Healthy hair is knowing the difference between shampoo and conditioner

After my mishap with temporary color and recurring problems with dry and unhealthy (my opinion) hair, I have taken time to learn more about what healthy hair is.


Books (especially the library) have been a wonderful resource.


I lost a lock last week, I think due to the long period of time I went without having my Sisterlocks retightened at the end of last year/beginning of this year. As other Sisterlock wearers have observed, when you miss a retightening, the lock thins out from the root (opposite the end of the hair) and, depending on how long you wait to get your next retightening, this thinning ends up appearing right in the middle of the lock. Lesson learned: don't skip retightenings...at least not within the first year of having Sisterlocks. (I will post a picture of this soon.)


So, what have I learned about what makes healthy hair?....that I need to know the difference between shampoo, conditioner, and their functions.


Shampoo is used to clean the scalp and conditioner is intended for the hair.


This seems simple enough, and other ladies may say they already knew this, but I did not, and knowing it changed my entire product line-up and routine.


Shampoo has detergent, and clarifying shampoo has a very high level of detergent, intended to cleanse the scalp of products that someone may use a lot. I don't use products on my hair...just water. So, when I shampoo with clarifying shampoo EVERY week, wow!....my hair should be (and has been) very, very, very, very, very dry. Lessons learned: 1. Don't wash your hair every week; if you do, do not do it with a clarifying shampoo and 2. Use a shampoo for the state my hair is in...one that is gentle and intended for dry hair......


As far as conditioner goes, the lesson learned is: Use it! From what I've read, you shouldn't skip conditioning your hair in some way after shampooing. I skip it a lot. Consultants correctly advise newbie Sisterlock wearers not to use heavy, cream-based products, so to be safe, using the Sisterlock brand moisturizing treatment has been a good for me. But, if you just wear natural hair, be liberal and condition! condition!


I will post more information I learn as I learn it. There is no reason we all have to each experience the same problems just because no one is willing to share their good and bad experiences.