Critique my hair care routine please :)

[Nadine <3]

Hello all you long haired beautiful ladies and gents!

Over the past few month I have fallen into a routine that's working well for me, and I just wanted everyone opinions on it verses what my care routine used to look like. Here we go!

This is what I used to do.
Daily washing with harsh shampoo and a coney conditioner
rub my head with a towel like you would when drying a dog
used a serum with even more cones in it
blow fried with my head hanging upside down
ripped a brush through my hair repeatedly while I dried it
brushed it even more throughout the day in a futile attempt to get my hair to not frizz (waves you idiot, WAVES...)

This is what I'm doing now!
Conditioner only washes every 2-3 days
replaced my coney serum with olive oil
combing only in the shower with loads of conditioner on it, the rest of the time I finger comb only.
Don't touch it while it dries. I get pretty little waves!!
Once a month I add a nickle size amount of shampoo to conditioner to avoid scalp pimples. Then I follow that up with more conditioner mixed with some raw honey and a drop or two of olive oil for extra moisture. My hair LOVES the honey!

What do ya'll think??
No protective hairstyles yet, though I can do french braids. I wear them to bed the night before my shower. I don't like braid waves with all my layers and it makes my hair look shorter.

[ErinLeigh]

My hair loves honey also. It's probably my favorite thing I put in my hair.
Congrats on your new routine. How does your hair look now vs then? Any other noticeable changes yet aside from the gorgeous new waves forming? I love hearing about hair!
It is exciting when you feel you are doing good things for your hair isn't it? Good feeling.

[Nadine <3]

My hair looks so much better than it did! It's growing faster than it ever has before and it's perfectly moisturized and happy Just have to get this crappy hair cut grown out!

[AmyBeth]

Your before routine gave me the shudders , although it's very like the routine I used to follow, except that I only washed 2 x per week, and deep conditioned once weekly. Add in a satin pillowcase or sleep cap and you'll be golden. As your hair gets longer (if you want it to!), you'll probably have to add in some protective styles. It's really easy if you invest in ficcares, parandas or flexi-8s. Your hair must be so much happier to be treated kindly and appreciated for its waves instead of punished for them!

[Nadine <3]

I always assumed my hair was straight and frizzy...I had no idea those waves where hiding in there! I love them! My before routine give me the shudders as well. I can't belive I used to do that to my poor head! I do have a couple hair sticks. They do stay in but not well. I think I might need something shorter. My stick might be to heavy for my light thin hair...

I'm hopeless with buns at the moment lol

[ErinLeigh]

I fought frizz for years not realizing it was waves. Crazy.
I agree on the satin pillowcase advise. I just got one and I love it. Hair just glides across it and it makes a big difference in frizz appearance, breakage and knots.
I too am growing out a "not preferred cut" so I understand completely what you mean about it being better but not where you want it.
I too changed my routine recently, 30 days ago, and have experiences mega changes in the short time frame. Honey had a lot to do with it im convinced. That plus oils.

You should have seen my hair a month ago. Here is a pic..thread hijack!


and here is my signature pic today.

[Liz_park]

Wow! What a positive change! I can't say I have much to critique, because you're already doing lots of great things!

I don't know if this will work for you, but I really love coconut oil. I do a heavy oiling of my hair about once a week, and I leave it in overnight, and then wash out in the morning with either a CO wash or a non-SLS shampoo and conditioner. It really helps my hair, especially now that it's winter.

The other thing I've loved was the SnowyMoon Conditioning Treatment. The recipe is available on LHC. It makes my hair so soft and moisturized. I just love it.