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Healthy Hair Regimen Builder

Posted May 16th 2008 9:22AM by Gennifer Miller
Filed under: Hair Apparent, Lifestyle

Are you feeling a little bit lost? Well, here is a very basic overview of some different styling regimens:) This is not meant to be exhaustive but just a basic starting point for the lost:) This focuses strictly on styling regimens.


How to use this Guide

1. Pick one regimen and try it out for a month
2. Work with products you have and slowly pick up items you need
3. Record each wash day/week in your journal, noting any positive or negatives reactions
4. As you start tweaking your regimen, i.e. adding in oils or new products, record positives and negatives.
5. Keep recording and experimenting until you find a regimen that works for you.

Some Advice.....

Avoid buying a whole new set of products – Unless your current products are negatively affecting your hair, avoid buying a whole new set of products. Try buying one item from a line and seeing how they work for you or ask the company/retail location for samples.

Avoid jumping on bandwagons – There are lots of different methods for healthy hair but make sure to try one at a time and give it enough time to work. For instance, avoid jumping from rollersetting to condition washing to blowdrying/flatironing all in one month. Instead, if you want to try new things, try one for a month and record your progress. The next month, try another method and record. This will ensure you give each method a fair chance.

DON'T GET DISCOURAGED – Some of us have been abusing our hair for decades. So, it will take time to reverse that damage. Just select a regimen, give it a month to see if it works for your hair and if not, move on. Just be patient and your hair will reward you.

Guide to Regimens
To help you find what regimen works best for you, I broke down the regimens into individual behavior patterns:)

Regimen 1: Conditioner Washing
– Using conditioner to wash the hair and letting it air dry

Who this works great for:

        • Exercise Divas that need frequent cleansing
        • Ladies on the go who cant spend a ton of time on their hair
        • Ladies who need frequent hydration
        • Ladies whose hair is extremely damaged and want to avoid heat all together for a long period of time.

Basic Regimen:

Wash the hair daily or every other day with a moisturizing conditioner
Apply leave-in, serum and moisturizer and air dry in buns, braids, twists,etc.

Regimen 2 : No Heat Styling Method – Washing the hair every 5-7 days, setting it on rollers/flexi rods/twists/braids,etc. and letting it airdry.

Who this works great for:

      • Ladies who want to eliminate heat but wash more infrequently
      • Ladies who do not like conditioner washing but want to eliminate heat
      • Ladies who do not have or want to use an indirect heat source (hood dryer), but want to accomplish a certain style to their hair.

Basic Regimen:
Wash with a Moisturizing Shampoo
Deep condition for 20-30 mins with a Moisturizing Conditioner twice a month
Deep condition with a Light Protein Conditioner twice a month
Apply leave-in, serum and/or pomade and set hair on rollers, braids, twists,etc.
Airdry and Style
Moisturize daily with moisturizer or natural pomade.

Regimen 3: Indirect Heat Styling – Washing 5-7 days, wet wrapping or setting on rollers/flexi-rods/twists, etc. and drying under a hood dryer.

Who this is great for:

        • Ladies that want a "heat styled" look without the blow-dryer and flatiron
        • Ladies that don't want to deal with their hair for the rest of the week.
        • Ladies who have or want to purchase a hood dryer.

Basic Regimen:

Wash with a Moisturizing Shampoo
Deep condition with a Moisturizing Conditioner once a month
Deep condition with a Protein Conditioner twice a month
Apply leave-in and serum and set hair
Dry under a hood dryer for 1-2 hours
Style
Moisturize daily with moisturizer or natural pomade.


Regimen 4: Direct Heat Styling
– Washing 5-7 days, blowdrying and flat ironing/curling hair.

Who this is great for:

I really try to show alternatives to this method as using direct heat is not always the best option for textured hair. However, we understand that the options above are not always feasible so we at least want to show you ways to use heat in the least damaging.

      • Ladies who want super straight hair
      • Ladies who can't shake that blowdryer/flat iron just yet.

Basic Regimen:

Wash with Moisturizing Shampoo
Deep condition with a Light Protein Conditioner
Twice a month, deep condition with Nexxus Emergencee and follow with a Moisturizing Conditioner
Airdry until hair is ¾ dry and blow dry on Medium
Flat-iron on med/low
Moisturize daily with moisturizer or natural pomade.

Hope this helps!!! For more tips and techniques, join me at Healthy Textures!

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Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. This is a great article!!

Sista K at 6:49PM on May 20th 2008

2. Great healthy hair care tips.
www.FoxyBeautySupply.com

Roe at 1:02AM on May 22nd 2008

3. For this and other really good tips on how to take better care of your hair (especially for us sistahs) take a look at Healthy Textures.com for more information. Macherieamour really knows what she's talking about, and the site offers other styling tips as well as other ways to monitor progress.

http://healthytextures.typepad.com/

Melissa at 1:04PM on May 24th 2008

4. This is great advice. I use the indirect heat style.

FYI: to get the roller set to look like a flat iron style, I wrap my hair after its dry with a touch of oil sheen and sit under the dryer for another 30 mins. It gives lots of body and the straight hair that lasts like a roller set but looks like a flat iron.

lovely at 3:59PM on May 24th 2008

5. Now this is the kind of information I like. It's specificaly for MY {a sista} hair.

I use Regimen 2 because I roller set. It gives me more body and lasting style.

RJ at 8:45PM on May 24th 2008

6. This is a good article. However, I personally use a product line called Nature's Prescription. It is made with an aloe vera base along with shea butter, mango butter, and coconut oil. You can't find this product on your beauty supply selves, you have to order it online. This is the best stuff out there for dry, thick and kinky hair. I used to use the big name products and all I was doing was wasting my money. Sistas, do you and your hair a favor and at least try this product line. You can order it on www.naturceutics.com.

Jackie at 12:33PM on May 26th 2008

7. Ongoing hair issues WE SEE - Oh my!!!

BEAUTIFUL ONE at 1:34PM on May 26th 2008

8. Does anyone have any recommendations for my teenage daughter's natural hair? I am no way looking to relax it, but I think that it needs a break from the hot comb. I just can't seem to find anyone who specializes in natural hair - suitable for a picky 13-year-old. I am in the DC/MD/VA area.

Thanks.

Pinella at 1:42PM on May 26th 2008

9. #9 Pinella, I myself have natural hair. In fact my hair has been 100% natural since 1994 but it sure wasn't easy. I have waist length hair (no dreads or locs) and stay clear of the hot comb and chemicals. An occasional flat iron is o.k as long as you moisturize daily. I mix an 8oz. jar of Afam Vitale moisturizing body creme and a 12oz. bottle of Parnevu T-Tree leave in conditioner together and apply to my hair daily. I also use better braids spray and a mixture of 4oz. wild growth hair oil/4oz. Shapley's MGT (Main Tail Groom). I wash my hair with Dr. Bronners Peppermint liquid soap and use Organic Roots stimulator replenishing conditioner, That's it. My advice to you is to look on the net at different natural hair sites for advice especially FOTKI. In the past I use to add braiding hair in the spring/summer or wear wigs in fall/winter. Depending upon the length of her hair, you can brush her hair up and use a bra strap or stocking and give her a beautiful puff. No matter what, keep your beautiful babies hair au natural. I was discouraged by friends and family members and never gave in. Now they're in awe over my hair. Ask me how many of them went natural recently? 65% of them. Good Luck!

Vee at 8:05PM on May 26th 2008

10. This article actually give tips sistas can use. Thanks!

AJ at 8:57PM on May 27th 2008

11. For the best results in hair care, you want to use all natural products on your hair. I personally like Jane Carter Solutions. If you want to see immed results use all natural.

L.A. Rawls
Wholesale Lace Wigs
678-382-9079
http://www.wholesalelacewig.com

LaShonda Rawls at 8:40AM on May 28th 2008

12. Any advice for menopausal women with thinning hair? Please help!

Nikki Akiva at 6:53AM on Jun 3rd 2008

13. WOW! Some great ideas. A few I have used until recently when I over dryed my hair and it became very dry and brittle. Some of your suggestions will be very helpful. Thanks.

Mssylady at 8:50AM on Jun 3rd 2008

14. Hello sistas,
I have a question for someone who knows about hair I have med to long course hair that I relax and color occasionally. My hair started to tangle really bad after I shampoo it I'm not sure what's causing it to dred after I shampoo but, I have to pull these tangles out loosing a good bit of hair every time I wash it. I use to dye my hair way back in the day and it never reacted this way. If anyone out there can tell me what can I do to prevent this please let me know. Thanks to all answers.
PG84

prettygirl84 at 1:40PM on Jun 3rd 2008

15. Hair Drama & Obsession continues - UNBEWEAVABLE!

BEAUTIFUL ONE at 1:54PM on Jun 3rd 2008

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