Lightbulb Moments

[HintOfMint]

Anybody ever have that one moment where they realize that a certain thing works (or doesn't work) for their hair, or one particular factor has been the reason for good (or bad) hair days?

I'll start with my lightbulb moment. I realized that lotion-y textured products make my hair really fluffy, frizzy, and hinder detangling in every way. I just picked up this pumpkin scented leave-in and it did the same thing as every other lotion textured product. The ingredients were perfectly inoffensive and it wasn't an issue in rinsing them out. It's the finish it left. They would leave my hair frizzier than ever and horrible to detangle. I could finish detangling and have knots a second later. After this experience with, what seems to be, only lotion-y products, I have come to the conclusion that whatever gives it that consistency, my hair doesn't like.

Fortunately a bit of oil fixes most of the problem and my hair calms down the day after, but I'm glad I have figured out my hair likes the oils/creams and even the heavier stuff. I figure this will save me a lot of hassle in the future.

Anybody else have their own lightbulb moment?

[battles]

Ohhh, yeah. When I read about the effect protein overload had on hair, realized that was what my hair was doing, and that all of my conditioner and most of my shampoo had protein in it.

:doh:

[mireillemt]

When I read all about silicones, I had a light-bulb moment, realizing that that was why Suave conditioner used to work so well while the more expensive ones would just leave my hair feeling heavy. Love those moments!

[AcornMystic]

I had the same experience as you, HintOfMint. I used to use Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship leave-in and even used their conditioner for a long time, and I was quite new to the whole leave-in concept. I was thrilled and figured this is how people maintain such beautiful frizz-free hair, but I realized, as I stretched my washes, the leave-in over time just made my hair waxy.. almost like it coated it...

Then when I was on my honey moon, having not brought it realized I needed some kind of leave in as it was the summer and Idaho in the summer is dry as heck, so my husband took me out to get some. I ended up getting Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine. Not impressed... I brought it back up and it's sitting with my Herbal Essences one.

I didn't even have to come to the realization consciously. I just realized one day I wasn't using my creamy leave-ins and they were just sitting there and I figured I needed to give them away. I began to search for my little argan oil sample bottle, like no bigger than my thumb to the first knuckle that my mom had gotten for me at a salon. One of THE best things I have ever put in/on my hair, and oils last so long because you only need a little bit for it to spread. I'm definitely an oil gal and my mom bought me a bigger bottle (expensive stuff even when on sale:() for an early Christmas present woohoo!

Another realization I came to was that SLS just will NOT work for me. Once I gave up SLS for a few months and then didn't have any baking soda on hand as I was at my sis' and used her Herbal Essences that I got her using when I settled on it from the Long Term Relationship shampoo and condish, before changing to baking soda and vinegar and OUCH. A couple days later I had sores on the back of my neck and a couple just into my back hairline mostly concealed by hair. They were like elevated spider bites and oh so tender.... it hurt to press on them. It was annoying though because they felt like they were full of some kinda thick/tough liquidy something and i just wanted to relieve the pain and swelling by popping them or something so i dug at them enduring the pain. I continued using my baking soda and vinegar therafter and they went away. Now I'm using a commercial shampoo and condish that contain no SLS and as a bonus contain jojoba oil and other long hair friendly goodies as I have to wash my hair more often now for work. Never again will I use a product that contains SLS. That was just scary and I do NOT want to end up with skin cancer or something on my scalp.. or a tumor or something from it absorbing into my brain... *shudders* >.>

I also realized that although cones will work for my hair, I don't like them. I do understand there are people that use them for frizz control and they swear by it and love cones to bits, but it's hard not to look at them as a concealer... because they hide damage and that somehow makes it undesirable. When people see my hair shine it won't be "plastic" that they're looking at bouncing light off, it'll be my healthy flat, intact cuticles. Also, although my hair is fine, I really don't need cones. vinegar works just fine and it's healthier, you need to maintain the PH balance of hair. So it isn't as much a thing of it not working for my hair as it doesn't work for 'me'. I discarded cones when I discarded SLS shampoos (which was basically when I switched to baking soda/vinegar wanting to go cheap and natural.)

Those are some of my experiences.. the ones that come to mind.

[naturegirl321]

Yes, I just got my ah ha moment. Jojoba oil works, shea butter doesn't. Panacea is great! I can't wait to buy some.

[bunzfan]

Yes i do CO washing for a year and then one day thought...my hair looks so much better when its has been washed with shampoo i haven't looked back since and my shed rate is almost zero.

My hair liked co washing but my scalp obviously didn't .

[Delila]

Lightbulb moments? Not so much.

Slowly dawning realizations, reinforced with anecdotal evidence from my own blog? That's me.

Takes me forever to figure things out some times.

For example, my hair looks and behaves much better, is easier to handle, etc., if I use just a bit of styling product on wash day. No need to add more on subsequent days, damp hands tend to refresh it just fine.

Remembering this and putting it into action is one of my goals for the new year. :)

[Amber_Maiden]

Lightbulb moment- oiling works for me! but only with avocado oil!

[moon2dove]

Lightbulb moment for me - on non wash days, refresh curls with wet hands and a teeny tiny amount of condish through hair works a treat! (not necessarily every day) or almond oil !

[kittymallow]

my aha moment was when i realized how mean i actually was to my hair without realizing it, and i did not understand why my hair did not grow. Well now i know better and my hair i alot longer:)

[delsh]

Ohhh, yeah. When I read about the effect protein overload had on hair, realized that was what my hair was doing, and that all of my conditioner and most of my shampoo had protein in it.

:doh:

This is definitely me too! I kept trying to fix my ends with more conditioner, serums and the like, and what do you know it they had protein in them too. So I was just making the problem worse! :laugh: A clarifying conditioner and some deep treatments sorted me out quick. I had the same experience recently with silicone buildup.

[raveness13]

Mine was when I realized that my hair is dry, but still doesn't split, (I have no idea why) so I didn't need to trim as often as I was.

[LaceyNg]

:idea: straightening my hair does not really smooth it down. all these years i've just been damaging it more and more... :doh:

:idea: chemical hair dye is ALSO damaging to my hair-- like, REALLY damaging, and something my fine hair just cant handle. henna and cassia, on the other hand, improve the quality of hair :hmm:

:idea: wavy hair is BEAUTFUL! everybody doesn't need perfectly straight hair!


why i've been fighting my hair all these years instead of being kind to it is something i dont know :justy:

[heidi w.]

Ohhh, yeah. When I read about the effect protein overload had on hair, realized that was what my hair was doing, and that all of my conditioner and most of my shampoo had protein in it.

:doh:

My experience with protein overload came because I added a leave-in conditioner. Are you using a leave-in conditioner or any other products besides shampoo/conditioner?

heidi w.

[luxepiggy]

That tangly spot on the back of my head was caused by the shower spray hitting my hair at a bad angle and ruffling it up in the wrong direction! ( ' (oo) ' )

[Lilli]

This was a long time ago, but I realized that blowdrying my hair didn't make it prettier. It made it dry, ruffled, dull, flat and dead-looking.

[luxepiggy]

OMG! I never realised this ( ' (oo) ' )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSdElxVgu4&feature=player_profilepage

[jacqueline101]

Light bulb moment for me was I thought I knew what my hair liked and found out I didn't. My hair is happier with the care routine I've found on here. My hair likes oil and needs extra in the winter and micro search and destroy are good.

[luthien_belewen]

My moments were (and these are actually quite recent!):
I don't need to re-wet my hair and blow dry every morning to make my hair look good. Now, when I have funky bed head, I just lightly mist it with water or wet my hand and apply it to the spot, then restyle.

A light hold gel makes my hair smoother than using a blow dryer, and causes a lot less damage.

Alternative hair washing methods just don't work for my hair, and some actually caused more damage. A plain shampoo and conditioner makes my hair soft, smooth and shiny.

My fine hair isn't as "flat and lifeless" and I thought...

And finally--I've come to realize that I love my natural hair just the way it is ^_^

[Mina17]

I came to realize that my scalp can't go without daily shampooing. I tried CO and stretching washes until I noticed my hair was thinning drastically.

I also found that my hair likes protein. I avoided it for a long time due to the horror stories about too much protein. My hair wasn't looking or feeling very good despite SMT's and oil, so in desperation I tried a protein treatment and my hair responded very well to it.

[OakTreeGirl]

I could never find shampoo or conditioner that worked with my hair. Everything either left my hair too oily or too dry. I just figured I'd never have perfect hair. When I first heard of home made hair washing methods, I had this lightbulb moment when I realized I don't have to search endlesly for the perfect shampoo or conditioner. Now my hair's still not 'perfect' but it usually looks decent.