#QOTM: April 2021: What is your best-kept haircare secret?

If you had to choose one to attribute to the betterment of your hair which would it be?


  • Total voters
    16

Nunavelli

Well-Known Member
I'm sure that most of y'all on the LHCF get stopped constantly to be asked "What's your secret?". Whether it's a best friend, colleague, or random admirer, there's always someone asking you to spill the tea on your haircare! :coffee2:

"How do you get your hair so shiny?"

"When did your hair get so thick?"

"How did you grow your hair so long?"

"This locs is goals— explain?"

Little do they know they are in for a 17-minute reenactment of "how you big chopped twice until you discovered ACV rinses, now you only use a raw shea butter that you've grown in your garden" or "that you used to relax every month and then you started to stretch your relaxers by using the baggying method only when the full moon is out".


AND somewhere in between all of that, overwhelmed, they check out. When all they want is that one tiny special key to unlock the transformation of their hair.


Now, we know there isn't ONE key that's gotten you to a hair goal BUT if you had to pick ONE HAIR CARE BEAUTY SECRET to share with the world, what would YOUR'S be? (or a couple, if you feelin' generous).
 

Nunavelli

Well-Known Member
I'll go first

If I had to choose one, it would be D.C.ing with heat. I used to be the deep conditioning overnight type of girl and chile that did VERY little to my hair. It wasn't until I bought one of those cheap Amazon heating caps that deep conditioning actually did something to my hair.

An extra bonus secret (that's not really a secret), is Shea Butter. I slather on wayyy too much and I'm okay with that, tbh. Messing up my sheets and my drains but that is the cross I decided to bare.

 

HealthyHair2020

Well-Known Member
My best kept hair care secret is twists. My hair loooooves twists. My hair is left alone, I can moisturize during the week if needed, and I just love how it looks on me. I also think after I big chopped, doing twists when my hair was long enough (and using scalp oil) contributed to my hair growth. Trying to get back to that currently.
 

Lylddlebit

Well-Known Member
Keeping my hair "styled" at all times. It doesn't matter: under a wig, wrapped, natural or straightened, protective or flowing free. The effort that it takes to make my hair look good also organizes my strands and causes me to examine it to have a built-in line of sight to the condition of my hair to catch warning signs before I realize problems.
 

NaturalEnigma

Well-Known Member
1. Hot oil treatments
2. Being consistent with products
3. Regular trims
4. Deep conditioning with heat (best: steamer, second best: hooded dry)
5. Moisturizing and sealing regularly
6. Conditioning weekly
7. Biweekly protein treatments
8. Using the best products for your hair

After that its just patience. I'm always alarmed by my hair growth. Its like one day I wake up and I notice its longer then its ever been. Maybe because I don't track it, or that shrinkage is real, but its hard to see gradual growth with my natural hair. I usually need 6 months (3 inches of growth) to see a difference. I think if I didn't know this I would have gave up a long time ago. Consistency is what really makes hair grow, but sometimes it hard to be consistent when you don't see immediate results. My advice to someone would be to keep pushing until you see the results you want.
 

GGsKin

Well-Known Member
I was going to come in and add consistency. This really is something lol. I've done all of the above but only when I am consistent with a handful, do I see positive gains. Being gentle with your hair. Regular and thorough trims. Deep conditioning with steam or some kind of heat. Head massage. Consistency. Oh and wearing your ends up and protected if you want to see faster progess retaining length.
 

icsonia22

Well-Known Member
1. S-CURL!!!! The juice changed my natural hair life! Nothing moisturizes my hair like it does.
2. Long term protective styling with my own hair. My hair likes to be moisturized and left alone.
3. Gentle detangling on hair saturated with conditioner and oil. I don't dare touch my hair if i can't find my Felicia leatherwood detangling brush or I'm out of aussie moist.

BONUS: Don't let anyone else do your hair. Its hard to find people who will be as gentle as you will.
 

Neomorph

Well-Known Member
1. Bamboo Silica- it's a great hair supplement especially for those who struggle with acne or have reactions to biotin
2. Consistent Product Regimen- this can be hard for people who are new to their HHJ, but once I find a good product or two for a category I stick with it unless absolutely necessary
3. Regular trims- as long as it's on a consistent schedule, my hair stays resilient!
 

Rastafarai

Well-Known Member
1. Eating/Supplements - how we care for our insides will reflect what grows and shows on the outside. Since incorporating a steady flow of vitamins and herbal supplements, my hair has thickened with less shedding.
2. Silk Pillows - we all have to sleep, and I've realized how I take care of my bed hair is just as or even more important than how I style my day hair. Less tension has resulted in less shedding, more shiny and less frizzy curls.
3. Trimming - just rid of those dead ends, sis. I'm retaining more length by trimming every 3 months. I self-trim for now and I've sort of become addicted to cleaner/bouncier ends. My curls be popping and springy and are less stringy/dead like before. Trimming brings life and swaanng to my hair :lol:
4. Little/No Heat
 

long.hair.dont.care

Well-Known Member
massage my scalp with peppermint oil (i love the cool stimulation from the menthol)
add 1 drop of ACV in my water spray (helps to close the cuticles)
seal with my can of cooking olive oil spray (it's less messy)
long-term protective styling (3 months for ultimate retention)
 

spacetygrss

Well-Known Member
Honestly?
1. Keeping my regimen extremely simple (i.e. wash, condition, style, repeat).
2. Leave my hair alone. Literally, unless I'm doing the items in number 1 or adding a little moisture in-between the washes (i.e. scalp or ends feel dry so I'm spritzing or adding a little oil/leave-in), don't touch my hair.

When I do that, my hair does well. When I start doing 50-11 things, I notice that I start having all kinds of issues.
 

ckisland

Well-Known Member
I was just thinking about this topic!! Love it OP!

My hair has been soooooo easy since my BC last year. I haven't been this consistently happy with my hair in so long. My hair has been growing like wildfire, is so easy and looks so good :bdance:. All of the techniques I use have been the same for years. What's made all the difference is changing the products I do and do not use. When people give advice saying that products don't matter, all I can think is lucky you :nuts::lol:! If I took that advice, I would be bald-headed again!

Game changers:
1. Taking ALL of the butters out of my routine (All of my shampoos, cowashes, DC's, leave-ins and stylers are butter-free)
2. Miss Jessie's hair products (The shampoo, cowashes, conditioners, leave-in and stylers that have changed my hair life the most all come from her! She can have all of my coins :notworthy:)
3. Deep conditioning weekly for 1 hr
4. Using a detangling brush on my hair every time I wash it
 

toaster

Well-Known Member
I love everyone’s answers! I’ll say exercise.

The one consistent thing in my 11 years of being natural and having pretty long hair is that I move my body at least 3 times a week. Exercising makes me feel good, gets the blood flowing, and makes me thirsty so I drink more water. It also encourages me to eat better so I don’t have a sluggish workout.
 

WYSIWYG

Well-Known Member
Love this post!

1. Stopped treating my hair with anger and contempt and began to be more gentle with it. My hair has it's own way of being, so when I stopped fighting it and embraced its unique qualities, it began to flourish. I can't constantly beat my hair into submission and expect it to retain length.

2. Started giving praise and thanks for the hair I have. Why would God bless me with more hair if I'm not thankful for what I already have?

3. Better nutrition. I'm in this for the long haul, and healthy hair starts from the inside.

4. Mind my moisture/protein balance.

5. Stopped worrying about what the next chick is doing with her hair. I stay away from trends and bandwagons and my hair thanks me by being extra luxurious.
 
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