Regimine Update...

rymorg2

Hey all I thought I'd update you on me and my hair regimine atm. It's TOTALLY not CG, it's not even modified, but it's working.

I had to take a step back from chemical products for the most part again. I do still use one or two (including shampoo) but everything else is all natural. I couldn't take the constant itching and flaking.

I do use a cheapo, very basic with very few ingredients, sls shampoo (GASP!!!!) but have had NO issues with it! I guess cutting back everywhere else helped there. The more basic the better for me, I'm finding out. Anyway, on several haircare boards they've been talking about a method of shampooing called oil shampooing that I've been doing for a month or so. It's completely eliminated my need for any conditioner! I just use the oils. Here's what I do:


I use extra virgin organic coconut oil and put a dollop in my palm about the size of a quarter. My hair likes more of the oil to the shampoo in the ratio. I have a custom oil mix that has 1/2 organic argan oil, 1/2 organic camellia japonica, 5 drops Lemongrass EO and Vit. E for preservation that I add a few drops of to it, but I have only started to do that recently. I add about a 1/2" ribbon or so of White Rain Tropical Coconut shampoo (the old formula that just got changed) to the mix and smoosh everything together. Then I use it to cleanse and moisturize all at once. I sometimes need one more time, sometimes the one is all I need. I also use the coconut/argan/camellia oil mix to deep treat overnight and as stylers. This has eliminated all my products I use except for these things! I use the oils as stylers as well, and get lots of volume and smoothness. My wurl is defined (though not enhanced like before but it's ok with me) and my hair air dries much faster. Occasionally after an all night deep treatment with it I only need the shampoo with no oils added, no conditioner after, and my hair is still soft, bouncy and tangle free! I always follow with a distilled water rinse.

Another thing....my color uptake is much better and even though I use a demi I get minimal fading....and that takes a full month to 6 weeks! Have you ever gotten a line of demarkation from a demi? It's supposed to fade, but I got a line of demarkation from doing this! My hair is extremely shiny and soft. The coconut oil helps prevent loss of protein.

I also use the coconut oil on my skin exclusively. I mix it with a bit of my cleanser on my face. I mix with my scrub for my body. I use it for moisturizer and lotion. You name it, I probably use it for it. My routine has never been simpler and my skin has never looked better (or my hair for that matter). So I've decided a little trade off in enhancement for these results as well as lack of issues with the chemicals again is worth it.

IAgirl

That is really intriguing, Rymorg.

Do you have any trouble with tangles using this mixture?
You're styling your hair with oil? Wow, resilient wurls. Mine would be limp&greasy.

My scalp has also been itchy and I scrub it with a sugar/oil (olive or coconut) mixture, then wash really well with Prell (twice to remove the oil or I end up looking well-greased) or Jhirmack Silver Brightening. Itch mostly gone! I do the same to my husband's hair which is very different from mine, but also wavy. It really does leave the hair soft. I wouldn't do that every day, though!

I made a mixture of coconut oil and cocoa butter for our super-chapped hands which works great. It even helps fingernails stay flexible in the cold, dry air. I know, you're in FL -- but it has been pretty chilly there too!

I really do believe that the entire CG dogma may be overstating its case, or at least being very exclusive of so many possibilities.
Treating hair gently is the basis of the whole thing. Learning how it responds and giving it what it needs; there must be dozens of means to reach that end. Not just one.
Thanks for sharing your great ideas.

plunkybug

I've been looking at a more simplistic approach too. I just picked up this conditioner in the pink grapefruit scent (not on the website). The SAs all agree, that this is lighter compared to the Lloyd's they used to sell (this is replacing it since they had trouble getting the Lloyd's). So, I'm hoping that I can co-wash with it, maybe diluting a little to spread/distribute if need be, and if it is not moisturizing enough, I'll try Ped's approach and add honey to it. Or I might use it a la Spritz and Condish, letting it penetrate more. Or just use a little as a LI (and possibly styler). I'm looking at maybe only using HEBE or Goddess Curls gel as a styler, or maybe Phomolient and HEBE or Goddess Curls gel. I do want to simplify my routine though.

CurlyPolkaDot

oh! That's the Oil Shampoo method on LHC isn't it! I've been looking to try that. But i'll need to get some coconut oil first! Glad to know it's working for another wurly. I'll see if I want to give it a go

wavynwild16

Wow, ITA with IAgirl -- most definitely intriguing! It sounds very simple and I am quite jealous of your fast-drying, no-stylers-needed (well, besides oil, but I'm not sure if that technically counts) hair! Glad it's working for you.

madwurly

Well, you brought me out of lurking!! After struggling with CG for two years...i gave the oil shampoo a shot about a month ago. I use about one part coconut oil (nutiva) to 2 parts VO5 Strawberries and Cream Shampoo, blend together, and wash. I still need conditioner for detangling purposes, but I can get away with a runny cheapie condish (i've been using White Rain lately). Like you, I get definition, but not necessarily enhancement. On days I want my hair curlier, I scrunch in a very basic recipe FSG.

The biggest bonus for me is that I no longer have a problem with my scalp showing. I also have less tangles, and I'm able to get the elusive THIRD day hair. For me to have an avatar pic with no product added at all says a lot.

I can also add that this is great for rinsing out henna. My hair bleeds less, and i no longer have that henna funkiness that can last for days. Finally, a consistent routine that works for me...and I'm dealing with Florida weather.

IAgirl

I just had to try this. I used between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil and about twice that of Prell (didn't measure, in a hurry).
My hair really was tangle-free and silky, shiny, kind of limp (par for the course with sulfate poos).
So I thought -- I know the Prell (ammonium lauryl and laureth sulfate, mostly) are hard on my hair, let's have a look and see if the oil mitigates the damage.
On the farthest right is a picture of my hair in plain water. I have normal to low porosity hair. The others are in a half coconut oil, half Prell mixture. On far left is showing some damage at the outside of the hair (jagged edges, which I have recorded before in this shampoo). In between shows all the "bubbles" of shampoo which form around the oil it is mixed with, and on the far right is showing the cuticle in the oil-shampoo mixture.
In my Fotki I took pictures of different hairs in sulfate poos with similar results.

I'm not sure if I would get the same results by first lightly coating my hair with coconut oil, then washing -- whether that might be better than mixing the oil with the shampoo because my hair does like an oiling now and then, but I have to wash it out twice with sulfate 'poo to degrease.

Oil-washing didn't seem to me to be damage free -- but maybe all the oils supplied, lower the effectiveness of the surfactant or prevent the shampoo from washing the hair shafts as (stripped) clean as it otherwise would. It certainly leaves behind a tiny bit of oil.

Whatever. I have seen the most healthy hair imaginable on people who wash with average, drugstore sulfate 'poos, but just not very often.

Lots of ways to achieve healthy hair. Mostly by not damaging it in the first place!

Thanks Rymorg! Interesting stuff.

sortacurls

Hi, I am soooo confused about all this. I am reading and reading for hours and looking at all the associated blogs. (dewpoint??, porosity??, elasticity??) I have 2B hair I am 99% sure. I know if I get a perm it never leaves, only grows out. Color needs to be applied on the short side of the time limit so I am thinking somewhat porous. And elasticity? I dunno.
And in general, everyone says to use SLS shampoo one last time? My shampoo has SLS. (Matrix Amplify) And what to avoid in conditioner? The cones? (Mine (Matrix Amplify) has potato starch??? that's weird) But I don't see any cone or xane words.
I don't really have any scalp or hair problems at all, quit coloring, no processes going on, my hair is pretty short, it's that cut tons of people have now, short in the back and tapered down longer on the sides.
I love getting out of the shower all sparkly clean. Washing my hair with conditioner only is leaving me feeling smelly/creepy. (although I have been using a tiny dab of conditioner, what I read seems like a really excessive amount.) I got the wide tooth comb and using the diffuser a bit, although I want to get away from that.
My main issue is I am just sick to death of blowdrying my hair every day. With the new luggage laws, I could save a lot of $$ not dragging my hairdryer, curler and flat iron everywhere. And I would love to encourage my wavies. I have to get some new mousse, I can't crunch this stuff out (aussie catch the wave flexible hold)
I ordered the CG book from the library, there is just SOOO much information here I am on overload!!!
Also, is a blunt cut better? Mine is pretty layered on the sides and is very wavy but stringy looking.
Thanks for any ideas and if someone could point me to the elasticity place I appreciate it.

IAgirl

sortacurls, this is worthy of it's own new post.
Read here about hair properties:Live Curly Live Free - Home
You don't need to wash with conditioner. You can wash with water and see if that leaves you with a result you like. You can use shampoo if you want. The world will not end.
As for elasticity, if, when in the shower, you find some hairs snagged on your fingers or shoulders, grab them and roll/wad them up into a ball with your palms. Then, when you pull on the bits sticking out, do they stretch a little, or just break? Healthy, elastic hair stretches. If your's doesn't, it probably needs protein.

Start a new post if you wish (see the "thread tools" drop-down menu on the 2s message board) and ask whatever specific questions you want to ask. People here are so very helpful.

rymorg2

Glad I could get everyone thinking!


Yes, this is the oil shampoo method from LHC. I've been doing it for over a month now. I agree it's not 100% undamaging, but then again, what I was doing before wasn't either. And not using the coating, cruddy products my head and hair hate mitigate that for me anyway.

I don't mind SOME damage....I color after all, as well as use a blow dryer for heat (no flat iron usually, except maybe once a year) but doing what I can to minimize it makes it worth it.

IAgirl

I thought that maybe adding the oils probably does help keep the shampoo "busy" and less-stripping.

When I oil shampooed, I was really surprised at how un-tangly and nice my hair was (not conditioner-coated), and once it was styled it was really extra nice (seriously, I was very pleased)! Did I mention no static? It wasn't as dry here, but still, this is a real problem in winter!

This is definitely going into my list of things to do to avoid over-conditioning. Maybe mixing oil with a less-harsh shampoo. Maybe not.
Thanks!

heidi

I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to try oil shampooing. I've tried coconut oil before and even with the tiniest bit (1/4tsp) I'm a greasy mess. And sulfate/non-sulfate shampoos all leave me with limp droopy hair. Mixing the two seems like a recipe for disaster, lol.

If Co-washing wasn't working so amazingly well for me I'd probably give it a try. Even though the idea scares me :geek:.

rymorg2

Heidi, I could NEVER get CO washing to work for me. LOL....Some things work for some people but not others.

justajesuschick

Last year I suffered such dry skin-our winter was brutally cold.

I added either coconut oil, jojoba, shea butter, avocado, olive or sweet almond oil to all of my body products and it did make a difference in my skin. I had to stop using the coconut because the smell nauseated me. EVERYONE else on all kinds of beauty forums ADORED the smell. Mine was freshly dated and organic but to my nose it was a sweet, spoiled milk smell.

I have stuck with the other oils but have not tried washing my hair with any. On winter days where I was at home all day, I smoothed those that can penetrate hair (avocado and olive for me) into my hair and I did get conditioned but yes, limp and greasy locks. Washed out nicely with a lowpoo the next day. Like a little spa treat for my hair! Thanks for the reminder to try this again.

I love it when we find things that work for us So glad you have found a good method, sister!!

sortacurls

Thank you for writing, IAgirl. I am using lots more conditioner and my hair is better. My daughter was so shocked my hair was so almost curly!!! I have just never used very much, if any conditioner, so in addition to no poo, wow, these are hard habits to break.
I saw the young lady that cuts my hair and asked how can we cut my hair to encourage the waves/sortacurls. She looked confused, shrugged and said "I dunno". WHAT!! WHAHH!! Good thing for the zip code-salon site here!
Oh, I seem to be pretty elastic. Now I saw a new term, density!! what the heck????

plunkybug

Density is the overall collective thickness, not pertaining to the strands, but the collected amount, such as a ponytail. How much hair you have. For example, I have fairly fine hair, but I have a lot of it...I am on the thick side of medium I think. I am beginning to think it is more medium though.