I GIVE UP.

I posted on here the other day about the problems I have been having with my hair. And Ive decided that something about my approach to my hair has to change. And I think I know what it is. Since I went natural Ive jumped on every bandwagon that there is. I am by no means blaming the natural community, I am just obviously the type of person who has trouble filtering information. So I feel like if I hear something new I HAVE to try it. I went organic/tried ayurveda/tried CG/have spent WAAAY to much money on trying different products every week/ tried no-poo/ low poo/ cone free/ use cones/miconizole nitrate...you name it I jumped on it but I haven't stuck to any of it. Also I was doing WNGs all the time and really manipulating my hair to do it. And honestly all of this has done nothing for my hair. I mean, I've seen growth and some health but nothing extraordinary and I really think Ive been stunting my hair's potential by the way I've been treating it. So I did something simple. I decided to sit and think of when my hair was at it longest thickest and healthiest and what was being done to it at that time. And just go back to that. My hair was at it's best when my mom used to do it when i was young. It was thick and black and down to my butt. And I know for a fact that she used some ol' school products (think mane n tail and blue magic) and she brushed the crap outta my hair and basically did everything that we consider wrong except she did keep my hair in PS 90%of the time. Well...I'm going back. products and all. Now I'm not going back to blue magic and mane n tail per say (still avoiding petrolatum & min. oil) but I am going back to using sulfates and cones. Honestly they never seemed to bother my hair I just switched to organic b/c everyone else was doing it but to tell the truth... I don't think my hair likes it. I am simplifying my hair life. So here is my new regimen/products:

Products:
shampoo- TIGI moisture maniac
Condish- TIGI moisture maniac
DT- Moisture maniac mixed w/honey & oils
Protein treat- Add 2 eggs to the above DT
Leave in- Kimmaytube
Moisture- spray bottle (aloevera juice/oils/cheap condish)
oils- olive/coconut/avocado/castor/jojoba

Regimen:
Wash day (once/week)- shampoo/detangle/DT/leave in & seal
Let hair dry until damp (more wet than dry ) and then BRUSH it (w/natural brush)
PS and wear all week moisturizing @ night and satin scarf)...
THATS IT.

I'm going to stick to this exact reg. for 5 months and see how my hair reacts. I hope that I am not judged to harshly for my decision but I just really feel like the key element that I'm missing is to do whats best for MY hair. And for right now I'm kickin' it old school. Wish me luck curlies. PEACE

I totally understand what you are saying. I have become a product junkie and I can't say that anything that I use has really "worked" for me. I don't get near the same results as other people.

I don't think you'll be judged, at least I wont judge you .

I think that's a good idea. I need to simplify my wannabe regimen, and stop trying some of the techniques everyone raves about, because it usually does nothing at all or it ruins my hair. i.e. ACV rinses.. made my hair hard and scaly feeling.

So since you inspired me I'll post what I want my regimen to be like.

*Wash w/shampoo every 10 days.
*Condition with whatsoever I have laying around
*DC
*Leave-in and seal (only thing I tried that has given consistent beneficial results)
*Style damp hair (probably twists or some variation thereof) and leave in til next wash day

This winter I will not wear my loose hair out if I can help it. I'll join you and try this regimen for 5 months and see if i notice any retention or healthier ends<>.

I can honestly say that I read alot of natural hair info and @ times it can be very over overwhelming and sometimes confusing, but I filter out what i think makes sense to me, and i do not jump on band wagons.

It is learning experience and am truly grateful for everyone who takes the time to put the info out there, but as always not everything works for everyone. I look back to the 60's @ 70's and everyone took care of their in the simplest form and they had beautiful healthy hair !!!

Another reason also, taking care of of our can be expensive (if u let it be) but i have learned to keep it simple- use what i have and make it work and my hair is doing just fine. Some days, me and my hair is not the best of friends and other days we are lovers . But in general i try to frustrate myself over hair.

One more thing i have found very helpful is knowing my type-only because i know what to expect with my hair.

So I did something simple. I decided to sit and think of when my hair was at it longest thickest and healthiest and what was being done to it at that time.

I don't think you are giving up, you are just making an adjustment that works for you.

I am just obviously the type of person who has trouble filtering information.
You have to know yourself and behave accordingly. I applaud your willingness to put it out here. You are probably helping soemone else who is overwhelmed.

I still have Moisture Maniac on my shelf( can't jettison that bargain from TJ Maxx).
Have you tried the TIGI/Catwalk Oatmeal & Honey Conditioner? Just kidding.

LOL@ falcontress (yes and it smells like cookies! RESIST RESIST!!)

@ C. Right on mama! good luck with your new regi too! Sounds like a keeper to me! Keep us updated.

Aw friend! No one is judging you. We all want you to be happy with your hair! I think its great that you've had an epiphany. Do what you feel is best and will get you to wear you wanna be! Good luck girlie!

ita with FalconTress. its not giving up just making adjustments. no two heads are the same. what works for other doesnt mean it will work for you. find what works for you. if sulfates and cones are it than do what you have to do. good luck on your regi. i hope it works

Chin-up Sis You're not giving up and all of the products/techniques you've tried aren't in vain. This is all part of the journey. Believe it or not, this post will probably help a lot of us out. There are many many naturals that stayed with the tried 'n true products of yesterday and have beautiful healthy hair. I also remember the days of using stank n tail (a.k.a mane n tail... it was stinky to me but it worked well). Your new regi looks nice 'n simple. On the other hand, if you've obtained a product overhaul, just head on over to the "Product Swap" forum and sell them.

This post has definitely inspired me to give away all of the "goodies" that don't work for my hair. My room looks like an aisle of a beauty supply store, it's ridiculous. I really appreciate this post and you are by no means being judged for doing what works great for your hair

If only the PJ in me had stopped a few months ago, I'd have more money in the bank lol

@ mverde who u tellin' girl if my hubby knew how much i've spent being a pj...he'd drop me 4 a white girl lol.

I almost purchased beauty 4 ashes this last time...BEAUTY 4 FRIGGIN ASHES! U know how expensive that junk is?! OMG I had to stop myself from hitting purchase on an over $100 tab. Thats when I knew oh hells no....i'm a military wife with 2 kids in pampers. Stop the madness. LOL

Hey Curlz!!! Girl I don't think anyone would judge you at all for this. You are the only one who knows your hair and what works/doesn't work for it! I totally hear you too about jumping on the bandwagons. I see info that sounds cool, like this ayurveda stuff. Sounds cool, but I don't think it's for me. not now anyway. In fact I have yet to go out and buy all those brands in Tar'je (Target-LOL) like MissJessies, SheaMoisture....Well I did buy the Giovanni and I like but that's all I have tried so far that's new. Everything else is oils and conditioners. I fortunately do not have PJism!!! LOL

But do you girl, let us know how it works. It will probably work just great!!! Keep us posted!!

LOL, I never heard of that one, beauty for ashes!! Good thing you have SOME kinda control!!!! LOL

I say KUDOS to you for trying to FIGURE out what works for YOU. That's the point of this whole thing anyway!!! Do what ya do momma.
I just read an article about staying on track and I posted that I don't let myself get caught up in the PJ or the treatments that EVERYONE else is doing. I filter out what I want to take from the advice.

I'm sure simplifying your regimen will help tremendously!!!!

What is PS though......LOL

@ kiana PS=Protective Style

@ Kiana, PS is protective style.

@ Curlz....LMAO @ white girl!!!

LOL ooo thanks..guess I didn't read thru the hair dictionary as good as I thought....

Do you boo!

We cant roll the way everybody else does and trying to follow something somebody else does when heir hair dont do what yours does is a waste of money and time.

I just focus on keeping my hair moisturized as im nursing it back to health. I found less is more.

Mine as well do you, cause your hair is going to insist on it! lol. wether you like it or not. It do what it do!

Good luck to ya hun...

You have to do what's work best for you , it's your hair journey no one else's , i buy a lot of products and tried a few in my transition my hair like products that are closest to their natural state , in everything we do we must remember that moderation is key , and they aren't any magic product out there . natural hair care is pretty simple once you get into the routine of it , Natural hair love moisture moisture equals water , water is free lol , seal with an oil , you don;t have to own an entire cabinet full of oil (im guilty of that ) , my hair hates shampoo i found that the hard way so i use black soap , hair love conditioners and DC so i use Giovanni's and i mix it with some oils and honey that's it , i gave up trying to find Products the products aren't the key is moisture , protective styling , and clean hair
I can understand you 100% though i had to seat back in reevaluate myself especially when i was buying some new product like a conditioner i had to have or a moisturizer leave in and my boyfriend said you are not going to see how you like something and the results if you don't stick it out and he was right and you are right , if you must tame the PJ beast buy sample size that's what i do i'll try a sample to see if i really like something if i do than i get the normal size if not i didn't waste my money on it hope i didn't ramble to much LOL

@creolebeauty your boyfriend IS right girl. I looked back @ everything I bought and realized that I have not finished one full bottle of anything i have bought in 5 months but have purchased like @ least 10 different lines. my hair hasnt had time to adjust to anything. Thats why i'm challenging myself to pick a reg/products that i think are best 4 me and stick it out

I'm with you on finally realizing that the best thing you can do is keep it simple! I recently had that epiphany myself, and I feel better not stressing out over making sure I was covering all of my hair bases and trying every single product or treatment that worked for someone else. Not only was I going broke real fast, I wasn't getting the same results as everyone else and I started to think something was wrong with Lexi (my hair) I've turned off youtube and am trying to stay off of all of the various hair blogs so I can stop tripping myself up. It's a process baby gurl and we are all learing.

I've been keeping my hair twisted for 3-4 days and then wearing it out the rest of the week. It's freezing here in Naptown, and I am sitting here at work with a beret on over my satin bonnet and my hair in twists and I couldn't be happier lol

@ Craving_Curlz:-)
I think I need to try this too. I am always tempted to buy new products... And temptation usually beats me. I just bought some Hot 6 oil, some shea butter, castor oil, tea tree oil, some Coconut Suave (I love coconut scented hair stuff!), some coconut oil, a bar of black soap, a seperate bottle of olive oil and jar of honey for my hair, tons of barrettes and rollers, and the list goes on. This is stuff I have bought just in the last week. The crazy thing is, I spent all that time in the store and forgot to buy neccessities like food and toothpaste. I think I will challenge myself to 5 months of no new hair products, lol. Thanx chick!