East Asian Hair

[joiekimochi]

I figured we have more than a couple of Chinese, Japanese and Koreans on LHC, so I've got a couple of questions for East Asian longhairs. I vaguely recall a similar thread but it seems to have been buried away deep somewhere.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

3. What are your chief hair problems?

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I know that the structure of Asian hair is different from hair of other races, so I would like to know what works for Asians and what do not. I'll start the ball rolling.

1. I haven't found a Holy Grail oil for my hair yet; right now I use a mix of jojoba and shea butter, it's not earth-shatteringly amazing for my hair.

2. I wash daily with a SLS shampoo and a non-cone conditioner, it is only so-so. Daily CO left my hair soft but limp. CWC was once perfect but has ceased to show any improvement and proved to drain my wallet.

3. I have a bit of an oily scalp and my ends tend to be dry. I was once too obsessed with getting my hair milk-tea brown, and black dye now fades quickly from my hair leaving me with shabby-looking two tone hair.

4. I used Asience, Tsubaki and Sexy Girl (Japanese brands) shampoos and conditioners, but none of them were better than shampoos and conditioners I ordered from the US like Avalon and Giovanni products.

[sapphire-o]

Hi, I have Asian hair - typical oily scalp, slippery hair with high shine. Although it's wavy and would never hang nicely like straight hairs.

I personally think typical Asian hair is pretty resilient to damage. They also tend to not respond to products very much, as Asian hair cuticles are tight and thick. Products just sit on the outside making the hair greasy, instead of penetrate and have actual effects. If you have healthy virgin typical Asian hair, it's best to be minimalist when it comes to products, and just leave it alone.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
My hair doesn't seem to benefit very much from oils. I do use Dabur Vatika oil before swimming. Sometimes if I remember I put a bit of meadowfoam oil on as a leave-in. Oh I do use camellia oil as well. It's very good for pre-wash oiling.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful.
I use shampoo bars, no conditioner, no rinse, just wash and air dry. My scalp hates regular shampoo and my hair hates regular conditioners. I use Giovanni shampoo once in a while (no conditioner).

3. What are your chief hair problems?
I wish I have longer terminal length. My hair has no damage and doesn't tangle much (even though I don't use conditioners), but it just can't grow past tailbone length.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Never used any.

[luxepiggy]

Great idea! Piggy will contribute! (^(oo)^)v

Here's an interesting article on this topic, in case anyone is interested in further reading, by the way: Morphology and properties of Asian and Caucasian Hair (http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2006/cc057n04/p00327-p00338.pdf).

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I've had success with Thymes Essentials Body Oil (includes crambe abyssinica seed, jojoba seed, apricot kernel, and evening primrose oils) Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil (includes argan, jojoba, apricot kernel, olive, sesame seed and several other oils), hazelnut oil and camellia oil.

For me, I've found that the timing of the oiling is more important than the type of oil. Post-wash damp oiling works best for my hair using any of the oils listed above. Putting oil on dry hair does not work for me.

I've also just started using coconut oil as a pre-wash treatment, and my hair seems to like that. Other oils do not have any noticeable effect for me if I use them pre-wash.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
My hair loves CO. Loves! I had no transition period at all. My scalp / roots actually got less oily with CO than they had been when I was using shampoo. I do throw in a CWC about once a month. I like to do a moisturizing treatment with the wash immediately following a CWC wash.

I CO-wash with 2 different conditioners: Fekkai Brilliant Glossing on my roots, Pantene Ice Shine on my length/ends. When I CWC I use Pantene Ice Shine shampoo & conditioner. For moisturizing treatments I either do an SMT with the Ice Shine conditioner as the base, or I use Pantene damage repair ampoules.

As you can tell, I love cones (^(oo)^)v

3. What are your chief hair problems?
FADING! My hair gets a lot lighter in colour as you move from the roots towards the ends. It's not so obvious when my hair is down, but in an updo where the ends are right next to the newer hair above the neck, it becomes really noticeable.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
While I've never actually used any of them, I have a difficult time believing that any one product could claim to be better for Asian hair. There are so many different hairtypes among Asians: everything from stick-straight, thin hair like mine to coarse, thick, wavy hair.

The one exception for me is hair colour. Although I've never dyed my hair, eventually I plan to do so when I start to go grey, and I really appreciate the many subtle gradations of dark brown/black offered by Asian brands. It seems like conventional brands often have a full spectrum of blonde shades, but only dark brown, soft black, and jet black on the darker end.

[joiekimochi]

sapphire-o, you are amazingly correct. When my hair was dyed and bleached to the roots, washing my hair was a struggle because everything tangled so badly after shampooing that I have to slop conditioner on my scalp to detangle the hair, thus irritating my scalp and making it oilier. Now that I have more than 3 inches of virgin growth, I realize that the tangling only begins where the chemical dye starts, and I don't need conditioner on my scalp any more.

piggy, I'll try damp-oiling tonight. I've never attempted damp oiling because I thought it would make hair-drying time longer, but now that the medicated shampoo I'm using for my sebbhoreic dermatitis is drying my hair out, hopefully the oiling will help!

[luxepiggy]

sapphire-o, you are amazingly correct. When my hair was dyed and bleached to the roots, washing my hair was a struggle because everything tangled so badly after shampooing that I have to slop conditioner on my scalp to detangle the hair, thus irritating my scalp and making it oilier. Now that I have more than 3 inches of virgin growth, I realize that the tangling only begins where the chemical dye starts, and I don't need conditioner on my scalp any more.

piggy, I'll try damp-oiling tonight. I've never attempted damp oiling because I thought it would make hair-drying time longer, but now that the medicated shampoo I'm using for my sebbhoreic dermatitis is drying my hair out, hopefully the oiling will help!

Since you mentioned you have damage on your length, I would recommend also trying coconut pre-wash oiling. ericthegreat has mentioned in other threads that coconut oil helped keep his hair soft and in good condition as he bleached to golden blonde (*(oo)*)

[Sundial]

Here's my contribution ;)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

I have tried the following oils with corresponding results:

EVOO (olive) - It used to make my hair greasy, but I decided to give it a try again recently and it seems fine now. I guess it's working better as my hair gets longer. Perhaps it needs more moisture not and no longer finds EVOO heavy?

Camillia and Jojoba - Good stuff! :p Doesn't leave my hair greasy, but I find myself using more as my hair gets longer

Argan and avocado - I find these heavier than camillia and jojoba, so a little goes a long way. I think I like these too.

Coconut - I'm still on the fence about this one. I seem to encounter crunchy ends every now and then with coconut.

Shea butter - Too heavy for my liking and I have problems getting it to spread

Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Dry Oil - (to add on to luxepiggy's review) I loved this oil initially but halfway through the bottle it stopped working for me and left me with dry ends. On hindsight after joining LHC, it could have been a case of buildup with nothing to do with the oil because I was still using cones. But now that I have tons of other oils lying around, I don't feel the urgency to jump back to Kiehls. I *LOVE* the scent of the oil though!

Like luxepiggy, I feel that damp oiling works better for me. Although it takes a while more to dry, the oil seem to be more evenly distributed when used on damp hair. Why don't you give it a try? :D

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

I alternate between CO and CWC, depending how how my hair feels. But you know our weather/climate!! :( I doubt SO/WO will work for us, even stretching washes is unthinkable!

3. What are your chief hair problems?

Still in the process of growing out bleach and layers. Apart from those, I have huge issues with damp bunning because it leaves bad kinks in my hair. I can only do updos when my hair is 100% dry. I don't know if any of you experience this too or if it's just my hair being weird :rolleyes: Oh! One more!! I have super sensitive skin and I am still on the hunt for that perfect hair product that strikes a balance between my hair and my skin.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I've tried everything you mentioned and more! Based on my experience, I really don't think it makes a difference. None of those 'Asian-specific' products seemed to do a thing for me

[moominhapa]

I personally think typical Asian hair is pretty resilient to damage. They also tend to not respond to products very much, as Asian hair cuticles are tight and thick. Products just sit on the outside making the hair greasy, instead of penetrate and have actual effects. If you have healthy virgin typical Asian hair, it's best to be minimalist when it comes to products, and just leave it alone.


This makes so much sense to me! I agree, hardly anything I do makes much of a difference. It feels as though products just aren't absorbed into the hair shaft because it's so coarse and impenetrable. I'm only half Asian (and SE Asian rather than East), but I still have these issues.

1. What kind of oils does your hair like?

So far I've tried coconut, EVOO, sweet almond, and jojoba. I think out of those, I prefer coconut and jojoba. I'd still like to try a couple lighter oils though.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful?

I've tried lots of different methods, including CWC, CO, no poo, and regular SC. I struggle to keep my itchy scalp happy, so that has led to a lot of experimentation too. My hair really likes CO, but CWC has had to suffice because I need to fit in a dandruff shampoo somewhere. No poo was ok for a while, but it eventually dried out my hair and made my scalp really itchy. Acidic rinses (ACV, tea, hibiscus) are great to finish with.

3. What are your chief hair problems?

My chief problems are an itchy scalp and hairs that can be really kinky and coarse in the middle of lots of other fine hairs. I would love to be able to keep the coarse hairs soft without making the rest of my hair go limp. It's a conundrum!

4. Specialty Asian products

I haven't tried too much in this category. I once bough a really great smoothing cream when I was on vacation in Japan (can't remember the name now), and I was never able to find something quite as good in the States. Oh well. C'est la vie!

[ericthegreat]

I figured we have more than a couple of Chinese, Japanese and Koreans on LHC, so I've got a couple of questions for East Asian longhairs. I vaguely recall a similar thread but it seems to have been buried away deep somewhere.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

3. What are your chief hair problems?

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I know that the structure of Asian hair is different from hair of other races, so I would like to know what works for Asians and what do not. I'll start the ball rolling.

1. I haven't found a Holy Grail oil for my hair yet; right now I use a mix of jojoba and shea butter, it's not earth-shatteringly amazing for my hair.

2. I wash daily with a SLS shampoo and a non-cone conditioner, it is only so-so. Daily CO left my hair soft but limp. CWC was once perfect but has ceased to show any improvement and proved to drain my wallet.

3. I have a bit of an oily scalp and my ends tend to be dry. I was once too obsessed with getting my hair milk-tea brown, and black dye now fades quickly from my hair leaving me with shabby-looking two tone hair.

4. I used Asience, Tsubaki and Sexy Girl (Japanese brands) shampoos and conditioners, but none of them were better than shampoos and conditioners I ordered from the US like Avalon and Giovanni products.

1. Coconut oil has proven to be the most effective oil treatment for me. I can* practically really just use coconut oil as a really intense deep conditioning treatment, altho using it alone would leave my hair on the greasy side so this is why I shampoo it out and condition afterwards, this takes out the excess oil and leaves my hair with the right amount of softness and flexibility.

2. No one single washing method will prove successful for everybody. Even among East Asians, there is a high degree of variability if you really study us closely. For example, people from northern China, northern Japan and Korea will tend to be very light skinned, and often taller and more strongly built. People from the southern parts of China and Vietnam on the other hand are more tanned skinned and usually shorter.

I notice that many of my fellow members here on this thread happen to have the very straight, thin, finer type of Asian hair. Unfortunately, I can't quite relate because my hair is very different. I have very thick, coarse straight hair. My particular type of hair is very prone to dryness. So for me, I can't use enough conditioner, and it drinks up oil like a fish drinks water.

3. I don't have any problems with my hair per say, but I often still want what I can't have. I will still lust after bouncy curls and sexy waves, because I don't have that naturally.

4. Just more marketing to target us to shell out our hard earned money. Nothing more. You don't need expensive, specialty products. Just common sense and gentle care is all you need.


Since you mentioned you have damage on your length, I would recommend also trying coconut pre-wash oiling. ericthegreat has mentioned in other threads that coconut oil helped keep his hair soft and in good condition as he bleached to golden blonde (*(oo)*)

Definitely. :) Coconut oil is a godsend. If I can go from jet black to beach blonde without damage, it will no doubt be more than enough to help mend whatever past chemical damage you've had joiekimocki :).

[Akiko]

:) Great thread! My hair is straight and black with a little bit of reddish brown. My scalp is oily. So I must wash every other day!

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I usually use coconut oil since it's readily available in the US. But I don' like it in winter. I am back in Japn right now. So I am going to get camellia oil and try it again . I think I like camellia oil. Kind of forgot how it feels.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
CWC

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Right now breakage from stupid bleaching. Bottom several inches have gone through bleach and hennindigo. My virgin hair feels so much softer and silky.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I know Japanese brand of shampoos and conditioners work best with water in Japan. I have brought several Japanese shampoos and conditioners, which made my hair so soft and shiny in Japan, to the US. I was utterly disappointed when I found out none of them yielded the same results back home in the US!

Water in the US is generally much harder. Japanese products are manufactured for water in Japan and won't work the same way in the US.

I am yet to find my Holy Grail that works in the US. I would love to find out!

[joiekimochi]

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I've tried everything you mentioned and more! Based on my experience, I really don't think it makes a difference. None of those 'Asian-specific' products seemed to do a thing for me



4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I know Japanese brand of shampoos and conditioners work best with water in Japan. I have brought several Japanese shampoos and conditioners, which made my hair so soft and shiny in Japan, to the US. I was utterly disappointed when I found out none of them yielded the same results back home in the US!

Water in the US is generally much harder. Japanese products are manufactured for water in Japan and won't work the same way in the US.

I am yet to find my Holy Grail that works in the US. I would love to find out!

There's our answer, Sundial! That's why they never work here!





3. I don't have any problems with my hair per say, but I often still want what I can't have. I will still lust after bouncy curls and sexy waves, because I don't have that naturally.

I lust after curls as well. :p

[sapphire-o]

Aw am I the only East Asian with wavy hair here? Sometimes I wish I have the neat smooth hair, but it's just too much work. My little son has smooth shiny hair that hangs down nicely. He always looks so perfectly groomed, even after jumping in a bouncy castle. Mine just looks messy, especially if there's any wind. Also the humidity is high because it rains everyday here. The forecast difference is just if it's a shower, rain or downpour. :D So it doesn't matter if I blow dry, it'd just curl up and be a frizzy mess anyway.

[luxepiggy]

Aw am I the only East Asian with wavy hair here? Sometimes I wish I have the neat smooth hair, but it's just too much work. My little son has smooth shiny hair that hangs down nicely. He always looks so perfectly groomed, even after jumping in a bouncy castle. Mine just looks messy, especially if there's any wind. Also the humidity is high because it rains everyday here. The forecast difference is just if it's a shower, rain or downpour. :D So it doesn't matter if I blow dry, it'd just curl up and be a frizzy mess anyway.

I have a few friends with wavy hair - one girl in particular has always had amazing hair! very black, very shiny, with a hint of a body wave that ends with one big, loose curl on the longest bits . . . very anime looking, KWIM? (^(oo)^)



3. I don't have any problems with my hair per say, but I often still want what I can't have. I will still lust after bouncy curls and sexy waves, because I don't have that naturally.




I lust after curls as well. :p

Piggy highly recommends the sockbun as a curling method! (^(oo)^)
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6020&pictureid=86932

[joiekimochi]

Aw am I the only East Asian with wavy hair here? Sometimes I wish I have the neat smooth hair, but it's just too much work. My little son has smooth shiny hair that hangs down nicely. He always looks so perfectly groomed, even after jumping in a bouncy castle. Mine just looks messy, especially if there's any wind. Also the humidity is high because it rains everyday here. The forecast difference is just if it's a shower, rain or downpour. :D So it doesn't matter if I blow dry, it'd just curl up and be a frizzy mess anyway.

My brother and my DBF both have wavy hair if they grew their hair out! I think wavy hair is awesome and so LOTR-like!

[Bonny]

Aw am I the only East Asian with wavy hair here?

:waving: I'm here too! Here's my hairtyping picture from last year:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=871&pictureid=58716

ETA: More about my hair: it's very coarse, kind of crinkly, and prone to dryness. I always wanted the sleek shiny "Chinese" hair, which I didn't have even though my ethnic origin is Chinese!

[supermanok03]

I don't know how applicable my answers are; I'm half Filipino, half Sri-Lankan. I guess I have the typical Filipino girl hair, it's just not quite as thick as most. It's just past waist and pretty straight, with just a very slight wave.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
My hair likes castor oil mixed with apricot kernel oil (to thin out the castor) massaged into the scalp, then coconut oil down the length. This is as a prewash treatment. After a wash I apply a tiny bit of coconut oil down the length and leave it in.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I've started CWC. I do most of my scalp scrubbing with conditioner, to get out the oil. Then I shampoo with a diluted shampoo, and then condition the length. This weekend I'll try CO and see how that goes, because no matter how diluted the shampoo, it leaves my hair feeling dry even in the shower.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Dryness after a shower, thinness. I really wish I had more hair. I'm staying just below waist hoping it'll thicken up at the ends to get a somewhat more blunt hemline, but I don't think that'll happen anytime soon :(

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I've never used and specially formulated for Asians products. I don't understand the differences between all the different kinds of shampoos/conditioners. I only avoid sulphates in shampoos, and only put cones on the length, once in a while to change it up.

[SandyStar]

I'm East Asian and I have slightly wavy hair. It's never slick straight. You can see the waves especially well when it is wet.

[baaaad_kitty]

Well technically I'm in SEA but there's East in there LOL. (3/4 chinese 1/4 filipino)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Almond oil works really well for me! It's light and weighs down my usually dry hair. Sunflower oil was the worst for my hair. Just totally yuck. It sat on top of my hair and I didn't like the smell at all. Coconut oil is also good but I believe it should remain in food and off my hair. I can't stand the smell of it on the body, esp. in those sunblocks and "coconut scented" products. GROSS. I wouldn't want to go around smelling like food.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I tried BS/ACV and it was okay, but time consuming. I'm now back to shampoo and conditioner that's free of sulfates, cones, parabens, etc. I also wash only ever other day and oil after the wash. If not my hair will frizz.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Dry ends! My hair needs deep conditioners. Also like the others my ends have faded. I also get these weird looking ends, where they look like they've been bent 1cm from the end.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I only know of hair dye specially formulated for Asian hair. I tried them once and the color result shocked me. The dye was so strong! Other than that, I'm skeptical.

[Yozhik]

I'm half Chinese, but I'm afraid my hair takes more after my Caucasian side of the family . . . but I'll post anyway :)

Also, I'm another (half-)Asian wurly! :cheese:

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I love coconut oil. I've also tried EVOO, but this was right after finding LHC, and I put way too much on. So, basically, my hair likes heavier oils. When I return to America I'll be sure to experiment with other oils, but for right now, coconut oil seems to do just fine. :)

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I've been using shampoo bars for the last 4 months or so. I really like them, but need to use a conditioner afterward because my hair is wavy and tends to get dry. Recently I also tried CO, and it was amazing! Beautifully non-poofy 2 day hair, which lasted a number of days.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
I suffer from a slightly dry scalp and dry ends, but the middle length gets too dirty if I try to stretch it for more than 3-4 days.
I think starting CO or experimenting with coconut shampooing may prove to be a good solution.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I've never tried any such products, and to be honest, I didn't even know they existed. :o

[luxepiggy]

Well technically I'm in SEA but there's East in there LOL. (3/4 chinese 1/4 filipino)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Almond oil works really well for me! It's light and weighs down my usually dry hair. Sunflower oil was the worst for my hair. Just totally yuck. It sat on top of my hair and I didn't like the smell at all. Coconut oil is also good but I believe it should remain in food and off my hair. I can't stand the smell of it on the body, esp. in those sunblocks and "coconut scented" products. GROSS. I wouldn't want to go around smelling like food.

Why not try refined coconut oil, which has no scent? That's what I use, as I have a strong aversion to coconut (^(oo)^)

[Sundial]

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Dry ends! My hair needs deep conditioners. Also like the others my ends have faded. I also get these weird looking ends, where they look like they've been bent 1cm from the end.


I have huge issues with this too! I get them when I put my hair up before it is 100% dry, or if the updo is too tight. I just snip them off whenever I see them because I rather lose that small bit than to risk tangles. Also, I can't be sure that they won't bend in the same place again when pressure is applied

[ericthegreat]

This is just an interesting observation I've been seeing more and more on this board. Many of the non-Asian members of this board have expressed how they just love Asian hair. They wish they had our kind of hair, they love how its always so super straight, dark and shiny. They think our hair is the "perfect" kind of hair. :shrug:

And all I can think of is "Really?!" :confused: You want hair that is so stubbornly straight that its hard to style it into anything other than straight? You want hair that always lies flat to your head with no volume??? You want hair that is so shiny that it often looks greasy and stringy even when you just washed your hair this morning?? You want hair that is naturally so dark that it doesn't respond to haircoloring and highlights as well as naturally lighter colored hair?? :brains:

I wonder why it is that pretty much almost no one likes their own natural hair. Everyone wants what they don't have. The grass always seems greener of the other side of the fence.
I've always wanted the kind of hair that I see on TV and the movies and on the magazines. :magic:
I wanted naturally wavy/curly hair, hair that has body and volume. The kind of hair that you can get away with not washing for a week. If I went a week without washing I'd look like I poured a whole bottle of Crisco on my head! :tmi:

[luxepiggy]

This is just an interesting observation I've been seeing more and more on this board. Many of the non-Asian members of this board have expressed how they just love Asian hair. They wish they had our kind of hair, they love how its always so super straight, dark and shiny. They think our hair is the "perfect" kind of hair. :shrug:

And all I can think of is "Really?!" :confused: You want hair that is so stubbornly straight that its hard to style it into anything other than straight? You want hair that always lies flat to your head with no volume??? You want hair that is so shiny that it often looks greasy and stringy even when you just washed your hair this morning?? You want hair that is naturally so dark that it doesn't respond to haircoloring and highlights as well as naturally lighter colored hair?? :brains:

I wonder why it is that pretty much almost no one likes their own natural hair. Everyone wants what they don't have. The grass always seems greener of the other side of the fence.
I've always wanted the kind of hair that I see on TV and the movies and on the magazines. :magic:
I wanted naturally wavy/curly hair, hair that has body and volume. The kind of hair that you can get away with not washing for a week. If I went a week without washing I'd look like I poured a whole bottle of Crisco on my head! :tmi:

I noticed this as well, and I must say it always befuddles me. I wouldn't trade my hairtype for anything else! I have exactly the hair type and texture I want, and I do love that it's super straight and shiny. In fact the only thing I've ever wished was for it to be darker, i.e. even closer to the Asian hair stereotype :p

It's fun to be an outlier! Hehe (^(oo)^)v

[SandyStar]

I really like my hair. I like how it is dark and shiny. The only thing I wish is for it to be thicker.

[Leabhar]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

Best: EVOO, lightly applied. Soaks right in and leaves hair soft, especially the ends. I add lavender EO because EVOO is pretty odiferous and I prefer floral/clean scents. Deep conditioning just means heavy EVOO, bun/braid, and then wash the next day.

2nd best: EVOO plus (refined, I hate the smell of unrefined) coconut oil, but CO isn't as moisturizing and can make my ends a tad crunchy.

Almond oil is too light, as is grapeseed oil, and they will just sit on the surface and make hair greasy without soaking in. I use jojoba oil as a rare detangler for the very ends only, as it has a silicone effect without the silicone. I can't get any on my skin or it makes me break out like 'cones.


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

Usually CO, with oiling scalp and ends every now and then, because it's easier/faster and more moisturizing than CWC. In winter/summer, I do warm WO washes between COs if my scalp feels oily but not flaky/dusty/dirty and my length is dry, and preen the scalp oil and then EVOO the length.

I finish with a vinegar rinse for my scalp.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
As someone said, the dryer and lighter ends to longer Asian hair: my scalp hair is pretty much black, with reddish highlights, but my ends are a brown-almost-auburn color that I used to actually want all over! LOL

Keeping my ends well-oiled keeps them dry, but they can tangle if I don't oil them as often as I need to. A shot of jojoba every now and then helps.

The flatness of Asian hair is a PITA, too, and while I have straight and wavy hairs, the length keeps it from being full of body.

I wear braids but a) get fuzzy caterpillar very quickly unless I braid very tightly (and even then) and b) the ends sticking out...stick! and my braid waves are very snaky until they just fall out. Curling hair is always a huge endeavour--I've tried Torrin's method and yet my hair is still damp in the morning, so I'll try the sock bun curling and bandana braids with scarves.

I don't have very thick hair or high volume but it's still pretty heavy, and heavier so when I oil it.

Split ends are rare and far outnumbered by the fairy knots from leaving hair loose while sleeping!

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I've never used them. I use Trader Joe's SLS-free shampoo for my scalp and avoid cones for the most part unless I plan on wearing my hair down and want stick-straight hair without hot ironing or combing it dry (and straight).

[sapphire-o]

And all I can think of is "Really?!" :confused: You want hair that is so stubbornly straight that its hard to style it into anything other than straight? You want hair that always lies flat to your head with no volume??? You want hair that is so shiny that it often looks greasy and stringy even when you just washed your hair this morning?? You want hair that is naturally so dark that it doesn't respond to haircoloring and highlights as well as naturally lighter colored hair?? :brains:



Well ya that's what I'd want. The kind of hair that just roll out of bed and look fine already. :D I'm super lazy and never want to do any "styling" or perm or highlights. I suppose my current hair isn't too bad, but I do need to comb it before going out of the door. No amount of combing, brushing or blow-drying can make it smooth and neat, if I want to wear it down. I refuse to use any products.

Remember that NOBODY has hair like those in the movies, TV commercial or magazines naturally. Those takes hours of professional styling with gobs of products. Not to mention the professional photography and photo-shopping would remove all frizz. As far as I know, curly hair is much harder to take care of compared to straight hair. The detangling alone can take quite some time everyday. Straight hair might not be perfect or fun, it's just so easy to look decent without much work at all.

[Akiko]

Straight hair might not be perfect or fun, it's just so easy to look decent without much work at all.

That's very true. My hair needs no special maintenance other than regular CWC if I decide to keep it straight. Just comb and ready. There were times I got so bored with it that I wanted more body or curls. But nothing worked well. In fact, trying to make my hair behave other than being straight always ended up causing damage. Oh well. I just accept it's straight and stay that way. :) I enjoy different updos now.

[joiekimochi]

Well I spent years lusting after blonde, wavy hair and have only just finally embraced the stick-straight, jet-black, flat and volumeless hair I was born with. Ultimately it is the style that needs the least maintenance and matches my skin best. When I had bleached, light brown hair with blonde highlights and extensions, I needed to wear a ton of makeup to look "right" or else I would look sallow and washed out. Now with my black hair I can leave the house with no make-up and still look normal.


ETA: With my old hair people took me less seriously, they thought I was just like a party gal or some bimbo. Now I look more like a good girl, or so some people have commented, then get absolutely shocked when I start cracking my bawdy jokes and one-liners.

[Juneii]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

camillia and coconut oil! my hair hated jojoba, it does nothing but make it feel greasy. I adore Nightblooming's Panacea Salve and her hair anointing oil. They make my hair really soft and smells so good. Also, Vatika hair oil, it has coconut oil, henna, amala.. etc. and is great in smoothing out my hair.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

I tried CO, and I either did it wrong or my scalp really hates conditioner. My scalp is very oily so I stick to shampoo on the scalp and conditioner on the ends starting from the nape of my neck. Perfectly soft and smooth hair :)

3. What are your chief hair problems?

It. Won't. Curl. or wave, or anything really. There are just random kinks here and there that straighten out over the course of the day. And as my hair gets longer and heavier it holds curls less.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I haven't tried them. On a completely different subject, BB creams (which I see many asian girls use) works wonderfully on my skin. It's the only foundation that actually matches my skin tone.


when I was younger I wanted blond and curly hair (I mentioned this many times here :) ). Still slowly coming to like my hair more and more. The best thing about having stick straight hair is that it detangles so nicely.

[Leabhar]

I must've had a brain fart while writing my routine--I just realized I wrote I CO'd, and I don't! lol. I use a diluted SLS-free shampoo and sometimes cone-free conditioner; I've tried a bunch of different conditioners* to CO with and I don't like the plastic/filmy residue after a CO wash.

*Suave, V05, Kirkland, Aubrey Organics, Kiss My Face...

[ericthegreat]

Well I spent years lusting after blonde, wavy hair and have only just finally embraced the stick-straight, jet-black, flat and volumeless hair I was born with. Ultimately it is the style that needs the least maintenance and matches my skin best. When I had bleached, light brown hair with blonde highlights and extensions, I needed to wear a ton of makeup to look "right" or else I would look sallow and washed out. Now with my black hair I can leave the house with no make-up and still look normal.







3.


When I was younger I wanted blond and curly hair (I mentioned this many times here :) ). Still slowly coming to like my hair more and more. The best thing about having stick straight hair is that it detangles so nicely.

I completely empathize with the both of you. :) Except I still have not truly accepted the hairtype I was born with. I definitely know that if I had a choice, I would have chosen to be born with light colored hair, either some form of natural blonde or natural redhead shade of color. And also of course for my hair to also have a lot more body and some sexy loose curls too.

I don't have any regrets about going blonde. I finally actually like my hair more now, even if its not the natural color I was born with. Who says nature always knows best? :p

If I didn't care about damage, I would definitely have also gotten a body wave or a spiral perm as well. I have already chosen one hair sin which is the bleaching, I won't go overboard and perm on top of that as well.

[moominhapa]

And all I can think of is "Really?!" :confused: You want hair that is so stubbornly straight that its hard to style it into anything other than straight? You want hair that always lies flat to your head with no volume??? You want hair that is so shiny that it often looks greasy and stringy even when you just washed your hair this morning?? You want hair that is naturally so dark that it doesn't respond to haircoloring and highlights as well as naturally lighter colored hair?? :brains:


Ah, this! My hair is so stubborn and won't do ANYTHING other than what it naturally wants to do. No matter what products or gizmos I put in it, it wants to be straight, flat, coarse, and dark and won't have it any other way!

[Juneii]

I completely empathize with the both of you. :) Except I still have not truly accepted the hairtype I was born with. I definitely know that if I had a choice, I would have chosen to be born with light colored hair, either some form of natural blonde or natural redhead shade of color. And also of course for my hair to also have a lot more body and some sexy loose curls too.

I don't have any regrets about going blonde. I finally actually like my hair more now, even if its not the natural color I was born with. Who says nature always knows best? :p

If I didn't care about damage, I would definitely have also gotten a body wave or a spiral perm as well. I have already chosen one hair sin which is the bleaching, I won't go overboard and perm on top of that as well.

Ah yes, even now I still wish I had lighter hair. I switched back and forth many times wanting golden blond curls to golden red hair. I would have wanted a perm too but after seeing my aunt's hair and my friend's hair when they did it... it just doesn't work.
Your bleach blond hair looks good on you Eric, I'm afraid I can't pull that look off without looking terrible and freaking out everyone around me :p

[janedoe0]

This is just an interesting observation I've been seeing more and more on this board. Many of the non-Asian members of this board have expressed how they just love Asian hair. They wish they had our kind of hair, they love how its always so super straight, dark and shiny. They think our hair is the "perfect" kind of hair. :shrug:

And all I can think of is "Really?!" :confused: You want hair that is so stubbornly straight that its hard to style it into anything other than straight? You want hair that always lies flat to your head with no volume??? You want hair that is so shiny that it often looks greasy and stringy even when you just washed your hair this morning?? You want hair that is naturally so dark that it doesn't respond to haircoloring and highlights as well as naturally lighter colored hair?? :brains:

I wonder why it is that pretty much almost no one likes their own natural hair. Everyone wants what they don't have. The grass always seems greener of the other side of the fence.
I've always wanted the kind of hair that I see on TV and the movies and on the magazines. :magic:
I wanted naturally wavy/curly hair, hair that has body and volume. The kind of hair that you can get away with not washing for a week. If I went a week without washing I'd look like I poured a whole bottle of Crisco on my head! :tmi:

To each their own, but I'm Chinese and I've always liked Asian hair. So for the most part I like my hair, though it's sometimes annoying how thick and how much volume it has. Some of my friends tease me for my "puffy" hair.

All those points above are neutral traits that are considered good traits by some people and bad traits by others, and none of them are universally true for all Asian people. There are lots of East Asians with wavy hair and lots with hair with lots of volume like me, lots of people with dull hair, etc.


ETA:
1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
It loves camellia oil and jojoba oil is okay.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
standard shampoo + conditioner routine.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
My hair is very very thick and coarse and dry. The dryness can be remedied with the right products, but the thickness and volume is just something I have to deal with. The bad thing is I can't grow my hair past waist because of the sheer volume of my hair.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I think Asian products work better for Asian hair, I like Shiseido's Aquair line.

[joiekimochi]

I tried damp oiling; the results are AMAZING!

Smooth, soft, and not a trace of the dreaded squeakiness that my sebbhoreic dermatitis shampoo had caused!

[Juneii]

I tried damp oiling; the results are AMAZING!

Smooth, soft, and not a trace of the dreaded squeakiness that my sebbhoreic dermatitis shampoo had caused!

YAY :cheese:

[luxepiggy]

I tried damp oiling; the results are AMAZING!

Smooth, soft, and not a trace of the dreaded squeakiness that my sebbhoreic dermatitis shampoo had caused!

Yay!!!! Glad to hear it's working for you!!:cheese:

On another note . . . this little piggy purchased some Shu Uemura Art of Hair products today! It's not specially formulated for Asian hair, but I've heard great things from lots of my Asian friends about Shu . . . . and the bottles are so pretty! (^(oo)^)

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/shu.jpg

Moisture Velvet Treatment Masque
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/shumoisturevelvet.jpg

Full Shimmer Conditioner
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/shufullshimmer.jpg

I'll post back with an initial assessment soon! I don't think I've ever been so excited to wash my hair before (^(oo)^)v

[joiekimochi]

piggy, your nails are AWESOME!!

Also, do give a review! The bottles look so professional and minimalistic and chic. I've always loved Shu products, their Basic Mascara was my Holy Grail mascara (until I discovered Kiss Me Heroine Volume & Curl Mascara) and the cleansing oil is unbeatable but so darn expensive.

[Madame J]

So I'm not Asian, but I've had multiple Vietnamese hairdressers tell me that I have Asian hair, and listening to some of the descriptions here, I agree. I have an oily scalp, somewhat slippery hair, and a lot of it. It was stick straight until my 20's and now it has a slight wave to it. It does not like to hold a curl, but it recently decided it would hold braid waves.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like? My hair likes coconut oil as a pre-wash, and loves sweet almond oil and shea butter and post-wash treatments. My scalp hates oil of any kind, and will shed like crazy if I oil my scalp.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc. For reducing slipperiness, I like shampoo bars, but I have to be careful because I sometimes feel like the method is mechanically damaging. Conventional shampoo, especially that with 'cones, makes my hair too slippery to hold a braid sometimes when it's freshly washed. Also my scalp hates conditioner.

3. What are your chief hair problems? Scalp oil and itchies are the worst. I don't really get split ends. I do have to worry about buildup from the soap (even with a vinegar rinse). Sometimes I just do a vinegar rinse without washing, though, that helps with soap buildup specifically.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products? I've never encountered products that say they're for Asians on the bottle, but I do shop at a beauty supply store owned by an Asian family because the girls there can tell me what kind of hair dye will actually take on my hair (when I used to dye). I think it's more important to share information with people who share your hair type (hello, LHC!) than it is to believe everything that's written on the bottle.

luxepiggy, ooooo, those pictures make me want to try Shu Uemura products, but I have pledged to use up all my old bits and bobs of shampoo bars first...

[Juneii]

Piggy, do let us know how the products turn out! I am most interested in the shimmer conditioner :)

p.s. are those the red sparklies you got on your nails?

[luxepiggy]

piggy, your nails are AWESOME!!

Also, do give a review! The bottles look so professional and minimalistic and chic. I've always loved Shu products, their Basic Mascara was my Holy Grail mascara (until I discovered Kiss Me Heroine Volume & Curl Mascara) and the cleansing oil is unbeatable but so darn expensive.


*snip*
luxepiggy, ooooo, those pictures make me want to try Shu Uemura products, but I have pledged to use up all my old bits and bobs of shampoo bars first...


Piggy, do let us know how the products turn out! I am most interested in the shimmer conditioner :)

p.s. are those the red sparklies you got on your nails?

Thanks for the nail compliments, joiekimochi and Juneii! Juneii - Actually, those are not sparkles . . . those, my dear, are FLAKIES! Like holographic sparkles on steroids (^(oo)^)v

And now, piggy's preliminary review of Shu Uemura's Full Shimmer conditioner: Someone give Shu Uemura a medal :D

My hair feels most extraordinarily soft right now! In fact, it's softer than my rabbit fur throw - I compared! I would say the improvement in softness is comparable to the one I experienced when I switched to CO washing!

The only problem is I can't stop touching my hair. That could get rather awkward in public :p

A few remarks on usage: the product must be fairly concentrated, because a little bit goes a LONG way. I only needed about 1/3 as much as I use of the Fekkai, which makes the Shu rather more economical than it seems on a straight price/ounce basis.

And now - it's picture time! (^(oo)^)

With flash:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/ShuUemuraFullShimmer02.jpg

Of course, how my hair looks in normal, everyday lighting conditions is more important, and I was not disappointed here either - pic taken in my living room, at night, with regular room lighting only, flash turned OFF:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/ShuUemuraFullShimmer.jpg

I don't think I've ever seen a big reflective band like that in a non-flash photo of my hair!:cheese:

I am one happy little piggy right now (^(oo)^)

[Juneii]

OH MY GOD MY EYES *___* so shiny!

I didn't even think it was possible for your hair to look even more perfect piggy!

[luxepiggy]

OH MY GOD MY EYES *___* so shiny!

I didn't even think it was possible for your hair to look even more perfect piggy!

I'm still petting my own hair. This could be an issue :p

[ericthegreat]

Thanks for the nail compliments, joiekimochi and Juneii! Juneii - Actually, those are not sparkles . . . those, my dear, are FLAKIES! Like holographic sparkles on steroids (^(oo)^)v

And now, piggy's preliminary review of Shu Uemura's Full Shimmer conditioner: Someone give Shu Uemura a medal :D

My hair feels most extraordinarily soft right now! In fact, it's softer than my rabbit fur throw - I compared! I would say the improvement in softness is comparable to the one I experienced when I switched to CO washing!

The only problem is I can't stop touching my hair. That could get rather awkward in public :p

A few remarks on usage: the product must be fairly concentrated, because a little bit goes a LONG way. I only needed about 1/3 as much as I use of the Fekkai, which makes the Shu rather more economical than it seems on a straight price/ounce basis.

And now - it's picture time! (^(oo)^)

With flash:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/ShuUemuraFullShimmer02.jpg

Of course, how my hair looks in normal, everyday lighting conditions is more important, and I was not disappointed here either - pic taken in my living room, at night, with regular room lighting only, flash turned OFF:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/ShuUemuraFullShimmer.jpg

I don't think I've ever seen a big reflective band like that in a non-flash photo of my hair!:cheese:

I am one happy little piggy right now (^(oo)^)

I'm gonna need some cool new shades to look at your hair now. :cool:
My naked eyes would be blinded by the glare of your hair!

[Juneii]

not to worry piggy! I recently got Pantene's beautiful length's conditioner. When I went out shopping the other day I kept smoothing and running my fingers through my hair >___> it felt so soft and nice!

[joiekimochi]

O hpy n;omfrf/222222

Sorry I got temporarily blinded by the shine.

[Akiko]

With flash:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/ShuUemuraFullShimmer02.jpg

Putting on sunglasses.:sun:
Beautiful and shiny, luxepiggy!

[joiekimochi]

I just started using camellia oil and I kick myself for not discovering this gem earlier!!!

I bequeathed my bottle of jojoba oil to my mom; like an ancient emperor with many concubines, my affections have shifted.

[Juneii]

isn't camellia oil amazing? It's so light and absorbs quickly! I find it's great on the skin too :)

[luxepiggy]

isn't camellia oil amazing? It's so light and absorbs quickly! I find it's great on the skin too :)

I used to use that on my face constantly when I was living in NYC - it was great for preventing windchapped cheeks! Should have put some on my ends too while I was at it :p

And wouldn't you know - the Shu moisturizing masque has camellia oil in it! I'm still loving this stuff btw, I seriously recommend trying it out!! (^(oo)^)

[eri401]

Hi - I am Kor/Jpn but my hair is definitely not sleek and watery. In Japanese, its described like 'sara-sara' or slippery hair and it is enviable but not every East Asian has that type of hair. I've got rather coarse hair that waves easily and turns quite light at the tips. It is dark brown, rather than black.

Lately, my hair routine is very simple. I wash daily with Garnier and oil while damp using coconut oil. In the morning, I usually oil again to smooth my hair out and then I put it up in a bun. Every once in a while, I'll do a hot conditioning with honey, cheap conditioner, and coconut oil.

I've wanted to try camelia oil but Tsubaki shampoo was so gross on my hair! Very heavy and it made my scalp quite oily. I'm not sure if it was the camelia oil or just the shampoo formula. Where and what brand of camelia do you guys use?

Olive oil does nothing for me and my scalp HATES anything on it.

[luxepiggy]

Ok everyone. Brace yourselves. Piggy's about to ask a really, really dumb question.

What exactly is the purpose of brushing hair?http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/piggies/confusedpiggy.gif

I asked this in the straighties thread already, but I figured I'd ask in this thread too. Do you all brush your hair? What benefits do you get from doing so? Is it for detangling? Or is it a styling aid? What would happen if you stopped using it? How would your hair look or feel different?

I never intentionally decided to stop brushing, but it just sort of fell out of my routine. Lately, though, I've been wondering if my hair is missing out somehow, since I see all these LHCers who clearly take good care of their tresses, yet I seem to be quite alone in my non-brushing, non-combing ways (^(oo)^)v

[joiekimochi]

eri401, Tsubaki shampoo and conditioner didn't work well on my hair either. But I use pure 100% camellia oil and it is my holy grail oil. I use Ooshima Tsubaki Hair Oil.

piggy, I suppose brushing aligns all the hair nice and smooth and makes the hair appear more 'sara-sara'? I stopped brushing as well since I figured it was making me shed more, plus combing does the same thing for me. Apparently brushing is to help distribute the natural sebum down the strands and to get rid of the greasy look, but I find the more I brush the greasier I look.

[ericthegreat]

Ok everyone. Brace yourselves. Piggy's about to ask a really, really dumb question.

What exactly is the purpose of brushing hair?http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/piggies/confusedpiggy.gif

I asked this in the straighties thread already, but I figured I'd ask in this thread too. Do you all brush your hair? What benefits do you get from doing so? Is it for detangling? Or is it a styling aid? What would happen if you stopped using it? How would your hair look or feel different?

I never intentionally decided to stop brushing, but it just sort of fell out of my routine. Lately, though, I've been wondering if my hair is missing out somehow, since I see all these LHCers who clearly take good care of their tresses, yet I seem to be quite alone in my non-brushing, non-combing ways (^(oo)^)v

That's okay piggy. Sometimes "dumb" questions need to be asked so that definitive answers can be given.

There are several purposes to brushing your hair, not just one. A) Brushing smooths out your hair. It aligns all your hair strands to fall in the same direction, so a brush is a natural styling tool. B) Since brushing separates out your hair stands as you run the brush down, it also detangles your hair in a thorough manner. C) Also, brushing helps to remove a lot of loose hairs, the hairs that you would naturally shed out every day. D) And, if you use a boar bristle brush, this particular type of brush helps to transfer your natural sebum from your scalp all the way down the length of your hair to the ends.

I personally need to brush my hair, for all of the reasons I stated above. I have A LOT of hair, and I simply cannot get away with just using my fingers to fingercomb my hair. Even though I have straight hair, its also thick. I need an effective tool that will fully smooth out, style, and detangle all of my hair and only my paddle brush can do the job. Also, since I naturally shed quite a lot of hair (don't worry I re-grow new hair just as fast!) my brush helps to get out all the shed hairs.

Of course, I have a pic of me holding my trusty paddle brush. :p

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=3493&pictureid=44880

[luxepiggy]

Thank you eric! That was quite helpful indeed. I love that you have a photograph with your brush . . . piggies are big fans of visual aids! (^(oo)^)

Now I no longer have to wonder what I'm missing :p

[Leabhar]

I brush for similar reasons--to distribute oil (at scalp and ends), groom and get any dust out, and to scritch my scalp. It also keeps wispies at bay and makes for a sleek look on those pre-wash days.

[Juneii]

almost forgot about this thread!

eri401 - my scalp hates everything I put on it so I avoid all products except for a clarifying shampoo to keep the oiliness at bay. Have you tried just oiling the ends of your hair? I notice my ends need the moisture but not the roots.

Eric - that is interesting! I have long given up on brushing because for some reason it makes my hair feel "fluffy" and it flies up and sticks everywhere (from static). Thankfully my hair isn't too thick for fingercombing and my boxwood comb :)

[McFearless]

Everyone in this thread has stunning hair! Don't take it for granted.

[baaaad_kitty]

I brush in the morning to detangle :) And after my bath. That's about it. Hehe.. I'm not one who brings around a brush in their bag

[joiekimochi]

Hehe.. I'm not one who brings around a brush in their bag

I have a huge collection of handbags, and every single one of them has a small horn comb stowed in them...:o Plus my dresser has 2 combs and 2 bb brushes. And I have 2 wood combs on the way!

Some people are hair-toy addicts. Then there are the comb addicts!

[NikkaYuko]

Here's my input here. I'm Japanese, btw.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I've only used Olive oil and safflower oil before and I like them both. I don't think the type of oil really matters all too much.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

I'm still new so, I haven't gotten used to all the abbreviations yet. But mainly, my method is to simply wash it only when it's dirty or starts to feel greasy. This can be anywhere from once every few days to once every few weeks, depending on what I'm doing. I rinse my hair more often though, I just don't use shampoo, etc.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Actually, I'm pretty good with my hair. I used to have a lot of split ends, which was alleviated by getting a new brush, putting my hair up more often and sleeping with a scarf or basically, by starting to treat it like long hair.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I have tried Tsubaki and it worked for me rather well but then again, I've been "washing only when dirty" for quite a while. I suppose if I used it more often, my findings would be different? I also don't know about you guys but I can find tsubaki shampoo for a rather good price so I'm not actually paying any more for it than I would a non-asian shampoo.

I haven't tried any other asian products, but as long as I'm not paying a significant amount more for it, I think I would try the asian product over a non-asian one.

[hypersensitive]

Hello fellow east asians :waving: Here is my input!


Hair profile and goals

I am 1cm away from type iii, and my hair is a dark dark dark brown with occasional blond and reddish orange strands. What's annoying is I have a blend of thin and coarse hair. My mom has the standard asian super coarse and thick hair and my dad has really thin thin strands. Combine that and that's my hair. =/ I also don't have the average asian type super straight hair. Rather, I have slight waves, making me a 1b. At first I thought this was strange because aren't asians supposed to have pin straight hair? But reading through this thread, I realize I'm not the only one with waves, or coarse and super kinky strands! I have pretty slippery hair and if I try to curl it, the hair on the right side of my head holds the curls better than the left! I have no idea why. I've been diligently doing S&D missions whenever I have time so atm my BSL hair has very few split ends. I am determined to grow out to waist by the end of this year!

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I've only tried Camellia oil and its good as an everyday glossing oil but recently I discovered my hair truly drinks it all in if I apply when my hair is damp. I air dry my hair (98% given up hairfryers since discovering this forum) and before going to bed, I oil it once more and leave it in overnight. Camellia oil is amazing and makes my hair oh so soft!! Damp oiling ftw, baby.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
For most of my life, S/C worked well. I've been CWC-ing for the past few months since joining LHC and there hasn't been any dramatic changes or improvements compared to just shampoo and conditioning. I want to try CO next but realistically I don't have the time or patience for that.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
My ends are so much lighter than my roots! I'd say at least 1 or 2 shades lighter. I also oily roots, itchy scalp and dandruff 3ish days after a wash. Really annoying. Oh, I've noticed my hair can get pretty frizzy during wet and humid days.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Never tried it.

[joiekimochi]

Hello hypersensitive! Damp oiling with camellia oil works excellently for me as well!

[LovelyL]

So I've noticed quite a few people say Camellia oil works really well for them - which makes sense since it's a traditional Japanese hair/skin treatment. This has made up my mind which oil to get for my best friend (she's Chinese) and I'm thinking I'll encourage her to use it on her face too :) (before LHC I'd never thought of putting oil in hair!)

I can say on her behalf that she's quite interested in specially formulated for Asians products, but mostly from the make-up perspective. The colours definitely suit her better. But I'm a little surprised so few of you have tried the various products! To be fair, being stingy is a pretty good reason not to (thank goodness coconut oil is cheap :p)

[Fufu]

Great thread :)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I don't use any oils on hair. I did coconut oil hair massage once before when I was having a short vacation. I felt it was alright only. Maybe I don like the greasy feeling on my hair.


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I wash my hair using the normal method. Using hair shampoo and conditoner formulated to coloured hair.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
If i don't wash my hair every alternate days, they will get limpy. If I wash them everyday, they feel rather dry to me -_-.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I like these products. Been using haircare products like serums and masks that are specially formulated for Asians. As for shampoo and conditioner, I use shampoos that are formulated for coloured hair, doesn't matter to me even if they are not for Asian hair.

[luxepiggy]

Great thread :)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I don't use any oils on hair. I did coconut oil hair massage once before when I was having a short vacation. I felt it was alright only. Maybe I don like the greasy feeling on my hair.


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I wash my hair using the normal method. Using hair shampoo and conditoner formulated to coloured hair.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
If i don't wash my hair every alternate days, they will get limpy. If I wash them everyday, they feel rather dry to me -_-.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I like these products. Been using haircare products like serums and masks that are specially formulated for Asians. As for shampoo and conditioner, I use shampoos that are formulated for coloured hair, doesn't matter to me even if they are not for Asian hair.

Have you tried CWC? That might help prevent the feeling of dryness that you get with daily washes (^(oo)^)v

[Fufu]

luxepiggy: Good idea :) I will try it tonight.

CWC is Condition first rinse off, then wash with shampoo rinse off, and lastly condition again? I hope I'm right.

[luxepiggy]

luxepiggy: Good idea :) I will try it tonight.

CWC is Condition first rinse off, then wash with shampoo rinse off, and lastly condition again? I hope I'm right.


Condition first on the length & ends only
Wash with shampoo
Rinse
Condition normally
RinseSo don't rinse off the first application of conditioner, just shampoo over it (^(oo)^)v

[lingxi]

Thanks luxepiggy for posting the link to the article! I found it very informative!

*will post reply to questions soon :)*

[lingxi]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I don't use oils on a regular basis, I don't think my hair really likes them. I've only tried EVOO and it was mediocre. I'm quite interested in trying Camellia oil though...

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
Still just using SC right now, (and for the most part of my life), but deciding on products to try out CO for next month :)

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Namely oily scalp/oily roots, dry/damaged ends/mid-lengths, and terrible split ends. I religiously trim my ends now, I can't stand split ends. Also because of my root conditions I can't go without washing everyday. Dullness occasionally.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I've tried Caretrico, Asience, Bawang and some others. I can't say I've used them on such a regular basis I can provide a fair opinion but I must say the Caretrico hair-mask made my hair wonderfully soft. I'm not sure about the whole water situation because the water we get in Australia (Victoria) is very soft.

[Fufu]

Thanks luxepiggy :)

I tried the CWC and I like it very much, been using this for all my washing routine now.

[sunrain]

Ahaha, finally able to log onto the boards again!

1. I've used jojoba, coconut, EVOO, and camellia. Jojoba was the very first, and I think it made my hair a little softer when I first tried oiling for fun years ago, but I didn't keep up with it. EVOO has been my general default because my parents always have it in the house, and my scalp and skin like it. I bought a jar of coconut last quarter, but I'm not quite sure what "organic extra virgin" means. It worked fine, but nothing particularly special. I have grown to like the coconut smell more, though. Bought a bottle of camellia oil before Christmas, and I really like it! It's great stuff for both my skin and hair. My general prewash routine at the moment is EVOO on the scalp with camellia on the length and ends left to soak in for at least an hour. I think it might be fun to try rice bran oil at some point, but for now I'm happy. I have not felt the need to go back to using jojoba at all, but sometimes I'll use coconut in addition to camellia on my length if I have some lying around on a spoon. Occasionally, I'll put a bit of camellia on the ends, but I don't usually. I also tend to oil my hair when it's dry rather than damp, mostly because I got too lazy. I might try damp oiling again next time I wash, though. You guys have me motivated to try again. :)

2. Hmmm, at the moment I'm CWC. I've done WO, and I loved the softness but missed the volume. I've also CO'ed with finishing ACV rinses, but my hair suddenly rebelled and decided it didn't like it so much. I might try going back and forth between CO and CWC, just to see what happens. CWC seems to work just fine since I only wash my hair about once a week. Right now I'm using various Vo5 naturals conditioners and trying out Burt's Bees Pomegranate and Soy shampoo. As I've been experimenting, I suspect my itchy, flaky scalp has been caused partially by Pantene shampoos, and even conditioners. I'm seeing if SLS-free products will reduce the itch if not the flakes, and so far, Burt's seems to do that!

3. Oily scalp, tangles, and splits. Sometimes I don't mind the oil, since a certain amount makes my scalp hair feel really soft, but the look usually gets me to take a shower in a week. I think my hair has been tangling more since I stopped using cones, and it doesn't help that I have some wave in my hair. Sure, the waves are being straightened as the length increases, but the ends and nape like to get really tangled if I leave my hair down. Those splits are very annoying if I don't keep up with them, but after joining LHC I've been handling my hair better. I'm happy to say that this is the longest I've gotten my hair with fewer splits! Oh, and a pet peeve of mine is that I always have loose ends poking from my braid. By the end of the day, braids look fuzzy.

4. Haven't tried any Asian hair product lines. :P

ETA I have the coarse, wavy Asian hair, though the waves are getting stretched out as the length gets longer. I love the softness and shine I can get when my hair is happy.

[cherryblossom]

I too don't have the gorgeous stereotypical Asian silky-straight, fine, soft, black hair
:(

I've got medium/quite coarse wavy hair that curls when it's shorter and I'm fully Chinese. It's also on the light side kinda like darkish brown but with lighter bits that go ginger/ash brown at the tips and front, also, it is REALLY affected by the sun...



1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

I think Camellia oil is my favourite at the moment just because it's quite light but works well. Jojoba doesn't do anything for me, don't know why.

Coconut is ok, works best on me as a pre-wash treatment, doesn't work so well when my hair is dry/wet, but ok when it's damp. It does tend to make it 'crunchy' though, and i'm only using it at the moment to finish my tub!!!

Shea butter is my ultimate holy grail when my ends feel super dry, pea size amount on nearly dry hair, braid + bun it, sleep - Wake up to beautiful slightly wavy, super soft and moisturised ends. But it took me a while to experiment and get the amount/how high to go up right. My hair's at hip length atm, but it was tailbone a few months back - too long for me and I cut it to waist, now it's hip again :S - but this was always my ultimate for dry dry dry ends :)

Olive oil is also great for me as both a pre-wash oil and used lightly when hair is still in-between damp and wet, but it IS a heavier oil than Camellia, so that's the only time I would use it.


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

I'm actually using Lush Woosh body jelly wash thing at the moment, it can be used everywhere and I find it's great for my hair, makes it shiny and doesn't dry out my scalp like most shampoos. Also, smells great, like lemony. Then I follow with Tresemme 's natural range cone-free conditioner. Just right, quite a medium/light conditioner.

Today, I've just started testing out washing my hair with soap. I normally wash once every 4 days or so, but I heard that using soap in the long term is actually better, something about not stripping the hair of its oil, so naturally i'm curious. In case you get concerned, I'm not using any old soap i.e. dove or something, it's a dead sea mineral soap? Will have to see how it goes, I have hard water as well, but it's supposed to be ok.

3. What are your chief hair problems?

It can get 'fluffy' and really big sometimes or just dry/coarse feeling, not soft or shiny.

Does anyone have a good oil that acts like a silicone serum?

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?


Not much experience, have used shampoos when I was on holiday that were chinese, they were just like any other ones..

I did find one conditioner that I used once really lovely, it was called like Tabuski or something and came in some massive litre bottle that was peach in colour.. if anyone knows it, be sure to give me a shout ;P

Also, there's this Japanese girl on youtube who has the loveliest hair and she uses this natural coconut conditioner, she has a link to it somewhere, so perhaps it is better?

[joiekimochi]

cherryblossom, are you referring to Tsubaki conditioner? It comes in big bottles but the colors are pearl white (repair) and deep red (shine).

What's the link for the Japanese girl on youtube? Is it the girl who does a lot of hairstyle tutorials, speaks in a very sweet dreamy voice and has really shiny and thick, milk tea brown hair?

[azhie]

Interesting thread. There's such variation in hair! Mine is fine and thin. I'm experimenting now with different hair care methods to see what works best...


1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I've only tried coconut oil as it's widely available here, but it makes my hair stringy. That means the oil is too heavy? So not using any oil at the moment.


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
Experimenting with water only, tea rinses, and vinegar at the moment. I shed a lot with shampoo and conditioner.


3. What are your chief hair problems?
Oily scalp after some days, flat and volume-less hair, thinner hair (runs in my family!)


4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
No opinion, I grew up in Asia so I suppose the hair products I used were for asians, but I didn't think my hair was any better than there than when I lived in the US...

[joiekimochi]

I rinsed my hair with hibiscus and rosehip tea the other night and it made my hair so dry!!! I thought only caffeinated teas would cause drying; apparently even herbal teas are drying for my hair.

[cherryblossom]

cherryblossom, are you referring to Tsubaki conditioner? It comes in big bottles but the colors are pearl white (repair) and deep red (shine).

What's the link for the Japanese girl on youtube? Is it the girl who does a lot of hairstyle tutorials, speaks in a very sweet dreamy voice and has really shiny and thick, milk tea brown hair?

YESS!!! That's the one! I am soo going to go buy that stuff, it was also one of the only conditioners where the scent lingered in my hair, which I kinda like :)

And yep, the japanese girl with gorgeous brown hair who's never shown her face.

Out of interest, has anyone on here with Asian hair tried WO or NW (not washing/water?) I'm really curious as to the effects it'll have...

[hypersensitive]

2. Hmmm, at the moment I'm CWC. I've done WO, and I loved the softness but missed the volume. I've also CO'ed with finishing ACV rinses, but my hair suddenly rebelled and decided it didn't like it so much. I might try going back and forth between CO and CWC, just to see what happens. CWC seems to work just fine since I only wash my hair about once a week. Right now I'm using various Vo5 naturals conditioners and trying out Burt's Bees Pomegranate and Soy shampoo. As I've been experimenting, I suspect my itchy, flaky scalp has been caused partially by Pantene shampoos, and even conditioners. I'm seeing if SLS-free products will reduce the itch if not the flakes, and so far, Burt's seems to do that!


Hmm I've checked the CO board and most ppl there are curlies, not much 1a/1b people. I'm kinda thinking of trying CO once I finish my Costo sized bottle of Pantene.

Question! =) Has anyone here tried henna? I used to a long time ago and obviously it wasn't to color my hair cuz our black hides any sort of color (except under bright sunshine, there's a red tinge), but I remember it super conditioned my hair like no other. Maybe I'll try that too, once it gets warmer.

[lingxi]

So I was just going through this thread and I'm sorry if my stalking skills aren't up to par, but luxepiggy what are your thoughts on the Shu masque?? I am awfully interested :)

[eri401]

*bump*

Have any of you henna'd your hair? Did it change your hair color at all?

[Raiscake]

So glad I found this thread! I'm a total newbie here and this thread has been heaps helpful. I haven't tried oiling yet, but I'll definitely look out for it.

I don't have that pin-straight hair associated with Asians, but my hair is pretty shiny and silky. I have one problem though, my hair gets really poofy right after I dry it. It doesn't really get that shiny and silky look until a few hours later or even the day after. I usually have to wash my hair at night so it can look nice the next day. Does anyone else have this problem?

[helloimgia]

I kinda want to answer the questions out of order!!! So bare with me :p

3. What are your chief hair problems?

Here we go: oily scalp, dry ends (due to past bleaching<-- my ends are lighter than the rest of my hair too), and it gets so tangled because my hair is curly/wavy.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

I have tried olive oil, castor oil and coconut. The oils don't really get absorbed unless I apply it to wet hair, but I love using it for scalp massages just the same. I personally love castor oil because it naturally darkens my ends.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

Since my scalp gets oily really fast, I can't WO. But I am currently going back and forth between CO & CWC. I FREAKING LOVE IT. My hair has never felt so good and everyone can notice it too :)

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I've never tried it

[Lady Neeva]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
The main reaction my hair has to any oil is an increase in greasiness.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I use the Shampoo Only (SO) method, with Pantene Classic Clean, which normally allows me to stretch washes to every other day. Without cones, I would have to wash every day and an occurance of increased itchness.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
A variation of minor split ends and baby hairs.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Granted, I have never tried any of them. However, I do not think that they have any effects, and I have found my perfect routine.

[lechatn0ir]

I'll take a crack at this :D I'm mostly japanese with a little vietnamese mixed in..

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I've tried EVOO, Coconut oil, sunflower oil, and camellia oil. And so far the only ones that my hair didn't like was EVOO and sunflower oil. It made my m/c hair super greasy! i couldn't wash it completely out. My hair looked wet for 3 days, but at least it was soft! My hair loves coconut and camellia oil.
2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I wash my hair with diluted shampoo then condition with any kind of conditioner. My hair isn't picky to any certain products.
3. What are your chief hair problems?
Flat hair i guess? Splits and dry ends are some problems Other than that, my hair behaves nicely.
4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products? I think they are okay. They work better with asian hair. Like hair dye and such. Asian hair dye works better for asian hair.

[Sakuracha]

I'm part East and Central Asian (and other non-Asian heritage, quite mixed actually) which includes Mongolian, Chinese Turkish peoples (Kazakh, Uyghur, and Uzbek from Xinjiang, China region), Filipino, Malay, and Japanese. What that means is that I have thick, coarse hair that does not take to styles easily. For the most part I like my hair and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I love that it is dark brown, though sometimes I wish it was black.

1. What kind of oils does your hair like?
I started out using Moroccan Oil but it began having a drying effect on my hair and is a synthetic mix of various things. Lately, I've been using and loving coconut oil. I would like to try camellia oil in the future.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
My preferred method is CV shampoo bar with diluted distilled white vinegar rinse, and if needed some coconut oil on the ends while hair is still damp.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Dryness on the ends, tangles, and learning buns that will hold when growing out bangs/layers.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I used Tsubaki (the red one) while in Japan and felt it worked really well with my hair, but I'm trying to be more natural now and will probably stick with shampoo bars.

[helloimgia]

I'm very interested in trying the Camellia oil for my hair, is the Oshi brand any good? Since I'm not really sure where I could find it, I thought I should just order it from amazon

[SongofLove]

Yay! Great thread; it's great to see all the others Asians on here :)

Well, I'm only half East Asian (Chinese, and my other half is Filipino), but I'll answer. My hair is a mixture of medium and coarse strands and it's stick straight.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like? I've only tried 2 types so far. EVOO---too thick and heavy for my hair. Coconut---my hair loves it. I like to do a heavy coconut oiling once in a while. I slather it on before washing (all the length and even some on my scalp for massage) and then some after washing. It makes my hair very soft and manageable, and I LOVE the smell!

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc. I do CO on my length and I wash my scalp with shampoo. I tried CWC but I really cannot put any shampoo on my length or it gets terribly dry.

3. What are your chief hair problems? My ends can be quite dry and tangly. It's gotten better after I started stretching washes (only once a week now). I also get split ends, but this has been improving as I've been S&Ding more and being more careful when I comb (seamless comb).

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products? I've never tried any of these. I would like to, though---unless they're too expensive. I'm a big cheapo.

[elthia]

[quote=SongofLove;2241436]
I am half Korean, with German, Polish, Scotch, and who knows what else on the other side. My hair is mixed like me, the nape hairs are medium thick and very straight, and the top layers are finer with loose 2c curls.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like? Coconut, and jojoba. However I have found that jojoba on the coarser nape hairs will result in needing to wash sooner, so I only use in my mister bottle as Kimberlily's spray mix to refresh my wurlies. Henna sooq's cocoveda is amazing for my hair.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.Shampoo bars with an ACV rinse

3. What are your chief hair problems? I have a high forehead with cowlicks at my hairline, so I can't do bangs or faceframing layers. My hair gets really full and thick sometimes, I can't do many buns, even though I just hit waistlength.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products? Never used them.

[PurpleRain]

I believe I'm full Chinese but my hair texture is a bit weird, I have a lot of weird thick and coarse squiggly strands that I don't see my other Asian friends have.. but overall my hair looks straight now because it's weighed down by the length.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like? I haven't tried that many yet. Olive oil seems to work pretty well, coconut oil works but only when I use small amounts, and I also use this lavender oil from Trader Joe's which is like a mix of a bunch of different oils and it seems to work best for my ends.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc. I just shampoo and condition.

3. What are your chief hair problems? Weird squiggly coarse strands. Those are also the strands most prone to splitting and breakage on me :\

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products? Love them. Well Asience to be exact, it makes my hair feel so much softer than the stuff my parents used to buy me like Suave and Garnier etc. I've also tried Shiseido Tsubaki [the red bottles] and it made my hair feel like hay. But I've tried a lot of different lines from Asience and most of them worked well for me.

[ebikko]

I'm half-Swedish and half-Asian (Thai and Taiwanese), so well... not fully East Asian, but I'll answer anyway!

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Coconut oil, especially as a pre-wash treatment. I have tried olive oil but it doesn't seem to do much for me, and castor oil doesn't seem to do very much either.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
Regular SC, CO and CWC all works for me.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Dry ends due to bleach, dye and heat damage. My ends have been through 4 bleachings, somewhere in between 10-15 dyes and heat styling nearly every day.
Also, dry, flakey scalp.

And my hands can't stay away from my hair. So I break up all my wurls and my hair ends up poofy with the ends feeling even more dry.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I've used pretty many Asian hair products. Ascience, Tsubaki Shining, Palty hair dye, Prettia/Liese Bubble hair dye, Lucido-L hair waxes to name a few.

I only used the shampoos from Ascience and Tsubaki and... I never find shampoos to be very wow. Not really a difference from western brands.

I've only used the Palty dye once in Milk Tea Brown (kind of an light ash brown color, or dark ash blonde?). It's like the western DYI box dyes and a pain to apply yourself. It lightened my hair from very dark brown, but it ended up very brassy. The Prettia dyes are way easier to spread because it's a foam, the result is even and it also lightens up the hair. And I really liked it, so I used it six times in three different colors. I think in general Asian hair dyes are better for Asian/dark hair because the color is more true to what the box shows than if I were to use the stuff available in Sweden.

I'm currently using the whole Kao Essential Damage Care Moisture Rich and I find it great - for me it gives the same or better result than expensive western brands such as Morrocanoil, Redken, Kérastase, Matrix and all the other ones that I have tried. Essential is WAY cheaper though. There's silicones in these brands, but I find that it doesn't matter if I use cones or go cone-free.

[mleung]

can't believe i just found this thread! - though life has been very busy & i haven't been very present in the LHC for while....

anyway, here goes:

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
i've never tried oiling my hair, but since i have the typical straight, fine, silky stuff, most things tend to be too heavy & weigh it down. i think i'll try the coconut & camellia oil when i get the chance.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
i've tried WO & just tea rinses, but couldn't stick with it since my hair got waxy really fast, so i'm back to just SC, though i think i might try CWC or just CO.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
itchy scalp that is dry & flaky after a wash but oily soon after & what looks to be increased shedding T_T

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
never tried any

[rowie]

Re-opening and subscribing to this thread as I just discovered this thread.


Anyways, here is my contribution:

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Organic coconut oil. Hey I have some family from the Islands.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
Conditioner Only and I wash my hair only on Sundays.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
My hair is naturally coarse like horse hair. I have multi texture hair from straight all the way to 2C. My hair gets really dry and frizzy easily that I have to keep my hair in a bun. I'm hoping this will change when I reach down to tailbone length.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Be careful of the water that is used to make that shampoo or conditioner from certain SE Asian countries. I once bought a Sunsilk product from the Philippines and I found out it wasn't recommended for me as someone told me it was made with hard water! I tried it anyways, and I ended up with very bushy and poofy hair like I just poured baking soda over it. :lol:

[rowie]

Aw am I the only East Asian with wavy hair here? Sometimes I wish I have the neat smooth hair, but it's just too much work. My little son has smooth shiny hair that hangs down nicely. He always looks so perfectly groomed, even after jumping in a bouncy castle. Mine just looks messy, especially if there's any wind. Also the humidity is high because it rains everyday here. The forecast difference is just if it's a shower, rain or downpour. :D So it doesn't matter if I blow dry, it'd just curl up and be a frizzy mess anyway.

Nope! I'm glad you're on here as I usually like your taste for hair toys! I have a lot of those problems you just described, but if I drench my hair with coconut oil and then comb it I can get a somewhat smooth look, but I end up bunning my hair cause I feel like it gives me the illusion that I have straight hair. hahaha


:waving: I'm here too! Here's my hairtyping picture from last year:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=871&pictureid=58716

ETA: More about my hair: it's very coarse, kind of crinkly, and prone to dryness. I always wanted the sleek shiny "Chinese" hair, which I didn't have even though my ethnic origin is Chinese!

The same with my hair, and I no longer want that sleek straight hair cause I see it on my sis every time and she spends a lot of money with any volume products. I'm glad my hair is thick and bushy because I can do these type of buns:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j277/shyboyfriend/8c42d93d-0005-483d-9ed1-f374d3c711bf_zpsc3d58a00.jpg

Yes my hair is only at Mid back length hair. If I were to try this on my sis who has 1a hair, there would be hairs sticking everywhere on her Apl hair.

[Sharysa]

Just posting this article (http://audreymagazine.com/breaking-the-asian-myth-asian-hair/), because the phrase "Asian hair" bugs me a lot nowadays. Our hair gets wavy, frizzy, and poofy just like Westerner's hair. I'm not mad at anyone on the forums or this thread, it's just that I keep hearing the phrase tossed around.


1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

Sweet-almond oil and sweetgrass essential oil. Coconut oil makes my hair crunchy.


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

Half-strength Dr. Bronner's unscented shampoo, followed by Tressemme Naturals conditioner.


3. What are your chief hair problems?

Dryness/frizz, tangling, and lack of evident wave. That last one is a personal peeve of mine because I like that my hair is wavy, but I just wish it was wavier. Thank god for braid-waves.


4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I've never used any of them, so I have no opinion. Again, Asians have LOTS of hair-types--some of us do just fine on Western products.

[rowie]

Just posting this article (http://audreymagazine.com/breaking-the-asian-myth-asian-hair/), because the phrase "Asian hair" bugs me a lot nowadays. Our hair gets wavy, frizzy, and poofy just like Westerner's hair. I'm not mad at anyone on the forums or this thread, it's just that I keep hearing the phrase tossed around.


I love this article you posted from the stereotype thread. It has definitely opened my eyes, and I would say I'd classify my hair somewhat to Yoko Ono. It definitely is good that you are reemphasizing this article as I feel it has valuable info. Thanks again for posting this! :blossom:

[jeanniet]

I love this article you posted from the stereotype thread. It has definitely opened my eyes, and I would say I'd classify my hair somewhat to Yoko Ono. It definitely is good that you are reemphasizing this article as I feel it has valuable info. Thanks again for posting this! :blossom:

My guess is that Yoko actually has curly hair. The article is a little misleading because "frizzy" isn't really a hair type. You can see the wave in her hair, and since she most likely brushed it, those waves are probably curls trying to come out. Until recently, I didn't realize it, but many Asians (all Asians, I mean, not just East) have wavy to curly hair. Flat ironing is very common, which helps to perpetuate the stereotype of straight hair. This explains where my curl comes from, lol.

ETA: If I shampoo and condition, then give my hair a good brushing when it's dry, I have Yoko hair. My type is 3A, and if treated like curly hair, is actually quite curly. More like Melina Kanakaredes's curl, if that gives you an idea of the difference.

[rowie]

My guess is that Yoko actually has curly hair. The article is a little misleading because "frizzy" isn't really a hair type. You can see the wave in her hair, and since she most likely brushed it, those waves are probably curls trying to come out. Until recently, I didn't realize it, but many Asians (all Asians, I mean, not just East) have wavy to curly hair. Flat ironing is very common, which helps to perpetuate the stereotype of straight hair. This explains where my curl comes from, lol.

ETA: If I shampoo and condition, then give my hair a good brushing when it's dry, I have Yoko hair. My type is 3A, and if treated like curly hair, is actually quite curly. More like Melina Kanakaredes's curl, if that gives you an idea of the difference.

Thanks for the info Jeanniet!:flower: Hmmm I have a hard time fitting into a classification. On the one hand I know I will never be able to achieve tight perfect coils like in the 4a thread or even the bouncy curls in 3a. When I tried the "curly girl" method my hair was everywhere. I had some curls that binded, I had some waves that binded, loose straight hairs, and a few kinks here and there. So, to make the story short, I end up brushing my hair and therefore I get frizzy hair in general, and which is why I like to bun my hair because I feel it protects my hair but at the same time give the illusion that my hair is controlled and sleek (if I use aloe vera gel mixed with coconut oil I get a really sleek pulled back look). But it' s good to know what you've just told me. :)

[jeanniet]

Thanks for the info Jeanniet!:flower: Hmmm I have a hard time fitting into a classification. On the one hand I know I will never be able to achieve tight perfect coils like in the 4a thread or even the bouncy curls in 3a. When I tried the "curly girl" method my hair was everywhere. I had some curls that binded, I had some waves that binded, loose straight hairs, and a few kinks here and there. So, to make the story short, I end up brushing my hair and therefore I get frizzy hair in general, and which is why I like to bun my hair because I feel it protects my hair but at the same time give the illusion that my hair is controlled and sleek (if I use aloe vera gel mixed with coconut oil I get a really sleek pulled back look). But it' s good to know what you've just told me. :)

I have pretty straight hair underneath--fine and probably 2A or B. It doesn't really show, though, and I guess is common with 3s. I can get my hair pretty striaight with combing and some oiling, although it usually takes a few days. But I still get the frizz. When I went in for a curly cut a couple of weeks ago, the stylist wanted me to just shampoo and condition, and boy, did it bush out! As a matter of fact, I told him I looked like Yoko from the bed-in days. :p

[Sharysa]

Frizz is definitely natural at SOME level; I've been fingercomb-only and using oils to keep my hair from drying for MONTHS, and my hair still refuses to lie completely flat even in the best weather. And not just the little tendrils around my face--even some of the two-foot long hairs in my main length somehow refuse to clump.

[Sandrawoah]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I've tried olive oil and it lingers in my hair and makes it look so greasy :(.

I've been trying coconut oil on my hair as pre-shampoo treatment and my colored hair really loves it!

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I just stick to shampooing and conditioning my hair. This seems to work the best for me.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
My hair is naturally thick, coarse and I have a lot of it too which makes it a bit hard to manage. I also recently dyed my hair which made it more drier than usual.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I tried it when I was in elementary school ( about 10 years ago) I vaguely remember it making my hair really smooth but I don't know how it would affect my hair now. Also its seems like the Western products aren't too bad for my hair :D

[Sharysa]

I nearly forgot about this thread! Welcome to the thread, Sandrawoah!

[rowie]

wow I too almost forgot about this thread. How's everyone? As far as hair care it has changed for me. For my coarse hairs I've now switched to extra virgin olive oil mixed with three drops of bergamot oil. :) I sometimes will add three drops of Japonica camelia oil if I want some extra shine. I still wash my hair only on Sundays. Now that my hair is brushing hip length I'm able to do a braided nautilus bun on a daily basis. I only fuss with my hair every morning and at night I just undo my bun and sleep with the braid I made from that morning, and I repeat that cycle until wash day. I have noticed that the longer my hair gets the less poofy my hair is with less frizz. Is my hair finally relaxing? :lol: anyhow, I thought I'd share what's on my mind. I have some distant relatives visiting the states and I requested some Asian oil called "googo" it sounds like that but I know I've butchered the spelling. It's supposed to be some root extract of some sort. I'll keep this thread updated once I get the product and have tried it for a couple of days. :)

[MINAKO]

I love this article you posted from the stereotype thread. It has definitely opened my eyes, and I would say I'd classify my hair somewhat to Yoko Ono. It definitely is good that you are reemphasizing this article as I feel it has valuable info. Thanks again for posting this! :blossom:

I too have Yoko hair, its thick, coarse and wavy. I'm very mixed but some of the typical rules for asian hair are still noticeable. Actually the straightest hair you would find in my family comes from the causasian side tho (mom is a stick straight 1a) , not even the asian part. Since i also have some afro latin thing thrown in, i just ended up with weird texture, it wont curl by itself in most areas but does have some sort of kink here and there, i wouldn't even call it frizz. On top its very resistant and strong, while it gets much finer in the underlayers. It does straighten well and holds the shape for a long time.


As for the questions
1. I would say im almost equally successful with alot of oils including almond, argan, sesame, avocado and macadamia.Coconut is also ok, while i do hate olive oil. it makes my hair feel sticky and limb.

2. CO is my holy grail. So much improvement since i started to completely ditch the shampoo. I don't even need to clarify every now and then, there's only so much build up my hair seems to allow and im a heavy cone user while i also use alot of natural products as well. I currently prefer Plantur Coffeine Conditioner for my washes, it just makes my hair clean enough while it gives a nice slip and revives the scalp. In general my hair turn out alot nice, when i use volumizings conditioners for washing, so i have a few of those too, along with some for chemically treated brittle hair as well. Although i color with indigo and have not had my hair touched with any chemical dye or perms.

3. Breakage was a major problem of the past, but nowadays i would only find very few pieces every now and then. Tangling is an issue tho, as well as fading, like luxepiggy mentioned in the beginning. I love a nice, rich cool toned black, which i have to use the indigo for and also like to boost with deposit dyes in between.

4. I have't tried that many products formulated for asian hair as they are rarely available in Europe but i think a good idea is the turn the bottle around and read the ingredients anyways, instead of just going by the marketing strategy. I do love Shiseido, but it's cetainly not the best thing i ever used on my hair, had far better results with Redken, Alterna and Sebastian.

[Hrtchoco]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?

So far, my hair like coconut oil.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.

I just shampoo and conditioner ever other day. Sometimes I CO, but not very often.

3. What are your chief hair problems?

I'd say split ends.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I've never tried any...

[LeMimi13]

I'd kill for asian hair! So gorgeous!

[Sharysa]

Ooh, nice to see that this thread is still alive!

How are the Asian LHC people? My hair is still solidly 1c/2a, but now it's hip-length and it seems that's my sweet spot for length versus practicality.

[bonbon58]

Interesting thread! Here's my 2 cents:

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Coconut oil! I prefer pre wash oiling


2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
Normal every 2-3 days, scalp wash as needed. I need to take better care of my scalp though, is there a good scrub recipe?


3. What are your chief hair problems?
Hair loss, static/dry hair

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
They tend to have more chemicals (SLS, cones)..? Some of them smell pretty good though. But not the Tsubaki line :p

[llamacat]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
My hair seems to like my hand and feet cream...it detangles easily after I apply some to it. It hates coconut oil. Perhaps I'll try the camellia oil.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I tried washing my hair with egg yolk and it was great!

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Dry scalp. Dry ends. Tons of splits and tangle easily. Ends being three or four shades lighter than the roots. Every time I put my hair into a bun it looks weird because of its strange color.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Never tried.

[emilia1992]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
My hair is so oily naturally that I don't use oil, except for a teeny amount of coconut oil on the ends occasionally. My hair seems to like that, so long as I only use the bare minimum.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I just use normal shampoo, L'Oreal, and no conditioner. I did try shampoo bars, which made my hair feel dirty and dry though I was using them properly. I also tried WO but that made my hair start to fall out! Conditioner just makes my hair greasy.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Baby hairs that stick up vertically at the top of my forehead, and stay like that all day, making it look like I have permanent bedhead. I can only control these with hairspray! The colour also means that any split ends show up very obviously.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I've never tried any of these :)

[Beeboo123]

Bump! East Asian here, with wavy hair. (Any other wavies here?)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Squalane, camellia, rice bran and orange roughy. It hates all others (believe me, I have tried many), which just sit on top of my hair no matter how little I apply, and whether I apply damp or dry.

2. What kind of wash method is most successful?
I use a diluted shampoo (no sulfates because of allergies, I have to use non-soap cleansers for my body too), then I condition with a cone-free conditioner. Most cones make my hair limp yet frizzy, but amodimethicone is okay. Cyclopentasiloxane makes my hair STICKY. Presence or absence of proteins don't make a difference.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
FRIZZ. It isn't that frizzy, tbh, but it bothers me very much because we're "supposed" to have sleek, shiny hair. My frizz is due to my waves, not damage. I currently have virgin hair, and I don't use heat on it. It feels very soft and is shiny, but once it rains, my hair doubles in volume.
Houdini hair annoys me A LOT. I can't find a way to make it stay put the entire day. Going an hour without having to redo my hair is considered good for me.
I have no problems with breakage or split ends (I do get split ends, but very rarely). I have managed 5 cycles of bleached-nearly-white-dyed-pastel-then-dyed-black-to-cover-up within a year, with waist-length hair, and minimal damage. It's true that our hair is very resistant to damage. On that note, I have a friend with knee+ length hair that is so incredibly glossy and soft from root to tip, it's like a waterfall of silk, yet she has never put it up in a protective style (it's either down, or in a looooong ponytail), I don't know how she manages it! She's East Asian too, and I wish I had her hair.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulates for Asians" products?
Shampoos and conditioners: I mostly hate them, they're sooooo cone-y. Yuck! The sulfate-free, cone-free line by Silkpro is pretty good though.
Box dyes: Asian products are definitely better for my hair! They are less harsh (I read somewhere that Asian hair takes up dye more easily?), and are much better at getting rid of red tones.

[Aredhel]

I'm only half East Asian - my other half is Spanish/Quechua, so I'm not sure how well the "Asian" hair type really applies to me. :) I will still answer, though.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
My hair hates any heavy oils. Of the lighter oils, I have only ever tried Argan, which my hair does like in very small amounts. Too much will weigh my hair down and turn it into a stringy mess.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
CWC most days - WCC when I clarify.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Oily roots, dry ends.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
I've never tried such a thing.

[guska]

Found this thread, and thought I'd bring it back. I'm East Asian, Chinese more specifically. My whole family shares the C/iii part, and we are very proud of our thick, coarse and jet-black hair. Thus my dad almost cried when I got hair loss... I always thought that wavy/curly hair was very unusual for East-Asians. Guess LHC taught me something new :p I've never met an Asian person with wavy/curly hair IRL though.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Umm, I don't do oiling, neither heavy nor light, so IDK. I've tried coconut oil and olive oil but didn't really feel a difference in my hair, oils are not my thing.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
CO, my favourite method. Nothing can go wrong when using the CO-method! I just love it.

I've tried using a FRW-only method that the Chinese Yao-women practice, and my hair really loved it! It probably worked particularly well for me because I have the same hair-type as the Yao women. I don't have time to prepare FRW nowadays so sadly I can't use it as my washing method anymore.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
(Hair loss, but I guess that's not what you were asking for ;))

-- Uber-straight hair, that kills braids waves in five seconds after I take them out :(
-- Dry scalp all year round, that is prone to flakiness.
-- Taper, but I really hope I don't get as much as I used to, now when I'm growing out for the second time.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Didn't know those were a thing. No opinions from me.

[Doreen]

I'm glad you brought this back guska! I have one friend with naturally wavy hair, maybe 2a/2b. I always felt a bit envious of her.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Avocado is the best I've tried. Olive oil is what I most commonly use. Argan oil was okay, but I needed a lot of it and it's too expensive for that. Anything thinner than argan oil seems to not work as well. Coconut oil makes it very crunchy.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I started CWC in August and it's the best I've tried so far. The conventional WC works well enough too if I don't have time for the first conditioning.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
My hair used to be all 1a when I first registered to the site but I've noticed it's changed to a mix of 1a/1b and has become less coarse (still very coarse by most people's standards, though). I have some other health issues so it's likely due to that. It's also quite slippery and I tend to have frizz, but a lot of that is from regrowth after my big shed. All in all, I feel like my hair generally does what I want it to do, and I enjoy taking care of it. No huge complaints.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
The only one I've tried is the Ryo Hambitmo line and I like the conditioner and treatment. The shampoo, not so much, but I have a weird sensitive dry scalp, so I wasn't expecting a miracle. The conditioner definitely works well for me, but my two favorite conditioners are still John Frieda Smooth Start and Tresemme moisture rich. I'm on a no-buy for now, but I'm still curious about other East Asian haircare brands. I don't have that strong of an opinion.

[ravenskey]

Hi, I'm a wavy/whirly Asian - Chinese to be exact.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Coconut, almond, olive and rapeseed in varying methods and quantities.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc?
CO, I've used it since June and loved it. My retry of shampoo 2 weeks ago gave me such an itchy scalp I wanted to scratch it off shudder:

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Very waxy sebum that likes to build up on my scalp - doesn't make me itchy but it can look bad.
Frizz, frizz and more frizz.
Tangly and coarse strands that resist any attempt to make them soft - clearly I have not yet found my holy grail product yet...it'll have to wait until my hair budget is bigger.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Never even heard or seen them! Not very surprising considering I live in the back end of beyond.

[leclau]

Hi, I'm all of 'em. Mostly Korean with a little Japanese & Chinese

Long time lurker here, 1st time poster. Thought I'd start here :o

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
Argan Oil

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc?
CWC

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Been coloring the gray for about 7 years so overall color damage like breakage, not growing as long as is used to, not as shiny.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Never even heard or seen them, either! Would be interested in trying some.

[gin]

Yay, I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm an ABC (American-born Chinese). Both my parents' families are originally from mainland China, though they both grew up in Burma. I didn't pay any attention to hair at all until earlier this year, so I don't remember or know what type of hair my parents had or have. If I had to guess, similar to mine? Neither had long hair in my lifetime, my dad always had short hair and my mom always kept it right below her ears. But my mom did have long hair (maybe TBL or CL?) when she was younger, I know this from old photos. She cut it off when I (as a baby) kept pulling on it too much apparently. :)

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I'm still experimenting, but it seems like my hair likes a very small amount of oil, especially the ends as they can get dry. My hair is mostly low porosity so oils don't really absorb in much. Also, type of oil doesn't seem to make much of a difference, though coconut oil seems to be the worst one (I need more data points to confirm). I've tried Coconut, Avocado, Olive, Argan, Jojoba, and various blends. Right now I'm using Argan and Avocado. Argan oil on damp hair after washing, mainly the ends and a VERY small amount from ear down. Not every night, but most nights, I'll add a bit of oil to the ends. A very light coat of avocado oil from ears down the night before wash day. I'm interested in trying out Camellia seed oil since that seems to be great for a lot of people in this thread.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
Again, still experimenting. My scalp is somewhat sensitive so I can't stretch washes more than every 5-6 days, plus I exercise everyday. I tried once a week and that was hard for my scalp, even with WO in between. Right now I wash twice a week and that seems to be fine, with a natural shampoo and conditioner. I recently tried Nizoral and that didn't go well for me. I suspect I have dry scalp, but again, still experimenting. I haven't tried CO yet, I may try that soon. The next thing I want to see if I can pull off is scalp-only washes, to save time because I'm lazy and to limit the amount of times my ends have to get wet/washed.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Three main things right now:
1) My mildly problematic scalp - it's not in bad shape, but at times I will get a mild itchiness that's just annoying enough to notice, and sometimes I'll get acne.
2) I shed a lot and my hair is EVERYWHERE. This is mainly an annoyance of having to clean it up all the time now that it's long. I think this is normal for me, though I have no clue what it did before earlier this year since I never cared or paid attention prior to that. According to my husband, though, I've always been a monstrous shedder. :) I'm currently in the middle of a shedding experiment to get a better idea of exactly how much I'm shedding per day.
3) My slippery, coarse, thick hair that is unpredictable when it comes to putting it up. Now that it's longer and I'm avoiding hair ties and elastics, I'm dedicated to bunning and braiding. But there's only one updo that is currently reliable above a 50% success rate. This just means I have to allot a lot more time to put up my hair before working out or climbing, and if I can't, I'll have to deal with redoing my hair all the time (NOT fun with chalk-filled climbing hands). I feel like I just need few more inches of length and it'll get a lot better (I hope)!

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?
Never tried any and don't have any plans on trying any. But I could be convinced if fellow East Asians with similar hair find something that's magical :)

[Death-Within-Me]

These kinds of threads always confuse me.
East Asians consist of China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Taiwan.

So are us Southeast Asians allowed to answer? There is East in Southeast, but usually there's an undertone of Southeast Asians aren't part of the "main Asians" (China, Korea, Japan) so I'm never sure if my contribution would be relevant.

There's also a lot of variation within the whole "Asian hair" stereotypes. On my mom's side, curly hair is common for example whilst on my dad's side, it's the typical "Asian" straight, silky hair.

With that being said:

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
My hair is lukewarm with most oils but jojoba oil is very light and nice. I'm a huge fan of avocado, macadamia nut, argan and coconut oil. Rosehip oil is something I'm looking forward to trying.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I'm not a fan of CWC. Conditioner on my scalp at all leads to excessive shedding. I wash my hair everyday with shampoo first and then conditioner. The S+C varies because I'm always trying something new.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
The fading. I wish it was darker. As I grow older, the dark brown is more and more apparent. It's also very fine which I'm personally not a fan of because it makes my hair look flat the next day - No volume.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products?

I'm currently using Kracie's Ichikami products and it's...Alright. I don't see it specifically being better for my hair.

[Lady Neeva]

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I have experimented with oils (olive, grapeseed, jojoba) in the past, and I am sad to say that my hair does not like oils since it gets greasy
2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc.
I am blessed with healthy hair that I wash every other day with two latherings of shampoo and conditioner
3. What are your chief hair problems?
My hair gets many split ends every time I try to grow beyond MBL.
4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians"
I have not tried any, but I also did not know that they existed!

[CuteCrow]

These kinds of threads always confuse me.
East Asians consist of China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Taiwan.

So are us Southeast Asians allowed to answer? There is East in Southeast, but usually there's an undertone of Southeast aren't part of the "main Asians" (China, Korea, Japan) so I'm never sure if my contribution would be relevant.

There's also a lot of variation within the whole "Asian hair" stereotypes. On my mom's side, curly hair is common for example whilst on my dad's side, it's the typical "Asian" straight, silky hair.

I feel this. This thread seems to be more oriented towards only East Asians, not including Southeast Asia. I'm not Asian myself but having friends that are it's kind of hurtful how the stereotypes about certain physical attributes are still being reinforced nowadays.

I think this thread could be useful if it was to share tips about haircare in those countries, like talking about products, DIY recipes, hair toys, and general care. I think the original OP questions are not wrong, but I think talking about the care of asian hair only based on certain attributes that not all east Asians have (and people from other parts of the world have) would be better in the specifics threads for that attribute (Type 1, wavies, ii, etc...).

[Death-Within-Me]

I feel this. This thread seems to be more oriented towards only East Asians, not including Southeast Asia. I'm not Asian myself but having friends that are it's kind of hurtful how the stereotypes about certain physical attributes are still being reinforced nowadays.

I think this thread could be useful if it was to share tips about haircare in those countries, like talking about products, DIY recipes, hair toys, and general care. I think the original OP questions are not wrong, but I think talking about the care of asian hair only based on certain attributes that not all east Asians have (and people from other parts of the world have) would be better in the specifics threads for that attribute (Type 1, wavies, ii, etc...).

Thank you for affirming my observations.
Us Southeast Asians are extremely underrepresented in media and in real life. We're kind of, to put it frankly, invisible. These kinds of threads aren't exactly helping matters.

I'm not shading the OP. I do think people for the most part, do this unconsciously and unintentionally because these problems in the Asian community have been normalized for so long. I do hope, however, that people try to be aware and not turn a blind eye on the issue.

[zhivago]

half asian but inherited the hair. hopefully that counts

1. What kind of oils do your hair like? castor oil is easy to get and seems to work wonderfully right now. other than that, i love camellia oil

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc. cwc

3. What are your chief hair problems? breakage and dryness. grrr

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians" products? they can be very very hit or miss, it depends entirely (to me) on the country you found and used them in

[tuanyiji]

Pure Southern Chinese here.

1. What kind of oils do your hair like?
I have experimented more than a dozen of oil and combinations and my hair reacts pretty much the same, I have yet to find an oil my hair doesn’t like though, it just absorbs every oil like crazy. Just chill.

2. What kind of wash method is the most successful e.g. CO, CWC, WO etc. cwc
Weekly water only rinse and monthly shampoo+conditioner.

3. What are your chief hair problems?
Hair not pin straight, not jet black, and not shiny enough.

4. What is your opinion of "specially formulated for Asians"
No. I just bought the very common grocery type and again, my hair never reacts badly to any products, no spectacular results either, just the same.