Any women out there still trying to figure what products work?

[StarScream35]

I often see quite a lot of women that seem to have the right products and everything right down to detangling but I'm wondering are there any sisters out there who are still struggling? And what are you struggling with? Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed etc?

I am texlaxed/relaxed and I do have everything down to the T finally but it wasn't easy. I will say this, once I stopped trying to do what everybody else was doing and used products that my hair LIKED, I stopped going downhill and went uphill. I use products with mineral oils and silicones and haven't had any problems. Trying NOT to use products with silicones and mineral oil was causing some serious grief, breakage and tangling. My products lines are totally Dominican and French.

 

[lamaria211]

Ive been on my hhj for almost 3 yrs and I still dont know what my "staples" are. I have my own mini bss because of it. Im lucky most things I buy usually work (dont cause damage) for my hair, but once im done using up my stash I plan on trying to find and stick to some form of staple products

 

[caliscurls]

I often see quite a lot of women that seem to have the right products and everything right down to detangling but I'm wondering are there any sisters out there who are still struggling? And what are you struggling with? Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed etc?

I am texlaxed/relaxed and I do have everything down to the T finally but it wasn't easy. I will say this, once I stopped trying to do what everybody else was doing and used products that my hair LIKED, I stopped going downhill and went uphill. I use products with mineral oils and silicones and haven't had any problems. Trying NOT to use products with silicones and mineral oil was causing some serious grief, breakage and tangling. My products lines are totally Dominican and French.

Great threads thanks!

I am texlaxed (about to go straight). Still struggling with a good blow dry product (trying redken satin wear and power tomorrow), dc (tried silicon mix over the weekend and like it so far...need a few uses to make up my mind), and just really knowing what my hair is going to like by the content of something. Based on recent experience I do think my hair likes cones and is protein sensitive.

It would be nice to get down to staples soon rather than later so that I can stop wasting $$$$ and time on stuff that doesn't work.

Special note: I truly love this forum. Yesterday I was in Ulta looking for a blow dry product and just felt overwhelmed so I pulled up my iPhone, searched the forum, and found some contenders. Sample or small bottles are what get purchased just in case they don't work.

 

[Postal]

I'm relaxed and am 6 months into this hair journey. The only thing I figured was the shampoo that I use weekly. Feels like I'm fumbling around in the dark when it comes to the rest of my regime.

 

[Lucie]

Since I relaxed again, I am going to have to start from scratch.

 

[StarScream35]

Do any of you ladies use the entire product line or do you mix and match? I used to mix and match until one day I stopped and started using whole lines and that made the difference.

 

[Evolving78]

i am finally figuring out what products work for me. once i realized that creams, butters, and heavy oils weren't my friends that opened the door for me when it came to moisture. i also got over the whole natural product thing. yes i do like natural ingredients, but i don't run away from cones anymore or products with a little mineral oil in them.

writing down what you use and how it works or doesn't work for me helped too.

 

[ScorpioBeauty09]

For daily care like moisturizing I have my one product that I use, just because it's the only thing that works and it took years and years, from before I even came to LHCF to find it. For shampoo/conditioner etc. I have a large stash of stuff I know works and I use them in rotation depending on my hair needs on any given wash day. Every time I think I've found my staple, I usually end up finding something else that works better inadvertently.erplexed "Staple" for me is just another way of saying "temporary favorite."

For your second question, I mix and match from the product lines in my stash, depending on what my hair needs.

 

[Honey Bee]

I'm just getting it halfway right myself. My main problem was leave-in's and/or moisturizers. I wanted something creamy but light, like Lacio Lacio, but better for your hair. And I wear my hair straight(ish) and textured (curls, twist outs, etc), so, while it would have been nice to find just one product, I figured I would need two. I started using diluted Taliah Waajid protective mist bodifier for the textured styles and It's a 10 for straight styles. Judging by my ends (a bit frayed in the worse place, a weird 3-ish patch in the back), they seem to be doing well. Also, I stopped using oils and replaced them with One n Only Moroccan Oil serum (textured) and Aveda Light Elements smoothing fluid (straight).

I'm still looking for a balanced DC, though. My fine strands love protein, so if anybody has any rec's....

 

[missbugg21]

Do any of you ladies you the entire product line or do you mix and match? I used to mix and match until one day I stopped and started using whole lines and that made the difference.

Right now, I'm using only ORS products and I love it! I like keeping it simple and right now, it's perfect and my hair is thriving. I added aloe vera juice, olive oil, and coconut oil to my pre-poo and leave-in but that's it.

 

[DarkJoy]

It's only been a few months on my HHJ so my answer is "still searching!"

Before, it was buy what was on sale and roll with it til it was gone. Never stuck to a product for that reason so my hair suffered.

Growing up, my mother never even conditioned our hair so coming to LHCF, I'm starting from scratch on hair-knowledge! I'm trying to use common sense and not jump on bandwagons. However, finding what people are doing gives me ideas. I also have fine, fragile hair which is a real challenge. Reading the boards and seeing people with similar textures and density, I'm exploring and finding what my hair likes. For example: sudsy shampoos are a no-no on my paper-fine hair. If it weren't for researching (as I call it) and seeing that people can use alternatives with success and trying on my own hair, like baking soda, tea, ACV or terressentials-like products, I wouldnt even have known to try.

So for now, my staples are:

Wash: Shea Moisture Purfication Masque and a Wen-knock off that I just added.
Clarifier: Baking soda and ACV Rinse
DC: Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Hair Masque
Leave-in: Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner and my own Home Made Tea Spritz
Styling/Moisturizing Aids: my own cocoa butter, shea, and mango butter mix, flax seed gel

 

[InBloom]

Interesting thread.

I have staples, per se...

For instance, I rotate several shampoos, conditioners and reconstructors. I like them all and typically use the same condish that matches the shampoo. However, I rotate these several brands because I experience diminishing returns after using any one kind for several wash rotations. Like, the results aren't as fantastic after the 3rd or 4th week. Then I switch to the next pairing...then the next....then eventually return to the first pairing. They all work beautifully for my hair, but I have to rotate after a while. I'm guessing that's normal (?)

I rotate oils this way also.

My leave in stuff is always the same, along with my daily moisturizer.

So, the short answer is that I finally have my staples, but I can't commit to just one shampoo and conditioner.

Luckily, I have one absolute for a relaxer and that will never change.

 

[MyCoilsGoBoing]

I've found a staple deep conditioner, a staple protein deep conditioner, staple shampoo, and a staple heat protectant. I use coconut oil to seal my hair. My problem is finding a decent moisturizer.

 

[sweetlaughter]

I had all my staples until I ran out of the original Megatek and had to find a new protein condish. But I added two spirulina pills to the new bottle and it seems to work like the original, only green.

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

I have staples but I haven't stopped evolving. The best advice I could I've is pay attention to the basic things. Does your hair like water or oil based products? Does it like ingredients such as shea butter or lighter things like glycerine or aloe vera gel? Which oils work best for you? Make sure to look for them in the ingredients lists of your products.

 

[sckri23]

Im still looking for a leave in everything else is fine. I wanna try only triple gro products but its expensive and only found in bss and by the time I get off work their closed. All my recent products are from walmart.

 

[irisak]

I use Aussie moist condish and 3 minute miracle to co wash. I also use the split end protector as my leave-in. I don't think I'll ever have a staple dc because I use different ones based on what my hair needs and I'm honestly a serious pj and like trying new dcs.

Sent from my HTC EVO using LHCF. any spelling errors should be blamed on auto-correct.

 

[Tiye]

Basically keep it simple. I think the confusion and frustration only sets in when you try too many products/product lines. It's already been posted but if you pay attention to what works for your hair and not at what other people are using it gets very easy. Also I always recommend trying sample sizes if you want to experiment. This way you don't get stuck with a dead product junkyard.

 

[jazzybklyn]

Me! Still can't find an everyday leave in I'm satisfied with. I'm using Elasta qp mango butter currently and I feel like it just sits on my head ugh. Ntm silk touch was ok but it was too light and I didn't love how my hair felt. I'm relaxed

 

[LifeafterLHCF]

I'm still figuring it all out. Since I'm texlaxed now I'm finding I'm able to see what my hair needs vs when I was natural. Now I can tell automatically when a product is a hit or not. I discovered last weekend things from the same line aren't always good for my hair. One of the Silk Element conditioners made my hair soft then the other one made it dry as straw.

I do have my poos down which is good. I just need to find a good moisturizer and leave in.

 

[faithVA]

I haven't quite figured it out. I have shampoo I like and a DC I like. I have never found a leave-in that does anything for my hair. My hair doesn't like heavey oils and it doesn't like butters at all. My shampoo doesn't have other products in the line. And the DC I like doesn't have an entire line but from what I hear the shampooes aren't that good.

So even though I know the ingredients my hair likes or does not like, finding products with the right ratios has not work.

I've tried to keep it simple, but that isn't working for me either.

Didn't think it would be so hard to find a leave-in or moisturizer that works for me.

 

[StarScream35]

For the ladies that are relaxed, Are you self relaxing? No lye or lye?

 

[Poohbear]

I've only found staple products for straightening my natural hair.

For other natural hair styles like braidouts and twistouts, I have used different products and haven't found any staple products yet.

Now, I just recently changed my routine to the curly girl method wash n gos. So no silicones or sulfates for me. I'm in the process of trying to decide what my staple products will be for co-washing and moisture/hold/definition.

 

[Angelinhell]

I pretty much have all my staples figured out, except my leave in. I had to stop looking for the "perfect" conditioner and just use what worked good enough for me. I will always play around with styling products though.

 

[lamaria211]

I have about 15 leave ins but my fav is Silk Elements Megasilk leave in moisturizing creme (i like aveeno a lot too) its probably the one ill stock up on

 

[Ronnieaj]

I think I gave up on the "staple" products issue. I have INGREDIENTS that I know my hair likes, so if I'm looking for an item, I look for the particular ingredients that I know work well for my hair and go from there. So I still play around a lot. Then I have to not be too lazy to do what my hair likes: e.g. my hair really thrives off of ayurvedic tea rinses followed by cowashes, but I don't always feel like making the tea (I premix the powders, so it's really just a matter of brewing it). I notice the difference, but laziness gets the best of me . I'm a DC junkie and really okay with it, though if I had to pick just one it'd probably be AO White Camellia for moisture and Mega-tek for protein. I make my own daily spritz (again, laziness comes into play here), but I think for a leave-in I'd choose Komaza Care Califfia Leave-in (I think ).

For me, the ingredients are the most important thing, so after that I just allow myself to play .

 

[irisak]

For the ladies that are relaxed, Are you self relaxing? No lye or lye?

Brighteyes35. I self relax with no lye. Lye is too strong for my fine strands and has left my hair feeling thin and stripped in the past.

 

[ResultsMayVary]

:gasp: the search ends?! Lol I feel like I will be on the hunt for that right product forever..

 

[Vashti]

I've pretty much got my products down. I like natural products but I have to be honest, the products with silicones detangle my hair far better and I had to accept that fact. I've had two setbacks on my journey that educated me on that so I don't avoid them. I embrace them when it's time to deep condition and detangle on wash day.

I've also stopped buying expensive a** products online. Since my favorite product line can now be found at Walgreens I can buy it there. If I can't find stuff locally I don't buy it.

 

[StarScream35]

I just wish I could get that flat iron technique down pat. I got the right products just not the right flat iron technique. If I could get salon quality looking flat iron, life would be great!