SPINOFF: Whose hair book helped you the most?

[darkflame213]

I started taking care of my hair differently years ago after I read a book called Good Hair: For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Weaves When the Chemicals got too Ruff by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner.

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Hair-Col...ef=sr_1_4/103-1065167-2419043?ie=UTF8&s=books

The author had done everything to her hair from jheri curl to TWA and back before transitioning to natural. Her stories were HILARIOUS!!!!!!!! Although I'm not planning on going natural, the book taught me about not relaxing bone straight, safe hair tools etc. She had a lot of ideas of different types of braidouts and twists also. She's written a few other books about natural hair since.

This book was great! It is one of hte few books I've ever bought and given to other people. I bought the rest of the books she wrote too.

 

[Peachtree]

Ella Joyce
her book really helped during my early transition.

 

[Dee-Licious]

Other. LHCF was the one that helped me... I see it as my interactive, online book.

 

[scorpian]

Shamboosie
Ouidad

 

[Brandi]

Great thread! Wish I had thought of this one.

The book that I enjoyed the most was "Good Hair" by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner. This book presented some real hair mishaps of this sister's journey to having healthy hair. The book was hillarious! Yet, provided a host of information. I laughed reading the book so much that I was disappointed that I finished the book in one day!

Ladies, don't sleep on this one. Go buy today.

 

[Brandi]

"Good Hair" by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner. This book was both hilliarous and informative. I've read several hair books, and this one gets my votes!

 

[sxyhairfetish]

Cathy Howse started me off, read the book, applied the techniques and my hair took off. I give her credit on the start of my hair journey. Then I found LHCF, AMAZING.

 

[dynamic1]

Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey and
Curl Talk by Ouidad.

 

[RZILYNT]

I bought Cathy's book and it was very helpful. It confirmed some things I had learned along the way on my own hair journey. I fault her publicist or editor for some of the errors but it is what it is.

I must add that I think it is hillarious that there is so many women in the world interested in their hair. I thought that I had some phobia or obsession about growing my hair long until I stumbled accross this board. I have looked at some of the other hair boards. LHCF is the best IMHO

 

[Dragnessa]

Riquettes is my fav hair care book. I love the recipies and use them monthly to take care of my hair. Im partial to being able to concoct natural hair products in my kitchen (but I get lazy sometimes...okay, often..haha!) When I follow it though, my hair feels really nice. Its what got me through some rough times when my hair was seriously damaged before I cut it and went natural...now that Im relaxing again, Im going to try and stick it, at least the monthly conditioning part.

 

[auntybe]

Shamboosie, Cathy House and Quidad. Whenever I stray to far from what I learned in these books my hair gets a little crazy.

 

[amwcah]

Carolyn Gray's book has been the only one I have skimmed through thus far. Why skim? It is very repetitive week after week. However, it is a good reference. I did purchase the WGO and Motions because of her. Once I achieve my desired length, I plan to purchase the rollers she raved about. I pretty much took notes on everything I felt worth knowing. I'm deciding if I want to keep it or sell it on half.com.

 

[InnerSoul]

I absolutely love Cathy Howse's book.. I like her common since approach and moisture balance method. It's been working for me.. and my hair has been in better condition because of it.

I read Shamboosie's book but he is so against no lye relaxers... I still use no-lye and my hair is still on my head; I don't agree with his heat tool usage at all... and the fact that he doesn't believe in hot oil treatments surprises me.

I did like Andre's book I learned alot about hair types... and I enjoyed Oprah's excerpt.

I haven't read Carolyn Gray's book but I have been on her website on numerous occasions and I like what she has to say as well.

But I voted for Cathy Howse.. since I learned the most from her research.

 

[firecracker]

I only dabbled with two. I must say that no book can compare to this here board of women's knowledge on tried and true regimens, products, styles, methods etc. LHCF members are the hair guru's in my opinion.

 

[CynamonKis]

Carolyn Gray's book helped me to develop a regiment when my hair was falling out and needed rescuing. I learned the importance of washing and deep-conditioning my hair weekly, using products suited for my own hair (e.g., one week, protein; hot oil trmt the next week, reconstructor the following week, cholestrol on another week, clarifying another week). Eventually I moved away from my Carolyn Gray-type regimemt into one which mainly involves henna, moisturizing, and protective styling, which I love.

Carolyn Gray for me. I remember not knowing what steps were involved after reading so much from the boards about taking care of the hair. This is where her book helped me

 

[Tee]

I absolutely love Cathy Howse's book.. I like her common since approach and moisture balance method. It's been working for me.. and my hair has been in better condition because of it.

I read Shamboosie's book but he is so against no lye relaxers... I still use no-lye and my hair is still on my head; I don't agree with his heat tool usage at all... and the fact that he doesn't believe in hot oil treatments surprises me.

I did like Andre's book I learned alot about hair types... and I enjoyed Oprah's excerpt.

I haven't read Carolyn Gray's book but I have been on her website on numerous occasions and I like what she has to say as well.

But I voted for Cathy Howse.. since I learned the most from her research.

Andre really did a great job with hair typing!

 

[Tee]

I began taking care of my hair after I read Cathy Howse book but her book was kinda confusing because she had too many incomplete thoughts in her book and I was like So I purchased Carolyn Gray's book almost a year ago and it's been all gravy ever since

The same thing happened for me. Started out Cathy Howse but Carolyn Gray kept it moving for me.

 

[sareca]

Cathy got me thinking outside the box.

 

[kamille8]

I read Cathy's book but was a little put off by how often she touted her products. I just wanted information on how to grow long hair not an infomercial.

I also read Healthy Black Hair: Step-by-Step Instructions for Growing Longer, Stronger Hair. By Nicole Elizabeth Smith.

 

[kamille8]

I read Cathy's book but was a little put off by how often she touted her products. I just wanted information on how to grow long hair not an infomercial.

I also read Healthy Black Hair: Step-by-Step Instructions for Growing Longer, Stronger Hair. By Nicole Elizabeth Smith.

 

[nikkivale]

I'd say Wanakee, Robin Woods (though not a book) and the woman who wrote "for colored girls..."
Shamboosie was good points here and there and I couldn't get through Cathy Howse's stuff, she's too negative.

But if LHCF was a book I'd vote for it

 

[spoogeywoogey]

I chose other. The most inspiring book I've ever found was Good Hair : For Coloured Girls Who've Considered Weaves when the Chemicals became too Ruff. This book gave me hope because it opened up my eyes to different ways natural hair could be worn. She had Twist Outs and other such styles that I was too scared to try. But eventually I tried them when I wasn't afraid to look different. Problem is I've yet to master the styles properly as wet sets. I'm better at them when my hair is dry. I shall still persevere.
The most practical book I've every found was Curly Girl. As much as it wasn't that helpful with respect to my hair type, it gave me inspiration to find out what my hair could or couldn't do. Especially with respect to wearing it in its naturally curled state. This book gave me more insight than did Bonner's with respect to the Wash and Go.

 

[20perlz]

I read the Cathy Howse book years ago and tried her products. Then I got lazy and quit. The fact that I had to order products was a bad thing for me too. Then I read in 2004 or so, the Shamboosie book. I jumped all in with Nexxus and believed that it was a "miracle" because my hair thrived. My wallet, however, did not. Then, about 4 months ago, I found out I was having a girl and ordered a couple of new books from Amazon. One of them was by Nicole Elizabeth Smith. This book was the best one yet and was why I voted other on the poll. I learned that there were a lot of products that I could use as long as I understood the reasons behind and had a routine for my hair. If you havent read it - It was good info. mostly it can all be found here though. Reading her book is what led me here.

 

[imstush]

Never read a hair book until about a year or two ago when a white coworker lent me her curls hair book.

 

[NuMe2004]

My mom purchased Cathy Howse's book years ago, and she and my grandmother followed her regime. They used to make her deep conditioner from scratch, and I loved it! However, she has since changed the formula, and I prefer the older version.

As for her tips/methods, I used to do a lot of protective styles before I read the book, so there were a lot of things that weren't new to me. The scientific data she provided about hair and growth was very helpful though.

 

[Bint Yusef]

None.

Ive been on hairboards since 1997. Hair boards are my book.

Who the heck is Shamboosie? LMAO

 

[deejoy]

I've only read Wanakee.

 

[Lady Esquire]

I wanted to get Cathy Howse's book and it was out of stock at the time. The next best to me was Carolyn Gray's book and I found it so useful. I referred to her book for months. Her book helped me when I had patches, months of transitioning, and when I finally had the nerve, and BCed down to barely an inch of hair. And to this day, about 2 yrs later, I still have a regimen inspired by her book. From there, I found the boards and its been a journey ever since.

 

[vangrey]

Lorraine Massey's "Curly Girl"

 

[Barbara]

Wanakee's Verifen Complex booklet was the only one I read.

Incidentally, I was doing things that were beneficial to my hair--even though I wasn't aware of it. I just needed better products.