I am no help ;-( My hair is very thick, curls where it feels like and I have seborrhea. The only thing that I can use is Neutrogena for dry hair. BUT, I love the look of shiny hair and mine never has been. So if it works let me know okay? The only person I ever knew who had really glossy shiny black hair....was a vegetarian and I absolutely believe that's what gave her such shiny hair. SAY....nice to see you doing this blogging! Smiles...Pat

I love John Fried Luminous Glaze on Sale at Ulta for $7.89 normally $9. I first read about it in some magazine but it completely works in providing a layers of shine to my hair. However, it's like hair color and I have to keep using it every few weeks. I also like. Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Conditioner about $6, which is a leave in conditioner, I don't dry my hair when this is in, I just sleep with it wet, and I wake up with it super shiny.

*sigh*

I have long, dark, thick beautiful hair. OR so people tell me. But honestly, it gets on my frickin nerves! The only reason I have let it grow so long is because I plan on donating it to Locks of Love again.
My problem is dandruff! And split ends too, but mostly the dandruff... I am only able to use one shampoo, and that's Head & Shoulders. If I use any others, my scalp gets really dry and itchy.
IMO it does make my hair shiny and look healthy, and it has a nice smell too - not that Head & Shoulders smell that people are used to, since they make new types now.
Also, I've always heard that you need to brush your hair often to keep it shiny, but only when it has been dried. I mostly towel dry my hair, but when I do blowdry, I use only low or cool settings.

One product I used a lot before, Thermasilk. If it weren't for my dandruff problem, I'd still be using it!

I use Garnier Fructis Length and Strength shampoo and Sleek and Shine conditioner. I used to buy the Sleek and Shine Sheer Conditioning Glaze , but lately I haven't been able to find it in stores, so I've been buying the smoothing milk instead, but I prefer the conditioning glaze. I think it makes my hair way more shiny than the smoothing milk does. All of these are under $5 and can be found at pretty much any store. I've even found ginormous bottles of my conditioner at Costco for about $7.00, which is a great deal.

I have also used John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioners and I liked them quite a bit. They're more expensive and smaller than the Garnier stuff, but I thought they worked well. Although I've never used them myself, I have heard that Lush's The Stroke's hair treatment and The Marilyn hair treatment (even though this one is meant for blondes) make your hair shiny, silky, and pretty much fantastic. These are more expensive, but I don't think it's something you'd use on a daily basis, so the splurge may be worth it.

Oh yeah, I also meant to mention that I have very fine hair (there's lots, it's just really fine) and the conditioning glaze/smoothing milk can make my hair look oily if I put it too close to my roots or use too much. I have pretty long hair, so I use between a nickel to a quarter's size amount and finger comb it through at first, then use a comb to really get it through my hair.

I havent' had much luck with the John Frieda Glaze, which is why I thought I'd try this stuff. I use glossers and shine serums to make it shiny, but I know I probably need a good deep cleanse. And I thought this product would give me long-lasting shine, which is questionable according to product reviews online. Ugh!

I use different things because I've always heard using the same thing over and over isn't good. I used to use Thermasilk, until they stopped making it. :( It was the best. You can still find some online, but ...sigh. A few of my favorites now are Aussie Cleanse and Mend, Aussie Sun Touched Shine, Aussie Sydney Smooth. I've also heard good things about Tail and Mane but have never tried it.

I'm not too much help because my hair is so finicky. Anything I do to it either doesn't hold or hurts like the dickens. For example, back when I dyed it (or at least a lock of it) purple, I had to do it every day because it kept washing out, whereas the same dye would last weeks on other people. And when I've had it bleached or straightened I get chemical burns. The latter problem comes from having a really sensitive scalp. I also had a problem with flakes, and the dandruff shampoos like head and shoulders weren't doing anything. My dermatologist said it wasn't dandruff -- it was seborrheic dermatitis, and he suggested I use a tar-based shampoo like Neutrogena T-Gel. I tried that and it cleared right up. I don't use it every day because it does really dry out the hair -- every two or three days works fine. It doesn't smell great, but I use a nice smelling conditioner, so it's not an issue. Might be worth giving a shot.

Here is what works for me (you might already do these, but I'm just giving my 2 cents):

-A trim every at least 6 months is the best way to make your hair look healthy. I go even more often because I have short hair.

-Use the blow dryer and irons as less as possible. I have gotten in the habit of letting my hair air dry which makes it really shiny.

-Don't wash your hair everyday. Do it once every two or three days. Use a dry shampoo in between washings to freshen up.

-Dandruff shampoo for the dry scalp. I suffer from that too. I use Neutrogena T-Gel Daily Control Dandruff Shampoo a few times a week and it takes care of that problem completely. On the other days I use Aussie shampoos because my hair dresser said it was one of the best cheap drugstore brands for your hair. They seem to work as well as anything else for me anyway.

-A deep conditioner. My all time favorite is Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner. I used to use expensive brands until I discovered this stuff. It makes my hair very very soft shiny and manageable.

-Take Omega -3 Fish Oil tablets and a multivitamin daily. I noticed a major improvement in my hair, skin and nails when I started taking them.
-I use Frederic Fekkai Glossing Sheer Shine Mist when I want to add some shine to my hair. It's my favorite of all the shine products I've tired (and I've tried a lot!)

I've tried two glossing treatment in the past. Both did make my hair shiny but they also weighted it down and left a film on my hair which made it feel icky to me.

Good luck finding what works for you!

I agree with hophead too on the conditioner and the fish oil and vitamins. I do my vitamins everyday, but I always have so I really don't have anything to compare to. And extra vitamin B & D in the winter to help with moodiness (the last has nothing to do with hair).

I'm sorry i can't help you i know nothing about other hair types.
I'm still trying to figure out mine ha!
But I hope you get the help you need when it comes to hair!!!
: )

Hophead has it pretty down to a pat for maintaining good hair. I actually do nearly the same stuff as she does as well; (I don't take the Omega -3 Fish tablet because I actually do eat steamed fish quite frequently, but you get the picture).

My favorite is the Neutrogena T-Gel for scalp treatment; it also gets rid of scalp itch, so you don't pick at your scalp and aggravate your scalp even more.

Good luck with everything!

Wow! You guys have some great ideas! Have any of you tried any scalp exfoliants? I've heard it's good to do them at least a couple of times a year.

I agree with hophead, but recommend trims more frequently - at least every 3 months/four times a year. Most stylists actually recommend trimming every 6 weeks to keep hair looking its best, as nothing dulls shine and drags hair down like a bunch of split ends!

With the scalp, use Head and Shoulders.... funny thing is, a lot of stylist do recommend it because it works better than regular shampoos (especially if you can't afford the $20+ bottles of professional shampoos that are designed for that). It controls the flakes and the oil. I wash my hair every 2-3 days, it does get oily, but if you keep up with it, and don't run your hands through it a lot, it'll keep the oil down. I have thin hair too (and lightly curly), but I have mine layered (scene style hair), and it does give me the opportunity to add a light product to my hair (I hate hair spray and sticky products in my hair) and it keeps the curls down from getting tangled. I also get mine trimmed every three weeks (if I go longer I can't get a brush through it without damaging my hair). My friend cuts it and says it looks better every time I go in to see her. Those are a few of my tips. You just need to find the right products and don't put stuff in it that you don't have too. Plus I flat iron mine at least 3-5 times a week and use a heat protection spray before using the iron. My hair is in still great condition from it too. Hope these help!

Haha, a P.S. if you can't get to the salon and your hair starts to get split ends, I grab all the ends together and just trim about a half inch to get the dead stuff off the ends. It's better than damaging the ends even more.

i wish i could help! i actually have the opposite problem. while my hair is incredibly thick, it gets oily really fast. even with how much i color and heat-treat i still can't go a day without shampooing or it gets greasy. ew.

when i had really long hair (down to my butt) i used mane & tail and i remember it working really well, but that was about 10 years ago! now i use mane & tail to bathe my dog and it reminds me of how long and flowing my hair was, haha

i'm a fan of Pantene. Olive oil is also really healthy for the scalp and makes your hair shinier. You could also try Herbal Essences.

Clinique and Mop both have fantastic clarifying shampoos. Mop is definitly for on a budget customers as well. As for conditioners my sister has the most frizzy unmanageable with a dry scalp and she uses Redkin Conditioners. They seem to work really well.

I think I'm gonna try the T-Gel from Neutrogena. Sounds like it might help with the scalp issue. I just wonder where I might find a scalp exfoliant to do a monthly "scrub?"

I have a quick note to all the ladies with oily scalps out there (like me): Put your shampoo on your scalp and work it in DRY where it gets the oiliest. Then add water, suds up, and rinse. I can now go two days without a shampoo without developing dandruff and without looking like I have an oil slick on my head using this method!

Hmmm.... interesting! I'll have to try that.

Bain de Terre baindeterre.com (I really like their Green Meadow shampoo) makes a sugar-based Scalp Massage Scrub but it's kinda pricey at $18. I found it in the April 09 issue of Natural Health magazine. They have a six-page article of homemade remedies as well as product suggestions for dry/oily scalp in that issue. I also picked up a "shampoo brush" for around fifty cents at Walgreens that fits on your hand that I use to lightly scrub my scalp after I lather up my shampoo, and my scalp has improved a lot. They were in a bucket under the display of regular hair brushes.

Note: It's not this one , it's a flat black piece of plastic with teeth. I tried both and the cheaper one works better for me.

Cool! I'll have to try both and see what happens.

Use a loop brush instead of a normal hair brush, sleep on a silk pillow case (very cheap on amazon)

Hmmmm.... I use a wide-tooth comb for wet hair. It's all I use, because a hairdresser told me to try it for protecting my hair from damage. Never thought about a loop brush. I'll have to research that. Thanks!

My hair is a mess. Super thin, but has some body. You may have to skip out of grocery store brands and use the big bucks. I use bumble and bumble products and they work amazingly well. I was skeptical at first because of the price, but you will not be disappointed. The best is the purple volumizing line for our hair.

I sajested you use Garnier Fructis Length and Strength shampoo and Sleek and Shine conditioner. I used to buy the Sleek and Shine Sheer Conditioning Glaze , but lately I haven't been able to find it in stores, so I've been buying the smoothing milk instead, but I prefer the conditioning glaze. I think it makes my hair way more shiny than the smoothing milk does. All of these are under $5 and can be found at pretty much any store. I've even found ginormous bottles of my conditioner at Costco for about $7.00, which is a great deal.

I have also used John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette shampoo and conditioners and I liked them quite a bit. They're more expensive and smaller than the Garnier stuff, but I thought they worked well. Although I've never used them myself, I have heard that Lush's The Stroke's hair treatment and The Marilyn hair treatment (even though this one is meant for blondes) make your hair shiny, silky, and pretty much fantastic. These are more expensive, but I don't think it's something you'd use on a daily basis, so the splurge may be worth it.
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Yogendra
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Baby Gear-Baby Gear

Some people posted comments about not washing you hair everyday but you hair mimics mine, I have to wash it everyday or I look homelss because of the grease. But, if you brush your hair everynight before you go to bed. Also, try looking in to moisurizing lotions made with essential oils that you can apply to the ends of your hair to prevent dry ends. Also, get it cut, frequently. I have to get a cut at least every 3 monthes because my hair is so thin if i wait longer it will start to fray everywhere. But dont brush your hair when its wet that cause alot of damage because you hair is weakest when wet.

The following at-home recipes are inexpensive and will help with the issues you are having with your hair.

The best hair clarifying shampoo out there is Aveda's Detox and it will remove any toxins or harmful minerals that may be clogging up your hair shaft.

Or Aveda Scalp Benefits Balancing Shampoo. You can get them both at the following web site at a nice discount:
http://www.yourdiscountperfume.com/product.jhtm?id=27201&cid=38

Hope this helps!
Side Note: Aveda is not the best smelling product out there, but it's VERY effective!

Yours in heathy beautiful hair,
Maria Ferguson
"How To Stay Fashionable AND Smoking Hot In Today's Crumbling Economy!"

Beer & Egg Hair Treatment:
(Use half and drink the rest!)

What you need:
1 can of beer (any type)
1 egg

Instructions:
Mix these ingredients and apply to your hair. Let this set on your hair for at least 15 minutes before washing. Do this once a month for added shine and luster. This solution cannot be stored.

AND

Hair & Scalp Tonic

What you need:
10 tsp of Olive Oil
8 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil
7 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil

Instructions:
Mix the above together and massage into scalp. Wrap hair for two hours in a towel and then wash out. It's important to put the shampoo on the hair before you wet it to ensure that all the oil will come out.

Scalp Massage: This massage stimulates 17 Acupuncture Points and Meridians.
1. Starting at your front hairline, press all your finger tips against your scalp and push them all the way to your back hairline.
2. Lift your fingers off the scalp, return them to your front hairline, and repeat as often as you need to.
3. Lift your fingers along the arc of your scalp, just above your ears, from front to back.