confirming haircare tips

**burny** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:00 PM

this is what I have: http://www.anony.ws/i/2014/08/22/burny_hair.jpg
For the past few years, I've been getting about 1" trim 3-4 times a year. At the same time as trim, they've also been doing a flat ironing it. Between cuts, I've been almost strictly finger combing, and washing about every 2-5 weeks. wash = shampoo full hair, then condition full hair twice. Shampoo has SLES, and conditioner has cetearyl alchohol and amodimethicone. I'm switching to once a week CWC.

From scouring the info here, I think what I learned is:
A 'cleansing' shampoo will let me see the condition of my hair, and ten I can adjust my routine accordingly.
I should braid hair for sleeping, and use a silk(or similar) pillow case.
Running with hair down is 'bad', I should do it up some how for exercising
Flat ironing is bad, and it would be better to go without.
I should consider/try using a non-sulfate shampoo, and non-cone conditioner.

is any of this wrong, or other things I should strongly consider?

**Quasiquixotic** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:05 PM

You have some beautiful curls! I would caution you against changing too much to soon. My personal suggestion would be to stop flat ironing. And look into LOC - liquid, oil, conditioner - on the boards here.

Don't worry so much about changing the products you use. Dd has 3a hair, and the most helpful thing for her is moisture moisture moisture.

Baby steps, change one thing at a time for a month and then make the next change.

Your hair is beautiful!

**lapushka** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Quasiquixotic

You have some beautiful curls! I would caution you against changing too much to soon. My personal suggestion would be to stop flat ironing. And look into LOC - liquid, oil, conditioner - on the boards here.

The link to the LOC method is in my signature.
I am with Quasiquixotic, don't go changing all of your current routine at once. Try one new thing at a time, and try it for at least 2 weeks. This way you'll know what works and what you like, and what doesn't work.

**Kaelee** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:34 PM

I just wanted to stop in and say good Lord your hair is stunning!

**Madora** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by burny

this is what I have: http://www.anony.ws/i/2014/08/22/burny_hair.jpg
For the past few years, I've been getting about 1" trim 3-4 times a year. At the same time as trim, they've also been doing a flat ironing it. Between cuts, I've been almost strictly finger combing, and washing about every 2-5 weeks. wash = shampoo full hair, then condition full hair twice. Shampoo has SLES, and conditioner has cetearyl alchohol and amodimethicone. I'm switching to once a week CWC.

From scouring the info here, I think what I learned is:
A 'cleansing' shampoo will let me see the condition of my hair, and ten I can adjust my routine accordingly.
I should braid hair for sleeping, and use a silk(or similar) pillow case.
Running with hair down is 'bad', I should do it up some how for exercising
Flat ironing is bad, and it would be better to go without.
I should consider/try using a non-sulfate shampoo, and non-cone conditioner.

is any of this wrong, or other things I should strongly consider?

Avoid ponytails if at all possible. They're not hair friendly. If you are into updos, try sectioning your hair so that the weight is distributed comfortably.

**burny** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:39 PM

lapushka I don't understand(video in that LOC page) wouldn't putting all that stuff in your hair make a huge mess(ie. ruin shirts), and make hair all greasy? I would have expected that to be something done instead of shampoo/conditioner, is that wrong?

**lapushka** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by burny

lapushka I don't understand(video in that LOC page) wouldn't putting all that stuff in your hair make a huge mess(ie. ruin shirts), and make hair all greasy? I would have expected that to be something done instead of shampoo/conditioner, is that wrong?

The key is to put minimal amounts in your hair. So dime-size amounts of each is *more* than enough. Curlies can get away with more, esp. kinky curlies, but not wavies & straighties. All of that was discussed in the thread.

**Quasiquixotic** · August 23rd, 2014, 06:49 PM

Dd's hair (3a, f, i/ii) just soaks up oil and conditioner. My guess is this is in part because we live in Colorado where it is very dry and in part because I am a straighty and before I joined LHC she was water only and had straw for hair.

She is 4 and has 26" stretched hair - almost hip on her, I can put a 1/4 teaspoon of oil and conditioner in her hair and it will dry in beautiful spirals and be shiny and clean. Granted it took me about 2 months of guessing to "get" her amounts by sight. And on several occasions she ended up greasy, but by day 2 her hair absorbs it all. The big key for her hair is to have it near dripping wet when I do this.

My hair on the other hand (1b, f/m, ii) can only take ONE drop of oil and a pinky nail of conditioner, no matter how wet it is when I do this, or it looks greasy and stringy. It does not get better on day 2.

**burny** · September 1st, 2014, 11:30 PM

For brushing: wide tooth wooden comb is best?
For hair sticks, what is going to be best for my hair?(material, thickness?)
What exactly is the L in LOC?(everything I can find just says "moisturizer" which to me, is just a buzz word)
"only change one thing every few weeks".. Since I only put something in my hair once every 3 weeks, I would still change something after each cycle? Or does "every few weeks" actually mean "after 10-20 cycles"?

Is there anywhere that has an indepth/detailed description of possible hair care routines? Most of the things I can find are in the form of "this is what I do", and/or don't really have details. In short, I don't don't have a clue how to properly take care of hair, and would like a good in depth primer.

more stuff I've learned is:
shampoo only the top 1-12"
don't condition the top 6-12"
don't brush hair(only broad tooth comb... why do brushes even exist then?)

**darklyndsea** · September 1st, 2014, 11:59 PM

If you don't have problems from conditioning the roots of your hair, it's okay to do. Some people shed more or get greasy hair more quickly if they condition their roots. Personally, my scalp gets really dry if I don't condition it, so YMMV (like pretty much everything else).

If you have an average growth rate, your trims are removing at least half of your growth.

Updos do a lot to keep your hair in good condition. I highly recommend them.