Hello ladies .. SORRY THIS IS LONG 
long time since i was last active here. But iv had quite a lot of time on my hands for quite a many weeks and iv been upto some serious hair maintenance!! i’ve acquired some major progress, and thought i’d share some knowledge pools around here. nothing people haven’t come across on our beloved internet, but it’s nicer to read stories with proof, or at least from some you can trust a lit bit … i hope 
so. what im about to write is my progress since 30th september 2010. since my last cut in february, my hair had grown about 3 inches till my next haircut in september. so that is nothing outstanding. i got my hair colored as well .. and this seriously damaged my hair. it looked and felt like straw. so this is what i started doing:
i had vatika’s olive oil at my disposal. it’s quite thin. so after washing my hair i’d apply 2 drops of the oil in my wet hair. just enough oil to make my hands shiny. but not in my scalp, since that’s the oily part. i was more concerned with the dry, damaged, straw-y parts about 3 or 4 inches away from the root. my hair would absorb all this oil, and i’d put 2-3 drops each succeeding day. the day i had to shampoo, the night before, or atleast 3/4 hours well in advance, i’d apply a mix of castor and olive oil to my roots, and enough olive oil for the rest of my hair. in the shower i’d let my hair under warm/hot water .. this thins the oil out for easier washing, and also helps a wee bit of absorption in the hair. i only shampoo once, even if it meant oil hasnt completely rinsed out (though that was rarely so). i did this for a month. shampoo twice a week. thrice in case you have to go somewhere special!
after this routine i did notice that my hair did not appear as damaged and limp as before. but they definitely were more oilier, sooner. in the second month, i took up another routine.
i stopped oiling my hair daily or after shower. though i think it was necessary for the first month to recover form the massive damage. in the second month iv been oiling my hair once a week .. thoroughly … either night before shampooing or 4/5 hours prior to shampooing. and also, i’ve been using a avocado mixture once a week. so in total, i do not shampoo more than 2 times a week. and my hair has been nice and bouncy and soft. i dont need to shampoo more.
avocado mix :
- one avocado (adds heck of volume! and also moisturizes … it’s like the meat of the fruit world with the good fats in it)
- one egg (proteinsssss!)
- something acidic, like lemon, balsalmic vinegar, or just regular vinegar (freaking shineee!!!)
- your favorite hair oil (moisturizes)
- yogurt (optional)
- aloe vera gel (optional … though it helps in maintaining the pH balance)
blend this together to form a smooth paste.
mix a teaspoon of garlic powder (fresh if you dare) with a tablespoon of castor oil and apply to your roots. then apply the avocado mix like you’d apply hair color. coat densely. i keep this for two hours and then wash it out. similar manner, let under water for 10 minutes, slowly and gently rinse out the mixture … and then shampoo ONCE! you could add the garlic to the avocado mix as well.
for the last two times i’ve been crushing a biotin tablet and mixing it into the castor oil alongwith the garlic. i really see a new difference with that as well.
another thing i’ve been doing is .. keeping my hair tied at all times. BRAID BRAID BRAID MY DEARIES!!!
i remember how not so long ago i had the horror of waking up to a pillow cover full of hair. Mashallah Mashallah i dont have that problem anymore. in fact my hair fall has drastically reduced in the last two months.
get rid of your hair brush!!! get a comb .. and dont comb too much!! be gentle. it’s hygienic. wash it every other day if not daily.
my husband rarely notices things … but even he has commented how my hair looks so much more healthy and full of volume. my mother, who can only see me through a webcam has also noticed a difference!
what i like the most is, my hair is coming back to it’s original texture. i have natural curls/loose-waves that i get from my mother … but had lost them to years of harsh shampooing and zero-care … i hate stick straight hair .. i hate straightening my hair. i am enjoying my new ORIGINAL self 
i hope this can help someone. you can of course play with the tips that iv given to suit your likes and needs. happy hair care!
left picture taken on 30th september. right one on 9th december i think. sorry, the quality isn’t too good. but i guess you can make out the difference in the length of my hair. it’s probably not THE MOST accurate visualization … but my hair has grown 2 inches or so during this time
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