Long hair routine! Tell me yours.

Jan 6, 2014

Chelsea H.

All you ladies with long hair I would love to know your hair routines. For when you were growing it. For example: how often you treat it, wash it, use heat on it. All stuff like that. I'm looking for as much advice as possible so throw it at me :)

Jan 6, 2014

Hannah K.

The easiest way to make your hair grow faster is to keep it healthy. Don't mistake me, the rate at which your hair grows is determined by genetics, and nothing you can do will make your hair grow faster than it naturally would at its healthiest.

First, trim your split ends. If you don't, they will keep splitting up the shaft and ruin even more of your hair.

Second, invest in a sulfate and sodium chloride free shampoo and conditioner (I like the L'oreal EverStrong), and a hair mask or deep conditioner (I like Macadamia Deep Repair Masque and the L'oreal Power Moisture Mask). In the shower, wash your hair first thing, shampoo only the roots and condition from your ears down. After that, apply your mask, focusing on the ends of your hair. Finger comb until you don't feel any knots, and then put your hair in a bun. Leave it that way for the rest of your shower, washing it out should be the last thing you do.

Third, in terms of heat protectors, I like the Tressemme and It's a 10 Leave in Plus Keratin. However, I advise you to cut out heat styling as much as possible.

That's my hair routine, my entire head is bleached and it is just as healthy as it was before I dyed it. I also wash it 2-3 times a week, use the hair mask every time, and rarely ever heat style. My hair is currently short so I can sort of just leave it alone and it dries fine haha

Jan 6, 2014

Isabel M.

I have long black girl hair! Lol! But my hair outline is centered on clean scalp and moisturized hair. (Most peoples I believe)! I don't use heat, at all. I avoid it like the plague , but I do straighten my to check my length, one a year.
I use
-ACV +baking soda as shampoo
-Pantene cleansing co wash to kind of condition and help clear any missed build up!
-Cantu Shea Butter as a leave in conditioner,
- coconut oil to seal moisture in
-Shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie to style
It's a really simple routine, but very effective for my hair!

Jan 6, 2014

Chelsea H.

You've all been really helpful, the general consensus I'm getting is to avoid heat lol I may have to just get used to tying it up a hell of a lot more! Gonna be hard though as I'm so used it it. Katarina, would you say the foam rollers achieve the same sort of curls as using straighteners? I use mane and tail shampoo to as I heard that really helps and it seems to be working for me :)

Jan 6, 2014

Hannah K.

No. Mane and Tail is utter crap, you should ask Kitty K about it.

Jan 6, 2014

Kat A.

All the girls gave you really great advice. Hannah is right, DO NOT use mane n tail! it's terrible for your hair.

Jan 6, 2014

Mallarie B.

Only advice for putting it up more is to make sure you switch things up. Putting your pony in the same spot every time will create a weak spot and your hair can become more likely to break there which really sucks. Just be careful to give your hair breaks from the same style all the time and never wear your pony too tight.

Jan 6, 2014

Hayley S.

I exactly the same as katarina I've never dyed my hair, my hair is naturally dead straight and I NEVER use a hair dryer, just air dry, I tend to use a hair curler if I want the curls more defined , but that's only for special occasions, and I was my hair every other day and I hardly use hairsprays or anything like that, but I occasionally spray heat protectant on my damp hair as It protects it from the sun also, and my hair reaches Down to my belly button, and it's taken me about 4-5 years to grow it to there from a bob I had that was hurst below my ears and looked awful :p x

Jan 6, 2014

Chelsea H.

Oh really, I heard mane and tail was good that's why I used it. I found it's left my hair soft! What's so bad about it. Diana, what shampoos do you find work best for you? Do any of you guys have some good simple styles for just daily wear that I can do my hair sits just below my shoulders.

Jan 6, 2014

Kat A.

It's not ph balanced for humans. it will make your hair dry & brittle. it has a lot of wax in it which causes that & weighs your hair down.

Jan 6, 2014

Hayley S.

Put your hair into middle parting and twist the two front parts back... I think it looks really pretty :)

Jan 6, 2014

Jennifer S.

I didnt do anything special other than wear it in a ponytail everyday (and I mean EVERY day)

Jan 6, 2014

Chelsea H.

Ahh okay I didn't know that, I'll stop using it then. Thank you for telling me. I like that style it looks nice and natural :) what shampoos would you guys recommend?

Jan 6, 2014

Mackenzi B.

I have long coppery brown hair and I have NEVER dyed or highlighted it and never will.
Wash with dandruff shampoo, then a rosemary infused shampoo by cvs.
Condition with finesse and leave it in for 5mins while I wash body. When I get out I towel dry my hair about and put in loreal ever sleek sulfate and silicone free humidy defying leave in Creme.

Jan 6, 2014

Kat A.

Hannah recommended the L'oreal Everstrong line. I've recently bought it & I like it. smells good too :)

Jan 6, 2014

Ashley L.

Hannah's and katarina's response is wonderful,I follow much of the same step wise fashions with my hair

Jan 6, 2014

Ashley L.

I personally love the John fredia root awakening lines.

Jan 6, 2014

Melissa P.

I don't really do anything special for Mine. I get a trim once every 4 months. don't really use heat on it or anything. I just use a sulphate free shampoo and conditioner twice a week because I dye my hair all the time. I use coconut oil as a hair mask every few weeks and pit argon oil in it after I shower. to prevent breaking I have a silk pillow case and try not to brush it when it's wet. I also use scrunches when I sleep with it in a loose braid so it doesn't damage my hair. it probably grows about an inch every month.

Jan 7, 2014

Brittany H.

I refrain from washing my hair every day. Either every other day or every two so I don't dry it out. I do blow dry it some times but no other heat tools. I try not to use elastics. At home I just use a clip to keep it up and out of my face and usually wear it down in public. Every so often I also use organic unrefined coconut oil and massage a small amount into my scalp and put a little on the ends before bed and then wash it out in the morning!

Jan 7, 2014

Jenny F.

My hair is currently about 26 inches! What I usually wash my hair every day because it's pretty thin and get's oily easy, but on weekends or if I have long breaks I wash it less and use dry shampoo if needed. The shampoo and conditioner I use is Neutrogena Triple Moisture and it works really well for me! I use the matching deep conditioner 1-3 times a week, if my hair feels dry or I heat styled it. I always let it air dry, or just wrap a towel around it. I use a leave in conditioner every time after I wash my hair, and the one I use is by Infusium 23 (last time I went shopping they were out of that so currently I'm using Garnier Hydra Recharge as a substitute, and that works well too! But a lot of reviews show that it did NOT work at all for people with naturally curly hair!)
For styling my hair, I usually just sleep with it in a twisty bun so it's wavy in the morning. But every now and then I curl it, but I'm very careful to use heat protectant and deep condition it after.
Also to keep split ends away, I use a split end treatment from Lush. (Not to get rid of, to prevent.) I usually just rub that into my ends while my hair is still wet.
Annnnd, I'm pretty sure that's it!

Jan 7, 2014

Jenny F.

On the topic of Mane N Tail, I found that it works for thickening up hair and keeping it strong. The main issue with it is that it can dry your hair out pretty fast, but it's absolutely not an issue if you use a good conditioner and stuff.
From personal use, I would say it is good for the hair because when I was using it, that's when my hair was the strongest. As long as you're conditioning well, no problem.