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contradiction
March 5th, 2010, 01:49 PM
Before Long Hair Community or before the Internet, how did you know about how to treat long hair? Did all this information on COing, oils, protective styling, monistat treatments, henna, exist before the Internet? For those who have had long hair for many years, how did you treat it before LHC or the Internet? How did you figure stuff out?

La Luna
March 5th, 2010, 03:00 PM
contradiction, you asked a very interesting question, well done! :p
Having discovered LHC I have learnt so much about better ways of taking care of my hair, I turned from "I don't really care what my hair looks like" to actually enjoying the process of oiling, washing my hair, I now notice that my hair looks nice and a lot healthier. My hubby complimented the other day that my hair looks really shiny and that is nice :rolleyes:
Before I joined LHC I knew a few things about the long hair care - such as natural henna is good for colouring, burdock for making hair soft and strong, hops or beer are good for rinsing before styling, but I knew nothing about oiling, for example. Above all, LHC gave me so much inspiration!

WritingPrincess
March 5th, 2010, 03:45 PM
I knew to only shampoo down to the ears and condition from there down. I brushed rather roughly with a cheapo brush, cut it off whenever I got tired of it, and basically ignored it the rest of the time. I taught myself how to braid it in one braid about a year, probably, before I got here, and wore it like that much of the time.

I haven't changed a lot, except that sometimes I use a shampoo bar instead of shampoo and vinegar instead of conditioner, I now use a wooden wide-tooth comb, I oil when I think of it, and I discovered hair sticks and ficcares!

CrowningGlory
March 5th, 2010, 04:29 PM
I can still remember when a friend's sister who worked in a pharmacy told me that if I wanted to reduce damage to my hair I should only shampoo the scalp and only condition from the ears down. I was horrified! Wouldn't my hair look dirty? But I tried it and it worked.

I used to S&D (not knowing what it was called) and would have regular trims but that was about all. I had tried using heated olive oil as a deep conditioning but I used too much and it took so many shampoos to get out that it wasn't worth it.

I had also heard of using ACV as a rinse but never tried it because it seemed ... well ... weird. Now I use it all the time.

Not until I found the long hair boards did I learn about the damage those cheap plastic combs could do; that if I wanted to brush then a natural boar bristle brush was better; and to throw away all my hair toys because they were causing damage (I had to go out and buy new hair toys - what a sacrifice!).

I'd probably still be doing lots of things wrong (and not brave enough to try ACV) if I hadn't found the long hair forums. And I'd still be doing just a basic cinnamon bun and a Dutch braid because that was all I could do before (actually, I can't do a lot more now but I'm trying).

Fractalsofhair
March 5th, 2010, 04:35 PM
Boar Bristle brushes, shampoo bars(didn't know about acid rinse), oiling(the heavy stuff, not regular), braids protecting hair, and that was about it. I figured traditional products were damaging, due to the breakage I had, but I didn't know a ton.

Merkaba
March 5th, 2010, 04:45 PM
I didn't know hardly anything useful. Growing up living by the beach and having a pool I was in and out of water and harsh sunlight all day, used metal elastics, shampooed and conditioned with the cheapest stuff there was, brushed wet all the time, and in high school started highlighting. I cut off at random times to try and imitate styles I saw on others, with no regard to my hair's own texture or type. I really blame my mother- she is about the most unfeminine woman you will ever meet and never paid any attention to her hair or her looks in general.

Then in college I bleached, dyed, and cut with abandon- paying attention some to length but completely disregarding condition. I actually learned about LHC from the Henna for Hair website, which I visited a little less than 2 years ago. Basically everything useful about caring for hair started here for me, and then the research that I have done myself on the internet. I have done a complete 360 in my routine and treatment, thanks to finding this awesome place :)

Kelli Kat
March 5th, 2010, 05:27 PM
I didn't really know much before coming to LHC. I stopped using curling irons, blow dryers and styling products several years ago, but that's pretty much it.

Teazel
March 5th, 2010, 05:31 PM
Long before LHC - in fact long before the Internet existed in any useful form - I had a book called The make-your-own cosmetic and fragrance book for New Zealanders, by Elizabeth Franke. It contained the immortal words, "Lady, you don't need the cosmetic industry. The cosmetic industry needs you." I keep rediscovering the truth of those words.

The book collected and distilled a lot of pre-shampoo hair knowledge. From it I learned about boar bristle brushes, vinegar rinses, and washing hair with soap or eggs, among other things.

One of the biggest things I learned from LHC was the problems with using 'cones; I'd had no clue about that at all. And of course I've learned a whole lot of other stuff from the lovely people here.

loralie
March 5th, 2010, 05:32 PM
I remember being around 13 and 14 and doing Olive oil soaks and apple cider vinegar rinses. LHC was probably already around... :D

My grandmother used to do beer rinses. Mom told me about the soaks. When I felt like my hair was dry or gross I would do Hot oil treatment packets and bought "nourishing" shampoos/conditioners but never thought twice about ingredients... just read what they said about the product on the bottle.

I straightened, dyed too much, ripped my brush through my hair.... sigh.

barbararla
March 5th, 2010, 05:33 PM
Lets see before LHC I was really clueless about hair. Now I'm learning a lot of interesting things and things that work on my hair

autumnsdaughter
March 5th, 2010, 06:39 PM
My brother is a hair stylist, so he gave me some tips about healthy hair care, like to not brush it and to only blow-dry it with cool air. Then I found Curly Girl, and tried out CO, but it did not work for me. At All. LOL, I looked pretty ratty there for a while. I went back to traditional WC, but avoided cones, and washed less often.

Copasetic
March 5th, 2010, 06:49 PM
I knew a bit about oiling, but never even thought to use coconut oil. And I knew that I shouldn't wash my hair too often, because I have curly hair, but I didn't know exactly what CO was. Other than that I knew nothing about growing long hair.

Carolyn
March 5th, 2010, 06:57 PM
Before LHC, I wash almost daily and used blow dryer and curling iron each time. No wonder I couldn't grow it to waist. I'd heard of using EVOO and mayo but I didn't think anything natural worked. Little by little I learned about new things. Before LHC I never would have been open to a lot of it.

jaine
March 5th, 2010, 07:35 PM
Hmmm ... I got my pre-LHC knowledge from naturallycurly.com ... I don't remember anything before there was internet...
There used to be a world without internet?? shudder:

SimplyViki
March 5th, 2010, 07:54 PM
Let's see...

-Detangle from ends up, never rip a brush through from top to bottom

-Oil lightly to mimic scalp's natural oil

-Shampoo is for the scalp, conditioner is for the length

-Cold water rinse for added shine (hah, I've abandoned that bit)

-Heat styling and dying damage hair

-Of the two, splurge on conditioner rather than shampoo

-Braidwaves

MandyBeth
March 5th, 2010, 08:00 PM
Pre LHC, I think I tried every known method to massacre my hair, and rather successfully reacted to PPD and lost all my hair. However, my mom always soaked my hair in oil or conditioner prior to washing, and I had NO idea people ever didn't condition every single time you wash. Plus, my mom was always very good about picking knots out vs ripping a brush thru them. My hair however has always given her grief and she never grew it out, and by the time I got to taking care of it, I was more into seeing what weird colors I could turn it. My cat fine hair that fights with my auto-immune problems did NOT enjoy this, so I tended to keep it in a messy length pixie and would do various other things like spiking it up with water-based glue because I could.

Post PPD - spent a lot of time poking at it going darn you, grow and STOP breaking. I could tell you my hair doesn't like protein and loves it's cones. But it was blah.

Then I got tired of my light mouse brown hair. I wanted a color that was more suited to me. I knew some of the direct dyes (like Manic Panic) should have been ok - but I'm 10 years out of high school, and I prefer my well paying job with health insurance as a benefit to McDonalds. I'd heard about henna - and used it as paste for the skin designs and liked it - but I'd grown up with the henna contains metallic salts and was horrid for your hair.

Found Henna for Hair, picked around, realized I'm just a hippie born a few years too late. Having been blue-black for a while with the PPD dye, I knew I liked it and liked how I looked with it. But, I'd also done ok as a red head, I LOVE the burgundy shades that some people can get, I enjoy the copper that the lightest my hair would be. Plus, as much as I liked black hair - I didn't think I'd enjoy growing out indigo, even if it was just a shaggy pixie.

So, I went to a henna red head. Well, all the sudden, my hair isn't snapping nearly as much at the ends. Hrmmm...... Then someone mentioned catnip helping split ends, and ktani over here, so I trotted over. Hrmm, well, look at all these people who can get long hair and they've got fine hair or a lot of hair, or BOTH. Hrmm, can I?

So 2 months later, I've got hair that is trying for chin and while I have all but about 2" that's likely going to not recover as my hair post PPD prior henna was B-A-D in all forms - it's at least now past jaw, around chin and trying for shoulder.

I've found lots of hair toys I didn't know existed. My hair DESPISES shampoo bars, throws tantrums with protein, and LIKES being cone-addicted. So I don't know if we'll ever get over those issues. But oh well.

Ash
March 5th, 2010, 08:34 PM
I heard about mayo but when I tried it, it failed miserably
ACV which I used full strength, but I used it to remove buildup back then
Natural products but the ones I used didn't seem to work as well as chemical salon shampoos
Henna, but the stuff I used had no effect on my hair at all, probably because it was bad quality
I had heard olive oil was good for hair but back then all it did was make it greasy because I didn't know how to use it correctly
Cold water rinses for shine
Egg for shampoo but there was no way I was even going to try that after the mayonnaise incident

Rhiannon7
March 5th, 2010, 11:39 PM
I learned to care for my hair from my grandmother and mother. i knew about Henna, Oils, and treating hair like antique lace. but the rest was new to me. so it has been wonderful to know this site exists and to learn so much more about hair and how to care properly for it so it will grow as long and healthy as possible.

I've had long hair before, as a child my hair was below classic, almost thigh and my mom and grandmother washed it with baby shampoo and conditioner. then my mom would put a few drops of rose oil on my hair. (she said it smelled great and helped keep it soft and shiny.) as i grew my hair never got so long again but it has been TBL many times. but never as healthy and moisturized as now.

So thank you all at TLHC for your help.

christine1989
March 6th, 2010, 12:17 AM
Before LHC I "discovered" CO washing on my own. I thought that I was an absolute genius for finding it first.....then I found LHC and realized that tons of people know about it :(. The best thing I learned from LHC was what a huge help coconut oil is for dry hair. Now my hair is soft and smooth!

ademtce
March 6th, 2010, 12:25 AM
hmm.... i didn't really know much, except some common wise/wives tales things like olive is good for your hair and what not.

adiapalic
March 6th, 2010, 12:37 AM
Wow. Um, you know... I don't think I really knew anything about taking care of long hair before LHC.
I used a plastic pronged brush and ripped it through my hair everyday. Wore it down 95% of the time. Tangles. Slept with it down. Tangles. More brushing, more ripping tangled hair out. Used shampoo and conditioner almost everyday. Just Ouchless Rubberbands to pull it back in a ponytail, hold a simple twisted bun up, sometimes single or double english braids... but very *rarely* put up.

No oils, no combs, no BBB, no hair toys. :(

As an aside, I googled long hair one day. Really it was just to find websites that had pictures of others with long hair because I was curious about what others' with long hair were like, wanted to see the quality of their hair. It just so happens I came across The LHC. When I saw the pictures of long hair I was thinking,"What the heck are *they* doing to get their hair that beautiful and long?!"

Finding all this information on how to take care of long hair wasn't at all something I expected, and it's really changed everything about how I take care of my hair since I joined.

Masara
March 6th, 2010, 12:45 AM
My mum has coarse curly hair and a very dry scalp. She's always used olive oil and coconut oil as a prewash treatment and a daily scalp treatment. She only washes her hair once a week. So I knew about those things pre LHC but I would never do them for myself because I thought they were only good for her hair type.

My mum also bought me my first Maison pearson brush when I was about 10 and a Kent paddle brush in my teens. I didn't realise they were anything special until the first was lost and second broke and I tried to replace them with supermarket look a likes.

I had found out for myself that my hair needed conditioner and that it tangled a lot more if I left it down. I had started playing with "neutral henna" (it was cassia with a small amount of henna in) before LHC but although I could see that it made my hair stronger, I couldn't understand why it also left it dry and orange.

Teen magazines of the seventies and eighties had told me about ACV and clarifying shampoos, but I hadn't tried either.

As for styles, I could do ponytails, 3 strand plaits, French braids and a bun that needed an elastic, a bun net and four U shaped pins.

Captain Nikki
March 6th, 2010, 12:52 AM
My knowledge was very minimal. That's why i was stuck at between APL & BSL for over 10 years. I didn't look after my hair very well at all! I did S&D & was so surprised when i joined LHC that i was not the only one who did this! I'm stoked with how much my hair has grown since joining LHC!:cheese:

hanne jensen
March 6th, 2010, 01:46 AM
I knew absolutely NOTHING about hair before LHC. I did everything wrong and just couldn't understand why my hair never, ever reached longer than APL. Now I'm well on my way to BSL(6 centimeters). I've never in my life had my hair this long, and it's still growing.Thanks, LHC!

*Rose Red*
March 6th, 2010, 02:11 AM
Did all this information on COing, oils, protective styling, monistat treatments, henna, exist before the Internet?
for me definitively not. I always trusted my hairdresser. I bought expensive things, and it didnīt work. My hair was very dry, and I always tried to moisturize it with pantene and fructis, and it got more and more terrible. I used an iron flat to make my hair look a little bit shiny. All very bad.
For two years now I trust on what I read in internet (german board and here) and Iīm very content with my hair now!

halo_tightens
March 6th, 2010, 08:58 AM
Hmmm ... I got my pre-LHC knowledge from naturallycurly.com ... I don't remember anything before there was internet...
There used to be a world without internet?? shudder:

Oh, hardy har har! :D

:p

gmdiaz
March 6th, 2010, 10:29 AM
Before LHC:

I shampooed and conditioned full strength. . .never read the labels. And really didn't know that there was much difference in formulas. lol Shocked to find out that some of the ingredients in these products (cones and sulphates) were not necessarily great for your hair.

I used hot oil treatments a few times.

Knew that the metal bits on hair bands was damaging.

Brushed my hair wet and dry.

But Luckily:

Didn't use a blow dryer much.

Didn't shampoo too much.

Didn't spend a lot of tiime at the salons, getting trims.

Didn't color my hair.

And wore my hair up most of the time.

And Now:

Heavily diluted shampoo. Some condition only washes. I've got loads of good conditioner choices with and without cones, as needed.

Airdry only. No dyes. No heat curling.

Comb only in the shower to detangle with conditioner.

Finger combing only afterwards.

My hair loves a bit of oil applied.

Wear my hair up in much prettier styles with hair toys! Lots and lots of hair toys. *ahem*

All improvements. . .my only big mistake and serious setback has been to overload my hair with heavy protein deep treatment. BIG mistake but eventually repairable (ie: cut the damage off).

I really love this place and find it interesting and inspirational.

natt i nord
March 6th, 2010, 10:50 AM
Pre-LHC I already had an idea of good haircare, because I found an German long hair board half a year before joining here.
But until September 2008 I dyed chemically, used a cone-heavy shampoo and had a plastic brush I used regularly.

Luckily I hated blowfryers already at that time, didn't ever use them, and had a washing rhythm of 7 days, too. Not because of haircaring reasons but because of my extremely dry skin and... due to lazyness. :D
I brushed wet hair though.

After joining that German board I threw my plastic brush away and got a wooden one. I threw that shampoo away, too, and bought an conefree one. I started to oil and to learn hairstyles (I even didn't know how to English braid on myself!) and stopped dying chemically. I loved the color, but it just was too damaging, as I have very fine hair. Now I'm doing henna, after about 1,5 years growing out the color :p

I threw my hairbands with metal pieces away and got some sticks.
Then a BBB came.

My collection of hairtoys grew, and when I joined LHC in February 09 (damn, I missed my anniversary! :eek:) my hair already had improved a lot. And I'm still learning and improving.
My last hairdresser visit was in September 08, that was, when I got my last cut and dyed brown over my red hair to grow it out. I soon realized I needed to cut regularly, but didn't want to go to a dresser again, so I got myself a pair of scissors. And learned about Feye's selftrim.

And with writing that post, I realize how much I actually love LHC. Thank you!

Lamb
March 6th, 2010, 10:54 AM
I think the internet only repeats a lot of information that's been handed down from one generation to the next. :) Henna, oils, BBBs, etc. have been used for centuries. The internet just cranked the volume up a bit. ;)

My own knowledge of haircare was very meagre, growing up. Haircare never was a priority in my family. "Want neat hair? Get a haircut." :( Shampoo and a comb or brush were pretty much what I used before I found TLHC. My mother is still horrified that I don't use a blowdrier. :p She also doesn't like long hair much, it was forced upon her when she was a girl. But she doesn't make any mean remarks on my hair growing efforts, I pretty much do what I want with my hair.

I gained a few glimpses of information from beauty books in the local library in my late teens. I also saw a curly haired stylist once or twice who discouraged brushing or combing curly hair, she was awesome.

Laylah
March 6th, 2010, 10:59 AM
My mom taught me =) :
-oiling the hair (using DJHO and EVOO)
-washing once per week
-using less shampoo, more conditioner
-combing with wide tooth comb when wet
-trim once a year, at home
-braids to avoid tangling and breakage

my hair was very happy with this and was maintained at tailbone throughout my childhood, until I turned 13 and during a lapse of judgment cut my hair :(

rach
March 6th, 2010, 11:08 AM
i used coconut oil ?
other than that i was terrible :o

LHC has massively opened my eyes :shocked:

Chamomile betty
March 6th, 2010, 11:10 AM
I never had hair past my shoulders before I found the hair care boards. It was always permed and layered.
I had long hair as a child till 6th grade.

The only thing I knew was not to wash every day. So not much knowledge pre-LHC.

myrrhmaiden
March 6th, 2010, 11:23 AM
Before LHC, I shampooed, sometimes twice, conditioned, brushed wet, blow-dried, curled, flat-ironed, and box-dyed and bleach regularly. *shudders*

RecklessCharlie
March 6th, 2010, 11:43 AM
It is interesting because I find that I new quite a bit, not some of the fantastic tips I've learned here, but a fair amount about proper hair care, but I couldn't be bothered before LHC. Well, I suppose it was beginning to care that caused me to find LHC.
Now that I'm properly loving my hair, it is loving me back! :p

pinklemonade
March 6th, 2010, 01:18 PM
Before LHC:

I shampooed and conditioned full strength. . .never read the labels. And really didn't know that there was much difference in formulas. lol Shocked to find out that some of the ingredients in these products (cones and sulphates) were not necessarily great for your hair.

I really love this place and find it interesting and inspirational.

Me too! Reading through this post it's amazing how much so many of uss have gained.

Pre LHC, I used to
1)wash hair often with abrasive shampoos and excessively coney conditioners (didn't know what BUILD-UP was either ....)
2) Blow fry my thick and long hair for Ages using MAX heat. (and no protection)
3)Used products containing harsh alcohols...good grief.
4Perm my hair without realizing what a perm Does!
5)Sleep with my hair down and wake up with a tangly mess
6)Used egg/yogurt masks excessively and wonder why in the world my hair is so dry. I didn't know that some people's hair doesn't like protein.
7)Ignored split ends. Didn't realize I could um,pick up a pair of quality scissors and S&D!

Now I know about diluting shampoo, non-sls shampoos, about the conditioning only method, about washing out oils with condtioner, the S&D method, blow drying using a cooler setting (duh!), water filters (the effects of hard water!!), about light oiling ends. I used to use an entire bottle of oil wondering why it wouldn't wash out:confused:
No more perms, no more hair straighteners now...thank you LHC! ;)

Capybara
March 6th, 2010, 04:11 PM
I knew not to brush when wet, but still did :o
I knew about the horrors of the blow dryer, but still did. (although, it didn't damage my hair - thank you, T3!)
I knew that I shouldn't wash my hair every day, but still did.

Now, I know, and put these into practice, as well as some more tips and tricks I've picked up ;)

AgnesONutter
March 6th, 2010, 04:14 PM
I just used common sense. If a hair dryer could catch fire because of fried hair (happened once) then what did it do to my hair when blowing it? When a hairbrush made snapping sounds, and came out looking hairier than my cat, I did not want to use it in my hair and so on.

Common sense can take you far. As for oiling, my hair dresser suggested it as a treatment for my scalp etc. when I was still very young.

nellreno
March 6th, 2010, 06:25 PM
I knew about oiling, but I would use olive oil instead of coconut like I do know.
I also knew of a few homemade deep treatments, but didn't actually use them.
That was about it. I didn't really know or care how healthy my hair was, and I would pick hair products based on scent rather than what they actually do to my hair.

HintOfMint
March 6th, 2010, 06:48 PM
I knew some of the basics, such as, no blowdryers, straighteners, products with alcohol (the drying kind, not the cetyl alcohol sort used in conditioners), plastic bristled brushes, or hairties with metal bits. I would also put a little bit of styling cream in my hair after I washed it because my hair dresser told me that as hair air dries, the cuticle can stick up. She said it was like skin in that respect that, as water evaporates, it can leave the hair or skin drier than before. Not sure if this is true, but it was a nice styling tip in any case.

However, LHC taught me so much more! I used to wash my hair every day, sleep with it loose on a cotton pillowcase, and roughly dry it with a regular terry cloth towel.:blueeek: Possibly my worst one though was wearing it loose every day, while wearing a TWEED or WOOL jacket. And I kept wondering why the underlayer of my hair was always splitting :rolleyes:

Anyhoo, satin pillowcase, CWC, the whole she-bang about cones (which explained why john frieda root awakening didn't work with CO or CWC), wearing hair up, olive oil, stretching washes, and the beauty of an updo. Bonus to having the best and longest hair I have ever had in my life? Saving money. Thank you so much LHC!

Wow, I sound a bit sappy/infomercial-y. Sorry about that, but I'm on my way to waist, so I can't really help but be a touch stoked:joy: Cheers and thanks, y'all!

DragonLady
March 7th, 2010, 12:21 AM
Interesting topic!

Let's see.... I followed all the wisdom I knew, so I:

Used shampoo. I didn't use conditioner because everytime I did I had more tangles. I think my hair must've been wavy even then, but I didn't know it, and it never had enough moisture for the waves to show...just tangles.

I used all kinds of chemical treatments and heat until I decided to grow it long. Then, I knew to minimize those things, but I underestimated how much damage they caused. So while I did give them up, I still kept them around for special occasions and such.

I brushed my long hair 100 strokes a day...some days. And felt guilty when I didn't do it, because Grandma told me that would make my hair grow much stronger!

I didn't understand the effects of mechanical damage, so I used all kinds of cheap hair things and combed it with whatever we had on hand. I never considered the damage from brushing or harsh treatment.

And my hair never made it past my lower back....and I just couldn't fathom why. I gave up, convinced that really long hair just wasn't in my future.

I found LHC less than two years ago, and have just reached classic. And I LOVE it. :)

countryhopper
March 7th, 2010, 07:05 AM
I discovered LHC after going through some No Poo forums. Pre-no poo I:

*was a slave to shampooing my hair everyday or risked super greasy roots
* sometimes used only a pea-sized amount of conditoner since i was convinced this would make my hair greasier
*rarely used hot oil treatments

I also:

*slept every night in Velcro rollers (and gently ripped them out every morning)
*brushed out wet hair with the brush with plastic balls
*teased and sprayed it when it was bob length
*teased and sprayed it when it was shoulder length last time (aiming for more volume)
*never oiled (oil=greasy roots, right?? :D )

I'm trying out a lot more new styles now and treating my hair much more nicely :)

frizzinator
March 7th, 2010, 09:14 AM
There have always been hair care articles in women's magazines. I learned about S&D 25 years ago in Glamour Magazine.

Back then, a friend told me about CO and another woman told me about NW. I thought these were crazy ideas and I nearly forgot about them until I found LHC where a number of folks were successfully practicing these methods of hair care.

Apparently I was not as open-minded as I thought I was in my youth.

sibiryachka
March 23rd, 2010, 01:00 PM
When I was about 18, a friend who was in cosmetology school gave me very useful, stern instructions about how to wash my scalp using the pads of my fingers, NOT the tips/nails! I think of him every time I shampoo. : ) I also knew not to brush wet hair, and that bleaching would damage it. I didn't know for sure that heat styling was risky, I just knew that I didn't like it/couldn't be bothered, thank goodness.

TXbarbie
March 23rd, 2010, 01:07 PM
I didn't know too much. My hair stylist had told me to quit washing daily and to wait 3-4 days after highlights to wash my hair, that straightening constantly was bad, and to air dry as often as possible.

But CO, BBB, oiling, etc. was all new to me!

Arctic
March 23rd, 2010, 01:37 PM
I knew quite a lot, but I my hair wasn't long by any means.

- I was aware of silicones but didn't know all the different names they hid under.
- When I had had hair long enough to S&D I had done that, I think I had read about it from some health/women's magazine or something. I also thought that to my friends.
- I had been doing ACV rinses and known about them since childhood. Though I used them non-diluted :)
- also beer rinses were familar to me but I had not used them myself
- I had used hot oil treatments when I was teenager but gave them up because they made my hair so oily (which it is naturally too)
- I started hennaing my hair some years before I found LHC
- I used wide toothed comb (but it had seams) and practically never brushed
- mostly air dried my hair but did use blow drier and curling iron couple of times a year on special occasions
- I always used conditioner but used it less than shampoo
ETA: - I've always loved updos and braids and made them regularly

That's all I can think of now. My hair was in good condition when I found LHC, only it was quite dry.

missmandy
March 23rd, 2010, 01:44 PM
I knew ABSOLUTELY NOTHING save the fact that conditioner makes your hair nice, and heat tools are bad.

boomygrrl
March 23rd, 2010, 03:40 PM
Before internet, I knew that washing hair less frequently was a good idea, although I still like to wash almost everyday. I had abandoned the hairdryer a few years before, as I found out on myown how damaging that was (same with hot styling tools).
I didn't understand cones and sulfates or about reading labels. I did know that certain alcohols were bad for the hair, but had difficulty distinguishing the good vs bad alcohols.
I heard about beer, but never tried it. I sometimes water-washed and used conditioner (but not a full CO wash). I had so-so results, as I didn't implement it correctly.
I knew conditioner was my friend (for dry, curly hair).
I was actually clueless, until concepts were explained to me. Then, I had the light bulb moment. Now, it makes sense to me.
When I was younger (before I abandoned my hairdryer, etc.), I had very very dry, frizzy hair that looked really bad. My bad-hair day now looks better than my best hair day back then. I wondered why my hair looked and felt awful.
I also brushed my curly hair during the day (big no-no)...talk about frizz-city!!
Now combing while wet and finger combing (still while wet) are the only times I can successfully groom my hair. I did a lot of things back then that defies what I think is common sense now. Boy, was I clueless.
To be fair, I was following mainstream advice for straight hair, when I have curly hair. Mainstream advice is bad for straight hair usually, but is always bad for curly hair.

Sara_1987
March 23rd, 2010, 03:52 PM
I was clueless and my hair was terrible before I started reading up on the internet.
I have dry hair and it was just a mess. I was not treating it right.
I only remember my sister (who also has dry hair) once putting mayonnaise in her hair because we read it in a magazine. I don't think it helped much.

paperwhite
March 23rd, 2010, 04:07 PM
Oh, this question made me cringe a little when I realized what my answer was. Pre-LHC, I knew nothing about caring for long hair (which is a little ironic, considering it's been long for most of my life). I brushed it wet, bent over at the waist and rubbed it fairly vigorously with my hair towels, and only wore it up when I was exercising/dancing or when it was unbearably hot out. I washed and conditioned almost daily with heavy cones and wondered why my hair always looked kind of stringy when it got to a certain length. :nono:

I've learned so much from this website. I treat my hair much gentler now and it shows :)

Alcenaia
March 23rd, 2010, 05:11 PM
What a great discussion topic.

My mother had long hair, so she taught me everything she knew. I learned to be super gentle with my hair, to keep it from getting caught on things, how to detangle it, that fancy shampoos & conditioners aren't necessary, and that heat is bad for your hair.

After coming here, I learned a LOT of new hairstyles, about oiling and supplements, and alternative washing methods. I also learned about Etsy, and Ficcares, and beautiful hairsticks and shelots and mandalas and hair combs etc etc D:

Henrietta
March 24th, 2010, 06:24 AM
Now I see it=- before LHC, even having access to Internet and using it- I was the biggest greenhorn you've ever seen.

curlylocks85
March 24th, 2010, 06:39 AM
There were certain things that my mother taught me about my hair before these sites and the internet.

My mother knew that with my hair she had to use a comb or a pick.

She always started from the bottom and worked her way up while my hair was in sections.

She was not familiar with keeping conditioner in my hair after I washed it, but she would use detangler and serums after to help with the combing and frizz problem.

I also used to comb my hair in the shower when it was wet with conditioner.

She also used to put mayonnaise in my hair, which I never liked and still do not like.

She also introduced me to hot oil treatments.

All this stuff, I learned from my mother.

Firefly
March 24th, 2010, 06:56 AM
Long before LHC - in fact long before the Internet existed in any useful form - I had a book called The make-your-own cosmetic and fragrance book for New Zealanders, by Elizabeth Franke. It contained the immortal words, "Lady, you don't need the cosmetic industry. The cosmetic industry needs you." I keep rediscovering the truth of those words.

The book collected and distilled a lot of pre-shampoo hair knowledge. From it I learned about boar bristle brushes, vinegar rinses, and washing hair with soap or eggs, among other things.


Oh I would love to find a book like that! It sounds wonderful.

I knew nothing about long hair care before LHC, and in fact I first came here in 2003 because I had chopped my waist-length hair into a bob and was desperate to find out if I could make it grow back faster. Then I started exploring the forum and learned so much about proper care of long hair. Of course, I chopped again a couple of years later and started the cycle all over again, but I'm finally back to waist. I regret abusing my hair when it was shorter (at the time I figured since I was keeping it shorter--APL-- I didn't have to worry about taking care of it) because that damage is still there at the ends and is the bane of my existence! But I digress... ;)

bumblebums
March 24th, 2010, 07:20 AM
Before LHC, I knew about egg washes, nettle, beer rinses, and weird stuff like washing hair with rye bread. My grandma always said that "hair grows well in a braid." I learned more about non-mainstream hair care from other online communities such as http://community.livejournal.com/no_poo/ and a few hair blogs. I didn't get the courage to try this stuff until I found out just how many people were already doing it! Now whenever I see someone on the street with a nice long mane, I wonder, "does she put salad dressing in her hair, too?"

ukuleleclaire
March 24th, 2010, 05:42 PM
Before LHC, I basically knew nothing! I shampooed and conditioned my whole length, piling my hair on top of my head. For several years I blew it dry on high heat and flat ironed it everyday.

Learning about CO actually reminded me of something that happened while I was in college. I went to a conservatory of music. There was a cellist in my class named Scott who had beautiful shiny hair that he either wore kind of shaggy or sometimes sticking straight up. I was over at his apartment one day with a few other people, doing what music students do (drinking guinness out of the can because you can use it as a shaker, and talking). One of the girls asked him how he got his hair to be so shiny, and he replied that he only used conditioner on his hair, no shampoo. Of course we all went EWWW and said his hair must be gross, even though we'd just been admiring it not ten seconds earlier. :rolleyes:

Narya
March 24th, 2010, 06:19 PM
Pre LHC I knew:

- Some people used egg for something (I supposed shine and softness), but never dared to try it (I learnt about this when my mother told me that my dad, who had waist length hair when they were dating, once tried to put an egg on his hair and then rinsed with cold water... so they both spend many hours picking small bits of boiled egg out of his hair. So if I ever did it, it had to be rinsed with cold water... and I did not even want to think about it.)
- Henna. I loved to henna my hair every once in a while, but the colour always went away in some months.
- Oiling. At first I thought it was something weird people did to detangle easily, and then my mom brought Argan oil home and explained me how to use it (both deep treatments and everyday oiling the ends)
- I should brush gently and from the ends up. I never had patience for this though.
- Primrose oil (and spirulin) was good for hair.
- Splits were bad, and I should not break them off with my finger like I did (but I did it anyway).
- Braids. I've always loved to braid (I remember being twelve and braiding all my hair in little braids because I was bored, and also doing 4, 5 and 6 strand braids to some friends).
- I should never try to yank my elastic from my hair, or my hair would break.
- Perms and dyes were bad for the hair.
- I should use the blowdrier on the cool (cold?) setting.
- I had to use TONS of conditioner or my hair would just decide it was straw.
- Washing everyday was a big NO-NO.

And I think that was all... I've always had long hair (well, mostly...), around BSL, and so did my sister and my mother. My aunt has waist length (and amazing) hair, and so did my father when he was young, so I guess I grew up in a family were long hair was something they knew, basically, how to care for. Lucky me! :D

Johanna
March 24th, 2010, 08:25 PM
My mother was horrible with my hair, yanking hard. So I learned from an early age to take care of my own hair. Although she did keep dragging me off to the hairdressers to get horrible short haircuts all the time.

I learned in highschool I didn't have to wet my hair every day. When I got out of bed in the morning my hair woulod look really nice , but it would get messed up in the shower. So I started ony wetting and washing it every second day or so.
I never piled my hair on top of my head whille shampooing.
I only conditioned the ends.
I never used a hairdryer or straightener.

After highschool I started growing my hair out of lack of funds. Then I decided I really liked loooong hair. I met Nienor on another forum and things literally grew from there. :)
I didn't really have horribly damaging habits I had to break when i got here (already decided to stop dying). I just learned some really nummy treatments and awesome hairstyles.

joiekimochi
March 24th, 2010, 08:59 PM
I read this book called the Hair Loss Cure back in junior college when I was going through a trichotillomaniac phase...I kept plucking my hair out strand-by-strand and I couldn't stop, because I was doing my A levels and was really stressed and the pain from pulling out my hair kinda dulled the anxiety (sounds like I'm a masochist lol). I learned that I should limit brushing and stick to combing (actually it's the only thing I remembered from the book).

Other stuff I knew:
- splits should be cut off and cannot be fixed with product
- heat styling and back-combing are bad (I still did it...I loved the himegyaru look)
- chemical processes are bad (but I still went for it anyway)
- do not use combs with seams
- vinegar rinses are good for dark hair