That "magic" formula

[Rini]

Do you have one? You know, when you do things in a certain order and mix products together to get a perfect end result every time.

Here's mine:
CO wash, cold rinse, apply Karen's Body Beautiful Hair nectar then AVG while hair is really wet. Blot with microfibre towel and let air dry without touching AT ALL. The result is usually frizz-free defined ringlets :D

It's funny how omitting just one of these things will result in less than great hair (although still usually presentable). For example, AVG alone gives a good result, but the added leave-in just adds that extra softness. Sometimes I wonder if it's just the ritual of doing these things the same every time, like a sense of security :rolleyes:

So what's yours? Do you have a magic formula which increases your odds of a good hair day? (and I don't say "guarantees" as I think that would be asking too much of wurly hair like mine anyway!!) It's not necessarily a routine, but that magic mix of products sometimes that does the trick.

[Tiina]

Since I am WO, it's more about the technique than the products. Funny thing is that to get the best hair, I have to leave it alone as much as possible. Putting it up and leaving it up for at least 20 hours after washing and drying results in the best hair, whereas it doesn't look so good if I leave it down or change 'dos and comb in the middle :shrug:

[tinti]

Rini: Your hair is AMAING! Gosh if I had hair like you ;)

I don't have a trix, I just wash it the normal way and put leave in conditioner in. My hair can both be voluminous and messy, and sleek and straight, because my hair is thick but pin straight. I just have to decide what I wanna do, and then use the right products, maybe scrunch it a bit if I want volume, and then it's done :p IF my hair will cooperate with me, that is.

[zenobia]

Do you have one? You know, when you do things in a certain order and mix products together to get a perfect end result every time.

Here's mine:
CO wash, cold rinse, apply Karen's Body Beautiful Hair nectar then AVG while hair is really wet. Blot with microfibre towel and let air dry without touching AT ALL. The result is usually frizz-free defined ringlets :D

It's funny how omitting just one of these things will result in less than great hair (although still usually presentable). For example, AVG alone gives a good result, but the added leave-in just adds that extra softness. Sometimes I wonder if it's just the ritual of doing these things the same every time, like a sense of security :rolleyes:

So what's yours? Do you have a magic formula which increases your odds of a good hair day? (and I don't say "guarantees" as I think that would be asking too much of wurly hair like mine anyway!!) It's not necessarily a routine, but that magic mix of products sometimes that does the trick.

Rini, I may have to try the Karen's body beautiful nectar. Your hair is so pretty. :)

[Gilraen]

Rini, your hair is so lovely! I've always thought that blond and curls were the best combination.

Magic for me: KCKT and LaBella (Pink) Gel, or Aloe Gel, along with Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee. Honey works wonders too.

[Capybara]

Olive oil and damp bunning after washing always gives me soft, shiny hair with lots of volume no matter which products I used to wash and condition :)

[Juneii]

hmm, not really? I just shampoo my scalp, wash, conditioner from shoulder to ends, leave for a few minutes, detangle, wash, and then comb after it's dry. And then I get smooth, soft, shiny, and straight hair :)

[HintOfMint]

Damp bunning and some sort of oil after a CWC. The extra conditioning in CWCs actually make a difference in my ends, the oil smooths the cuticle a bit as my hair airdries, and the damp bunning allows my hair to dry in nice, smooth, very loose curls. Skipping any one of these steps doesn't exactly ruin my hair, but it is definitely enough to have my hair miss the mark.
I think I hit the jackpot with this routine. :)

[Rini]

Thanks for all your routines! When you're on to something good, stick to it :)

Capybara and HintOfMint, you've inspired me to do some damp bunning tomorrow. I haven't damp bunned in ages!

Tinti, zenobia, Gilraen....thanks so much for your lovely compliments :flowers:

[christine1989]

I recently found that a castor/coconut oil mixture produces great results after it is washed out with a small amount of shampoo and a deep conditioner.

[Kristin]

I think it depends on the season. In the winter, I did heavy pre-wash oilings with castor and coconut oil once a week, then CWC, and light oiling after and had perfect hair. Now, I CO almost every day, using either coconut oil or NB panacea salve pre-wash beforehand, VO5 as 1st conditioner, Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition condish on length, detangle in shower, cold rinse, and a bit more panacea salve as it dries. Soft, shiny hair. :D

I think I need to work with damp bunning more for better waves. It just takes so darn long for my hair to dry if it is damp when I put it up...

[Othala]

Neelibringadi pre-wash > Tresemme CO wash > Philip Kingsley Elasticizer diluted 50:50 with H2O = MAGIC

[BattahZ]

Lately (though it's seasonal, so I'll have to find a new magic formula in the winter!), mine is this:

- Co-wash with Curl Junkie and condition with new homemade conditioner
- Apply Kinky Curly Curling Custard and work through with Denman brush, twist into 6 big corkscrews and plop overnight.
- In the morning, quickly separate clumped curls with hands covered in Kinky Curly spray gel (I forget what it's called, the one in the yellow spray bottle), loosely clip top back with a Ficcare.
- Air dry, scrunch out the crunch with a couple of drops of any oil (right now loving Nightblooming's triple moon oil).

Voila! Perfect curls that last 2-3 days.

[AZDesertRose]

Depends on what I want my hair to do.

If I want lots of waves, wash with Aubrey Organics Island Naturals (smells so pretty and de-frizzes my hair), condition with GPB conditioner, towel-dry lightly, spritz with Sea Buckthorn leave-in conditioner and finger scrunch until it's as wavy as I want it to be.

If I want it straighter, the Island Naturals shampoo, a very mild ACV rinse, air dry, and comb out gently once it's dry. (Combing mine wet is a recipe for breakage for me.)

The only way to get mine really straight is to blow-dry, which I do not do because a) it takes forever and b) I don't want the damage from blow-drying. I could probably also get it really straight with a flat iron but no way, no how am I flat-ironing my hair. I want it to grow!

[GRU]

I put my typical shower routine in this post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1146876&postcount=16) in another thread.