Homemade Treatment Effectiveness Poll

[Nightshade]

I wanted to do a series of polls on some of the most common methods of hair care that have or have not worked for LHC. I think this may be both interesting and a good quick reference. Granted it does not take into account hair type, but that would require a separate poll for each, and that’s a bit more effort both to post and to sift through the information.


We will define “long-term” as a period of 6 months or more of continuously using the method you select (taking into account that many people only use deep treatments when needed so using it once every two weeks over 6 months counts, using one of these treatments once in 6 months does not). Please feel free to give the details of your methods, or the ones that worked versus failed in the thread.

:flowers: PLEASE only vote if you've used a method for MORE than 6 months and DO NOT VOTE for methods you have not tried. If something has worked for less time, please comment about it in the thread, but do not vote :)

Edited to add links for the things listed:
- SMT (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)
- Fox's Shea Cream (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=4586)
- Caramel Treatment (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=454)
- Deep/Heavy Oiling
- Kimberlily's Coconut Hair Butter (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=279)

[Nightshade]

SMTs and Oils didn't work for me :( Oils didn't mind the undamaged length, but hated the damaged ends.

Fox's shea butter cream is my personal godsend, right after henna. :D

[Aisha25]

Deep oil treatments worked for me I did them once a week for over 6months.

[Carolyn]

SMT's and heavy oilings have been a godsend for my hair. My hair just eats them up :p I've been using Fox's and Kimberlily's recipes for a long time but not daily. They are something I use maybe once a week. I like both and both seem to benefit my hair but I don't remember to use them every day.

[Finoriel]

Deep oil treatments as needed, which is not that often (maybe two times a year) but they work wonders when they are needed and do this since years. Reasons for doing an oil deep-treatment for me are for example: accidentally stripped my hair of to much oils with washing it too good, long motor-bike or sailing tours or contact with harsh chemicals at work. Best for my hair as a deep oil treatment was coconut / monoi or olive oil or mixtures of them.

I´m using a hair butter as needed, too. Most times the first three days after cleaning it, washing about every 10 days. It´s not exactly Kimberlilys recipe as I change the ingredients of my butter slightly with the seasons and if I need more coating/smoothing oils or want to use more penetrating ones in terms of moisturizing... but it´s close to the principle of Kimberlilys, so I put my x there :wink:

About every two to three months I do a deep treatment with yogurt, works since almost 2,5 years. Perfect for my scalp and hair. Very balanced natural lactic acid and fat mixture.

Sums up to: Hair-butter for regular maintenance, yogurt when there is a little extra care needed and deep oiling when it get´s really bad. That´s about all I use as treatments as my hair is easy in general and not heat or chemically damaged.

[mira-chan]

SMT did not work for me. Honey and aloe don't work well with my hair and CO caused sensitivities so no conditioner on scalp any more.

Heavy oiling worked for me. Especially coconut or avocado oil.

[Islandgrrl]

SMT has been great for my hair. I started using it right after I joined in November and would be utterly lost without it.

That's all I've tried so far.

[FrannyG]

SMTs have been working for me for close to two years. The same with heavy oilings pre-CO, and Fox's Shea butter. These are the best treatments I've discovered by far.

[Sceleste]

Deep oil treatment with coconut oil works for me, it makes my hair really soft and easy to comb.

[aney]

SMT's and deep oil treatments do the trick for me... I haven't tried any of the others since there was no need for it!

[akka naeda]

SMTs work for me although I discovered I must keep conditioner off my scalp. I now use it just on the length. I use this every time I wash.

Deep oiling works for me, mainly coconut but I also use my own butter/oil mix. I apply the oil the night before I am going to wash.

I haven't voted for Kimberlily's butter, as I make my own using slightly different ingredients, but hers would probably work fine if I tried it. I apply it thinly to damp hair daily or every two days, or heavily prior to washing.

I'm trying the sheabutter cream in place of the light oilings when I remember; so far it doesn't seem to have had any detrimental effects:D. I haven't done this long enough for voting though.

[harley mama]

I have used SMT's (my first success), heavy oiling and Kimberlily's butter.
All were successful and my hair loved the added moisture. I continue to
use all 3 methods and alternate them, depending on my mood.

[Minx]

I do heavy oilings the night before an SMT and it's really made a difference.

I used Fox’s Shea Conditioning Cream pretty much exclusively for over 6 months and I loved it. I only stopped using it when I ran out of shea and haven't managed to get more.

[lulabelle]

I love SMT's, they are probably my favorite treatment I have learned from the boards. My hair feels so much nicer after one and even seems to lay down better.

Deep oil treatments don't really work for me, too much oil is hard to wash out. I get better results from adding a bit of melted coconut oil to my SMT's.

Kimberlily's hair butter works well for me in the winter, but in the Summer the oils just melt and separate. I like to use hair butter in the winter when my coconut oil is hard to scrape and coconut oil in the summer when the hair butter is melted.

[sipnsun]

Heavy oiling is the only thing I've done consistently for over 6 months so this is what I voted for. I've just started experimenting with SMT, but haven't used it long enough to vote.

[Patrycja]

I loved using Fox's cream and Kimberlily's cream.The only thing that didn't work for me was the Caramel Treatment.Can we say total grease ball? That was me when I did it. The 2 times I have done a SMT and had it turn out curd-free,its absolutely great for a moisture DT.The one I prefer,actually.Heavy oils saved my hair when I first joined LHC.I still do it but much more lighter.It fades my color but the shine and overall health kicks butt.

[yogachic]

I have not tried any of these things consecutively for 6 months or more, so i can't vote. I've used them on occasion.
I like fox's hair conditioner, I have tiny batch mixed up.
I like kimberlily's hair cream, I've had a batch mixed up for a few months.
I've SMT'd just a handful of times, but don't like the curds issue with it.
I lightly oil most days, and like it, i deep oil, on occasion.

[Cinnamon.locks]

Right now, as of August 4, 2008 the one thing that has been working amazingly great for me is Kimo's Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Gel and Oil Mix. I love how my hair feels and looks. i will return in 5 months and confirm by editing this post if it keeps working great.

[Gladtobemom]

I like the Fox's She butter for myself.

DD16, with 3C naturally red/auburn hair prefers
PhysicsChick's Chocobutter. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=4216) I originally made it for us both to try . . . it worked OK for me, but not as well as coconut oil based Fox's Shea butter.

For her, though . . . it seems just the right weight and really seems to help her curls stay defined without weighing them down.

[zift]

Heavy hot oil treatments work best for me. Also SMT too but I use Ursula's version with oils. I've been using SMT without conditioner but with oil too.

[dalriada-lady]

SMT has worked for me quite nicely. Fox's shea condish cream did not, not sure why, maybe i mixed wrong? haven't dared to try the Caramel treatment, fear molases in my hair. deep oilings worked for a few weeks but not long term, maybe because i tried it during summer? and kimberlily's i have not tried it yet.

[saak86]

oil makes my hair really silky

[LovelyGoddess]

I am very interested in trying a heavy oil treatment. Can anyone direct me to the thread for learning how to do that?
Thanks!

[Dars]

I am very interested in trying a heavy oil treatment. Can anyone direct me to the thread for learning how to do that?
Thanks!
Welcome to LHC! :) I suggest searching for "heavy oil treatment" via the search button up near the top left of your screen. As it's a pretty common topic many users will write their experiences and how they do it but not necessarily in one thread.

[clairenewcastle]

Deep oil treatments have been a life-saver for my hair in the past and as I've never tried any of the others I can't comment on them.....

[JamieLeigh]

I've done what I consider to be a "deep" oil treatment once a week, for almost 8 months now, and it's working well for me so far. I leave a ton of coconut oil (I used to use olive oil and it works well also for me) in overnight every Friday night, and CO wash it out on Saturday morning.

I also do a deep condition with Suave Naturals tropical coconut conditioner and honey, I don't warm it up, but I leave it in under a shower cap for 2 hours and then rinse it out as though it were a normal CO. I've also been doing that for nearly 9 months. :)

[froglet]

SMT has saved my hair from more than a few mistakes, I've used it on and off for years. My hair always drank up heavy oilings and after washing out I was left with full, healthy feeling hair. But that was during my days of henna & hendigo, and my hair texture was very different then. I'm looking forward to trying these old favorites once I have enough hair to really do so.
I have never tried any of the other treatments.

[Pachamama]

What works the best for me is honey. (with distilled water)
It lets my hair incredibly smooth and shiny.

[little_acorn]

SMTs and deep oiling - for me

not tried the shea butter yet

[florenonite]

I've been doing deep oil treatments for about two months now, and they've been working wonderfully. They make my hair so soft and silky!

I haven't tried any of the other treatments, so I can't comment on them.

[Darian Moone]

Heavy oil treatments and Kimberlily's Coconut Hair Butter work great for my hair. My hair seems to LOVE coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba, emu...if it's oil, my hair likes it. :)

[Sissy]

SMT and Heavy Oilings have worked for me long term. I have not tried the others enough times to really comment on long-term effectiveness.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I'm using your (Nightshade's) hair salve so I clicked on Fox's shea butter since its very much a like :) and heavy oiling.

[LovelyGoddess]

Welcome to LHC! :) I suggest searching for "heavy oil treatment" via the search button up near the top left of your screen. As it's a pretty common topic many users will write their experiences and how they do it but not necessarily in one thread.

Thank you very much! I'm going to try that.

[sxyuptownmami]

I deep oil once a week for the past 2 years .. I love oiling..

[habioku]

I love deep oiling with olive oil before washing

[jasper]

I used the caramel treatment every month for the last year and liked the results.

[tigr]

I am so intimidated by these treatments. I haven't tried any of them. Not even once.

:couch:

[Anywhere]

heavy oilings and SMTs worked for me.

[virgo75]

So far SMTs and heavy oilings have worked well for me.

I haven't tried the other treatments yet.

[SpinDance]

For the past year I've used SMT, Fox's Shea Butter Cream as needed for extra deep treatments or smoothing. I've been doing deep oilings more regularly, at least once, sometimes twice, a week for longer than that. I missed the recipe for Kimberlily’s Coconut Hair Butter till now, but have been making a mixture of about equal amounts of coconut oil and Shea butter, melted, add about 15% of that volume of jojoba oil and/or sweet almond oil with a bit (maybe 5% of the original coconut/Shea blend) of Better Botanicals Herbal Hair Oil added. This blend makes a soft cream, which I mostly use on my skin, but sometimes also put on my hair overnight. I've been making this for just a few months, but it has been working fine.

[kidari]

I've been using coconut oil as a prewash all the time very lightly on the ends and a heavy oiling about once a week for a year now. Nothing else has worked better for my hair that I've tried thus far. I'm really excited to try the SMT this month for the first time. With heavy oilings, I've been doing them more frequently for over 2 months now and the more often I do them, the more my hair is happy. In the last month I experimented mixing it with olive oil in conjunction with the coconut oil and my hair loves it even more than the coconut oil by itself. It's thicker, glossier, and all around more manageable with heavy oilings.

[celebriangel]

Sometimes my hair just feels dry and brittle and tangly - normally when I get ill. Deep oilings with EVOO are great for these times.

SMTs are nothing short of miraculous. I shove a finger-scoop of panacea salve in them these days as well for extra awesomeness.

[Amber_Maiden]

Definitely deep oil....

[swearnsue]

I have been doing deep oilings consistantly for about 8 months and it's made my hair so much healthier and thicker. I used to have dry F hair and now I'm a M and hair is shiny and smooth. I use some oil I made up, Castor, Coconut, Olive, Sesame, some Rosemary oil I made with Castor oil and sunshine, some EOs like clove, patchouli, clary sage and sweet orange. The first 2 months I had lots of baby hairs come in all over my scalp. I still see baby hairs come in but as many as those first months. I massage the oil into my scalp and hair and leave in for a couple of hours then shampoo out. I do this with OCD regularity twice a week!

[Safira]

SMT and Deep Oiling. Yes, awesome recipes.