Finding a routine for your hair - an attempt at an 'how-to'

[Fia]

I was browsing through the old archived boards as I knew I've made quite a few useful notes for myself there when I came upon this one that I couldn't resist reposting. It was true in 2004 when it was originally written - it's just as true now. :D


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Felt like summarizing some thoughts I've had floating around in my head for a while. I have personally made the mistake of doing all the "wrongs" listed below - maybe my listing can help some of you avoid them.

This will probably be most helpful for newbies, but maybe even some seasoned veterans might find a tip or two (or even better - add your own thoughts).

1) Look for people with your hairtype, what do they do/have they done that is successful? Is it something you could use as a starting point for your routine - products, techniques, washing frequency etc.

2) Experiment - if you haven't tried it you will not know if it's working. Don't do all experiments at the same time - limit them to one or at the most two - otherwise you won't know if they are success or failure.

3) Give any change in routine or products a decent chance of working before judging if it's successful or not. Don't expect to see miracles overnight with anything. At least a week or two is a good rule of thumb.

4) Don't fall into the trap of thinking "all natural" or "only synthetic" necessarily is a foolproof answer to having good looking hair. Every product doesn't work for everyone - you don't know unless you've tried both sides.

5) If you have found something that works for your hair, that isn't generally accepted, or up for debate (thinking primarly of the cones/oils or sulfate/non-sulfate debates) - don't let that sway you from not using it. If it works for your hair, it works.

6) Don't fall into the trap of using the latest thing "just because it's new and different". Give it some thought before - is it likely to work for you based on the experiences you already have. Silly example just to illustrate - if you know your hair hates protein and the latest thing involves doing back-to-back protein treatments for two consecutive weeks it's probably not for you.

7) Ask questions when you have to, but be prepared to accept that no one can tell you for sure how your hair will react to something. You can get likely reactions based on what people with hair similar to yours have gotten, but the only sure way to know is to try.

8) Log your changes in products, routines etc and what results you have gotten. Our memories are generally good, but short - we tend to forget quite fast and fall into trying the same things over and over again. Also useful for identifying the key components in what will evolve into your routine eventually.

9) Don't assume another persons routine is 100% right for you even if you share many characteristics in your hair. Likewise, don't assume your holy grail is the solution for everyone else.

10) Realise that there are no absolute truths when it comes to haircare. It's as individual as each one of us, parts can be learned from others, but the total solution working for you will be unique.

[Honey39]

Ooh, good post! I've been here about two months now, and am starting to feel kind of lost about what to try.

Things that seem to have had a good effect:
No more blow drying - that's the most obvious
CO washing only - I like this one a LOT, but because I'm fundamentally lazy and it cuts down time
Oiling? I like it, but am I overdoing it. Not sure

Things that I am dubious about trying:
Aloe Vera Gel - will it help with curly/wavy hair? How to use it
Honey - again, not sure about this one at all
Clarifying with baking soda - I have very dry hair, will this not ruin it???
ACV rinses - not sure how to do this - do you rinse it out again or not, or is it a FINAL rinse and then out of the shower?

Personal problems:
I have had loads of different coloured highlights put in my hair every three months. The result is a really nice, multi-tonal hair colour. Because I always cut off what I grow, the damage was contained. But now I'm trying to grow my hair, is this too lethal? And yet I really really don't want to give it up, it's what makes my hair very pretty - my natural colour is brown with a lot of grey. And yet hair dying seems to be the biggest no-no on this site.

Am thinking about henna, but...it just seems like so much hassle, plus if I hate the result there is NOTHING I can do about it.

So is there a way I can ask the hairdresser to put in my gold/red/chesnut highlights without damaging my hair? Can I ask for highlights just at the root?????

LOL, Fia, great post, but now you have unleashed my hair angst!

[Anje]

Sounds great, Fia! Though I feel a need to add that WO needs a good 2 months minimum to determine if it works for you, assuming you can live through the greasy stage, which can take up to that long to get over.

Honey39,
Aloe gel: I think the standard method, particularly for curls, is to smush a dollop through your hair while it's still dripping wet. Once your hair is dry, scrunch it til the crunch is gone. Similar procedure to hair gel.
Honey: First of all, if you live in an arid environment, don't use it. Honey is a humectant, meaning that it attracts moisture -- good in humidity, bad in dry conditions. I like its effects on my hair, particularly in SMTs. It does in fact rinse out when used in those proportions, and microwaving it til it gets hot is supposed to kill the peroxide action while maintaining moisturizing properties.
Clarifying with BS: not for everyone. I learned that it smells quite awful when mixed with an ammonium lauryl sulfate shampoo... Personally (take this as a suggestion from someone with a different hairtype), I recommend getting a regular clarifying shampoo, and only go for BS if you're convinced the shampoo isn't removing all your buildup.
ACV: You want to dilute the ACV. Different people dilute different amounts, depending on needs and water hardness, but it typically is at least 4 parts water:1 part vinegar, with most doing more like 8:1 or 10:1. You can rinse the vinegar out, or leave it in, though leaving it in is probably the better option if you're dealing with hard water and have diluted the ACV sufficiently. The smell should go away once your hair is dry.

I'm no help for highlights, though I suspect attempting to bleach hair white (repeatedly!) is the biggest no-no, not dying or even mildly lightening or highlighting. You may not have to give this up if you're aiming for waist, though you probably would if you wanted knee-length. Henna is definitely a bit of work, and I think it takes more time than using a box dye at home. Definitely do strand tests before you put it on your head, because it's permanent on most people. Cassia is another option you might want to consider -- it mainly conditions similarly to henna, but the color it deposits is light yellowish. Therefore, most people don't notice color change, but it will definitely color platinum blond and gray hair, which might give you some blond highlights instead of gray.

[bex487]

Honey39-If you want to keep up highlights, most salons do highlight touch-ups (just at the roots) so it's not SO damaging. It's a matter of how much you want that color.

[Julesn]

Hey, Honey39!! :)

I am a hairdresser & I thought I'd chime in about your highlight ?

Now, does he/she do all of these colors in highlights, or are there some lowlights mixed in? I ask b/c lowlights do not damage your hair (they are usually deposit only haircolors w/very little to no peroxide that "stain" the hair). As far as the highlights go, just have him/her retouch the NEW GROWTH ONLY (no pulling through the ends) in the foil. Also, the lower the amount of peroxide, the better (ie: 10 or 20 volume, not 30 or 40) b/c higher volumes blow through the hair cuticle much more aggressively. Most hairdressers use either the heat from a dryer or heat lamps to process color at a quicker rate, so see if your hairdresser would be willing to forego the heat & just let you air process. Personally, I prefer to use no heat on my clients, but truthfully, time is usually an issue b/c I am pretty busy. I have a couple of customers that are dead set against heat & I totally respect that & I just make sure to always allot the extra time when I prebook their next appt. You may want to ask your hairdresser about that, too. Heat speeds up the processing time b/c it makes the hair cuticle swell A LOT faster than air processing b/c air processing relies soley on scalp heat, which takes a lot longer. The less heat used, the better, I think ;)

Sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps you!!

Julie :)

PS: Let me know how you do w/the aloe vera gel for your curls. I'd also be interested in trying it, but I'll let you go first~~~~ha!!! :) :) :)

[Curlsgirl]

Honey39-If you want to keep up highlights, most salons do highlight touch-ups (just at the roots) so it's not SO damaging. It's a matter of how much you want that color.

This is true. My colorist said she would NEVER put new highlights on the length of my hair. And you don't really have to. It doesn't change or darken, at least mine doesn't.

[Martha]

Hi,

Can I ask a question to Julie about lowlights? I wanted to know if they contain no peroxide, do they contain something else that may damage the hair?

I have had high and low-lights and I always thought both took a little out of my hair. Do lowlights contain ammonia, for example?

If lowlights do not contain peroxide, I wonder if you can use it with hair that has been henna'ed (by which I mean body art quality henna, not the stuff with metallic salts in it).

Thanks for any info!

Marti

[trolleypup]

I was browsing through the old archived boards as I knew I've made quite a few useful notes for myself there when I came upon this one that I couldn't resist reposting. It was true in 2004 when it was originally written - it's just as true now. :D
That is one of the best sets of general advice for hair (and being a member here) that I've seen! :bowtome:

[NurseMama]

This was a great post! It is really easy for a noob to feel overwhelmed here.

I have been thinking since joining that it would be great if there were a lot of interviews of long time members talking about their hair care routine in depth for the noobs to read through. Hopefully, then you could find someone with hair like yours who has had success. Plus it would give noobs a lot of information about what it actually takes to grow and maintain long hair.

[embee]

Thanks, Fia! It's always good to hear from the Real Guru types. :)

I am delighted to find that many of your suggestions were things I chose to do, but it was only because I was too cheap to buy new stuff, I liked what I had well enough, and I was reluctant to change for the sake of change.

Thanks again for these well expressed guidelines. They're very comforting to read when one sees the overwhelming quantity of information on the boards. :)

[Dulci]

Good advice Fia, you should consider submitting it as an article.

[Sofoulee]

You know... even when I think I've got my routine down pat, it's nice to be reminded of this. It keeps you mind open for new things!

[amiaow]

Hey Fia, welcome back! Don't know if you remember me from many eons ago but I certainly remember you and it's great to hear you're growing your hair again.

I think there is something to also be said for not really having a routine... after all these years of growing (and cutting) my hair really does best with just a daily or every second day wash with a good quality shampoo & conditioner and the occasional deep treatment. Sometimes less is more! :)

[Amberlee]

Thanks for this - helpful.

[Elleyena]

Thank you for this! I've been here a little over 6 months, and I can still get lost while searching through the information.

[Delila]

I agree, Fia's post should be in the Articles section. I remember it from my first efforts at growing out, and it was a big help.