What has made the most VISIBLE difference in your hair ?

[jhill923]

Of all the products and routines what has made the most noticable, visible improvement on your hair ? I havent seen much difference trying vinegars or oils honestly. (Maybe Im doing it wrong ) the only product that I have noticed works really well was the conditioner packets in hair color boxes ! These usually give me the best softness, sleekness, and slip. But you cant get a whole bottle of those, (can you?)

anyway what's your experience ?

[EricaLee83]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, as I am a newbie too! I haven't experimented as much as I want because of some $$$ issues right now :( but I do love what coconut oil has done for me.

[Vercelli]

For me it was just taking care of my hair, no product in particular I think. Ok, maybe oiling my hair regularly.

[ElusiveMuse]

I know you said this didn't work for you...but ACV and tea rinses, and oil.

[elbow chic]

Keeping it up during the day, and braided at night. I'm terribly prone to tangles and my hair is a bit fragile, so ripping a brush through it three or four times a day was probably the single most harmful thing I was doing.

Having it up reduces the tangles by like, 85 percent.

[krissykins]

For me, getting rid of the cones on my hair and seeing it in its more natural state made me realize I needed lots of moisture.

How long did you try using vinegar and oil on your hair?

[Madora]

Brushing with a pure 100% boar bristle brush. 100 strokes every morning. I've been doing it for decades.

[morecowbell]

Though oiling was my original 'Holy Grail' when I first came to LHC, I've since found that using Garnier Triple Nutrition conditioner as a leave in is WAY better. I have never had my hair feel so amazingly moisturized and soft as when I use it! Here's a quick how-to for how I apply it:
1. Wash hair (for now, I'm using very diluted shampoo on my scalp only) and rinse
2. Apply about half a palmful of GTN to the length, starting at the ends and working up. I use a brush in the shower to really get it worked in (I brush my scalp, too, so the conditioner gets applied there).
3. Let hair alone for the rest of your shower, DON'T rinse out.
4. Dry and style as usual, and enjoy!

Here's a thread about GTN if anyone is interested:http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=50881

[x0h_bother]

Coconut oil, once a week protein treatment, less flat ironing, and cones. :D

[telegraph64]

Big group of things, but apple cider vinegar rinses are up there with the best. I personally noticed a huge difference when I decided to ease up on the silicones, my hair has so much more body now, and so much more bounce at the sacrifice of slip, which, although bothersome, is not a huge problem, hence I use a coney leave-in when I'm going to wear my hair down for a special occasion, or on a breezy day (which I try to avoid in general).

[jhill923]

For me, getting rid of the cones on my hair and seeing it in its more natural state made me realize I needed lots of moisture.

How long did you try using vinegar and oil on your hair?

I did the ACV thing probably 3 times. I washed/CO as normal and then made a bottle of filtered spring water half ACV and rinsed my hair with it.....after my hair was dry it just seemed drier and hard to brush. It was NOT silky or softer. So I dunno whats up with that. Oiling is ok, but if i leave oil in all day and put it up in a bun, when I wash it out at the end of the day it doesnt seem any different. Im just not impressed so far with anything, still searching for something that might make it softer and healthier. ....

[morecowbell]

I did the ACV thing probably 3 times. I washed/CO as normal and then made a bottle of filtered spring water half ACV and rinsed my hair with it.....after my hair was dry it just seemed drier and hard to brush. It was NOT silky or softer. So I dunno whats up with that. Oiling is ok, but if i leave oil in all day and put it up in a bun, when I wash it out at the end of the day it doesnt seem any different. Im just not impressed so far with anything, still searching for something that might make it softer and healthier. ....

I made the same mistake as a newbie... ACV should be far more diluted than that! Try it again with only a tablespoon to a bottle of water. :) You can also put the mixture into a bowl and only dunk your length in it if it makes your scalp heavy. I hate the smell of ACV so I use citric acid. You can get it in most grocery stores, it's called a 'fruit preserver' and is usually found in the 'ethnic food' section. For that you only need a quarter (1/4) of a teaspoon to a bottle of water. :)

I would also advocate trying the product I recommended, it's only $3-4 a bottle. ;) (enabling)

[MeganE]

Going from a Boar Bristle Brush with plastic tines in it to a 100% BBB! HUGE difference!!!!!!

Before and after pics (before pics were about a week before I got the brush, after pics were about a week after):

(http://img845.imageshack.us/i/picture32b.png/)

[Scarlet_Heart]

CO made me shed less hair so that's HUGE to me. Other than that, I love what henna has done for my hair. It's never been so shiny.

[CAPA7]

While coconut oil made my hair look much healthier generally and it's less of a frizzy mess when I lightly oil it, I must say ACV rinses made my curls MUCH more defined.

[krissykins]

I did the ACV thing probably 3 times. I washed/CO as normal and then made a bottle of filtered spring water half ACV and rinsed my hair with it.....after my hair was dry it just seemed drier and hard to brush. It was NOT silky or softer. So I dunno whats up with that. Oiling is ok, but if i leave oil in all day and put it up in a bun, when I wash it out at the end of the day it doesnt seem any different. Im just not impressed so far with anything, still searching for something that might make it softer and healthier. ....


Holy moly, no wonder your hair didn't like vinegar. It needs to be diluted far more than that. Morecowbell is right, try about a tablespoon in 8 oz of water. :) You can also try a lemon rinse!

What oils have you tried? This thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10971) lists a variety of oils that you can try and see if they work better.

[Dizzy_zzz]

Out of all the products I've tried, I honestly have to say that a 30 second long frigid water rinse at the end of my shower has made the biggest difference for me. Coconut oil just made my hair feel nasty.

[jeanniet]

Oils, Nightblooming's panacea, herbal washes/rinses, and Tangle Teezer.

[bunzfan]

Most importantly for me was CO washing and oiling my ends daily.

[RadiantNeedle]

Not using coney conditioners. I had amazing build up and my hair looked greasy and gross. After I clarified and started using non-cone products I had thicker, lighter hair with more body and discovered my curls.

[MrsGuther]

Quitting the flat iron, stretching washes, and being way more gentle and careful with brushing and styling have made the most difference for me.

[BrightEyes7]

The conditioner packets in hair color boxes ! These usually give me the best softness, sleekness, and slip. But you cant get a whole bottle of those, (can you?)


I know that Nice n' Easy sells their conditioners seperate. I've seen them at CVS and Wal-Mart.


As far as what has made the biggest difference for me? Just TLC. Learning to treat my hair nicer and be more gentle.

Also going SLS free. I noticed a difference as I was washing the first time with SLS free shampoo... I use Loreal EverSleek shampoo.

[Firefox7275]

Of all the products and routines what has made the most noticable, visible improvement on your hair ? I havent seen much difference trying vinegars or oils honestly. (Maybe Im doing it wrong ) the only product that I have noticed works really well was the conditioner packets in hair color boxes ! These usually give me the best softness, sleekness, and slip. But you cant get a whole bottle of those, (can you?)

anyway what's your experience ?

I know what you mean, the Live XXL one is amazing: I've recorded the ingredients so I can look for a good match. I can see from eBay that Schwarzkopf sell the exact same size and shape of conditioner tube just not in the UK. So I suspect they do exist as standalone products, it seems unlikely each brand wastes time and money formulating a special conditioner for box colours.

Two things have made a difference, firstly getting the dry ends trimmed - sometimes it's a losing battle and the damaged parts just depress you. Secondly clarifying: I realised I was letting my chemical dye strip the cones off every six weeks that is why it got lanky and greasy. :rolleyes:

[dollface]

just about everything on LHC.....coconut oil has been a great product for me, no heat styling as well, my BBB although i discovered some nylon in my '100% bristle' brush =_=", and CO has also helped me a lot. so far it's been really enjoyable being a member here.

[Lamb]

Using a leave-in after every wash. (Every day for me.) It can be a "real" leave-in or a small amount of regular conditioner, or some mix in a spray bottle, or curl cream - doesn't matter. Leave-ins make my babyfine hair more resilient, reduce frizz, and bring out the wurl pattern.

[rena]

**Ahem** If I may:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=1512381

Please scroll down to the bottom :).

[Avital88]

henna gave me alot of shine..

[Vorvolaka]

Oil. My hair is so shiny now.

[Seharia]

The no-shampoo method (baking soda then acv) has worked amazingly on my hair. I had a small transition period but now my hair is so shiny and I can go longer between washes.

[ravenreed]

Going CO has reduced my shedding, and using ACV has made my scalp almost completely flake and itch free. Using a Tangle Teezer and catnip rinses, along with wearing my hair up most of the time, has made my number of splits almost nil. The last thing was S&D's. Before that I would just get a trim every six weeks or so to remove the split ends. Now I can forgo trimming because I remove the damaged ends myself.

[Messyhair]

In the beginning (circa 2000), switching to wide-toothed combs rather than brushes made my hair stop breaking off and/or looking like a grease ball. Now, I can see a big difference when I use a cone-y conditioner vs. cone-free. Cones are for me!

[skyblue]

I'm still experimenting other then splits and breakage my hair is pretty healthy, when I find the thing that helps make it stronger I'll gladly share

[jojo]

My hairs needs have changed, the longer ive got but at waist my hair is liking CO washes and just one shampoo a week. The change in my hair since doing this is 100% better; no more dry ends!
EVOO pre shampoo is also a keeper
Keeping my hair up and using a satin pillowcase.

Long term changes since joining, no heat apart from the occasional straighten
wooden comb
using hair safe toys
air drying
taking regular photos

[MissManda]

Let's see if I can get these in order from greatest to least...

- No chemical processing (perms, dye) - No more chemical damage and extreme dryness equals stronger, happier hair!
- No 'cones - I thought I was 1a, but I realized that the cones were weighing down my hair's natural body.
- Monthly dusting/trimming + S&D - Is helping my layers and damage go bye-bye and my hemline is much thicker than it was seven months ago.
- Stretching washes - I don't have to wash as often, which means my hair doesn't look greasy as easily, it's easier on my hair, and it probably reduces shedding a little.
- CO - Further reduces shedding and greasiness and makes my hair very soft and gives more body.
- Coconut oil - Makes the remaining damage in my hair softer and keeps all my hair healthier.
- Henna - Gives me a beautiful color and strengthens/conditions my hair!

[RocketDog]

HENNA!!! Most obvious is the color, but I get good shine with it too. Slowing down and paying attention to how I brush/comb it helps too, as well as using white vinegar and/or chamomile tea rinses and coconut oil as a prewash treatment.

[Pierre]

Henna obviously made the most visible difference for me too. Not only does it make my hair a deep shiny color, long-term it makes it practically splitproof.

[JulietCapulet]

Recently I trimmed two inches of fried ends. It looks much better.

[Hotrox]

I think Henna for the colour, condition and frizz control and then going cone free and adding real moisture to my hair has made the biggest difference :D

[UltraBella]

Ditching the cones was HUGE for me. I clarified and switched my conditioner to GTN and it was just WOW. My hair is so much wavier and feels so much better.
I also just adore my Nightblooming's Panacea. She mixed an almost scent free one for me because of my allergies and it is heavenly and my hair loves it :)

[AnqeIicDemise]

Lets see:

- Organic shampoo/CO. I didn't realize how greasy and weighed down my hair was with other stuff.
- Stretching washes. My hair does so much better and it doesn't look as greasy.
- Coconut Oil. It is shinier and softer than it has EVER been before.
- Good, wide-toothed comb.
- BBB before washing spreads the oils and makes it easier to clean my scalp.
- I miss henna but I have a hard time putting it on. :(

OH!

And the tea rinses. They're making my locks darker and with the coconut oil shine, I'm starting to love my darker tresses.

[christine1989]

I've heard many people say that the conditioner packs in hair color is their favorite conditioner. They really should make them in large bottles to use daily for people whos hair responds well to them. My best product so far is the aubrey organics shampoo- it cleans (much better than CO washing) but is moisturizing enough to use alone and daily.

[CathyEarnshaw]

Sally Beauty Supply sells Feria conditioner which is exactly the same as the conditioner in their boxed hair colors.

[Khiwanean]

I haven't noticed that any one thing I've tried has made a noticeable visible difference in my hair (though a difference in tangles is another story entirely). However, my mom has noticed that my hair doesn't get greasy as quickly since I switched to CO.

[Hala]

Amla. I get really good shine and texture from amla.

[Debra83]

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner with the 3 different oils made the biggest, right away difference for my hair.

Second best, coconut oil, but I have a harder time with finding the right amount to put in.

Third major difference, Lustrous Henna.

[HintOfMint]

Damp-bunning. That's pretty much the easiest way to have a good hair day, consistently.

[Calanthe]

Not washing my hair daily. I can easily go a week between washings now without my hair and scalp freaking out. Otherwise, nothing has worked really well so far - I just have sarcastic hair, it simply does not react to all the wonderful things in use around here. Or rather, it does not react as intended :rolleyes:.

[jaderose]

Henna and mixing coconut oil with shampoo

[Fufu]

I will say, masking and oiling make a whole difference to my hair..

[rosek]

Quitting the dye, coconut oil and honey.

Stopping dye resulted in less damage, and less frizz.
Coconut oil helps to smooth my hair, and stops it becoming dry after washing.
A honey rinse while washing has really improved the shine.

Everything else I've done has improved the feel, rather than the look of my hair.

[owlathena]

The most drastic improvement for my hair was probably when I bought a nice pair of hair scissors and spent a couple hours each day on S&D for a couple weeks. Getting rid of splits cut down on frizz and tangles.

[sakuraemily]

Using shikakai mixes to wash my hair was the best. and i once used egg to wash my hair but had to follow up with shampoo coz it stunk. but then there was great manageableness.

[chotee]

castor oil mixed with amla oil as night prewash soak
having a multivitamin or a hair vitamin really helped
started using a heavy conditioner after wash as my hair dresser pointed out that my hair was splitting half way through....i am a henna user and shikakai user....so i have stopped using them for a while as they make my hair more dry

[bte]

Braiding at night to give extra braid waves (to already wavy hair) during the day.

[Chamy]

I get the most visible results when im not using anything but ACV, my hair is shinier, softer, and cleaner. On top of that i use a light leave-in and some oil when needed.

[CrisDee]

Probably a combination of two things for me - (1) switching from chemical (red) dye to henna, and (2) giving up heat styling. The difference in my hair is night and day!

[MoonLover]

Satin pillowcases have changed my life! My hair is so much lessy messy and a world less tangled because of them. I will never sleep on anything else!

[NouvelleNymphe2]

A lot of the best hair care if free!

VERY gentle handling has made quite a difference on my fine hair. So just the way you handle your hair, which is free. What is also free is NOT using any chemicals or heat on your hair. Another freebee NOT combing it until it is almost dry or completely dry because the hair is vulnerable when wet. Also, just another hair care thing, shampooing way less (which saves money) and only doing it from the ears up, never to the length, yes I said never. Also, seeing how you probably already use conditioner (duh right :)) no-cone has been wonderful on my hair, it is so much lighter and brighter. I also am getting some curl. But my hair is quite strong on it's own. Anway VO5 and suave naturals and garnier triple nutrition are all budget friendly conditioners that I use. Last freebee, wear it up most of the time and for the love of God leave it alone!

If I had to pick one thing that you must buy I would probably pick my Aubrey Shampoo. It is so light, but still cleans my hair. I use luxurious chamomile, white camellia, or honeysuckle rose. I buy a shampoo maybe once every 3 months and it's costs around $15 (with shipping and all that). So it's about $5 a month. Not terrible, just use a very little bit from the ears up. Although I must say a quality comb and BBB are a very close second. And then avocado and coconut oil being a close third. :) HTH

[Fethenwen]

VISIBLE difference? I would say mixing cassia with henna to get a more lighter colour of red which matches my own quite well.

That aaaand, a lot of things :) I guess handling my hair more gently might be one thing that shows more visible difference, it isn't frizzy anymore and looks shiny and sleek most of the time. Before I even flat ironed it, which is something my hair just can't take. But back then I didn't care so much about my hair looking healthy.

[freckles]

loads and loads of conditioner. before LHC, I didn't even use conditioner at all a lot of washes. Now I AT LEAST condition heavily after every shampoo, but more often CWC with a long soak in period before shampoo, and sometimes CO. This has turned my hair around from tangly and dry to looooovely and soft.

Gentle detangling. Pulling a brush through my hair pre-LHC left little 1" chunks of hair in my lap. Switching to combs, finger combing and my tangle teezer, and starting at the bottom, and taking my time, have all ended this problem. I still have a fair few split ends, but I don't have the same amount of breakage I did before, not even close.

I think that some other things I have done since joining LHC have helped with these problems (coconut oil, massively reduced blowdrying, wearing hair up, etc) but I think most of the improvement has come from those two routine changes :)

[Sundial]

Not using cones. I was getting such a buildup from the cones and didn't know it. It was making my hair waxy. I was desperate enough to try 5 shampoos in a month and nothing changed. Trying to troubleshoot that issue actually brought me here.

[knoxkatie]

Coconut oil and taking care of my hair while I sleep have had the biggest effect in the quality of my hair. I use coconut oil every morning and night and I braid my hair for sleeping and use a silk pillowcase.

Vitamins and drinking a smoothie every morning have made the biggest difference in growth. I take MSM, silica, and biotin. I have a smoothie with lots of fruit, nuts, and spinach.

[hanne jensen]

Ktani's Movie Star Shampoo Method. My hair is shiny and very manageable. Because it's not neccessary to use conditioner, I never get buildup anymore.

[jhill923]

Coconut oil and taking care of my hair while I sleep have had the biggest effect in the quality of my hair. I use coconut oil every morning and night and I braid my hair for sleeping and use a silk pillowcase.

Vitamins and drinking a smoothie every morning have made the biggest difference in growth. I take MSM, silica, and biotin. I have a smoothie with lots of fruit, nuts, and spinach.


How do you blend spinach into the smoothie ? using a regular blender or a high powered one ? just curious.

[jhill923]

Ktani's Movie Star Shampoo Method. My hair is shiny and very manageable. Because it's not neccessary to use conditioner, I never get buildup anymore.


Can EVOO be used for MSS ? or does it have to be coconut ?

[knoxkatie]

How do you blend spinach into the smoothie ? using a regular blender or a high powered one ? just curious.

I use a cuisinart immersion blender, but I'm sure any blender would work. By the way, I cannot taste the spinach at all, and I add a large handful.

I highly recommend immersion blenders if you plan to use them every day because the cleanup is SO simple and mine was only about $25.

[jhill923]

I use a cuisinart immersion blender, but I'm sure any blender would work. By the way, I cannot taste the spinach at all, and I add a large handful.

I highly recommend immersion blenders if you plan to use them every day because the cleanup is SO simple and mine was only about $25.


Oh oh the handheld kind you stick in the cup. Im gonna try that Im always lookin for ways to drink my veggies.... much easier and quicker !

[1953Diygal]

For me, it's been a combination of things.
1. quitting chemical dyes and going back to beautiful henna
2. oiling my hair on a regular basis, including castor oil
3. finding a shampoo and conditioner that keeps my hair adequately hydrated in this desert climate (to be specific, Enjoy Luxury shampoo and conditioner)
4. believe it or not...clarifying! When my hair feels gummy or coated, I use Ion clarifying shampoo for colored hair from Sally Beauty Supply
5. occasional heavy protein treatments with Nexxus Emergencee
6. utilizing a vitamin regimen, including GNC UltraNourishHair, a silica suppliment, and an MSM suppliment

The good thing is that my regrowth from my terrible mats that had to be cut/combed out and the hair that fell out when I was sick is now about 3-4 inches long and it's really shiny and thick!!! Yay!

[1953Diygal]

Oh, and I try to eat steel cut oatmeal and fresh apples every day.....they're a natural source of silica! :D

[mrsbob]

I probably should post this question seperately, but here goes...I bought some coconut oil awhile back, but was surprised that it's hard as a rock solid!

How the heck am I supposed to use this on my hair? I keep reading how wonderful it is...but I have no clue where to start. I don't want to micro wave it because I don't want to mess with the chemical balance of it....

Any advice?

[freckles]

I probably should post this question seperately, but here goes...I bought some coconut oil awhile back, but was surprised that it's hard as a rock solid!

How the heck am I supposed to use this on my hair? I keep reading how wonderful it is...but I have no clue where to start. I don't want to micro wave it because I don't want to mess with the chemical balance of it....

Any advice?

Coconut oil has a melting point right around room temperature (well, depending on how warm you keep your rooms!) so sometimes it will be solid, sometimes liquid. Mine is almost always solid, except when it gets very warm in the summer. But if you take out a fingertip sized piece and rub it between your palms it will melt quickly, and you can then rub it into your hair :)

[mrsbob]

Thanks, Freckles! I set the jar on a heat register and now it's melted! Didn't realize it would melt so quick!

[Sophiawavyhair]

I stopped flat ironing and trim my hair monthly to get rid of the damage. 4 months later, BIG difference :)

[NouvelleNymphe2]

I stopped flat ironing and trim my hair monthly to get rid of the damage. 4 months later, BIG difference :)

Your hair in your siggy looks beautiful and shiny! What lovely condition progress :).

[Mountaingrrl]

Using lots of conditioner has made the most visible difference for me. I condition once for slip, then slather plenty of heavy conditioner and let it sit awhile. This makes my hair softer and shinier.

[MsBubbles]

Alternating a good clarifying session followed by SMT, with a generous dosing of coney conditioner :). Neither one works wonders on its own but together my hair looks healthier.

[Rocket22]

No more bleach, Coconut Oil, heat fee styling have been the biggest difference. But I have a lot of damage to get through so it will take awhile of doing this stuff to really see a huge difference.

[RachieBaby]

1 - Trying henna, can't believe how shiny my hair looks
2 - No heat styling ( I probably use a flat iron about once a month, if that)
3 - coconut oil/ argan oil on the ends of my hair (soooooo much less tangly!)
4 - keeping it up as much as possible! I probably wear my hair up 80% of the time!

[RitaCeleste]

Oh, you cvan get whole bottles of the conditioner to use on newly colored hair. Look for DeveloPlus ColorCare. You can deep condition with this stuff. I like Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose as a leave in conditioner and deep conditioner and wouldn't want to live without it ever again. I also found out I like Aphogee Moisturizing Oil Sheen Spray. Sure it takes about 45 mins to soak in fully so my hair doesn't look oily. Sure its tricky to make sure you don't spray on too much. But the results are shiny healthy looking hair. Who can resist?

[ooo]

c/o and acv definitely.
last night I blow fright, because I'm sick. made my hair all big, but also more frizz and a lot less sleeky.

[jasper]

What has made the most VISIBLE difference in your hair ?
I hate to say this, but, scissors!

I mean, apart from just using conditioner as opposed to never bothering with it, trimming to neaten up a ratty hemline has made the most visible difference.

[xoxophelia]

Well the biggest difference for me came from giving up heat.. The biggest difference due to products I would say was starting to shampoo less because it tends to make my hair dull and frizzy if I shampoo even every other day.

[xoxophelia]

No more bleach, Coconut Oil, heat fee styling have been the biggest difference. But I have a lot of damage to get through so it will take awhile of doing this stuff to really see a huge difference.


Same here. I have been seeing a big difference but it is mostly "ooo nice roots coming in and bad length" instead of "O.O is that my hair? eep.. what have I done.. <<"

[RitaPG]

Coconut oil. Oh My God I can never get tired of answering this. It's the best thing I ever got <3 :D

[Chiara]

Washing my hair less (now weekly with a sulfate-free shampoo); water only rinses in between
Using a leave-in conditioner after all washes (including WO rinses), on the length when it is still wet.

[MandyBeth]

Most VISIBLE difference remains the damage. Grrrrr. Henna is not my friend. Using coconut oil instead of conditioner made it a million times worse.

Most visible benefit - going back to my beloved cones. Makes my hair happy and keeps the floaty fluff under control.

[PraiseCheeses]

It took a while to really show, but I think the biggest difference can be attributed to exchanging my cat-teethmark-riddled plastic pick from the early 80s and my plastic ball-tip bristle brush for:

- detangling wet hair gently and patiently with fingers instead of aforementioned pick
- a resin Palm Pic from Hairsense, used after finger detangling
- a bamboo pin brush from Earth Therapeutics

The four inches or so of new growth I've had since joining are much smoother and have significantly fewer short flyaways. There is a visible demarcation line where the broken hairs start.

For the length, coconut oil has done wonders. It's even better if I add just a couple drops of olive oil into the melted coconut oil. :)

[MaryRose]

I have changed my whole hair routine. For the month of March, I changed my shampoo to mane n tail. I wash and condition every other day. After the wash and condition, I towel dry my hair and I also use the conditioner as a leave-in. Then I let my hair air dry. Once dried I use a wide tooth comb and also put my hair up when I sleep. I have been taking Biotin 1 tablet 5 times a day. This sounds like a lot to me but that is what the directions say on the bottle. My hair is much lighter, shinier, and fuller. I can even tell that it has grown a bit. I took mearsurements today and will wait a month just to see how fast my hair grows. My 10 yr old daughter is using the same method as me, except she takes a childrens vitamin not the Biotin, and her hair is noticebly different for the better too. Her hair is stick straight and mine is straight with waves.

[Fingolphin]

Stopping blow-drying, quitting hairspray, and switching to a wide-toothed wooden comb! :cool:

[mrsbob]

This is really a helpul thread...so many great suggestions.

Where do you guys buy your biotin?

[Natalia]

For me when i was S&C or COing regularly a ACV rinse after conditioner gave me sparkley shine. Now that im WO im struggling to find the happy balance in my acid rinse again :(. The other thingtha made a hige differance is figuringout what is the RIGHT oil for ME. Not everyone responds the same way not even if you have the same hairtype. And your wash routine has an effect on that. When i was S&C i liked coconut oil now that im WO it makes me gunky. Now my hair prefers shea and coco butters.

I know its not of much helps but experimentation does yeild results. For oils id try one in each catgory (heavy liquid like olive, light liquid like grapeseed, light solid like coconut, heavy solid like shea or cocoa butter) and see which of them your hair responds to best and venture more into that catagory. Also for acid rinses not all are the same. Some respond beter to citric acid than AVC, and some like white vinegar better than ACV, and some people like lemon juice. Though an item can have simila rproperties they dont all act the same. Like i said not of much help just what ive learned in my time here :). Best wishes!

[joyfulheart18]

For me, Argan oil really reduced frizz and made my hair softer and shinier.

[SolSara]

The length! :wink:

Product wise I think quitting 'cones and sulphates. :) That got me soft, wavy, flowing and non-dry hair. :)

[californiagirl]

ACV rinses and oiling. I went on vacation for about a week and didn't take either along with me. When it came to combing my hair out, it was much more tangly because of the lack of the ACV, and it was very very frizzy because I had not oiled.
I am definitely a convert to both!

[Zefyra]

In short, leaving it alone.
I tried many things to try to make it 'healthier' or 'nicer', but I realized, my hair was fine before and I dont really have the time for all that stuff...
Also, its grown alot recently, and I lightened it quite a bit before I really found this place, so thats been the biggest change.
But, the routine I had before I came here was fine. Wash every few days, condition, wrap it in a towel and ignore it for an hour. Put in some leave-in and ignore it some more. When its dry, comb out the tangles and ignore it again. If its annoying, put it up. The only real changes that I think will stick will be that I only wash my scalp, with diluted shampoo, Im better about taking my vitamins, and I learned the right way to comb, and I dont straighten it anymore... Giving up my straightener has helped with the dryness, but Im still getting used to my hairs frizzy 1b-ness..

[jil]

"Cocaloe cream" (coconut oil, aloe vera gel and avocado oil). This has really helped my ends retain more moisture and helps some of my short stubborn hairs lay flat. :) I keep looking for that one product that will magically tame my hair, but so far I'm still searching. :pray:

[my2cats1]

Applying olive oil to the ends at night made a huge difference for me. Just a little to dry hair, comb, then put in a high bun to sleep. I wish I knew this trick years ago!

[julliams]

Though oiling was my original 'Holy Grail' when I first came to LHC, I've since found that using Garnier Triple Nutrition conditioner as a leave in is WAY better. I have never had my hair feel so amazingly moisturized and soft as when I use it! Here's a quick how-to for how I apply it:
1. Wash hair (for now, I'm using very diluted shampoo on my scalp only) and rinse
2. Apply about half a palmful of GTN to the length, starting at the ends and working up. I use a brush in the shower to really get it worked in (I brush my scalp, too, so the conditioner gets applied there).
3. Let hair alone for the rest of your shower, DON'T rinse out.
4. Dry and style as usual, and enjoy!

Here's a thread about GTN if anyone is interested:http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=50881

I'm trying this as we speak although I used my normal shampoo and conditioner and used only a little GTN as a leave-in. It was on sale for $2.60 so I figured it was worth trying. I'll post my results on the other thread.

[morecowbell]

I'm trying this as we speak although I used my normal shampoo and conditioner and used only a little GTN as a leave-in. It was on sale for $2.60 so I figured it was worth trying. I'll post my results on the other thread.

Awesome, it really is inexpensive for how well it works, I'm going out to stock up today! :)

[Oksana]

Throwing the straighteners away - Hands down!

[Dark Queen]

Throwing the straighteners away - Hands down!

Definitely this!

[alxardnax]

Coconut oil and CO. I also love what putting coffee in my hair for 20 min to overnight does. It makes me hai so shiny and soft!

[silverjen]

Vinegar rinses make the biggest visible difference, since my hair is much shinier with them.

[jesis]

Regular S&D and henna have made the most visible difference in my hair.

[MoonlightShadow]

:) i think co-washing really helped my hair

[CurlyZ]

CO wash and coconut oil!

[co.co]

Oiling and braiding everyday (sometimes a few times a day) before wash day! SO much nicer. Also the first time I did an SMT I was pretty in love with the difference!

[Justy]

For me it was CO. I was shedding a LOT before I started CO, now I only see a few hairs fall when I wash and I dont fill the brush with hair in 2 days anymore. Switching to cone-free, GTN, helped my hair look even better. I hadn't realized how much buildup there was from 'cones.

I did my first SMT on the weekend and loved the difference in my hair, so soft, smooth, and shiny! I will definitely be doing those on a regular basis.

[Bellatrix]

Henna, because it makes my hair shiny and reddish. And air-drying. And not towel drying/letting it drip dry (this is HUGE to getting well-defined curls).

[alxardnax]

CO Washing and Coconut Oil. Completely transformed my hair texture.

[alxardnax]

For me it was CO. I was shedding a LOT before I started CO, now I only see a few hairs fall when I wash and I dont fill the brush with hair in 2 days anymore.
AGREE! I didn't realize how much I would shed using shampoos with sls until after running out of my CO and temporarily going back to sls shampoo! HOLY COW! I don't know how I had so much hair left all those years!

[Sunny_side_up]

:)I too agree with the above post! I went back to sls shampoo briefly, whoa did i suffer, hair shed and hands skin was irritated and red:(
Routine thats suiting me best for now is sls free shampoo-a completely natural one and back to no cones. Just coconut oil on damp ends, but not too much as my hair is lacking in volume. Occasional cones previously, but over time had that feeling of build up. So good old sodium bicarb clarifying( not often at all)

[Kalie]

Sorry but im new...What is CO and how does it slow shedding/hair loss?
Kalie

[jesis]

Camellia Oil!

[silverjen]

Actually, most people mean conditioner only, I believe. It's where you only use conditioner on your hair, no shampoo at all. Conditioner does dissolve oil, so it can act like a gentle cleaning agent.

Lots of people swear by it. It didn't work for me, but we all have different hair.

[ksanka02]

I stoped bleaching my hair and switched to henna. Made huge difference in breakage and split ends.
Also I used to comb/brush my hair wet (ouch), I was so afraid that if I don't brush right away, my hair will tangle and I would have to cut tangles out.
Switched to sulfate, silicone and pretty much chemical free shampoo (I am buing organic now and read label very carefully)
Started using coconut oil (hello softness!)

[gthlvrmx]

It's curlier and stays curly longer, less tangles :) by a whole bunch, and it shines more! castor oil and the egg stuff helped :)

[SallyCinnamon]

The things that made the most visible difference:

1. I stopped dying my hair with permanent haircolor. A month or two after I stopped, I had a whole bunch of new baby hairs starting to come in. They are just now reaching the length where they mostly lay down.

2. Vitamins & Supplements. I take a one-a-day multi, Ultra Nourish Hair from GNC, and an omega-3 fish oil capsule. I started taking them a little over a year ago, and you can see the difference in the hair that's grown over that time. It is a lot healthier, shinier, a bit thicker than it used to be and it doesn't break as much.

3. Coconut oil. My favorite hair oil. I smooth a little on my ends after a shower and occasionally apply it to all my hair and do an overnight treatment. It has reduced my horrible split ends to almost nothing. I still get them now and then but nowhere near as much as I used to.

[Kalypso]

I have to say henna and coconut oil. I'm still working out my regime.

[Slinks]

For me it was just taking care of my hair, no product in particular I think. Ok, maybe oiling my hair regularly.
I was going to say this when I get to the end of this thread .. it's rather long tho !! lol .. it's a bit of TLC :eyebrows: