Poll: what have you changed because of NC.com?

SuZen

I've changed just about everything in my hair routine:

Stopped brushing before showering
Started combing in the shower
Stopped shampooing
Started plopping
Started diffusing
Changed all my products
Acquired a big assortment of products!

curlyarca

i stopped brushing.
i only comb in the shower.
i finger comb my hair regularly.
i condition more intensively, and i use a whole lot more conditioner.
i'm even more picky about what goes on my head.
i'm more careful with handling my hair.
i dumped everything Aussie! yay!
i don't mind paying 10 bucks or more for hair care products
i have A LOT of hair care products.
i think i relate to my products almost as mini love affairs
i think my hair is worth all of this attention and isn't a pain to take care of
i look forward to caring for my hair!
i feel good about my hair, and i don't mind a bit of frizz now and then!!!

starina

The only thing I was doing right before I found NC was not brushing my hair. Everything else was so wrong! Thank you NC and members for showing me the error of my ways!

CurlieGlamourGirlie

I've stopped using anything with cones in it.
I gave up my Kiehls Creme.
I use cheap products that do wonders for my hair.
I use only gel in the morning.
I use clips along the part for lift.
I stopped using shampoos with sulfates.
I was able to let it start growing with some length!!!

My hair has never been better!!!

meowmix

Before naturallycurly.com I never brushed and I'd finger comb in the shower, and I already knew to put product in soaking wet hair.
I've changed some of the products I use though - now I know not to use things with drying alcohols in them, because they make my hair feel so dry by the night-time or next day. I also learned about plopping which I use occasionally, and I learned how to diffuse. I never diffused before because hairdressers had done it to my hair before with disastrous results, so I thought it would never work for me.
Oh and I started using conditioner :oops:

SmithsGirl

I've found lots of great product and technique suggestions.

Some of my faves:

I recently tried plopping (don't think my hair is long enough yet to get full benefits) and plan to continue that as my hair gets longer.

Noodlehead!

Jessicurl!

Cutting my own hair!

Conditioning and adding gel upside down!

Omalorrie

I have changed alot of things but I think the biggest change was my attitude. I now hold my head high and let the curls bounce.

Rain

Stopped brushing completely.
Started combing conditioner through in the shower.
Started using silicone, then
Stopped using silicone.
Started scrunching the good way.
Stopped blowing my hair out.
Started air drying more.
Bought a diffuser.
Stopped touching my hair as much.
Started reading product ingredients.
Stopped hating my hair and grew it long.
Cut way back on my shampooing.

I started reading articles around the site a long time before I started posting here. It was in January, 2001 that I came out of curly denial. I had to go to Seattle and my hair went *boing* the second I got off the plane. My own mother wanted to know if I had a perm. That was the big clue.

When I got back home, I started looking up how to take care of curls and that led me here. It wasn't until I got the CG book last year and wanted to see if other people were doing the same routine that I started posting, but I've completely changed the way I look at my hair (and take care of it) in the last three years.

curls&swirls

Changed everything: Stopped using shampoo, used only organic condish, no cones in anything, no proteins in anything, no more brushing or running my fingers thru my hair, plopping with product on soaking hair, started buying expensive haircare products,......and my hair looked like crap! I must be remedial because I did everything right and my hair was a giant puffball. I haven't had frizz since sixth grade. :evil:

So, I changed everything back: Now shampoo with .78 a bottle shampoo, use Pantene condish, Infusium-23 as a leave in, and some cheap gel with hemp oil in it from Wal-mart or Tresemme mousse if it's really humid. My curls are springy, my hair is soft, my frizz is gone and life is good 8)

SuZen

Omalorrie wrote:

I have changed alot of things but I think the biggest change was my attitude. I now hold my head high and let the curls bounce.

What a great comment! You're right, learning to feel happy and proud of our curls is the greatest thing of all.

Rednaturalcurls

I've changed products repeatedly and I found a fabulous hairstylist because of this site. I am finally able to wear my hair down without being a giant bush.

Mip

I've changed everything about my routine since finding this site. I no longer brush at all, not even before or during showering. I put product in very wet hair, as opposed to damp hair. I know to finger comb when my hair is wet. I know the importance of conditioner and conditioning, and to monitor shampoo usage and the effects it has on my hair. I know how to diffuse now, how to get more height at the crown, and how to plop.

Most of all though, my product knowledge has increased drastically. I know all about the kind of products (mousse, gel, cream etc) and about the products that work for many people, work for certain hair types, or are plain useless.
I also know about ingredients, and now check the ingredients list on every product I buy. I know to be careful about silicones, watch out for the effects of protein, and counter-act drying alcohols with lots of conditioner.

curlyhockeyfan31

Omalorrie wrote:

I have changed alot of things but I think the biggest change was my attitude. I now hold my head high and let the curls bounce.

Ditto, here!

curlylew66

I buy a lot more products!! I like trying everything!!

plink

Read a lot fewer books and spend a lot more time on the computer.

Dazzle(confuse) my friends with words like.....plopping, diffusing, and scrunching.

Every aspect of haircare, washing, condishioning, styling, products has changed for me because of this site. Thank-you. My hair looks good.

System

because of NaturallyCurly.com I now know what my natural hair looks like. For over 25 years I never knew what I had.

Confused Curly

I learned that my hair hates 'cones in shampoos and conditioner but likes them in products.

I became open to trying new things like CG. I doesn't work for me but I tried.

I started reading product labels.

I've become addicted to trying new products but alas, I may have found my formula.

I discovered Sally Beauty.

I figured out that different weather conditions call for different hair products.

I finally found a gel I love - Abba Gel Lotion. (humid days)

I found a cream styler I love - I.C.O.N Beauty Cream Gel (dry days)

I can't say I've learned to love my curls but my hair never fully recurled since my experiment with Rusk anti-curl last November. I LOVE my new waves! I no longer covet straight hair.

I found my stylist.

Read a lot fewer books and spend a lot more time on the computer.

Me too.

ZARIA**

* I stopped wearing hair weaves and learned to love my curly hair

Thats the #1 thing...

Also..
*I realized BRUSHING actually works for my hair
*I started to wash with shampoo more often
*I stopped using gel..
*I started using hairspray instead of gel
*I stopped using hair grease
*I started to keep my ends trimmed
*I finally found a routine that works: Sebastian potion 9, Paul Mitchell hair sculpting lotion, honey, hairspray and air dry..

kimmyc

Lots! I always shampooed every other day or so, not everyday and I never used the hair dryer much.

The things I do differently are:
I don't use a brush anymore at all
detangle when wet with conditioner in
gel into soaking wet hair
microfiber towel
plopping
getting 2nd or 3rd, 4th day hair (even though I didn't wash it everyday before I still wet it and conditioned everyday)

Snarls

Lots...

Changed all my products to CG-friendly
Shampoo much less frequently
Got shower filter
Added gel to routine
Added weekly DT
No more terry towel on hair
Now playing w/ dryer & diffuser
Then the skin...new cleanser, exfol., moisturizer, started wearing sunscreen again (thanks Rou!), mineral makeup

And...I notice other curlies MUCH more!

Prefer not to discuss ACV since doing a 1-week experiment in drinking the crap

Kaia

Because of NC.com, I now straighten my hair once every few months. Before, I wore it curly a few times a year. This site has changed my perception of my hair as well as myself. Not only did I completely change how I treat my hair, but I am more accepting of myself now. I really could never thank you guys enough.

Suburbanbushbabe

Stopped relaxing/texturizing
Stopped using products with cones, mineral oil and sulfates
Shampoo less (from every 3-4 days to every 10-14 days)
Use natural oils in hair
Co-washing
Robert Craig color

HippieChic

I've changed pretty much everything. The only thing I did before was not brushing. Now I:

Have stopped frying my hair with a straight iron and wondering why it looks bad
Use no silicones
Shampoo only once a month to clarify
Put kitchen products in my hair!
Leave in conditioner
Have a variey of products that actually work
Air dry most of the time
Am proud to say, "Yes, its natural curl"
Have healthy hair.

love yourself first

Oh, lots and lots of good changes - needed changes.

Before NC, I did a few things right. I didn't shampoo much, didn't brush dry hair, didn't own a hairdryer and never used one, rarely if ever applied any form of heat to my hair (and I still don't), and used decent if not excellent conditioners.

And, now?

No more hangers, I mean, cotton pillowcases 8)
Detangling only with a wide tooth comb, preferrably a Conair shower comb
Shampoo every month or so
ACV rinses, to cleanse scalp and get shiny, smooth hair
Nioxin scalp therapy as a shampoo alternative
Better conditioners
More conditioners
Rotating conditioners
Deep treatments every two weeks or so, including overnight moisturizing
Wet hair daily, condition and detangle (this one step alone cut down drastically on my former habit of using chemicals in cycles (on again, off again) to tame the tangles)
No touching hair as it air dries
Am selective with choice of leave ins, and always use them
Am selective with choice of gels, and almost always use them
Love of moisture + hold stylers
Mixing products
Layering products
Applying less of an amount of stylers but with more variety is better than using too much product
No products with drying alcohols
No products with sulfates
Light silicones only, and preferrably none
Curly specific hair products
Natural/organic brand hair products
Natural hair goodies (molasses, honey, coconut oil, aloe vera gel)
Use of light oils, like jojoba
Most John Freida is utter crap
Most Pantene is utter crap
Drugstore brands can be hit or miss
Suave Naturals are great
VO5 conditioners can be very good (except the Oasis line)
Heat with a DT is acceptable
Curly hair is unpredictable, sexy, beautiful and more fun than the alternatives
Curly hair runs the gamut and its fun to admire other people's curls

internetchick

Everything!

DolphinCurls

Thanks to NC.com:

I gave up straightening my hair
I no longer use a brush. I comb only with a conditoner in the shower.
I blow dry with a diffuser.
And best of all, I have the confidence to wear my hair curly.

Kurlee

Lots.

Changed the hair products I used completely
Started reading lables
Started using a leave in
Stopped blow drying my hair
Stopped getting highlights
Got more picky with how my hair looks and feels
Probably obsess much more about my hair
Became a hair snob
Started using silk pillow cases and micro fiber towels

Leilani42

It's nuts what I've changed recently. I'd tried the no-poo thing for a long time, but I was getting lazy, and using cheap conditioners. Not to mention the fact that I didn't know cyclopentasiloxane was a silicone, so even in my efforts to avoid them I didn't realize that my favorite (Aussie Moist) was a bad one! :O

But seriously... I've changed my products, I use honey now, I layer products, I understand ingredients more fully, I apply products differently, I scrunch with a microfiber towel, and so many more things!

Thank you all so much for the ideas, inspiration, and support! Such lovely curlies out there, all making me feel great about myself!

Eilonwy

Well, I stopped using silicones, so that pretty much means changing everything. I still use a fine-toothed comb when my hair is wet, and condition under a shower cap while doing the rest of my shower routine.

curlylaura

I've changed lots of things:

I no longer use Pantene products
I am more gentle with my hair
I only brush it every so often before I wash it
I try more and different kinds of products
I use styling products
I read the labels of everything (not just haircare bit skincare too) I buy.
I understand the differences with cones
Cyclo cones are bad for my hair
I am willing to spend a bit more money on my hair products.
I have found there are 2 Sally Beauty stores not far from me to the future detriment of my bank balance.

lushaholic

I did a 180 on how I started dealing with my hair.

Stopped using a brush (I had to actually search for it when the 'brushed hair' thread came up).
Stopped using a comb for the most part, unless my hair was wet and saturated with conditioner and very tangled.
Stopped using shampoo, the strongest cleanser I've used in over 2 years is [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Jessicurl-Hair-Cleansing-Cream-p-103.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=jessicurl-hair-cleansing-cream]Jessicurl HCC[/buylink] or Low-Poo, and I haven't used HCC since last december, and Low-Poo I might use every couple of months but don't need to.
Stopped using silicones and other ingredients that were unhealthy for my hair, except for the amodemethicone in One C or a very occasional peg-dimethicone that are easily removed.
Learned how to choose better conditioners and other products because of better ingredients.
Started only using a hairdryer with a diffuser, thus leading to less damage on my hair.
Started using more DT's
Started using more natural ingredients, like honey, avocado oil, olive oil, jojoba, coconut oil, vit e oil, bananas, etc.
Started getting my hair cut in a curl-friendly method, instead of layers or texturizing that were giving me the choppy, poofy look.

Those are just a few of the changes, but certainly some of the most important ones. My hair has definitely thanked me!!