what's the best tip you've gotten from LHC?

[americanjan1]

What's the best tip you've gotten at LHC? Mine is CO. I didn't think it would work for my fine hair but it has been the best thing I've done so far.

[whitestiletto]

Definitely definitely CO. Has prevented my seborheic dermatitis from returning. :) Also henna rather than chemical dyes, my hair is SO much softer now! Also I'm preparing to get stoked for my BBB but it hasn't come in the mail yet.

PS I thought your name was 'Amerijuanican (http://www.cmdistro.com/images/xlarge/20145.jpg)' at first glance. LOL whoops.

[americanjan1]

Yes, CO has really helped me. I want to try oiling but I'm still skittish about it since my hair is so fine. I'm also growing out layers which is a gigantic PITA. I've been growing them out for three years!

[Nae]

"Quit trying everything at once and be patient." That is the best tip I ever got here, hands down.

[americanjan1]

Yes! I do that...I want to try everything at once. I need to remember that!

[mrs.bad85]

CO and coconut oil and SMT have done amazing things to my hair. It's also the cheapest regimen I have ever tried and the best results!!


I can't wait until I hit BSL I want to try for crown braids:cheese:




Don't forget the many links to youtube for awesome updos

[kidari]

distilled water and a squirt of V05 conditioner in a mister for damp bunning

[chenille]

Tip used as intended? CO washing. Tip with unexpected benefits? I bought camellia oil to try on my hair. It doesn't do much for my hair but just a drop as a facial moisturizer has done wonders for my combination skin!

[MissManda]

Self-trimming! My hair wouldn't be nearly as awesome as it is now if I hadn't learned to trim my hair with no assistance. It feels so good to know that I don't need to rely on another person to trim my hair for me and not having to worry about taking off too much length.

[americanjan1]

I would LOVE to self-trim but I am terrified of looking like I used pinking shears!

[Madora]

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)! Works wonders!

[MissManda]

I understand. I was so very terrified of cutting my own hair, but I just read the instructions several times just to let it all sink in and waited until I felt ready to do it. The only time I felt scared of making my hair look bad was during my first trim.

If it helps, I'm visually impaired with 20/400 eyesight and shaky hands, so if I can do it, then almost anyone can! :D

Happy growing!

[americanjan1]

I think I will follow suit and read the instructions repeatedly and then try it...maybe!

[luthein]

You're not too <something> to have long hair.

[MissManda]

You're not too <something> to have long hair.

Oh, this too! ;) :cheese:

[americanjan1]

Yeah...that's a good one too.

[jil]

Jojoba oil for dry ends! :)

[sun-kissed]

That long hair should be healthy hair, and the only way to get that is to (a) trim, (b) condition it, and (c) STOP BRUSHING IT!

So yeah, I would say it's a tie between my BBB, self-trims, and coconut oil. (;

[Anje]

CO washing (not to be confused with coconut oil...). Major difference in hair quality, moisture, frizz, and oil production!

[DoubleCrowned]

Antique lace and oil of any sort.

[Jenn of Pence]

That proteins can cause dry, gnarly ends, followed by CWC.

[americanjan1]

What is the antique lace tip??

[Copasetic]

Accept your natural texture. By far the best piece of hair-advice I have ever received.

[archel]

So far, it's oiling. But I think in the long run (and this is a new, ongoing process) it may be to accept my hair's natural waves/wurls and stop trying to force it straight. I haven't really figured out all the best ways to do this yet, though. But I think my hair may eventually thank me for not brushing the crap out of it and weighing it down with silicones trying to make it into something it's not.

Oh and yeah the whole "older women should have short hair" thing is a bunch of hooey. You ladies know! <3

[christine1989]

I would say it is a tie between henndigo and leave in conditioners (Nightblooming's panaceas in particular).

[DoubleCrowned]

What is the antique lace tip??

Treat your hair gently as if it were antique lace. That was an important concept for me because I was taught to treat it very harshly--hard scrubbing, harsh shampoo, vigorous rubbing of the wet length with coarse towels -- same with the scalp, fast brushing before detangling, rubber bands, cheap metal barrettes... the works.

[SoulOfTheSea]

Gosh there are so many tips to choose from @_@

I'd have to say jojoba oil, because I used to use silicone serums, and jojoba oil for my off that habit. Plus it makes my hair so shiny and frizz-free =)

[Melon Collie]

There's no need to wash your hair on a daily basis.

Finger comb before combing or brushing.

And for gawd's sake, stop using that cheap plastic comb and brush.

[Angel_099]

Hmmmm....so hard to choose...but I would have to say...

two words....

COCONUT OIL!!!

My skin and hair are both sooooo thankful for finding out about this!:)

[Loreley]

Oiling and avoiding sulfates and cones. These are the best. :)

[auburn]

HONEY :P

it's great!

[Mingle]

I'm still a newbie, so I'm not sure yet. So far, I like the CWC method.

[CrystalStar]

A close match been CO and oiling! They're both part of my permanent hair routine. :D

[Lianna]

Castor oil for hair growth (on scalp).

[Liss]

Avoid cones to avoid the lank greasy build up... self trimming... CO...clarify occasionally... ACV rinses...

[Neneka]

Honey (and cinnamon) lightening.

[TheCaityCat]

ACV rinses! Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. It's the cheapest and more effective detangler/clarifier that I've ever used.

[Dragon]

The best tips I have gotten is co wasing, useing a clarifying shampoo every so often and detangle with a comb before brushing.

[annieangel149]

coconut oil as a deep treatment on dry hair, left overnight and washed out with co the next morning! works great for me :D

[Dars]

The whole concept of self cutting hair.

[Alaia]

The best tip I've got?

I have to admit I haven't been adventurous with methods, but probably the best would be oiling and all the updos :lol:

[kdaniels8811]

No one uses herbs? I have gone exclusively natural, hendigo, shikaki for washing, catnip tea for conditioners, coconut oils. Works better than conventional methods - for me - and it is cheap!

[Stub]

Oiling for sure! I'd been BS/ACV for several months before coming here or I'd have to say those!

[pocketsmall]

Oiling, and I'm becoming interested in hairtoys/updos for the first time in my life!

[MissAlida]

Clarifying with baking soda, and ACV rinse. I replaced shampooing entirely with this , and my hair was never happier.:crush:

[americanjan1]

I'm definitely going to try the catnip rinse!

[bushy]

I am afraid to self trim too.

[Rtzgrl]

Using evoo for dry ends, and how to use hair sticks. I was getting so tired of scrunchie buns.

[Bohemian Haze]

It's been said already....you're not too old, tall, short, fat, thin, round-faced etc etc for long hair. I hear this stuff so much in everyday life, it's so refreshing to read that ANYONE can enjoy healthy long hair!

[chahuahuas]

CWC! only, I think I CWC for different reasons than most here. I do it to detangle before I wash my hair. (If I detangle after I wash my hair, it gets even more tangled, and then my curls get flattened by my Tangle Teezer.)

[Mairéad]

CO for me, and I have straight fine(ish)hair! Also coconut oil and ACV rinses. One day, once I have enough hair, I hope self trims are added to the list.

[CitznMag]

Patience, patience, patience. Oh did I say, patience? :)

[wishywashy]

I had been using oils (evoo, jojoba and coconut) before joining LCH, But I didn't know that I needed to clarify with ACV to avoid build-up.

Switched to CO and CWC, satin hair cap when sleeping, not washing hair everyday, deep conditioning and using a bbb in the proper manner has helped TONS.

[wishywashy]

I had been using oils (evoo, jojoba and coconut) before joining LCH, But I didn't know that I needed to clarify with ACV to avoid build-up.

Switched to CO and CWC, satin hair cap when sleeping, not washing hair everyday, deep conditioning and using a bbb in the proper manner has helped TONS.
woops! LHC...not LCH :)

[gthlvrmx]

Have patience! So benign neglect is pretty amazing for me ;)

[Khiwanean]

For me it would have to be CO and coconut oil. My hair is has so much more wave than I used to think it did! Oh and cold water rinses for shine.

[ptricia]

You friend of mine from te Dutch Raponsje Forum gave me a small jar of Pancea's hair salve. I've just used it once because I just got it. But I think I'm falling in love... It feels great.

[curlymarcia]

My hair love the sweet almond oil that I discover thanks to LHC. I also use now a satin pillowcase, and my curls are less tangle when I wake up. And scalp massage really worth it.

[americanjan1]

I totally broke out the satin pillow case last night!

[Nettles]

To stop using hair spray everyday and to control the flyaways with oil or aloe gel.

[Ligeia_13]

woops! LHC...not LCH :)

When I read LHC anywhere, I always always hear it as "LCH" in my head. Its weird.

I've picked up the CO method.
And castor oil.
I think those are the two most important.

[Oldfashioned]

Coconut oil! Torrin paige suggested it in one of her tutorials and she's the reason I checked out LHC. And of course I got hooked! :D

[irishlady]

Coconut Oil..it's a lifesaver for my dry ends. :)

[Bast]

Patience and the two-week rule.

[americanjan1]

Yeah, the two week rule is so hard to follow. I need to force myself to have some patience.

[BeccaAngel]

I can't pick just one, I take every suggestion into consideration. I appreciate the advice I get from this site, I learned way more after I joined than I thought I could. The tips and advice can just keep on comin! :)

[ibleedlipstick]

Three things:
CO washing/spreading out washes.
Nightblooming Panacea

And probably the most important:

It is my hair. I can do whatever I want to with it.

[Kosmos]

Don't brush your hair wet and use wide-toothed combs. Coconut oiling and ACV have also saved my life. I come from a family where nobody knew how to take care of hair and I never thought my hair could look good.

[clairenewcastle]

Catnip rinses.

I'd never heard of catnip being used on hair prior to joining this community.

[Yame]

Bun that hair!

[Tressie]

Updos, oils, sleepcaps, and the caution to "detangle slowly with a wide-toothed comb"! Thanks Madora! :flowers:

Sorry, that's more than one tip! :flower:

[Raiscake]

Coconut oil! It's been a godsend. :D

[summerjade]

There are so many things I have learned here!! The two that has helped my hair the most is oiling and bunning.

[Quezie]

Oiling my hair, and cwc!

[QueenJoey]

Oils! My new favorite hobby/addiction/guilty pleasure is going down to the health food store and seeing their endless supply of essential oils and carrier oils. Oh, it just make my heart happy.

Also, ACV rinses. "Umm, people dump vinegar on their heads?!" was my first reaction, but I eventually tried it, and I don't get how I've lived without it!

[fashionaddict]

SMT ja CO for sure! :thumbsup:
After I started COing I realized that most of the damage to my hair was done by the harsh SLS shampoos. My hair is so much softer and less damaged now.
SMT was a cherry on the pie if you will. At first, my family was sceptical to say the least about my new hair care routine but after my first few SMTs (and a bunch of compliments) they now accept it and lovingly make their witch-and-her-cauldron jokes when I am whipping something up.:magic:

[Sweetie]

:)soo many things....to summarize....henna and self trimming

[erialc]

Patience... and oiling. Not using sls-shampoo has made the biggest difference, but I started CO washing way before I found this forum.

[Seishin]

Soooooo many to choose from, but for me oiling and henna. Better late than never I say

[Jing]

The marriage of oils and mister bottles! I can't wrap my mind around the idea of properly spreading such a small amounth oil with my fingers, but mixing coconut oil with distilled water works magic. ACV rinses were a revelation, but trying them is what lead me here to begin with.

[Aqua Gal]

Hmmmm....maybe self trimming? (sorry, so many awesome things to choose from.)

When my hair was a lot longer I learned to trim exclusively at home. LHC gave me the courage to try it and I really love it.

[ashke50]

Strangely I think the most useful thing I have learnt from LHC is how easy my hair is to look after, comparatively, and how difficult some people's hair can be.
I never understood how people could have unmanageable hair, and assumed it was just a flimsy excuse. Hanging out here has shown me the error of that thought - some people really do have hair that is hard to look after, and requires a lot of care! I can do things for my hair involving lots of care, but if I don't it will still look and behave alright, so I hadn't appreciated how different other hair was.

[embee]

What a challenge.... only *one* best tip? arrrgh...

Maybe it's NW/SO as a routine -
or how to use hairsticks -
or my daily go-to updo?

A year ago it would have been WO as a routine in contest with the hairsticks and updo styles

Perhaps it's the ability to choose a really oddball routine.

Benign neglect is my friend also, but I already knew that before I found LHC.

[Jcv-Shelley]

Don't kill your locks with too much protein. :D

[americanjan1]

I'm so glad I learned to stop using SLS shampoos. I never realized how detrimental to my hair they actually are.

[mallorykay13]

Vitamins!!! Biotin, B complex, Iron!

[giuditta]

No more cones, oiling, how to henna, hairtoys, the list of what I learned in a short time on this forum is never ending :)

[Redbeetle36]

Coconut oil & EVOO, CO washing, hair up, henna (actually I had a love/hate relationship with henna until I realised I had a protein buildup problem-now that's sorted I love henna again!). I would say though that the absolute best thing was finding this site! End of!

[racrane]

One thing only? Well, I figured out heat was bad on my own among other things, so probably switching to no cones would be my answer. Never thought about it before and my hair is so much more wavy/curly now. Makes me very happy.

[Ermine]

My CO routine (no cones, dilute it, rinse with ACV). I don't think I would have figured it out if it weren't for LHC and it's doing wonders. That and coconut oil. I've had dandruff to varying degrees for a long time and really didn't want to use the harsh anti-dandruff shampoos which only made my scalp drier and my hair a tangled mess. Saturating my hair and scalp with coconut oil has been so much better for my dandruff. My hair and scalp are much happier as a result. Smells better too!

Oh, and the idea of henna. I've always wanted to dye my hair red (I think I will once it's longer) but the chemical red dyes fade in a couple weeks for me. Henna seems like a dream come true, strengthening hair and keeping it red until it grows out.

[LoversLullaby]

CO washing and no protein. :D

[lindaton]

How to use a hairstick! Never dreamed one little stick could hold all this hair up.

[EmiliaF]

Oils! My new favorite hobby/addiction/guilty pleasure is going down to the health food store and seeing their endless supply of essential oils and carrier oils. Oh, it just make my heart happy.


This! I can not pass any health food store without running in and checking their oil section :cheese:

[pineconejg]

Don't shampoo so often, coconut oil, and keep it up to avoid tangles and tearing.

[americanjan1]

Satin pillowcases!

[dulce]

Oil your ends and don't brush curly hair.

[pelicano]

Try a chelating shampoo. :) Oh and try argan oil.

[AnqeIicDemise]

The hair tips, for the most part was forgotten lore to me. I only did them because Gammy said so. She moved with my auntie in 2000, right before I joined colorguard and fried my hair. She passed away in 2003 and wasn't around to share her wealth of knowledge when I decided to grow out my pixie. LHC is like having my Gammy back. <3<3

But the best, NEW tip I got from the boards? The up dos. The monthly challenges are amazing and absolutely inspirational. I think I've only had my hair loose about two weeks since I started the up do challenge in March (and this is collectively). About a month of that was just basic ponys as I got really lazy in May.

[RitaCeleste]

I co-wash and oil but I picked that tidbit elsewhere. The biggest thing has been I learned a bun and put my hair up some now. Once I got my hair into good condition, the putting it up has seemed HUGE. I didn't think I'd ever wear it up before I came here and found hair toys.

[kidari]

So many CO responses made me want to try it again. Never thought I would say this but I'm also considering stretching washes!

[tinfoilsally]

CO-washing, without a doubt.

[sarahbrownie]

Sock buns! OMG, so fantastic. I wear my hair in a sock bun nearly everyday!