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View Full Version : Educating other people, lol.



KiwiLiz
July 12th, 2009, 09:38 AM
Do you ever find yourself educating people about hair and hair related things that you've learnt from this website?

I spent about 15 minutes in a Loccitane store telling the sales assistants all about silicones in sunscreens -why they're in them, why I don't want them, generally whining about how hard it is to find one without them in it etc- this then led to silicones in hair products and on and on :P

This also happened in the duty free store on my way to Auckland, the sales assistant suggested that maybe cones are in hair products to help clean the hair. She was gently enlightened :)

Another one that comes up is that I must have some magical gene that means I can grow long hair while they can't, or I must use expensive magical products on it. Not so!

Also, "if you want longer hair, you should cut it, then it will grow faster" -er, no, if I cut it... I'll just have shorter hair :P

Rentlle
July 12th, 2009, 09:50 AM
know this one! :D
I do it all the time XD
Like my mum yesterday: she was bading while I was on the toilet and she said:
"now i'm going to leave my shampoo in the hair for some 10 minutes, that's good for the hair ^^"
I said: You should do that with your co. in stead of with the shampoo, to much Sodium Laureth Sulfate, not good XD
and she said: " Sodium what?..."
hihi.. and then I started about Sls and cones and stuff.. XD
and she said: "you should become a hairdresser in stead of musician"

Laurel32
July 12th, 2009, 09:52 AM
When I first told me twin sister about CO she thought it was gross and that it wouldn't get my hair clean. After I started my CO regimen she saw that my hair was in fact clean, and improved my hair condition. She now does CO although she isn't growing her hair out. :D

Fencai
July 12th, 2009, 09:54 AM
Oh yeah.. happens a lot. People comment on the shine, and how "fast your hair is growing!" lol...

Melisande
July 12th, 2009, 10:15 AM
I have a good friend with lovely natural dark brown curls - she fries them mercilessly with harsh detergents, chemical dye and metal brushes ;-) but from time to time she calls me, usually late at night, and asks for my advice and help. I even gave her some Fox' shea butter mixture and some cocnut oil - I suspect she never used it. She thinks oil on hair is disgusting. But her poor hair seems to cry out for some oil.

O the tragedies of being a never-listened-to advisor!

noelgirl
July 12th, 2009, 10:16 AM
The magical gene thing is funny, because my mom always wonders where I got "all that hair" when her hair is just as thick and wurly and probably could grow long if she really wanted. Of course, the one time she tried to grow it long was in high school, and she ironed it with a clothes iron, so not surprisingly she didn't get too far. At this point, though, she's pretty set in her dyeing, blow drying ways.

demitasse
July 12th, 2009, 10:25 AM
No. There have been plenty of threads on LHC about members complaining because "outsiders" don't get their methods of taking care of their hair: whether it's SLS-free, cone-free, COing, CWCing, or whatever. To me, that's a two-way street. I don't want people criticizing the way I take care of my hair so I'm certainly not going to do it to them.

I know if someone started lecturing me on the evils of detergent shampoos, I'd just point to my own head. My hair is healthy, thick, happy, and shiny with its daily shampooing. Never tangles, rarely splits, and never, never breaks.

To each their own. :) Just make sure the person you're educating wants to be educated.

Liverbird
July 12th, 2009, 11:05 AM
Aha! Just what I was looking for! People who educates others. :) Feel free to put all your knowledge on me, God knows I am in desperate need!

Bianca
July 12th, 2009, 11:31 AM
I do this all the time. With girlfriends, my family and my BF. My littlebrother, who has wurly hair like me, used to take a towel and just rub his hair dry, I told him he should stop, he did, and he doesn't have as puffy(sp?) hair anymore. My mom has curly hair, I have succesfully made her go CO. I just cant get her to use gels or any styling stuff. But hey, maybe i'll convince her one day :p

thankyousir74
July 12th, 2009, 11:32 AM
This is how I feel whenever someone asks me about my hair color. I give a mini lesson about henna etc etc. I think I tell people more than they really thought they were going to hear in the first place. it makes me want to stop talking but sometimes I just can't :oops:

BeatlesFanGirl
July 12th, 2009, 12:31 PM
Yeah I try to. I'm telling my sister and some friends about SLS and to change them to organic products. They don't really take my advice :( Im trying to teach my sister about good haircare, but no result. :( She just doesn't care.

ZadenWillowfyre
July 12th, 2009, 12:41 PM
Haha yes actually I have shared my LHC knowledge with some.

eshta
July 12th, 2009, 01:09 PM
lol! yes:

I had to explain to a very sweet older man in a old style drugstore (probably the owner of the store) that shea butter is not a brand name, no really itsn't. It's actually a natural product just like cocoa butter. I don't think he believed me, he was very polite but insisted that the tub full of chemicals he just gave me was pure 100% shea butter :p.

And I recently got my neighbour to try SMT, she really liked it. She's been trying to grow her hair out for 2 years now and hasn't grown past SL in that time. She has very fine and thin hair and I told her about gentle handling when wet, blowfrying, combing instead of brushing, not washing every day, ect., all mechanical potentialy damaging stuff.

I really hope she will grow longer soon.

prosperina
July 12th, 2009, 01:41 PM
When the subject of hair comes up, I try to just shut my mouth, but the only thing that irritates me is the "you have to cut to grow" attitude. :mad: No, you do not. You don't even have to trim if you don't want to. But then that depends on your hair. That's the thing with a lot of advice--beyond of course the basics: don't blowfry all the time don't rake a harsh metal brush through your hair--it might not always be applicable to just anyone's hair. :shrug:

zen_oven
July 12th, 2009, 02:00 PM
I've done this a couple of times. Mostly when they complain about the state of their hair and mention all of the decidedly not good things they use on it/do to it. I make suggestions, and sometimes they even listen to me!

Bunnyhare
July 12th, 2009, 02:07 PM
the people who ask about my hair don't really want to know because when i start to tell them they just start talking about other things..they don't want to hear it, they want the "magic" trim or pill or anything "magical" that grows long hair and thats not what i do so they move on and i gave up giving advice a while ago unless someone really cares and there aren't alot of those around me...

Amara
July 12th, 2009, 02:25 PM
I have given some mini lessons if asked... usually by people who notice how much longer and healthier my hair has gotten in the past few years.

Some people ask how to do updos, but when I take them down to show them they often say "oh, you've got way more hair than I thought you did! I don't have as much as you, I probably can't do that updo" so I have to convince them they can (if they in fact do have enough hair)

Some people have asked about henna, and I point them to the websites I've learned the most about that at.

Nobody's really asked about general hair care except a few who say, how did you grow it so long? or some such and then I'll just mention I take careful care of it, and see if they seem interested in hearing more details.

Nyghtingale
July 12th, 2009, 02:26 PM
I try to whenever I hear someone complaining about their hair. Sometimes I get that "you are crazy" look though.

nowxisxforever
July 12th, 2009, 02:29 PM
I share a bit more than I probably should, my boyfriend gets the brunt of it, but female friends at work do sometimes, and the guys in my cube when they look at me funny when I'm putting oils in my hair from a small jar I keep.

I also educate others on Gaia.

florenonite
July 12th, 2009, 02:31 PM
Reading over this thread, there seem to be two different types of "educating" others about hair care. There's the type where people explain their (somewhat unconventional) routines to others, and the type where people try and change others' routines. I do the former ("why don't you just use red hair dye?" or "what's so exciting about shampoo in bar form?") but I try and steer clear from the latter unless someone complains to me about something, which to me is an invitation for some kind of advice. For instance, my friend complained that the length of her hair is so much drier than the roots, which are oily, so I explained that I had a similar problem so I applied conditioner both before and after shampoo. She started doing it and was quite chuffed that it helped. However, if I see someone ripping a brush through their hair I just leave them to it, because it's none of my business how they treat their hair.

Buddaphlyy
July 12th, 2009, 02:58 PM
the people who ask about my hair don't really want to know because when i start to tell them they just start talking about other things..they don't want to hear it, they want the "magic" trim or pill or anything "magical" that grows long hair and thats not what i do so they move on and i gave up giving advice a while ago unless someone really cares and there aren't alot of those around me...

Yep, and that's why I rarely say anything about my hair care routine. I liken it to the "give a man a fish/teach a man to fish" saying. Even though my hair isn't long, it's gained length and is much healthier than it has been in years and many people think that for whatever reason I just found that one product that changed my hair. And even though they ask, they really don't want to hear about how I had to cut 4 inches of damage off and then wear protective styles for a year and stay up on my trims and keeping my ends healthy.

I do discuss hair with my mom though. She is my best student, lol. The only thing we sometimes disagree about is what products can be used. But she's coming around.

enfys
July 12th, 2009, 03:11 PM
It depends on the person, but people never act on my advice. If anything I tailor it to what they want to do. Like if they insist on straightening, I remind them to use heat spray.

I have a friend I'm trying so hard to discourage from dying her grey, and I know she wants to and wants to grow her hair but my word is she hard work. She's taking some supplements though.

Unless people want help or adivce (see above) I don't give it. There's only one real life friend I have who knows my true hair care things, and that's because she has similar natural routines and buys me jojoba oil cheaply when she goes home to Spain for her holidays!

Cherry_Sprinkle
July 12th, 2009, 03:16 PM
I don't usually start off a conversation like that, it usually starts with someone asking me what I am using and why and I go from there. My Mum has seen the differences in my hair and she now oils hers but I still cant convince her that perms are bad :( but in her fairness, she doesnt want long, long hair shes happy with shoulder length or above but they fry her hair every single time!!

JamieLeigh
July 13th, 2009, 11:24 AM
I do it too. There was a time about a month ago, in the hair care aisle of my local Rite-Aid store, I had my hair loose and was examining the Burt's Bees products. A lady came up behind me and said, "Oh my gosh, your hair is so gorgeous! What do you use on it?" So I educated her on the finer points of non-silicone conditioner. She listened politely, nodded and "hmmm"-ed in all the right places, and then bought cone-free stuff and left! I hope I helped. I know some people's hair doesn't do well with non-cone. I advised her to clarify first, though. :o

thankyousir74
July 13th, 2009, 11:30 AM
I share a bit more than I probably should, my boyfriend gets the brunt of it, but female friends at work do sometimes, and the guys in my cube when they look at me funny when I'm putting oils in my hair from a small jar I keep.


My boyfriend gets the brunt of it too, especially because his hair is longer than mine. I try to give him advice, or fill him in with the latest thing I've been doing with my hair (whether it's a henna gloss, trying a new oil, or just S&Ding while we're on the phone).

Finoriel
July 13th, 2009, 11:39 AM
No, I donīt educate people irl. Never. Ever.
:shrug: Most people are not really interested in being educated anyways, so why waste time with explaining something they a) donīt want to hear and b) forget asap. They want to hear the easy magic product which makes hair beautiful and donīt listen to anything which involves more than "buy shampoo-brand XY and dance around your hairdresser three times - counterclockwise". :p Well, we all know itīs much more than that.
I show how to do braids and updos though, if someone asks how I did it :).

adiapalic
July 13th, 2009, 11:45 AM
know this one! :D
I do it all the time XD
Like my mum yesterday: she was bading while I was on the toilet and she said:


:hijack: This sounds like bathroom traffic in my house, lol :D

adiapalic
July 13th, 2009, 11:53 AM
I just told my sister she should try henna next time instead of other hair dyes. She said "what is that?" I said "just a different way to color your hair... works pretty good so I've read." She just ignored me and changed the subject, lol. :o

nowxisxforever
July 13th, 2009, 12:00 PM
My boyfriend gets the brunt of it too, especially because his hair is longer than mine. I try to give him advice, or fill him in with the latest thing I've been doing with my hair (whether it's a henna gloss, trying a new oil, or just S&Ding while we're on the phone).

Hehe, that works! My boyfriend... well. His hair is to his mid-back, close to waist, and he generally doesn't treat it nicely. He rips the brush from top to bottom so he has a lot of hairline breakage and thinning at the ends which gives him kind of an unintentional mullet, lol.

I don't tell him a *lot* anymore because he doesn't really care, but my 'ways' are slowly catching on to him. He uses jojoba oil on his hair now (because his scalp likes it) and will periodically try things that I have in the shower. He loves Dr Bronners and oils for his baths, instead of sulfate-y things... he even tried my shampoo bars when I had them! (He didn't like those). He also came up to me with a shampoo in the store yesterday and said "I don't see anything bad on this and it smells good." checked... no sulfates, but one cone most of the way down the ingredients list ;) I got it for him regardless lol.

Fethenwen
July 13th, 2009, 12:00 PM
I try not to educate people too much, I really can talk about hair forever if I don't know to shut up :p
Like last time when my friend complained about her poofy hair, I mentioned CO, and she just went: meh, sounds like a lot of trouble. So I didn't push it.
I think I'm the only one around here who really is interested in hair care, most people just go the easy way around and have shorter hair in poorer condition. LHC methods just seem way too complicated and troublesome for most people.

Curlsgirl
July 13th, 2009, 12:03 PM
Not really. I used to but quickly realized they usually want a magic pill or something so I got tired of it fast. When they ask now I just say I take care of it by not using so much heat and just treating it kindly.

s_tresses
July 13th, 2009, 12:12 PM
Not really. I used to but quickly realized they usually want a magic pill or something so I got tired of it fast. When they ask now I just say I take care of it by not using so much heat and just treating it kindly.

Exactly. I mean I have a lot of patience but not with people who are ignorant and not willing to listen to the whole thing.

But I usually give my mother advice about chemicals and she listens. She already knows about all the naturall stuff, after all thats how she grew my unruly thick 3b hair to TB when I was a child.

kdaniels8811
July 13th, 2009, 03:29 PM
I actually had someone ask me today about my hair, said it was healthy and shiny (thanks, henna!) and I pointed her to this website and told her a little of how I now care for my hair. But she asked... Made my day to get a hair compliment!

eresh
July 13th, 2009, 04:03 PM
No, I'm not going to "preach" about haircare unless they specifically ask.
Most people are happy with their own routine and I don't want to come across as criticizing their hair or anything.
Each their own :)

When I get the question "What's your secret?"
I tell them that everyone's hair is not the same, so what works for person A might not work for person B depending on hairstructure, thickness, etc.
Give some general info on what I do and don't do with my hair and add a lot of patience to that ;)
But no pro cones or anti cones etc.
That all depends on individual hair.

Longlocks3
July 13th, 2009, 04:34 PM
If someone really seems interested in something hair related I will attempt to educate them from what I've learned on LHC.

When a girl in my cohort told me she would love to see me with a bob and to donate my hair to locks of love...........Well I wanted to educate but I figured it was hopeless!

Fractalsofhair
July 13th, 2009, 04:48 PM
Depends. I bug clerks in stores all the time about products, explaining I have sensitivities etc. Ulta in my area is one of the worst(Bare minerals uses parabens since they're natural and perfectly safe.(I wasn't aware that they used them, and that since I have allergies to parabens, that they're perfectly safe for me... Same deal with fragrance. Sure, fragrance may be safe, but not if you have an allergy to it!)), but my Shaws and Whole Foods(<3 free samples!) and Sephora are REALLY GOOD. (Of course, the people I ask at Shaws are my friends who are working there... But lol, they do check the ingredients and make sure there are things stocked for me.)

Now, when it comes to peers, if I'm friends with them, I'll be honest. I've suggested to friends to use hot oil treatments. Some of them have started using conditioner. One of my guy friends totally fried his hair trying to dye it black since I mentioned he had roots when he was talking about how nice his hair is compared to a lot of girls.(They were 3-4 inches long!!!! And he had blond roots! Of course, he did have a little crush on me, but sheesh, he didn't have to use dye over 10 times on his hair and have it break!!!XD) If I'm not friends with them and they ask me for advice, I simply suggest things like using conditioner and not bleaching to be "hygienic". Generally that doesn't go over too well. I don't dare discuss hot oil treatments with most people, but if a friend asks for advice, I'll let them know.

My boyfriend on the other hand... He gets lectures about cone free, combing, oiling and not brushing curly hair. He's learning a little, but he needs my help with products(Fragrance sensitivities in anything with oil in it. He has them to shampoo but not terribly.) and well, he feels awkward asking his parents to buy an expensive all natural product, or buying one himself(He's just worried about seeming manly, since guys "are supposed" to use whatever their family buys and not spend tons of time combing their hair.) I've offered to wash his hair for him, but well, he gets worried about what his mother will think. However, he's brushing it a bit less when dry, which is good, and he's thinking about trying hairgel that his sister has. He's also debating letting me do a hot oil treatment in his hair for his "scalp", but is worried about my hair abilities(since mine was fried.). However, he does notice before he brushes his hair, it is curly, but he's worried to finger comb in the long run with dreads.

My mother, we actually help eachother a lot. And before my father started showing signs of mental illness (Alzheimer's Disease), he would help my hair and give advice. My brother, well, he has strong hair, and was able to grow his hair to his knees without any special treatment, so he views all my haircare as silly(his hair was raggy and balding, so... The damage did do something to it. But the lack of a flat iron was helpful I'm sure).

Locke
July 13th, 2009, 10:59 PM
A little more often now for sure. The CWC routine has especially been kind to me.

Ash
July 14th, 2009, 12:01 AM
My parents get to hear me talk about hair a lot since often I have just experimented with something right before calling them. I got my mom to use Giovanni products instead of the icky stuff she was using and she really likes the difference in her hair. Some people have asked me how I keep my hair so nice, usually I tell them about oils and direct them here if they seem genuinely interested. I try not to preach too much though as I know it can be annoying so I don't ever go up to someone and suggest something unless they bring up the subject.

Natalia
July 14th, 2009, 12:40 AM
Oh yep all the time. I had to "educate" my sister that CO really does clean hair better than plain water (at least for me anyway) and wont make your hair greasy and attract dirt.

A little while ago i had to tell my friend (after telling her aloe and oil would be good for her hair at the beach when she doesnt want product in it) that aloe isnt really green that its just dye that rela aloe wont turn you green and that she really shouldnt slather her head in benzocaine every day lol. She also thought that oil on your hair (like tanning with baby oil) would burn it :shrug: like flat ironing on week days isnt doing that already?

I "educate" my mom about sillicone all the time she gets alot of build up and thinks its split ends. Ok she does have plenty of splits but not a week after a dramtic cut when she hasnt done anything to it.

Elbereth
July 14th, 2009, 04:17 AM
In general, I don't educate unless someone specifically asks me.

Neverthless, during my hair growing career I have...

...instructed a bunch of female customs officers on how to put hair up with hairsticks

...seen my DH and mother convert from commercial products to shampoo bars

...instructed several salespeople about the ingredients in the products they are trying to sell me and argued that my doubt about how "caring" said products are is backed by the label of that product

...shared links to hairtoy websites

Things just happen, it seems.

GlassEyes
July 14th, 2009, 04:50 AM
The most I've done is give my friend a copy of Curly Girl. I didn't need it (and my routine is somewhat different) and she's always complaining about how frizzy her hair is (though I think it's beautiful, and have been begging her not to straighten anymore for years--both me, AND her boyfriend, and her other friends), so I figured I could interject.

I don't like 'enlightening' people though; sounds like an arrogant term to me, like I'm better than them for knowing more about haircare. I've sworn a few friends to secrecy over my hair routine, actually. xD;

Natalia
July 14th, 2009, 09:39 PM
No. There have been plenty of threads on LHC about members complaining because "outsiders" don't get their methods of taking care of their hair: whether it's SLS-free, cone-free, COing, CWCing, or whatever. To me, that's a two-way street. I don't want people criticizing the way I take care of my hair so I'm certainly not going to do it to them.

I know if someone started lecturing me on the evils of detergent shampoos, I'd just point to my own head. My hair is healthy, thick, happy, and shiny with its daily shampooing. Never tangles, rarely splits, and never, never breaks.

To each their own. :) Just make sure the person you're educating wants to be educated.

Oh yeah the bulk of peopel just ignore you anyway or say your nuts. It certainly detours me sometimes. I dont just randomly comment of peoples hair or routines though. I will however offer advice of they are in the market for a new product or are complaining about a specific like" my hair is rough/split/dry/dull/ect..".

I always try to be fair just becasue i have a horribel reaction to SLS/SLES doesnt mean someone else will. Heck i was fine with it for years, then all of a suden BAM! I try to take into account their texture and thickness as well when reccomending things. Sometimes though..... i just cant stand how oblivious they are to blatant abuse!


they don't want to hear it, they want the "magic" trim or pill or anything "magical" that grows long hair and thats not what i do so they move on

Yep everyone wants the magic bullet :rolleyes:


Depends. I bug clerks in stores all the time about products, explaining I have sensitivities etc. Ulta in my area is one of the worst(Bare minerals uses parabens since they're natural and perfectly safe.(I wasn't aware that they used them, and that since I have allergies to parabens, that they're perfectly safe for me... Same deal with fragrance. Sure, fragrance may be safe, but not if you have an allergy to it!)), but my Shaws and Whole Foods(<3 free samples!) and Sephora are REALLY GOOD.

Oh man does that drive me BONKERS! Its like that with hair and food shopping with me i have so many sensitivities that asking anyone for help is useless. They think if its in a lotion you cant have a reactiont o it becasue its on your skin! Heloooo!!! have you ever seen someone go into anaphalaxix from touching peanut shell?!?!? Its hard to get respect for allergies sensitivities are evn harder becasue they sound less serious. When in fact my food allergies are less severe than my sensitivites :rolleyes:. Im glad you have good stores, good help, and good friends :).

Rentlle
July 15th, 2009, 05:16 AM
yesterday, there was a party for my sister's birthday, and I teached a girl the 5-stranded braid.
haha, I would say it was fun, and I braided someones beaaaaaautiful loooong shiny hair :D