear them at all! :o
Make it! I’m sure many will appreciate it and join you there. If I was growing in that area I definitely would. I do not own a bra.

[Fimu]

Do most people here not use BSB (below shoulder blade) as a milestone? BSL on me is so close to waist, it's frustrating. But there's no BSB thread :/

BSB is a more accurate milestone IMO because some people wear the bra right under their armpits, ppl like me wear them at waist, and some don't wear them at all! :o

I always found BSL a vague milestone mark. For myself I considered BSL as "halfway-boob" length, and MBL as "underboob" length (the inframammary fold). My waist sits high, i.e. one hand width between bottom of chest and waist so I grew my hair from MBL to waist in a shorter period.

[MissMuse]

I also hated BSL because it was different for everyone and even on myself depended on what bra I wore. Im all for BSB (not that I'm currently growing.. i just had the big chop)

[Lady Stardust]

I can’t remember who posted it but one of the long term members recently said that MBL was a term coined as an alternative for BSL. It seems to have evolved into a midpoint between BSL and Waist but it seems that was not the original intention.

Some people use BSB here, but BSL seems to be more popular.

Maybe the APL-BSL thread could be renamed to take into account the different terms?

[Fimu]

Does anyone here notice their hair feels more frictional (less smooth surface) or kinda squeaky when you soak your pre-poo oiled hair under the shower? If yes, with which oils do you notice that kind of feel?
I don't know to what extent the water hardness plays a role, though.

[Feral_]

Make it! I’m sure many will appreciate it and join you there. If I was growing in that area I definitely would. I do not own a bra.

Yess Tinies!! BSB gets my vote too. BSL is too vague whereas shoulder blades aren't.


I always found BSL a vague milestone mark. For myself I considered BSL as "halfway-boob" length, and MBL as "underboob" length (the inframammary fold). My waist sits high, i.e. one hand width between bottom of chest and waist so I grew my hair from MBL to waist in a shorter period.

Quite right. Also has anyone considered the male members on here?! Anatomical descriptors are surely better for accuracy and everyone.

General Comment
I have noticed there also seems to be some confusion generally on the forum as to where TBL is. TBL is not the top of the pelvis, the tail bone is the coccyx - a set of fused bones so will vary in length with individuals. Superior vs inferior coccyx, so why not go with the inferior aspect as everyone can palpate that. I would be happy to do a pic with the anatomical descriptors if the mods let me know what levels they want shown (i work in anatomy) :)

[Fimu]

Yess Tinies!! BSB gets my vote too. BSL is too vague whereas shoulder blades aren't.



Quite right. Also has anyone considered the male members on here?! Anatomical descriptors are surely better for accuracy and everyone.

General Comment
I have noticed there also seems to be some confusion generally on the forum as to where TBL is. TBL is not the top of the pelvis, the tail bone is the coccyx - a set of fused bones so will vary in length with individuals. Superior vs inferior coccyx, so why not go with the inferior aspect as everyone can palpate that. I would be happy to do a pic with the anatomical descriptors if the mods let me know what levels they want shown (i work in anatomy) :)

I find BCL a more accurate description because it clearly refers to the upper bottom cleavage zone. I think for some the cr*tch zone is an earlier milestone than Classic.

I hope my wordings aren't too TMI.

[Feral_]

I find BCL a more accurate description because it clearly refers to the upper bottom cleavage zone. I think for some the cr*tch zone is an earlier milestone than Classic.

I hope my wordings aren't too TMI.

Bottom cleavage ;) :applause