The Benign Neglect Thread

[kwaniesiam]

First off I apologize in advance if there is already a thread like this, I don't venture to the mane forum as much as I used to

Who here just ignores their hair and lets it grow? What's your neglect routine, if you even have one?

That's what I've been doing lately. It's too short for any interesting updos aside a sockbun, so I just either keep it in that, leave it down, or a ponytail and wash when it needs it. That's it. Nothing fancy, maybe oil if it asks for it and I'm rather pleased with the results thus far. No trims, since I don't have enough splits to bother with even though I haven't had it cut since last July. Now all I have to do is wait

[lirael]

I did nothing but wash, brush and occasionally braid my hair for 8 years and it grew from chin length to mid-thigh. Since then I've cut it shorter and wear it up a lot for school and work, but it was in pretty good condition when I paid no attention to it at all. I washed and conditioned it every day with whatever shampoo was on sale and left it down all the time except for dance classes.
I hope this works out for you!

[Eireann]

I'm joining this movement as of today. I had a bad salon coloring incident that I won't bore you with all the gory details, but the bottom line was my hair was professionally colored 2 days in a row, washed about 6 times in 2 days (before and after both dye jobs, when I got home after the first "bad" dye job to try to get the color to chill out, and the next morning for the same reason). I'm satisfied that the owner of the salon "made it right" and even gave me a deep conditioning treatment at no charge, but my poor hair definitely feels a little beat up. I will probably give myself a coconut oil treatment over the weekend, but beyond that, I'm just going to leave it alone for a while. I learned my lesson!!

[lora410]

I do nothing but wash, oil and cinnabun it anymore. It is in it's sloooow growth phase at the moment. I am hoping it kicks up soon.

[Spike]

I wash, brush, and play. "Play" includes oiling towel-dried hair (I love how soft it feels, and the slightly reduced *poof* I have at this length--no waves, no curls, just volume turned up to 11).

Play includes honey lightening. My highlights are now a deep red, almost as if I'm using a henna glaze in very carefully strategic applications. (Yes, I pay my hairstylist a fortune to look this way--NOT!!!) And again, the texture I'm getting from this is worth the hour and five minutes the treatment takes. (Five minutes to mix and apply, then an hour soaking in the tub reading a book. It's such a HARD life being a long hair . . .)

As it grows < tugs a strand to "encourage" it > I'll add updos and braids into the play aspect. Once I get to BSL, I'll be re-learning french braiding, working on rope braids, etc. My plan is to braid at night and that way if the braid looks awful, well, who cares? My fingers will get the practice, and I won't be impatient with myself as I climb the learning curve. I can learn buns when I put it up to shower.

But as far as the daily "wash, oil, massage, hang upside down, suitcase full of supplements, unicorn horn comb, and ONLY cashmere hairbands" thing . . . that just doesn't appeal to me. It's the same reason I'm not into the whole spa experience. It starts to feel like work and obligation, not like pampering and fun.

[viking_quest]

All I do is wash, comb, and put up my hair. Hopefully, before I know it, my hair will be longer.

[rose_in_bloom]

My hair loves benign neglect. I wash it every day or every other day, comb, and put it up. That's it. I oil the ends occasionally. Maybe a deep treatment once a month.

[marajade]

As I've said in another thread, I work from home and therefore I naturally have a lot of benign neglect. That being said, my hair has really thanked me for it!

[Nes]

I'm totally in on this one. I don't have the patience to endlessly faff about with it.

It gets washed and conditioned every 3 days then air dryed and brushed. I wear it down every day and braided every night.

Every so often I venture forth with an oiling, deep condish or a feeble attempt at a bun, but keeping it simple works best for me. Too much experimentation seems to be not good for it. I think it just wants to be left alone.

Nes x

[Feline]

All I do is wash when it needs it, condition, air-dry, comb (a lot), and usually wear it down- due more to my fumble-fingered attempts at braiding than anything else. Still works pretty well.