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So I know I don't have anywhere near long hair, but I desperatly want it! I have never been able to get it past my shoulders, but I going for it.
I have naturally curly hair, but beacuse of the length it is now I am forced to straighten. I have had it permantly straightened, and plan on never doing that again. As soon as I can leave it curly I will throw away my straightening iron. I don't blow dry, and I use the daily moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and the fortifying conditioner (once a week) plus the leave in styling protectant all by pantene. I would love to get my hair to the middle of my back soemday, but I always find my ends dry out. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

Yay, another natural curly embracing her curls!!!  Welcome!

First off, patience is needed.  

Then learn all you can and experiment!!  

Now would be an excellent time to start a journal here to keep track of what works and what doesn't and especially in the beginning a place to vent and whine to sympathetic ears.

Hello and welcome 8-)


The best advice I can give is to not cut at all until you have reached your goal and then have trims if and when needed.

Good luck ;)

Jerry

If I don't cut at all, I find that my damaged ends prevent my hair from growing all together, but hopefully cutting out the heat styling as soon as I can will change all that!
I will definately have to journal what works and what doesn't cause I have used sooo many products! I used to buy salon products, but I found that none of the sahmpoos and conditioners really made a difference, so I am currently using the pantene line.

Welcome!  I hope you find the right combination of products and techniques to help you get the hair length you desire.  We will all do our best to help.

My best suggestion for your ends - moisture!  I find jojoba oil is excellent for keeping the ends soft and flexible.

Good luck!

Welcome to LongLocks!  My hair is not long either, but it's a ton of fun to watch it slowly grow out and be in better condition :D

Welomce to LL!  Woot! another curly!  Wow, you got some great advise there!! Happy growing! ;)

Howdy do, L&L3  :)

So you're a Pantene queen too, eh? I absolutely will not use anything else, for it is the only brand that I really trust!
It's nice to hear that the Daily Moisture Renewal products are working for someone. I used that line avidly for years without issue and then about 2 years ago, the formulas changed and it began coating my hair with a thick layer of grease.  :o  I even stopped using Pantene for awhile because I was afraid of that happening again.
   But then I switched to the Ice Shine and Restoratives products and haven't had a problem since. *crosses fingers* God willing...

Anyway...

Quote:

I have naturally curly hair, but beacuse of the length it is now I am forced to straighten.

Balderdash! Nothing is forcing you to straighten - that is all in your head. And hands.
   My sister has naturally wavy hair and straightens it and her hair is SO fried!  :o  I can only imagine what this must do to tighter curls. That's a habit that should be broken at once. The healthiest thing that you can do for your hair is to just accept it as it is instead of trying to make it be something it's not.

As you can see, there are plenty of other curly girls floating about this site and they will likely have a few tips and experiences to share.  ;)

Best of luck, happy growing, and welcome to the journey.

Yeah, I haven't straightened my hair in 3-4 days, and I must say it is easier in the mornings  :)!
I have tried just about every shampoo in the salons, but one day while at Target I saw a girl with gorgeous long hair and she was buying Pantene, and I thought why not? I mean I have tried the salon products and they aren't really working for me so.... I have some Mop Top and Curly Hair Solutions products on the way though. I wanna try some things that don't contain alcohol and cones. I have tried MOP products before, although i never relly looked at the ingrediants list to see what they actually conatin. The only reason I might give them another try is cause I can buy those locally, although the sales people aren't really helpful in telling me what I should use. If I can save enough money I'd like to go to Boise, Idaho for a haircut with someone knowledgeable about curly hair when it gets longer. Anyone recommend any salons in southern Idaho?