How can you tell?

[Thumper]

Ok I'm somewhat confused (it ain't difficult let me tell ya)
With regards to how we all take care of our hair, I see that some of us like cones (or rather our hair does) and some of us don't? I think I saw an article that said someone's hair didn't like oiling :confused:.
What I want to know is, how DO you know if your hair doesn't like something? I've had really good hair days and if I let my hair go 2...3 days it starts to look like crap so what happened there?
I currently use cone conditioner and my hair seems fine, a little flat and whispy but it's so thin I can't tell if its product or hair issues?
How do you all tell?

[Periwinkle]

Some things (cones being one of them) don't seem to make a hape of difference to my hair. However, stuff that my hair doesn't like makes it like wiry straw (believe me, you'd notice) and stuff that my hair does like seems like a miracle. Oil, in particular, had really fast effects for me - as soon as I put it on, my hair was shiny, smooth and tangle-free.

You know what your hair is like for your current routine. When you try something new, stick at it for a couple of washes, and it's a nice idea to use the LHC blogs to write about how your hair feels each day. After a few washes, you can see what your overall feelings have been.

Even if a product or technique works for you, that doesn't mean it'll always work, and if it doesn't work first time, that doesn't mean it never will. Just stick with it a while and see what happens.

[spidermom]

Your hair does not, in and of itself, "like" or "dislike" anything. You make these decisions for yourself based on how your hair looks and behaves. If you would like to find out, for example, whether or not your hair would be less flat and wispy without cones, give a no-cone routine a try for two weeks and see if there is a change.

Remember, make only one change at a time and try it for two weeks before you decide whether you like or dislike the difference.

[Spike]

Hair going "feh" tends to happen whenever you fall off your routine--no surprises there! (Anyone else think of the Pantene commercial whose tag line was "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful" and the 20 step routine the model took to make her hair amazing?)

But yeah, you can generally tell when something ISN'T working for you. If your intent is soft, tangle-free hair and the thing you try for a bit results in something other than that, then stop and try something else.

We are all laboratories of one. I get like thirty percent shed when I use henna--so I don't touch the stuff! Other people swear by henna for color, shine, strength, and thickness.

[Euphony]

My hair doesn't like 'cones, I found that because the second day after washing the tips of my hair felt a bit 'crispy'. My hair loves oil, soaks it up and feels like silk after.

[kimberlily]

My hair reacts well to cones. Without cones, my hair is nearly impossible to comb, and very puffy.

It also does well with coconut and jojoba oil. They make it really shiny and keep splits at bay. Shea is bad on my hair, because it is sticky and causes matting.

[Nat242]

My hair reacts to things it "doesn't like" in one of two was - it becomes dry at the ends and oily at the roots, or the ends become stringy, limp, and "wet" looking.

Introduce one new thing to your routine at a time so that you can tell what your hair is or is not reacting to.

[Chanterelle]

So far my hair visibly disliked only two products - Pantene shampoo and coconut oil. Right after washing it looked greasy and had no volume at all.

[Honey39]

I guess it's what you want your hair to do! For me, I want a). frizz free hair most and b). good curls and c). well moisturised ends. I don't mind washing my hair every day and I wear my hair down. So the things that work for me all have those kinds of goals in mind. If you wanted to wear your hair up and stretch out washings to once a week and want pin straight hair, you might do different things!!

I am cone-free not so much because my hair prefers it, but because shampoo really doesn't suit my hair. Therefore I want to avoid build-up as much as possible, and so I steer clear of product that builds-up, and that tends to be cone conditioners for me.

I did use oil a LOT at first, but then I realised that leave-in conditioner used every day has made my hair soft, glossy and bouncy, and in really good condition. So I guess it's been trial and error - I find that if I oil my hair, I prefer to oil it on dirty, dampened hair and plait it overnight; that really softens it. Oiling dry hair does NOT work on me, it just seems to sit on the curl and create a nasty fuzzy mess.

So like the others have said, it's mainly trial and error, and not doing too much at once. It'swhat gives you the hair you like and fits into your routine! The other good bit of advice is to look for someone who has similar hair to yourself, and see what they do - that's what really works for me, to be honest.

Good luck!

[Speckla]

The telltale sign for me is second day hair. Can I acheive it with certain products? If the yes box is checked then I use it. No? Out you go, out dang 'cone I say!
________
F2007 (http://www.ferrari-wiki.com/wiki/Ferrari_F2007)

[Fantak]

If my scalp doesn't like something it goes beserk and starts shedding something wicked. But when it comes to my hair I'm as clueless as you are.

I think I might clarify today to see what my hair looks like under all the oils, maybe then I'll be able to tell what makes it look better and what doesn't..

[PurpleAshes]

Yeah, I just started my "hair journey" and right now it's difficult for me to figure out what my hair likes and what it doesnt, so I was about to make a thread like this.
I really like the suggestion of taking into consideration what you're looking for. For example, I have curly hair and I'm looking for definition, so I have discovered my hair likes vinegar for that purpose.

[Buddaphlyy]

I go by how my hair feels and behaves. My hair should not be dry or crunchy and it should have a nice sheen and feels soft. My hair usually tells me whether something worked or not after about a day.

[Calanthe]

I just slap it on and see what happens :D. Although over the years I've found a few things I won't slap on anymore. And experience told me really not to try more than one new thing, product or routine at the same time. I'd saved myself a lot of money and a lot of bad results if I'd heeded that particular advice. :rolleyes:

Cones is one thing - I have very fine and soft hair and with cones it's lank and "heavy" (and believe me, if that's the case you'd realize it straight away). I always wondered about that right until I switched to cone-free.

Anthing containig alcohol is not a good idea - my scalp freaks out completely.

What I'm after is moisture moisture moisture and more moisture. That's why I switched back to CO during the winter months because as soon as the cold season kicked in, my hair didn't like hairsoaps anymore - halo all over the place which is a sure sign for not enough moisture for my hair.

[venividibxtchy]

1. Texture: It can't be greasy, and it can't have a residue on it, from shampoo or any other product. Also, I like my hair when it has a bit of "slip", like from a cone product, because it tames frizzies, but doesn't add weight or grease. Finally, the ends can't be neither oily, nor dry and straw-like.

2. Volume: My hair has to be as big and thick as possible. Just a personal preference.

[Dianyla]

Your hair does not, in and of itself, "like" or "dislike" anything. You make these decisions for yourself based on how your hair looks and behaves.
I wholeheartedly agree. One of the most fascinating things that I've learned from going to LHC meets is the wide variety of preferences when it comes to routines. You learn about different people's routines and you can observe and feel the outcome of their routine first-hand.

I've noticed that a lot of people tend to lean towards one end of the spectrum between "dry/overcleansed" vs. "oily/overconditioend". Some people don't mind having their hair oily and supple, and while others are mildly horrified at the way this makes hair feel to the touch. Others like to keep their hair squeaky clean, and to me their hair feels dry and thirsty.

The bottom line is that there is no "right" or "wrong" and you should find a routine that meets your needs and makes you happy. :agree:

Remember, make only one change at a time and try it for two weeks before you decide whether you like or dislike the difference.
To this I would also add that you should try something a few different ways. There are successful and unsuccessful ways to use all kinds of hair products. I've known many people who proclaimed that a particular product didn't work for them, and then sometime later they've gone back and tried using it in a slightly different way and then suddenly it was their holy grail product.

[Katze]

I've noticed that a lot of people tend to lean towards one end of the spectrum between "dry/overcleansed" vs. "oily/overconditioend". Some people don't mind having their hair oily and supple, and while others are mildly horrified at the way this makes hair feel to the touch. Others like to keep their hair squeaky clean, and to me their hair feels dry and thirsty.

The bottom line is that there is no "right" or "wrong" and you should find a routine that meets your needs and makes you happy. :agree:

To this I would also add that you should try something a few different ways. There are successful and unsuccessful ways to use all kinds of hair products. I've known many people who proclaimed that a particular product didn't work for them, and then sometime later they've gone back and tried using it in a slightly different way and then suddenly it was their holy grail product.

Great post, Dianyla.

I have never found a routine. In all my time here I have tried almost everything and know what works well most of the time. But this can change, seemingly at the drop of a hat.

I do know, though, that my fine, fragile, wavy hair needs deep cleansing and lots of moisture to look good. 'Cones are OK, but then my scalp gets itchy and waxy quite fast.

Oiling is also difficult, but does seem to help my hair if I am very, very careful. I can tell I have overoiled when my hair hangs in greasy strings ('bacon strips') but is nevertheless crispy on the ends.

Don't worry if you don't have a 'routine' - not everyone here does!

[Loviatar]

Can't say it better than Spidermom and Dianyla.

I used to hate oil on my hair. I would wash twice a day and use the lightest of conditioners. I didnt know this was making my scalp overproduce oil to compensate. Now, I think nothing of oiling my length (a few drops of oil warmed between the palms and run through dry hair without touching the scalp) braiding and even going out with oiled hair. Oil on wet hair for me only works on the ends. Leave in conditioners tend not to work for me when applied to damp hair after washing but a blob of Miracle Moist Aussie on a dry braid tassel overnight has great results. It's all trial and error.

Dont try too much at once, dont give up on something because it doesnt work once, and scout round for people with a similar hair type to yours. I tried for ages to get my hair to adapt to my friend's routine when I was in college - she had very thick half-Asian, half-African hair and I do not!

'Laboratory of one' is a great phrase. And the LHC blogs are a fabulous way of documenting results you might have with any hair products.