This year has been full of trail & errors while trying different techniques/methods as well as products. My goal has always been healthy hair because I believe with health comes length thus length retention.
Here are some things I've tried in 2013:
LCO Method vs. LOC Method - I have always used the LCO Method but decided to try the LOC Method for a couple of months. The LOC Method is okay but LCO works best for us and quite frankly makes more sense to me. Her hair definitely stays more moisturized using this method.
Exclusively Finger Detangling - I know finger detangling is a healthy practice but this method ALONE is just not enough for my daughters' Type 4 hair. I found that I actually had more knots and tangles b/c her hair wasn't being thoroughly detangled. Finger detangling is incorporated into her regimen just not exclusively.
Hair Tools - Simply Put. Away with seamed combs, I am loving the seamless combs by Hercules Sagemann (using since April 2013) which prove to be way more beneficial to the hair in preventing breakage and snagging. (More to come on a later post)
Re-Visiting Sulfates - Bad Idea!! Was the hair clean? Absolutely, but after consistent use, her hair became even more tangled and drier!!! Not good for Type 4 hair...so I'm ditching the sulfates FOREVER!
Products/Ingredients - It is really important to find which ingredients your hair likes and dislikes. While trying the many many products I mentioned HERE, I've learned what BG "S" hair dislikes which helps when making new purchases. Being aware of allergens your child have is also important. Still narrowing down my HG's but we're getting there and I'm in a good place...
Staying Away From Protein Completely - Since learning my daughter's hair is sensitive to certain proteins I made the mistake of eliminating it completely from her regimen with the exception of the natural light protein like the Greek Yogurt DC (which I LOVE BTW). But I learned I just had to find the RIGHT Protein. I gave her a protein treatment using the Curl Junkie Repair Me! and OMG, although it made her hair feel stronger it also brought her hair back to life and it was soft! So I had to remind myself that our hair is made of protein, so I will be more consistent with monthly protein treatments to keep that necessary moisture/protein balance.
Deep Conditioning (Before or After Shampooing) - For those who have been following for a while, you know my preference have always been to DC before shampooing which has worked fine. But I decided to switch it up a bit and try DC after shampooing. Well...needless to say the biggest difference for me was the extra conditioning/protection her hair got before shampooing which allowed her hair to stay more moisturized during shampooing and detangling which I like to do before washing. But I would detangle during DC'ing after shampooing which seemed more difficult (this is because I completely omitted detangling as my very first step). So I'm still trying to determine which method is best for us after using all steps.
Trimming/Dusting - I am very comfortable with the scissors, lol. I have trimmed and dusted BG "S" hair on several occasions with no regrets. This really helps with the health of her hair and keeping SSK to a minimum. I'll continue dusting/trimming when necessary as this aids in the growth retention process but I definitely want to cut back a bit.
Remember to stay positive and keep pressing forward, this journey is really all about learning what works for you and your hair...
What have you tried in 2013? And what if anything will you do differently in 2014 with your hair?
