Best Tips You've Picked Up Here on NC

hippiechic81 · 05-08-2011, 03:42 PM

Well the title says it al!! I wanted to set up a sticky but I can't figure out how. Anyhoo, new people are constantly joining and the ones that have been here are always looking for good info. and I thought it'd be cool to see what everyone's best tips that they've picked up here on the site to help myself and everyone else!! It doesn't have to specific to anything but can be about whatever you like

My best tip, (what I can think of right away), would be using a wet washcloth to revive/refresh waves and/or curls for 2nd day hair. Just wet it, squeeze out the extra, then scrunch through out the whole head. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's tips!!!!

swtndspcy · 05-08-2011, 04:28 PM

Something I found out for myself: My hair is always so thirsty, the only way I can achieve 2nd day hair is to mist it down with water so it's very damp, then scrunch in more condish. Then I scrunch out extra water/condish and scrunch in a little FSG or gel.

Best tips I have picked up here: Spritz and Condish. Plopping!!!!! and last but not least.. FSG! Amazing stuff.

Not to mention, moisture moisture moisture! I actually had no idea how dry and thirsty my hair was until I found NC.com.

sleepyjess · 05-08-2011, 09:51 PM

Hmm...it's a tie between not brushing my hair, and not touching wet hair. Both pretty basic tips...they're two of the earliest things I learned, and two of the smallest changes that have made a huge difference.

Cheetara · 05-09-2011, 07:58 AM

My favorite techniques are plopping, clipping and not touching it while it's wet. I had to learn all 3 techniques and practice them a lot to get them right.

gianna910 · 05-09-2011, 09:57 AM

Subscribing to this. This is awesome but yeah, plopping, though it never works. Haha no touchy when it's wet, it's countless. I've learned so many great things and i'm trying to make most of it work. I'm still im the process!

Sent from my iPhone using CurlTalk

SegB · 05-09-2011, 10:07 AM

To choose products and ask for recommendations based on hair PROPERTIES (porosity, density, texture, etc) rather than curl type (2, 3, etc)

pedaheh · 05-09-2011, 12:43 PM

If you can't figure out if a products is the cause of your issues (frizz, dryness, etc.), try the product on only one section of your hair (example: put it only on the back of your head).

hippiechic81 · 05-09-2011, 02:15 PM

These are such great tips so far!!! I definitely need to keep the "no touching hair" rule in mind. Keep 'em coming!!!!!!!

asianrunner · 05-09-2011, 07:32 PM

Definitely plopping. It cuts way down on the drying time and helps my waves form.

Alternating low pooing, cowashing and water washing. I know I can't exclusively cowash because my hair gets greasy and limp.

Scrunching styling products gently into almost soaking wet hair. I used to aggressively scrunch but found my waves form better if I do it gently!

If you have a question, just ask! There are no dumb questions.

chicklegirl · 05-10-2011, 01:50 PM

I wish plopping worked for me, but NOPE. I have to say, the best ones that I keep coming back to are the Supersoaker and Smasters techniques. I have completely different hair--real live waves--because of those two.

plunkybug · 05-10-2011, 10:55 PM

I think techniques for me...plopping, super soaking, smasters, pixie

Other valuable tips...no wet touchy which includes SOTC, combing only when wet with conditioner, when doing a PT, be sure to follow up with DT (unless you find the PT moisturizing enough), not all wavies can co-wash exclusively and...

No one will call the CG police if you fall off the bandwagon.

plunkybug · 05-10-2011, 10:58 PM

Oh, and for me, my biggest help is doing everything at night...I don't have to worry about going out in the wind or rain or what have you and have poodle hair. I can also let it finish air drying in a pineapple overnight as needed. I have greater control over the elements while I dry after diffusing.

ththd · 05-11-2011, 07:36 AM

Stop using non-water soluble silicones, FSG, cowashing, t-shirts to plop or scrunch, coconut oil.... And I do agree, don't go nuts if you have to modify. I was down on myself because I thought I was failing in the beginning but it's all about what works for you! It's been over a year and I'm just now starting to get the results I really wanted.

Love this thread!!! Thanks Hippie!

Cheetara · 05-11-2011, 07:48 AM

I forgot one. Icequeen method. I think I do that every dang time I cleanse and style. It's so routine for me that I forget about it!

pedaheh · 05-11-2011, 10:11 AM

I'm going to add this one, because I'm pretty sure we all made this mistake.

When you cowash, you have to really scrub your scalp a lot. Scrub more then you think. Use the pads of your fingers not the nails.

wavyblonde · 05-12-2011, 12:35 AM

Scrunching hair instead of towel drying, SOTC (!), avoiding sulfates and cones, pixie diffusing, using a microfiber towel, protein vs. moisture. And TONS of product recs.

I've also learned lots of non-hair-related stuff, too!

swtndspcy · 05-12-2011, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavyblonde

SOTC (!),

^^^^ agreed! I actually never used to do this, I would just aim for stuff that didn't make me crunchy! My hair comes out so much better with harder hold products and then SOTC!

Also adding:
Protein Treatments!!!! Never knew about these either. They have made a world of difference for this fine to normal haired porous wavy!!
Tons of natural recipes for hair and body, most of which I already have on hand!

Coconut oil. Never even heard of it until NC.com. My hair has never loved an oil like coconut oil! (Again, Peda is my hero for introducing me to it!)

Helping me understand my hair properties. I never knew it made such a difference, but it REALLY really does.

porque_pig · 05-16-2011, 06:52 AM

1. Scrunching with a t-shirt instead of a towel.
2. How to tell when my hair needs protein!
3. Identifying (and thereby avoiding) silicones that require sulfates to be removed.

Robin-in-FL · 05-16-2011, 07:24 AM

On care of hair:
*It's hard to overcondition coarse hair.
*It really does make the hair healthier when I avoid sulfates and silicones.
*It's OK to mess with my hair every day. Wetting it every day has made it healthier, I used to wash once a week and it stayed in very good shape so I thought 'less was more' but now with daily rinse-and-condition it actually feels a lot better and falls out less.

On styling:
*Scrunching with t-shirt
*Using hard hold gel instead of mousse
*Not touching hair while it dries and scrunching-out-crunch when it is completely dry.

wavynwild16 · 05-16-2011, 05:37 PM

Wow, I've learned so many great things from NC.com -- maybe too many, ha ha!

Plopping has absolutely saved my hair. I also learned to SOTC (which I used to never do -- I didn't think it was possible to remove crunch from your hair!), use some of my regular conditioner as a LI (I used to think this was disgusting, but now I know I can never get enough condish), avoid protein, NOT brush my hair -- EVER!, and learn to read product labels. I had no clue what I was putting on my hair before CG. I also picked up the icequeen method, which is amazing, and sealing with oil (and rubbing some on my scalp, which has absolutely saved my hair -- I literally don't know what I'd do without my Apricot Oil). And, I learned to make FSG, which really is amazing stuff. I also figured out what silicones were! Stopping sulfates and 'cones was the best thing I ever did, and I will never go back! So, thank you NC.com and all you lovely ladies for your help and support. I still have hair issues here and there, but it's so much better than it was that I have no right to complain. Thanks!