My hair care regimen: help please

[CarLiTa]

I just joined the forum, and I developed a hair care regimen before I joined. I wanted to run it by the women who've been on here for years and know a lot more about hair than I do. I think I'm a 3c/4a, and my hair is relaxed. So, here goes:

1.- Always do an overnight pre-wash treatment with hot oil or Organic Mayonnaise. Sleep with it in my hair. *Is that fine?*

2.- Wash hair down not on top of the head to minimize tangles, or wash it in braided sections. Make sure to massage the scalp.

3.- Shampoo and condition once a week- two or more if I exercise (condition wash- *I just started those, they feel great).

4.- Condition hair at every wash (blot-dry first)
· Sit under dryer for 15 minutes or
· 45 minutes without heat-> DEEP-CONDITIONING

5.- Apply protein treatment when hair is damaged only. *The one time I used an Aphogee conditioner, my hair was really hard and I couldn't detangle it. From time to time, I buy these small conditioning packs that are like, $1, and most of them are pretty good. I also have the Jojoba Hot Oil Treatment.

6.- Always apply a Leave-in conditioner (Infusium) and/or oil + Frizz Ease Serum

7.- Use the ponytail method to air-dry (not too often: makes hair too frizzy)

8.- Wear protective hairstyles 90% of the time:*have started already, great!*
· Twist outs
· Ponytails
· Braid outs
· Braids
· Bantu knots

9.- When air-drying, use frizz-ease serum and oil moisturizer (Motions)

10.- Roller-set most of the time

11.- Continue applying oil moisturizer throughout the week, especially at night, paying close attention to the tips. *Ending the journey through dry spell hell*

12.- Wrap hair at night with a silk scarf

13.- 8th week and up: Satin-Scarf drying method. *haven't done that yet, plan to though*

14.- Use a neutralizing shampoo at least once a month to remove product buildup.

** I'm thinking about those Surge products, since a lot of you have gotten good results, but I dont even know how to use them. I read about what they do, but is it really true?


Tips:
1.- Do touch-ups every 8 weeks or more
2.- Only cut tips when needed-> not often if you treat hair right
3.- Do not grease the scalp. Only spray with oil sheen or use oil to moisturize it because the oil is lighter than the grease.
4.- Take a multi-vitamin and Biotin (3 or 4mg)
5.- Eat right and exercise *1 hour a day, 4-5 days a week (aerobics)*- Drink lots of water *between 4-9 glasses.

**I used to get a trim every month or 6 weeks so my hair has remained approximately the same length for a long time! these other websites and magazines that don't know nothing about black hair told me that whenever I shed a little more than I usually do, I MUST trim. Turns out, the shedding was just from dryness. there are times when I cut my hair just because it was 4-6 weeks since last time I did it. Thanks to Adrienne, who I emailed, I know it's unnecessary.
**By the way: I dont know exactly when I have split ends. How do I find that out? I hear about the Y-shaped strand, but I dont really understand it. Can someone explain it please? Thanx
** I'm also hoping to stretch this relaxer out to 16 weeks. I made it to 11 weeks last time. It was hard because I sweated and didn't wash my hair as often as i should, so it was brittle. Now that I know what to do, or some of it, do you think it's possible?

 

[PretteePlease]

everything sounds good to me but
-the aphogee isnt supposed to be detangled just let it get hard
with or without heat then rinse and follow with a non protien
moisturizing conditioner the one they give you sometimes with
the treatment made by aphogee isnt enough

--as far as split ends when they look really scraggly its probably time for a trim
do a search on the internet you will find some really good pics or even search the
forum there have been lots of threads on that

--if you like to grease you scalp grease your scalp some people here do and they still
get growth others just like light non greasy hair to each their own on that one

and lastly i surely think you can make it to your 16week relaxer stretching goal i think somebody here made it 6mo but i might be lying LOL

 

[buffalosoldier]

r u sure u r new? u sound like a pro!!!

 

[CarLiTa]

LoL yes I'm new. I've just been doing research about hair for a few months now, and FINALLY came upon this website, which is THE best one I've found. I kept coming back for a week now, because i'm out of school *spring break* and i took notes and created a hair care regiment but i officially joined yesterday.

 

[brickhouse]

Your regimen looks fine. Now that I am pratically at brastrap I have been lax and not wearing protective styles like I should. I am going to write out a regimen myself and stick to it.

By the way, your hair is beautiful.

 

[BAILEYSCREAM]

Carlita,

I highlighted in purple where I had comments. I think everything else is Fab....looked in your Fotki and your hair looks lovely.

5.- Apply protein treatment when hair is damaged only. *The one time I used an Aphogee conditioner, my hair was really hard and I couldn't detangle it. From time to time, I buy these small conditioning packs that are like, $1, and most of them are pretty good. I also have the Jojoba Hot Oil Treatment.

Yep, this is supposed to harden in your hair. Then you rinse it out with warm water....then you follow with balancing moisturiser.....and add an extra moisturising conditioner because the balancing moisturiser doesn't moisturise my hair as well as it used to.

7.- Use the ponytail method to air-dry (not too often: makes hair too frizzy)

For this, I think the key is to use an oil while your hair is wet to seal in moisture.....
Take a look at this thread - http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=53585

10.- Roller-set most of the time

This is good for your hair

11.- Continue applying oil moisturizer throughout the week, especially at night, paying close attention to the tips. *Ending the journey through dry spell hell*

Yeah, I'm doing this more often now. It really helps. Fantasia PM Nighttime treatment is good for this....comes with a satin cap too. I spray it on my hair massage my scalp then put the cap on....or tie a durag.

13.- 8th week and up: Satin-Scarf drying method. *haven't done that yet, plan to though*

This works

14.- Use a neutralizing shampoo at least once a month to remove product buildup.

This is a good idea....I use the Tresemme vitamin C deep cleansing shampoo or Surge Powerwash (I find that clarifies well without the squeaky feeling)

** I'm thinking about those Surge products, since a lot of you have gotten good results, but I dont even know how to use them. I read about what they do, but is it really true?

I really like the Surge only thing is after the braids I found it dried out my hair...so I'm laying off of it for a while till my hair moistens up again.....my advice is use it with braid spray or use an oil while using it eg Wild growth hair oil, Kemi-oyl....something like that.


Tips:
1.- Do touch-ups every 8 weeks or more
2.- Only cut tips when needed-> not often if you treat hair right
3.- Do not grease the scalp. Only spray with oil sheen or use oil to moisturize it because the oil is lighter than the grease.
4.- Take a multi-vitamin and Biotin (3 or 4mg)
5.- Eat right and exercise *1 hour a day, 4-5 days a week (aerobics)*- Drink lots of water *between 4-9 glasses.

**I used to get a trim every month or 6 weeks so my hair has remained approximately the same length for a long time! these other websites and magazines that don't know nothing about black hair told me that whenever I shed a little more than I usually do, I MUST trim. Turns out, the shedding was just from dryness. there are times when I cut my hair just because it was 4-6 weeks since last time I did it. Thanks to Adrienne, who I emailed, I know it's unnecessary.
**By the way: I dont know exactly when I have split ends. How do I find that out? I hear about the Y-shaped strand, but I dont really understand it. Can someone explain it please? Thanx

I inspect my hair for split ends. Basically when you have a split end it looks like a Y shape where the ends are beginning to unravel. If you manage to catch the split end in time before it travels up the hair shaft and causes more damage then your hair will stay helathy looking with nice ends. If not, the hair tends to look thin and see through where the splits have travelled up the shaft. The Y can also be caused by using a poor quality scissors to cut the hair where a tail is left similar to the Y shape.

See this link for more info on split ends: http://www.pg.com/science/haircare/hair_twh_69.htm

An extract:

"Cutting hair with blunt scissors results in a cut with a long, jagged edge, at which the cuticle scales will be especially vulnerable to further damage. This is why stylists use good-quality steel scissors, which are very sharp indeed and cut cleanly".

I hope this helps you to understand it a little better.

Here's an interesting thread on split ends...there are lot more.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=46495&highlight=split+ends

** I'm also hoping to stretch this relaxer out to 16 weeks. I made it to 11 weeks last time. It was hard because I sweated and didn't wash my hair as often as i should, so it was brittle. Now that I know what to do, or some of it, do you think it's possible?

Yep, I think so as long as you don't experience shedding. Mine is beginning to shed and it's annoying (10 weeks post).


I pretty much know what to do with my hair, like you do, except I have abused my hair a lot in the past (fried, dyed and all the rest)
So, I'm pretty much getting it back on track Your regimen sounds really good though......I will be peeking at it from time to time.

 

[balisi]

Your regimen looks very good, except for the frizz ease serum, which is chock full of cones. I never heard of using neutralizing shampoo to clarify. Did you mean clarifying shampoo, by any chance?

 

[CarLiTa]

Wow, thanks for all the support. I feel like I have a bunch of big sisters, *good ones* looking out for me. Yes, I meant the clarifying shampoo. I purchased one the other day, it's by Suave. Since I won't use it often, I figured that I don't have to buy something too expensive. I also heard that you could add one tablespoon of baking soda to 2 tablespoon of any shampoo to turn in into a clarifying shampoo. I did that once. I guess it worked. I don't really know. Thanks for all the links, I will check them out. When I think of it, i haven't had split ends in a while, just uneven ends. I looked at a picture of myself from back in 9th grade and the summer before 10th grade, my gosh did I have split ends. I had to get a cut above my shoulders because of that. I won't let that happen again.

I haven't bought the Frizz Ease Serum yet; I guess maybe I won't have to since BaileysCream suggests that I put oil in my hair while wet before letting it airdry.
Thanks again for all the support! You girls are SO nice!

 

[BAILEYSCREAM]

Carlita,

I use oil and I also use the frizz ease serum, original formula. They also have 2 other formulas, extra strength and another which I think is thinner. I've only ever used the original and the extra strength though. Personally I prefer the original.

HTH