What's Your Hair Care Routine?

[Mahars]

When I was at the Long Hair Loom while LHC was down, I noticed that everybody posted their routines as part of their signatures. Since I'm new to long hair care and I'm trying to figure out a routine for myself, I really enjoyed reading up on what works for other people. I don't know if there's a place on LHC where people post their routines, but I would love to know what all of you do on a daily basis.

(mods, feel free to move this if it doesn't belong here :)

[Gumball]

Most of the time, at least for now, I don't really wash. I clip it up when I shower. Every week or two I'll wash it with water only. If I'm feeling in need of a conditioning I'll do one once in a while. I use a cone-free conditioner. I also use aloe and olive oil on a regular basis. I also scritch (basically running a wide-toothed comb along the scalp if you weren't sure of the term) semi-regularly. It's really handy when I get a case of the itchies. :)

[Curlsgirl]

There used to be some threads like that here before the site went down and I always loved them. I'll start!

CWC once a week with Paul Mitchell color-safe shampoo and Giovanni 50/50 or strawberries and cream VO5

Only usually comb with wide tooth shower comb while conditioner is on at this time

Blot hair dry with towel a bit and scrunch in BWC leave-in or Giovanni Direct leave-in and then AG re:coil. Leave to dry mostly and add some coconut oil from ears down and smooth. Let dry the rest of the way naturally.

Some of the time I blow dry on low a bit to get some of the moisture out of my hair and I always blow dry my eyebrow length bangs straightish. No irons except to touch up bangs occasionally.

That's it!

[tiny_teesha]

I change my routine a lot. I still have a lot of things to try. I haven't used cones in almost a year.
Pretty much wash my hair 4 times a week ( if i didn't work in a pet shop i would only wash 2-3 times)
atm i am doing a neem herbal wash, sometimes adding amla and shikakai and other herbs.
then i condition sometimes if i haven't used a conditioning herb (Sometimes a mask) and ACV rinse.
I apply sometimes shea butter and always coconut oil.
I let it air dry and that is it. mid week i do a gentler wash without the neem. I clarify once every 3 months or so when my hair feels iky.
Um... that's it. I think i need to stop useing herbs though, or change it a bit, because my hair is really dry.

I'm spritzing my hair in hopes to make it feel nicer. Also it is hot!!! haha

[AJoifulNoise]

Saturday- Diluted Shampoo wash followed by -cone conditioner.

Sunday- No wash. I just put it up and go.

Monday- CO & ACV rinse.

Tuesday-Friday- CO (-cone or -cone free depending on my hair and my mood)

Every so often I leave the conditioner on my head under a plastic cap for a couple hours to moisturize my hair.

No heat styling, coloring, or cutting. Air dry only. Damp bun occasionally, but not too wet or it never dries.

[Lixie]

Diluted shampoo followed by conditioner mixed with honey (2 parts conditioner to 1 part honey) once a week or less. I then leave it to air dry before brushing with a wooden bristle brush. Occasional light oiling with almond or olive oil midweek.

Sounds like a recipe. :lol:

[wolf girl]

I keep my routine simple.

Sunday: heavy oil in the morning using a BBB to distribute, put up in a bun and leave it all day, do a total length wash and condition with natural cone free products, detangle with a wide tooth wood comb while still wet

Mon-Tues:detangle using a wide tooth wood comb in the morning and again before bed

Wed: detangle using a wide tooth wood comb in the morning, put in a strong conditioner after work and leave in for a few hours (I like AO blue green algae), rinse then do a scalp only wash, detangle

Thurs-Sat: detangle

My hair seems to really like this routine and I've noticed a lot less shedding!

[Kirin]

Daily: dilluted queen helene mint julep shampoo with vegetable glycerine added. Some form of v05 conditioner all over massaged into scalp as well. Rinse extremely well. wrap up in a towel for 20-30 minutes while i finish getting ready, take down, wide tooth comb top of head to get straight part, scrunch/airdry. Depending on "hair feel" for the day, a touch of AtOne with Nature leave in -or- touch of softee curl activator gel.

Sunday: Wash with v05 kiwi clarifying mixed 50/50 with conditioner, condition, rinse well.

Nightly: One drop carrot oil, rubbed on palms and smoothed through hair, then boar bristle brush through.

Roughly twice a month: Henna/amla gloss.

[Patrycja]

I make it to DD3-wash with Patchuli shampoo bar-Acv or no ACV rinse,depends on how I feel or if I want to smell pickles-cone free conditioner,usually Kiwi Lime Squeeze or Burts Bees Super Shiny-light oiling of either jojoba or coconut oils on very ends-or a very tiny amount of shea butter and jojoba oil creme-everytime fote aloe all over

I do a heavy overnight oiling abut every month or so.I've tried CO,loved it but I simply don't have the time to do that.I've recorded my mistakes and mishaps on my journal,which proved to be extremly helpful.Like my CWC the other day that completly killed my hair and the "score!!"with using a heavy cone condish my last washing.I'm thinking I'll start back using cones rarely,even though I've been trying to steer away from them.

ok,I'll stop rambling now

[BlndeInDisguise]

I wash every other day with a Rosemary Nettle PLH shampoo bar. Condition with Suave Naturals. Then I use aloe juice with Rosemary EO as a leave-in.

[Delila]

I shampoo my scalp and condition my length about every third day, and lately I've been doing a deep treatment (moisture and protein mask) once a week.

I used to do a much more complex monthly deep treatment with four different products, but when I ran out of stuff, I didn't replace it a while back, and since I discovered the mask I've been using, I'm content with that, at least for now.

I'm a product junkie at heart, though, so I'm likely to switch things up in a few more weeks. If I don't that's cool with me, but unlikely, given my history over the past ten years. :cool:

[Stacy_E]

Once a week: CWC or S&C with Queen Helene Mint Julep (for CWC use a light Suave conditioner on the length) followed by a heavier conditioner on the length (Biolage Conditioning Balm, Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, or Trader Joe's Nourish Spa).

Everyother day: CO wash with a Suave Naturals conditioner (I like to vary them), or with diluted Trader Joe's Nourish Spa.

Non-wash days: Water only, sometimes using a heavy conditioner on length if I feel I need it.

After getting out of the shower I gently squeeze excess water out of my hair with my head upsidedown, then with head still upsidedown I plop-blot my hair with a microfiber cloth. I then take a drop of oil (either jojoba, coconut, or my coconut-olive oil mixture) combined with about a 1/2 teasp. aloe gel, and scrunch through my hair. Flipping my head right side up, I'll take a comb and make a part, and separate out my bangs. Most days I'll blow dry my bangs. Then allow my hair to air-dry. I wait until my hair is completely dry before combing/picking the waves.

I've tried braiding my hair for sleeping, but I mostly don't bother. I've been trying a drop or two of olive oil on the ends before bed, and that seems to be nice.

[Sapphire'sWings]

I just shampoo and condition Sundays and Wednesdays, but I might do a little scalp wash in between if my hair needs it.

I usually airdry. If I must blowdry I do it on the cold setting.

Once my hair is dry I just put some oil down the length.

Voila! That's all my hair needs!

I do have two brushes but those are used more when I want to smooth my hair down.

[cassie_g]

I wash Sunday night (monday if I'm to busy to do it on Sunday). Shampoo on the scalp and conditioner from about ears down. Rinse, put in towel. Take towel off when I realize it's soaking wet and isn't doing any good. Braid before going to bed. I either bun or re-braid my hair every day.

[Guenever]

Have you found your hair type yet, Mahars? If so, checking out members with a similar hair type for inspiration would be a good idea.. because e.g. what works for a member with curly hair might not work for me.. :heart: One thing works for every type, though: careful handling and lots of updos =)
- If you have any questions (e.g. don't know how to find your hair type/search for members), just ask away :flower:

As for me, I'm a straighty 1a, with fine/medium strands of hair..

I shampoo only with Urtekram shampoo every 3-4 days.
In the shower after wetting my hair I apply a lot of coconut oil to my length before shampooing..
That's pretty much it for my weekly routine.

Generally:
I mist my hair every night with plain water before I put it into a night bun/braid (depends on my mood^^)
No blow dryer, hair spray, gel etc.
I let my hair air dry and do not comb it until it's dry.
I sleep with a satin pillowcase to reduce friction.
I only use wide-toothed, seamless combs (no brushes or combs with seams)
I put my hair up every day (and try to make that updo last all day) - mainly in different kinds of buns (and make sure that my ends are not just stuffed in and bended in an unnatural direction..)

HTH :flowers:

[Moondial]

I don't really have a routine (yet). I detangle several times every day using a plastic brush. I wash about every three days using whatever shampoo catches my fancy. Every now and then, I'll condition afterwards using whatever conditioner. I never blow-dry. I get a trim about twice a year.

Today was the first time I tried a sulfate-free shampoo. My scalp loves it.

[Katze]

I don't have a routine, as such. Being a kind of chaotic and nonlinear person, I like to do what my hair (or I) feels like it wants.

Usually I wash CWC or CW - more CW lately as my hair has been so greasy, scalp itchy, and lots more shedding. Sometimes I alternate this with WO washing. I've given up on CO washing for now except for the occasional SMT, as it just doesn't seem to get my hair clean.

Most of the time I shower nights so I wash my hair before bed, dry it a bit with the towel, then sleep in a towel or hoodie to encourage my wave. Sometimes if I am not going directly to bed I blowdry enough to "help it on its way" and to warm up and dry out my ears - I am always cold, the weather is cold here, and I get sinus infections very easily.

I usually use a leave-in or a bit of oil, mixed with hair gel, on freshly washed hair to protect and tame the length and hold my frizzies down. But sometimes (if I've washed with 'cones) I don't.

Once in a while I sleep with my hair up, as it is more comfortable, but I usually can't be bothered or forget. ;)

[Neorah]

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, I CWC. All my products are Trader Joe's brand-- Refresh conditioner and shampoo for the CW, and Essential or Nourish Spa for the final C.

The rest of the week, I WO rinse, and condition-- I don't think it really counts as COing, since I don't use enough conditioner on my scalp to be cleansing. I was just doing the 3x-weekly wash days, but my scalp never adjusted and it always looked greasy on the second day. Rinsing and conditioning it between washes seems to help.

I detangle with a wide-tooth comb before showering and when the final conditioner is on my hair.

I put a drop of jojoba on the length while my hair is damp-- I was using aloe as a leave-in too, but I've stopped for a bit since I'm worried it might have been drying it out. I always wash my hair in the evening, and wear it up in a turbie towel for an hour or two before putting it in a damp braid to sleep in. I usually put another drop or two of jojoba on the end of the braid. I sleep on a 100% silk pillowcase.

[Stagecoach]

Here's my current routine.

I comb at least twice a day with a wide tooth comb. Once every couple days I use my fine toothed horn comb to give my scalp a good scritching.

Twice a week, CWC with Suave Tropical Coconut Condish, Mill Creek Bonticals Keratin Shampoo, and Dove Intensive Moisture or Garnie Fructis Long and Strong.
After the shampoo I rinse with ACV 3T/3 c. water.

Comb out and soak up excess water, lightly oil with Coconut and cinna bun it.

Occassionaly I'll pretreat my hair by oiling over night with Coconut or Shea butter.

Once a month or so, I'll do a big S&D to keep my hair from tangling as much.

[nappywomyn]

I have a simply complex routine.

It's an 8 week cycle of hair care. I leave my hair in two strand twists (like in my avi) for two weeks at a time, usually in an updo.
On the 'out hair' weekends, I alternate Henna/Caramel Treatment/Yogurt (or other protien treatment/Caramel Treatment, and then the cycle repeats.
On the 'in hair' weekends, I wash with an herb tea, and retwist any twists as needed.
I give myself a scalp massage every Sunday/Wednesday/Friday.
I mist my hair, and apply a treatment to my hairline daily.
I wear a scarf to bed.

That's about it.

[Meli]

I haven't completely settled with a routine yet but WO works best of what I've tried so far. I would like to go hardcore WO, but... My hair appears to be slightly darker with WO (probably some kind of light reflection due to the sebum coating) and I'm doing occasional honey treatments to lighten it a little. And my ends need light oiling with coconut oil - I haven't been able to get the sebum all the way down. I'm also experimenting with final rinses as leave-ins after washing.

I detangle my hair with finger-combing and/or a gentle comb. I use a BBB too, but not every day and not all the way down to the ends. I don't know yet if it's good or bad in the long run, my hair seems to split easily no matter if I use a BBB or not. My scalp loves the massage from the brushing, though.

[Mahars]

[quote=Guenever;5968]Have you found your hair type yet, Mahars? If so, checking out members with a similar hair type for inspiration would be a good idea.. because e.g. what works for a member with curly hair might not work for me.. :heart: One thing works for every type, though: careful handling and lots of updos =)
- If you have any questions (e.g. don't know how to find your hair type/search for members), just ask away :flower:

Thanks Guenever. I'm still not 100% sure what my hair type is, but I think it's closest to yours Stacy E. It's somewhere between wavy and curly, very thick, and pretty coarse. I'm lovin all the tips though. It sounds like yes, careful handling is the key. That and moisture. I just wish I looked better with my hair up. :( I've always liked wearing it down.

[hrimfaxi]

Once a week (or thereabouts) I wash it with a CV shampoo bar, lathering twice, followed by conditioner from the ears down and then an ACV rinse (occasionally with a dollop of molasses added). Rinse thoroughly with water, throw into microfiber towel. Work some aloe gel in with fingers and then either let it dry down or gently braid it (it usually doesn't need combing for this to be doable). Once it has dried, I try to avoid killing the curls right away and only comb the bottom half with a Viking Boat Oar comb from hairsense.
The rest of the week, when I shower, I clip it up and usually apply a shower cap to keep it dry. If its texture is being strange, I will apply coconut oil and/or shea butter. If my scalp gets particularly itchy, I go scritching with a horn comb. I try to comb daily with a horn comb to work oil out some; I never brush.

[silkenblacksea]

I try to keep my routine pretty simple. I CO three times a week, detangling w/a Speert not-so-wide toothed comb, and rinsing with miracle water(cirtic acid water). After washing, I gently wrap hair in a towel to absorb excess water. Then I mist with a mix of a teaspoon of But's Bees Hair Repair Shea and Grapefruit Deep Conditioner, a teaspoon of avocado, oil a half teaspoon of castor oil, a tiny drop of mustard oil, a few drops of rosemary essential oil, and water. After misting, I use a variation of Fox's Shea Butter Conditioning Cream as a leave-in. It's made with Aloe Gel as the conditioner portion, Shea moisture leave-in and Shea butter as the Shea butter portion, rosemary EO, and corn oil as the oil portion.(Corn oil, sweet almond oil, and avocado oil are the only oils I can use sucessfully, and corn oil is cheap! :D ) I then comb, (again!) and put hair up in two nape buns, which don't come out untill next washday.

[wishfulthinking]

I just starting co washing with Giovanni SAS then condtioning with AOHSR. This is new for me. I was co washing with VO5 Vanilla Mint but it seems to build up on my hair. I am going to start oiling with Jojoba oil and see if it helps with moisturizing.

Still learning from this site so my routine will probably change again.

[redcelticcurls]

Water wash my scalp. Detangle my hair with Kinky Curly Knot Today (KCKT), condition with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, Use the KCKT again a leave-in followed by Kinky Curly Curling Custard as a gel/curl holder/frizz fighter. I put peach kernel oil on my ends with every other wetting. This is working out well, and my hair is bahving fabulously, even in the dry winter air.

Plop in a Curlease towel for a bit and then diffuse dry. No way am I taking all day for my hair to air dry in the winter. :lol:

If I want second day hair, I pineapple.

I've been doing fewer updos in the winter. Updos can be hard on my ends as they go against the grain of my curl pattern.

[Guenever]

Thanks Guenever. I'm still not 100% sure what my hair type is, but I think it's closest to yours Stacy E. It's somewhere between wavy and curly, very thick, and pretty coarse. I'm lovin all the tips though. It sounds like yes, careful handling is the key. That and moisture. I just wish I looked better with my hair up. :( I've always liked wearing it down.

You're welcome :)
Well, your updos don't have to be all tight and "mean-old-lady"-like^^ Especially with wurly hair you can make some simple, gorgeous and romantic styles like french twists-styles.. The victorian updo can also be made pretty loose so that you won't have the "scraped back"-feeling..
Constant updos do take some getting used to (did for me too), but I almost can't stand having it down anymore :wink: Wearing it down kind of becomes a thing for special occasions for me..

- Generally you can make some very pretty 'dos =) If you don't know this site it could inspire you^^

http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/default.asp
Victorian updo: http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/victorian-updo/

About typing your hair:
http://homepage.mac.com/annsofie.henriksson/hairtyping/Personal27.html
If you'd like to find the exact type, you have the written description on the main page and picture references for each group (1a, 1b, 1c, 2a etc) at the top.. =)
You could try inserting what you come up with in your profile by editing your profile details under userCP and in your siggy as well.. that way people will know exactly what kind of hair you talk about next time..

And if you want to search for other members with the same type this will help you:
http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/memberlist.php?do=search

I hope that I'm not annoying you with all of this :flower: it's just hard to know how much you already do know.. and I don't want to make you confused so that's why I may be going into details^^ when I joined I used quite some time finding all this stuff.. (and now I have to learn much over again here in the new forum :grin:)

Anyway, HTH :flowers:

[Mearwynna]

Saturday night apply benificial oils to scalp, gentle massage. Oil ends.

Sunday rinse with warm water, condition with tresseme, wash with warm water, diluted Mint Julep shampoo. Condition with avalon organics rosemary or lemon. Let soak for 30 mintes, rinse again. 1 tsp white vinegar in quart cold water, dump on hair. Rinse out with cold water. Gently blot excess water away. Wrap in soft towel. Finger comb only. Cocunut oil on ends when hair is mostly dry and gently comb with wide tooth comb. Bun or roll up.

Detangle, monday, tuesday. Oil ends if needed. no brushing.

Tuesday night:Scalp massage again with benificial oils. DT if needed. (been doing these pretty often since my hair is very dry on the ends.)
Wednesday morning wash just like before.

I've been doing this for a month or maybe 8 weeks and my formally itchy, awful scalp is almost healed completely. The oiling helps so much, and I also add a little tea tree, lavender and frankincense to the oils. In between washes I still get itchy spots (but much less) so I take some tea tree or frankincense oil (diluted with water) on a q-tip and apply to the itchy spot, or pimple. It heals it up much faster.

Occasionally I slip in an extra wash, but I'm trying to get my scalp to tone it's oils production down. I'm also shedding a lot less now than I was before. My hair has gotten much thinner than I like since the hair cut.
I try not to brush much because of damage, but I love to oil the ends with virgin cocunut oil and sometimes I use a BBB to distribute it.

[Sarahmoon]

I don't have a set routine yet. Tried to figure one out with help of a hair journal, before the forum crashed :(
Is there a place we can start up a hair journal here again or will they be retrieved later from the old database?

[Mahars]

Thanks again Guenever. You've been sooo helpful! :)

I used the hair typing system and figured out that I'm a 3aCiii.

I noticed a few of you use Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose. I'm so excited, because I just ordered it. Hoping it'll help with the dry ends.

[j4zzin]

My routine may seem pretty strange because I wash daily, but it works for my 30+ inches...

Brush to detangle beforehand. Ultra-diluted shampoo (basically a rinse of soapy water) on roots to ears followed by a generous amount of conditioner. Apply from the ends up to the ears, diluted conditioner on roots. Let fall down back, sometimes twist up in a bun with a giant claw clip if I'll be sitting in the water for remainder of shower. Let down, rinse with cool water. Squeeze out hair a few times, put up in turbie twist while I eat breakfast, brush teeth, etc. Let hair down, oil with grapeseed oil from ends to shoulders. Comb with wide tooth comb. If I'm going to work that day, I put it in a damp bun held with a clip. If I'm going to school, I leave it down damp to air dry on the bus ride to campus (1 hour commute) before braiding/bunning/ponytailing/etc.

Repeat the next day!

[Anlbe]

My hair is brown to blonde, slight wave, very dry and naturaly tangles on impact, so my whole routine is designed to moisturise and reduce tangles.

I wash when my hair needs it, which varies from five to ten days depending on how much sport I've been doing. I use both a shampoo and conditioner for very dry and damaged hair, phytonecter orange blossom shampoo and aveda damage remedy treatment.

I little bit of jojoba oil from nape of the neck down most mornings when I comb my hair. In the evening I only finger comb and I sleep on a large square pillow with a matt silk pillowcase (not satin as my hair loves going static and satin means an instant birds nest for me)

This routine has changed my hair from constant tangles and spending half an hour morning and evening trying to comb it to two minutes in the morning and half a minute in the evening.

I also search and destroy split ends at least once a week (depressing at the moment as I let a hairdresser overbleach my hair, grrr) and sometimes oil overnight sleeping with a silk scarf wrapped around my head

[Rosa.Damascena]

Sebum only. Just a mix of brushing, combing and scalpscritching to keep the hair clean and nice.

[egg99]

No routine. I wash my hair when it feels greasy with Pantene (doesn't matter what type) Shampoo, followed by Pantene Conditioner.
Brush it whilst wet when I get out of the bath and put into a ponytail until dry. Simple :)

[Chamomile betty]

I detangle with my fingers before and after a shower.
S&C Sunday & Thursday.
Other nights rinse hair in shower and use conditioner.
Spray my hair with detangle spray.
Deep condition once a week.
Scalp massage every morning with a plastic oval shampoo brush.
I'll use a wide tooth comb on my hair gently.

I was using a leave in by Charles Worthington but it was making my hair tangle at the bottom and underneath.

[maighdean]

Benign negligence.

I wash with EO clarifying shampoo once a week, and two more times during the week with herbs and tea. I oil daily on the length and braid and bun. Take a LOT of Biotin. Not much else except be very careful with it. It grows wild, my hair.

[Lillian]

I CWC on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings using sls-free and cone-free shampoos and conditioners. As I wash right before bed, I put a towel over my pillow and just let it dry overnight.
In the morning I comb it out and oil the length, then put it in an updo for the day.

On non-wash days I simply comb it in the morning and put it in an updo. Easy peasy! :D

[Requiax]

I S&C 2-3 times a week. CO didn't work out, my scalp hated it and my hair was flat. I have figured out that my scalp loves tea tree and my hair likes protein and cones aren't for me, so I pick based on that. Coconut oil or Jojoba on my ends and that's about it.

[Mahars]

I S&C 2-3 times a week. CO didn't work out, my scalp hated it and my hair was flat. I have figured out that my scalp loves tea tree and my hair likes protein and cones aren't for me, so I pick based on that. Coconut oil or Jojoba on my ends and that's about it.

Oh that's neat, my hair likes and hates all the same things. I wonder if we're hair twins. :magic:
What's your hair type?

[Beesweet]

Okay -- I exercise a lot so I wash my hair more than I would like to. I have 2C/3A hair, creeping past shoulders toward BSL.

About once a week I condition with Whole Foods 365 Mint conditioner, then while conditioner is in, I was scalp with Doc Bronners peppermint soap. I'm into mint.

Then I rinse and condition with 365 conditioner again. After, when hair is damp, I use Vitika for ends.

Two or more times per week I use neem powder and shikakai mixed in a quart of water. Use about 1/2 quart per wash, then condition.

About once a month or when I need it, I do a ACV rinse.
About every six weeks I do a good root henna -- with BAQ henna.

About once a month, I do an overnight coconut oil condition. I tend to coordinate that within the first week after the henna.


That's about it. I do all of this, including the henna, this with my type 4b ( or beyond!) daughter and her hair is amazing.

I l;ove the smell of the natural stuff. It smells like laundry that has been out on the line!

[Hairytale]

Sebum only, like Rosa.Damascena. I do lots of finger combing and scalp massaging/scritching, but I also use my BBB on a daily basis.

[birthmarkie]

Currently I S&C every third day with diluted Burt's Bees Green Tea and Fennel shampoo and a conditioner mix with White Rain Extra Body and some leftover V05s (raspberry and pear mango, I think).

[zift]

Hello Mahars,good question actually I love reading people's routines.
My hair's 2c/M/C/iii ~mid-thigh length and here's my routine:
I CWC with a non-cone condish than a 2in1 shampoo and than a coney real moisturizing condish two times a week. And in between according to my needs I CO with a coneless condish for scalp+full length and finish with a coney condish ears down. I generally use a leave-in with cones too but that's not too necessary.
My hair has a very dry character so I have to do oil treatments regularly like every week or if I'm lazy every two weeks. But it makes my hair moistured and frizz free.
I wear a bun or braids in the morning and a braid in the evening(have been having problems though,might buy a sleep-cap one of these days)
Hope you find the right and also practical routine for yourself too.:)

[Alva]

Full length wash every 3 to 4 days, wash scalp and condition length, flush it out all together. Further nothing special, I like to keep it basic. I rotate between cones and non cones, it doesnt make much difference to me :)

[Leisha]

I do wash/condition every 2-3 weeks (it used to be every 1, maybe 2 weeks but I have gotten very lazy and my hair has adapted and doesn't get greasy quickly at all :cheese:).
I have a few shampoos that I know work well, and a good few conditioners/hairmasks that I know work well, and I try not to use the same one twice in a row (esp the conditioners, I've found they never work as well the second time!). (Now and then I'll buy and try a new kind, obviously :o ) (eta: oh yeah, i'm conefree and try to use mild shampoos)

I detangle my hair before washing, with a wide toothed comb. I wash my hair while bending over the edge of the bath, so my hair hangs down. I put on shampoo, sometimes I shampoo twice (I like my hair squeaky clean...)

I comb it (gently) while rinsing out the shampoo.
Then the conditioner goes on and I leave that on for a while (this can be anything from 10 minutes to overnight).
I comb again while rinsing out the condish, and I finish with a cold rinse. Squeeze out the excess water a few times.

Then I put it up in a towel. When it's about, I guess, 75%, I usually put on some leave in, mostly aloe vera and coconut oil (or a hair butter, made of shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil).
Then I usually braid it or bun it (loosely) while it dries more.

If my hair feels dry in between washes, I might mist it or put loads of aloe vera in and some coconut oil again.

I tend to sort of neglect my hair most of the time :oops: The first, say, week after washing, I'll do some different styles but after that I tend to just put it in my regular ol' bun and ignore it, not even combing it. That's not very good :oops: cause sometimes it tangles pretty badly then by the time I want to detangle it prior to washing!
So that's the part of my "routine" that needs work ;)

(eta: wow what a long post)

[Jason]

Shampoo every 2-3 days usually with a cone-free one but I'll occasionally use cones. I follow up with conditioner in a similar pattern. I sometimes use jojoba oil.

[Buddaphlyy]

I used to do a CWC, but lately I've been ditching shampoo all together, so it's more CCC. After that I apply leave in and air dry.

[.Amanaka.]

I'm another one that doesn't really have a real set routine. I'm a 1b/F/M/ii, and I wash with either BioNaturals Rosemary Mint S&C (at home), or some old Suave Auphui (...not spelled right) shampoo and the BioWhatever Detangling conditioner when I am at work. I use Aussie Hair Insurance conditioner on days that I don't wash - I try to wash every 2-3 days.

I also oil my hair with Coconut oil when I can, and try to keep it in at least a braid.

[ChloeDharma]

Ok i really wanted to answer this before, but thought i couldn't because i'm so disorganised and flighty and constantly change my mind that i havn't got a set routine as such but here goes anyway and maybe something will be......there.

The main consistant thing i do is oil. Every day and straight after washing i put at least a light oiling on, normally virgin (or something that smells ie parachute) coconut oil or dabur vatika coconut oil. Occasionally i'll use jojoba.
Normally about 2 days after i wash my hair i heavily oil, it can be with the oils i mentioned or it can be with Hesh Bhringraj Oil which is a coconut oil infused with Bhringraj and a long list of other herbs. I always use that for scalp oilings.
Daily i try to do at least 2 scalp brushings with a BBB and massage, always before bed, and i top up the oil.

I usually wash about once a week (yup, i walk about with oil slick hair, but it smells nice so i don't mind :))
This varies between an occasional scalp shampoo with a Lee Stafford Growth Treatment then conditioner, or a CO wash....or now i try to do a herb wash (Indian herbs) I tend to condition after that to help get the bits out.

Then airdry a bit and oil. While oiled my hair is mostly in a simple cinnamon bun held with a scrunchie.

I henna but very infrequently which i need to get back into, i used to henna once every 4 weeks but now i leave it ages, last time was in July last year.

Oh, my hairtype is 1b/F/i it used to be 2a/F-M/ii but the wave has all but gone and illness took me to i thickness.

[jojo]

my routine is i CSC wash my hair sundays with Giovanni claryfing shampoo and Giovanni smooth as silk conditioner and Thursdays with a natural chemical free shamppo called raspberry shine and again condition with Giovanni smooth as silk. On alternate weeks, used to be every week but I dont always have the time i mix sweet almond oil with castore oil and coconut oil and leave on for the whole weekend, sat here at moment with just that!

I wear my hair up during the week for work (im a RN) and comb it twice a day with the body shop's wooden comb. I do straighten occasionally like once this year so far! but i do not blowdry did used to do it on a cold setting but not even that now.

I am aiming to trim 2x a year to tidy my ends up, just did an inch trim possibly more to rid my hemline of the V and get rid of my longest layer, just one to go now, but that ones only shoulder lenght, no more scissors until august for me.

Supplements I take a multi vitamin, 500mg of msm and 500mg of kelp daily. I also use daktarin cream once a week.

Thats it folks!!

[Firefly]

My routine is constantly changing-- I love to try new products! Currently I bought a shampoo bar at our local co-op. Two to three times a week, I am shampooing the length twice and then following up with an herbal apple cider vinegar rinse. Afterwards I oil with a little grapeseed oil, and sometimes at a squirt of aloe gel, too. I use a Madora comb only, no brushing.

~Firefly

[harley mama]

I CO twice a week with a cone free conditioner. I oil daily with jojoba with a few other EO's mixed in. My routine is pretty simple.

[Qwerty Uiop]

I'm super minimalist right now because I just had a baby. I'm mostly water only, but use a baking soda rinse when I feel greasy and a tad of shea butter when I feel dry. My son (who has loads of hair compared to dd and ds1 at this age) is water only except for when he had cradle cap and my lip balm gives him enough extra oil from the kisses. ;)

I make it myself with shea butter and olive oil, so it does double duty just fine.c

ETA: I don't brush or comb either of us, but I finger comb my own and will either do the same with ds2 or just let it dread. Part of me would love dreadies for myself but most of me is afraid of having to shave it if it doesn't work out.

[Feisty Redhead]

I CO two to three times a week with cone free conditioner, shampoo about once every other week or so, just whenever I feel like my hair needs that extra boost of cleansing. I oil occasionally when I remember to do it or feel like my hair needs it; no specifics on that one either on how often or what oil I use. I deep condition (various ways) every other month or just whenever I feel like doing it. No set things there either really. And I mist daily with a water/conditioner mix. My routine's pretty laid back and subject to change depending on my mood and how much time I have - and I change things up depending on what my hair is telling me it needs at the time.

[getoffmyskittle]

I CWC as needed (sorry, I know that's not helpful, but it changes) with Aussie Moist conditioner and Queen Helene Mint Julep shampoo, eyeball-diluted. Sometimes I finish with an ACV rinse. I usually leave it down to dry but sometimes I put it in a messy sort-of French Twist (which I call the BCT) or a log roll. The night before I wash, I saturate my hair with coconut oil. I don't use a leave-in of any kind. I do a mayonnaise treatment once a month and microtrim once a month, and try to wear my hair up for most of every day.

ETA: I only fingercomb, too. :grin:

[akka naeda]

I saturate my hair with coconut oil the night before I wash, when I wash I make an SMT mix and put it on the length (ears downwards, dry hair) and leave it for 30 mins or so. Then I wash my scalp with shampoo and just allow it to run through the length in the rinsing water, so on the length it's really diluted. Oh and I wash upside down over the bath. I finish off by filling a hand basin with cold water, adding ACV and sometimes hibiscus tea. I found putting the SMT mix on my scalp caused gunginess, at present this is working much better for me.

I wash my hair when I feel it needs it (usually once every 1-2 weeks), in between washings it gets oiled lightly if it needs it. I henna the roots every 2-4 weeks, and the length probably once every 6 months or so.

[rhubarbarin]

Wash every 2-4 days with either Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose or if my hair is getting too greasy and weighed down, with one of my Burt's Bees conditioners. I use a generous glob, rub it into my scalp, let it sit while I do other stuff, then rinse in the coldest water I can stand for two minutes. Then I do a cold water ACV rinse.

Sometimes I detangle while I am rinsing my hair, sometimes I just finger-comb it while I am applying conditioner to leave in, Burt's Bees Grapefruit or Green Tea. Then I let it dry without touching, scunch out the crunch, and basically let it be until the next time I wash it. If I have a serious case of frizz, I will smooth some aloe gel onto my canopy.. but usually don't have to.

I also do a SMT or a heavy application of EVOO or coconut oil once a week.

I wear it up for work and around the house in a french twist or a cinnabun, and down in the evenings and while sleeping.

[rossjen]

I've been washing every three days with Giovanni 50/50, Tea Tree Triple Treat, or some Jason Extra Body shampoo I recently swapped for. After I blot the excess water, I apply some Nioxin Leave-in conditioner to the ends and let it dry. Most days, I pull my hair back into a ponytail or bun. It is pretty basic, but it has been working well. I wish I had more time to experiment with things, but I don't at the moment.

[EbonyCurls]

I only wet my hair when I wash it (CWC) and I wash it the morning after the 3rd day.

When I wash (CWC):
-detangle/ finger comb underneath shower stream with V05 Raspberry conditioner
-comb-rinse out with my Mason Pearson rake
-add more V05 ears down only
-rub small amount of Natures Gate Awapuhi SLS/cone-free shampoo into scalp only and clease scalp for only about 30 seconds.
-rinse out and continue massaging/cleaning scalp while rinsing.
-add Elucence Moisture balance cond. and cover with plastic cap. Finish shower then rinse out conditioner.

Every 3rd wash (approx. 1.5 weeks)--Deep Treatment:
-detangle/finger-comb w/ V05 conditioner
-rinse conditioner out completely while combing w/rake.
-do NOT add conditioner back. Instead I do a full-length wash with Nature's Gate shampoo. I like to do a full-length cleanse once in a while to deter the possibility of dehydrating build-up, and I like to to a DT w/fully washed hair because I feel it allows the cond. to absorb better, so it works out perfectly for me.
-DT: after rinsing shampoo, apply cone-free Biolage conditioning balm (been using this for years) liberally, rake through, put on plastic cap.
-rinse out after 20-30 min.

Styling:
-apply Giovanni Direct leave-in cream to soaking wet hair--lightly from the ears up and liberally from the ears down. Comb thru w/rake
-split hair in half, down middle. Apply a quarter-sized glob of either L'Oreal melting gel, or Aussi Volume gel to each half.
-comb hair all over, then follow through, raking with fingers to separate and encourage curl pattern. do not touch until dry.

[Cinnamon Hair]

My routine is here on my website (http://classiclength.home.mchsi.com/routine.html).

The short version: CO 6x per week; Shampoo & DC 1x

[catfish]

Daily: comb and brush, message scalp with essensial oils, very lightly oil length(shea, olive, jojoba, almond, coco, sunflower..it depends)

I wash my hair/scalp with either an organic baby shampoo/soap (or something else very mild/organic/tear free) or herbs (calendula, mint, chamomile..ect) when my hair and scalp are dirty. This can be between days or weeks. Sorry so vauge but if it ain't dirty don't wash it.

I condition with oils, butters or organic conditioners when my hair and scalp are dry. Conditioner I apply to wet hair to rinse out, oils and butters I apply to either wet or dry hair.:inlove:catfish

[Melisande]

My hair is waist length, nearly completely straight, on the fine side, and graying.

Aim of my routine: add volume and strength without damaging my fragile hair. Bring out its natural advantages (sheen).

Daily care: detangle with fingers and wide toothed comb mornings and evenings.

Put hair up every day. Braid at night or some soft buns - silk pillowcase (self made). Updo changes daily to put no stress on a regular basis. Only hair friendly hairtoys allowed.

Damp bun a lot. Moisturize ends with sheabutter and conditioner after spritzing them with a rose water-aloe vera-jojoba mixture.

Massage with essential oil mixture every night - if I don't wash next morning, only some minute drops. If I intend to wash next morning or don't have to go out, I do a heavier oiling.

I wash every two to three days (have to work on that - wash less!). CW: I wet the hair. I'm lucky, I like lukewarm water and never use hot water on my skin or hair. When hair is wet, I cover the ends with conditioner. I wash with extremely diluted gentle shampoo that I pour on my head from a pitcher. Not much scrubbing.

Every third or fourth wash, I use a SLS shampoo to get rid of buildup. I don't condition after every shampooing, and if I do, I dilute also the conditioner.

I rinse with a citric acid mix, very mild. I put dabur vatika oil or jojoba oil or coconut oil into the ends and rub some on my lengths, too. Air dry, for the last part in a bun.

Every ten days: deep treatment with olive oil, sometimes an egg added or yogurt.

Every three - four weeks: color my hair with a mixture of henna, cassia and other plant extracts that give brown-reddish shine.

[Hypnotica]

I'm a henna-head with medium strands, medium thickness and pretty much stick straight.

- Root touch-up every three weeks.
- Washing bout 2-3 times a week with baking soda, sometimes with regular poo.
- Conditioner used is a mix between to diffrent brands.
- Oiling on damp hair, coconut and jojoba.

[MerryKat]

I follow the NW (No Washing) routine. I have been some form of NW/WO (with the odd trial of products- which never worked) since May 2006 and it is the best plan for me. Products either make my scalp unhappy or my hair, they never work for both.

Twice daily - massage scalp, scritch, comb with rake to detangle, gently & slowly brush with Denman D7 or wooden comb.

I sleep with my hair in a scrunchie bun which smooths and straightens out my mad curls to soft waves.

I WO (Water Only) wash about once every 2 months otherwise my scalp gets too itchy and flakey. I am hoping that as I continue to adjust I will be able to completely stop the WO unless I wish my curls to be in evidence. I use coconut oil as needed for dry scalp, ends, canopy issues.

[Advaya]

I am still working out a routine that works well for me, and I love to experiment so I am sure I will try something new. I've already tucked away a bunch of ideas in this thread....

Right now I wash every three days with homemade shampoo. It's an infusion of herbs and walnut hulls designed for dark hair. The infusion is added to castile soap so I have a very diluted castile shampoo. I do not condition but I do follow up with an infused apple cider vinegar about every other wash.

I try not to brush my hair when wet, but if I need to go to work immediately after I will comb it while damp or just smooth it down enough for a ponytail. I have to wear my hair up at work (food service) so most of the time my hair is up.

I take it down when I get home, and then braid it to go to sleep.

[SolSara]

I am still trying out a good routine, since my hair have been behaving differently every month since I started CO. :) But it's something like this for now:

Once a week: CO scalp and length, sometimes an ACV rinse and then a deep treatment for ½-1 hour. Rinse. (Sometimes I do an oiltreatment overnight before washday instead.)
1-3 times during week: WO, maybe a bit moisturizing condish on lengths.
Once a month or less often: Washing with a gentle sls-free shampoo.

I use a bit of sweet almond oil on the ends when they feel dry and aloe vera gel for light styling, but I prefer having as little as possible in my hair. :)

[rhosyn_du]

Saturday: SMT made with Whole Foods 365 conditioner on dry hair for an hour, rinse for several minutes, condition length with AO Honeysuckle Rose conditioner for as long as it takes me to do the rest of my shower stuff, rinse with cool water.

Monday: CO with Whole Foods 365 conditioner, second condition with AO Honeysuckle Rose conditioner for about 5 minutes, rinse with cool water.

Wednesday or Thursday: C-COW-C with AO Honeysuckle Rose shampoo, Whole Foods 365 conditioner for the first C, and AO Honeysuckle Rose conditioner for the second C, rinse with cool water.

every 4-8 weeks: C-COW-C followed by henna (still playing with the mix) for 3-4 hours followed by as much conditioner as it takes to get the mud off my head.

After every wash, I use a variation on Kimberlily's defrizz spray (evoo instead of jojoba and conditioner instead of glycerin) as a leave-in and Fox's shea butter conditioning cream (made with coconut oil instead of jojoba) on my ends. In the mornings, I mist the length with the spray again before putting my hair up. When my ends (which have some pretty impressive chemical dye damage for the last 3-4 inches) are particularly crunchy, I wet them and put in a dime-sized amount of the shea butter cream overnight.

Wow. That looks terribly complex all written out. It's really much easier in practice.

[Druid of Alba]

For me, my hair care routine involves washing my hair every other day, with Aubrey Organic's Chamomile Luxurious shampoo and conditioner, and then just letting it air dry... I also try to do weekly oilings, and I tend to throw in other treatments whenever I feel like doing them...

What about you?

[Future CCC-SLP]

As I am new to this board I am still trying to figure out my optimal routine! I look forward to reading others rituals.
So far I am trying CWC every few days and experimenting with oils!

[AJoifulNoise]

Mon-Fri: CO. (Mostly with Herbal Essenses)
Fri evening: Heavy oiling and braid overnight.
Saturday: Shampoo/Condition. I usually condition with a more expensive conditioner on Saturday (that way I only use it once a week and it lasts longer).
Sunday: No wash.

I also do an ACV rinse once a week. And a deep treatment every so often (once a month-ish?).

I air dry (no heat styling). Mostly only comb, but I will use a brush to either spread oils or to get my hair up in an updo.

[buttons]

I CO-wash 1-2 times a week (depending on how much time I have, usually Wednesday and/or Sunday) in the shower and comb the conditioner through with my wide-tooth comb. Post-wash I pat dry, put a tiny bit of either jojoba, grapeseed or coconut oil on my palms and spread through my hair from the ears down. Then I usually braid. I BBB and oil my ends most nights (but that also depends on how much time I have.)
I love SMT's but have been too busy to do one in a few months :(

[paper]

I wash my hair every 3rd day. Can't go any longer then that. I use Naked Naturals shampoo and conditoner.

[galleth]

I usually CO on Sundays and Wednesdays using Alberto Balsam's Kiwi and Lime Squeeze or Strawberries and Cream, followed by a mild white vinegar rinse. I then apply a little bit of Aloe Gel and Coconut oil to my ends. Air-dry. I used to do SMT once a week, but I dont' have much time now, so I do it more like... once a month. ;)

[GlassEyes]

I CO wash everyday (That'll change as soon as I care enogu/have enough lelngth to entirely put it up on non-wash days), then apply a leave-in and oil. Every so often I'll do a deep protein or moisture treatment.

[Eden Iris]

Wash with shampoo bar (Camamu Soap) and condition with Nature's Gate Organics Lemongrass on Sunday.
Oil with coconut Sunday (after wash) and Monday, olive on Thursday.
Comb only first few days. Brush and braid at night starting Wednesday or Thursday.
My hair doesn't do well with intensive moisturizing treatments.

[Morag]

I'm new here to, and in transition, learning to do a lot of things differently.

I had been washing with a coconut oil shampoo bar once a week for over a year, and it was working quite well for me - much better than standard shampoo-and-conditioner packages. My hair was a still bit dryish and very staticky, though, so ...

I switched to conditioner only and have been doing CO once or twice a week for the past month. It makes my hair very soft and a little hard to work with, but my hair feels smoother and less staticky, which I like.

The last couple of COs, I've used 1/2 conditioner and 1/2 honey, and completely loved the result. Really, really clean, with nice weight and slip, static pretty much gone. I'll go back to plain conditioner on the next wash for comparison, but suspect I may have to start investing in honey by the gallon. ;)

Oh, and I found an eBay seller of good horn combs, too. They take the static right out. Even my wood brush can't do that.

[Lady Copper]

Since reading these boards the last months, my routine has changed a lot.

I always:
Washed about once a week
Air dried (seemed like a waste of time to blow dry)
Kept my hair contained
Conditioned


Now, I also:
Try to use shampoo bars to wash, with ACV rinse before and after due to hard water here
Oil my "tassel" with jojoba when wet
S & D
Only use horn comb (Love them!)
Silk pillowcase


For me, the most dramatic changes were from switching to a horn comb rather than ripping through my hair with a ball point brush, and using a silk pillowcase. The oil is also a lifesaver!

[EdG]

I wrote an article about my hair care routine. :)

http://www.edgrochowski.com/haircare.htm

Ed

[Gesner]

CO with Suave Naturals (whatever smells good) every 2-3 days. Use Giovanni Direct Leave In or avocado oil as leave-in on length. Braid at work the first day. Bun for work the second and third days. Loose for sleeping about half the time, the other half of the time braided. Usually loose when at home in the evenings. Braided when at the gym. Always cover completely with a speed sock for riding motorcycle. Use only seamless combs. Occasionally do an SMT or an oiling, mostly do SMT's. Trim bangs once a month, trim length once every six months.

I keep it simple.

[littlemiss]

I wrote an article about my hair care routine. :)

http://www.edgrochowski.com/haircare.htm

Ed
Wow edG:cool: I really enjoyed reading that,you did some great research! and really know your hair!! Im always wondering just how far you guys go into the hair routines, and it would seem your just a obsessed as the rest of us!!:p thanks for sharing it with us!!:D

[Patrycja]

Well,I'm still trying to find a nice niche in my routine.I think I've just about got it now.

CO with a cone condish
mist ends only with my mister bottle concoction(contains jojoba oil)

I wait untill the next day to add moe oil,aloe or mister sprays.I don't over do it on washing day.And I stay away from my scalp with oils and such.I can't get past DD2 when I add stuff to my scalp.

[AlleyKitten]

Right now I do something I'd call "conditioner-mostly" -- I do a CO wash, and then use a little bit of diluted shampoo to make sure it gets all the way clean, as plain CO doesn't quite do it for me. I've been thinking of experimenting with other CWC or C-COW-C sorts of washes, as this general category seems to work for me, though I tend to have to tweak the methods other folks come up with. It's like if it works for someone else, it won't work for me :p -- my hair is a rebel!

I wash my hair once or twice a week. After doing whatever cleaning method I'm using, I do a rinse with diluted red wine vinegar, rinse that out, and apply a heavier final conditioner. After rinsing this, I towel my hair until it's not dripping anymore, and oil the ends with coconut oil. I'm doing the "keep your hair up for two weeks" challenge, with the intent of going on and doing a month up after that; before this, I usually wore it back in a braid. I occasionally do a heavy oiling before washing, or let conditioner sit in it for a while, but that's pretty sporadic.

[EdG]

Wow edG:cool: I really enjoyed reading that,you did some great research! and really know your hair!! Im always wondering just how far you guys go into the hair routines, and it would seem your just a obsessed as the rest of us!!:p thanks for sharing it with us!!:DThanks littlemiss!

I originally wrote the article for the members of another long hair board, who like LHC members, are interested in proper hair care. :)
Ed

[paper]

Oh, and I found an eBay seller of good horn combs, too. They take the static right out. Even my wood brush can't do that.

I love my horn comb, it has made so much difference on my hair.

[Velvetine]

I use the CWC method to wash my hair about twice a week. I sometimes do a Honey+ACV rinse for my scalp (which tends to be dry and a bit flaky) and a diluted sulfate shampoo for clarifying. I can use olive oil on my ends for sealing in moisture but any other oil I have tried (inc. coconut) causes dry ends and quickly puts me onto the path of protein overload.

After washing, I 'plop' my hair in a towel for about 10 mins to soak up excess water, then I go directly to bed with an old t-shirt spread on my pillow. If it is cold I put another one over my head (but not on the face :grin:) so it looks like a nun's wimple.

The next morning the top is dry and the ends are still damp so I put it up in a simple bun with a hairstick to let it dry and to get bun-waves (which will stay there until the next wash). That evening I take it down and gently detangle with a horn comb - then either braid or re-bun it then one or two braids before bed.

[Dianyla]

My routine has been drifting a bit lately, but I'll try to generally summarize it here:

Wash frequency:
Full wash (roots to tips) happens about monthly.
Scalp wash (roots to shoulders) happens anywhere from every 5 to 14 days, depending on how busy I am and how dirty it is.

Cleansing agents:
Hair Gravy: My homemade soapwort herbal concoction, if I have time to prepare some.
Diluted shampoo: Some sort of gentle non-toxic shampoo (usually Aubrey Organics) in a 1:15 ratio with water.

Conditioning agents:
Lowfat coconut milk: Usually Taste of Thai, which has an emulsifier/stabilizer that seems to help it rinse off better.
Oils/butters: I apply oils or butters every 1-3 days to the length of my hair. Favorites include coconut oil and shea butter (melted together), jojoba oil, and meadowfoam seed oil.
Water: During a full wash the length gets soaked fully in water. In between full washes, I try to dampen the length and ends a few times a week using rainwater, wet hands, wet hairbrush, or a spray mister.

Tools:
Horn Comb: I use a horn comb for scritching my scalp to loosen all the gunk before washing.
Fingers: I finger-detangle on some days, especially right after washing to preserve wave formation.
Wooden Comb: A seamless tsuge (boxwood) comb for finer thorough detangling.
Denman Brush: For scalp massaging and general purpose detangling.
Boar Bristle Brush: For removing lint/kitty fur/dust from the length of my hair, and for smoothing hair before braiding/bunning.

Styles:
Sleep: I sleep with it loose. I balance some of the weight of it on my pillow and the rest hangs off the bed and is generally well-behaved. Towel over the pillow when it is wet from washing.
Daily: Right after washing, I prefer to wear it loose until it dries (which takes the better part of a day). When I'm busy at school or volunteering at clinics/hospitals, I have it up in a bunnytail, usually with the tail wrapped around the bun temporarily. When I'm busy doing active things (biking, hiking, etc) it is usually in a bee-butt bun or a single braid.

[EdG]

Dianyla - you're just incredible! :cheese:
Ed

[Dianyla]

Dianyla - you're just incredible! :cheese:
Ed
Incredibly what? Anal? Hee! :misskim:

[Lavendula]

I keep it quite simple, but I have shoulderlength hair so it doesn't need intensive care at the moment. My hair is not so dry anymore thanks to LHC and the products I use nowadays. My routine:

Wash twice a week with a shampoo bar; 2 latherings followed by an ACV&honey rinse
Air dry
Comb through with wooden seamless comb
Depending on condition of hair when dry, I put some Kimberlily's defrizz stuff (I don't spray, I'd like to apply it with my hands) in to condition and style
When my hair needs moisture, I apply some coconut oil on the dry parts

On non-washing days I refresh and style my hair with distilled water with lavender EO.

[Hella]

I wash every 3-4 days with shampoo. Use conditioner in sauna about once in two weeks or a week, quite rarely use ACV in wash or coconut oil as leave-in.

[CurlyOne]

Right now I wash every other day, actually I am tweaking my routine a little now. I found a web site about getting rid of dandruff which said to put straight 5% distilled vinegar on your dry hair and let it set for 5 min then wash as usual. I am getting some great results here. My flakes and itching are down to almost nothing and I have done three treatments. The directions said to do it every other washing but since I was every other day I figured it was enough time in between. And as a bonus my hair has never been so smooth and shiny!

[EdG]

Incredibly what? Anal? Hee! :misskim:Hard to describe in words. The impression is one of a :thud: with a good amount of :agape: thrown in. :D
Ed

[BBGrrl]

Morning
unbraid, finger comb, comb with wood or horn comb, brush scalp with BBB
CWC, yes every morning, I soak my hair with both conditions and scalp wash only
leave in conditioner, about 2 nickel size dollops, I usually have my shea butter body lotion still on my hands when I smooth in the leave in
put up in bun on work days pony tail, braid, or down on non work days

Night
If it is dry, finger comb tangles , comb with wood or horn
If still wet or damp finger comb only
BBB scalp
braid no bungy (I put it in a bun until the crimp stays, it holds all night)

Monthly
Microtrim on MM cycle

Once a year or so
deep treatment of protein or heavy oil
My hair rarely needs this

When needed
S&D
herb or mud wash when my scalp is yucky or itchy (still trying to figure out how to keep it off my ends, I get splits from both of them)
If it feels dry on ends I will super soak my braid with conditioner and let it soak in all night

Nutrients
eat as best I can
6-8 ounces water daily
calcium 1000 mg
multivitamin
vit E
evening primrose
ayurverdic herbs
soy milk

[carolineb]

as i said when i introduced myself, it is easy to get lost in this huge amount of information.
i thought about a new thread and am hoping not to force you to repeat too much.
basically, the idea of the thread would be that all of us write about our hair-care routine, tell about how good it is, and if something is not working, tell why and the changes we'll do.
it would be some kind of recap really, but it might be useful to have all the information in one thread.
if you don't like the idea, please, tell me, and the admin can freely close the thread, i do not want to be repetitive or overload the board.

i'll start and if you like the idea, please, carry on...

i wash my hair once a week, on Fridays, with Creme of Nature for now.
between one to twelve hours before my shampoo, i put coconut oil on the scalp and wipe the oil that is left on my hands on the rest of my hair
i wet my hair about twice in a week and when i do so, i also put some coconut oil on the tips.
i detangle my hair with my fingers twice a day, morning and evening, occasionnally use a brush as well.
i wear my hair in a bun when i go to work and braid it at night.

that's all i do... it's your go now...

[carolineb]

i forgot to say, my hair seems to like this routine for the moment, i have less breakage, and my scalp is not as itchy as when i was shampooing more and using no oil at all

[spidermom]

I'm not on a routine. Sometimes I CWC with diluted shampoo. Sometimes I CO. And sometimes I simply S&C. I used to put coconut oil directly onto clean, damp hair, but I quit doing that because it seemed to draw more dust and lint into my hair. Now I oil heavily the night before planning to wash it, and so far that seems to give me the benefits of oil without the dust.

[Kaeri]

Sounda a nice idea.

At the moment I have no routine as such - being new back here. I Shampoo and Condition my hair twice a week and have it braided back most of the rest of the time. This should be abut to change tho.

[Faepirate]

I think this is a good idea. :)


I wash every 3-4 days with water only, oiling with EVOO and sometimes coconut oil before washing and then EVOO overnight a day or two after washing. I keep my hair up pretty much all the time except while it's drying.

I've only been washing with water only for 6 weeks so it's not perfect yet and my hair is still too greasy. I still don't know if it'll be a successful transition. I hope so. I'll update this post in another 3 or 4 weeks to say whether I'm still doing WO or not!

So I can't really say whether it's benefitted my hair and scalp or not. Sustaining my verdict until I'm comfortable in the routine.

I'm still undecided about conditioner on my ends... sometimes my ends benefit from conditioner and sometimes it just makes them rough and horrid. Definitely happy about no shampoo though. :) I'm aware this all could change though. LOL. I'm hunting for the perfect routine.

[carolineb]

thnaks for all of you who participate in this thread. i find it helpful to know what you do every day to care for your hair, and it gives me ideas that i could try. if there is a good participation to this thread, maybe it could become a sticky ???

[Nes]

I wash my hair every 3-4 days with body shop honey shampoo and honey condish. Sometimes I use other coney conish such as kerastase.

I actually tried CWC last night and it seems really great so that might be my new routine from now on.

I do a deep treatment once a week with EVOO on damp hair, in cling film and a towel and leave it for at least 4 hours.

I clarify once a month with Aussie shampoo which contains SLS.

Unfortunately, because my hair is so ridiculously thick (it takes about 48 hours to air dry) I have to blowfry, and I use Andrew Collinge heat protection spray to try and minimise the damage.

I finger comb a couple of times a day, and brush every morning and night with my denman paddle brush.

I massage my scalp every night before bed and sleep with my hair over the back of my pillow.


I am finding this routine is definitely helping the condition of my hair compared to what I used to do (pantene and GHD's!) and I see a lot of new growth coming in, less shedding, and the broken hairs from flat-ironing are gradually growing out too.

I don't think my routine is perfect yet and i'm still trying to improve it.

I would like to start doing SMT's, catnip rinses and try and find somewhere that sells organic cold pressed coconut oil in my area. I also want to get a silk-satin pillowcase to try and prevent breakage at night.

I would love to be able to stop blowfrying but.. I guess I can't.



I think this is a good idea for a thread. It will allow everyone to compare routines, and borrow ideas from those with similar hair types.

Nes x

[charlyee]

Nice idea for a thread.:)

I have a very simple routine. I usually wash my hair with Nexus Therappe every 3 days.

I do my parting and then finger comb it until it is almost dry and then use a wide tooth comb to comb it in place.

I have been following this same routine for about 5 years, learnt it here actually. It works great for me and and at any length of hair that I have had.

When it was long, I would put it up while still damp.

[lind01]

Good idea, I love routines and love hearing about what others do!
My routine for right now....

*Co with a ton of Suave, leaving it in for a few minutes before rinsing with semi-cool water
*Work Biolage conditioner (generic Sally brand) into hair and leave for a few minutes before rinsing.
*After this, I try as hard as I can to not touch my hair at all or it won't be curly. But this new routine has made my hair very curly and moisturized.
*I also do a deep conditioning about once a week with an oil of some sort and drops of lavender and rosemary essential oil. After I do this I always feel like shampooing, so I do.
*I'm gradually going no-cone because I still have leftover products, but I can already tell it's a good change.

No blowdrying or heat styling AND no rubber bands for now. They were breaking my hair.

[wintersun99]

..............

[kunibob]

Great thread! I'm still new to pampering my hair, so my routine is a work in progress:

Daily: leave-in conditioner from nape to tip. EVOO on the ends. Braided at night or hair-over-the-pillow.

Every second day: S&C -- just started going every 2nd day with this, and gradually planning to reduce to twice per week.

Once a week: in place of a usual S&C, I do an EVOO soak, then a BS poo and WV rinse.

Every 4-6 weeks: henna. (May increase this if the BS/WV strips the colour too soon.)

Tweaks will be made as I discover what my hair likes and dislikes. :)

[Islandgrrl]

I keep a written journal/calendar so I can see what I'm doing and make notes about what works and what doesn't. Not all of that (or much lately) gets translated into my blog, though.

My current routine.

CWC or WC with Sweet Sisters Coconut Oil Shampoo and Monoi de Tahiti Coconut Oil condish, every 3-6 days. I use a little of the condish as a leave-in on the ends and then lightly oil the ends as well, while my hair is still damp. I also detangle before I rinse out the conditioner, with a wide-toothed plastic comb.

I do a WO rinse as needed in between if my workouts leave me particularly sweaty. Air dry no matter what, damp bunned or braided.

ETA: SMT a couple times a month (how could I forget this?) when I have time, and henna around temples to blend gray as needed.

No heat, no other product.

So far, so good!

[sipnsun]

I change my routine kind of often but right now this is working for me:

Wash every other day using the CWC method. I dillute my shampoo and use Biolage conditioning Balm for my before and after conditioner. While damp I apply a few drops coconut oil to ends. Night before I wash, I do a heavy oiling. On days I don't wash, I brush with my denman nylon brush and put a little baby powder in my bangs to absorb oil, then braid or but it.

Once a week I do a SMT. This has really made the biggest difference on my dry ends. I don't use any cones, chemicals or heat styling tools.

[Shanarana]

Just wanted to mention that there is a "routine"section in the about me page on your profile. :)

[Cinnamon Hair]

Here's my routine. I've been doing this for 4(?) years now, maybe longer.

My Hair in the Shower
To begin with, I wash my hair every morning using the CO (conditioner only) method. I have three reasons for doing so: washing every day keeps my hair moisturized, I find it easier to detangle wet hair, and damp updos look more polished & give better hold. My favorite conditioner scent is White Rain or VO5 Coconut (Pina Colada) but I like most of the White Rain and VO5 line. Suave, however, results in an itchy scalp. Once a week I use a shampoo to remove any buildup.

First, I apply a liberal amount of VO5 or White Rain condish to my scalp hair only. A heavier conditioner is used on the length, often with a generous amount of honey mixed in (for added shine & moisture), then I wrap the length around one hand and place all of it into a showercap on my head. I switch a lot between 'cone and 'cone free conditioners; the 'cone free ones don't always provide enough slip to remove tangles without causing breakage. The best 'cone free conditioner I have used thus far is Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose; L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture is my tried-and-true favorite of the 'cone variety (a life saver when it comes to detangling!).

At the end of my shower I remove the showercap and thorougly rinse the scalp area, taking about 2 minutes to ensure all the conditioner has been removed. I'm not as careful about rinsing the length, but it usually takes a couple minutes to detangle under the shower stream. At this point I may add a leave-in. Finally, I bring the length around to one side, squeeze the extra water from it, and put on a hair towel/turban.

After about 30 minutes, I remove the towel and comb once more to help it dry. I give my hair a few more minutes to reach the right stage of dampness, then put it into an updo.

My Hair Throughout the Day

At home I often wear my hair down but when going out it is almost always in an updo of some sort. The only updo I bother with at home is a plain cinnamon bun using dymondwood sticks because it is the easiest and most comfortable.

My Hair at Night

At night I wear a sleep cap, which isn't very appealing, but it is easier than a braid and keeps me from having a mass of tangles in the morning. Occasionally, I will do a light oiling at night using Monoi Oil.

My Hair - Maintenance

Usually once a week I deep condition using a heat cap for 30 minutes. I try to do this either the day of or the day after shampooing so that my hair has the best chance of absorbing the treatment. I have lots of deep conditioners since my hair likes both protein and moisture deep treatments. My only real preference here is, again, L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture due to the extreme silkyness it provides. No other 'cone conditioner has ever given me near the results as I get with Mega Moisture. The 'cone free treatments, which are almost always protein, make my hair feel fuller but do little on the detangling front.

I have, for the most part, given up seach and destroy (s&d) missions to trim damaged or split ends, for a multitude of reasons. While others have great success with it, s&d tends to strain my eyes, requires hours of time, and produces little result. With over 150,000 hairs on the human head, I find the idea of examining each one for damamge to be overwhelming.

Instead, I do yearly trims of 1 to 3" on average in an attempt to thicken my ends. If you'd like to view my progress, please see the Photos of My Hair Down. As I reach new lengths it takes time for the thickness of my hair to catch up, and so I have to trim to keep the ends from appearing whispy.

[Cinnamon.locks]

My routine depends on many things; weather, hair, etc.


* I Shampoo with either Suave Naturals Aloe and Waterlilly poo or Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Poo. ( thinking of trying Herbal Essences Long term Relationship poo. ) once every 2 months ( or when needed ) i clarify with Suave's clarifying poo.

* I Condition with either L'oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture Treatment Condish or a Mix of Suave's Professionals Humectant, Xtreme Strength and BioBasics Condish or Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Condish or (when i can find it ) Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship condish.

* I comb wet to detangle, smooth a dime sized glob of Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Gel and Oil Mix concentrating on ends and smoothing the left over on the rest of the length from scalp to ends. comb to detangle and wet bun or let air dry loose.

* The routine above is used twice a week depending on many things.

* Nghtly I use Shea Butter mixed with Aloe Vera Gel and Chrome Oil ( Kimo's Mix.) smoothing a dime sized glob from shoulders to ends ( concentrating on ends.) then braid.

* I brush with a BBB morning and night before braiding to detangle and urge natural sebum from scalp down to the ends.

* I do a deep treatment twice a month. ( SMT, Caramel Treatment, or other usual deep moisture treatments. every two or three months i use a moisture or protein product to help and protect my hair. ) the products i use for the DMT are either L'oreal's nature's therapy mega moisture treatment condish or Biolage condish balm ( Sally's version ) or Suave's tropical coconut.

* I braid or bun daily, rarely wear my hair loose unless i just washed and then i wet Bun during the day and let the bun down at night and let my hair air dry until bedtime, then i either sleep with my hair loose or braid it or re-bun loosely on top of my head.

* On special occasions i curl with cloth rags overnight on damp hair or create a special bun (like Infinity bun or others.)

* Three times a week i smooth a quarter sized glob of Fox's shea condish creme on hair from shoulders to ends then braid or bun.

* Every 2 months i use Henna to color and condition my hair.



And that's my basic routine, sometimes i change it a little bit, i am always trying new products to find the perfect ones for my hair and scalp. but i usually stick with the ones that work great for me, like L'oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture Treatment Condish which has been the one that has saved me from cutting to pixie several times.

[carolineb]

Thanks you all for replying! it's full of good ideas! but yes, i know, i 'll try one at a time...!

[Arctic_Mama]

Well mine is easy and fairly new - it is working VERY well for me, my hair looks much healthier already. I have done CO-only before but with minimal disturbing of the hair/scalp (Curly girl routine) and my hair didn't like it long term, my scalp went nuts and the ends were icky and matted. Adding in daily oilings and fingercombing has made a WORLD of difference. It's like different hair!

Conditioner-only wash every four days or so, as needed.

Scalp massage 5 minutes nightly to loosen any flakies and daily grime and distribute sebum (this has noticeably increased the time I can go between washes - my scalp starts getting icky a full two days later than with no massage at all! ).

Generously oil hair with coconut (yes, even scalp) a few hours before washing.

Oil while hair is damp.

Oil ends as needed, usually daily, throughout the week.

Fingercomb throughout the day. No other manual manipulation right now.

[returnofspring]

For the past few weeks I lessened the amount of shampoo and conditioner I used (It was an all-over wash/condition). Now I only wash my part with the tiniest bit of shampoo and rinse. (If I don't, my hair will be greasy the next day. I used this as a compromise so that my hair will get as much natural oil as possible without looking terrible.) It was giving me trouble but I think it is only the climate change, and possibly that I wasn't rinsing it well enough. I'm very happy with it now. I think it just took time for it to adjust to a new routine.

[Aries_jb]

My routine has been the same for quite a while, only the products change because I just love trying new things. That said, I need to try something different, as I said in my first post on the newbie forum.

I shampoo with a sulfate free shampoo once a week. In between I wet my hair everyday in the shower and condition it.

I'm experimenting with drying methods since I've been wearing my hair up more and want it to dry a little quicker, so I have a microfiber towel I wrap my head (not my hair) in while I put on lotion.

I put leave-in mixed with a drop of coconut or olive oil and then detangle with a wide-toothed comb.

I put a little commercial gel or aloe gel and comb it through my hair and let it airdry a little while I dress.

If I'm wearing it down I don't touch it till it's completely dry then scrunch out the crunch. If I'm wearing it up, I just throw it up in a bun and go!

I'm combating thin ends. I'm not sure if it's from shedding or breakage, but I do have a lot of new growth coming in, so I'm happy about that. My favorite part of my routine so far is the oil mixed into my leave-in. It makes my hair so soft and keeps it moisturized all day.

[danacc]

My current routine:

Wash routine, twice a week:
- Olive oil soak, ear lobes down (drenched!), and massaged on scalp
- Selsun Blue medicated (ugh, but it makes my scalp happy), scalp only
- Rinse
- V05 self-reported clarifying conditioner, ear lobes down, squished on top of all the olive oil
- Diluted Tee Tree Oil shampoo on scalp to get the Selsun Blue completely out
- Rinse
- Rinse more
- White vinegar rinse diluted 1:16 with tap water

When needed, typically the day after wash day:
- A teensy amount of coconut oil applied to length as a leave-in

Daytime 'do:
- Around the house - English braid, unfastened
- Out and about - Amoretti's Wrapped Hairstick, Nautilis bun, Figure 8 bun, Celtic knot, Equilibrium bun, occasional French braid with looped tail (takes too much time to do regularly)

Nighttime 'do:
- English braid, unfastened

Hair tools:
- Wide-toothed horn comb
- Hairsticks
- Hair forks
- Flexi-8s
- Ficcare Maximas and Ficcarissimos



Drenching the hair with olive oil is a new addition, and I'm still toying with it. I would like to try leaving it in longer before washing.

[chrissy-b]

My routine has changed a bit, and I suspect it will continue to change as the needs of my hair change.

I CWC 1-2 times a week, but as soon as my shampoo bottle is up, I'm going to give shampoo bars a try, thus, my routine will change...again. I follow with either Giovanni's leave in, coconut oil or shea butter depending on what my hair feels like it needs.
I WO at least one other day a week, sometimes two, or I CO depending on how greasy or dirty my hair is. Ultimately, I'd like to go WO, but I tried for a while and my scalp broke out so bad that I had to go back to shampoo. Maybe my transition period will be longer than others, but right now I can't deal.
I scalp massage when I wash, and two other times a week before I go to bed and I scalp brush probably two times a week, other than that I only brush to style my hair.
Cassia once a month, heavy oiling and SMT when I have the time.

That's it. Not terribly exciting.

[lynnala]

Gee, my routine is so unexciting compared to these others! I shampoo every 4 or 5 days with a CV Cafe Moreno shampoo bar, air dry, add a tiny bit of Amla oil onto the surface to smooth frizzies. Up during the day, braid at night. A day or so before the shampoo I do a heavier scalp oil with the Amla oil. Amla oil on ends as needed. That's it!

[Finoriel]

Shanarana is right :) there is already an extra section for routines in the public profile of everyone. Link to thread where it was discussed: Current routine in about me. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10090&highlight=routine+page) This way it´s always reachable, when you accidentally find someone on the boards with an identical hairtype. Without searching it in a huge-thread monster which will probably be on page 37 soon. :wink:

So if you like to know more about my routine... :gabigrin: come and check out my "about me page" in the profile.

[coolbreeze212]

Hi carolineb.

I'm still tweaking my routines, like many others. I'm currently doing CO, with Suave clarifying conditioner. Then I'll apply a more moisturizing conditioner to the length and ends. While still damp, I'll apply a little coconut oil to length and ends.

I've been cleaning my hair every other day, because any longer than that makes the hair close to my scalp look too oily. (Looking this way with my job is not acceptable.)

I'm sure my routine will continue to evolve. It's all a learning process, I think.

I hope you find something that works well for you!

[renarok]

See my about me

[maryva]

Hey everyone! I'm fairly new here, but am learning so much from all of you! I am curious what everyone's routine is for hair care?

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?

How often do you use a protein treatment?

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?

How often do you oil?

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?

Right now mine is:

Wash 2x per week/CO on the other 5 days.

Did my first cassia treatment two nights ago and like it a lot, plan to continue doing those once a month or so.

Use camellia oil most days -- just a few drops do well in my hair without leaving it greasy at all.

Thanks so much -- I'd love to hear everyone's routines!

[spidermom]

I CWC with diluted shampoo about every 4 days. Apply a small amount of coconut oil to clean, damp bottom 1/3 of hair. Keep hair dry between washes. Brush with BBB and heavily apply coconut or olive oil the night or several hours before washing.

Sometimes I finger-comb and scrunch gel through my hair while it's drying for more wave and curl.

As for deep treatments, I have my stylist apply a protein treatment followed by a moisture treatment when I go for a trim. Every once in awhile when I'm in the mood, I apply a treatment myself. I have a hair mask made by Nature's Gate that I've been using once every month or so.

Most often I use a hardwood comb for detangling.

[Juneii]

I shampoo and condition everyday >___< I know it's unhealthy for my hair but if I don't my hair will get super oily and stringy and I can't stand it...
I guess the only thing I'm actually doing for my hair at the moment is eating healthy. I try to eat more fruits and veggies and lots of protein and fiber!

[ladyshannonanne]

I wash and condition my hair everyday but the washing varies. Here's my pattern:
Day One: Shampoo scalp only; condition from ears down
Days 2,3,4: Shampoo just the very front of my hairline and CO the rest; condition from ears down

I like my hair to feel clean.

[eaglefeather71]

I am currently somewhere between WO and CO because I rinse and massage my scalp, then I use a little "avalon organics Egyptian Henna Clean Rinse" which consists of water, witch hazel, henna extract, b vitamins, and peppermint EO on my scalp, massage it in and let it sit while I clean my body. Then I rinse it out really well. I do this only 1 x per week most of the time and just brush nightly with a BBB the rest of the week. Sometimes, I use WO or the AO Rinse more that 1 x per week, but its not really necessary, sometimes I just want the peppermint sensation on my scalp to get refreshed. If my ends get "Crunchy" I put a little Coconut oil on my palms and run it through and scrunch the ends before the BBB brushing. I'm still working on my routine, but for now this is what works best for me.

[mira-chan]

Wash once a week or so (longer in the winter) with SLS free shampoo/ conditioner (sometimes, if my scalp is acting up) or herbs (Usually) mostly Indian but some western.

Oil prewash with coconut oil with some castor mixed in for scalp in warm weather and sesame herbal oil mix in colder weather. Japanese Camellia oil on the length, especially the ends in between. Scalp massage every night, with or withour oil. Scalp massage oil is a sesame oil with EO mix. I oil the scalp as necessary, anywhere from every day to once between pre wash oilings.

Protein treatments, egg and yogurt containing stuff, are rare.

Deep conditioning? I combine that with a wash for the herbs but that depends on when hair needs it.

Comb only. Finger comb in the morning. Comb with a wood or horn comb in the evening. Braid for bed, sleep cap if not usign silk pillow cases. Wear hair up almost all the time.

[Stacy_E]

I CO wash almost daily using a Suave Naturals or White Rain conditioner. About once a week I S&C or CWC using Queen Helene Mint Julep or TJ Nourish Spa and follow up Biolage Conditioning Balm (or Sally's generic version).

After shower I gently put my hair in a towel turban, or I gently squeeze with a microfiber cloth, then mix a couple drops oil (jojoba, coconut, or olive) and aloe gel in my hand and scrunch into my hair. I comb my bangs into place, but otherwise do not touch my hair as it dries, to maximize my waves. After my hair dries, I usually gently pick through my waves with my seamless wide-toothed comb.

I don't do SMT's or protein treatments. I will sometimes do a pre-wash treatment with coconut oil: dampen hair, slather on lots of coconut oil, put in braids or a bun, keep it that way for at least an hour, then CO wash.

Some people provide their routines in the "About Me" tab on their profile page. Just click on a person's name, view their public profile, and click on the "About Me" tab. If any routines are described, it's towards the bottom.

[maryva]

Thank you, Ladies. This is so interesting!

Mira-chan -- do you have info on your herb shampoos and/or scalp oiling anywhere? Does oiling your scalp not make it too oily?

Eaglefeather71 -- I will have to check out that Avalon Rinse you use -- sounds very refreshing!

Stacy -- Thanks for telling me about the member profiles.

And all of you ladies have lovely hair!

[mira-chan]

Thank you, Ladies. This is so interesting!

Mira-chan -- do you have info on your herb shampoos and/or scalp oiling anywhere? Does oiling your scalp not make it too oily?

*snip*

The link in my signature leads to an article with Indian herb and oil hair care. The herb wash mixes are not like the shampoo you see in stores, though the herb gravy gets close. They don't foam and most are a tea or mud consistency.

I have dry scalp/ hair which doesn't get oily on it's own, so I oil a lot more than many, especially the scalp. So no it doesn't make it too oily unless I dump half a bottle of oil on it. If you have oily hair then using oil on the scalp is not really necessary unless you are using essential oils for growth or a specific problem.

Look around the Recipe forum, there is a lot of information on the herbs and oils there.

[Zindell]

Two times a week:
Schampoo scalp, rinse
Condition (w. cones) on the lengths for some minutes, rinse

Thats it! :D

Never any chemicals in my hear (except the shampoo and conditioner)
Never any heating irons or the like
Never any dyes
Never any bleaches
Never any perms
Never letting a hairstylist/-saloon near my hair ;P

[Arctic_Mama]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? I wash once or twice per week. I can get away with once per week but often I want to try some new trick from this site :D

How often do you use a protein treatment? Never, my hair is fine but quite strong, I've just never felt the need.

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment? Never, unless a deep warm oiling counts? I probably SHOULD deep condition but I find a consistent wash routine with a good conditioner eliminates the need and I don't like the heavy, lank feeling my fine hair gets. It's dry, but I have to be careful when moisturizing because of the fineness.

How often do you oil? Heavy before washes most days, somewhat heavy after a wash and daily or every other day as needed along the ends and length. My hair LOVES coconut oil!

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful? I tried it all - normal shampoo and condish, WO, CO, you name it.... the ONE thing that works miracles is diluting my shampoo (Nature's Gate) in a 1:4 ratio with water and ONLY washing my head, not the length. it is cleansing enough to deal with my eczema and scalp grime but not so stripping it dries my length or irritates my skin. My hair is clean, I use less product, and I can go longer between washes because my scalp is not irritated and overproducing oil. I just follow with a light conditioner and am golden.

[winter_star]

I wash my hair every second day.
Shampoo mainly my scalp and lightly down the length of my hair. I then condition from ears down (sometimes all over my hair).
I never wet my hair in between washes, simply because I can't stand having wet hair and I always let it air dry naturally.
I use coconut oil on the ends of my hair almost after evertime I wash my hair.
Oh and I always braid before going to bed.

[AJoifulNoise]

I am curious what everyone's routine is for hair care? I go by a weekly schedule:

Saturday: Full-strength, sulphate shampoo and heavy conditioner.
Sunday: NW
Monday: CO (possible vinegar rinse)
Tuesday: Gentle, sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner.
Wednesday: CO
Thursday: CO
Friday: CO, heavy oiling in the evening

Sulphate Shampoos: Herbal Essences (Hello Hydration, None of Your Frizzness)

CO Conditioners: Herbal Essences (Hello Hydration, None of Your Frizzness, Break's Over)

Gentle Shampoos: Dairy Whip Soap (bought locally), Mud & Clay Shampoo Bar

Heavy, Shampoo Day Conditioners: John Frieda Brilliant Brunette, Organix (Coconut, Mocha Espresso)

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday? I think I answered that above.

How often do you use a protein treatment? I don't do protein treatments, but the organix conditioners do have protein in them.

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment? Not very often. Mostly I do it when I'm unhappy with my hair. Maybe once a month... Or every two.

How often do you oil? I use a bit of coconut oil after I shampoo (sulphate or non). I also try to do a heavy oiling the night before I use the sulphate shampoo.

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful? Wide-toothed combs, not brushing wet hair (thought I do comb wet hair), and wearing my hair up a lot.

Hope that helps. :D

[maryva]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like coconut oil is pretty popular -- I'll have to give it a try. Does anyone use fractionated coconut oil -- the type that does not solidify? Thanks again for taking the time to share your routines!

[Tapioca]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?
I shampoo and condition every day. Trader Joe's Nourish shampoo and whatever V05 conditioner smells good.

How often do you use a protein treatment?
My hair hates protein.

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?
SMT or just plain conditioner deep treat every two weeks or so.

How often do you oil?
Only when my scalp gets dry.

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?

I do a cassia/henna every eight weeks. 8 parts cassia, 1 part each of henna, fenugreek, and hibiscus. The fenugreek adds slip to my hair, and the hibiscus helps with the henna smell.
I also use a leave-in of aloe gel and jojoba oil (I call it snot). I'll also dilute it way down with water in a mister for those mid-day frizzies.

[mira-chan]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like coconut oil is pretty popular -- I'll have to give it a try. Does anyone use fractionated coconut oil -- the type that does not solidify? Thanks again for taking the time to share your routines!

Most people prefer the Extra virgin variety of coconut oil as it has a bit more benefits. I'm sure someone here does use the fractionated variety but the vast majority don't.

[arylkin]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like coconut oil is pretty popular -- I'll have to give it a try. Does anyone use fractionated coconut oil -- the type that does not solidify? Thanks again for taking the time to share your routines!

All coconut oil will turn solid at certain temps (it's not rock solid though). I have a jar in my bathroom and sometimes it's liquid, sometimes it's solid, and sometimes it's in between. If it's solid I just get a tiny bit with my fingers and rub it between my palms until it turns back to liquid. I actually prefer when it's solid because it's easier to measure the amount.


Edited to say- I've never used fractionated coconut oil. I think it's best to use it in it's natural form.

[dancingmegs]

I scalp wash with shampoo every 4, or 5, or 6 days. Basically when I can't stand it anymore. Every few weeks I wet down the whole length and either CO or CWC.

I comb it out every morning with a horn comb, and put it either in a bun or a braid.

I almost never do anything fancy like SMT or oilings. Every so often I get excited and smear some shea butter in there, and I'll often put a bit on the braid tassel at night.

That's it! Benign neglect has been good for my hair. I'm holding at just below classic for now, but it shows no signs of approaching terminal length.

[VanillaTresses]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? I usually wash every three days or as needed (after yard work, gym, swimming, etc.). I WC (wash with shampoo then condition). I experimented with everything under the sun but finally came back to this, which is simple and seems to work just as well as anything else for me, without wasting too much product. I am currently using Dove Intense and/or L'Oreal Vive S & C.

How often do you use a protein treatment? I only use one if I am having a perceived problem with too many hairs breaking off... which I would say occurs less than every 6 months.

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment? I do a DCT (deep conditioning treatment) as often as I feel like doing it... I would say this happens at least once per month. I really like the conditioners that come out of hair dye packages! Luckily some of those are available separately now. I also occasionally use something really oily like Aubrey Organics for a DCT, if I have it on hand.

How often do you oil? I don't really "oil" per se, however if the ends are feeling really brittle and/or crunchy then I will rub some of whatever I have on them before shampooing. Usually what I have on hand is EVOO (extra virgin olive oil... from my kitchen).

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful? Well, I try to wear my hair in protective styles if I know I am going out in windy conditions or swimming, and I try to brush and comb through it very gently. I also avoid heat styling.

:)

[Buddaphlyy]

Pre-poo Friday night.
Shampoo and DC on Saturday.
Braid or twist on Sunday.
Co wash or DC during the week as needed.
All over baggy daily.
Repeat

[toocurly]

My daily routine:
- co washing every laaaate evening
- good conditioner as a leave-in after washing
- air drying
- dry pineapple during sleeping
- in the morning a little bit cold water and a little bit gel or something to style. if my hair is dry I put a little bit conditioner also.

Once a week I do deep treatment. When I've got time I put 2-3 hours before CO washing some oil-mix on my scalp and on my hair. Every day I put on my scalp something to grow faster with gently massage. I drink vitamins. Only way for dying for me is henna and indigo (I've got black hair).

My hair care routine is changing with the weather and new products:)

[Flaxen]

After trying just about every :ponder: yes, every alternative cleansing method out there, I'm back to a pretty conventional routine. :smile:

Routine:
Brush with bbb, oil, wash, condition, two times a week.
Wash, deep condition, two times a month.
2 drops of oil on dry hair after every wash.
Protein treatment with heat cap, four times a year.

Oils:
Coconut oil for pre-wash, Japanese camellia oil for post-wash.

Shampoos:
Aubrey Organics
Earthly Delight

Conditioners:
Desert Essence Body Boosting Conditioner with Jojoba Oil, Aloe Vera & Kukui
MyHoneyChild HoneyNutt Conditioner

Deep Conditioners:
MyHoneyChild Organic Shea Butter Hair Paste
Silk Elements Revive & Restore Repair Masque

Protein Treatment:
Phytotherathrie Phytomoelle Mask

Tools:
Japanese boxwood comb
Mason Pearson boar bristle brush

[embee]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?

Summer I wash with *very* diluted shampoo as seldom as possible - probably once every week or so. I found as the shampoo became more dilute I did not need conditioner. :)

Winter I WO, again as seldom as possible - probably every week or so. I do not use conditioner with WO.


How often do you use a protein treatment?

I have never used.


How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?

I have never done.


How often do you oil?

I have never.


Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?

I wear my hair up all the time - low bun in the day, high bun at night for sleeping. That gives very few tangles. :) I do like to brush my hair. I don't lose much.

I'm a member of the Benign Neglect School!

[magpielaura]

I always used to shampoo-condition most days.

For the last 6 months I've been conditioner only washing 2/3 days a week. My favorite cheapie condish to use is Boots teatree and peppermint. I do a honey treatment before one of those washes once a week. I think my hair and scalp have improved a lot by completely ditching shampoo - I've done the occational baking soda wash but don't think its done anything helpful. I use a cider vinegar rinse after most washes.

I've yet to do a protein treatment - I'm going to try egg sometime soon but I'm not looking forward to the cold rinsing so keep putting it off!

I oil the ends very lightly about every 2nd day, sometimes more heavily before (or night before) a wash.

I'm hopeing in the winter to lengthen the times between washes, but sometimes it just has to be clean!:)

[dulce-de-leche]

I wash 2 times a week,but as of next week I am going to start washing 3 times a week because I can't stand the smell.Also my husband won't come close to me :(

I do an egg yolk mixed with some oil once a week

I don't deep condition but I oil heavy on the length 2 times a week

I oil lightly on the length daily

[Honey39]

I CO-wash almost every day
I shampoo on Saturdays (either once a week or once a fortnight, it varies) - if I shampoo, I do a SMT treatment afterwards
About once or twice a week, I add honey to my CO-wash for moisture (not colour)
I put in a turbie towel for about 10 - 20 minutes after washing
Gently comb out (no more combing until I wash it again, and absolutely no brushing!)
I've been adding a fairly generous helping of jojoba oil to my wet/damp hair from the ears down - that's REALLY helping!
I either scrunch into tight curls then, OR I damp bun it and take it down about two hours later to dry at work/out. If i damp bun it, I get no frizz on the top, but less defined curls. If I scrunch, I get fabulous curls but a lot of frizz.

That's pretty much it. I was doing a lot of heavy oiling overnight, but I've found that daily oiling of my hair when clean and damp is a lot more effective for me. It's actually quite hard to oil dry, curly hair - it can feel a bit unpleasant to me.

Biggest difference I would say has been what I've given up: shampoo, hairdryer and hairbrush. I love LHC - I am having consistently good hair days for the first time ever!

[maryva]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your routines...this is very educational! I'm curious -- some of you have said you don't use combs or brushes? Do you just finger comb your hair?

[paper]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday? I CWC with diluted shampoo, twice a week.

How often do you use a protein treatment? Never

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment? Tryed SMT once, made my hair a big frizz ball, so I'll never do that again! I do a overnight, heavy coconut oil treatment once a month.

How often do you oil? After washing my hair (twice a week) I apply little jojoba oil to ends. Once a month heavy oiling with coconut oil.

ETA: I use a horn comb only and let my hair air dry.

[Cinnamon Hair]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?
I CO daily. Most don't but there are a few of us daily CO'ers around. :waving:


How often do you use a protein treatment?
About once a month. Usually I shampoo first, apply the protein treatment (I like Queen Helene Cholesterol among others), let it sit under a heat cap for 30 mins, rinse, then apply a moisturizing conditioner under the heat cap for another 30 minutes, and finally rinse.


How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?
Weekly. Once a week, usually during the weekend, I like to shampoo then apply a deep conditioner and sit under a heat cap for 30 mins. before rinsing it out.


How often do you oil?
Oiling isn't a big part of my routine. I oil when I remember it, but that can vary from almost every day to once a week or a couple times a month. If I don't plan to shampoo I will just use a couple drops of oil on dry hair focusing on the ends. Occasionally I'll remember to take it into the shower with me and I'll use a couple drops of oil as a leave-in. If I plan to shampoo the next day I will use significantly more oil, on dry hair, even massaging some into my scalp.


Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?
Quite a bit. Here's my full routine (http://classiclength.home.mchsi.com/routine.html) and a list of products I like (http://classiclength.home.mchsi.com/myhairrecommendations.html).

[ccmuffingirl]

Here's my reggie:
-Every week I use bentonite clay to clarify my hair. I make a paste it using distilled water and coconut oil and apply it to my hair and leave it on for 15-20 minutes.
-Afterward I wash it out of my hair using conditioner and a sulfate-free shampoo (I <3 Giovanni Direct Golden Wheat shampoo!)
-Then after this I deep condition my hair using an Aubrey Organics conditioner or some other kind of natural DC. Then I cover my hair with a plastic bag and put on my heat cap for an hour.
-Every 2 weeks to a month I do a hendigo (henna/indigo) treatment on my hair using my hendigo powder, heated distilled water, and conditioner. I leave this one my hair with a heating cap for 1-2 hours.
-I massage my scalp with coconut oil every night, and I make sure to moisturize my hair daily (I have dry hair). I mist my hair using a mixture of distilled water, aloe vera juice, and rose oil then I lightly coat my hair with a layer of conditioner (right now I'm using Hugo Naturals vanilla and swee orange condish as a leave-in).
-My ends tend to be very dry so I use shea butter mainly to moisturize them.
-At night I sleep with a silk scarf over my head and with my hair braided and pinned to my head.

I know it sounds like a lot, but it's really not. I only wash every week and I do most of my reggie then. On most days I usually moisturize and bun :).

[maliha]

Well i wash my hair every 2 days coz i tend to oil before shampooing,,,apply protein treatment once every 2 weeks for now atleast and try to have a balance diet

[Oskimosa]

Erm... yea I... do stuff.. I dance with cheese in my hair!

*cough* I actually don't have a routine, I can't get something that works for me. Not yet. That's trial and error. Maybe on my 1 year anniversary (June 2009) I'll post gorgeous pics of super long hair and talk about how great my routine is. Till then, bring on the cheese!! (Hey, isn't that literally if you use dairy whip?!)

[maryva]

Wow, thank you for all the great tips. I have a shopping list now...this could get expensive...but having pretty hair will be worth it...right??

Where do you ladies get your heating caps? Is there any particular source that you recommend? And what about the rose oil? Thank you all again for taking the time to share your routines!

[Flaxen]

I have an electric heat cap that I purchased at Sally Beauty Supply - just took it off a few minutes ago, in fact! :smile:

[Curlsgirl]

I will have to say it took me a LONG time to get there (3 years) but finally finally I have found a good consistent routine for my hair :cheese: I have THOUGHT I had before but it didn't last. Yes products matter but more than that is the order/routine of how I wash and let my hair dry.

I wash with an SLS shampoo (about 2X a week) and follow with a "really it doesn't seem to matter what kind of cheap conditioner" for the rinse out combing with a shower comb during this step.

Then I blot my hair to stop the drips and add some good leave-in conditioner. I then use a microfiber towel to help get more water out scrunching it all into and up the length. I can stop here and my hair is fine or if I want MORE curl/hold I add a curl cream and/or a gel. I let my hair dry completely before scrunching if I can or diffuse a bit with a blow dryer if it's cold. If I want more wavy hair than curly I can comb through after I put the conditioner in. I also use the blow dryer for my bangs.

I have been having consistently great predictable hair with this routine. It is SO good to finally KNOW how my hair is going to turn out no matter what the weather and season!!!

Anyone else want to share??? http://images.lowcarbfriends.com/lcf/bbs/images/smilies/hiya.gif

[Indigosails]

I'm new to the forum and still digesting all the information. Taking care of long hair seems so complicated at first, but then I realized that there are some basics and finding the right combination of those is what I need to do. I can see how it took 3 years to find your routine. I think I will be experimenting for a long time.

Right now I am discovering what a difference it makes to condition, wash, condition. And I am playing with oiling.

[aries]

I'll share.

I also thought I found a routine after all these years but after 1 1/2 years it stopped working so I started on the road to finding another routine. Pretty simple really, non sls shampoo once or twice a week followed by a thick conditioner left on while I shower then rinse and shower comb at the same time. Put hair into a tshirt pillow case while I dry and dress then use a leave in and either Camellia or Jojoba oil on the ends let drip dry the rest of the way. No cones at all for me or my hair freaks bad. I also do distilled water spritzes on the ends and light coconut oil applications through the week if needed to soften any areas that feel dry.

LOL, seems like a lot but it's really simple and works for me. I may try something like your routine Curlsgirl if this stops working for me.

I do deep conditioning treatments whenever I feel I want to pamper myself on a weekend too.

[rhubarbarin]

Me too! I'm still open to trying new products, but I'm having really good results with what I'm doing now.

Adding shampoo the last couple months has been amazing. I went from COing for 5 years with cones, to COing with all-natural products last November, as well as oiling my hair on a regular basis. At first my hair just soaked it up as it was severely dry from cone abuse. But after a few months I got build up that shampoo bars and natural non-SLS shampoos (which have a more drying effect on my hair than SLS) couldn't shift. My hair was limp.. I had to wash every day.. for some reason my frizz is worse on greasy hair.

Now about twice a week I get in the shower and use some cheap conditioner to detangle my ends (I only get tangles on the last 6") and fingercomb my length. After this I don't run my fingers through my hair again! Doing so disturbs my curl pattern and lets the frizz on my canopy (I have a lot of baby hairs) escape. I then shampoo my scalp with a cheap clear SLS shampoo and let it rinse out through the length. Then I apply conditioner (usually Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose) and leave it in for a few minutes. Rinse well with cool water, blot gently with a towel, and while my hair is still dripping squeeze in Aubrey Organics B5 Design Gel for my leave in. If I want more wavy hair I smooth my hands over my canopy, if I want more curls I turn my head upside down and gently press my curls up into my head.

I don't have to worry about my hair expanding with the weather anymore, and if I do get canopy frizz for one reason or another, I use a little water and some B5 gel to smooth it down, it works great on barely damp hair as well.

[amaiaisabella]

So far, I have found a good routine (has worked consistently for 2 months), but I am concerned it will not be as effective once I henna. Anyway, my routine now is:

1) Shampoo with Suave Kids 2n1. It says it has conditioner in it, but it's not enough to weigh my hair down, but just enough to get the comb through without imagining my hair shrieking in pain. Thus, the perfect amount!
2) Blot hair carefully with towel and use paper towels to soak up the majority of water from the length.
3) Spray leave-in made up of AO's Honeysuckle Rose and water (amounts are 3:1 with water being the greater amount)
4) Either comb when wet after leave-in, or do a more thorough brushing when dry. I wash at night, so my hair is usually a bit puffy, but after waking up the next morning, it's exactly the way I want it- straight without being pin-straight (very unflattering to my face), and a bit of wave near the ends that give them an appearance of thickness :)

[Curlsgirl]

rhubarbarian
Yep your method sounds very close to mine really! The secret for me is the leave-in and curl disturbance or lack thereof!!

[aries]

My secret is also leave in and oiling the very ends and of course curl disturbance as well. If I leave it alone after my initial comb through to distribute the leave in I'm good to go, I just can't go outside or wind and/or humidity will do me in and have to grab the spritz bottle lol.

[spidermom]

I had a routine that served me well, but now I am back to experimenting. For instance, I can't comb conditioner through it in the shower anymore. It's just too long, too tangly while wet. It knots up something terrible if I use coconut oil on clean, damp hair now because of all the dust and lint that sticks to the oil.

[Isblå]

Ahrrg! I thought I had the perfect thing figured out. I have been COing for about 3 weeks with Avalon moisturizing conditioner. My hair has been better that ever before, shiny, soft, wonderful. BUT the scalp became so strange and irritated and I got dandruff. I Never have dandruff! So yesterday I washed with John Frieda for blondes with SLS and cones, used the same avalon conditioner and a leave in from Neutrogena that has different oils as well as tons of cones. Result: today my scalp is doing fine, but the hair is dry, frizzy, tangling and it is not shiny any more. Anyone else tried to use the Avalon stuff? I am hoping it is the type of conditioner that causes me the scalp problems, not CO as such.

Any words of advice is appreciated!

[Curlsgirl]

Ahrrg! I thought I had the perfect thing figured out. I have been COing for about 3 weeks with Avalon moisturizing conditioner. My hair has been better that ever before, shiny, soft, wonderful. BUT the scalp became so strange and irritated and I got dandruff. I Never have dandruff! So yesterday I washed with John Frieda for blondes with SLS and cones, used the same avalon conditioner and a leave in from Neutrogena that has different oils as well as tons of cones. Result: today my scalp is doing fine, but the hair is dry, frizzy, tangling and it is not shiny any more. Anyone else tried to use the Avalon stuff? I am hoping it is the type of conditioner that causes me the scalp problems, not CO as such.

Any words of advice is appreciated!

For ME John Frieda products always gave me frizzy, dry hair. Haven't used Avalon but I can't CO (due to scalp itches and greasies when I do) and always scalp wash only putting conditioner from my ears down. Sometimes I shampoo the length too.

[spidermom]

My hair didn't respond well to Avalon products, either.

[Isblå]

My hair didn't respond well to Avalon products, either.

Thank you for the input. I really want to continue with the CO since it worked great for the hair, and I had less greasiness than I did before with shampoo and condishioner. I hope I will be able to with a different conditioner, if I do I think I will have found my routine! (At least for a while)

[maskedrose]

I think I've found mine as well.

I CO 3 times a week with VO5 chamomile tea therapy. I used to CO with Suave Tropical Coconut, but my hair was feeling really dry, so I switched a couple months ago - now I'm in love :)

If I'm going to wear my hair down (usually once a week), I smooth coconut oil through the length and then leave it alone until it dries.

If I'm wearing it up, however, I work a dime size amount of Fox's Shea Cream (the recipe is in the Recipes and Herbal Haircare forum) through the entire length and then wet bun. This stuff is an absolute miracle! The length usually looks greasy the first day, but by the time I'm ready to wash again it has absorbed completely and my hair is sooooo soft. Sometimes I just sit there and pet it for awhile :D

I also trim every six months to get rid of damage and I take a hair vitamin. Thats about it!

[rhubarbarin]

rhubarbarian
Yep your method sounds very close to mine really! The secret for me is the leave-in and curl disturbance or lack thereof!!

We have very similar hair. Yours is much thicker, blonder and healthier, and also curlier than mine. But very much alike. I am hoping I will get more curl once I have grown out my extensive damage.. but my hair straightens out more the longer it gets so far.

Faepirate has the hair that looks most like mine on LHC (again thicker, blonder, and healthier), I remember you mentioning that hers looks very much like yours.

[Curlsgirl]

We have very similar hair. Yours is much thicker, blonder and healthier, and also curlier than mine. But very much alike. I am hoping I will get more curl once I have grown out my extensive damage.. but my hair straightens out more the longer it gets so far.

Faepirate has the hair that looks most like mine on LHC (again thicker, blonder, and healthier), I remember you mentioning that hers looks very much like yours.

Thanks!!! And yes! It looks like we curlies have found the KEYS!!! As my hair grows longer it gets curlier in fact just lately moreso maybe because of the the Biolage and using more as a leave-in but not sure. Your hair is beautiful, always admired it!

[Islandgrrl]

I don't think I've found the perfect "routine" yet. CO worked well for a while, but then not so well. Right now I shampoo once a week or so and WO in between. I use a little conditioner on the ends as a leave-in, and that's about it.

[Honey39]

I keep adjusting my routine. I've lately switched to using leave-in conditioner rather than oil, which has given me fantastic curls!

So far my routine is this:

CO-wash most mornings
Comb hair out in shower with conditioner on
Micro-fibre towel on sopping wet hair for about 10 minutes
Comb through
Add generous leave-in
Scrunch hair 8 times upside down (seems to be the magic number!)
Arrange hair and then LEAVE IT ALONE

I get fabulous curls this way which last, and the leave-in has much much better effects on my ends than oil ever did. I usually have about an hour and fifteen minutes before I leave the house, which gets my hair dry enough to leave the house.

I was in love with using oils, but I find them really hard to work through curly hair unless my hair is just washed.

I was doing weekly SMTs, but I cannot be bothered with the palaver of it at the moment. I shampoo my hair when it's looking not right, which can be beween one week and two months - it's on 'as needs' basis.

I was reading curly girl which says you should use a clear gel, but my hair seems pretty good at the moment, so don't really want to add more product.

My aim with my hair is to get the ends in good condition - they can be terribly dry, and oil just didn't seem to help. I've been using a cone leave-in conditioner spray the last few days, and that doesn't seem to have a worse effect that a cone-free leave-in conditioner (and easier to find!).

Things I don't do:
Brush my hair
Blow-dry my hair
Straighten my hair
Wear my hair up
Once it's done in the morning, I pretty much try to leave it totally alone and don't touch it, and that really makes a big difference as well.

Interesting thread!!

[Michou]

I'm very new to this, but after a few weeks I already am happy with some of the changes I've made. My hair feels softer and less heavy/greasy now that I'm diluting the shampoo and conditioner. I can't believe how much of a difference it has made! I've picked up some coconut oil and a wooden comb and will start working that into my routine, especially as winter picks up.

[Kirin]

I've been here almost a year and I've yet to find it. I've tried several things giving at least a month to each, but the worst advice to try for me was baking soda (ruined my hair for weeks), water only, stretching out washes, and shampoo bars.

I really really wanted these things to work, but shampoo bars seemed to cause so much damage to my hair, i'm still recovering. My hair is greasy and no amount of no washing is going to stop that, I've come to the conclusion some of us just produce X amount of oil a day, like it or not.

[suicides_eve]

since i have dropped cones my hair has been so much better.

My hair is in love with nexxuss humctress anyone who knows me, knows i love to brag about using it. It is a heavy moisturizing cone free conditioner.

I get my hair wet under luke warm water and sritch for a while, then add some contionerand rub on my scalp so more, it really loosens everything up, i then comb out my hair with a wide tooth comb, and rinse.

i alos use a Turbie twist /microfiber towel -those suckers get all the water out super quick with out messing up my curls. i usally air dry or if feel fancy i will put a light acholo free gel in my hair.

this rutine has been working out for me for about a year now.

[jojo]

I am queen of the experiements and change my routine as often as I change my socks! I find my hair needs change from season to season and length to length.

Summer, CO washes with just one CSC a week suits me great yet winter its CSC with pre light oils that suit my hair better. i am also finding my hair as it gets longer needs oil more, especially on my ends which tend to get drier, by using oils on my ends I find my hair seems thicker. Especially when i look at my hair a year ago (avatar) and now (siggi) I see a huge difference in the thickness, I put this down to oil.

[Honigwein]

That&#180;s something I must follow, a routine! But when you have visitors in vacations with you and a child, that&#180;s a hard thing!:)

[mommy101405]

I wish. I've been battling dandruff recently and its driving me insane. I have found T-Gel shampoo helps with the dandruff but smells horrid and dries out my length. I have a cleansing conditioner that works great on my length but my scalp is an itchy oily mess. I just can't win.

One thing I am liking right now is a good coating of Jojoba oil braided overnight and washed out in the morning has been helping my ends look and feel nicer.

[lora410]

It's been a year for me and i still haven't found something my hair loves

[Carolyn]

I've been CO'ing for several years now. Long CO soaks work the best but I don't always have time for that so I do shorter time CO's in the tub and get scrubby with my scalp to get rid of the oils and dirt. I rinse the CO conditioner out and then apply a heavy moisturizing conditioner and leave that on 10-15 while I do all the bath stuff. The heavier the conditioner the better for me. I rinse that out and squeeze as much water out as I can then wrap my head with in an old thinner bath towel or a doggie towel. After that comes off I use my Mebco (available at Sally's) wide tooth comb. I rarely have issues with bad tangles. And yes I comb when wet. I wouldn't dream of letting it dry before combing it out. I let my hair air dry most days. A lot of the time it gets to the damp point and I'll do some kind of a quick updo. I've recently added a leave in to my routine. It's Terax Life Drops. Love it. I've never liked leave in until I found this one. I will also use a little Camellia oil. Sometimes I use it on soaking wet hair, sometimes on barely damp hair and sometimes before going to bed. I find that all is good with Camellia oil. I do a CO wash anywhere from daily to every 3 days. It depends on what I am doing and if I need clean hair. I can only wear it down on a day when I have washed it that morning.

I throw in a CWC wash every week or so. My scalp and hair will let me know when I need to use real shampoo. I've found that Tea Tree poo's and blue/violet poo's do me the most good. All other shampoos are basically the same. I'll use a clarifying shampoo when needed. I do not use baking soda to clarify as I feel it's way to harsh and drying for me.

I do a SMT maybe every week or two. I leave it on my hair as long as I can. Sunday mornings are the ideal time for me. I can usually leave the goo on my hair several hours before having to rinse it off. I sometimes use a heat cap with the SMT treatment. It's very pleasant in the winter.

I rarely heat style. Most of the time they only heat styling is when I get my color done. I get my hair colored and a few high lights at an Aveda salon. At one time I was using Clairol Natural Instincts color and ended up being a strawberry blonde which I hated. So now I leave it to the pro's and keep the silvers colors and my blonde nice and ashy. Color me happy! :cool:

It sounds like a lot but it really isn't. It's super simple.

[Curlsgirl]

Funny how it READS like it is sort of complicated when it really is simple to us.

This is very interesting!

[Jessikinz]

Haven't found one yet, but I think I'm going to have a routine up and cracking soon. I really want to go back to CO because my hair reacts better to it during the winter weather that will be here soon. Anything else I do to my hair just doesn't work. So far I'm just shampooing and conditioning with whatever is in the shower. After I get out I blot my hair with a towel very gently. And once it dries a little, I add oil to the very ends. Its somewhat of a routine, and so far its been good.

[suziwon]

I kind of stumbled onto mine.

I currently do CWC every other day or every third day if my hair doesn't look too greasy. My products of choice are Suave Naturals conditioner (which ever scents I liked best on my last trip to Target) and Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream.

I also use a leave in. Finding the right leave in has completely changed my relationship with my hair. I no longer hate it nor curse it. All of the effort I put into hating and cursing it I now put into nagging it to grow.

I prefer Panacea's Hair Salve (NightBlooming's creation). It works perfectly for me on damp hair. When I apply it to wet hair, I end up with it looking "greasy" when it dries. I'm not sure if I get too much in when my hair is wet, or if it just doesn't "distribute" as well when my hair is wet. Because of this, I keep around a small amount of Jessicurl Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment for the days that I'm running late for work. On these days I don't have enough time for my hair to get to the damp stage, and this stuff is more forgiving when applied to wet hair.

Since stumbling onto the above routine, I've also learned that my hair officially hates cones. I have a significant amount of PureOlogy's Hydrate shampoo and conditioner sitting around and thought that I should do something about using it up. Yeah. Really bad idea. It took a few days, but my hair went back to its old unruly ways, even with the magical leave in.

[Carolyn]

Most things we talk about doing here at LHC are really very simple. It's just that they are different from how short haired people take care of their hair. We did have to go to some effort to figure all this out however.

[dressage_Junkie]

Hello, i am new to the forum.

but just wanted to know some of your haricare routines some most of the posters here have such beautiful hair in their avatars and pics.:)

anyway i don't really have a solid routine yet. but i have noticed when i just CO (with cone free shampoo) my hair kinda gets puffier and mroe firzzy.

when i CWC with ACV b4 the last condition my hair stays shiny and soft and NOT frizzy at all.

i am currently using Dove Intensive therapy shampoo &conditioner (although it has cones)

so what is your haircare routine?

Thanks in Advance.

[jojo]

Well I have many as I swap and change as my hair gets used to a certain routine and then it doesn't work as well!

At the moment I am using soapnuts as I want to be chemical free during 2009 and they are working pretty well for me too. I also only air dry as heat gives my fine hair splits. Weekly I do a deep oil and a deep conditioner and I apply a thin layer of oil to my ends, which really helps my ends stay silky.

I have also yesterday just started on mega tek which I mix with my soapnut juice and I wear my hair up 90&#37; of the time, to minimise damage.

eta i also do weekly catnip rinses which are good too!

[Bene]

i switch around a lot with my products, but my general routine stays the same.


currently, i wash my hair ever 3-4 days. using dairy whip, then suave naturals conditioner, then an ACV rinse. put up in a towel, when hair is damp, comb and de-tangle, treat scalp with mega-tek, light oiling with camellia oil, damp bun, and leave it up. during the drying, i'll spray with some anti-frizz spray and then leave it up. it doesn't come down until my next wash. loose braid to sleep. comb when shifting from bun to braid or vice versa. sometimes i oil heavily with jojoba before a wash, if my hair starts feeling a little dry.

[Honey39]

It kind of depends on your hair and what you want to do with it - what I did was to look at people who had similar hair to myself, and therefore had similar problems. The hair typing system works really well for that.

So because I've got thick wurly hair, the tips I find work for me wouldn't work for someone with stick straight fine hair. That's my best advice - track down someone who has similar hair to yourself and see what they do. That's how I learned my hair was curly, and that brushes/combs/shampoo were a no-no, but conditioner and loads of water on a daily basis let my hair thrive!

Good luck and enjoy!

[Flaxen]

Here's a good thread about routines (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=13002[/url). Also, when you get to 26 posts, you'll be able to see people's profiles where many have filled in their routines in the "About Me" section.

HTH! :grin:

[dressage_Junkie]

Here's a good thread about routines (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=13002[/url). Also, when you get to 26 posts, you'll be able to see people's profiles where many have filled in their routines in the "About Me" section.

HTH! :grin:

LOL. great! i better get started posting :)

[sandigirl]

I use Garnier Fructis shampoo for highlighted/color-treated hair. I have tried EVERYTHING else and it's the only one I have good luck with. I use a lot of conditioner on the sides, nape, and all the way down because I had a MAJOR problem with tangling when my hair hit butt-length. I towel-dry, use a blow dryer for less than 6 minutes total in 2-minute increments, and then I use 5 electric rollers on the bottom for curve. I leave them in for 1 minute max. My hair looks like this only thicker and curved under. (I can't post an avatar yet.)

[sandigirl]

Oops, I forgot to post the pic and I can not edit my original post. Sorry.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1055/894103178_08e0857ded.jpg

[ReddishRocks]

It kind of depends on your hair and what you want to do with it - what I did was to look at people who had similar hair to myself, and therefore had similar problems. The hair typing system works really well for that.

So because I've got thick wurly hair, the tips I find work for me wouldn't work for someone with stick straight fine hair. That's my best advice - track down someone who has similar hair to yourself and see what they do. That's how I learned my hair was curly, and that brushes/combs/shampoo were a no-no, but conditioner and loads of water on a daily basis let my hair thrive!

Good luck and enjoy!

I totally agree. I shamelessly stalk folks with hair that's the same as mine! But nothing ever seems to work the same for two different people - there are just so many variables, so you obviously have to experiment a lot. Luckily, hair's my hobby, so I don't mind!

I keep my entire routine on my blog, if you're interested. :) Good luck in finding a routine to fit!

[dalriada-lady]

I've changed routines alot, tried CO, CWC, NW/SO. But the basic routine stays the same. wash with poo twice a week, then smooth condish and add a mix of Shea Butter, Aloe Vera gel and Oil to my wet hair. I CO once a week, and i do a deep treatment once a week. I keep my hair up about 95 % of the time. so far this is the routine that works best for my hair.


HTH.

[sandigirl]

I have a serious question about CO. Doesn't your scalp itch or get kind of less-than-fresh-smelling without being shampooed? I only shampoo 1-2x week but CO scares me.

[dalriada-lady]

Hi, here is my routine.

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?

I wash with poo and condish twice a week, CO once a week, deep moisture treatment once a week.

How often do you use a protein treatment?

I rarely use a protein treatment, my hair does not like much protein. it tangles terribly.

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?

Once three or 4 times a month. once a week most often.

How often do you oil?

twice a month i do a deep oil treatment overnight.


Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?


I smooth a dime sized glob of Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Gel and Oil mix after every wash to wet, combed hair. then air dry. and I wear my hair up in a bun or braid 95 % of the time.

[Flaxen]

I have a serious question about CO. Doesn't your scalp itch or get kind of less-than-fresh-smelling without being shampooed? I only shampoo 1-2x week but CO scares me.
CO doesn't work for everybody, but when it does, the hair and scalp are just as clean as with shampoo. :smile:

[SafoByMengin]

My routine is: CO washing every or every second day, Nisim hair enhancer massage well to the scalp, air drying, some leave in sometimes with a little bit of gel. That's all. Oh - there are days when I put some oil on my ends or when I put mix of oils on all my length.

[Lucky]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?

I don't CO myself, my routine is fairly simple. I shampoo and condition every other day. My hair can handle a gentle SLS shampoo, though I try to use 'cone-free conditioners. Once a week I do a "deep condition" where I use a thick conditioner and let it sit longer than I do my usual conditioner. I mix up brands, I'm not particularly faithful to one in particular, I like to change and try new things.

How often do you use a protein treatment?

I don't do protein treatments.

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?

As mentioned above, I do a deep conditioning treatment about once a week.

How often do you oil?

I oil after every wash, I've been using argan oil that I got in Morocco. I also use jojoba oil a lot.

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?
I don't brush my hair anymore, I only use a boar bristle brush once in a while to distribute sebum throughout my hair. I just use a wide tooth comb. I've been taking supplements, which have helped my overall hair health.

[sandigirl]

I don't ever use anything other than shampoo/conditioner. I do brush frequently which seems to add to the shine.

[Kerynna]

I wash my hair on Sunday and on Wednesday. On Sunday I use CO and then a little coconut oil on the ends while my hair is soaking wet, before wrapping in a towel. I rinse the conditioner out with my head upside down, which seems to add volume and enhance the waves. On Wednesday I use Dairy Whip for my hair wash and nothing else. I always let my hair air dry. Between washes I try not to brush but just fingercomb or use a wide toothed comb. I sometimes mist my hair to freshen it, and sometimes use my homemade dry shampoo for oily areas only. The night before a wash day I massage my scalp with emu oil and do a heavy oiling of the ends with coconut oil.

[JamieLeigh]

At this point, I'm CO twice a week, and shampoo+conditioner twice a week, but I'm looking to go CO only in the future. I also am on the verge of trying coconut oil, I just have to get my procrastinating tail out of the house to get it. LOL. :p I do scalp massage twice a week, and occasionally I will make a yummy-smelling fruit mask.

[Nera]

I wash it, once a week. I use shampoo and conditioner (conefree).
I oil a couple of times a week, with coconut oil (:

[rymorg2]

How often do you wash or CO or any other form of washing? Do most CO everyday?I wash three times a week. Generally I use dairy whip from flower moon soaps but this varies. Once in awhile (once every few weeks to once a month) I'll use a regular unscented shampoo, very occasionally I'll CO and even more occasionally I'll use a shampoo bar. The other days my hair doesn't even get wet.

How often do you use a protein treatment?Less often than I should....

How often do you do a SMT or other deep conditioning treatment?I usually do deep conditioning treatments in conjunction with protein treatments so less often than I should LOL....I'm apparently going through a stage of benign neglect.

How often do you oil?THIS I do regularly. Every day usually, just very lightly. A few drops applied in my hands at a time but as thick as my hair is it does take more applications to get everything. I usually do three applications....one of a few drops on my right side, one on my left side, one in the back.

Anything else in your routine that you find helpful?I wear my hair up daily to protect the ends and lock all the oily goodness in. LOL....I have pretty soft hair and lots of shine so SOMETHING I am doing is working.

[Fairlight63]

I am trying to grow out my hair long. I haven't hit on a routine yet.
So I was wondering what is your routine that has helped you grow your hair long?

[janeytilllie]

My routine at the moment is

* I wash my hair on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The night before I will oil my lengths with virgin coconut oil. I will then wash with my Rosemary, tea tree, lavender shampoo bar.

* I don't use cones or SLS my hair hates them.

* I always use a wide tooth comb to comb my hair I also have a BBB brush.

* I do regualr weekly S+Ds

* I wear my hair mostly in a bun, I find this protects my hair from getting caught on things.

* I braid my hair for bed and sleep on a satin pillowcase. This has greatly reduced my tangles :D

* I take a muti vit every day.

* I love to massage my head before bed. I have heard this gets blood to the scalp so can maybe produce hair growth :cheese:

My hair was shoulder length 2 years ago and now is tailboneish

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?pictureid=27982&albumid=2286&dl=1234371927&thumb=1 http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?pictureid=27985&albumid=2286&dl=1234371927&thumb=1

Hope this helps :)

[Fairlight63]

Thank you!
Your hair is beautiful!

[HairColoredHair]

My current routine is:

*wearing my hair in protective styles, buns are better than braids for me.

*lots of moisture, my ends get very dry. HOW I get the moisture doesn't matter, though my hair loves some honey+conditioner.

*Comb only, no more brushes!

*Um... No more SLS, because it makes my head hurt.

*S&D only when needed...

*Wash every week, twice a week at most unless it really needs it.

... that's about it really.

Oh, and I take a multi vit.

[JamieLeigh]

My routine is wash 3 times a week, CO (conditioner only). Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=18) is a good article on how to properly CO that I found useful when I was starting out on the road to better hair care. I definitely go cone-free for this.

I deep condition once a week, using Aussie Moist 3-Minute Miracle (NOT cone-free). I leave it in for ten minutes.

Twice a month, I use a honey-conditioner mask (cone-free), made up of 1 part honey, 3 parts conditioner. I use enough to completely coat my head and get it good and goop-y, then sit under a plastic shower cap for 2 hours. Then just rinse out with water. No shampooing necessary. :)

I micro-trim every two months or so, just to keep everything even, and S&D (which is trimming the split parts off of individual hairs and can take awhile) every 2-3 weeks, just to be sure. Trimming is really only necessary if you're trying to shape the hemline, however. ;)

I use a clarifying shampoo every week, to keep my scalp healthy. I also take a multi-vitamin, plus biotin supplements.

I also use a leave-in treatment; I bounce between Aussie Hair Insurance spray-on, and Infusium 23 leave-on. I've been happy with both of these for years.

Things I NEVER do: Blow-fry, heat styling of any type, using rubber bands with metal parts

[rose_in_bloom]

I wash about 3 times a week -- 2 CO washes, and one S&C. For CO, I use either V05 (vanilla mint tea, mandarin grapefruit) or Suave coconut. For shampoo, I use Aubrey Organics. I coconut oil my ends whenever they feel dry.

My routine changes often, because my hair is finicky, but I try to keep it down to 3 washes per week at the most.

[abritta3]

Hello everyone! I was wondering if you all would be interested in sharing your hair care routines with me? :) I am at BSL length now attempting to grow my hair to classic length.
I am so inspired by the many users here who already have long hair!
I was also wondering if anyone knows how I can contact Emichiee? She is my absolute hair idol and I would love to know her hair routine.
Thank you everyone!!

[Cinnamon Hair]

Here is my routine. (http://classiclength.googlepages.com/routine.html)

Once you have 25 quality posts you'll be able to see profile pages and send private messages... that's how we contact each other.

[lizzyjo]

Let's see...I usually wash my hair every second or third day (unless I'm lazy). I shampoo the scalp with Suave, rinse, then apply lots of conditioner to the length of the hair, concentrating on the ends. I leave the conditioner on for a few minutes while I finish the rest of my shower, then rinse it off. Once I've squeezed the moisture out of my hair with a towel I apply a little bit of oil to the ends, either jojoba or coconut oil. I let my hair dry naturally.

Keep in mind we have different hair types, so what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa.

[kdaniels8811]

I use herbs (Hesh brand hair wash) and catnip tea for conditioning. Coconut oil on the length. Mega tek when I remember to apply it. The herbs seem to really make the difference versus conventional shampoo. My hair is soft, shiny, and growing without breakage! Oh, no trims for over a year. The catnip keeps the split ends at bay.

[HotRag]

I use Indian herbs or home made decyl glucose shampo.

I have no steady routine, I rotate.

Sometimes yogurt in Indian herbs, sometimes yogurt-SMT before wash, or after.

After the decyl glucose shampo, I use catnip.

I pre-oil hair with avocado and sesame oil, and scalp with Hesh bhringraj oil, and if I need oil between washes, I use camellia oil.

I wash once a week. Probably could wait longer, but scalp do not want that, and I have to have a steady routine.

[desertgirl]

Hi! I'm pretty new here too and enjoy reading other people's hair care routines for tips!
I literally live on the edge of the Sahara Desert, so I don't know how helpful my routine will be for you:

Wash once a week with Baking Soda, followed by a vinegar and lemon juice rinse (which I rinse out to prevent my hair getting dried out). I let my hair dry naturally and apply Amla Gold hair oil (It's a nice thin oil my hair seems to soak right up). I re-apply this oil as needed between washes depending on how quick the environment or my hair soaks it up.

Even though my hair is covered with a head scarf when I go outside, I usually rinse once or twice between washes to get rid of the dust and/or sweat. When it's extremely dry or when my hair needs a little extra TLC, I treat my hair with a thicker oil (currently Africa's Best Carrot Tea-Tree Oil Therapy) overnight before washing.

I search for and destroy split-ends about once a month. Right now my hair has just past shoulder-length, about 5 inches to go before BSL. I've been surprised that since I've joined LHC it's grown about an inch a month (never measured it before!)

[janeytilllie]

My hair routine is :D

I CWC hair once a week with Faith in Nature Rosemary SLS free shampoo and Hemp meadow foam conditioner.

I oil every night with jojoba oil on my length and olive oil on my ends. I will braid my hair and use a silk pillowcase to sleep on.

I also Search and destroy my splits daily.

I only use my Tangle Teezer brush to detangle my hair.

[HotRag]

I forgot some I can see...

S&D: I do a quarter of my hair every 6th week. It takes all day cause I go through all hairs.
Combing: I only use wide spaced comb. I have two heavenly harvest horn combs, and one plastic Str&#228;hnenboy (that one is really great and so seamless as something ever could be). I comb just once a day.

[lynlora]

Mine is very simple. I just wash every third day (unless it gets icky from something) and condition every day.

[abritta3]

Thank you so much for that information!! :)


Here is my routine. (http://classiclength.googlepages.com/routine.html)

Once you have 25 quality posts you'll be able to see profile pages and send private messages... that's how we contact each other.

[abritta3]

A BIG thank you to each of you who have contributed your information with me & to those who perhaps will contribute their routine!
This is incredibly inspiring to me as someone who is just starting my hair growth journey.
It was only back in January '09 when I stopped shampoo-ing my hair and using the CO only method. (I'm a curly girl).
From January to the middle of this month, however, I was continuing to use regular hair products and now the only thing I use is EVOO. :cool: I LOVE the results I have gotten. Just in the past week my hair feels silkier, shinier and overall just healthier and more natural. I can certainly tell I don't have unnecessary products in my hair anymore.
Thank you again everyone...this LHC will be my saving grace through this growing struggle!
Have a great day

[vindo]

I was also wondering if anyone knows how I can contact Emichiee? She is my absolute hair idol and I would love to know her hair routine.


Someone pointed this thread out to me!
I will paste this from my blog :):


http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh98/NAGAI-KAMI/Emi/2002langen.jpghttp://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh98/NAGAI-KAMI/JTLH%20Indexbilder/IMG_0196-2.jpg



Long Hair Profile:




Name: Emi
Age: Born in 1982
Height: 164.5cm/ 5.4” (1/2)


Hair type:


Hair color: dark brown to a blackish brown
Texture: 1a – very straight
Thickness: M – Medium thick strands of hair (0.06-0.07mm)
Overall Volume: ii/ iii – Medium to Thick (ca.10cm, 3.9")
Friction: 1 – very low, hair is very slippery
Stiffness: 4-5 – higher, hair has a good flexibility and holds itself away from the scalp fairly well considering the length
Cohesion: 1-2 – low, hair gets stringy fast



Goal Length:


Well it used to be BSL but it keeps changing....I am at Classic Length now but trimming and not growing much. I want to even up my hemline more before I may consider to add more length.



Hair Care Regimen:


Tools:
- Wide toothed beech wood comb for detangling.
- Fine toothed boxwood comb for combing and styling.
- Boar Bristle Brush (Normal Hair), all natural by Kent UK for care.
- Professional hair scissors for removing split ends and trims.



Products:


- “Earthly Delight” herbal shampoo and conditioner (Sulfate and Silicone free, organic)
- Ooshima Tsubaki Hair Oil, Coconut Oil


Wash Routine:


- Shampoo scalp only, in the shower.
- Apply conditioner to ends (last 10-15cm) or condition from neck down (depends on oaccasion)
- Rinse out with lukewarm water (sometimes cold water)and wrap in towel
- Towel dry for 10-15min.
- Carefully detangle with wide toothed comb
- Air dry
- Detangle dry hair with wide toothed comb, then comb with fine toothed comb and then occasionally brush with boar bristle brush.



Other:


- Baking soda – to remove buildup
- ACV (Apple Cider vinegar) Rinse – to neutralize PH and smoothen hair cuticle (for hair down days)
- Beer Rinse – once in a while


I never:


- Blow dry or style in any way
- Use a regular brush ( and rarely use the BBB)
- Use chemical hair dye
- Use non- organic products ( and always check the inci for every product)
- Use hair spray or gel


But I used to:


- Dye my hair (Until Aug.'06), Sun In Spray in early teens and after that chem. dye for 9 years, applied monthly to whole length ._. (o m g)
- Brush around 20 times a day (Until Mar.'06)
- Wear ponytails or hair down all the time (Until Mar.'06)
- Wash Daily (Until Nov.'07)



Hair Accessories:


- Hair Sticks, preferably smooth coated wood (hair is too slippery after wash tho)
- Hair Forks & Combs
- Barrettes (rarely)
- Ficcare Clips (quit using them)
- Claw Clips (often)
- Seamless cloth hair bands
- Hair circlets (often)


Note: My hair has been getting more and more slippery and certain updos are very hard to do for me even with classic length hair <_<, sticks often slide right out. I think it gets more like that simply because my buns consist of more and more virgin hair now.



Hairstyles:


70% Up– dos: Buns, Rolls, Twists


10% Half- ups: Pony tail, braid etc.


20% Down


I wear a different hair style every day. I love trying out vintage hair styles like Victorian, Edwardian, Renaissance, Medieval etc.There’s a big variety of up- dos I can do. Recently I had to cut down on barette ponytail hairstyles because they seem to give me frizz under the clip. At home I usually wear a bun with a 4 prong hair comb.



Sleeping:


I wear my hair up in a bun high on top of my head held by a gentle claw clip (with rubber inside) (an no the clip does not seem to bother the hair at all)
I might have to switch to 2 clips now since my bun is getting heavier..

_________________________________________________

HTH! :flower:

[pepperedmoth]

My hair is almost but not quite at waist. My hair care routine changes regularly, but currently:

Every few days, I wash only the scalp with a sulfate and cone free shampoo. I heavily condition the length with a biotin conditioner. I bun it in the shower and let it soak up the conditioner while I go about the rest of my showerly business.

Immediately before getting in the shower, I comb with a wide-toothed comb. Other than that, I only finger-comb.

Every night, I smooth a little coconut oil onto my ends. Then I braid my hair and fasten with a scrunchie.

I wear it in a bun daily.

[chotee]

Thanks, Emichiee...i loved reading it....and i love your silky hair

I keep rotating my products....mostly i like to oil my hair before a wash for a deep conditioning. I use indian oils. I usually wash my hair twice or sometimes thrice a week. I live in a very humid, tropical place so i figured out that washes are a must. I keep once a week hair mask as it gives my hair body. The mask is usually home made from kitchen products and flowers and herbs. Rest of the washes are either a body shop shampoo with ACV rinse or a simple rosemary(freshly made) rinse just to remove the sweat from exercise.

[angelakeats]

Do you leave the catnip in your hair or do you rinse it out? Do you actually soak it or just rinse it through the hair?

Thanks

[hennaphile]

It varies!

-Wash every day, sometimes with shampoo bar and vinegar/beer rinse.
-Or with nice shampoo and nice conditioner, after a heavy oiling
-use indian herbs after a heavy oiling, i'm now experimenting with soapnuts

and leave in conditioners, aloe based styling products... can't wait to try camellia oil! :D

Oh, and, HENNA HENNA HENNA, and cassia

EDIT: also, zero heat. I don't own hair dryers or irons. sometimes i use coconut milk as a soak.

Against my all natural frenzy, I've been using MegaTek the past month.

[Reptilia]

What is your hair routine like? How often do you wash/CO? Oiling? Trimming/Dusting/S&D? Treaments, like SMT, monistat, hair coloring?

I've been very random with what I do, just wondering if any of you actually stick to a routine or schedule for what you do to your hair!

[AnneAdeline]

I'm really random, too. The only thing that stays relatively constant is when I wash my hair-once a week.
For everything else, it depends on whether I have time or if my hair needs it.

[FallenAngel]

I wash every 2-3 days. Most often CO, but sometimes CWC.

I henna when my roots start to bother me, 4-6 weeks in between.

I do other things (oil, deep oil, SMT, henna glosses.... you name it) when I think of it.

I change conditioners because I like variation, but I stay away from cones.

[Rapunzal2Be]

I wash (S&C) every few days and CO in between. My staples are Nioxin for my scalp, but I condition my length with V05 Kiwi Lime, Nature's Gate, and some other stuff.

I'm pretty strict with keeping up with Monistat (undiluted, massaged into scalp at night) because it really decreases my shedding and does not make my hair greasy at all.

I alternate that with Mega Tek (diluted with distilled water with a dab of oil in a color applicator bottle, massaged into scalp at night) but it does make my hair greasy.

I load up on coconut oil before a wash when I remember and have some time to sit with it on before I wash. I also try to use just a tiny bit of oil on my ends, but because my hair is still short it always ends up looking greasy and stringy. So I do this when I can just tuck it away and forget about it for a while.

Sometimes I like to do a Mega Tek treatment on my length, too and then I follow with a DC.

I do cassia or a Rainbow light brown gloss once per month or so.

[Copasetic]

My routine is pretty random. Right now, I shampoo and condition with coney products once a week, and then condition with a cone-free conditioner when I shower during the rest of the week. Everything else, like deep conditioning or microtrims happen whenever I feel like I need them.

[Coriander]

I'm trying to keep to my routine, but it doesn't always work :rolleyes:

CWC with cone-loaded poo/dish every two to three days

Deep condition once a week (usually a weekend so I can keep the days straight)

Clarify every other week

Mega-Tek the night before a wash day

S&D whenever I see any splits. This is usually once a week or so.

Jojoba oil on the ends after every wash

[enfys]

I wash Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. I oil probably every day with jojoba, more heavily before washing if I can. I wash with cheapy conefree conditioner or diluted organic shampoo. When I use shampoo I use a heavier conditioner, but still cone free. I want to know what my hair feels like.

I will cassia every month, but that's something I have only just started doing.

Other things are just as and when, not a regular routine thing.

I dust only when my hair has a few racers annoying me that I want to bring into line. I like blunt ends, and once I reach classic I will trim pobably monthly to keep things blunt. That's what I used to do.

[ericthegreat]

It terms of CO rinsing, I do that every night. I have the entire line of Suave Naturals, but my fav of course is the Tropical Coconut. Unless of course I have to be visiting at my friends homes or am away for vacation, then of course I'll adapt and use whatever conditioners they'll offer there even if the happen to be loaded with cones. :)

I am more often than not a non-trimmer. I rarely even so any S&Ds anymore, I'm number 1)too lazy most of the time and number 2) I really want to get to terminal ASAP.

[Bellalalala]

Water only every 3-4 days.

BBB aaalllllll the time, and constant preening no matter what I'm doing.

No products or elastics, and only very rare heat styling for special occasions.
I might add oiling once my hair gets longer.

[Fairlight63]

I S&C Wed. & Sun. I shampoo with Eqyss watered down shampoo & cond. with Eqyss cond. Then I pour a final rinse of Nettle tea over hair.
I put coconut oil on hair everynight & slip on my sleep cap.
I am growing out my hair that was dyed a couple of yrs. ago, so the ends get kind of dry.
I just cut off the ends of my hair every couple of months to even them up but still keep the growth.

[Aries_jb]

I'm fairly random. I wash my hair when it needs it, which with this heat is about every two days. I shampoo with either Aubrey shampoo, some other sulfate free shampoo, or a CV shampoo bar. I always follow this with an ACV rinse and conditioner. On non-wash days, I still wet and condition my hair. I always use leave-in and a little gel so that it's smooth when I put it up. I only put my hair up after it's dry. My hair stretches a lot when it's wet, so putting it up that way may cause breakage.

I also use coconut oil mixed with my leave-in, but I only do that when I don't use Aubrey conditioner, which is typically loaded with oils, regardless of the formula (don't quote me on this. I have so many of their conditioners I can't keep the ingrediants straight :)).

[Elphie]

My routine has been changing due to the summer weather and my evening workouts. I can't get by with a CWC wash every other day or two right now, so I've switched to CO for the summer on a daily basis (it's working well, too!) during the work week and nothing on the weekends.

I use coconut oil on a daily basis, but I'm out of it at the moment so I've been using grapeseed lately till i can get to the store.

I trim every six months and I'm due for one in November.

That's pretty much the extent of things. Nothing too complicated!

[Raederle]

Well, hmmm, I'd like to think that I scalp wash maybe every 4 days or so. About every 3 scalp washes, I'd like to think I apply a mix of honey, Burt's Bees Avocado Butter and a rich conditioner some hour or two before the planned scalp wash. I'd like to think that I hold the length out of the way for the first sudsing, and then, after the bulk of the shampoo has been rinsed off, let the water run down the length. Yes, indeed, I'd like to think that.

I always finish with a white vinegar/water rinse, in differing concentrations depending upon whether my scalp is pissed at me or not. And I always finish with Beauty Without Cruelty leave in, sometimes with a few drops of camellia oil. I don't comb or manipulate my hair until fully dry. Then I finger comb, finish with my horn comb, and usually, put it up. Many times when the length is wet, I put it up wet, but sometimes I like to feel it down my back.

I haven't trimmed in two years, but I plan on a special treat the early part of next year with Shell, visiting a longhair salon she's had great experiences with. Eh, don't really bother with S&D. If I'm detangling, and if I notice a split, and if one of my two pair of hair scissors is nearby, I'll take care of it. I do use a BBB sometimes, but it's not a regular tool.

Many years ago, I used to use Avigal henna, but haven't since April 2005, and have no plan to pigment my mostly unpigmented hair.

[ecologystudent]

I have a very simple routine. CO wash, comb, put in pony tail. Occasionally, I'll try braiding it. I would like to wash every three days or so, but lately my days have been so filled that it's more like once a week. But, my hair is healthy, shiny and smooth, so what's not to like?

[rose_in_bloom]

I shampoo about every other day with either Earth Science unscented or AO clarifying) and condition with Nature's Gate pomegranate and occasionally AO honeysuckle rose for a deep treatment. Sometimes I need to wash daily during the summer. I use coconut oil on the ends as needed.

[thankyousir74]

Currently CO with V05 once a week, then about three days after that I S&C with a no-cone poo

I use coconut oil on my length all the time, I love the stuff [while it is damp, before I go to sleep (braid it in a french braid when I'm not lazy), and a little before school starts].

I need to SMT more often >_>

Constant S&D [There's SO MANY!! :( ]

I henna when I remember (about once a month)

[masterofmidgets]

Some stuff I'm pretty routine about, others I do when I feel like it or when it seems like I need to.

About every three days I do a shampoo bar/ACV/conditioner wash, and scrunch some aloe gel into my damp hair. I use a couple drops of coconut oil on my dry ends before I put it up/go out and more at night before I braid it. I clarify with a liquid shampoo about once a month or so.

I do S&D while I'm watching TV or while I'm on the phones at work. I do an SMT when my hair seems especially dry or after I redo my bleached and dyed streaks. Once in awhile I experiment with new stuff, but my routine now works pretty well for me.

[Loviatar]

It's taken me ages to settle to a routine, I have changed so many times depending on whether I've hennaed, indigo'd, permanent dyed etc. Now I'm not using any color on my hair and my routine goes like this. (I wash daily or every other day.)

Pre-oil overnight - either oil the scalp with a blend of castor, sesame Bhringraj, almond and various EOs (rosemary, thyme, peppermint and cedarwood) or smooth a little Bhringraj or monoi over the length and ignore the scalp. I scalp-oil maybe twice a week and length-oil the other nights.

Washing routine, either:
Shampoo in the morning usually, with Dairy Whip in Honey Almond, White Ginger or Violet scents. About once a week I use liquid shampoo, but I'm only doing this to use up my old stash of sulphate free liquid shampoos. I'd like to be exclusively DW.
Condition with a palmful of conditioner and honey mixed together. Usually I'm conefree, but I am also using up my Herbal Essences.
OR:
Conditioner only wash (I do this when I've scalp-oiled, as I find it gets the oil out easier. I put the conditioner onto wet hair and leave it for as long as I can stand. I do this in the evenings, not the mornings. Conditioners I use are VO5 extra body, Samy Fat Hair, Inecto Coconut, any conefree supermarket fruity or citrusy conditioner, Herbal Essences fresh balance, Hello Hydration and Uplifting Volume.

I then finish with two drops of sunflower seed oil or monoi oil. If my hair feels at all rough, I'll finish with two drops of Bhringraj instead.

I never liked the idea of oiling my hair but since the London meet my hair has had oil on it in one form or another every day and it looks and feels amazing.

After the washing and oiling I always air dry and fingercomb only til completely dry. Then I comb out my part with a wide tooth Mason Pearson comb and brush with a wooden quilled brush from the Body Shop.

[Cinnamon Hair]

I have a solid routine that I've followed for several years now. This page describes it. (http://beyondclassic.awardspace.us/routine.html)

[Jinx2234]

My routine is somewhat random since I am still trying to find what works the best for me. I usually CO wash twice a week, followed by an ACV rinse. Since my hair has been really dry lately, I've been CO washing once a week, and for the second wash I have been doing a SMT.

After washing I put a little bit of oil on my ends (currently jojoba oil). Sometimes I add a little bit of aloe vera gel (to encourage curls/waves) but only if I think I am going to wear my hair down. I add more oil to the ends of my hair in the days between the first wash and the second if I think my hair needs it. I try to do heavy oilings the day before washing (with a mixture of coconut, EVOO, and jojoba oil) but sometimes I don't have time or life gets in the way. When my hair starts to feel funny or act strange I clarify (about once every other month or so) followed by a SMT.

I haven't gotten my hair trimmed in almost a year (mainly due to lack of funds- I have a really great hairdresser who's a longhair herself and doesn't cut off more than I want her to) but I S&D anytime I notice a split end and have my hair scissors handy- usually a couple times a week, I have lots of split ends.

[LilyMunster]

How often do you wash/CO? -3-4x's a week
Oiling? -daily
Trimming/Dusting/S&D? -S & D quarterly.
Treaments, like SMT, monistat, hair coloring?-moisture DT weekly, from ears down. No coloring. ;)

[NickalNack]

On days I when feel like it:

Wet hair in freezing cold shower.

Comb hair out with wide-toothed comb/fro pick.

Soak it in handfuls of conditioner (when we have it).

Mess with sopping wet hair in front of mirror for 15-30 minutes gawking at how much bigger/longer it's gotten (it's down to my shoulders when wet now! though it doesn't maintain for very long).

Stand under cold water until I'm sure my hair is rinsed out to a manageable level.

Stand in front of mirror again evening out the puff as much as possible. Sometimes I use two mirrors facing each other to be 100% sure about all sides.

Let air dry. I don't care about it being wet, or if my clothes get wet.


This is probably the least professional "routine" ever, lol. But it works for me... I guess. I NEVER sleep in a silk hair wrap though, and I really need to fix that.

[Laylah]

I wash S/C wash every sunday, just shampooing my scalp and squishing the suds to the length. I condition only ears down and clip it up until I'm done with the rest of my shower. Sometimes if it's particularly hot out I will CO wash in between sundays. After washing, I wear a towel-tuban-thing, which is not the best, I know. :rolleyes: When it's just damp I oil with EVOO on the length and shea on the ends.

I oil with coconut oil or EVOO from ears down the night before washing, and sleep in two braids, with shea butter on the ends. Throughout the week I oil with EVOO when I need it, lightly and sometimes shea on the ends. I'd oil with coconut oil but the smell is too strong. Also on non-wash days I shower with my hair in a bun on top of my head. The nape gets wet, but I hate shower caps so it's ok.

I've been following this routine for almost two years, but since joining LHC I want to experiment more :D

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I oil pretty much daily, heavy oil the night before a wash or a clarifying shampoo. I use shampoo bars once - twice per week and CO if I need in between.

I never use a BBB and I only use very large tooth combs (and a lot of the time just my Baerreis comb/fork) and if I need a brush I use an infant/baby brush.

to style I use coconut oil and/or nightshade's salve and if I am wearing it down and curly I make a mix of aloe gel and evoo.. and I am more or less cone free. I will use cones if I know my hair is going to take some harsh treatment (wind or something) though then just clarify and return to the routine above.

S&D when I think of it and/or find a split.. I use catnip and moisture treatments weekly.

Once per month, Nightshades conditioning henna/cassia mix.

[embee]

Heh. I wash my hair every couple of weeks with greatly diluted soap/shampoo - whatever I decide to use, no set-in-stone product here. Rinse really well and air dry.

No oils. No conditioners. No henna or colors of any sort.

Brush twice a day - when making my day-time updo and when making my bedtime topknot. My hair stays up the rest of the time, so there's not much combing and brushing needed. I do not shed much at present.

Do brush vigorously before hair washing - do ***not*** want hair in the tub drain! Also have one of those little screen drain-saver things which I use when it's hair washing time.

ETA:
No trims. May S&D occasionally, if the spirit moves. ;)

[82exoticbeauty]

What is your hair routine like?
I wash my hair sometimes by skipping 2 or 3 days between wash, shampoo hair from the shampoo I have bought at Sally's Beauty Supply called 'DAVID BABAII for WILDAID' Hydrating Shampoo, a SULFATE FREE, PARABEN FREE, and COLOR SAFE FREE SHAMPOO! and a MANE 'N Tail Conditioner original (It does make hair grow faster and argreed on the FAQ on their website! Wrap absorbant towel onto my hair for 15 minutes and then airdry ( I always do the part flipping my head back and then forth for the water to flick off like the movie called The Little Mermaid in a medium pace motion while standing up, bending back and forth my body, crazy ain't it:ohmy:! it made my head warm like doing an excercise, almost same to scalp massages:hmm:):smirk:

How often do you wash/CO? Oiling?
I did mention about washing by skipping 2 or 3 days between wash, but I do sometimes conditioner washes when I feel sticky on a hot days (that's every other day only for CO, then altnernate it on other days again with shampoo and conditioner. As for the oiling, I do that daily by using Camellia Oil while mixing together with Castor Oil, you can purchase that on Ebay, as for Castor Oil-you can find it at any stores- I bought my Castor Oil at Wal-Mart where the band-aid section is, Castor Oil is for Laxative, but don't use it for oral, only for the scalp and eyelashes, mines pure Camellia oil and pure Castor Oil, and it does help with hair growth and scalp massages:D:cheese:.

Trimming/Dusting/S&D?
I do S&D by the Morroco Method and Moon phases of New to Full Moon and by zodiac signs. But it's not like religious to me or a ritual, I just do that because it does help my hair growth. :), I'll give you the links to you guys to know which I use to do my S&D, and for other members here on LHC of trimming, you can do this too (to those believe in it). I use all three by multitasking! I only do my split ends by cutting them on the phases. But I don't have that much split ends though!
Here are the links :
http://www.longhairlovers.com/moon_maintenance.html
http://www.drstandley.com/Void_of_Course_Calendar.shtml
http://www.morroccomethod.com/lunar-hair-chart

Treaments, like SMT, monistat, hair coloring?
I'm just growing out my brown hair color to my natural dark brown. not that I know of, but just growing to my natural color. I don't do treatments like monistat or SMT.