Anyone want to give a new girl some tips?

[Atalanta]

Well, after looking at "henna for hair" a bit, I saw a link to this site and immediately fell head over heels! I have been trying to grow my hair out forever, and between an endless array of split ends, moisture and lack of, I had almost given up hope!


I'm hoping that you guys can give the basic basics- Stuff that by now, must seem second nature! I have'nt learned the tricks of the trade yet. My hair is super fine, BSL, and splits like nobody's buisness. If that helps any! (Also, cute hairstyles would be great!)


Oh- and a thought I should add. The lack of chat speak makes me giddy-I loathe it with an undying passion!


Sorry if this goes in a different forum, like I said, new and learning the ropes.

[GlassEyes]

One good thing to do might be to properly hairtype, if you haven't already. It mightbe that you're having issues because your hair is wavy, not straight.

Another thing to look into might be coconut oil. There's a lot of posts on it in the natural hair-care forum.

That said, may I also recommend not running any races against lads holding golden apples?

[Atalanta]

I think I hair-typed correctly- my hair is ridiculously straight.
And its always fantastic to meet somone who gets a greek myth reference so quickly!

[Isilme]

Get a seamless good comb (a comb with no rough edges or anything that would feel sharp) detangle your hair gently from tips to roots.
Keep your hair up in hairfriendly hairtoys (again, nothing with sharp or rough edges) and protect your hair from wear and tear. If you wear your hair down when in front of the computer, keep it over your shoulder so it doesn't get rubbed between your back and the chair. The same thing applies to almost everything, seats belts, shoulder straps etc. Do not let the wind whip your hair around either.
Learn how to do nice updos.
Cut off split ends, nothing will heal them no matter what the commercials says;) Use really sharp hair scissors, nothing else.
Do not use any heat styling tools.
Much of haircare isn't about what to do, it' about what not to do.

[*Aoife*]

Welcome to LHC :)

I don't have a ton of advice, but keeping your hair up and out of harms way helps. My hair is a good bit shorter than yours, but I usually go with two braids, a bun or it all clipped up. Keeping it from getting caught under bag straps helps me prevent splits.
Using coconut oil on my (damaged)ends helps keep them hydrated and happy.

I know, I love the lack of chat speak! It's on almost every forum, and I still can't read it half the time!

[Atalanta]

Thanks Aofie. i'll probably look into the coconut oil, since people have such nice things to say about it.

Isilme- Do you have a link to a really good comb? I let my hair air dry, and barely style it at all.:p

[*Aoife*]

I don't know if you have a Body Shop near you, but I think their wooden combs are amazing! I meant to put that in my original post, but it slipped my mind

[Atalanta]

I'm afraid not. A year ago my parents move me to nowhere, Iowa. Do they have a website?

[CrisDee]

Here's a link not only to The Body Shop's website, but to the most wonderfulest hairbrush in all the land:

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/styling-products/prod160019

I really like their wood comb as well, but nothing feels as good on my head as this brush, it's by far my favorite Body Shop product.

You may want to look through the "Articles" section for all sorts of hair care tips, but here's one on preventing and rehabilitating damage:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

Welcome, and happy growing :flower:

[charley27]

I just joined in January. I spent the first couple of weeks looking through all the forums, reading and reading threads about combs, oils, etc. I also took a long time to read all the articles I felt were most helpful to me. That's what I would recommend. There is a wealth of information on this site, and you just have to spend a significant amount of time reading and researching. Ursula's Newbie advice is an excellent place to begin --sorry I don't know how to link yet.

Welcome to LHC! There are lots of nice people around here! :blossom:

[*Aoife*]

Their fantastic comb. I've only ever used their wooden combs though, so I am very biased!
http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/hair-brush/prod6270013

[Fairlight63]

My hair is fine & somewhat curly can be fuzzy & the ends of my hair sometimes get really dry & feel like straw. I found out that what has helped my hair was when I wash it to wet my hair first then put conditioner on the ends (don't rinse it out yet) then I put shampoo on the scalp - rinse all out then put conditioner on just the ends of my hair again & rinse out. That has helped my hair not to lose too much moisture. When almost dry I put jojoba oil on it from the ears down.

Sleeping on a satin pillowcase helps with the hair not tangling & drying it out.

I sleep in a satin cap sometimes or a braid so that it doesn't get tangled up.

I quit dying my hair because I feel that it was making it thin & is not good for my hair.

I don't use heat appliances on my hair.

When I comb or brush my hair I treat it like old fine lace & not rip through it with the comb or brush.

[Atalanta]

Here's a link not only to The Body Shop's website, but to the most wonderfulest hairbrush in all the land:

Thanks a bunch! it sounds great, and won't dip into my pocket to bad!:D


Ursula's Newbie advice is an excellent place to begin --sorry I don't know how to link yet.

Thanks for the advice. I'll start looking into them.:p


Their fantastic comb. I've only ever used their wooden combs though, so I am very biased!Thanks Aofie! it's very pretty, and looks like it gets the job done!


My hair is fine & somewhat curly can be fuzzy & the ends of my hair sometimes get really dry & feel like straw. I found out that what has helped my hair was when I wash it to wet my hair first then put conditioner on the ends (don't rinse it out yet) then I put shampoo on the scalp - rinse all out then put conditioner on just the ends of my hair again & rinse out. That has helped my hair not to lose too much moisture. When almost dry I put jojoba oil on it from the ears down.

Sleeping on a satin pillowcase helps with the hair not tangling & drying it out.

I sleep in a satin cap sometimes or a braid so that it doesn't get tangled up.

I quit dying my hair because I feel that it was making it thin & is not good for my hair.

I don't use heat appliances on my hair.

When I comb or brush my hair I treat it like old fine lace & not rip through it with the comb or brush.

Thanks! that's all really great advice- Especially the bit with the tangling. That's a large problem for me.

[hendrix.co]

I'm a newbie too and I just started c.o. washes and I'm in love with my hair! So give it a try. And don't forget to message your scalp with the conditioner. rinse and enjoy :)

[Atalanta]

I'm a newbie too and I just started c.o. washes and I'm in love with my hair! So give it a try. And don't forget to message your scalp with the conditioner. rinse and enjoy :)
When you say "co" do you mean coconut oil or conditioner only?
Still getting use to the abbreviations:o

[joiekimochi]

I also had extreme difficulty with growing out my hair after having had short bobbed hair since I was 3. At 15 I wanted long hair by junior prom, so my best friend and I made a pact not to cut out hair till prom and if we succumbed to the dreaded scissor we'd have to pay the other $50. By prom my hair had grown out of the awkward flip stage and was APL and then it was a breeze. Just lots and lots of patience, positive visualization and stop fussing over the length. I found that the less I worried about the length and the more I paid attention to the health, the quicker I find myself progressing!

[Atalanta]

I also had extreme difficulty with growing out my hair after having had short bobbed hair since I was 3. At 15 I wanted long hair by junior prom, so my best friend and I made a pact not to cut out hair till prom and if we succumbed to the dreaded scissor we'd have to pay the other $50. By prom my hair had grown out of the awkward flip stage and was APL and then it was a breeze. Just lots and lots of patience, positive visualization and stop fussing over the length. I found that the less I worried about the length and the more I paid attention to the health, the quicker I find myself progressing!
Thanks for the story- it's especially inspiring cause we have the same hair type. If your avatar is a picture of you, then your hair looks very soft and shiny!:crush:

[joiekimochi]

Thanks for the story- it's especially inspiring cause we have the same hair type. If your avatar is a picture of you, then your hair looks very soft and shiny!:crush:
Aww thank you! It is me in the avatar but back then my hair was in a much better shape then than it is now! I lightened my hair and then had to chop off the last 6 inches...it's painful! Now I'm trying to grow it back to hip length again.

Lots of 'style guides' advise against our hair type growing super long but I beg to differ! As long as you treat your hair will love and care, you can go as long as you want! I managed to do it and I have another friend with the same hair type who grew to classic length. It looks amazing and thick down but if she gathers it into a ponytail you can see that her hair is actually super thin and fine!

[Atalanta]

Aww thank you! It is me in the avatar but back then my hair was in a much better shape then than it is now! I lightened my hair and then had to chop off the last 6 inches...it's painful! Now I'm trying to grow it back to hip length again.

Lots of 'style guides' advise against our hair type growing super long but I beg to differ! As long as you treat your hair will love and care, you can go as long as you want! I managed to do it and I have another friend with the same hair type who grew to classic length. It looks amazing and thick down but if she gathers it into a ponytail you can see that her hair is actually super thin and fine!
Yeah, you read alot that yopu shouldn't grow it, but you and your friend are living proof!

I'm sorry to hear about your hair. At least you know that since you did it once, you can do it again!:thumbsup:

[Melisande]

In the articles section, there is an article called Ursula's standard advice to newbies (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39). I recommend it highly!

[Atalanta]

In the articles section, there is an article called Ursula's standard advice to newbies (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39). I recommend it highly!
That was really helpful! Thank you!

[Melisande]

I'm happy you like it! I remember how many little lights inside my head were lit by this article ;-)

[Atalanta]

I'm happy you like it! I remember how many little lights inside my head were lit by this article ;-)
Haha! mine too! It has so many lights it looks like a christmas tree! :xmas:

[2peasinapod]

Haha! mine too! It has so many lights it looks like a christmas tree! :xmas:

LOL (or should that be HO, HO, HO! ;))! I love the articles, too!

[Atalanta]

LOL (or should that be HO, HO, HO! ;))! I love the articles, too!
Wanna reccomend another good one?:eyebrows:

[rags]

I'll recommend Teacherbear's wonderful article which I think is great for newbies; http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8 (sorry, I don't know how to make a short link!)

[2peasinapod]

Wanna reccomend another good one?:eyebrows:

I recommend the VITs (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=7804) (Very Important Threads) - especially the products and natural hair care threads. Natural hair care was a life-saver (hair-saver?) for me!

Good luck! :)

[Atalanta]

I'll recommend Teacherbear's wonderful article which I think is great for newbies; http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8 (sorry, I don't know how to make a short link!)
No need to apologize! This is some great basics.:D

[Atalanta]

Bump in hope of more great tips!

[Capybara]

Hi and welcome! To a newbie from a newbie :)

Everyone has given great advice! I'm no hair expert, so my advice would be to: Enjoy the journey! There are so many fantastic people on LHC, you'll learn a lot about general hair care in no time.

Good luck, glad to have you here :flower:

[Anje]

Hi and welcome.

My major pieces of advice, at least based on things I learned here and common mistakes I've seen:

Conditioner is your friend. You might have to mess around looking for the perfect formula, whether you can put it on your scalp or not, etc. But most folks with significant length find that the long parts like some conditioning.
You might not need to wash your hair every time you shower. This was a huge revelation to me, strangely enough. If your hair seems clean, put it up or cover with a shower cap.
Go slowly when you comb your hair. Don't even touch it if you're too rushed. The idea is that if you hit a snag, you need to realize it before you break a bunch of hairs, rip them out, or tighten and stretch the knot til the ends are kinked and will re-knot until you trim them. (Oh, I'll also vote that the Body Shop comb is excellent. When I find another one of those stores, I'm getting about 3 more!)
Wear your hair in a contained style a good portion of the time. Buns are good, so are braids. Anything that will more or less immobilize the hairs relative to each other will diminish tangling, friction, whipping around in the wind, and split ends.
When your hair is hanging down, make sure it's not trapped. It's best to keep it from catching under purse and backpack straps. Make sure it doesn't get trapped between you and a chair back, either. Many people suddenly find they have significantly more splits below the level of where chairs touch.
Think long and hard about coloring, particularly with things as permanent as henna. Henna can be lovely stuff, but if you decide you don't like it, it's most effectively removed with scissors, which severely impedes the growing-long-hair thing.

[Atalanta]

Hi and welcome! To a newbie from a newbie :)

Everyone has given great advice! I'm no hair expert, so my advice would be to: Enjoy the journey! There are so many fantastic people on LHC, you'll learn a lot about general hair care in no time.

Good luck, glad to have you here :flower:
Thanks, and good luck to you, too!

[lora410]

I quit the heat, started oiling daily with olive oil, coconut etc and cut out the silicones in my hair. I also keep in mind MY HAIR NEEDS CHANGE. Sometimes the routine will work for months and then not work anymore and I have to try something different.will do no good at all for awhile and I will have a dry spell. That when I lather up on the oils.

[Atalanta]

I quit the heat, started oiling daily with olive oil, coconut etc and cut out the silicones in my hair. I also keep in mind MY HAIR NEEDS CHANGE. Sometimes the routine will work for months and then not work anymore and I have to try something different.will do no good at all for awhile and I will have a dry spell. That when I lather up on the oils.
Thanks for that bit of adivice. I've been reading like crazy and thats the first i've heard about needing to mix up the hair routine!