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View Full Version : On Oiling, brushes, and washing frequency



knux
January 11th, 2011, 06:47 PM
Hello LHC! I am both excited and overwhelmed by the information present on this site.

I am brand new and perhaps I should really separate all of these topics, but as of right now, they are where I wish to begin. Please bare with me, as I am still learning. I am certain that these questions are stupid and I apologize in advance.

Some history: I literally just measured my hair and it is 27", I have no idea what that means in terms of length, but there you have it. I have (if this is possible) combination hair. My under layers are nearly stick straight, and mostly quite smooth. The middle layers are slightly wavy and fluffy, and finally the top layers have a few distinct 'S' shapes. Parts are smooth and others are frizzy. I haven't a clue how to classify it. Am I the only one?

Question time:
Oiling: I like the idea of oiling, and I have heard glorious things about olive oil, but is it the oil you can purchase at the grocery store for cooking? Or a specialty kind?

Brushes:
What is the best brush? I have a few wide tooth combs which I use while my hair is wet, or drying, and then a normal brush when it's dry (I just can not get the wide tooth combs to brush throw my thick hair when it's dry)

Washing:
For years my mother has tried to get me to extended the time in between washes, and I have tried, believe me, but I have been unsuccessful. If I wash at night before bed, the following it must be washed. I know that there are people out there cringing at the frequency but I can not extended it. Am I doing something wrong?

Thanks in advance everyone!
I'm sorry if these should be in separate threads. I will separate them if it's getting a little bit ridiculous.
:)

eternallyverdan
January 11th, 2011, 07:15 PM
I'm afraid I'm really bad at hairtyping, so I'll leave that to others, but I'll do my best with your other questions.

Oiling: Regular cooking olive oil is fine. A lot of people with your hair type (like me!) find olive oil to be too heavy and greasy, but everyone is different. Give it a try and see how you like it! Just remember to use a very small amount to start out with-- it's much easier to add more than it is to get it out of your hair.

Brushes: My personal favorite is the Denman brand, which you can buy online or at Sally's beauty. Others have had good luck with Mason Pearson boar bristle brushes and Tangle Teezers, so you can check those threads and websites out to see what you think will work for you.

Washing: Stretching washes takes time. Your hair is going to look kind of gross for at least a couple weeks before it gets used to the idea of being washed less frequently.

What shampoo are you using? Some people find that if they use very harsh shampoos it overstimulates your scalp and makes your hair go a bit haywire and start producing too much oil.

If your hair just likes being washed every day (and some find that their hair does need daily cleansing) you can try gentler washing methods like shampoos that don't contain SLS (sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate, a harsh detergent) or CO (conditioner only) washing.

Good luck! Just remember that everyone's hair is different, and always do what makes you and your hair feel good. Welcome to the boards, and happy growing!

knux
January 11th, 2011, 07:37 PM
Thank you very much for responding!

In concerns to the washing, I have tried for years to extend it with no luck. The longest I tried was only washing my hair once a week for about 2 months. Should I try for longer? Also my shampoo is sulfate free, and CO washing leaves my hair very dull, perhaps I'm doing it wrong.

And thank you for the advice, I never thought that my hair may just like daily washings. I always assumed I was doing something wrong since most people on here and many other things I read advise how terrible it is to wash ones hair everyday.

Thanks again!

patienceneeded
January 11th, 2011, 07:48 PM
Welcome! I'm not a hairtyping expert, I'll leave that to others.

Oil - I don't use olive oil, mainly because I don't care for the smell or look. Too greasy. I use either 100%Argan Oil or Jojoba oil. I got the Argan oil online through Amazon.com. The jojoba oil I got in the Organic/Health food section of the local grocery store. It's also available online. Start small with oils, it's easy to overdo it.

As far as brushes go, I would imagine that (as long as you are gentle) any type of brush could work. I have never really liked boar bristle brushes, they just dont get through my thick hair, but I know others LOVE them. Right now I am not using brushes at all, just combs, but I may need to go back to a brush once my hair gets longer. As long as you avoid brushing your hair wet, when it is at its most fragile, a brush shouldn't hurt.

Washing - I wash my hair every-other day, which is more often than many people here. My scalp is also oily and if I try to go more than 2 days it turns into an oilslick up there! For me, I have found that I need to avoid putting conditioner/oils anywhere near my scalp. Others have no problem with this, but for me, conditioner above my ears equals a oily mess. I use shampoo bars and follow with a conditioner (Aubrey's Organics). I also use an ACV rinse once or twice a week. Seems to work for me. Everyone is different, experiment and see what works for you!

Anywhere
January 11th, 2011, 08:20 PM
My hair likes olive oil (yes, the cooking stuff), but too much does make it look greasy. I have a denman brush for my wet hair. BBBs are good for distributing oil and smoothing down my top layer (if my curl has fallen out and my hair is wavy) but are not meant for detangling. I hear the body shop has a good wooden comb?

And for washing, no. Some people just need to wash more often. You could try switching to co every other wash and after a few weeks begin to wash less, but I don't know how to help you there.

ETA: My hair also likes coconut oil, and it is more lighter compared to the heavy EVOO. I suggest you try some of that before trying olive oil, most people here seem to like coconut oil better. :shrug:

Madora
January 11th, 2011, 08:27 PM
Speaking from over 40 years experience, the natural 100% boar bristle brush is the gentlest for your hair.

The boar bristles are the closest thing in nature that approximates your hair's structure.

Benefits of a bbb:

distributes the hair's natural sebum down the strands
removes dead cells
exercises the hair follicles
circulation improves with use
leaves hair soft and shiny (over time)

The way you brush with your bbb determines the overall effectiveness of it on your hair.

You should always detangle your hair with a widetooth comb before beginning to brush.

Best time to brush is in the morning, when you first get up. Bend at the waist and bring all the hair in front of you, like a curtain. Detangle with a widetooth comb slowly, working from the ends of the hair up to the roots.

Once all hair is detangled, take your brush and slowly brush from nape to forehead. Follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand to reduce static. When all hair has been brushed, part hair from nape to forehead and hold each section in your hands. Stand erect, then gently detangle any residual tangles on each side. You can also brush your hair from the part and down if you like, to give your scalp a little more attention. Some bbbs have longer bristles than others.

The boar bristle brush has been around for over 100 years and will give years of service.

A bbb need not cost an arm and a leg either! BBBs come in different "strengths"...some are soft..some are a bit stiff (although the stiffness will dissipate with time). Also, the number of rows on the bbb vary from brush to brush.

I love my Goody bbb (pic in my hair album).

pepperminttea
January 11th, 2011, 09:20 PM
Some history: I literally just measured my hair and it is 27", I have no idea what that means in terms of length, but there you have it. I have (if this is possible) combination hair. My under layers are nearly stick straight, and mostly quite smooth. The middle layers are slightly wavy and fluffy, and finally the top layers have a few distinct 'S' shapes. Parts are smooth and others are frizzy. I haven't a clue how to classify it. Am I the only one?

Question time:
Oiling: I like the idea of oiling, and I have heard glorious things about olive oil, but is it the oil you can purchase at the grocery store for cooking? Or a specialty kind?

Brushes:
What is the best brush? I have a few wide tooth combs which I use while my hair is wet, or drying, and then a normal brush when it's dry (I just can not get the wide tooth combs to brush throw my thick hair when it's dry)

Washing:
For years my mother has tried to get me to extended the time in between washes, and I have tried, believe me, but I have been unsuccessful. If I wash at night before bed, the following it must be washed. I know that there are people out there cringing at the frequency but I can not extended it. Am I doing something wrong?

Hair typing: It's quite normal, a lot of members have a different textured underlayer than their canopy, it's nothing to worry about. :) In terms of typing, I'd stick with 1C/2A until you can take a hairtyping photo, it sounds about right from your description.

Oiling: It's the same as you cook with, generally. My family have accused me jokingly of trying to cook in the bathroom because of the ingredients that I leave in there by accident sometimes. :p With olive oil specifically, it's best to stick to extra virgin olive oil, and keep in mind it is one of the heavier oils out there; you only need a slight sheen on your palms for a light oiling.

Brushes: Do you need a brush? Many curlies swear by not brushing (since it separates defined curls into fluff and frizz), and if you're just on the cusp of wurls and waves, it might be a good idea to experiment with combs alone. Try fingercombing first, to get the big tangles out, before combing - I couldn't just start with a comb either, it'd get stuck in my hair if I didn't fingercomb first.
I prefer a wooden comb, it gives me less static in the winter time, but whatever material you end up choosing, for a brush or comb, the most important thing is the smoothness. Feel around it with your fingers - if it's rough to the touch, it's going to be rough on the hair too, and that means damage. It's common with plastic combs and brushes, since they're made in moulds, which leaves thin raised seams along the edges of the mould shape, but a poorly finished bone or wood comb can cause trouble too.
As for boar bristle brushes... it's very hit and miss. Some people swear by them, and some find they do more harm than good. Just something to keep in mind, especially since your hair's fine.

Washing: Stretching washes works for a lot of people (myself included), but it's not for everyone (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=33394). You're not doing anything wrong, don't worry. :flower:

Qamar
January 11th, 2011, 10:51 PM
I currently wash my hair once a week, but usually require some "dry shampoo" (aka gold bond brushed through the roots) on day five to squeeze out the last two days. That one dry shampoo actually could buy me more than two days but I don't feel the need to stretch longer than once a week.

I oil my hair lightly when wet every time I wash, and my washes are exclusively CO unless I'm trying to get henna out of my hair. My favourite oils are argan (cooking grade ) cameillia (nice and light) and emu and I'll alternate betwixt them depending upon what I feel my hair needs.

I have a BBB brush but almost never use it because it'll give me super greasy scalp even on wash day. If I do use it, its from the ears down, and not often as it tends to give me a boatload of split ends despite the beautiful shine it imparts. I typically use my tangle teezer as my daily workhorse and then use my boxwood comb the rest of the time for touchups.

knux
January 14th, 2011, 01:04 PM
Thank you everyone for all this information!

I just want you to know, I've printed all of this out and I am slowly going to go through all of the advice one day at a time :)

And thank you pepperminttea for typing my hair.