Regime Change - I Need New Marching Orders!

[Arianoor]

I just found the forum last week and have been reading avidly ever since. I have come to the conclusion that I am committing multiple hair sins! I'm hoping for some help with a regime change. My hair is 1b, F, ii-ish and is down to my lower back, I am a natural dark blonde and my hair is greasy within 24 hours of shampooing.

Here is what I do currently:

Shampoo with Garnier Fructis Body Boost, roots only.
Condition with Mane and Tail, tips to the base of my neck.
Apply Frizz-Ease Thermal Protection Hair Serum, tips to the base of my neck.
Comb hair with a wide tooth comb.
Allow to mostly air dry then put in a ponytail at work with a flat, no metal band.

I blow dry it about once a week and curl it maybe once or twice a month. I have relatively bad split ends and feel like it looks frizzy. I want to grow it to classic length, but am pretty sure that it is not going to make it attractively without some assistance.

Help!?!

[Madora]

[COLOR="Blue"]I am not acquainted with those shampoo products (or the conditioners either) but it would seem to me that you have too many products and they are clashing with one another.

Select one shampoo and work with it for a while (at least 2 weeks).
Ditto, use one conditioner for your hair. Try diluting both the shampoo and the conditioner.

Airdrying is perfect for protecting your fragile hair.

Ponytails should be avoided as they can cause hair loss via friction and pulling the delicate hairs back too tightly. The ponytail itself becomes tangled thru the day, requiring detangling, which means additional damage incurred from the detangling process.

I also recommend trims every 3 months or so to get rid of splits. If you don't remove the splits, they will continue to split, thus ruining the strand.

For the health of your hair and your scalp, brushing every day with a pure boar bristle brush (no nylon!) is the best way to keep your hair healthy, lusterous and soft. The WAY you brush also determines how your hair looks!

The natural boar bristles understand the structure of the human hair and interact well with them. The bristles themselves can come in a variety of colors and can be thick or thin, long, or short. A good boar bristle brush should have at least 6 diagonal rows of bristles and no rubber base. (Rubber and plastic are synthetics and they create heat, which is not good for your hair).

The best way to comb your hair is to bend at the waist, and bring all the hair in front of you, like a curtain. Use your wide tooth comb to detangle the hair, gently and slowly, by starting at the ends, and taking a SMALL PORTION of your hair and working your way up the strands. Continue until all the hair has been thoroughly detangled.

Then take your bbb in your hand and slowly brush from nape to forehead. Follow each motion of the brush with the palm of your other hand. This helps remove static created by the brushing motion.

When all the "canopy" hair has been brushed, then brush the undercanopy in the same manner.

When brushing is completed, part your hair from nape to forehead so that it is in two sections.

With your right hand, take the ends of the hair in the right section. Repeat on the other side.

Now stand erect. Take the right hand hair and drop it gently behind your right shoulder. Do likewise with the left! Do NOT toss/fling/throw your hair! This only makes more tangles!

Now you can style as desired.

I've been practicing the George Michael method of beautiful long hair care since 1960 and it works! The proof is in the pudding, and you're cordially invited to visit my hair album and see my hair pictures.

[Anje]

Since you get greasy so fast, it's possible that you're reacting to the drying qualities of shampoo by making more oil. Not everyone does, but I know I do.

Easy first step: Try diluting your shampoo with water. Generally use less. Ideally, don't dilute more than, say, a week's worth at a time, just so there's no risk of anything growing in it once you've diluted the preservatives.
Easy second step: Using your diluted shampoo, try CWC washing instead of leaving the hair uncovered when you shampoo. That will help protect the length from the harshness of the shampoo. Leave putting full-strength shampoo on the length and ends as an occasional thing for when they're really not behaving.

[Arianoor]

Thanks!

I'll definitely look into the bbb thing. Do you have a brand recommendation? I'll also start the shampoo diluting and CWC. ;-)

I am truly horrible at hair styles, but I can do a bun. Is that less damaging than a pony? Does it matter if I put it up wet?

[krissykins]

How often do you use the Frizz Ease serum? If you're not heat styling every day, you might not need it.

It sounds like your hair is getting greasy from the shampoo drying your hair out too much, like Anje said (she's one smart cookie). She gave excellent advice, but I would recommend also trying some new protective hairstyles rather than wearing your hair in a ponytail every day.

I'm going to link to some articles that I think will help:

Ursula's Standard Newbie Advice (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39)
Kirin's beginner's primer for sorting out the advice (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=65)
Damaged Hair: Understanding, Preventing, Rehabilitating (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79)
Heidi's Oiling Tutorial (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=71)
Kirin's Hair Diagnostic Tips (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44)
To Cone or Not To Cone (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=13)
Keeping Split Ends At Bay (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8)
Hair Typing (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=164)
Searching LHC (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=213) (this one I link to because I'm sure you'll have questions and it will help to know how to utilize the search function; also, I wrote it :wink:)

There's a lot of advice contained in those articles, and you might feel overwhelmed. You don't have to read them all at once, but feel free to refer back to them over and over.

[Arianoor]

Hi! I switched to CWC over the weekend and also bought some jojoba oil and tried that. I already feel and see a difference. Thanks! I'm still trying to wade through all of the info. Your links have been really helpful, KrissyKins. ;-)

[Gulbahar]

It's quite possible that daily brushing with a BBB will damage your hair. It does for many of us. But give it a try first!

[LaurelSpring]

Since your hair type is somewhat similar to mine, my suggestion would be to try not using silicones and see if you like it. That made a world of difference in my hair. I also agree on the not doing a ponytail every day thing. This can cause breakage. Microtrims and dustings helped get my damage off gradually.

[heidi w.]

I just found the forum last week and have been reading avidly ever since. I have come to the conclusion that I am committing multiple hair sins! I'm hoping for some help with a regime change. My hair is 1b, F, ii-ish and is down to my lower back, I am a natural dark blonde and my hair is greasy within 24 hours of shampooing.

Here is what I do currently:

Shampoo with Garnier Fructis Body Boost, roots only.
Condition with Mane and Tail, tips to the base of my neck.
Apply Frizz-Ease Thermal Protection Hair Serum, tips to the base of my neck.
Comb hair with a wide tooth comb.
Allow to mostly air dry then put in a ponytail at work with a flat, no metal band.

I blow dry it about once a week and curl it maybe once or twice a month. I have relatively bad split ends and feel like it looks frizzy. I want to grow it to classic length, but am pretty sure that it is not going to make it attractively without some assistance.

Help!?!

Garnier Fructis shampoo is a big zero shampoo for my money. My opinion is it's a blowhard advertisement.

Mane 'n' Tail conditioner is good, as long as you apply it with fairly warm water so the uptake can bond with the cortex of your hair. IF the water is too cool, it's more likely to sit on the hair's surface as a kind of greasy film.

I would detangle from the bottom up.....when the hair is damp, not sopping, dripping wet. This state of affairs of sopping wet means the hair is fully extended in length, and more detangling will stretch the hair.

You also need to seriously consider a different set of methods for putting your hair up or away. Ponytailing at the same spot can cause a line of demarcation, a kind of thinning in that spot, or increase in damage in that spot. Variation in updos is key. Don't pin the same every day; don't put up the same way with a stick daily, don't ponytail.

In fact, for my money, a ponytail barely protects the hair. The entire length is still subject to wind, and getting caught and swishing against clothing fabrics such as knits of harder cottons and general movement which can incite tangles.....

I would think about learning a variety of updos, which your hair is long enough to handle and put up, and I would think about combinations of braiding and updo.

The Long Hair Loom has an updo section where people with photos show the how-to of updos. There's some of that on this forum: it's just harder to find.

I would highly recommend sleeping on a satin or similarly smooth pillowcase so the hair can slide. As you gain length, you may need to find some such fabric and place it down the backside or side of the bed. IN fact, I have a king sized satin pillowcase, and I pool my hair on the excess fabric for the night.

It's important to let the hair relax during the night. DOn't wear in an updo, nor a ponytail with the hair drawn in a way other than it's normal way it grows in. You want to give the capillaries just under the surface of the scalp skin a break. This is what causes headaches, I believe. These capillaries swell when hair is drawn in a direction other than it grows in, and can be tight or uncomfortable, or heavy, even....

Make sure when you tangle you truly begin at the bottom.

Perhaps consider getting a little trim of an inch or so, and then getting regular trims along the way on a schedule that agrees with the rate of your hair growth. This way you can maintain the hemline's integrity without in the end needing a huge trim when you reach your goal length. Hair grows an average of 6 inches a year, on average, 1/2 inch per month. So I'd suggest a trim perhaps every three months, or perhaps even twice a year. More frequently, less taken off, such as 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch.....so you are not removing all the growth gained! That's the idea.

I would suggest a trim that is not straight across because most hair is not growing this way. Most hair grows in a kind of gentle u shaped (smile) form, a trace shorter at the sides (to account for the fact that hair is drawn behind the back for a trim, meaning some inches are lost to the curve over the shoulders).

IF you can ever get there, think about visiting a GM salon. There's one in Beverly Hills CA, the original one is in NY City/Manhattan (I've been there; it's wonderful), and there's one in Ohio (I've been to this one too).

You could learn about microtrimming or what folks here refer to as S&D, a method of triming out splits throughout the entire length of hair. You need to learn what hair looks like when you enter a growth phase (all these new hairielles in a kind of halo effect about the head...when they grow longer, weighing more, they'll lie down, then).

You could look into the merits of oiling length only with a carrier oil and Boar Bristle Brushing to polish the hair.

You could learn how to clean your detangling tools and keep them up so you don't ever accidentally infuse the scalp skin with bacteria. I have a very bad case of seborrheic dermatitus (a nasty form of dandruff) and I clean my detangling tools every time I wash my hair. I keep my combs very clean.

You'd be surprised at the buildup of gunk on combs that I've seen.

Never pile your hair when you wash it....Work shampoo into the length and squeeze it in the hair.

Consider getting a water filter on the shower head. It's cheap and easy to install with a simple screwdriver, usually....just change the filter regularly to kind of get the hair minerals out of your water. Water quality does matter.

For a good book on all things hair, that I believe everyone who cares about having long hair needs is Naturally Healthy Hair, by Mary Beth Janssen. It has recipes you can make yourself, info on how hair grows, info on styling.....and lots and lots of information about acid mantle and so on.

You are actually well on your way. But Garnier Fructis is one change I would make fairly rapidly. Beware of weirdo ideas about hair washing. While they work for some, basically hair washing is a hygienic process to clean the scalp skin and associated hair. And what works for you may not work for anyone else. Every head of hair and skin is unique. Find a person on this site that has a similar type as you and consider copying their regime, found in their blog or elsewhere, perhaps. Never go without conditioner. Always condition.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

It's quite possible that daily brushing with a BBB will damage your hair. It does for many of us. But give it a try first!

Knowing how to properly BBB, and what to expect makes a big difference as to one's experience.

BBBing generally is intended as a polishing mechanism, to apply oil or spread one's natural sebum to the lower lengths of the hair.

The bristles of this brush are fairly thick and as such generally does not penetrate the thickness of most people's hair. Thus you have to BBB separately the topside and underside. IF you try to penetrate your thickness, you can cause damage by pressing so hard.

It will flatten the scalp hair on top of the head. This can be a nice attribute when you put the hair up and want a sleek look. Tip the brush on its side and gently, once in an updo, slide the bristles along the top of the hair towards the bun.

BBBing is done AFTER the hair is already detangled. It is NOT a detangling tool. IF you face a knot while BBBing, switch to a detangling tool, or use your fingers to get the tangle out.

BBBing can produce flyaway. Sometimes this is because it's winter and the environment doesn't have sufficient moisture in the air (humidity). Many of us use a humidifier in our bedrooms at night during the winter. Helps hair; prevents nosebleeds and dry throat/mouth, prevents dry skin....during the bleak mid-winter.

Of course you can have static-y hair. You could stand on a rubber glove (as is suggested in GM's hair book).

He suggests leaning entirely over, and drawing all the hair forward, over the top of the head to hang in front of you and then to BBB.

You can oil the hair when dry and work this in with a BBB.

You can apply some oil by oiling the palms with a carrying oil (such as jojoba oil, coconut oil, apricot oil, etc, not a scented oil although you can blend in your palm some scented oil with that carrying oil and draw it all through the hair's length). It takes a few times to realize how little oil is needed, though. The first time or two you're likely to use too much (maybe even so much you have to get in the shower and wash the hair again!). There should be a sheen of oil on the palms, not a pool of oil. Tilt the hand about in the light and you see the sheen. This is typically plenty of oil. You can work this into a the brush's bristles, after a fresh washing of this brush, or into hair's length.

The bristles hold on to sebum or applied oil really well, and glides through the hair that is detangled......

DO not press hard.
Do not use on wet hair, ever.

Different people tell you different things about BBBing such as it helps to remove loose scalp skin scales, and the like. It can, but typically this is for polishing the hair. Blonde or lighter hair types will more likely notice the shininess of the hair. Darker hair types have a harder time with visible shininess because of how light reflects off of hair when dark or light haired.

Dark hair tends to absorb the light....

Commercials that show dark hair shiny are putting on a crapola load of some kind of shiner (typically filled with silicones or other cones) and then putting that head of hair under very intense light to get it to reflect the light....

Photographing hair can in fact be an art form unto itself, and there are a few that specialize in this kind of photography.

heidi w.

[krissykins]

Hi! I switched to CWC over the weekend and also bought some jojoba oil and tried that. I already feel and see a difference. Thanks! I'm still trying to wade through all of the info. Your links have been really helpful, KrissyKins. ;-)

I'm so glad to hear it! :D Let us know if you have more questions! :flower: