I really need some tips. </3

[caadam]

I need some help with my hair routine, because I can't seem to get it right.

My hair is thick and has a slight wave, and I've noticed some stray curls here and there, usually near the nape of my neck where my hair is more virgin.

I wash my hair twice a week with BS, which helps to keep my hair from looking too oily, and I like using an ACV/honey rinse with lavender EO to give it a nice smell.

However... it seems no matter how much I dilute the ACV, my hair sucks in the vinegar like it's the elixir of life. Seriously, and no matter how long I rinse my hair clean of it, my hair, especially my ends, will smell like ACV for a couple of days before fading. It's very frustrating.

I was also wondering what was a good 'do for hair like mine? I volunteer at my local library, but I always end up just putting my hair up in a bun. It's very thick, and I get hot from letting it down, but I would like it to look nice and show it off a little. ♥ lol Maybe a braid? I've tried a fish tail braid and I really like it; it's just hard for me to braid from the back. I have to braid on the side of my head.

Anyway, thanks in advance. I appreciate this forum a lot. :D

[shockinglength]

Maybe you need to stop using the BS. You could try a sulphate free poo, or try CO. Can you french braid?

[redneckprincess]

What is the BS?

[jenjen10]

I would check out the hair care of stars from the past thread (oil shampoo-ing) as that has worked really well with my hair (also very thick with a slight wave)... also maybe try diluting the ACV rinse more (I tend to overdo the vinegar myself).

[caadam]

I can barely french braid. lol I need to practice more, but if I handle my hair for too long, the sebum starts to make my scalp oily pretty fast. Like, my scalp will be fine, and then after an hour of practicing braids my scalp and roots are oily. It's not my hands, because I make sure they are washed before I do things like this.

And should I give up the BS? I deal with some itching and flaking, too. I tried a salt water rinse last night, and it worked... a little. It helped with the itch, but not with the flakes.

[caadam]

What is the BS?

Baking soda. I put about a tbsp baking soda with a cup of water and wash my hair with it twice a week.

[thatjengirl1]

Well they say with ACV rinses, that the smell goes away when your hair drys. but i too have caught "wiffs" of that vinegar smell for a couple days until its completely washed out, but the smell isnt something i would complain about. it's very very faint. at least for me. i'm almost positive no one else can smell it.
If yours is really that strong of smell, you probably need to use less. I have waist length and i only use about half a cup and 1 full cup of water mixed together and thats plenty for me.

and for hair styles..since my hair hit BSL i have had problems with hairstyles too. My everyday hair style (a high ponytail) looks funny now that my hair is longer. I wear my hair down the most, but for work i wear a low side pony tail. Braids are great too. Another way to show off length is wearing it half up half down. For work last night i braided my bangs around my head and secured it in the back. then i put a flower in my hair. I really liked it and got compliments on it.

i'm still learning which hairstyles work best for me. it's getting more challenging the longer my hair gets, but i'm up for the challenge. You just gotta experiement with your hair :D

[caadam]

I would check out the hair care of stars from the past thread (oil shampoo-ing) as that has worked really well with my hair (also very thick with a slight wave)... also maybe try diluting the ACV rinse more (I tend to overdo the vinegar myself).
Yeah, I just don't know why my hair doesn't want to let the ACV go. lol I should dilute it as much as I can, and I'll check out that thread. Thanks. I'm actually quite nervous about oils in my hair, only because it seems to just sit on top of my hair and not go anywhere. I'll massage and brush... -sigh- But I will try! I can't give up. :D

[spidermom]

Shampooing helps oil to penetrate and benefit your hair, so you could try a slight or generous oiling before washing or mix a little oil directly with your shampoo. BS is death to my hair, so I use a CWC routine with diluted shampoo preceded by a rather generous coconut-oiling. Vinegar makes my hair very fly-away. Each hair takes off on an individual trajectory, and I get a cloud of floating hair, so I don't use that either. Even at solutions as dilute as 1 tbsp of vinegar in 1 quart of water, I could smell it after my hair dried. So BS and vinegar are no-nos for me.

[caadam]

Shampooing helps oil to penetrate and benefit your hair, so you could try a slight or generous oiling before washing or mix a little oil directly with your shampoo. BS is death to my hair, so I use a CWC routine with diluted shampoo preceded by a rather generous coconut-oiling. Vinegar makes my hair very fly-away. Each hair takes off on an individual trajectory, and I get a cloud of floating hair, so I don't use that either. Even at solutions as dilute as 1 tbsp of vinegar in 1 quart of water, I could smell it after my hair dried. So BS and vinegar are no-nos for me.
Well! I just tried it out... using oil with a shampoo. I had one small travel-size bottle of some shampoo, but I used only a fraction of it with almost a tbsp of coconut oil.

At first I was freaking out. xD I was like, "Oh man, this feels so oily!" So I had just a bit more shampoo and it started to lather at last. It felt fine while I washing my hair, but I was nervous. lol Then I rinsed my hair out and I realized I didn't even need conditioner. I'm wondering what my hair will look like once it's dry. :confused:

[spidermom]

It will be interesting to find out. Reminder - one change at a time, and give it two weeks (unless you get an instant bad result).

[Victorious]

Spidermom, Thanks for the comment that acv gives you the flyaways. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Question for anyone: What are you using for the flyaways??? Other than hairspray and gel, Please.

[ddiana1979]

For flyaways. . . ALOE! I put about a Tbsp. or so in my towel dried hair, and let it air dry. When it's dry, there will be some strands stuck together. I just use a detangling comb quickly & go over gently with a BBB. No more flyaways! Best thing ever, I swear. :) And it makes my hair shinier.

[pinchbeck]

And should I give up the BS? I deal with some itching and flaking, too. I tried a salt water rinse last night, and it worked... a little. It helped with the itch, but not with the flakes.Neem seed oil is gentle on skin (although it smells gross). It is supposed to help with dandruff. I sometimes add it to my unscented shampoo (essential oils can be added to mask the smell) to help with the occasional itchies I get. Oregano oil is also a good one, but should be used in small quanities and it is caustic (it is sold diluted in a carrier oil).

I think bs and vinegar can be irritating after awhile. BS clarifies the hair and maybe you're overdoing it. You could be sloughing off to much off of your scalp too. It is abrasive.

[caadam]

It will be interesting to find out. Reminder - one change at a time, and give it two weeks (unless you get an instant bad result).
Well, last night my hair took quite a while to dry.
It felt, though, SUPER soft and silky.
Some of the virgin hair near my ears were oily, however.
When I woke up my hair was nice and dry and actually was not as oily as it seemed last night.
But the silkiness didn't go away (not like that's a bad thing, lol) and it was hard keeping it in a bun. x3 It kept slipping out.

Other than that. I LOVE what it did to my hair and scalp.
I just have adjust the amount of coconut oil I need to use next time.
I use Omega Nutrition 100% Organic Coconut Oil,
and for shampoo I use Common Sense Sweet Berry Everyday Shampoo.
And that's it. No need for a conditioner, at least for me.

[spidermom]

For fly-aways: what works best is styling wax, putty, or pomade. I put my hair into an updo, distribute a small amount of product on fingertips, then stroke the fly-aways down. It's important not to over-do; a little goes a very long way.

[C. sinensis]

I tried baking soda, and it really didn't work for me. My routine's still in flux, but I've had good results with egg as a clenser, and REALLY good results with a yogurt/egg mix as a deep conditioner.

As for the ACV...have you considered using a different acid to rinse? What about lemon juice? I haven't tried it, but I sure you can find someone who has...

HTH!

[caadam]

I tried baking soda, and it really didn't work for me. My routine's still in flux, but I've had good results with egg as a clenser, and REALLY good results with a yogurt/egg mix as a deep conditioner.

As for the ACV...have you considered using a different acid to rinse? What about lemon juice? I haven't tried it, but I sure you can find someone who has...

HTH!
I've always wanted to try egg, but that yogurt/egg mix sounds great! I'll definitely keep it in mind for the future.

[Love23101]

Well, when I had slightly oily hair, I started to fight oil with oil... I got some coconut oil and it made my hair soft and oil free, and it has a nice shine to it. I put the oil in my hair, let it stay in over night or for a couple hours then I rinse and shampoo two times. It worked like a charm for me.

For me, I don't really have any special hair styles for long hair. I prefer to keep it nat-u-ral by letting it hang freely. People always comment on my hair when it's like that... whenever I braided it or something, they wouldn't say anything. I liked hearing compliments :) haahahah:cheese:

[caadam]

I wanted to post what my hair looks like after having washed it last night with an oil shampoo:

http://i52.tinypic.com/10gk10j.jpg

All virgin hair except for the last 5 inches. :D
I'm thinking about trimming the ends off, only because they're damaged from dying.

[caadam]

Well, when I had slightly oily hair, I started to fight oil with oil... I got some coconut oil and it made my hair soft and oil free, and it has a nice shine to it. I put the oil in my hair, let it stay in over night or for a couple hours then I rinse and shampoo two times. It worked like a charm for me.

For me, I don't really have any special hair styles for long hair. I prefer to keep it nat-u-ral by letting it hang freely. People always comment on my hair when it's like that... whenever I braided it or something, they wouldn't say anything. I liked hearing compliments :) haahahah:cheese:
If it's very cold outside and I know I won't be going indoors any time soon, I will leave my hair down because it keeps me warm. But if I'm inside, like, a store where they have their heaters on... I BAKE under my locks. :(

And the coconut oil does seem to help with oiliness... interesting. I'm very happy with the results.

[Carolyn]

One suggestion for you would be to use white vinegar instead of ACV. Some people says it lingers less. Blondes often use white vinegar as it doesn't add the red tones that ACV does. That wouldn't be an issue in your case.

If you continue to wash your hair with the Movie Star shampoo mix, you may find you need less coconut oil as you go along.

[caadam]

One suggestion for you would be to use white vinegar instead of ACV. Some people says it lingers less. Blondes often use white vinegar as it doesn't add the red tones that ACV does. That wouldn't be an issue in your case.

If you continue to wash your hair with the Movie Star shampoo mix, you may find you need less coconut oil as you go along.
Thanks for the vinegar suggestion, and I'll remember that about the coconut oil in the future. :D

[spidermom]

Your ends still look good caadam; I wouldn't worry about trimming any time soon (unless they're snarling and sticking together like Velcro from the damage).

[heidi w.]

Baking soda. I put about a tbsp baking soda with a cup of water and wash my hair with it twice a week.

One. Waaaay too often that you're using the BS. This is very drying to the hair. Baking soda hair wash is a clarifying hair wash, meaning it strips the hair of everything on the surface of the hair (not at the cortex level...that's chelating, pronounced key-lating, not chi as in choo-choo train.)

BS hair wash is reserved for removing buildup. ACV is for scalp health, to reset pH balance of skin, mostly; to help remove residual product left on hair in that hair wash only, or minerals from hard water in that hair wash only. Once dry, anything on hair is there til you clarify (BS hair wash).

You mention you have wavy hair; I don't know the length. But you may be having a poof problem if you keep drying your hair so often.

I suggest instead diluting shampoo. Use conditioner on the length only, not the scalp itself.

For your core question, the stink of ACV lingering....
Use lemon juice instead! Smells better. Same dilution, same measurements. It's still an acid and can still push the pH balance to a more neutral when shampooing

ACV I would no longer recommend for blondes as it definitely can turn the hair a tinge of red over time......blondes should use white vinegar, although they won't get the benefit of the malic acid (good for skin) that apple cider vinegar provides.

I see a post stating you don't need conditioner at all. Um, unless you're doing a condition only wash, I don't recommend going that route long-term. Try the idea for approximately 3-4 hair washes and then make a decision. One hair wash is not typically sufficient data input for a reliable decision to go sans conditioner.

Um, if you have body to your hair a condition only hair wash routine may be your best bet. You could also consider diluting a shampoo, if you feel everything is left too greasy.

When we BS wash, we're stripping everything off. And when we do that, following by ACVing, then we're really stripping off everything. We have to then replace what's been removed, or the scalp's sebacious glands will respond by saying, oh the skin is too dry, we need to get some waxy-ester on this (which is what that oil is....it's there for a reason, to keep the scalp skin clean and free of dirt embedding in the pores and hair follicles, to keep the scalp skin from being overly dry....as a catch for dirt and grime and skin cells......so you could be "training" your hair to gunk a lot because you're regularly removing the waxy-ester that sebacious gland production is). I recommend you get the book Naturally Healthy Hair by Mary Beth Janssen (there are several books by this name... and read as a study. You'll know all you need to know about scalp skin and hair. It's a long hair must-read in my opinion.

Link to book, usually it has to be special ordered at your local bookstore
http://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Healthy-Hair-Treatments-Fabulous/dp/158017129X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292519618&sr=1-1

The book covers scalp skin needs, how hair grows, ACV rinses and other rinses, a variety of recipes for shampoos, conditioners and rinses mostly herbally based, styling tips.

ACV can be used as a reliable conditioner for some, but it doesn't work for most.

heidi w.

[little_cherry]

I agree with what has been said...your baking soda to water dilution and the frequency of baking soda washes is a little too much. Whenever I use baking soda (once a month, sometimes less often), I use 1 teaspoon dissolved very well into 2.5 cups of water. This seems to do the trick. I follow that with ACV rinse (1tbs in 2.5 cups of water) and leave it on for a minute or two..then I rinse very very well. I usually have no smell after my hair dries.

[caadam]

I didn't know baking soda was that powerful. I did lots of reading before washing with it, but I guess the sources didn't know that's what baking soda did, either. They were using it every day, though I wasn't planning on that myself. But thanks for all the information.

I guess I was just so happy with the result of the oil shampoo, and it conditioned my hair just fine all on its own that I felt like I didn't need an extra conditioning. -shrugs- I'm willing to use a conditioner, though, if that's best for my hair.

Remember, I'm kinda a newb with all of this. :D I'm still learning.

But I appreciate the suggestions. Unfortunately, I don't have a conditioner on me to use at the moment; I would have to buy a bottle in the future, because right now I'm broke. </3

[heidi w.]

I didn't know baking soda was that powerful. I did lots of reading before washing with it, but I guess the sources didn't know that's what baking soda did, either. They were using it every day, though I wasn't planning on that myself. But thanks for all the information.

I guess I was just so happy with the result of the oil shampoo, and it conditioned my hair just fine all on its own that I felt like I didn't need an extra conditioning. -shrugs- I'm willing to use a conditioner, though, if that's best for my hair.

Remember, I'm kinda a newb with all of this. :D I'm still learning.

But I appreciate the suggestions. Unfortunately, I don't have a conditioner on me to use at the moment; I would have to buy a bottle in the future, because right now I'm broke. </3

I hate being broke. I'm unemployed right now and trying to figure out how to buy my annual supply.

heidi w.

[caadam]

Yeah... well, my mother did come home with some natural coconut vinegar(tastes delicious, BTW), AND I just got a check from my grandmother for x-mas. lol

[shockinglength]

What is the BS?

BS= Baking Soda