6+ months on LHC!!

[Antipodienne]

I actually didn't even notice the 6 month mark go flying by--here's a photo of my progress--on the left is from July 10, 2010, a few days before I joined, and on the right was about ten minutes ago:
http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/Pearlsintern/6MonthGrowin.jpg

Since joining LHC, I change the way I style my hair more frequently. I have bought OODLES of hair sticks, some very expensive scissors, and several lovely wooden combs. I also now own a boar bristle brush, but it doesn't get used very often. I switched to using baking soda as shampoo followed by a ACV or white vinegar rinse, but a few weeks ago I discovered the Rainforest Moisture line from the Body Shop. I stopped heat styling and don't use any styling products other than aloe vera gel (never used much product anyway). I use coconut oil when I remember, which hasn't been very often lately, since I'm finishing up my master's degree here in a couple of months (hooray!).


The results: Ok, so it's definitely longer. I started LHC at about 32" and I'm now at 35.5" (after a brief foray into 36", but I think I'm having some breakage). It feels softer, but I can tell that it is definitely lacking in the shine department--it's really dull, even at the roots. Also, the ends look like rot, in spite of monthly S+D. As you can see from the photo, starting at about shoulder length, I have some dye damage, major flyaway frizz, and it looks dry and brittle. I estimate that split ends can be found on at least 10-20% of hairs.

Recommendations? Do I need more moisture, more coconut oil, more cones, more TLC in general? Should I get a buzz cut and start from scratch (DH would probably not approve)? Anybody know of any miracle products you'd like to share with the group?

Thanks all. Have some cheese! :cheese:

[Intransigentia]

No advice, but that's a nice bit of growth!

[Antipodienne]

Thanks---I walked past a salon today and had to make a conscious effort not to go in and have them take off the bottom half---it's a little discouraging that with all the extra TLC it still looks so sub-par. :(

[Rocket22]

Happy anniversary!!!! these are my Favorite threads!


Well I’m only going to give you my opinion because you are asking for opinions. (we are just discussing this on another thread) You have great growth but I do think it looks a bit dry. But only the length. I would try some coconut oil or whatever your hair likes. I have had great success with it It is for sure a trial and error thing. I personally have pulled everything out of the kitchen and am trying it all!!! Pretty much any oil I can get my hands on. Have you also tried vinegar rinses,

Hey I just went through you album and your hair doesn’t look at all dry!!! Is this not an accurate photo? Did you change your routine any?

[Kherome]

Well if it were me, my course of action would be to cut it back to waist and maintain there until the damaged portions were removed. That way you can keep "long" hair and still be making progress towards virgin hair. Also if you are not getting the shine you'd prefer, have you tried the SMT?

[Rocket22]

Thanks---I walked past a salon today and had to make a conscious effort not to go in and have them take off the bottom half---it's a little discouraging that with all the extra TLC it still looks so sub-par. :(


Oh no, no need for that.. You have beautiful long hair, you just need to find out what it's asking for. We are all here to learn and make what we have better. A little dry is really nothing!!!! that can be fixed with one great hair pack. You are already length wise where 3/4 of us would die to have :) It will take me years to get to where you are! so no cutting

ETA: I do think you would benefit from a trim though but no need to take off the bottom half :)

[ibleedlipstick]

Personally, I would start using coconut oil and cut off about 4-5 inches. The ends do look super dry, but the length really doesn't look bad. I tend to run into the dry ends as well, and sometimes they just need the snip :(

[xoxophelia]

I think a good way to improve the overall look of hair is to even up the hemline. To me it looks like cutting back to somewhere between 31"-32" would be helpful. Also, if it looks dull you could try an overnight EVOO and honey treatment and then an ACV rinse at the end of your shower. That is just one suggestion out of many though.

[Antipodienne]

Hey I just went through you album and your hair doesn’t look at all dry!!! Is this not an accurate photo? Did you change your routine any?

I'm not even sure that dryness is the real problem. Residue from hard water, maybe? Here are some closeups so you can get a better idea of the texture--in some light you can see that the individual strands actually look kind of crinkly.
http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/Pearlsintern/Length.jpg
http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/Pearlsintern/Ends.jpg
I guess the problem could be that they are all crinkling in different directions so the light doesn't bounce in the right way to make it look shiny. If I get all the hairs going the same direction, it's much shinier. The ends are also really soft and sort of flop over when I hold them, which isn't something you tend to get with really dry hair. Maybe my hair is just...listless? :) Could it be too much moisture? To the point that it's fragile and breaking?
Either way, my hair is still irritatingly slippery. See signature photo for amazing silky texture from 5 months ago. Maybe cones are the answer.


I think a good way to improve the overall look of hair is to even up the hemline. To me it looks like cutting back to somewhere between 31"-32" would be helpful.

My hemline certainly has suffered--quite probably from too-enthusiastic S+D.

[Cailie]

If it was my hair (but it is not, so do what feels right for you!) I would cut to BSL and grow from there with a tricker hemline. (because that is more important to me than lenght, but that is very very personnal)

After the cut, I would clarify, and then do a deep moisturizing treatment (:


Happy growing !! Your hair seems to grow fast, that's a very good thing !!

[Rocket22]

Well if it's a residue from hard water think there was a thread on here and the girls hair was amazing after a cleansing (for hard water) , I would do a little research and I'm sure someone will chime in. I do think you could use a trim though. start with a fresh hemline :)

ETA: I don't know anything about baking soda shampoo but could that be too much for your hair? just a thought I would go back and think what have I done different and I would take one out at a time till I found the culprit :) not everything works for everyone

[Debra83]

I personally recommend using Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition conditioner (no cones). Miraculous effect for me. I CWC'd with it as both the c's and I use a little as a leave in.

[Debra83]

By the way, I've read on here that using Baking soda all the time can damage your hair.

[Henrietta]

Well, I don't see the reason for starting from scratch :) Don't cut, or maybe just less than inch as a trim.
If it's coney build up... try to clarify. If it's not, one mild clarifying won't damage your hair of course;) And you will be able to start over with new routine on "clean" hair.
If it's hard water... I am not sure if it's right direction but acidic rinses are the trick to soften up hard water effect. Again, despite lots of reading here I am not sure. Brain gap:D
And maybe having your hair lightly oiled all the time would help with maintaining it? ;)

[Antipodienne]

Ok, after a few weeks of trying something new, I'm seeing oodles of improvement in my hair. I started to shampoo scalp only with Rainforest Shine from The Body Shop, and I condition with Rainforest Moisture only every third wash or so (works out to about once every week and a half). I am also using the Rainforest Moisture hair butter on ends only every three weeks.
My hair is shiny and slippery again, so I think it must have been gummy buildup (not cones, since I hadn't been using them anyway) and over-moisture, which sounds counterintuitive for dry hair, but I have a theory that the hair shafts were swelling and it was lifting the cuticle. Could somebody with a science-y background please confirm or offer an alternate theory?
One more thing I have noticed with the routine is that my hair is happier to wave up a little to a solid 2b/almost approaching 2c. This is a most welcome addition to my hair journey. :D
I'll try to post pics in a bit.

[Antipodienne]

Sorry I can never seem to get good lighting for my photos, but here's the pics. My hair is still damp from last night's wash, but you can see the improvement from when I first posted this thread. The ends still have the gossamer effect, but that should get better over time. Second pic is just for fun. :)
http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/Pearlsintern/IMG_4346.jpg http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/Pearlsintern/IMG_4351.jpg

[Cupofmilk]

What a difference! Amazing ! Your hair looks much happier now. well done.

[Avital88]

I would not recommend to cut back to waist or bsl, but try microtrimming! Its easy to do yourself and it really works.
You can take 0,5 inch the first time and then cut of 0.2 inch every month so you still have some growth.
Also try to clarify and see if that makes a difference. Good luck! And happy anniversary.

[Avital88]

Oh i see i was quite late with my comment!
Your hair looks way better! I have the same shampoo, im gonna try it again after some months today.
I'm going conefree for a month to see if im getting more curl definition on a daily basis and not just now and then.
You did a good job fixing your hair and you are getting close to tailbone too!

[Desideira]

If it was my hair (but it is not, so do what feels right for you!) I would cut to BSL and grow from there with a tricker hemline. (because that is more important to me than lenght, but that is very very personnal)

After the cut, I would clarify, and then do a deep moisturizing treatment (:


Happy growing !! Your hair seems to grow fast, that's a very good thing !!

In support that:) That is waht i woudl do also:) but its always best to do what you feel will be the best for you and make you happy

I have similar problem with ends of my hairit has this kind of texture. I am going to cut it today bwecause i ntoice that this kind of demage can go up:(

edit: I see i am a little late with my comment. Its great to see so big improvmnet in hair with just changing the routine. Very inspirational to me:) I will try to experimnet also:)

[RitaPG]

That is good progress for 6 months, especially considering you're growing out some dye damage.

Your hair, just like mine, seems a bit on the fine side. S&D is a major help, but you should try dusting (5mm, or 1cm) once or twice a year, I find this helps immensely at having an even hemline, and it's not as drastic as a 4 inch chop, which I had to do once because I never trimmed my hair when I was younger.

Emi has a great tutorial on this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWRJ57j1AyI&feature=player_embedded#at=113

Have you tried leave-in conditioners? It helps a lot with frizzies :)

[jojo]

your hair looks pretty brilliant to me, though I think co washing might benefit you as you have more than 2a hair. I am thinking your hair is more 2b/c co washing would bring them out of hiding and add moisture if you think your hair needs it; to me your hair looks pretty balanced!