My Current Hair Care Routine (November 2003)
I'll
try to keep this text up to date and adjust it whenever I change
someting in my routine "for good". If you're interested in my hair
journey and short term experiments check out my LHC hair journal.
Currently I wash my hair about twice a week. Sometimes I go up to five days, and rarely for about a week without a wash. I almost always C/O wash. I shampoo with a non-conditioning product (usually a Morrocco Method shampoo) every six to eight weeks before I henna
- I find that the colour takes better if the cuticle isn't coated.
Occasionally I feel like using real shampoo at other times. Sometimes I
do a colour wash or two in between henna treatments. I rarely need to deep condition, and my hair hates all kinds of oils except for some essential oils. I always use a leave-in on the ends after washing.
I brush every night except on wash days with a Jean Pierre Prestige Boar Bristle Brush. I brush the George Michael way,
bent over at the waist, after my hair has been fully detangled with a
seamless wide toothed comb. Brushing stimulates and cleans the scalp,
and distributes the natural sebum down the length to condition.
Between washes I mist with
either distilled water or a self made leave-in mix (distilled water,
conditioner and essential oils) as needed. The distilled water is great
in winter to give the conditioner humectants in my hair something to
work with despite the dry air indoors, so I mist almost every morning.
In summer I rarely need it unless I want to smooth out kinks and waves
from bunning or braiding. The leave-in mist comes handy when I go
really long between washes (the roots get oilier but the length gets
dryer with time, even though I brush) or in case I didn't condition
well enough after doing a non-C/O wash.
Favourite products:
- "Schauma Energie Spuelung" (cheap drugstore conditioner by Schwarzkopf) for C/O
- Dy Care Honig Haarkur (honey treatment) for an occasional
"deep cleansing" C/O. I've only ever seen this stuff in stylist supply
shops. It totally sucks as the deep treatment it's supposed to be but
cleans almost as thorough as a shampoo.
- Nivea Hair Care conditioner for colour treated hair as a
moisturizing conditioner, and mixed with distilled water as a leave-in
mist
- Schwarzkopf BonaCure Seal The Ends leave-in
- KMS Moisture Replace Reconstructor for protein treatments
- L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture for moisturizing deep treatments
- occasional home made rinses with diluted vinegar and soy sauce for protein, shine and buildup removal
- Logona Herbal Hair Colours Mahogany for colour and protein
- Wella Color Fresh (temporary dye) to perk up my colour in between henna treatments
Favourite hair styles: cinnamon buns and french twists during the day and high buns (top knots) at night.
Favorite hair accessories: hair forks, sticks and french twist combs - see my links for manufacturers.
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