Notifications
Clear all

The Official Haircare & Styling Thread

 
MemberMember
1
(@walkthewire)

Posted : 04/05/2009 8:43 pm

So, I thought it would be fun to post reviews of products, and offer tips to others who are looking for new, innovative, inexpensive, hassle-free tips and products for hair; instead of having to sift through a bunch of threads, you could find it all in one place. Especially recommend products that combat acne breakouts.

 

 

I love hair; I know a lot about hair, have tried many, many products, and it's important to keep your hair healthy. So, have fun! Avoid Hairicide!

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

*Products I Currently Use (But Not On A Daily Basis):

 

 

  • Biolage Hydra Therapie Shampoo (This is a great shampoo for thick, dry, coarse hair that needs a boost of hydration).
  • Biolage Hydra Therapie Ultra-Conditioning Balm (This is a great conditioner that really conditions my hair the way it's supposed to without weighing it down).
  • Biolage Hydra Therapie Fortifying Leave-In Treatment (I use this rarely because it builds up in my hair; but it's great for overworked ends).
  • Biolage Hydra Therapie Leave-In Conditioner (I use this once per week only because I don't like to overwork my hair. But it's a great leave-in conditioner. It's even great to use before you shampoo to protect your hair).
  • Garnier Pliable Clay (I use this a few times a week to give my hair a roughness, edge, and abstract shape when styling. It dissolves and washes out wonderfully).
  • Garnier Shine Wax (This is great for smoothing out bangs. I use this about a few times per week).
  • Dermarest Shampoo for Psoriasis (I have begun using this 2x per week because of my scalp sensitivity and it really helps).
  • design line by Regis Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner (This stuff is really great. I love the way it makes my scalp feel).
  • Citre` Shine Anti-Frizz Serum or TRESemmA No Frizz Shine Spray (I use these sparingly because a small amount is all that's required for either product to work wonders).
  • TRESemmA Thermal Creations Volumizing Mousse (I use this 1-2x per week for voluminious hair. I work it through my hair when it's damp, then flip my hair forward, and blow-dry on a cool temperature, gradually increasing to the lowest warm temperature a few inches from my scalp).
  • TRESemmA Thermal Creations Straightening Gel (I use this only when I flat iron my hair which isn't too often).
  • Nature's Style Shampoo & Conditioner (These are both Sulfate and Silicon free, so I use them when I need to give my hair a break. They work well, but because my hair is so thick, and oily, I can only use them once per week).

 

 

 

*Tools that I use for my hair:

 

 

  • A wide-tooth comb (I use this to get out any small tangles. I also use it in the shower to distribute conditioner, because it's the only hair tool that won't kill your hair when wet, like a brush would).
  • A round brush (I use this for the sole purpose of smoothing and adding volume to my hair when blow-drying).
  • Blow-dryer (I use the Remington All-That, which is great and doesn't damage my hair because it uses negative-ions to reduce static and frizz. It's small, has an air-filter so you can remove lint and hair).
  • Flat-Iron (I use a small Conair Satin Finish 3/4" Ultra-Slim Ceramic Straightener. It works wonders and hasn't really caused any damage to my hair. There was part that was prone to damage, but it doesn't even give me split-ends. However, I recommend that anyone who uses a flat iron to use a heat-protectant product of some sort to minimize damage or even prevent it. I also have been using a Her Styler, which is a higher end ceramic flat iron. It's similar to a Chi, but different. It doesn't damage my hair, and I love it.)
  • Tooth Brush (This may seem weird, but it's great for areas that are prone to fly-away hairs. If you take an unused toothbrush, and use some styling gel, wax, or any type of smoothing cream, it will really help those areas to reduce fly-away hairs).
  • Spray Bottle (This is a miraculous tool because during the winter when your hair gets really dry, if you spritz your hair twice throughout the day, and apply an anti-frizz serum, you will help smooth your hair and reduce frizz. This is also great during the summer when your hair is prone to frying and damage due to the sun).
Quote
MemberMember
0
(@turtle9748)

Posted : 04/05/2009 11:51 pm

i spent years hating my curly hair. finally, after 19 years of fighting with it and damaging it with flat irons, i discovered two products which i wouldn't give up for anything. redken outshine and bumble and bumble curl conscious. and of course, a diffuser. now, at almost 24, i hardly ever flat iron my hair. and after a few weeks of debating a relaxer, decided that i could never part with my curls.

 

so, for all you curly/wavy girls who deal with massive amounts of frizz, i highly recommend these two products. they're my hair saviors!

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@rolling-stone)

Posted : 04/06/2009 5:26 am

DO NOT get BP in your hair. I did by accident when I first started growing my hair out and it led me down a sorry road

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@aghaigh-dearg)

Posted : 04/06/2009 8:05 am

Ok oh wise one, I got a question for you. :D

 

Unbelieavable fine flat hair, how do I get a bit of volume in it? What sorta product? Me is clueless.

 

 

The shampoo I love is Andrew Colligne for blonde, just makes my hair look fab. love it love it love it.

 

Quote
MemberMember
5
(@acne_battle)

Posted : 04/06/2009 8:16 am

Ive been using Paul Mitchell step one shampoo and conditioner for almost a year now. I love it

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@walkthewire)

Posted : 04/06/2009 8:24 am

Ok oh wise one, I got a question for you. :D

 

Unbelieavable fine flat hair, how do I get a bit of volume in it? What sorta product? Me is clueless.

 

 

The shampoo I love is Andrew Colligne for blonde, just makes my hair look fab. love it love it love it.

 

 

You could try this regimen: http://www.paulmitchell.com/Products/PaulM.../ExtraBody.aspx

 

 

Or instead of having to try a new shampoo/conditioning process, you could just get a really good mousse. I recommend http://www.tresemme.com/volume/products/we...ody-mousse.aspx

 

You'd put the mouse in your hair, and comb through after showering when hair is still damp. Wrap in a towel, loosely. Then, on a low-heat setting, flip hair forward and blow dry in sections.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@truman-gerdfunge)

Posted : 04/06/2009 9:29 am

My hot advice: Add tumgustianilounium jelly to your hair for extra magnetism. If you do not want magnetic hair, then ignore my advice. But next time you are trapped in a car boot and just out of reach of the lockpick you need to break open the door to freedom, don't come crying to me.

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@aghaigh-dearg)

Posted : 04/06/2009 1:57 pm

Ok oh wise one, I got a question for you. :D

 

Unbelieavable fine flat hair, how do I get a bit of volume in it? What sorta product? Me is clueless.

 

 

The shampoo I love is Andrew Colligne for blonde, just makes my hair look fab. love it love it love it.

 

 

You could try this regimen: http://www.paulmitchell.com/Products/PaulM.../ExtraBody.aspx

 

 

Or instead of having to try a new shampoo/conditioning process, you could just get a really good mousse. I recommend http://www.tresemme.com/volume/products/we...ody-mousse.aspx

 

You'd put the mouse in your hair, and comb through after showering when hair is still damp. Wrap in a towel, loosely. Then, on a low-heat setting, flip hair forward and blow dry in sections.

 

 

Ok, cool. Mousse that really should have been obvious eh? Thanks Ant! You're a star!

 

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@ladywillow)

Posted : 04/06/2009 8:53 pm

Dry your hair with a cotton tee shirt!

I've read this tip all over the place and I just started to do it and it helps with frizz and waves.

I also like Neutrogenas Triple Moisture Leave in Conditioner and Deep Conditioning mask.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@greeneyes44)

Posted : 04/07/2009 9:32 am

I've tried just about every product and styling tool to get my hair to look the way I've wanted it to look over the years, like the celebrities with all the latest trendy hair. But all that did was dry out my fine limp hair and damage it further.

 

It wasn't until I actually STOPPED using products and tools that my hair starting looking really good.

These days all I do is shampoo and condition my hair at night. Nothing fancy just head and shoulders shampoo and suave conditioner. I run a comb through it while wet and pull it back into a ponytail with a scrunchie. The only part I blow dry is my long bangs. By the time I go to bed my hair is almost dry, I take the scrunchie out and fall asleep.

 

When I wake up in the AM, I have a very nice natural wave that gives me that perfect sexy bed head look everytime. When I shower in the AM I wear a shower cap so it doesn't get wet. I do all my make up and then when my face is done and I'm dressed, I just flip my hair upside down and run the blow dryer on low setting for maybe 15 seconds which fluffs the hair up a little so it looks full and healthy. And that's it!

 

Looks great every time I do this. Instead of leaving my hair dry and brittle it feels soft and silky. It hardly takes any time or effort. And my hair is so much healthier now that I quit the flat irons, blow dryers, styling products trying to achieve an unnatural look.

 

This is how my hair comes out looking when I do this:

 

Quote
MemberMember
410
(@alternativista)

Posted : 04/07/2009 10:26 am

I don't fight with my hair. I just wash, condition, air dry, and occassionally use a bit of anti-frizz, shine oily silicony stuff.

 

I do want to switch to a leave in conditioner and would like recommendations on that.

Quote
MemberMember
11
(@wynne)

Posted : 04/07/2009 10:40 am

i spent years hating my curly hair. finally, after 19 years of fighting with it and damaging it with flat irons, i discovered two products which i wouldn't give up for anything. redken outshine and bumble and bumble curl conscious. and of course, a diffuser. now, at almost 24, i hardly ever flat iron my hair. and after a few weeks of debating a relaxer, decided that i could never part with my curls.

 

so, for all you curly/wavy girls who deal with massive amounts of frizz, i highly recommend these two products. they're my hair saviors!

Your hair is too beautiful to straighten. Glad you figured that out! :D

 

Wow, Wire, what a helpful list.

 

I am currently using a shampoo and conditioner to maintain the red color in my hair. It works nicely. It does have silicones in it but it does help stop flyaways. My hair is coarse, thick, and there's LOTS of it. I use Infusium 23 every two-three days (that's how often I shampoo).

 

I almost never blow dry. Air dry only. The hair settles into waves; I like the waves!

 

I only use a wide-tooth comb; similar to that one. Nothing else works so well; a brush won't go through my hair. Perhaps I'm part Shetland/persian. Or Cousin It.

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@turtle9748)

Posted : 04/07/2009 12:52 pm

i spent years hating my curly hair. finally, after 19 years of fighting with it and damaging it with flat irons, i discovered two products which i wouldn't give up for anything. redken outshine and bumble and bumble curl conscious. and of course, a diffuser. now, at almost 24, i hardly ever flat iron my hair. and after a few weeks of debating a relaxer, decided that i could never part with my curls.

 

so, for all you curly/wavy girls who deal with massive amounts of frizz, i highly recommend these two products. they're my hair saviors!

Your hair is too beautiful to straighten. Glad you figured that out! :D

 

 

 

aw thank you! i always thought people who were super attached to their hair were sort of weird (ie, What Not To Wear when they always cry). but MAN i am waaaaaaaaay attached to mine.

Quote
MemberMember
5
(@acne_battle)

Posted : 04/07/2009 12:55 pm

I don't fight with my hair. I just wash, condition, air dry, and occassionally use a bit of anti-frizz, shine oily silicony stuff.

 

I do want to switch to a leave in conditioner and would like recommendations on that.

 

Me too! I just wash my hair, condition it, put my hair in a turban, wait a few minutes and then I gently brush my hair and I dry it for fifteen minutes, sometimes less. Then I brush it again and thats all.

Quote
MemberMember
410
(@alternativista)

Posted : 04/07/2009 1:38 pm

aw thank you! i always thought people who were super attached to their hair were sort of weird (ie, What Not To Wear when they always cry). but MAN i am waaaaaaaaay attached to mine.

 

What I always found strange is that absolutely everyone got their hair colored. I wondered what's up with that. Surely some people have perfectly nice colored hair. Now on those shows, they actually say it's a mistake not to color your hair. And when doing a long over due makeover, several times I've heard them say something like 'And she's never dyed her hair' and everyone would gasp. You'd think they said she'd never worn a dress or something!

 

 

Quote
MemberMember
11
(@wynne)

Posted : 04/07/2009 1:46 pm

That is odd; but it does seem that lots of people consider hair coloring as almost accessorizing. I have been coloring mine since I was 14 or so. All sorts of colors.

 

Some people have a lovely natural color. Some of us don't know what our natural color really is anymore. :)

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@turtle9748)

Posted : 04/07/2009 2:35 pm

i HAVE to color my hair. it used to be a nice rich brown, but has grown very mousy over the years. also, if i don't have highlights and lowlights, my hair has no dimension and looks like a big block on my head.

 

i have some botched box job HORROR stories though. my first mistake was dying my hair "Egyptian Plum" when i was 12. You could see my bright purple head bobbing down the street a mile away.

Quote
MemberMember
3
(@siava)

Posted : 04/07/2009 2:55 pm

Katie, I'm with you. I quit fighting my curls. Now I embrace 'em...most of the time. ;)

 

I don't use much on my hair because it's usually up and out of the way. I use Dairy Whip shampoo (vanilla at the moment), Suave conditioner (right now I'm digging the cherry scent), and if I want to run around with curls I'll use Dove Define & Shine gel. My hair doesn't do well with silicone products and none of these contain any.

Quote
MemberMember
11
(@wynne)

Posted : 04/07/2009 3:02 pm

Really curly hair is soo very pretty. I always wanted at least wavy hair when I was younger. At least it got more of a wave as I got older. Now it's sort of wavy and I do like it.

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@mm-brian)

Posted : 04/07/2009 3:09 pm

^ lol what kind of colour is "egyptian plum" exacty? :S *oops meant to be for katie

 

I've just coloured my hair a rich dark kind of purplish red...i love it :) but all the bleaching beforehand kinda killed it. Currently I'm using tresemme shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair and their thermal repair (i think) treatment. Does anyone else who's colpoured their hair know a good treatment or whatever that helps to keep the colour in for longer? Mine always fades so fast :(

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@turtle9748)

Posted : 04/07/2009 3:09 pm

Katie, I'm with you. I quit fighting my curls. Now I embrace 'em...most of the time. ;)

 

I don't use much on my hair because it's usually up and out of the way. I use Dairy Whip shampoo (vanilla at the moment), Suave conditioner (right now I'm digging the cherry scent), and if I want to run around with curls I'll use Dove Define & Shine gel. My hair doesn't do well with silicone products and none of these contain any.

i used to pay out the ass for salon quality shampoo and conditioner. but i go through conditioner so fast that i stick to dove or neutrogena or herbal essences. now the only thing i shell out the dough for is color, a few great cuts a year, and product.

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@turtle9748)

Posted : 04/07/2009 3:15 pm

^ lol what kind of colour is "egyptian plum" exacty? :S *oops meant to be for katie

well, i wanted that rich red/purple color. but it was straight up PURPLE. i tried to dye my hair that red/purple color many many times. until i finally discovered it's better for my skin tone to stick with honey/caramel browns and blondes.

 

siava, what kind of curls do you have??

Quote
MemberMember
410
(@alternativista)

Posted : 04/07/2009 4:35 pm

^ lol what kind of colour is "egyptian plum" exacty? :S *oops meant to be for katie

 

I've just coloured my hair a rich dark kind of purplish red...i love it :) but all the bleaching beforehand kinda killed it. Currently I'm using tresemme shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair and their thermal repair (i think) treatment. Does anyone else who's colpoured their hair know a good treatment or whatever that helps to keep the colour in for longer? Mine always fades so fast :(

 

My hair is dyed a reddish color too. That is supposed to be the hardest color to keep. And I'm just finishing up my giant bottles of tressemme for red/brunette or whatever color and did not think it did a good job at protecting hair color.

 

What worked better is L'oreal's color protecting shampoo. And a year or so ago, I saw an episode of Shopping Bags in which they washed pieces of red-dyed hair over and over testing different shampoos. They had a few expensive ones and a few cheap ones. All I remember is the Pantene was not good, John Freida was terrible, somehow making patches of faded color. And L'oreal was one of the best. I posted about it here so if you really want to know all the brands, do a search.

 

I'm going to try Infusium next.

 

My method: apparently hot water opens up the shaft so your shampoo can wash out the color. So since reading that, what I have been doing is putting a bit of shampoo into a cup, diluting a lot with water and a little ACV, then applying to dry hair. I then wash and rinse quickly. Then don't put conditioner near the roots so they don't get rinsed again. And I want to switch to a leave in conditioner for that reason.

 

And I've read that it's the alkalinity of the shampoo that strips color so adding a bit of ACV or something to acidify it might help.

Quote
MemberMember
0
(@mm-brian)

Posted : 04/09/2009 2:02 pm

^ wow I didn't know putting ACV would help but I guess it makes sense since the alkalinity is what strips hair off colour.

 

What's your hair type like? Because mine is very greasy and I doubt your method of washing hair would work as well on mine?

 

Thanks for the info, my sister's always used the L'Oreal colour protecting shampoos and conditioners so I might try those next.

 

Red hair is so tricky to keep up. :(

Quote
MemberMember
410
(@alternativista)

Posted : 04/09/2009 4:10 pm

^ wow I didn't know putting ACV would help but I guess it makes sense since the alkalinity is what strips hair off colour.

 

What's your hair type like? Because mine is very greasy and I doubt your method of washing hair would work as well on mine?

 

It's fine and oily. Especially since I put off washing as long as possible to protect the color.

 

And I think the shampoo is called L'oreal Color Vive.

Quote