Warning: Newbie Questions Ahead.

[Silvey]

Hi All,

I am new! I've been posting here and there, I've read and searched and read and searched ... for over a week now pretty much constantly but I still have some questions. I will probably be editing this a few times to add more questions that have slipped my mind. I had some thing written down but of course lost the piece of paper.

Since starting to lurk the boards I have started CWC which has been absolutely amazing, I've noticed a huge difference!! I switched from Head & Shoulders to "It's A 10" Sulfate free shampoo, so far it's working great!!

Okay, the few that I can remember are:

Have any of you tried, or heard of the "it's a 10" haircare line??
I tried searching couldn't get results because the words were obviously too "broad".

When you first started oiling, what did you use?
I have a feeling that coconut oil will work best for me, but I keep reading here and there about sweet almond and castor oil.

Is there a clarifying shampoo out there that doesn't have sulfates it in or when you're clarifying does it matter if there are sulfates?
I really just want to steer clear of sulfates right now but I have hard water and I feel like I need to clarify. Is this where baking soda would come into play if I don't want sulfates?

For someone with tiny bit past shoulder length hair, can I do a plain jane pony tail for now? Do I need to cover the ends?
I've tried messing around with buns but my hair is layered a bit so it's not really working out too well. I am not using rubber bands, or those plan black bands with the metal, OR the plain black bands that DON'T have the metal. I'm using some fabric-ish bands, which almost feels (and looks) like a leg section of panty hose.


That's all I can remember right now - I do understand that everyone's hair is different, everyones hair responds differently and likes different things but I am still throwing these questions out there even knowing that.

A little bit about my hair:
It's been dyed,
My last trim was the end of July - she actually used the word "dusting" and I had no clue what that was but I loved the girl because you couldn't even tell my hair had been trimmed unlike the other girls who would cut 1-2 inches everytime!
When I do trim it though, it seems to grow FAST, so maybe dusting every 3-4-5 months is smart?
I think I'm going to wait awhile to trim again just because I don't really get split ends.
I have more DRY ends than anything and they tend to get dryer the longer I wait to wash. I guess sebum oil could help with this?
I started "scritching" (i believe that's the term) before I wash and pulling the oils down and my hair seems to LOVE that.



and I am happy to be here and thankful for all the advice , I'm enjoying reading everyones posts!

This is me! Front shot of my hair yesterday & side shot!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4961482617_b902bb1573.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4961486835_e4affa2567.jpg

[AstrayStar]

Sorry I can't answer any of your questions about shampoo since I don't use any ;)

When you first started oiling, what did you use? I have a feeling that coconut oil will work best for me, but I keep reading here and there about sweet almond and castor oil.
I first used sesame oil, because it was what I had on hand, my hair hated it. I then have bought over the last while coconut, jojoba, sweet almond, and castor oil. Mostly of which I use instead of lotion, which my skin loves :) My ends definitely prefer the co**** oil, I think I remember reading that it is the only one that will penetrate the hair shaft, and if there are more, I am sure someone will let us know :) I have used the other oils on my hair but they tend to leave build up and I have to clarify more often than I would like. I did put a bit of castor oil in my smt once and my hair did really like! Really the only way to know what oils work best for your hair is to experiment. And to only try one thing at a time so you know what works and what doesn't.
I really just want to steer clear of sulfates right now but I have hard water and I feel like I need to clarify. Is this where baking soda would come into play if I don't want sulfates?
I don't use shampoo so when I clarify I use baking soda. 1 Tbsp per cup of water followed by an acv rinse.

For someone with tiny bit past shoulder length hair, can I do a plain jane pony tail for now? Do I need to cover the ends?
I think that should be fine - I wear my hair in an english braid quite a bit and just try to pamper my ends with stuff at night.

When I do trim it though, it seems to grow FAST, so maybe dusting every 3-4-5 months is smart? I think I'm going to wait awhile to trim again just because I don't really get split ends.
If you don't really get split ends, imo, you don't need to get regular trims. I haven't had my hair trimmed since May 2009 and am pretty much split free, but its up to you :cheese:
I have more DRY ends than anything and they tend to get dryer the longer I wait to wash. I guess sebum oil could help with this? I started "scritching" (i believe that's the term) before I wash and pulling the oils down and my hair seems to LOVE that.
I think most of us struggle with dry ends, just pamper them often, whether its with smts, oiling, catnip soaks, or any of the other really great recipes you can find in here. I am experimenting right now with Fox's shea butter conditioning cream. Only tried it once so not sure how it will pan out yet.

and I am happy to be here and thankful for all the advice , I'm enjoying reading everyones posts!
me too! :) You and your hair are very pretty :D

This is me! Front shot of my hair yesterday & side shot!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4961482617_b902bb1573.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4961486835_e4affa2567.jpg[/quote]

[virgo75]

Hi Silvey :)
I'm not a long hair at the moment.
I'm a bit past shoulders, almost armpit length, but have been to waist before I got sick of my hair and cut it all off. lol

I'm glad CWC is working for your hair.
It works for mine too.



Have any of you tried, or heard of the "it's a 10" haircare line??

I've heard of it, but never used it.


When you first started oiling, what did you use?

When I first started oiling I used Ayurvedic oils from my local Asian store because that's how I found out about oiling in the first place. Then I just started buying coconut oil which works well for me. I also like olive oil mixed into conditioner, and jojoba for after shampoo & conditioner because it's quite detangling. But you would really need to experiment to see what works for your hair.


Is there a clarifying shampoo out there that doesn't have sulfates it in or when you're clarifying does it matter if there are sulfates? Is this where baking soda would come into play if I don't want sulfates?

I don't know about a sulfate free clarifying shampoo? But if you have used cones and are trying to go sulfate free, you might want to use a regular clarifying shampoo w/ sulfates just once to clear out whatever buildup you might have on your hair. I've never used baking soda because I've read about some people's hair having a really bad reaction to it. I'd rather just use a clarifying shampo here and there when I need it.


For someone with tiny bit past shoulder length hair, can I do a plain jane pony tail for now? Do I need to cover the ends?

A plain ponytail should be fine. I don't see why you'd need to cover your ends unless they're especially fragile?




When I do trim it though, it seems to grow FAST, so maybe dusting every 3-4-5 months is smart?
I think I'm going to wait awhile to trim again just because I don't really get split ends.

If you don't really get split ends(Lucky you! :) ), then you're probably right that a dusting every few months is the way to go. No need to take off progress more often than that.



I have more DRY ends than anything and they tend to get dryer the longer I wait to wash. I guess sebum oil could help with this?

My hair is the same way - dry ends that get dryer when I wait to wash. I'm not sure about sebum helping, I just wash my hair daily. lol I've been trying to cut down, but I can't stand my ends feeling dry. It does help my own hair to clarify then do a deep treatment or SMT. Then my ends feel better for a few days at least. But I'm always experimenting with different products, so that doesn't help my hair. :o


Hope some of those answers helped a little bit.
By the way, both you and your hair are very pretty. :flower:
Happy hair growing. :)

[torrilin]

Why are you looking to go SLS free? Normally that is a bigger deal for curly hair... and yes, you're probably a good deal closer to curly than you've typed yourself as... but I don't think you have enough hair to really tell how much curl you really have. (your hair is pretty obviously layered, and the layers are bringing out hints of curl or wave, so you're at least a 1b, maybe more :) ) It also strikes me as really unlikely that you're really a i/ii thickness. If that's what you measured, I'd bet the layers and bangs are playing games with you.

At the length you are... I can't do much with my hair. Even a ponytail is a pretty dicey thing. With all the layers and bangs, my hair would just slither and fall out of the ponytail. That's a real YMMV thing tho. A lot is going to depend on your hair type.

FWIW, I'd be really disinclined to use baking soda on my hair. It's chemically a base. Human hair is a protein fiber, and like all protein fibers, it's pretty easy to dissolve it using bases... even relatively mild ones like baking soda. With raw wool and silk, I generally would figure on a couple grams of a basic cleansing agent in around 60 liters of water. It'd be pretty hard to get similar dilutions for on my hair, and my hair doesn't get anywhere near as dirty as a sheep!

In general tho... I'd proceed by slow changes. Pick a good habit, and focus on sticking with it. It usually takes me about a year to get from your current length to my current length, with no layers or damage. There are posters hanging around here who have taken 2 years or more to get from BSL down past waist. That's... a lot of time to build new habits and experiment.

[Capybara]

I'm sorry that I can't answer all your questions (:chocolate: offered in lieu of advice :p), however, I wanted to say that when I first used oils, I used olive oil - was the one I had on hand :) However, after experimenting, I've decided that I like olive oil for deep treatments just before a wash, and coconut oil as a leave in. Sweet almond oil works well for me too, but I like the ease of having solid coconut oil :)

And about putting your hair up - if it isn't undergoing mechanical damage, it should be fine in a ponytail, or even left down. The one thing to be careful about is tying your ponytail off in the same place every day, which can cause breakage over time. I grew my hair from about your length to my tailbone, all the while wearing it down just as often as I wear it up.

Sorry I'm not as much help as I want to be! :flower: Hope you find what works for you - remember, the tried and true for one person isn't necessarily the best plan for you :)

[melikai]

Okay, the few that I can remember are:

Have any of you tried, or heard of the "it's a 10" haircare line??
I tried searching couldn't get results because the words were obviously too "broad".

I have heard of that line - isn't it fairly new? But I haven't tried it myself. I don't think I could get it here even if I wanted to!

I think that's great that you've stopped using sulphates - I think for the majority of people they're unnecessarily harsh. There are so many effective and more gentle detergents out there these days.

CWC washing was one of the first things I tried here too, and I still do it. It's great for my hair! I experimented with many many other washing methods, but always come back to this one.




When you first started oiling, what did you use?
I have a feeling that coconut oil will work best for me, but I keep reading here and there about sweet almond and castor oil.

I first tried olive oil, but it was too heavy and wasn't absorbed easily.

Ones that have worked for me are: grapeseed oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, and camellia oil. The last two work the best for me.

Ones that didn't work so great: sunflower oil, safflower oil, olive oil.



Is there a clarifying shampoo out there that doesn't have sulfates it in or when you're clarifying does it matter if there are sulfates?
I really just want to steer clear of sulfates right now but I have hard water and I feel like I need to clarify. Is this where baking soda would come into play if I don't want sulfates?

Most clarifying shampoos have sulphates in them, but I find that I don't need them to do an effective clarifying wash.
I usually mix a bit of baking soda in with my regular shampoo, and wash with that. Baking soda is very stripping though, and be sure to follow it with a diluted acid rinse like vinegar, lemon juice, or ascorbic acid (vitamin C).



For someone with tiny bit past shoulder length hair, can I do a plain jane pony tail for now? Do I need to cover the ends?
I've tried messing around with buns but my hair is layered a bit so it's not really working out too well. I am not using rubber bands, or those plan black bands with the metal, OR the plain black bands that DON'T have the metal. I'm using some fabric-ish bands, which almost feels (and looks) like a leg section of panty hose.


You can definitely do regular ponytails, but maybe try to vary where you put them - top of head, mid, nape. Variety is best with updos. I think that other styles like French braids work well for shorter hair. Your could also try Heidi braids (braid pigtails), regular pigtails, play with different hair-friendly barrettes and scarves.... You could search the site according to hair length, and ask some active members what styles they like.

Those fabric elastics are good, but I find they slip easily. Those clear "snag free" hair elastics work great.

For your dry ends, SMTs (Snowymoon's Moisture Treatment) and deep oilings can help. At the top of the Recipes, Henna, and Herbal Haircare board, you can find a link to a lot of popular hair recipes here.

Sounds like you have a good hairdresser if they only give dustings! If it helps your ends feel nice and you aren't losing much length (and you want to grow longer), I don't see the harm in getting dustings or small trims done every 3-4 months.

HTH!

[GlassEyes]

Why are you looking to go SLS free? Normally that is a bigger deal for curly hair... and yes, you're probably a good deal closer to curly than you've typed yourself as... but I don't think you have enough hair to really tell how much curl you really have. (your hair is pretty obviously layered, and the layers are bringing out hints of curl or wave, so you're at least a 1b, maybe more :) ) It also strikes me as really unlikely that you're really a i/ii thickness. If that's what you measured, I'd bet the layers and bangs are playing games with you.

At the length you are... I can't do much with my hair. Even a ponytail is a pretty dicey thing. With all the layers and bangs, my hair would just slither and fall out of the ponytail. That's a real YMMV thing tho. A lot is going to depend on your hair type.

FWIW, I'd be really disinclined to use baking soda on my hair. It's chemically a base. Human hair is a protein fiber, and like all protein fibers, it's pretty easy to dissolve it using bases... even relatively mild ones like baking soda. With raw wool and silk, I generally would figure on a couple grams of a basic cleansing agent in around 60 liters of water. It'd be pretty hard to get similar dilutions for on my hair, and my hair doesn't get anywhere near as dirty as a sheep!

In general tho... I'd proceed by slow changes. Pick a good habit, and focus on sticking with it. It usually takes me about a year to get from your current length to my current length, with no layers or damage. There are posters hanging around here who have taken 2 years or more to get from BSL down past waist. That's... a lot of time to build new habits and experiment.
First point--no.

People besides curlies often choose to go Sulfate free for similar reasons--sulfates can cause dryness and breakage in anyone. Also, a lot of people just prefer to avoid them for 'natural' reasons, etc, and it's not necessary to really use them if you aren't using cones, ployquats, mineral oil, etc. that can build up.

Also, for reference--I'm a 3b. I use sulfate shampoos. Not all of us avoid them. XD

Hair type I don't disagree with (except the 'curl' stuff--her hair is far from curly). A 1b is someone with straight hair but with body--which you seem to have.

Clarifying shampoos--I believe there are ones that are sulfate free, but they're probably more expensive for the same job. If you're using cones, however, you may not have a choice but to use a sulfate shampoo. Cones don't last on the hair forever, as far as I can tell, but if you get build-up, a sulfate shampoo will be the most effective.

Baking soda can remove buildup (of non-cone material, though it might remove cones too, it's certainly strong), and some swear by it, but I'm disinclined to use it too.

My advice--go slow with what you try and not rush too many things at once. You can wear a ponytail if you want--long or short, really, just depends on what you're comfortable with. At your length, I wouldn't worry too much. Oiling--coconut is a good place to start, sweet almond is too, from what I hear. Try to experiment with light oilings first.

Oh! And eventually, try SMT. It's like a right of passage--Snowymoon's moisture treatment. There's a thread about it in the recipes section...somewhere. It should really just be an article by now.

[Laylah]

Have any of you tried, or heard of the "it's a 10" haircare line??
No, sorry! But something I've found is that experimenting with shampoo never ends well for me :(

When you first started oiling, what did you use?
I've been oiling since I was a little kid, so I'm not sure. I use olive and coconut oil the most frequently, though. They're heavier oils, olive being heaviest, so it's generally only good for dry and coarse hair.

Is there a clarifying shampoo out there that doesn't have sulfates it in or when you're clarifying does it matter if there are sulfates?
I believe Aubrey organics has clarifying shampoo without sulfates, but I didn't have good experience with AO, so I wouldn't recommend it. It doesn't matter if it has sulfates as long as it removes residue. I went through an OMGSULFATESANDCONESAREEVIL stage when I first joined LHC, but I've found they don't actually damage my hair ;)

For someone with tiny bit past shoulder length hair, can I do a plain jane pony tail for now? Do I need to cover the ends?
Nah, you don't need to cover your ends if they're at that length. Just don't wear a ponytail day in and day out without giving your hair a break because it can cause tension on a certain part so it'll break at the ponytail band.

[ChloeDharma]

Hi and welcome to LHC

I'm affraid i've not heard of that "it's a 10" line but you could start a thread on the conventional products forum where it might get more attention.

For oiling i would start off with something not too expensive and go from there. Coconut is a very popular one and personally i find the virgin coconut oil works best.
I can't remember which oil i started with but it was either olive or jojoba. For dryness issues i can imagine judging by my hair's reaction sweet almond could be a good choice. I'm a bit obsessive though and trust me....you do not want me to list how many different oils i have! lol

I'm not good with clarifying as i avoid sulphates especially SLS as my hair is fine and can't take their cleansing power often. I do try to vinegar rinse every wash though which prevents build up generally.

A ponytail should be ok, you sound like you are using good hair bands. Just as others have said, try to vary the spot. A peacock twist i think looks great at your length.

Trimming is a bit of a "suck it and see" thing. When i was growing out chemical damage i found my hair needed trimming every 3 months but could stretch to 4 sometimes.

If your hair gets dry at the ends when you extend washes you could try misting your hair daily or even more often if needed. A drop of glycerine....and i do mean a drop, added to the mister can help keep hair more hydrated depending on your humidity levels.
Light oilings after misting can also help. You can also add a couple of drops of essential oils to the mister to freshen up your hair.

Good luck :)

[dreamsofnorns]

I'm new as well, so I can't really answer any of your questions, but I did try oil once. I can't remember what kind it was... I just remember my hair did not like it at all (i have pretty oily hair anyway) and I couldn't get it out, no matter what and I walked around for a few days with oilslick hair. I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon :)

[Silvey]

ahhh! double post!

[Silvey]

my quoting isn't working - i just want to say that i -may- have more curly tendencies than i think i do, my dad had very curly/wavy hair and i have his hairline and texture so i've taken after him in some areas.

before i got it trimmed/dyed this last time in july, it was really straight for about 3-4 years but before that my hair was off and on curly when wet and would dry curly/wavy.

i don't know WHAT happened this last time i had my hair done but if i get into the shower with my hair up now and there are any pieces hanging down, they automatically go into these BEAUTIFUL curls. they'll eventually fall and my hair will be straight if i mess with it too much, i've been air drying it straight so it hasn't had the chance to fluff up and be wild and kinky.

i think it's just confused and likes to play tricks on me... lol!

pictures below:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs263.snc4/39508_450826381053_555106053_6158562_8297961_n.jpg

[Silvey]

and i can't WAIT to try more things (especially SMT) but i've seen so many people say try one thing first, for awhile, see what happens, then try something else.

so i'm being as patient as i can and taking it day by day... my next thing is oil because i'm just going with my gut and my gut says i need oil.

[longblondetan]

I see nobody has answered about its a 10, i have used the daily shampoo conditioner and deep conditioner and loved them all. One of my favorites by far.

[Henrietta]

I am able to say anything only about clarifying and oils;) But still I hope it will help.

Do you use cones? There's no information in your post or, which is very likely, I missed it, sorry if I did. So if yu want to clarify your hair from cones I think sulfate free shampoo won't do. Sulfates are the ingredients that remove cones. But you may as well use baking soda. It works;)

About oiling... I use coconut oil. It works. Castor oil is my ends serum because it's being sold in a very small bottles and it would be too expensive for me to use it as a regular hair oil. Sweet almond oil would cost me one leg and two hands, extracts in condishes must suffice.

[Silvey]

I do use cones, I think that my hair probably would do best with cones.

[Silvey]

I see nobody has answered about its a 10, i have used the daily shampoo conditioner and deep conditioner and loved them all. One of my favorites by far.



SO glad to hear that!!


I've heard good things from people at the store, hair stylists, etc about it but wanted to know if anyone HERE had tried it.

[mellie89]

SO glad to hear that!!


I've heard good things from people at the store, hair stylists, etc about it but wanted to know if anyone HERE had tried it.


I've used the It's A 10 "miracle leave in product" and I like it very much. So if you ever find yourself looking for a leave in conditioner, look no further than the line that you're using now. :)

[Silvey]

awesome! i have also heard amazing things about their conditioner!!



i have another question...

APL and BSL . . . . honestly. . . . I am confusing and thinking they are just about the same? Can someone tell me what the difference is? I read you find APL is taking the measuring tape and putting it under your arms and that's your APL but isn't that really close to BSL?

Am I way off or just crazy??


EDIT - OKAY! On some other people, I see that there is a difference... not SO much on me though, maybe a couple inches. So, is a big difference normal or am I built funny??

[melikai]

APL is, from the back, where the crease for your armpit begins, while BSL is where your bra strap begins, so there is a difference unless you wear your bras extremely high up! :lol: BSL is also known as MBL - mid-back length, although for some people actual mid back is a bit lower down.