Hair Care (Moreover how to tame annoying hair)?

[StripyPixieSocks]

Ok, my hair is driving me insane... it's very long and ever so slightly *ahem* neglected and since I have moved to London (a hard water area) I have been getting a matted tangly bit at the nape of my neck all the time if I wear my hear down. Even not combing it for a day leaves it practically a nightmare and I have been doing some research but wondered if anyone could add anything or suggest anything else for me to try.

Obviously softer water is the first thing and luckily we are moving to Cornwall soon and the water in the area we are looking at next week is Medium Soft so that will be a start.

A horn comb I believe is another must as it stops static (which makes my hair bunch up even more leading to more tangles) and also doesn't have rediculously sharp edges like horrible plastic combs do. Brushes are a HUGE no no and quite frankly should be burned as they damage hair beyond belief and so a horn comb it is.

The next think is shampoo... I've been looking at some recommended stuff in the body shop. My hair is a pain in the butt as it's greasy at the roots but dry at the ends so I am open to suggestion as to a NATURAL shampoo I could use as well as conditioner.

Finally (and the thing I'm wondering most about) it was suggested to me I use a small piece of Coconut oil, warmed on my hands and rubbed through wet hair to help soften and get rid of frizz (which because of the tangles and matting is just mental at the moment) but... I was also looking at things like Macadamia Nut Oil or Vitamin E Oil or the like and wondered if there was any one oil that would be better for nourishing, strengthening and moisturising horribly annoying hair?

Failing that I'm going to get a chair and whip

[Derry]

my sister uses an afro comb with anti-frizz stuff (she doesnt have an afro btw)

could you use leave in conditioner?

coconut oil was recommended to me when i took my last lot of dreads out.. i ended up caking them in conditioner tbh, but its good for de-tangling

you might be finding that washing your hair too often is making it greasy

[Green Aura]

Castor oil is really good for your hair too. I'd do it back to front, oil your hair for a while then gently wash it - just once, then run a jugful of cool water with a capful of vinegar, which also helps detangle.

And like Derry said, don't do it too often.

[StripyPixieSocks]

I've found some lovely natural hair recipes which I'm going to try in the next few weeks, basically coconut oil and essential oils blended together for conditioners.

I definitely don't wash my hair too much so that's not what is causing the greasiness I just need a better lifestyle with better quality food and less chemicals (even thought we don't eat ready made cr@p anyway)...

The water is definitely not very good for my hair down here as I've read time and time again about hard water being a cause of most peoples hair woes and London water is quite frankly horrible if I'm honest so I think that is a major cause of my problems.

I'm going to try Coconut Oil and Rosemary as an warm oil treatment which you use before you wash your hair, a nice natural shampoo and conditioner and maybe a natural leave in conditioner which can just be a small pea sized piece of Coconut Oil smoothed through my hair while wet.

I... well... actually we (my fiancé and I) are determined to live a better, healthier more natural life again and not slide back into easy ways when life gets tough for us... it's a challenge but a worthy one I think :)

Ohhh yes vinegar... I'd hear about using that... will definitely be giving that a try!

Thanks so much :)

[pumpy]

try wearing your hair like mine!!

[StripyPixieSocks]

I had considered getting my OH's clippers out and shaving it all off but he threatened to leave me

I've also read however, that silk pillowcases are a must so your hair doesn't get rubbed up all night... not sure I can stretch to that one... but... plaiting your hair after it's been washed keeps it from frizzing up (which makes your hair knot further) and also having it plaited at night when you sleep helps fend off the dreaded matting!

[pumpy]

I'll try that on me goatee!

[StripyPixieSocks]

I'll try that on me goatee!

LOL! Perhaps a nice line of troublesome goatee treatments is in order ;)

[Thomzo]

Hi
Our hairs must be related to each other. Mine sounds just like yours. I would echo the idea of the comb and not a brush. Brushes are torture for curly hair.

Plaiting your hair when it's wet is a very effective way of calming it. Just don't plait it too tightly as it will shrink when it dries and pull at the roots.

I had to replace my hair dryer recently so I went for an ionising one. I was very sceptical about the claims but I must say that it's been brilliant. To the extent that it is actually worth using it rather than letting my hair dry naturally. If I scrunch my hair with my hand and then use the diffuser with the ioniser on, it leaves my hair with lovely natural curls, even to ringlets, rather than the tangled frizz that I used to get with my old hairdryer. I use a low heat and air flow setting so it takes a week or so to dry but it does look nice afterwards.

The other advantage of soft water is that your hair will dry quicker (don't ask me why, it just does).

Cheers
Zoe

[Brij]

Ha! I am another one with greasy roots and dry ends, my hair is curly too.

I must admit, I use a brush, but it is a hand-crafted Italian made anti-static one. But on wet hair, I only comb.

Here are my ideas...

1. Ionising hairdryers are brilliant. I have one with a special attachment that pulls on your hair as it dries it. I end up with nice, soft waves in about 15 mins flat. I have quite alot of hair, so that is impressive! Plus, as my hair takes ages to dry, it is nice not to have a cold head from time to time!

2. Coconut oil is okay, but it can be hard to work through thoroughly without putting so much in it makes your hair look greasy. Someone might correct me on this, but Almond oil is very high in vit E and it is a little 'lighter', and easier to use.

3. Shampoo. I know that many here will disagree, and I respect their opinions, but I love lush. The green solid shampoo works wonders for me, getting rid of the oil, the white one with glitter in is good too, and the solid conditioner is another one I like. I know it isn't 100% green, but I still think it is probably better than the 'normal' chemical-filled shampoos. Right?

4. Try washing your hair less. It will take a couple of weeks, but it has been known to calm down greasy roots. My sister is a talented hairdresser, and she has tried to explain to me the science behind it, but I didn't really get it. Try leaving it an extra day between washes, braid it or treat yourself to some pretty clips - it won't look as oily as when it is loose. IT also won't tangle up!

5. Braiding/plaiting your hair is a handy solution. Personally I can't stand putting my hair in a pony tail, as it pulls my scalp and gives me a headache. Plus it protects your hair a bit and helps prevent splitting.

6. IMHO if you have curly hair and don't have time to let it dry somewhere where there is no wind, you either need to accept frizz or do something else with it.

7. If you can stand blasting your hair with cold water after you wash it, this will also delay oil production by your scalp. Since your problem is caused/exacerbated by water hardness, maybe keep a bottle of mineral water next to the shower to rinse it with?

[StripyPixieSocks]

Should say that I don't own a hairdryer, haven't had one for years (I really don't like them, natural is best... for me anyway)

Wash it about every week or so, so not over-doing it and mine is dead straight but stupidly thick and unruly... to the point I had my hair permed once and the day after it was straight again!!

With the Coconut oil I was thinking about putting a bit in a warm glass for a couple of minutes but my latest idea is to use Virgin Olive Oil and some Rosemary EO both to put on before and a little after :)

We shall see though I'll keep trying :)

[contadina]

Since I stopped using shampoo and started using homemade olive oil soap to wash my hair it has become manageable for the first time in my life. Our water is rainwater but if your water is soft enough you should be able to ditch the detergent-laden shampoo.

[Milims]

How about shea butter? It's apparently very good for conditionint hair. I've started to use Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioner, and for the first time ever my hair looks nice and wavy instead of a dry frizzy helmet!

[Alice Abbott]

My hair will matt up at the drop of a hat.

It's long, thick and dark (I have some Native American/South American ancestors) but flyaway so the slightest breeze will tangle it. Not particularly curly but not straight. I always use a wide-toothed comb (I don't own a brush, hair dryer, tongs, etc), even if it involves spending ages teasing out knots and I chop off about an inch every couple of months. I seem to avoid split ends this way.

I wash it in the rainwater straight from the water butt and use whatever shampoo I can get my hands on. Then I apply olive oil, comb it through, wrap it in a hot towel and leave it for a couple of hours. Then I use just enough shampoo to remove the oil and rinse it in water with vinegar. Fortunately I only need to do it once a week and I always sleep with it in a loose braid (tied with a ribbon rather than a rubber band), otherwise I end up looking like those old photos of Yoko Ono.

I've come to this combination after loads of trial and error but I believe the water is the crucial thing - and basically not messing around with it too much.

You might find yours improves no end when you get away from the hard water supply. In the meantime could you use cooled boiled water and see what that does?

[Thomzo]

I think the hair-band might have caused it to break off.

Quite possibly. I have tried all sorts in my time. Rubber bands are the worst, next are the sort of hair bands that are just a little bit of elastic.

Scrunchies can be good or bad depending on what they are made of. The ones with loose fabric seem to be ok on my hair but don't wrap them too tightly, any other sort (particularly the furry ones) are awful.

Basically my hair gets caught up in the elastic (or the fur) so it pulls my hair out.

Whatever you do, though, don't pull it too tight. You will yank the roots and damage them.

Zoe