Bonnie writes:
Do you ever regret being so educated on your hair? I mean, I miss the days where I could just walk in the store and buy whatever shampoo was on sale and call it a day. I had no hair goal aspirations, health or length, because I thought I was destined to have the hair I had. Although I am grateful for all that I have learned, sometimes I feel like ignorance was bliss. Sigh, I guess when you know better you have to do better, but darn it if finding a “good” shampoo isn’t hard work…LOL!
@Cheryl
I thought Coconut Oil was suppose to be a natural heat protectant.
Tell me about it. I don't use silcones anymore and I wanted to flat iron my hair for a holiday party. I could not think of or find a heat protectant that did not have silicones. Please divulge if anyone knows of one. It will be greatly appreciated.
Nope. Becoming educated about my hair led to me becoming more educated on my the products I use on my hair, skin and body. It also lead to vegetarianism, eco-consciousness and more exercising.
If I never learned about my hair, I'd still be in the dark in other more important areas of mt life.
I actually feel quite empowered by it. But then again, I'm a nerd who read the labels so much at the age of five, my mom stopped taking me grocery shopping (lol). Now it's all invogue to read all the labels.
I've noticed I only have a problem when I'm trying to "perfect" my hair care although I end up with much of what I first started off with. Like, I still can't quite get a good, healthy twist out but then again, my hair looks better, I can do more with it and it is almost to my bra-strap, way longer than it was before. I now am wearing my hair instead of it wearing me.
And I even have a pickier hair regimen than most (I had to cut out all fragrances because of allergies) which, just because of lack of labeling is technically bad for everyone especially when it's higher than one of the last 3-5 products. (oops, hope I didn't make things harder for anyone, although a lot of people are going to start seeing that as a new trend in personal care). It's restricted me (can't even try out HE Hello Hydration or YES to Carrots) since most of the really popular products have fragrance and non-fragrances things usually are slightly more expensive and usually shipped (more money), but I've found some great companies like EO or Giovanni where I can buy in bulk and just forgot about it for a couple of months till it's used up. I either switch or continue buying, which by then, I usually have more choice in sale.
I am very grateful to have gained knowledge about how to improve and maintain a balanced healthy hair diet. In my opinion, when I was "ignorant" concerning treatment of my hair, I harmed it more than ever and I actually spent hours in stores searching for the magical all in one "styling aid". I did not know that less was more until I eliminated all store bought styling products and just stuck with VO5 conditioner. I have been using it for so many years, and although I cheated on my boo a couple of times (okay, several), I always go back (LOL).
During the winter/cold months, I mix a combo of non-humectant oils/avocado butter and a non protein VO5 conditioner (which makes a great creamy and very effectively moisturizing styling aid for me) or just VO5 and oil and that's all (I gotta just work on not being so heavy handed since a little goes a very long way). Nothing else I have ever used, as long as I have been alive, has ever actually "worked" for my hair and maintained moisture at the same time. Now that I've gained knowledge about what benefits my hair, I don't waste time looking for hair stuff, I find that doing A LOT less is actually A LOT more. Now if I ever heard of VO5 being on sale for like 25cents per bottle, I think I'd go INSANE!
I am grateful that I went natural before the Internet got big. It's a little too easy to get confused with all the information that's out here now. One thing that continues to amaze me is the number of women I see regularly who seem to think that all these type 3 women out here are really type 4 women with superior moisturizing game…
Ladies I want you to sit back and get ready to drool over this fellow natural YOutber "Naptural85" doing a gorgeous Bantu Knot Out. Here's the link to it, she did this style yesterday 12/19/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4BWt3_7WVQ&feature=sub
Yes *SIGHS* ignorance really IS bliss… I sometimes look at the no-no products from my permed days & wonder how my hair looked so great while I was using them.
But on the other hand, it makes you feel good when friends/ family ask you for hair advice cuz yours looks great 🙂
LOL…I actually still live in this world! I have 8 inches of hair in about a year’s time. And it came from the use of Nairobi products, sew-ins…sleeping on cotton sheets, drying w/ towels, and 3 week stretches between shampoos and NO CO-WASHES, because I had no idea what that even was. My hair rarely sheds and it's THICK as all get out…but I have major shrinkage. It wasn't until watching and reading and watching countless videos and vlogs on products galore and technique after technique, that I felt overwhelmed. I’ve decided to oblige to SOME of the hair-ology…(ie. moisture, PS’g and little to no heat)…but I do not stress over it. I chose to enjoy it…stay healthy…represent in EVERY stage and EVERY state of this experience!
I'm in the middle right now. I am at the point where I know enough to research everything and I am tired of research! I am finding that I will try whatever is said to have HG status at the moment. I think part of it is missing the ease of straightened hair. My hair was healthy, long and not breaking off. I am the culprit here doing more damage than I realize. Trying this and that. trial and error is exhausting.
I don't feel that way because I've developed a (relatively) simple routine that works for me. They're almost all "good" products, cost less than $10 and available in stores near me(other than my beloved qhemet biologics). I also don't have hair goals, other than healthy hair. I get all the benefits of my new knowledge (long, healthy hair with next to no "bad" ingredients) with the benefits of my relaxed routine. Actually, it's cheaper since I only used salon products (Redken, Mizani, etc) when I was relaxed.
I'm upset that I've learned so much about the dangers of blow-drying. Also, if I put my hands in my hair, find a s.s. knot, I must be near my hair shears!
Ditto what The Chocolate Loveliness said…
-Catcurls
I enjoy product reviews and information but soon learned that my best policy was to K.I.S.S (keep it simple sista), the more complicated I made routines, switching out shampoos adding long sessions of deep conditioning, this oil , that oil…..OY my hair was like STOP!!! SO I went back to old school stuff that my mom used to do with my hair and it finally breathed a sigh of relief, lol. I take everything with a grain of salt now.
I'm so happy I know more now! I have say that my scalp has improved so much since I've gone natural. My hair feels so soft now too. I have found products that work for me, aren't too expensive, and are natural. I welcome the knowledge. =-)
I am glad that I'm finally figuring out what to do with my hair. But I spent 45 minutes in the BSS looking for a leave-in this weekend…
simply a great post. 🙂
It's funny. Since going natural, I have way more products than I did as a permie. I used to just reorder KeraCare tea tree shampoo and conditioner and use Jam to smooth my edges or simulate a perm in a pinch, but now I have a different product for every step of my regimen. I do a fair amount of research both scientific and popular opinion and I'm everyone's favorite guinea pig (as long as the product I'm trying doesn't contain sulfates or cones). I guess I'M glad for the knowledge, but my tiny bathroom is like "help me!!"
The labels thing…i miss going into a to store and not having to scan the ingredients section!
I found the best conditioner for Co-washin is Deva Care One Conditioner. It really does seem to get my hair clean! It has most of the same ingredients as the Deva Care One No Poo. Also, I used Hair Rules Daily Cleanser one time and I like it, but it is a small bottle for the price – ***sigh*** sort of out of my price range. And yes, ignorant bliss was a peaceful existence. There was a time I could use just any ole gel – now I am self conscious about what damage it might do to my 4a/4b hair.
I was thinking the same thing. My best friend is in Afghanistan and when he was in the states he loved my shampoos etc.. So I decided to send him a care package for Christmas, I went to the store and it turned into a big nightmare. I was reading every label on Shampoo, lotion, deodorant. He probably doesn't care but it was really serious for me!
This is timely. I had been rethinking my hair care regimen lately, and decided to try no-sulfate shampoos. All the blogs and hair boards mentioned how stripping it was for the hair, and I figured that so many people mentioned it, what's the harm of trying something different?
Well, my hair HATED it. Pre-poos didn't help, neither did adding oils to the no-sulfate shampoo. And after 8 years of being natural (no heat, no color, no chemicals), I know what my hair likes. It likes good old sulfate ridden shampoo. Now that I know about the harshness of some of the sulfates found in my favorite shampoo, I just make sure to pay extra attention to my conditioning process. Your hair journey is just that, finding out what works best for you and YOUR hair. It can be overwhelming, but that's what makes the discovery (for me anyways) fun at the same time.
That is so true, when you know better you have to do better!! Going to the store is truly a trip that I have to set time aside for. It takes much longer to read labels and compare!!
shampoo is definitely the hardest product for me: finding something that cleans my scalp but doesn't strip my hair
I've tried cowashing with cheap conditioner but my hair is thick and course and I need shampoo to get the butters/oils my hair likes off of my scalp
It's the same thing with being a vegetarian. I am constantly reading labels.
I'm glad I know what I know, but trips to buy products are definitely more lengthy now.