Is it possible to have a simple hair care routine

[plainjanegirl]

and still have long healthy pretty hair? Can you just shampoo and condition or do you have to do all the oilings, etc.? My hair is waistish but I really hope to get it alot longer in time. So what have all of you found to be true for your hair....a simple routine or do you need to do more?? Thanks for input!!

[DanielleRenae]

I just shampoo my roots every day. That's all. I never condition or oil my hair and it's still soft and shiny. Of course, everybody's hair is different...

[squiggyflop]

my hair hates oils mostly.. um i wash then while im soaking out my backpain in the tub i use that time to have the conditioner soak in under a shower cap.. then i rinse and get out of the tub.. easy peasy.. wash condition rinse in cold water.. i think the only complicated thing i do is when i sleep.. either satin pillowcases or a satin scrap that i place over my bun and use an elastic to hold in place.. (my hair tangles easily).. um i really only use a wood bristle brush and a BBB (only use the BBB to get my hair back into an updo)

im not really one for extras but i do get complements on how cute my hair looks from time to time so i must be doing something right..

oh i forgot to mention that all my conditioners and shampoos are cheap.. im loving my 1$ breck restorative conditioner and i use watered down suave or vo5 for shampoo.. i do use a knockoff walmart version of pantene.. but my hair just cant live without cones..

[wintersun99]

Yes, it's possible. Shampoo the roots, condition the body, oil the ends, put it up. :D

[snowbird]

Another with a simple routine here. I wash soap and water and sometimes use cheap conditioner (boots own brand) as a leave in.

At the gym, I'll sometimes use the same cheap conditioner as a deep treatment by applying it to my hair before getting in the sauna.

hth!

[Elainehali]

The first time I grew my hair out. (like in the avatar picture) I shampooed and conditioned. There wasn't a lot of damage dispite my coloring the length with chemicals.

If you don't want to do oilings then don't.

You can still have pretty and long hair.

[AJoifulNoise]

I mostly CO with a couple shampoo/conditions a week. After that I put a bit of oil on my ends and up my hair goes. No heavy oilings. No deep treatments. No special rinses. At least not in my regular routine.

[Ursula]

I CO wash my hair in the shower - apply a lot of conditioner at the begining of the shower, twist into a bun to get it out of the way, finish my showerly duties (maybe 5 minutes, just to soap my body) then rinse well. Very simple.

Other than that, I'll use a drop of oil on my hands, finger combing through my hair, to help detangle.

It is quite easy to have a simple routine. I suspect most people here have a simpler routine than someone with short hair, who has to shampoo and condition daily, blow dry, style, and use styling products.

[Kirin]

Shampoo daily with a 2 in 1, or creme of nature detangling, bit of oil on ends, thats it. Cholesterol treatment once a month.

[Copasetic]

I just condition everyday, put some coconut oil on the ends, and wash whenever its needed. Nothing special.

[Lamb]

My hair hates oils and shampoo, so these days I CO every day with one shampoo per week. I either use my regular conditioner as a leave-in or Giovanni direct. That's it. A deep-treatment for me means leaving conditioner on longer than usual.

[plainjanegirl]

Wow! This is really encouraging. Simple works so much better for me. This trying to keep up with when I should do a protein or moisture treatment or whatnot is just a hassel.

[frizzinator]

I have used nothing on my waist length hair for nearly 17 months, not even water. My method is SO (sebum only). I scritch, massage and preen daily, which is easy but ultimately it takes as much time as any other routine.


My hair looks the same everyday, and I never have to think about products. "Sebum Only" is the least expensive hair care method, unless you count the cost of all the hair toys I buy to secure the updo I wear everyday.

[chelles2kids]

Simple routine here.

Diluted shampoo & condition (I've found that althought I love the idea of no-cone, my hair doesn't, so yeah, defiantely a water-soluble 'cone conditioner)

No blow-frying.

Combing only.

Scalp massages every so often.

Self-trimming always.

Updos in the summer.

Wearing it down in the winter.

Um yep, that's pretty much it.:p

[Anje]

I normally just CO my hair while I"m in the shower (wet hair, apply conditioner, bun or cap, soap up, rinse off, rinse hair), put it in a towel for a few minutes, then apply a little oil and comb it out. Let it dry (usually overnight, sometimes loose or in a braid or updo if I wash in the morning). Comb again in the morning, put it up, comb out in evening. Wear a sleep cap.

It's really pretty simple, unless I'm doing one of my many experiments.

[spidermom]

I consider my routine to be simple. It consists of CWC every 3-4 days with a pre-wash warm oiling if I remember. My ends need some oil, else they dry out, so my hair itself reminds me to add some oil.

I'm surprised that you can do SO for so long, frizzinator. My sebum seems thick; I haven't tested it beyond about a week, but my scalp area was terribly mucky after that long. If I hadn't been sick, I would have washed sooner.

[lynlora]

A simple routine works for me.Just condition every day and shampoo every third day or sooner if it gets icky.

[herbgurl82]

and still have long healthy pretty hair? Can you just shampoo and condition or do you have to do all the oilings, etc.? My hair is waistish but I really hope to get it alot longer in time. So what have all of you found to be true for your hair....a simple routine or do you need to do more?? Thanks for input!!

I think it is possible! For me, I just stick to a really simple routine:
1) CWC two or three times a week followed by an AVC rinse once or twice a week This is probably the most complicated part of my routine. I use a couple different types of conditioners -a lighter one for the first C, and a heavier one for the 2nd C. For the W part, I alternate between shampoo bars, and sulfate free shampoo. This usually takes me about 20 minutes or so, depending on if I preoil my hair, and do a vinegar rinse.
2) Heavy preoiling with Vatika Oil on scalp, and regular coconut oil on the length overnight once a week before doing a CWC in the morning.
3) Lightly oiling the ends with jojoba or grapeseed oil nightly before braiding for bed
4) Have my mother trim the ends about once every six months or so.
5) Wear it up always! Well, at least 99% of the time...
The only thing that changes really are the products! I am a hair product junkie, and love to try a different oil, or conditioner every so often!

[Cai]

I wash every 5-7 days (when I think it's necessary and have the time) and I use only shampoo and then oil the wet hair(or do a catnip treatment, depends on the time I have, when I do this I don't really need oil afterwards but most of the time use it anyway).

I still like doing cassia treatments and from time to time trying new things I read here or in another forum or just things I want to try, but not regularly, so it's not really part of my routine. Sometimes I try different things in one month and sometimes there may be even a few month when I do nothing but my basic routine described above.

In short: I like to keep the basics that I really "depend" on as simple as possible (and I think they are).

[Calanthe]

A wash once a week with soap or c/o (which doubles as a deep treatment as well), rinse. A bit of oil or shea every day, comb and then I put it up. That's it.

[Sidani]

My "routine" is about the simplest you can get. I wash my scalp really well once a week and condition the length. That's it. Oh, once every few months, I'll throw in a coconut oil treatment. But, I don't find that a problem, as it smells heavenly and it braids up beautifully during the oiling. I would happily wear my "oil" braid (faux crown braid - pic in my album) to the grocery store.

[Phalaenopsis]

I'm own of those gals who just uses a shampoo and CO. And then rinse it with cold water. Since I stopped all the completicated things, everyone has been saying that my hair shines and such.
Sometimes I use some oil to detangle.
I just shampoo when my hair doesn't feel nice anymore.

But I must admit I've had quite easy hair throughout my life. My hair didn't really bother cones and such, but now without cones and sls it shines a bit more.

[Finoriel]

Sure it is possible :). I´m generally lazy and do not want to spend my rare free time stuck in the bathroom :wink: that´s why I have long hair. Obviously it´s not neglected and not suffering at all from having a low maintenance routine.
Let´s see, my routine is:
Just wash hair when it actually needs a wash, which is every 10-14 days (egg-shampoo, acidic rinse) and oil the length after the wash, if needed. During the dry winter season I occasionally mist with an oil-water mixture, about once or twice a week max.
About every 10 weeks I do a yogurt-deeptreatment/henna-gloss combo for half an hour before washing my hair.
That´s it. :D

[Carolyn]

Wow! This is really encouraging. Simple works so much better for me. This trying to keep up with when I should do a protein or moisture treatment or whatnot is just a hassel.There are no supposed
to's or h
ow to's. It's a matter of figuring out when and if you want tooilingsings or any kind of treatments. Keep it simple for you. Then if things aren't working, you can do things like clarifying, SMT's, protein treatments and the like. A lot of us just do things on an as needed basis. I don't think very many of us look at a calendar and say "oh it's the 15th of the month. I need to do a protein treatment tonight". I, for one, am way too lackadaisical for things like that. If my ends are dry, then I pay more attention to adding moisture. If my hair seems lank and coated, then I deal with that. Sometimes I just get in the mood to cuddle up with my heat cap and do a SMT. Long hair care can be very simple. It's not rocket science as the saying goes. Some of us go on and on about our treatments and what we are doing because we enjoy it and it's fun. That doesn't mean it's necessary for growing long hair. And remember what works for one person, is not going to work for the next.

[Chanterelle]

I shampoo and condition my hair twice a week and do a home-made treatment once a month.
That's all.

[Arriens]

I add a mixture of conditioner with a bit of jojoba oil to my hair after showering and twice a week I use Kesham to wash my hair.

[Zindell]

I shampoo + condition (w cons) my hair with ordinary grocery store brands once or twice a week.

(Most often Herbal Essences)

I never do anything else with my hair. I think my hair has quite good quality if I may say so myself. (Soft, shiny etc) :D

[Curlsgirl]

I get my hair highlighted and I still have a very simple routine. I CWC or CO every 3-6 days and apply leave-ins, usually a leave-in conditioner and curl cream. Other than some coconut oil and a DT occasionally that's all I do. I get up in the morning and look in the mirror and even if I wear it down I usually have to do nothing to it. I agree that short hair usually way more high-maintenance. I am sure there are exceptions but for me it sure was.

[paper]

I've tryed alot of different products and different ways to wash my hair. I love Giovanni Smooth As Silk S&C. I wash my scalp with diluted shampoo and condition my ends, 2 times a week. I rub a little Jojoba Oil on my hair to smooth down the frizzys. About once a month I do a heavy overnight oiling with Coconut Oil. Very simple routine. Works for me!

[Tap Dancer]

It doesn't get more simple than my routine. I shampoo and condition (or CO) every other day. I let my hair air dry. I never oil. Most days I comb it and leave it alone. Otherwise I comb it and wear a headband or put it in a ponytail.

I do color my roots once a month, but that's the only "work" I do on my hair.

[frizzinator]

I'm surprised that you can do SO for so long, frizzinator. My sebum seems thick; I haven't tested it beyond about a week, but my scalp area was terribly mucky after that long. If I hadn't been sick, I would have washed sooner.



I think success depends on getting all product residue out of the hair before starting SO, by using the WO method for several weeks; product residue makes unwashed hair stink, and the word "product" includes oils. It's important to scritch to remove scalp debris such as dead skin cells. Preening moves the sebum down the length (fingers warm up thick sebum and it becomes more fluid). And finally, adjusting your perception of what hair should look like is essential and can take a long time to achieve.

[MemSahib]

I shampoo lightly and condition thoroughly every 6-7 days.

[Addy]

I shampoo head and length one time a week and CO the other 6 days.

Some days I may oil... sometimes not. It's been pretty simple since joining and my hair never looks like it was attacked by a fryer full of grease. I'm quite shocked myself. :D One girl at work said she loved the smell of my shampoo. I told her I don't poo! :D She said WoW! I could never go without shampoo! :disbelief

[Nera]

Of course you don't have to oil. your hair could look just as healthy without oil!
My hair just really likes oil (and so do I), but there are a lot of people with beautiful, shiny, healthy hair that don't even know about natural haircare.
Oil might just help you a little bit if your hair likes it(:

[Deborah]

I CO wash, ending with a citric acid rinse, once or twice a week. That's it. Works great. :)

[AutumnSky]

CWC every third day or so, sometimes with an ACV rinse if I think about it, sometimes not.

Oiling my ends is a short road to a bad hair day...sicky, and my roots get greasy faster, so any oiling I do pre-wash or at bedtime before washday.

That's it.... henna every few months, but I don't count that as part of my "routine".

[Friesiangirl]

I'm a WO/CO hybrid, then I oil the ends and put it up. I only condition on a rare occasion (if it's really dirty). Other than that, it just is.

Hayley

[naomimcc]

Yes, it's possible. Shampoo the roots, condition the body, oil the ends, put it up. :D

I was just going to type the EXACT same thing. LOL!

[Themyst]

I just wash mine every three days or so (sometimes I even go longer than that since I've learned how to wear a fashionable scarf!)

I wash my scalp only and condition the length. Then sometimes I spray on Aussie Hair Insurance (a leave-in conditioner).

Every three weeks or so I've been experimenting with cassia and/or henna treaments. My hair has gained some thickness from doing so.

I don't oil at all - my hair doesn't like it one bit. It just gets stringy.

[Teacherbear]

I wash once or twice a week (usually CWCC, sometimes CO). I brush once or twice a day. I wear my hair up most days (held with a Ficcare) and I braid or pony-tail (with a lot of scrunchies) at night. I mist my hair with water and EOs in the morning to tame my hair.

That's it.

Period.

Pretty dern simple.

I spend fewer than 5 minutes on my hair per day, except wash day - and that MIGHT be 10-15 minutes.

[NebraskaChick84]

my routine is simple. I wash 1-2x a week, CO every other time I get into the shower and do an oil treatment once a week.

[lahondas]

I do alot to my hair, only because I had a PPD scare and lost it.
Im pretty sure if genetically your hair is good, you won't have to do much to it. If it naturally is healthy, well then just go along with that. Im no expert! But im pretty sure If you just continued what you been doing, it will grow as long as you want!

One thing is for certain, ayurvedics does help hair wether damaged or not.

[dorothea-brooke]

Another simple gal here. I wash when it starts to feel a bit yucky, typically every 5-7 days. Scalp wash only in the shower, cone-free condish, rinse. A tiny bit of a shea butter-jojoba mix on the ends. Updo. Repeat.

Now, I will confess to liking chemistry experiments, and I have a bunch of other things lying around that I've mixed up: Kimberlily's spray, some hair butters, etc. Sometimes if I'm bored I'll do a deep treatment of some kind or do a cassia or catnip or something. But that's mostly cause I like to play around: I honestly think if I didn't do those, my hair would be pretty much the same. :shrug:

[loves2spin]

I only wash my hair and use conditioner and my hair is perfectly happy. :joy:

[desertrose]

i wash 2 x a week 1x co and 1 x shampoo + conditioner and oil treatment every week and i use monistat.. so i guess kinda simpel...?

[CopperHead]

I henna every two weeks, shampoo and condition when needed. I will sometimes put a leave-in of some kind in my braid at night, but I rarely deep condition or do anything fancy. I wear my hair up in a bun most of the time, so it stay protected and out of my face. I have some great deep conditioners but forget to use them. :o

[trolleypup]

You have to find what works for your hair.

Me: water only once or twice a week, very dilute shampoo on the scalp if I, for some reason, want it to be fluffy and stripped and looking more like conventional hair.

[NeilTheFuzz]

Partially due to laziness, more down to a busier day, I have simplified my hair care routine. I basically just shampoo and condition. Thing is my hair has always been a fairly no frills thing. I've been lucky that I don't use oils etc to get the style I want.

[chotee]

I think simple hair care is what the hair needs! Wash once or twice a week and put it up or braid it. I consider mine simple but i have various oils and i keep rotating them. I apply it only the day before wash. I don't use a conditioner but i use shikakai which is quite simple after all these years of using it. once a month i may use henna to color my grays.

Even though i consider mine simple, i can understand that for some it may seem complicated because shampoo is what they have used all along. So, i think its more of practice and routine which makes it simple.

[sandigirl]

I shampoo and condition once every 4-7 days. My hair has been as long as down past my rear and is always thick, shiny and healthy. I think genes have a lot to do with it. I also brush it more than usual (always have). I have NEVER used anything on it other than getting it highlighted every 6-12 weeks. I do wash my very thick bangs area every morning.

[JamieLeigh]

I think my routine is pretty simple. I wash CO every other day (I have to, my scalp is naturally oily), and micro-trim every 3 months or so, and take vitamins when I remember to. And I think I can safely say mine is long and healthy. :D

I think the main "secret" to long, healthy hair is a balanced diet with plenty of vitamins. As long as your body is healthy, your hair will be too. ;)

[dearladydisdain]

I had the routine of just shampoo & condition (sometimes every day!) and my hair grew to classic. Sometimes simple is the best!

[Jessikinz]

My routine is constantly changing, from simple to a lot. But I've found what works best for me is to not do much with my hair. I wash whenever it feels like it needs to be, use a little bit of shampoo on the scalp and condition the length mostly focusing on the ends. Once it's towel dry, I put a little bit of coconut oil on the ends and that's it. For days where I really want to be simple, I just WO my hair and let it be.

[kdaniels8811]

The beauty of learning so much from this site is my routine has lessened considerably. Now I just CWC, use catnip for conditioning before washing, and oil every day. Hair is up so does not get dirty so quickly - or was that all the styling products I was using to try to make my hair look nice? It certainly is a lot happier without all the junk. Finding what works for you is the key.

[Tressie]

I consider my routine to be fairly simple most weeks. I use a diluted shampoo (no cones) on the scalp and let it wash down the length as I rinse. If I can remember, I will put conditioner on the length before the poo (after wetting).

Then I usually end up with another type of conditioner and rinse with tepid and then a cold rinse with ACV.

If I think of it, I will add a little coconut oil warmed in my palms to the lower canopy and ends when still slightly damp during air drying. When around 100% dry, I will carefully detangle and put it up.

I try to wear my sleep cap most nights. That's it! I am past due for a deposit only color on my roots, temple streak area, but I don't stress about it! (o:

[Buddaphlyy]

I think it really depends on what your definition of "simple" is. I shampoo and DC once a week and co wash everyday in between. This is simple to me, but I know some people who only wash once every 10-14 days, so the fact that water hits my head everyday may be "too much" in their eyes. But in the same token, I consider the fact that they have to give up a whole day every 2 weeks instead of 5-10 minutes everyday "too much" for me. But as long as what you're doing is working, I guess it's okay.

So yeah, I think simple is best for growing hair, but I think consistency is what helps your hair the most.

[Niphredil]

and still have long healthy pretty hair? Can you just shampoo and condition or do you have to do all the oilings, etc.? My hair is waistish but I really hope to get it alot longer in time. So what have all of you found to be true for your hair....a simple routine or do you need to do more?? Thanks for input!!
As stated by the other replies you've already got, it is definitely possible to have a minimalist routine and have gorgeous, healthy and long hair! What that minimalist routine is for you largely depends on your hairtype and texture and its current state health wise. One has to explore different routines to find out what works for one's hair and what doesn't. While exploring, a given routine may seem a hassle, taking lots of time, lots of (sometimes expensive) products, but once you have established a routine it is usually fitted to both you as a person and to your hair as in what care it needs to look its best.

For some, daily shampoo and conditioner might be very minimalistic and all they and their hair needs, for others, wetting their hair daily might be too much to deal with. While some can suffice to wash once a week, others might find it hard to deal with their greasy hair and rather spend that time washing their hair.

Some hair needs more care than other's. Some like to experiment, some like it simple and straight forward. If you want it simple, then go with that!

HTH

[Eden Iris]

I think my wash routine is complicated (although compared to some here it isn't), but I only do it every eight days: shampoo all, condition ends, vinegar rinse, air dry. Put it up every day. Light oil when needed. Henna four times a year (two glosses, two full head applications).