Your best LHC tips or advice

[SheeJee]

What's the best tips or advice you have got from LHC that you now swear by for your hair? I'll start :)

1. Co washing, this has saved my hair even though I've only done it for a few weeks, my hair is not as dry and it's not falling out as much. I use Kiwi Lime Squeeze Conditioner, followed by a more hydrating conditioner on the ends that I wash out

2. I dry my hair using a cotton tshirt, to reduce frizz and friction

3. Leave ins - I put oils in my wet hair after washing it to define my waves and to seal in moisture

4. Regular scalp massages with Rooibos tea, emu oil and clove oil - this has significantly reduced my hair fall after a week of daily massage with these. I am thinking of adding castor oil to this mix soon.

5. Not brushing my wavy hair!!!

6. Biolage ultra hydrating balm, which I remember reading about a month ago on LHC... now my HG hair product.

7. Regular SMT's (usually once a week or fortnight)

8. The proverbial 'treating your hair like it's a fine piece of silk' :)

Can't wait to read everyone else's!!

[silverjen]

The thing that has absolutely helped my hair the most is stretching washes. My scalp is happier and my ends no longer dry. Other than that, i try to keep the routine pretty simple.

[Copasetic]

Accept your natural texture.

[pes3108]

1.No chemicals
2. No heat
3. no rough brushing
4. Coconut oil a few hours before washing
After following just these 4 steps, my hair has grown like a weed and is soft and shiny. i love it!

[Yozhik]

Stretching washes and using oils. :)

[KwaveT]

Where do I even start since I knew absolutely nothing about taking care of hair.

1.Stop treating my hair so roughly. I would towel dry it like there is no tomorrow. Rip hair brushes right through my hair. I stopped fry drying my hair. I was burning my hand while blow drying so I can only imagine what that was doing to my hair.

2.Going conditioner only has helped with my dandruff and overly oily hair.

3.I use tangle teezer and boar bristle brush to detangle, massage, and eliminate sheds so they don't find their way into shower and sink drain.

4.I have learned to accept my natural hair. I have always try to comb and brush my hair like straight hair. Since I am growing it that isn't going to work anymore since my waves are going to sprout out.

5.I have found out which supplements help my hair with both its strength and speed of growth. I use those now.

[starlamelissa]

Before lhc I used to roughly towel dry, rip a brush thru it wet starting at the roots. Some how it grew to bra strap/ waist like that....

But now I don't get splits, like, ever.

[archel]

Ditch the sulfates and cones, ditch the box dye and heat styling, air dry only, SMTs, henna, castor oilings, seamless combs, BBBs, oil to seal, protective updos...gosh I could just keep going and going!

[teal]

Oh, man. Um, let's see, about 99% of my routine. LOL.

- stretching washes including no-poo
- CO-washing
- scalp massages
- protein, moisture and other deep treatments
- oiling
- dietary supplements
- BBB and horn combs (still waiting on the combs' arrival)
- hair styles
- hair toys
ETA: How could I forget S&D? Wouldn't have occurred to me to just trim visible damage off myself, even though I wasn't concerned about the shape of my hemline because I'm a fairytale ends kinda gal. (Wouldn't've known the term for that, either, without LHC!)

You know, the more I think about it, the more I think LHC gets that last percent after all. I really didn't know ANYTHING worth knowing about how to take care of my hair before coming here. Thanks, everybody! :flower:

[Madora]

EVOO courtesy of member JoJo (thanks again!) and
wearing my hair braided in a bun on top of my head. Made a world of difference and eliminated 99.9% of tangles.

[WinterButterfly]

Mine would be ditching the brush. I don't get as much splits and breakage. My hair is so much happier when it is treated gently.

[Avital88]

wow, this thread reminds me of the good care i used to take of my hair before this summer started..
I babied my hair sls free shampoo,co washing,s&d no dye and heatstyling,oiling the ends with coconut oil,almond oil,argan oil, my scalp with castor or amla oil and right now..hmm im actually doing nothing of all this,i only wash and co and some argan after wash but my hair really needs some more tlc.. and i was wondering why my hair got thinner:-D

[growingpains]

-stretch washes
-benign neglect
-protective updos
-stop using heat
-air dry and embrace natural texture
-if you want to grow it stop cutting it! S&D and microtrim instead
-Feye's self trim- no more hairdresser cutting off more than I want and better hem plus it's cheaper
-a lil oil or leave in on the ends helps too:)

[owlathena]

coconut oil (although credit also goes to one of my good friends)
henna
SMT

but the biggest help from lhc is definitely the inspiration!

[Safira]

Panacea
Henna
SMT
tips to choose right conditioner

[luxepiggy]

CO-washing has seriously transformed my hair (^(oo)^)v

[Modarunner]

1. Stretching out my hair washings
2. Not using burning hot water when I wash my hair, instead use warm with cold rinses.
3. Coconut oil as a pre wash treatment.
4. Jojoba oil for daily oilings as it's very light and doesn't over oil my hair.
5. Braiding my hair before bed, I wake up totally tangle free and my frizz is tamed.
6. Use only a comb when my hair is wet so it doesnt break and a bbb only if I need it, but that's rarely.

[skyblue]

Keeping my hair up
no shampoo on my length
it's ok to use more then one conditioner at a time
stretching washes
using oils
gentle treatment

[ssjhotau2]

First- ditching the heat styling.

Second- Avoiding chemical dyes at all costs

Regular SMT and moisture treatments in general.

My Tangle Teezer and BBB which I never would have found if not for LHC (tossing the brush).

CWC. And learning about Sulfates/Cones

Oiling

S&D and self trimming. Awesome!

[MasCat]

- that my terminal. length is not where I thought ;)
- still working out other stuff :)

[paper]

Stretching washes, diluting shampoo. And, my horn comb.

[Leoneska]

Good thing you started this thread, SheeJee - a wonderful occasion to thank all Gurus and members for sharing their useful advice! What I changed thanks to LHC and what helped me most is:

1. Stretching washes
2. Detangling carefully
3. Prewash oiling
4. Light oiling
5. SMT
6. CWC or hybrid washes instead of the classical wash&condition routine
7. Going silicone free
8. ACV rinses (well I use rice vinegar since I never have ACV at home)

And so much more! Like wearing hair up, taking supplements, no more styling aids as they would glue my hair together, no heat styling, no chemical dyes.........

Unfortunately I am an extreeeeemely slow grower, but my hair thickened up a lot, the frizz halo has reduced and I have some shine finally!

Thank you LHC ;)

[Automne]

-wide tooth comb
-oils
-S&D (i was trimming almost monthly before LHC)
-wearing hair up
-scalp massages

[jujube]

Co-washing and stretching washes (still working on that one) is what allowed me to grow my hair in the first place. It would be a mess otherwise!

[Libbylou]

Hendigo!!, ACV, treating hair more delicately. So far.

[Lucie159]

At 41 yrs old I learned how to wash my hair... I no longer pile it on my head and squish it all over. I learned about co-washing, BBB and the Tangle Teezer (still trying those out) Oiling and moisturizing, and I just ordered my first batch of Henna which I am both nervous and excited to try, since I have been a bleached blonde for 20 years. But most of all I have learned that I can get real answers from real people on LHC and don't have to feel stupid or ashamed that I am presently uneducated about caring for my hair. Thank you all!

[rowie]

1) Henna

2) Conditioner Only

3) The Horn Comb

4) Stretching Washes

5) Air Drying- I literally let my hair air dry right after the shower, and I use an extra shirt on my back to catch the water. I don't ever use the towel on my hair because of this. The towel becomes used only for my body. I don't touch my hair until it is 100% dry.

6) Figuring out my own hair rituals. (i.e oiling with coconut oil before bed, etc.)

[hs_atreides]

Coconut oil as a deep treatment and as a leave-in.
Clarifying when the hair is acting weird and I wonder if it's time to trim.
Scalp health-taking care of dandruff and itchiness, massaging.
It seems that when a hair issue comes up I can find a solution.

[jojo]

I have 3 tips passed onto me by members
1) using olive oil on hair passed onto me by Shadow walker
2) diluting shampoo passed on by spidermom
3) instructions on using a BBB by madora

Of course ive learnt about heat damage, self trims and different oils by a range of members to which I am very thankful for. But the top 3 saved my hair and allowed me to grow longer.

[Cassie 123]

#1 and #2 (tied): CO and pre-wash coconut oil
#3: sleeping on a silk charmeuse pillowcase with my hair braided or bunned
#4: ditch the ponytail

[lolot]

excuse my ignorance but what is SMT?
the best tip i learned was to throw my brush, and all my heat tools to the garbage, i used to comb my hair all day very roughly, and now that i dont anymore i have develop waves that i love very much, i always thought my hair was straight and now i see is not

[Diamond.Eyes]

1) Tangle Teezer brushing only :heartbeat
2) No Heat, Dye, or Chemicals
3) Shea Butter as a leave-in/Deep conditioner :heartbeat
4) Coconut Oil Soaks
5) ACV rinses :)
6) SLS/Cone-free shampoo and condish
7) Nightblooming Panacea :heartbeat

[lolot]

1) Tangle Teezer brushing only :heartbeat
2) No Heat, Dye, or Chemicals
3) Shea Butter as a leave-in/Deep conditioner :heartbeat
4) Coconut Oil Soaks
5) ACV rinses :)
6) SLS/Cone-free shampoo and condish
7) Nightblooming Panacea :heartbeat



wow i love your hair, is amazing! the thickness, the color, texture, length. Is the color natural?

[SilentGuardian]

-Embracing natural texture
-Clarifying. Never knew of this before!
-Henna
-Different ways to style long hair. Can't wait until my hair is longer to try this out
-Deep conditioning

The knowledge I have gained thus far has made such a big difference in my hair. I am so thankful for LHC!

[jesis]

S&D, clarify, oils, honey, no heat, fine something that works and stick with it, and mostly, embrace your hair!

[Amber_Maiden]

ACV, CO, Tangle Teezer, Avocado Oil

[Egana]

1. embrace natural texture
2. treat it gently like heirloom lace
3. discover what *your* hair likes
4. enjoy your hair - try new styles, etc.

[Diamond.Eyes]

wow i love your hair, is amazing! the thickness, the color, texture, length. Is the color natural?
Aww, thank you so much! That's so nice :D. Yes, it is my natural color. :)

[candycandace]

- Embrace my natural wavy texture.
- Use a tangle teezer for all of my brushing needs. I <3 it!
- Ditch the chemical dye.
- No more heat!
- When in doubt, use coconut oil! :D
- Henna is your friend. :)
- Did I say coconut oil? I love it!

[Kristin]

In no particular order...
1. Coconut oil
2. CO
3. Deep conditioning with a heat cap
4. Seamless combs
5. Protective styling
6. Scalp massages

[Fairlight63]

Sleep on silk pillowcase or silk sleep cap.
Use wide tooth combs.
Do mico-trimmings.
Put olive oil on ends when dry & tangily.
Massage scalp.
Wear hair up in protective do's.

[summergreen]

To S and D regularly, and to hang in there and be patient! Also, someone posted a tip about using a pin to loosen knots, as you would with a knot in sewing thread - that was absolute genius and has saved many of my hairs from the scissors!