HAIR

[babsannee]

Hey everybody! I really want to grow my hair long, any tips?

[Ayla of Duluth]

Avoid scissors

[Mermaid Annariea]

yeah, just dont cut it. at all.
for split ends, my mom heats up olive oil and puts it just on the ends. she lets it sit for a bit and then rinses it out. i think it might actually help it grow, so maybe putting it on the roots/scalp would help too. even if not, its still good for your skin and hair so... yeah.
just dont make it too hot, you dont want to burn yourself.

[Little_Orca]

Depends on what is "long" to you. Several people I know would classify shoulder length hair (SL) as long.

If you are looking for APL or BSL or longer, I can suggest some forums for you to visit. It will help dispell myths and give you some tips on treatments (home and purchased).

The Long Hair Community: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/ (Can be very drama filled and snarky, but there are gems in there.)

unTamed Tresses:http://www.untamedtresses.com/forum.php (More information, not as many users, may take more time to get replies.)

We also have FB groups including one just for women (to help reduce dealing with fetish individuals,) but also have groups that include men growing their hair long,


Or I can stop being lazy and post what I know here, lol. Yeah, let me start one of my loooong posts. I will just include a bit of what I know and then you can go from there.

[Blondie]

I disagree with the "don't cut it" rule. As EVERYONE and their sister told me, "You NEED to cut your hair if you're going to grow it long"

I never believed it and grew it out long in middle school with not cutting it. My God it was so straggly. Like even brushing it didn't make it look "nice" I always felt like a rag doll.
I'm growing my hair out again now and I get it cut every two months or so just a bit to straighten the edges out and remove the dead ends. It's amazingly different. It's all nice and tidy. Much neater than before.

[Ayla of Duluth]

I disagree with the "don't cut it" rule. As EVERYONE and their sister told me, "You NEED to cut your hair if you're going to grow it long"

I never believed it and grew it out long in middle school with not cutting it. My God it was so straggly. Like even brushing it didn't make it look "nice" I always felt like a rag doll.
I'm growing my hair out again now and I get it cut every two months or so just a bit to straighten the edges out and remove the dead ends. It's amazingly different. It's all nice and tidy. Much neater than before.

My mom taught beauty school for a long time and she says one of her pet peeves is when people think that cutting hair makes it grow better. Hair grows from the roots, not the tips, but the tips get damaged and look scraggly. trimming a half inch off your hair every few months keeps it looking nice while you grow it out. just remember, take care of your roots for healthy hair all the way through. Its okay to trim off split ends, and another tip she gave me is to run a comb through the very ends of your hair to get rid of broken shafts. its a good temporary way to clean up the look of your hair without cutting it as it only gets rid of the bits of hair that are damaged and weak.

[Little_Orca]

http://us.cdn3.123rf.com/168nwm/gyzele/gyzele1004/gyzele100400012/6737445-long-hair.jpg

First, before I begin it may help to have a list of terminology right at the beginning so that you can understand what I am talking about when I use hair-lingo. ;)

Hair Terminology- Lengths & Ends

Pixie - A short hair cut, anything that is not a bob or page-boy and above shoulder length; usually also above the ears.
SL - Shoulder Length
APL - Arm-pit Length
BSL - Bra-strap Length
MB - Mid-back
WL - Waist Length
HL - Hip Length
TBL - Tailbone Length (also known as butt-crack length)
Classic - Length at which your hair's ends are at the top of your legs; covering your rear.
Thigh - When your ends reach mid-thigh.
Knee - When your ends reach the back of your knees.
Calf - When the ends of your hair reach the back of your calves.
Ankle - When your ends reach your ankles.
Floor- When your ends reach the floor. (Beyond this, any length is referred to as Beyond Floor or other similar terms.)
Blunt - When the ends are cut in a straight line across the back. [Pic (http://images33.fotki.com/v1115/photos/1/105445/394790/hair22308-vi.jpg)]
U-Shape - When the ends are cut in a U shape. [Pic (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/pgw1225/Ushapcut1-1.jpg)]
V-Shape - When the ends are cut in a V shape. [Pic (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jNT1ONuDE4o/TRhUq3kBX5I/AAAAAAAAAEA/T_u2gJCxJW4/s1600/v+shape.jpg)]
Fairytale Ends - When the hair is left to grow naturally and it can take on a wispy look. [Pic (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v178/rennire/DSCN5791.jpg)]
Terminal Length - The length at which your hair can grow before it is shed and the cycle starts over.


Hair Terminology- Tools & Treatments


BBB - Boar Bristle Brush. A brush made from the stiff hairs from a boar. Comes in black, blonde, and brown and can be mixed with plastic bristles. The plastic-mixed versions are not as sought after as they tend to cause static and can scratch the scalp. Used for distribution of natural oils through your hair.
N/W - No water. This is a method used by some in which they do not use water to clean their hair and rely only on their body's natural oils. [See forums at the end of this post for more information.]
W/O - Water only. This is a method used to clean hair using only water, no products.
C/O - Conditioner only. This is a method of hair care in which the person uses no shampoo or shampoos much less often than they use conditioner.
DT - Deep treatment. This is a practice done with some deep conditioning or oil treatment.
EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
CO - Coconut Oil
Clarifying - Using a strong shampoo that will take out the residual chemicals left in your hair from other shampoos and hair products. Usually best if done once a week or less.
Dusting - The process of trimming off a centimeter of hair or less.
S&D - Search and Destroy. The process of snipping off just the split ends in your hair while leaving the other hairs alone.



All right, now that that is done, let's jump into this, right?

Determine a Length Goal
The first thing that you have to decide about your hair is how long are you going to grow it? I'd say from APL up, you can pretty much follow most of mainstream hair hair advice and practices. Beyond that, you might have to start paying a little more attention to your hair to keep it as you want it.

"But Little Orca! I have hair to my waist and I do what the commercials tell me to do and my hair is just fine!"

Great! That means you have a routine that works for you and your hair and your hair goals and you are well off and good. :) Not everyone has this though, especially women and men with longer hair. There are many different ways to care for long hair and not each way will work for everyone. Some people's hair needs to be protected and shielded and other's hair thrives on benign neglect. Trial and error will help you find out what works best for you. Once you have a length in mind, you may need to cater your life to fit around that hair goal.

How Fast Will Your Hair Grow?
That is up to genetics. However, the average person has 1/2 inch of hair growth per month or 6 inches a year. If you trim your hair an inch every 6-8 weeks, you are going to be cutting off all the work you just did during that time. If you want to grow your hair longer, space your trims out further apart and try to see about trimming it yourself. That way you can for sure determine how much is going to be coming off. If you can get away with it, only dust your ends or perform a S&D rather than going for a full-out trim.

Nothing can really make your hair grow faster. What can happen is that your hair can be growing at a slower rate due to a number of factors (usually diet and something lacking in it) and when you get that missing x factor, you hair's growth rate can appear to "take off" and grow a lot quicker when in reality you are growing at your optimum rate.

Finding Support
Support? For hair? Are you kidding? Nope, I am not. It is really amazing how hair is in western societies. It is both something very personal as it grows out of our bodies, yet we treat is as something very public... sometimes too public. Hair can be something deeply treasured by those who grow it long (not everyone, of course, but some) and something that is often used by others to judge you. If your hair does not meet their views of beauty and they choose to go off on you about it, Neptune help you. I have had this happen many times. It is not a fun experience and it can make you feel terrible. However, like it is with anything there will always be haters and people who don't understand or don't want to understand. Further, your hair does not have to be "Rapunzel Lengths" to get this type of treatment; I know ladies who get talked to like they are stupid and insane and they only have their hair at BSL.

Finding support can be a real help. Support can come in any form; a friend, a loved one, a forum, etc. These will be the people that remind you that it is YOUR hair and YOUR goals and YOUR choice. They can help you keep your chin up, keep you on track, and support any choice that you decide to make about your hair. These people will also be honest and not try to lie to you or manipulate you in order to make themselves feel better or to sabotage your goals (this happens A LOT with hair and weight loss.)

Developing a Routine & Learning Your Hair Type
As your hair grows, it's needs will change. It is here when you might have fun experimenting with other things to help keep your hair on course. What your hair will need will depend on it's type.

"Their are hair types?!"

Yup! There sure are. Different hair types will need different things to keep them looking their best. Very curly hair, for example, looks best when combed instead of brushed since a brush can fluff it and make it seem like an uncontrolled fuzz ball (just ask Mr. Orca ;).) Sometimes knowing your hair type can help to steer you in the direction you need for hair care, especially if you are on a forum that can seem like a giant place of confusion! Here is how you figure out your hair type:



Curliness or Lack Thereof
1a - Straight as a ruler
1b - Straight but with a slight body wave; just enough to add volume but it does not look wavy.
1c - Straight with body and wave or one or two visible S-waves
2a - Loose, stretched out S-waves throughout the hair
2b - Shorter, more distinct S-waves
2c - Disctinct S-waves and the odd spiral curl forming here and there.
3a - Big, loose spiral curls.
3b - Bouncy Ringlets
3c - Tight Corkscrews
4a - Tightly coiled S-curls
4b - Tightly coiled hair bending in sharp angles (like a Z )




What Your Individual Stands Look Like (most of them)



F - Fine. Thin strands that sometimes are almost translucent when held up to the light. Fine hair is often difficult to feel when rolled between your index finger and thumb or feels like ultra-fine silk.
M - Medium. Strands are neither fine nor coarse.
C - Coarse. Thick strands that can be seen easily against most backgrounds when shed. Coarse hair may feel wiry and thick.




Your Overall Volume of Hair
i - Thin. (Less than 2 inches/5 centimeters when put in a ponytail.)
ii - Normal. (Between 2-4 inches/5-10 centimeters when put in a ponytail.)
iii - Thick. (More than 4 inches/10 centimeters when put in a ponytail.)


As an example of this, here is an image of my hair. My hair type is 2b / M / ii

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/429781_10100420261045488_2093266790_n.jpg

What products you use on your hair is really up to you. The forums I posted earlier (and will post at the end of this post for convenience) will have reviews on different products made by different companies and you can see just how often what works for someone does not work well for others. I can say that on a personal note, Pantiene does not work for me. It leaves my hair heavy and in desperate need of clarifying. Others, however, love it and it is their hair's savior. Also, be sure to see what is in your products as some chemicals (like parabens) are not healthy and have been linked to many diseases and cancers.

Hair's Strength Comes From Within
You can do all the best things to your hair to make it shiny and manageable and everything you want, but the best way to make sure you have hair that is long and strong is to feed it. Your hair grows from you and what you eat will determine if your hair is growing to it's full potential. A poor diet may not stunt the growth rate (on average 1/2 an inch per month), but it can make the hair more brittle, less flexible, and prone to breakage.

Some of the best things you can have for your hair include a multi-vitamin, lean proteins, Omega 3 fatty acids, dark green vegetables, beans, nuts, eggs, and dairy. All of these will have natural ingredients in them that are good for your hair and scalp. Beware taking vitamins that are specifically "for" hair, such as biotin. A little is all right, but a lot can be bad for your health.

Things to Avoid / Greatly Cut Back On
There are a few things that the average person can do to their hair that people who are trying to grow their hair longer should not. If you are happy at your currently length and you use these methods, then do not worry! You will be trimming off damaged hair, but those who want to increase their hair length need to cut back on some activities or even cut them out all together. The most damage I have seen to hair comes from dying (even with "safe" chemical dyes), blow drying, curling irons, flat irons, teasing, trimming with a razor, trimming with fire (not to mention unsafe!), not cleansing after using hair spray (want to see what that does? Click here (http://www.pgbeautygroomingscience.com/assets/images/twoh/Chapter%204/Hair%20spray%203.jpg) and see the crater left after two hairs were pulled apart), improper cleansing of hair after swimming in pools or the ocean, and excessive brushing. Do you have to give all of these up? Nope. Remember, it is YOUR hair and YOUR choice. These things are just known to cause hair to become weak and more damaged and can cause your hair not to grow as long or as fast as you may like it.

You can read up more on damage in the links below. A good friend of mine "Nightshade" wrote an article all about it.

Protecting Your Hair
Not everyone who has long hair wears it down all the time. More often than not, I keep my hair up. This is generally because keeping my hair up protects it. This keeps my hair from getting snagged on things, getting in the way, getting pulled by accident (or on purpose!), and in the summer it keeps me cool while in the winter it keeps the hair from being blown into my face. Wearing your hair up is not only a great means of trying out how creative you can be with braids and updos, but it protects the hair so that when you do want to wear it down it looks even better. Also, there are lots of hair toys (hair sticks, clips, barrettes, etc) to be had! ;)

Further protection, for me, comes in how I sleep with my hair. I have a satin cap that I wear that keeps my hair from getting pulled and tangled at night. These caps are fairly inexpensive. You can so buy a satin pillow case or use a tail-sock (yes, like for horses... I have 3. ;) )

Look Out!
A final thing is to look out for con artists. There will always be people who have the magic cure-all for anything. "I can get your hair to grow an inch a week if you take this magic pill or buy my product infused with ion technology!" It wont happen (again, unless you are missing a nutrient in your body and you are reaching your personal optimum growth rate.) This is most clearly seen in the weight-loss world, but it does happen in hair growing as well. Sometimes people can sound very convincing that they have the "secret" to hair growth. You know what the secret is? There is no secret. A lot of hair care secrets are just information that has been passed down over the years and some of it tosses aside by the mainstream. A great, yet comical, example of this is this satirical video that was posted on YouTube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM4ZgiBmDYo

Hair Myths


Brushing you hair 100 times a day makes it grow faster. -- Nope. What this does is cause more mechanical damage to your hair. This is based on the idea, though, that it will increase blood flow to your scalp and thus provide it with more nutrients. Gently giving yourself a scalp massage does this and it helps to keep your hair less damage in the process.
Trimming your hair makes it grow faster. -- Nope. Trimming your hair -trims- your hair. It makes it shorter. What trimming does is it maintains how your ends look and may give the illusion of them growing faster since they are all growing together in a thicker hem than fairytale ends.
Products X, Y, and Z can fix my split ends! -- Nope. Nothing can really fix a split end. Some products can "glue" them together, but they are still split and the damage is done. To get rid of them the hair must be trimmed, dusted, or an S&D should be performed.
Women over 40 cannot have long hair. -- Nope. You can have long hair at any time in your life; you do not have to follow western fashion. ;)
Long hair takes more work than short hair. -- Varies. This could be true for some people, but honestly for me it is not. When I had pixie hair it was much more work and cost a lot more in time and products to style it. With TBL hair I wash and braid it or put it up and I'm ready to go.
Your hair's texture can change over time. -- Yup. This one is true. But it does not necessarily become poodle-curly when you get older. That, my dears, is called a perm and all the older ladies (70+) where I used to work rocked them.


Hair Links

The Long Hair Community -- http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/index.php
unTamed Tresses -- http://www.untamedtresses.com/forum.php
Nightshade's Article on Damaged Hair -- http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79
Trimming Hair Yourself (Save some money and never have a salon stylist take off more than you want again!) -- http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com/
WebMD's 10 Healthy Hair Foods -- http://www.webmd.com/healthy-beauty/features/top-10-foods-for-healthy-hair
One of many hair style indexes, Rapunzel's Resource -- http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/style-index/


I hope that helps you some and gets you started in your new hair goals. Happy Growing!

[Patches]

If you don't live by the sea, get a keratin treatment. Salt water or showers with a softener will ruin it. Keratin is very expensive but worth it if you take care of it however this is not for you if you don't plan on having your hair pin straight for at least six months. Use argan oil, coconut oil, etc. Any time you do go to the beach/pool I usually put conditioner on my hair before going in and definitely right after rinsing my hair with fresh water if I don't have shampoo near me.

[ShyMer]

Thanks for the links and all that info, Little Orca! I was always unsuccessful at finding trustworthy information by simply googling. I'm really enjoying the Untamed Tresses site :)

[SilverSiren]

Little Orca couldn't have said it any better! I grew my hair from chin to waist in 4 years. I trimmed a 1/2 inch every 6 months. I "dusted" the ends when they needed it, which means i would cute a extremely tiny amount of the ends, which looked like dust on your floor when your done. Coconut oil is your best friend! Olive oil is good but coconut is one of the only oils that will actually penetrate to the core of your hair, providing moisture, protection and protein. I co-wash my hair, never use silicone based products, and never use shampoo with sulfur anything in it with the exception of a clarifying shampooing once in a great while. Burts bees makes great natural shampoos and conditioners but they are pricey, still, there are SO many brands that sell natural shampoos these days to choose from. Just read your labels! The less ingredients you can't pronounce the better! lol. That's pretty much it. That's all I do. Oh, and protect your hair! Wrap it up at night in silk or satin, or braid it and invest in a silk or satin pillow. Why? Because cotton grabs your hair when you sleep and breaks it. Also, try to wear your hair in a bun with hair sticks, a braid etc as often as you can, protect it like its the most delicate thing in the world, like very very very old lace or silk. Use heat styling tools? No... not if you want long beautiful hair... just... no... never again. There are TONS of ways to get your favorite style without heat, no excuses. You have rollers for big waves and curlformers (personal fav) for anything from tight tiny curls to big soft ones. That's all I can think of atm. It's pretty straight forward and simple but obviously you can get really into it by knowing all the terminology and different techniques etc etc, but Little Orca has put up a VERY comprehensive post for that!

[Jadestone]

Great information, Little Orca!!

I have hip length hair usually (a little shorter at the moment, had a 2-inch trim a few weeks ago), 1a/f/i. I love love love having long hair. I just trimmed it a little less (~.5-1 inch) and less often (2 times a year) when I decided to grow it out, and it took a couple of years to get from shoulder to where it is now (slow growing hair :/ ). I don't blow dry it unless it's the middle of winter and I MUST go outside after showering or else it'll form icecles. Even then I usually can't be bothered to blow dry it all the way, just enough to where it'll dry a lot faster on its own. I also brush a lot, partially because I like it to not be tangled and partially because it's something I do when stressed to help de-stress myself, heh.

Good luck Pearl Bae :)

[Mermaid Annariea]

LITTLE ORCA, YOU ARE INCREDIBLE.

[Little_Orca]

LITTLE ORCA, YOU ARE INCREDIBLE.

6388

[Little_Orca]

Found a hair type pic for those interested.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546457_456831147665087_2114287413_n.jpg

[ShyMer]

Nice chart! Now I finally know what hair type I have.

[Elle]

S&D is what I do when there is nothing on TV (or my partner is watching something really boring). It makes my hair less fluffy at the ends :)

[MerEmma]

I'm either 2c, 3a or 3b depending on the day. :lol:

[Sherl]

That's really comprehensive Little Orca! Thanks for the info :) I'm... either 1a or 1b / M / ii... My mid-back length hair can never curl nicely when I braid or do sock buns. It refuses to stay curled for long and dissipates into a frizzy mess if I do...I do envy those of you with curly/wavy hair! Straight is boring. I'm probably going to perm it in December!

I hope your long hair will be a success Pearl Bae :D

[babsannee]

This helps a lot thanks!! I'm going to take this summer to grow it out for college

[Ariel-Starfish]

I'm a: 1a f i XD

[deepblue]

As someone who's hair grows almost two inches per month, I can tell you the most important thing for healthy hair is good nutrition. Good nutrition makes healthier hair, which means less split ends, more body, etc. Drink enough water, too.

Healthy hair grows well. Some people can't grow it past their mid back, no matter what, but yeah most people can get it pretty long with patience.

And remember, you can do a healthier diet no matter what kind of diet you live on- I happen to be vegan, and having been a health nut for a long time, I'm relaxed about it now but still a very healthy eater (no worries, I'm not about to go into discussion of food ethics, that's like talking religion and politics!). But if you're vegetarian or, like most people, omnivorous, you can look up basics of nutrition all over the web and find out the best way you can make sure you get what you need, naturally, without a lot of supplements. :)

I just cut my hair from past my bum to waist length because I got tired of sitting on it and having to lift it to pick things up off the ground without sweeping the floor with my hair! lol

[Mermaid Dottie]

Little Orca is one of my Heroines!
I love you Merlissa!

[Kumori Kitsune]

I wish my hair would grow but even when it did its so slow I think it might be my meds

[Anahita]

"Growing hair" is more about preserving the length you have while your hair naturally grows. You have to trim split ends before they get bad or else they'll creep up your hair shafts and gradually shorten your overall length. Braid it before you go to bed, and if you want to wear it "long" during the day rather than up, brush it just enough to detangle it, but no more. Wear it up often in simple buns to prevent tangles and thus prevent damage. When you wash, wash ONLY your scalp (unless you've been in chlorine or salt-water, then wash it all, but with just enough shampoo to get it out and no more) and then apply conditioner, applying a lot of the conditioner at the ends and let it sit there for a long time. If your hair is feeling brittle or dry, argan oil and almond oil can help. Also, use argan or almond oil BEFORE getting into the ocean or chlorinated water. It will help make a bit of a barrier around the hairs to halt some of the damage that happens.

That's all I can remember right now. My hair is somewhere between classic and thigh length. I've been terrible about taking care of it lately. Normally it's solidly thigh-length, but I've let my split ends get the better of me recently. :p

[PearlieMae]

Little Orca, your long post is amazing! And Anahita's advice is very good and to the point...

As someone whose worn her hair very long - I sit on it - my entire life, I can share what I've learned: (The quick version)

HAIR CARE:
Never brush your hair when it is wet. The brush will break it and cause it to split.

Don't use a blow dryer. Ever.

Use very little shampoo and only to wash your scalp, really. As you rinse, the residual shampoo will clean the length of your hair. If you want, shampoo everything only once a week.

CONDITIONER! Don't skimp, cheap conditioners often have wax and other gunk that make your hair soft for a day, but damage your hair in the long run. I have fine, straight, silky hair and Pantene does wonders. I also water it down by half.

Trim an inch twice a year. I trim mine on the first day of Spring and First day of Fall. It's just easier to remember.

HAIR SCIENCE:
Here's the part you can't do anything about. Genetics: Your hair will only grow to a certain length. The hair follicle grows in a cycle, some faster than others. A hair will grow (from the scalp, not the ends) for a few years, the follicle goes into a resting period and you will shed that hair, and then the growth cycle starts over and another hair will grow in it's place. My half-sister's hair will not grow any farther than her shoulders, and mine will grow until it is almost to my knees.

It is nearly impossible to repair your hair once it is damaged, it is better to take care of it in the first place. A split end will split all the way up to your scalp if you treat it roughly.

Good nutrition and plenty of rest makes for healthy hair and skin.

Stress will make your hair shed!

Pulling your hair tightly can cause friction alopecia...baldness from the tension! Don't wear it in a tight bun or ponytail all the time and always use covered elastics - never bare rubber bands!

That's all I can think of for now...

[deepblue]

I have to brush my hair wet. If I wait til it dries, it's impossible to brush, I get more breakage. So I brush it while wet, and the secret to not letting that damage it is a good brush and a gentle method, from the ends, up. Brushing out the ends, then from a few inches higher and brushing that down, and working my way up. Been doing it this way successfully for 20 years.

Not all hair can go by the exact same rules, that's for sure.

[Mermaid Octavia]

You can see my hair in my avatar (now that I've changed it). My hair used to be super long (butt-length) but I was so bad at having long hair omg - I would slam it in doors, it would get caught in my zippers, armpits, seatbelts, backpack straps... I'd get it caught in windows, my mouth, other people's mouths... Clearly I couldn't handle the length, so I hacked it all off and now I no longer hate it!

You don't see too many mers with pixie-esque cuts though.

Anyhoo, Little Orca, your post is awesome! My hair is stick straight with super fine texture so it takes a lot to get it to do anything (minus getting it wet and sleeping on it!) One thing I learned from this thread is that every person's hair is different! Thank you for the info and the tips, you guys! <3

EDIT - I thought of tips for those of us with fine, oily hair. I got my texture (fine) from my mother and the hair type (straight) from my father and somehow inherited EXON VALDEZ-style oil production. If I don't wash my hair every day, I get excessive oil buildup. That's just how my hair rolls, yo, but having fine hair means any bit of oil will weigh it down. I've learned this:

Since our hair creates so much oil on your own, you don't necessarily need any conditioner (obviously if you have long hair, you do need some on your ends and such but I can only speak for those with short hair). My hair is so short that I don't use any at all. If I do, my hair lays super flat and I'm screwed the rest of the day. So! My stylist said to simply shampoo twice, once to get rid of the excess oil and once to actually clean the hair. I use Herbal Essences in the orange bottle (I forget what it's called, but it's super clean rinsing). It's short, quick, to-the-point and has worked great for me for months!

[Mermaid Oshun]

wow Octavia that post was really funny :lol:
I guess that's why a lot of people w/long hair bun it a lot to protect it.
I have 3b-2c hair fine, thin and very dry. Below shoulder blade length working toward at the very least waist length. But I really want classic length.

[Mermaid Kelda]

I've found that if I don't condition my hair, it actually gets more oily in the long run, possibly because my hair is trying to replace the natural oils I've stripped from it. I shampoo twice, both with very small amounts - once to get the shampoo through my scalp, the second time to work up a really nice lather. Then I condition right down to my ends and leave it while I shave/soap up/etc. But you have to remember every person's head is different, and what works for some people won't work for others. I have thin hair, but lots of it, and a medium-to-low natural build up of oils. What you might have to do is try a whole heap of different methods for at least a month at a time, to see what works for you. Also, a competent hair-dresser will be able to give you relevant advice for your style, length and hair-type :)

[Mermaid Oshun]

I am currently doing my prepoo that consists of yogurt, honey, Bragg Liquid Aminos, and olive oil. I will let this sit in my hair for close to an hour then cowash it out and apply coconut oil to the wet hair and let it air dry a little then tie it up in a bun on top of my head. Well that's my hair care ritual for every two weeks. :D
Since I am trying to get my hair waist length, I also apply Shapley's MTG hair oil to the scalp and do a scalp massage with my head turned upside down for about 15 minutes. I do this at least a few nights per week then sleep with the hair covered with a conditioner cap to create a greenhouse effect to enhance hair growth. I am currently not using any chemicals in my hair except an occassional cassia obovata for gray hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4b2P4mcF_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbkmsv6-sS4

[Mirabelle le Mergirl]

My hair grows 1.5 cm per month (I'm super lucky).Even though its generic, make sure you avoid getting nits! Nit solution can be bad for your hair. If you happen to get nits, use conditioner.

Mirabelle xx

[Mermaid Adriel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4b2P4mcF_k


I NEEDED IT! xD

[Aziara]

One thing that can make your hair and nail grow like crazy is prenatal vitamins. It says on mine it can be taken during 'pre-conception', meaning it's ok to take when you're not pregnant. I got it because I always tend to have malabsorption issues with nutrition, so I figured I'd go overboard and get really good nutrition in my vitamins. Makes me feel great! http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608022044634448606&w=126&h=185&c=7&rs=1&pid=1.7

[Aziara]

One thing that can make your hair and nail grow like crazy is prenatal vitamins. It says on mine it can be taken during 'pre-conception', meaning it's ok to take when you're not pregnant. I got it because I always tend to have malabsorption issues with nutrition, so I figured I'd go overboard and get really good nutrition in my vitamins. Makes me feel great! http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608022044634448606&w=126&h=185&c=7&rs=1&pid=1.7