Whats your hair ephifiny?

[Arcadian]

I think everyone here has had some come to their own personal "aha moment" when they realized something about their hair that never actually occured to them before.


Mine was that wow, even at APL my hair isn't that long at all BUT, its so much easier to deal with than ever before. (certainly easier than when it was shoulder length!)



So whats yours?


-A

 

[LovelyLionessa]

A big one for me was when I began washing in braids. Once my hair got to a certain length, it made all the difference managing it in sections on wash day.

 

[sweetcashew]

My hair epiphany was detangling in the shower using CON shampoo. I used to cut my hair a lot because I couldn't detangle it. After I started using shampoo I never had to cut again for that reason.

 

[SparklingFlame]

I have 2.
#1. I am truly satisfied with my hair length and if it doesnt grow another inch I'll be satisfied.
#2. I am no longer hair-obsessed. AHHHHHHHH- FREEDOM!!

 

[SouthernTease]

I think the biggest thing for me was just joining LHCF...
I contribute all my progress to the info I get from here.
I definitely would have kept making the same mistakes
had I not been armed with the knowledge I get from
the other members of this forum.

 

[Bublin]

For me it was NOT applying leave-in products to soaking wet hair.

My hair was breaking by doing this - i think the leave-in products were being diluted by all the water and my hair was crispy and dry and i couldn't figure out why.

I decided to change when i was fed-up with my hair dripping all over my clothes. I wrapped my hair in a towel for a few minutes and my hair had a stretched appearance and it also felt super soft even with no products. I then applied my leave-in conditioner etc and my hair was super bouncy.

And i could then get my hair into a ponytail because before my hair was so shrunk-up it was impossible.

Eureka.....i've finally got a grip on what my hair wants.

 

[shellyb]

One of my 'aha moments' just happened today. I usually wear wash n go's, but I recently started experimenting with flat-ironing. I can almost get my hair to look and feel like I just left the salon, but the only thing I hadn't mastered was getting rid of the nasty burnt smell.

For some reason, I had always thought that I needed to have the flat iron set on at least 400 in order to get my thick hair straight - wrong! The reason my hair always smelled burnt was because I WAS BURNING IT!:imstupid:
It seems so logical now, but back in the day I just figured that burnt smelling hair was a part of straightening with heat. I'm glad I know better now. I flat ironed my hair with it set on 270(FHi Runway) and it turned out just as straight as it did set on 400. (I just had to go over each section 2x instead of 1x). No burnt smell!

 

[the_UnPrettiest_pretty]

I think my epiphany was that what works for others may not necessarily work for me. Also, what gives others good results may only give me minimal results or no results at all. I spent a lot of money (damn PJ) on products that I only used maybe once or twice only to find out that they didn't work and I wasted my money.

I think another epiphany I had was learning to accept growth for what it is. My hair will grow (or not grow) on it's own. I can't do anything accept facilitate the process by giving it genuine TLC. Vitamin supplements and growth aids MAY help, but my hair will grow when it's ready to grow. I stopped trying to get an inch per month and let my hair do it's thing.

 

[curlcomplexity]

My biggest hair epiphany was deep condtioning for more than 15 minutes. I now DC for at least 30 minutes under my Pibbs. I now can detangle w/ ease and my hair stays moisturized for longer.

 

[gymfreak336]

My ephifiny

I got more than one

1. My breakage last year was from protein overdose...there is too much of a good thing
2. When in doubt error on the side of moisture
3. Hair is hair, if you are alive, it can grow. It may not grow as fast as you want it too but there is always a chance to turn it around for the better
4. You can do bad by yourself....no one is going to treat your hair better than you so learn how to do as much as you can by yourself. In the same breath, if you have a great stylist, recommend your friends and family, help keep her in business.

 

[deltagyrl]

Hmphf!

I have come to the realization that e'erbody can't self relax AND that my hair is lovely just as it is AND that all stylists aren't the debil.

 

[kittenz]

My "aha moments" happened when I first joined LHCF and was taught grease does not = moisture. Then the most recent was when i discovered my nape will grow (thick and long hopefully) if I stop applying the relaxer there first and only relax it every other touch up. Why I couldn't think of this on my own , IDK. It's my most sensitive area but I gave it the harshes treatment.

ETA: I thought of another one: "AHA! if I only texlax my edges anf nape I get the cuteset little curlies around all my edges that I love." they give me hope for when I decide to go natural or transition to texlaxing.

 

[natstar]

There has been so many. I agree with what everyone has said so far-

I would say right now though taking care of my ends (moisturizing) has really helped me. Before I did not give it too much though and they sucked

Also, not washing so much (every other week) and doing more protective styles like twists in braids. This has helped me save time when I need to and prevents me from getting frustrated with my hair. Whenever I get frustrated- I start thinking drastically. like cutting or dyeing, or whatever.

 

[SunnyDelight]

My "aha" moment - realizing that grease does not equal moisture and that my hair LOVES water.

 

[Evazhair]

1.Just because a product works, doesn't mean you can use it all of the time. Therefore multiple products are best for me.
2. Critically evaluating hair "advice" and regimens saves me a lot of trouble. Science trumps opinion. Always.

3. As long as I stay away from direct heat and color, my hair will not give me many problems. I now maintain moisture, vs. dealing with dryness.

4.excessive manipulation = wetting my hair more than once a week. My hair likes TLC and to be left alone.

5. Cholesterol and Hard protein are not needed and are dangerous to my hair when it is healthy. My protein needs are basically for elasticity maintainance and protective, i.e. ceramides& collagen. I guess my diet is sufficient for the other proteins.

6 My hair loves oil, also in the relaxed state!My hair can deal with mineral oil, but hates vaseline!

7. pooing in loose braids prevents breakage

 

[gradygirl]

My hair likes to be left alone. The less manipulation the better.

 

[ladylibra]

learning about conditioner-washing was my first and probably biggest "aha!" moment. when i first decided to transition to natural, my underprocessed, heat-fried hair showed dramatic improvement with co-washing. and my natural hair thrives from it.

and of course, washing in sections. it sounds like more work at first, but really it makes washing (and detangling) faster and easier.

 

[zzirvingj]

One of my biggest "aha" moments is very general, but yet still profound at the same time.

I have come to the realization that just having an open mind can be your key to achievement. What I mean by this is, before joining LHCF I was very close-minded about my hair. I had never really considered developing a "regimen". What I did to my hair I did out of (bad) hair habits. These bad practices had just sort of "developed" over the years, beginning from when I first started "taking care" of my own hair as a teenager.

I guess you could say that since joining, I've opened my mind to change, instead of always doing things out of habit. Before coming here I probably never asked any of the "what if" questions about my hair. "What if" it's possible for my hair to be healthier? "What if" it's possible to achieve waist-length hair? "What if" there are products I am using that I shouldn't be on my hair?

So...eventually I finally "got" the concept that if you want change, YOU must change something! LOL! Having an open mind-specifically one that is open to change-has made me realize that I can set and accomplish goals...whether they involve my hair, mind, body, spirit, etc.

 

[Aveena]

My epiphany is that I need to visit a stylist regularly.

 

[PuffyBrown]

Mine has to do with clarifying.
Since I have joined LHCF I realized that the shampoo that I used was probally too harsh because my hair would be hard and break.

I started to use Elucence Clarifying Shampoo recently the first time I realized thats how my hair felt in the past. Now that I am more knowledgeable about protein and deep conditioning I am no longer intimidated about doing my own hair. At least when it comes to this process.

My next journey is the Flat Ironerplexed go figure

 

[MrsQueeny]

I have had several. So here are my top 3:
Conditioner washes
Washing my hair in 4 braids to combat detangling
Oil rinses. Q

 

[Amarech]

I like this thread .

My epiphany came recently. I realized my hair grows in a v-shaped and there aint nothin I can do about it.erplexed
I was actually relieved and not as disappointed as I thought I would have been. My hair is the longest its ever been and I'm at a point where I can literally sit back and let my hair grow. Its so nice. Besides my little set back with the protein OD, my hair is in pretty good shape.

Being at peace with my hair is so nice.

 

[billyne]

if you grease your napps they will grow!!

 

[sareca]

My hair hates shampoo. Doesn't matter what kind, it hates it all. I tolerates poo after a henna treatment and that's about it. I use shikakai to keep my scalp clean.

 

[curlycraze]

My hair rarely has split ends, almost never. What was being "trimmed" all these years? My hair is the longest its ever been. Quickly approaching BSL, healthy and all. No direct heat and oil my "dry" hair ends.

 

[nomadpixi]

Re: Whats your hair ephiphany?

1. MSM +10mg Biotin = 1 1/2 inches of new growth every relaxer cycle. So no matter how depressed you are with your hair right now, it'll be gone in 6 months.

2. Co washes with a moisturizing conditioning mask (Tres Semme moisture in the tub) and oil washes will keep new growth from driving you too crazy.

3. After rinsing your hair, attract moisture with glycerine and seal it in with Castor oil. Your hair will thank you.

4. Deep condition as much as you can stand. For me, that's 2x per week. I use CPR or Hair Mayo then switch it up with a homemade: avocado, egg, honey, coconut oil. Man! Talk about happy hair!

5. Carry around a bottle of moisturizer and spritz your hair regularly.

6. I LOVE DESIGN ESSENTIALS RELAXER!!!!

 

[*Happily Me*]

A scarf tied down on wet hair for a few hours will straighen it. no need for lots of heat.

thanks to sylver and isis, i gave this a try and now my braidouts don't look as bushy, and my roots are flat to my head

 

[Extremus]

My hair epiphany was detangling in the shower using CON shampoo. I used to cut my hair a lot because I couldn't detangle it. After I started using shampoo I never had to cut again for that reason.

Goodness you have such lovely hair! I'm so jealous

 

[Ms Red]

My hair epiphany?

Simplicity is best. Wash or co-wash. Moisturize. Leave it alone.

This plus time. You have to be patient in the hair growing game. I was tripping over some of my hair 'idols' on here (naturals who are BSL, MBL, Waist length) and then I realized that either they had virgin hair or had BC'd like 5+ years ago. I need time to see the results I want! Sometimes I forget that I just BC'd in June of this year

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

My 1st aha moment was when i first went natural and realized that my hair was curly. I was dumbfounded and in awe to say the least I have a beautiful texture and was killing it with relaxers all this time.