Newbie checking in

[rovylern]

I've been meaning to join this forum for a while, because so many people have spoken highly of it, but somehow I never got around to it.

My hair isn't long anymore, but it's been every length from bald to waist-length. I shaved my head in April of 2007 for a tattoo and decided in December to let it grow to at least shoulder-length again. My daughter, who is eight, is very much a long-hair lover. Her hair is now to the tops of her thighs and she says that she wants it to the floor.

We use Chagrin Valley shampoo bars 2-3x a week, with (-cone free) conditioner-only washes in between. We rarely use a styling product or heat styling for either of us, and I oil the length of her hair with virgin coconut oil several times a week.
She wears her hair in a braid or a bun pretty much every weekday because she's terrified of someone cutting it at school, but we both have very fine, thin hair and you can tell that having it up all the time has caused breakage. I hope I'll learn some new care ideas here to help minimize that! :)

[Chromis]

Welcome in! *waves*

[lora410]

hello and welcome!! Actually up-do's are better for hair. Though depending on what you use to hold the hair may be the culprit. If you are using seamed combs(hair combs you find at walmart etc made from molds) it's probably rippng your cuticle. I use hair forks, sticks, and scruchies to hold my hair to eleimate breakage.

[rovylern]

Thanks for the welcome!

Right now we're using an ox-horn comb to reduce static (and because I can't find any of our wooden combs, heh), but occasionally we use a boar-bristle brush. We don't use plastic brushes or combs. I use elastics to hold her hair, because both of us have very fine hair and things like sticks and scrunchies don't hold all day. We only buy the wrapped elastics that have no metal or the 'no breakage' teeny plastic ones designed for things like cornrows (which we just snap and unravel, I don't try to take them out). I've never tried a hair fork though, I'll have to look into those.

[lora410]

Thanks for the welcome!

Right now we're using an ox-horn comb to reduce static (and because I can't find any of our wooden combs, heh), but occasionally we use a boar-bristle brush. We don't use plastic brushes or combs. I use elastics to hold her hair, because both of us have very fine hair and things like sticks and scrunchies don't hold all day. We only buy the wrapped elastics that have no metal or the 'no breakage' teeny plastic ones designed for things like cornrows (which we just snap and unravel, I don't try to take them out). I've never tried a hair fork though, I'll have to look into those.

sounds like you are doing good stuff then. You can find hair forks on etsy or e-bay. I persoanlly have a 4 pront one to hold better