Randomosity

My friends and family have dubbed me the hair care guru, so I have decided to share what I've learned with you here on this site.

Things you'll find here include information about silicones, alternate hair washing methods, how to deep condition your hair and more.

I will add more from time to time as I find new information, techniques and interesting tidbits to add.

REMEMBER - Do NOT get your hair care advice from somebody trying to sell you their products and/or services, because they will NOT tell you the truth! They're out to make money, not give you honest information about what you need for your hair. And this applies to a lot of other things in life, not just hair care! If they want your money, chances are you won't be getting the truth from them!

Following is my hair type and the run-down on my personal routine. More information on finding your hair type, the methods I use as well as others and some general tips and information can be found on the subsequent pages of this part of the site. (Links are located at the bottom of each page; or check out the site map for quick access to all the pages!)

Check out the GALLERY for photos.

My hair type is 2a/2b~~M/C~~iii (See Part 2 for an explanation of hair types & how to find yours.)

I do NOT chemically treat my hair in any way. I only blow-dry or heat style a couple times a year only on special occasions or when it is really necessary. I can count how many times I blow dry/heat style in a year on one hand. If I am doing the rare heat styling I use a heat protectant spray first. I avoid using products that contain silicones. (Heat protectant sprays all include silicones, so I do use them sparingly from time to time but on a daily basis I don’t use them.)

I NEVER brush my hair while it is wet. I DO however gently comb through with a wide-tooth comb that has no seams. This is very important in selecting your comb - your hair will snag and break on any seams. Make sure there are none when comb-shopping! I start at the ends of my hair and work my way up to the roots, being careful to not tug or pull at any tangles but to gently work them out with my fingers and the comb.

I CO (Conditioner Only) wash every other day with VO5 Passionfruit Smoothie conditioner. The days between I either keep my hair dry or WO (Water Only) wash. Approximately once a week - depending on the time of year and any other factors that may increase or decrease the need - I CWC (Condition - Wash - Condition). What product I use for the “wash” part of my CWC varies - sometimes store-bought shampoo and other times homemade cold-process soaps which work well as shampoo bars. Regardless, I ALWAYS wash and rinse with warm water and do a final rinse in cold water. This helps to seal the cuticle and keeps the hair smooth and shiny. This is not for the faint of heart though - that final rinse in cold water is quite a wake-up call! After washing I apply leave-in conditioner. My product of choice for this is The Goth Rosary Daily Use Hair Conditioner & Humectant. I oil every other day with macadamia nut oil; more often if my hair seems a little dry, less often if it seems a bit oily.

Once a month I deep condition with Mane & Tail Conditioner. I slather it on dry or damp hair then put my hair up into a bun, cover with a shower cap and a warm towel and leave it on for several hours before rinsing with warm water followed by a final cold water rinse.

About once a month, more or less often depending on how my scalp feels, I do a brown sugar scalp scrub with brown sugar and VO5 Passionfruit Smoothie conditioner.

I braid my hair before bed. I start by applying leave-in conditioner and gently combing through, from the bottom up, to get rid of any tangles. Then I brush it and braid. Sometimes a French braid, but usually an English braid. Occasionally rope braids, if I want nice spiral curls the next day. But my hair hates being told what to do so those spirals never last long. I like to do it every once in a while anyway, though. :p

Any time I need to brush my hair, I start by combing with my wide-tooth comb, always from the bottom up. (Have you caught on to the pattern yet?) Then I brush. Usually if I am just staying home, I leave my hair down or just put it in a pony tail. If it’s hot, I will braid it or toss it up into a bun to keep it off my neck. When I go out, if my hair is being left down (or half down) I always take a scrunchie with me and put my hair into a pony tail to help protect it from wind either from the windows down in the vehicle or the weather. Then when I get to where I’m going I will take my hair down, finger-comb through if necessary, and go about my day.

I am always careful to move my hair out of the way when I get into a vehicle and fasten my seat belt so that my hair doesn’t get caught in anything. I also keep my hair up in a bun if I am going to be around small children or puppies (puppies love to think of long hair as a rope that they can chew on!) so little hands and mouths (or paws, as the case may be) don’t get tangled up in it.

Ready for more? Click here for Hair Care 101: Part 2