Long Hair Care

[freakofnurture]

I'm bored. So there.

My hair has become pretty long - below the shoulder blades - and being the greedy little f*cker that I am, I want it to become even longer. As it is now, it's all in pretty good shape, glossy, barely any split ends etc. but I still think it can get better.

I have already made some changes to my hair care routine which involved buying a wooden brush with 'Naturborsten' - natural bristles? - reducing the amount of brushing I do, no longer rubbing my hair with a towel but grabbing individual strands and running them through a toweled hand, as well as abstaining from the blow dryer as much as humanly possible.

I'm rather happy with the shampoo and wash-out conditioner that I've been using so far, but they both contain silicone - which isn't as bad for your hair as some say but in terms of environmentalism it isn't all cool either. So today I've started using products form a care line that doesn't contain any silicone but instead argan oil. We'll see how that turns out.

I've also started to use rather hot water to rinse the shampoo out so that the cuticles of the hair are 'open' and all the good stuff from the conditioner can get inside nicely. Then I rinse the conditioner out with cold water to close the cuticles again and trap the unsuspecting good stuff. Muha.

Finally I use the sofa-sitting-and-talking-with-husband-time after dinner to search and destroy split tips and split somewhere-in-the-middle-of-the-hair-how-is-that-even-possible.

What do all you other long haired people on the forum do to keep your protein strands as pretty as possible? Any tips or warnings?

 

[The Albatross]

I'm below the shoulder blades too now. I use a hot oil (coconut oil) treatment once a week, and the shampoo and conditioner I use has no dyes... Nexus, so that I don't dingy up my grey. It helps me stay on my nutrition and vitamins because I want a healthy head of long long hair. Though I'm still Lady mullet because I have too much hair volume. If I let it all grow out it would be too heavy and give me headaches. I also stay away from a blow dryer, and usually wash my hair before I have to go out of town. I roll the windows down and brush at the stop lights to get it air dried because if I don't it will stay wet most of the day.

I use rhinestone clips and oriental or dancewear bun cages... and avoid rubber bands like the plague.

Good for you FON... I enjoy my long hair too.

 

[Nighthawk]

I use two or 3 brands of shampoo a week. I find the change keeps my hair more nourished. I also use Mane and tail conditioner at least every other week. If you don't know what this is it is for horses. Yup I said it horse hair care. Great for the nails as well. I very really use a hair dryer just cause I am lazy. The natural curls and take a good hand dry. My mane seems to be way better controlled with the length. My daughters hair is all the way down to her lower back and pretty much takes care of hers the same way.

I still have several inches to get it this long but this is kinda what I am aiming for. I wouldnt mind the face either.:roflmao:

 

[Mcll]

I just started rubbing extra virgin olive oil into my roots (twice a week) before I shampoo and it makes my hair really soft. Beauty tip a read about Monica Bellucci. Also, EVOO with added sea salt makes a great natural hand scrub/ softener. So many uses for this wonderful oil :)

 

[piratelady]

I have actually been told it is good to brush your hair. Your scalp secretes oils that are great for your hair. Brushing distributes those oils all over. Also, if you can manage it, only washing your hair every other day is good - again so you aren't stripping away your natural oils. Personally I can't do that without feeling dirty... but others swear by it.

 

[NIKI]

I LOVE my long hair!:happy: (half way down my back) I always use a comb on my hair when it is wet. I believe a brush would give me split ends trying to get it through wet hair.

 

[The Albatross]

I have a vintage vanity in my bedroom (deco 1910, birds eye maple and pecan) and I do my brushing at my vanity and braid my hair before going somewhere ors retiring. I remember my grandmother on my dad's side doing this when I was little. She died when I was 9. I still have her rouge pot and her powder pot.

I want to learn how to do the vintage braid styles... but am 10 thumbs and my hubands hands are like bear paws. I can't french braid either... something about my brain will not let me invert the way I braid. But hopefully I'll get it with practice.

Hey NH, I wouldn't mind a face like that either, but alas... it wasn't meant to be.

If I spike it (and dyed it) this is the version when I wear it down but not as pretty as this gal:

 

[Meadowsweet]

I guess it must depend on the type of hair you have anyway. Mine is very straight, so seemingly grows very quickly.

Tips: Eat a healthy diet. Wash hair every other day in a gentle shampoo (daily wash shampoo). Don't use any other products on hair. Keep drying, straightening etc to a minimum. Have hair trimmed every couple of months.

 

[Nicolette]

Here is my hair - needs a wash and brush (hard day at work) but this is without straightening and a quick dry off with the hair dryer otherwise I would have to go to work with wet hair. I wash it every other day and try and let it dry as much as it can with a great microfibre hair turban which is more absorbent than a towel - so no rubbing. Just a wide tooth plastic comb before putting it up to dry in the turban and then again with Revitafoam (detangler) before drying off with hairdryer.

 

[Toria]

Ah - I miss my hair! Mine was as long as Nicolette's when I got married, but the more "up in the air" things became after Husband's breakdown, the shorter I had it cut - to the point where it is now less that an inch long at it's longest point! There are days where I really miss having long hair - especially when I see photos of long blonde hair! :D I used to use an oil after washing, wrap in a warm towel and leave for ten minutes then rinse. I also once read that blonde hair is harder to "shine" than brown hair and that a lot of blonde people have their hair died (sp??!!!) specifically to make it shine and not to actually change the colour.

 

[amethist]

I hade my long hair cut short to ear lenght at hubby's lowest point, for a few reasons. It was easier to manage in a rush, it had got so long with out a cut it was badly in need of starting again, plus the grey was looking too bad.

It is now just shoulder length, easy to manage, easy to colour, but can be grown longer with regular trims now and look good.

 

[The Albatross]

Weird the correlation for some... the more stress and volitility, the shorter the hair. I did that too. Until I came home and told my mother I had a new short short hair style. She said she did too the same day. When we saw each other I was horrified to find I had exactly the same hair cut as my mother. I switched fast. At my low point my hair was about an inch as well.