What Works For You And What Doesn’t?

[LushLox]

What strategies, systems, methods products work for you and what doesn’t in your hair care journey?

What works
Cleansing and DC minimum twice a week
Moisturising my hair as and when needed in between washing, but not every day
Layering moisturisers, using both a spray and creamy leave in
Combing only on wash days
Air drying
Regular trims
Supplements
Ceramides

What doesn’t
Weekly heat, which is unfortunate because I like using heat but it’s too much for my hair
Insufficient protein
Heavy oils/moisturisers

Undecided
I’m still thinking about roller setting, I love it but not sure if it works for me anymore
Co-washing. It’s fine as a concept but i prefer shampooing

 

[Evolving78]

Pretty much what you have stated. I can use heat weekly, but it’s the Manipulation of straightening is what is not working for me at the moment.

Doesn’t work
I can’t really use creamy leave-ins on my relaxed hair.
Can’t use glycerin, aloe, coconut based products. Makes my hair hard and dry
Cowashing sounds good, but it doesn’t get my hair properly clean and it leaves a coating behind. I prefer shampoo.
I don’t do a lot of manipulating hairstyles. My hair is very dense and fine. Can’t handle the tension

 

[Prettymetty]

What works:
Sleeping in a satin bonnet or slap
Shampooing and deep conditioning twice a week
Blowouts after each wash
Cones
Moisturizing a couple times a week
Prepoos
Washing in braided sections
Trimming every 3 months
bkts
Itworks vitamins

What doesn't work:
Infrequent washing
Cowashing
Oiling my scalp
Wash and gos
Finger detangling
Being lazy

 

[Loving]

What works:
- Weekly shampoo, DC and rollerset
- Castor Oil (my hair has thickened back up since I began using it again 2 weeks ago)
- Nightly moisturizing and sealing

What doesn't work:
- Skipping my weekly shampoo (my hair sheds like crazy if I don't wash it)
- Air drying (rollerset is a must)
- Stretching (past 9 weeks and my hair starts to rebel)

 

[Nightingale]

What works:

• Shampooing every wash.
• Washing 1x weekly minimum.
• Steam DCing every wash.
• Aloe based products
• Air drying
• DCing with rinse out conditioners + penetrative oils (olive, fractionated coconut, avocado).
• Scalp exfoliation

What doesn't:

• Rinse out conditioners as rinse outs. Doesn't absorb or fully rinse out, blocking absorption of other products.
• Creamy leave ins or moisturizers. Don't absorb, leave flakes in hair.
• mineral oil/petrolatum
• oiling scalp
• Most butters. Particularly Shea and Cocoa.
• Cowashing. Irritates my scalp.

 

[keranikki]

What works:
Weekly wash
Steaming (saved my life)
Routine trims
Protein (all day long)
Pre-poo or Hot oil treatments (ayurvedic infusions)
cowashing as needed (with conditioner)

What doesn't work:
Cleansing conditioners (might as well wash my hair)
heavy creams (learned the hard way, I have a shea butter concoction I can't use)
BKTs (my hair is too fine for it)

Undecided:
Glycerin (it seems my hair likes it in small amounts; I'm still testing it out)
Wash n go's (I had to trim more from the back of my head then the front during yesterday's trim; I will be testing out KCCC next wash day to see if it makes a difference after 3 months of use)

 

[YaniraNaturally]

Great thread!

What works:
-Set it and forget it styling aka one style per week. I also like to plan styles out, so if I want to wear straight hair I'll do a CF set the week prior to get my hair prepped.
-Finger combing.
-Weekly washing.
-Henna
-KKKT and other light leave-ins
-Air drying.

What doesn't work:
-Overuse of sulfates
-BUTTERS and OILS. Anything Shea Moisture

 

[YvetteWithJoy]

Awesome thread!

What works:

• KareCo Tangle Buster brush
• Chelating at least once a month
• Protein treatment around twice a month
• Using a shower filter to address hard water
• Doing a deep condition, wash, deep condition method
• Doing wash day with my hair sectioned via Kimmaytube-recommended Goody Updo barrettes
• Spreading wash day over days:
  • (1) initial DC and wash on night 1;
  • (2) DC the next morning on dry hair, finger detangle using the DC, chunk twisty and wear DC under plastic cap under wig;
  • (3) then on night 2 detangle with KareCo Tangle Buster brush, apply product (e.g., AVJ, leave-in, butter, and/or gel), and style (twist outs seem to be healthiest)
• searching and destroying
• trims as needed
• Shea Moisture Manuka masque
• Curl Junkie Smoothing Lotion (I can't imagine more slip being possible; slip is sick)

What's not working:

• Detangling with a brush and/or comb so often as too weaken my ends (sometimes an end will break)
• Trying to do wash day all in one day when there wasn't enough time, ponytailing as a result, ending up with super shrunken and thus tangled hair, and then haven't to do extensive and very heavy manipulation to get the hair back detangled
• insufficient internal hydration, iron, or protein

Need to try or revisit or find:

• an effective ends thickening process/product
• water-soluble silicon to potentially stave off tangles
• Conair wave clip set for a wearable style that prevents tangling
• cassia gloss
• strengthening tea
• a gel that gives my hair crunch (for tangle prevention)
• sesame seed oil
• tamanu oil

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

What works:
Sulfates
light protein once a wk
double sealing when using eco styler gel
using heat to dc
trimming as needed
twists
wash and goes

What doesn't work:
braidouts
too much manipulation
heat (except to dc)
co washing

 

[FoxxyLocs]

Works:
Low manipulation (style once a week)
Keeping ends stretched
Low heat
Braid outs/twist outs
Frequent DCs
Seamless comb
Satin scarf or bonnet
stay away from SHS (scissor happy stylists)
S&D to remove SSKs
water based products
butters if used sparingly
flexi rods
Silk dreams, Darcys Botanicals, Qhemet

Doesn't work:
Co-washing
Long term protective styling
twists
wash n go
wet buns
roller sets
finger combing
complicated regimens

 

[charmtreese]

What works

EGG/EVOO Prepoo (overnight)
Cleansing and DC bi-weekly

Finger combing

Regular Protein
Silicone Leave-ins (CHI is Life)

Single medium/small twist as a low maintenance style

Air drying
Dusting SSK’s as they appear

Nightly baggying

Excel 21 2x a day

Oiling scalp nightly

Using moisturizer and oil on hair when needed

What doesn’t
weekly washing – just too time consuming

Not stretching hair

Not having a regimen


Undecided

Clay washes – I like them, however, I want to be sure that I’m cleansing my hair and scalp thoroughly. So far my hair and scalp appears to be getting cleaned.

 

[beautyaddict1913]

What strategies, systems, methods products work for you and what doesn’t in your hair care journey?

What works
Cleansing and DC minimum twice a week
Moisturising my hair as and when needed in between washing, but not every day
Layering moisturisers, using both a spray and creamy leave in
Combing only on wash days
Air drying
Regular trims
Supplements
Ceramides

What doesn’t
Weekly heat, which is unfortunate because I like using heat but it’s too much for my hair
Insufficient protein
Heavy oils/moisturisers

Undecided
I’m still thinking about roller setting, I love it but not sure if it works for me anymore
Co-washing. It’s fine as a concept but i prefer shampooing

What supplements are you using if you don’t mind sharing?

 

[beautyaddict1913]

I love this thread and have enjoyed reading all of the responses.

What is working well: (we use this term at work - social worker lol)
Henna
Steaming
Tea rinses
Oil rinsing/hot oil treatments
Bentonite clay treatments
Regular protein treatments
Working out to stimulate hair growth
Eating well to address nutrient deficiency related hair issues
Trimming regularly

What is not working well:
Flat ironing
Not doing regular trims
Not wearing my hair out in between sew-ins
Not doing protective styles (I can’t wear twist outs and braid outs daily like I would like to)
Neglecting my crown (it needs special attention- it is so coarse and gets super tangly and is so prone to breakage. When I’m stressed it just packs up and leaves)

 

[LushLox]

What supplements are you using if you don’t mind sharing?

Mane Choice Manetabolism
Philip Kingsley Tricotherapy
Perricone MD Omega 3 [amazing for skin]

I may scrap the Philip Kingsley and get the Beautifully Bamboo supplements

 

[LushLox]

I love this thread and have enjoyed reading all of the responses.

What is working well: (we use this term at work - social worker lol)
Henna
Steaming
Tea rinses
Oil rinsing/hot oil treatments
Bentonite clay treatments
Regular protein treatments
Working out to stimulate hair growth
Eating well to address nutrient deficiency related hair issues
Trimming regularly

What is not working well:
Flat ironing
Not doing regular trims
Not wearing my hair out in between sew-ins
Not doing protective styles (I can’t wear twist outs and braid outs daily like I would like to)
Neglecting my crown (it needs special attention- it is so coarse and gets super tangly and is so prone to breakage. When I’m stressed it just packs up and leaves)

Stress - it is such a debilitating condition. It's so easy to get stressed, reducing your stress levels is the hard part.

 

[Destiny9109]

What doesn't work
cowashing
airdrying
stretching beyond 12 weeks

What works
Protein weekly
washing once a week

 

[Britt]

What works
Washing and conditioning at least once a week - 2x weekly is fantastic
Protein conditioners - specifically Nexxus Emergencee

What doesn't work
Heavy oils and butters, anything too greasy

 

[natural2008]

Works: silicones, hair grease (blue magic, etc.), styling my hair on blow dried hair.

Doesn't work: coconut oil makes my scalp itch and hair dry, styling hair wet, eco styler gel, co-washing, styling hair on non heat stretched hair, hair color.

 

[yaya24]

Works:
Shampoo bars
Once every 7-10 day wash
Clay washing
Reverse deep conditioning
Protein 3xs a month
Steam treatments
Finger detangling

Does not work:
Shea butter
Coconut oil
Dc overnight
Baggying

 

[Rocky91]

I realize that what works for me never changes. I could have 1 inch or 7, be wearing my hair as a heat trained natural or with no heat at all and my hair still consistently likes the same things.

Works:
Low manipulation
Cones! I love them.
Weekly shampoo + DC
Serums to "moisturize"
Regular trims (blunt ends)
Minimal product
Attractive styling > protecting my hair aka if I have to lose a lil hair in the pursuit of looking good at all times, I'm cool wit it

Doesn't work:
Heavy moisturizers
Daily manipulation, even moisturizing
Too many products
Not trimming
Hiding my hair all the time will make me miserable.

 

[Evolving78]

I realize that what works for me never changes. I could have 1 inch or 7, be wearing my hair as a heat trained natural or with no heat at all and my hair still consistently likes the same things.

Works:
Low manipulation
Cones! I love them.
Weekly shampoo + DC
Serums to "moisturize"
Regular trims (blunt ends)
Minimal product
Attractive styling > protecting my hair aka if I have to lose a lil hair in the pursuit of looking good at all times, I'm cool wit it

Doesn't work:
Heavy moisturizers
Daily manipulation, even moisturizing
Too many products
Not trimming
Hiding my hair all the time will make me miserable.

Yes to your whole post!

 

[nymane]

What works:

• Low pH regimen (i.e. all products within 3.5 - 5.5 pH range)
• Consistently taking vitamins/supplements (i.e. Iron (this only 2x-3x per week), Biotin, MSM, Vitamin C, Omega 3, Evening Primrose Oil, N-Acetyl Cysteine, and a Multi-vitamin)
• Washing 2x a week
• Trimming Regularly (i.e. every 4 months)
• Roller setting

What doesn't work:

• Being a Product Junkie
• Sealing with Oil (this is a useless step for me; I keep my cuticles sealed by using products with low pH levels)

 

[MzSwift]

What works:

Being consistent
Keeping my regi simple
Being gentle when handling my hair
Low to no manipulation styles

What doesn't work:

Trying too many new products or techniques
Getting hair lazy / not being consistent with my regi
Over manipulation

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I may scrap the Philip Kingsley and get the Beautifully Bamboo supplements

@LushLox
........

 

[FoundMyCurls]

So many good answers on here.

What works:

Shampoo every other week, conditioner rinse in between
Spritzing with water every other day at a minimum
DC (protein or moisturizing) with every shampoo
Protein, Yay!
Cantu Shea butter leave-in followed by my whipped coconut oil based mix
Cones, Baby!
Air drying
Keeping my hair in small twists and re-styling them all week
No cap at night (they all make my head hot and itchy)
Finger detangling with conditioner most of the time, combing thoroughly once per month
Trimming 1-2 times per year, snipping knots when needed

What doesn't work
Trying too many products (I only test new rinse out and deep conditioners)
Caring what shampoo I use
Anything that says hydration on it (more like dry my hair out like a desert)
Lots of heat
Stressing over length (a turtle with 20 pounds on it's back moves faster than my hair grows)
Oil on my scalp (just not necessary)
Taking hair vitamins (I tried, no results)

I could go on, but that will work.