The Benign Neglect Thread

[marzipanthecat]

Oh yes, I think you've just described my whole hair care regime. I wash it (usually once every 2 days, or more often, it depends how nasty it seems), I brush it maybe twice or three tomes a day, and I plait (braid) it to keep it out of the way. I always plait it at night or I end up with a tangled mess the next day.

I do sometimes (once every four or five months) do a big condition soak on it. But that doesn't take long. Olive oil is nice for that.

People don't usually believe me when I say I really don't do anything much.

[wintersun99]

Another perfect thread for my to belong to!

My routine in the past (excluding last year) was to wash, condition, comb, occasionally oil, and put up. My hair grew to the longest it has been (since I was 3yo) and would be waist length by now, had I not started to mess with it (color, bleach, etc).

I have learned my lesson. My hair is at it's best, when it is left alone. I am returning to my roots (he, he) and going back to wash, condition, comb and occasionally oil.

[JamieLeigh]

I wash twice a week, deep condition once a month with a honey mask, and oil once a month on the day before my shampoo. I wear it up in the same hairstyle just about every day (braided bun) or in a ponytail.

I went crazy when I first joined this site, because I wanted to try EVERYTHING. But as I slack off into more "benign neglect" than anything else, my hair is loving me more.

[rose_in_bloom]

I went crazy when I first joined this site, because I wanted to try EVERYTHING. But as I slack off into more "benign neglect" than anything else, my hair is loving me more.

That's exactly what I did! I bombarded my hair with a million treatments and new products and styles and it was NOT happy. Now that I'm settling down, my hair is much nicer.

[Tap Dancer]

I either shampoo and condition or CO. I don't oil or use anything "funny" on my hair. I comb it once a day...most days. And I put it up in a ponytail 4-5 days a week. I leave it alone the rest of the time.

[emeraldfaery]

This is my kinda thread! All I do is wash it twice a week with whatever smells good, oil every once in awhile, an occasional (aka 2-3 times a year) SMT, and put it up in a bun or ponytail. I don't even brush it! This routine worked for me when I was younger (minus any oil) and I don't plan on doing anything overly fancy any time soon.

[Elphie]

I think I can safely say this is my "method" and always has been. Even when first posting here, I only changed a few minimal things (CWC, coconut oil, new up do's) but essentially I wash it, condition it, brush it and put it up. Oh, and I enjoy the heck out of it!

[Citrine]

Benign Neglect is definitely my routine Wash 3x/week, brush, put it up, and forget about it. After a month or so I'll notice that it has grown just a little and I feel really accomplished

[Jules diamond]

I've got to join this. I tried a few of the conditioning things and the special buns. They're nice for special occasions, but I got to my length from brushing it, shampooing it and conditioning it once in a while. I'm starting to notice it more as it gets closer to BSL though.

[dancingmegs]

Like many of you here, I wash, comb, and braid. I used to do all kinds of "stuff," but I got tired of messing around. I think my hair was at it's happiest when I was using Chagrin Valley shampoo bars, but that was too much work!

I wash my hair every 5 days or so- diluted shampoo, conditioner, citric acid rinse. I scalp wash most of the time (something I started when even doing regular shampoo washes became to much for me!), so I only wash the length every few weeks.

I've been braiding every day lately because I've been getting very painful spots on my scalp when I put it up. Even when I do it's pretty boring- a basic bun with a ficcare or a fork.

Once in a blue moon I'll get all excited and slap some shea butter on there, but it's been months. I do S&D, mostly when I'm watching a movie and I need something to do with my hands- ie when I don't have a knitting project at hand.