Hair Discoveries Of 2017: Please Share

Sosoothing

Well-Known Member
The less I handle my hair the happier it is.
-I used to wash it once or twice a week. I now wash/shampoo once every 2 weeks.
-I use a protein conditioner every 2 to 4 weeks.
I almost always use curl activator to moisturize and seal with coconut oil. (Im going to see if blue majic is better when I take my braids down).
 

YvetteWithJoy

On break
Cool thread!
  • Cleansing with Soultanicals Soulvedic Strands Poo Bar (letting it sit on my hair for a bit before washing it out) is a GAME CHANGER for my hair. I can do AMAZING detangling with it, and it cleanses AND conditions my hair. This is the best start to wash day, and the cleansing stage matters more than I ever imagined.
  • I learned how to flat twist (I'm still doing it too loosely, but that's progress!).
  • I was wrong: Liquid leave-ins DO work for my hair after all (and they interfere less with the styling gel that I apply after).
  • Thus far, the only DC that really works for me as far as I can tell is SM's Manuka Honey masque, applied like a relaxer to completely dry hair under heat and then rinsed out with cool (almost COLD) water.
  • CurlyProverbz DIY Ayurvedic Hair Tea transforms my strands INSTANTLY.
  • I will get a GREAT wash and go if I diffuse Eco Black Castor and Flaxseed Oil applied over Soultanicals Fluffalicious Curl Nutricious. I don't want to like anything Eco. *sniffle*
  • Using 4 elastic ribbon strips to band my hair overnight works BRILLIANTLY, but I keep forgetting to do it.
  • I was being too heavy-handed with my product application.
  • My hair is cottony. That's just the way it is. *sniffle*
  • My 4a hair is so coily that my texture tries to override flexirod sets and curlformer sets on wet hair.
  • I keep forgetting: If my styling attempt fails, I can always high ponytail it with a nice bang and look super nice. Why do I forget this?!?? LOL.
  • I and my hair love these products:
    • Chicoro's prepoo recipe/method
    • Cantu ACV Root Rinse
    • Soultanicals Soulvedic Strands Poo Bar
    • Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Smoothing Lotion
    • Biosilk Hard Rock Gelee
    • Jakeala Shea Amla Hair Parfait
For 2018, I'm looking forward to
  • creating a DIY ayurvedic curl activator and using it to keep my hair as moisturized as it was when I had a wave nouveau,
  • taking a flat twisting class and increasing how close to the scalp I can flat twist,
  • trialing Bask & Bloom's Brahmi mask,
  • trialing Hairveda's Red Tea line, and
  • stretching my texture (either via the GreenBeauty natural relaxer method, texlaxing, or something).
 

MizzBFly

Well-Known Member
Adding: Layers done right are much better for my hair than one length. Makes it look fuller.
...Noted
  1. Prepooing is a must for me. I have better wash days and less tangles when I prepoo and finger detangle the night before.
  2. Ayurveda works. I don't have the patience or desire to revamp my entire regimen, but adding monthly henna masks and ayurvedic herbs to a couple products I already use, has made a difference in my hair.
  3. Petros (mineral oil, petrolatum, etc.) do not work for me and I will no longer be tempted to try to make them work.
  4. Wash and gos are not practical for me now that I'm WHip length. Its easier and faster to braid my hair up, then wear a braidout if I want a loose style. The results are more consistent as well.
  5. I should stick with my staples. They work. The end.
Thanks for posting. I’m ready to start #2 in 2018. Currently working on the fenugreek oil first!!
 

Honi

There is no board.
Being natural 8 months has been a challenge. My hair is low porosity and seemed to not want to accept anything. For me, deep conditioning with heat helps or else it just sits on the hair.

Forgot about oil rinsing from my relaxed days. Moistening my hair with water, pre pooing with oil and sitting under the dryer is working well. I can detangle while rinsing rather than spend an enormous amount of time during the conditioning step.

I'm going back to bentonite clay. I remember this worked great on my daughters hair.
 

RossBoss

Well-Known Member
Went natural over the summer and here is what I have discovered:

1. My hair loves daily washings with a gentle shampoo bar.
2. My natural hair is very thirsty and I don't think there is a product heavy enough to weigh it down. The heavier the product the better. This was not the case when I was relaxed.
3. Heavy pomades and puddings, the consistency of mayonnaise, are a must for my hair.
4. I deep condition twice per week with my staple, Queen Helene . I will never be without this. My hair is strong and thick like a rope.
5. I discovered that I don't have to hot comb my natural hair...Rollersetting gives me the look that I want.
6. I spend about 10 minutes on my hair each day. That's it. This includes shampoo, rinse out conditioner and applying styling products that keep it moisturized until the next day's wash.
7. Keeping it simple and inexpensive. Healthy nice looking hair is not an expensive endeavor. The basics work.
8. I am in love with my texture and have no interest in changing a thing about it so I will be careful about products that permanently change or loosen the texture.
 

Bad&Bougee

Well-Known Member
1. I have hi-po hair- I learned this during a strand test when I was getting my hair dyed. My hair processed so quickly that the stylist did the water test to confirm
2. Due to my hi-po hair, sealing is a must
3. extensions aren’t that great for my hair.
4. My hair actually grows pretty quickly so I just have to protect and nourish my length
5. My hair and scalp hate coconut oil

Dido to all 5!!!
 

nerdography

Well-Known Member
Chelating my hair has been the best thing I ever did. I live in an area where the water hardness is 10 and I did know. And the water hardness was placing minerals on my hair preventing moisture from getting in and that's why my hair was dry all the time. Now my hair is moist, easy to detangle, my curls pop. and my hair is less frizzy.
 

YvetteWithJoy

On break
Chelating my hair has been the best thing I ever did. I live in an area where the water hardness is 10 and I did know. And the water hardness was placing minerals on my hair preventing moisture from getting in and that's why my hair was dry all the time. Now my hair is moist, easy to detangle, my curls pop. and my hair is less frizzy.

Ditto! What a relief, huh?

And I was never going to solve my dryness problem with another DC or hydrator or moisturizer!

So, so thankful I learned about hard water and chelating. :pray:
 

IronButterfly

Well-Known Member
I also want to add:
Sometimes it's that ONE product that makes all the difference in the world (and I am NOT endorsing a product).

That one product for me was Claudie's Normalizing conditioner. Talk about your black magic, unicorn horn powder-infused, scorpion tears elixir!

Two years ago the hair on my crown was a dry, brittle mess. Wet bunning left me this brick on top of my head while the rest of my hair fell away like limp banana peels. I looked like Professor Irwin from Car Wash ('78), no lie!

Letting my loose hair air dry with no product was A NO.

After ONE use of CNc, my hair finally came together in unison. The top looked like the sides; the sides, like the top. My hair fell down evenly. Even after wet bunning. In a two year period, I used up the small jar I got in about 3 or 4 uses, and I had to make myself use it, because I didn't NEED to, so it wouldn't go to waste. I have a giant jar of CNc in my fridge that's never been open...because my hair has never reverted back to that crazy dry state. In TWO years!

So, after all that, what I've learned is to check the moisture/protein balance of my hair before piling on the products, because if one of those balances is off, products will only mask the issue.
 

trueheartofgold

Well-Known Member
Chelating my hair has been the best thing I ever did. I live in an area where the water hardness is 10 and I did know. And the water hardness was placing minerals on my hair preventing moisture from getting in and that's why my hair was dry all the time. Now my hair is moist, easy to detangle, my curls pop. and my hair is less frizzy.

Hi! Which chelating shampoo do you use? Thank you!
 

gemruby41

Well-Known Member
Chelating my hair has been the best thing I ever did. I live in an area where the water hardness is 10 and I did know. And the water hardness was placing minerals on my hair preventing moisture from getting in and that's why my hair was dry all the time. Now my hair is moist, easy to detangle, my curls pop. and my hair is less frizzy.
How often are you chelating, and what chelating shampoo do you use?
 

RossBoss

Well-Known Member
For the water issues, I live in a house and have a Culligan whole house water filter on the main line. Every drop of water that comes into my home is filtered. Clothes come out cleaner, I don't get that much gunk on my tub, the cats like the water better so less uti's for them and of course, my hair is cleaner. Just a tip.
 

YvetteWithJoy

On break
For the water issues, I live in a house and have a Culligan whole house water filter on the main line. Every drop of water that comes into my home is filtered. Clothes come out cleaner, I don't get that much gunk on my tub, the cats like the water better so less uti's for them and of course, my hair is cleaner. Just a tip.

Neat! How much does it cost? Is it a one-time investment, or do you pay something monthly? TIA.
 

RossBoss

Well-Known Member
Neat! How much does it cost? Is it a one-time investment, or do you pay something monthly? TIA.

It's like a Brita filter but for the main water line, so no subscription. I change mine out once a year and I pay less than $100 bucks for it. It takes about 5 minutes to install. It is in my basement. You have to turn the water off then put it on the line and make sure you seal it. Then turn the water back on. This is the one I use. My bad, it's not Culligan, it's Pentek and it's only $63 bucks with free shipping on Amazon. 63 bucks once a year is worth it:

 

YvetteWithJoy

On break
It's like a Brita filter but for the main water line, so no subscription. I change mine out once a year and I pay less than $100 bucks for it. It takes about 5 minutes to install. It is in my basement. You have to turn the water off then put it on the line and make sure you seal it. Then turn the water back on. This is the one I use. My bad, it's not Culligan, it's Pentek and it's only $63 bucks with free shipping on Amazon. 63 bucks once a year is worth it:


:scratchchin: Hmmm!!!

TFS!
 

CurlyRy

Well-Known Member
1. Cantu styling products (not the leave in lol) work wonders on my hair :love:. Minimum shrinkage great definition, great shine and soft to the touch

2. I don't need that much oil!!! I use to leave oil slicks wherever I laid my head:oops: ...so embarrassing and troublesome. Now that I've switch to products that hold moisture well in my hair I don't really "need" oils and heavy butters and such. I do add a teeny bit whenever I feel but nothing like I use to.
 
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