newbie questions, need help please

[missfortune9335]

Hello all! I've been growing my hair out from a cropped pixie cut for about two years now. It has finally reached my colar bone :D (my sister, who's hair reaches the middle of her back, dutifully rolls her eyes and agrees with me when I tell her my hair is long and luxurious)

I'm now very excited to really get growing, I went out today and bought jojoba oil, a boar bristle brush, wide toothed comb, satin pillow case.... you name it I bought it! lol

So, my questions are how do you wear your hair when you go to bed? should I just french braid it? Also, I read that you shouldn't wash your hair every day but I work out five days a week and my scalp gets really sweaty is it okay to wash everyday if I put in some jojoba oil while it's still a little damp?

Thanks in advance for any help, it is much appreciated.

[Nyghtingale]

Welcome to the family!

I wear mine down to sleep usually, hanging off the bed.

I also work out most days and the humidity is really high this time of year so I wash frequently. I use a little shampoo and dilute it with water. I condition my length then pour the shampoo over my scalp. Then I condition it all again, and follow with a vinegar rinse.

Hope that helps. You will learn what works for you, cause we are all different.

[Fiferstone]

Welcome to LHC ::waves:: I very much recommend reading Ursula's Standard Newbie Advice at the following link: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39

It really helped me to get started, especially the advice to making changes in your routine. I alternate between braiding my hair in a simple english braid for bed (especially when I've oiled it with coconut oil the night before a wash day) or just being lazy and keeping it loose. I don't own a satin pillowcase (I'm a broke heretic), but I am using a BBB and have always used a wide-toothed comb. My hair is henna'd and presently waist length. My goal is to find out what terminal is (on me) and I'm trying not to obsess on watching the length change, so I'm only measuring every few months (not every month or I get discouraged). I'm also trying to be better about changing how I wear the hair every day (including wearing it down on some days). The next thing I'm going to do is expand the repertoire of shampoo bars. I went 'cone free 3 years ago, well before I discovered LHC. Happy growing!:)

[Aer]

Welcome! Personally, I find that to avoid damage to my hair at night, putting it in a loose braid or bun before bed keeps it pretty safe. Using the gentlest hair ties, or whatever to hold my hair up or in a braid is a big help.
You could just put jojoba on the ends of your hair after each wash and that would probably work. Or you could go through the slightly uncomfortable process of training your scalp to go through the workouts and getting used to being washed less frequently. If you try to do that, a way to make your scalp feel better for it, and to reduce the build up you will suffer during the training period, after your less frequent washes, use a ACV rinse, ( if you didn't know, thats apple cider vinegar, usually diluted with water and used as a rinse). The ACV, if you can use it, will or should help with the build up, and if I'm not mistaken, it should help balance your scalps ph.
But when it boils down to it, you should do whats for you & your hair, and what makes you comfortable. Not everyone responds well, or benefits from these methods. Some of us do great with the once or twice a week wash, water only wash, condition only wash, shampoo bar, no sls, or just the everyday shampoo, with whatever they use. It can sometimes take awhile to find out what works. I bounced around from salon shampoos, organic only, no wash, until I got into shampoo bars, which works for me.
I'm sorry if I overloaded you with information, and if I rambled, its my thing. I hope you find your hair care groove, happy growing!

[Rivanariko]

I alternate (randomly... mostly I just let my fingers kind of decide what they want to do) between a french braid and a dutch braid at night. Both hold a lot more of my hair in than an english braid. Silk pillow case is on my wish-list at the moment...

I work out in the sun and dust all day almost every day and I'm pretty disgusting when I get home, so I "wash" every day. What seems to have worked for me, however, is that I only shampoo once a week, do two other CO washes, and in between I just get it wet and scrub my scalp with my fingertips. Seems to get my hair pretty clean, and doesn't do the damage that shampooing every day does. By the end of the week, it's starting to look a little greasy, but not bad, really.

[Sarahmoon]

Some people can leave their hair hanging over the bed, others can't. I personally move around a lot when I sleep so I can't even begin to imagine how you can just put your hair over the end of the bed before sleeping... so I put it in a braid.

If you're used to washing every day it will take some time to adjust your scalp to less frequent washing, so it will look greasy pretty often in the beginning. If you really have to wash every day then make sure to condition well and use little shampoo.

Good luck :)

[Aditi]

Hii welcome to LHC :)I put my hair in braid when i go to bed and when it comes to washing hair everyday it can be harmful if you have dry hair but if its oily then you won't be having any problem.

[Stephichan]

Welcome to the LHC! Be prepared for a lot of learning.

Periodically I'll use an english braid in my hair or put it into two braids for sleep. My hair isn't very long yet (just APL), and I don't move much when I sleep, so securing the ends probably isn't so important for me. You might be interested in a CWC wash - Condition-Wash-Condition. I recently started those and my hair (especially the ends) is liking it a lot.

One thing I recommend is to head over to the articles section and read some of the ones posted under 'Hair Care'. They have some newbie guides there that will help you along.

[redneckprincess]

welcome ♥ My hair is about the same length as yours and I dont feel the need to wear my hair up at night but then again I sleep every way except on my back..sounds like you have some really useful ideas already..goodluck

[missfortune9335]

thanks for all the good advise and warm welcomes ladies :)

[pink.sara]

I'm now very excited to really get growing, I went out today and bought jojoba oil, a boar bristle brush, wide toothed comb, satin pillow case.... you name it I bought it! lol

So, my questions are how do you wear your hair when you go to bed? should I just french braid it? Also, I read that you shouldn't wash your hair every day but I work out five days a week and my scalp gets really sweaty is it okay to wash everyday if I put in some jojoba oil while it's still a little damp?

Thanks in advance for any help, it is much appreciated.

Good job on the shopping! I sleep on a satin pillow and use a BBB to brush and when I sleep I plait it or wrap it in 2 socks! Keeps it tangle free waves the ends if you roll it up and is soft to sleep on!

As for the gym I bought a pure coconut oil spray (cheap one in the local chemist) which I spray on lightly before a workout, tie up, then wash as normal after, makes it shiny and the heat helps it soak in rather than the sweat drying your hair out!

Hope that helps and good luck growing!