Hair care...

I have long hair, and was always told blow drying is bad for it. So I shampoo and condition, let it dry, brush it out. I do make sure my hair products are natural and not animal tested. I blow dry if I have someone important coming in to work to meet me.

I have different brushes for when it is wet vs. when it is dry.

The products I use aren't tested on animals, but all their ingredients are.

I don't use 'mouse' but I do use other small rodents on occasion. :)

Your shampoo may not have been tested on animals in it's final form however, chances are that the ingredients that make it up were tested on animals in the past. Don't be fooled by all "cruelty free" claims.

I've used the same shampoo for over a decade (Pert, which has conditioner built in - whatever that means - it's not really conditioner).

I agree that the things *in* my shampoo could have been in the past tested. Heck, I'm sure most things I use were at some point tested, but I can only control what goes on now :)

I've heard that it's better to change shampoo brands every time you buy a new kind, so your hair doesn't get used to one kind. So I just alternate Aveda and Willow Lake.

Pandora: Strange, my SO has that theory too, so we have four bottles in the cabinets. I've never found that to be the case, with my mid-back length hair, but he thinks it does, with his short hair. Anyone with a biology background care to comment on this?

I use a mouse on my hair! Sometimes a gerbil, but usually a mouse! Truthfully, I use shampoo and conditioner but have to be really careful which I use because I'm allergic to perfume/fragrance. Which means I pretty much can't use mousse or hairspray or anything fussy like that.

Lisashea: Not so much biology as chemistry... Some shampoos, mostly inexpensive brands, contain ingredients which build up on hair. Changing to a different brand removes the buildup, until the ingredients from that brand start building up. The one I use (Aussie) does not cause buildup.
Look out for waxy ingredients in shampoos -- those are the ones that build up the most.

Lelle: Thanks! That explains it. He buys bulk cheap shampoo because he just wants his not-dirty. I am careful about what I buy because I like my long hair, so perhaps my selections don't build up. I in fact used Aussie for a while but wasn't sure about their "testing" practices. I'll research them again :)

"I use mouse"?? Just how does one use a mouse as a hair care product?

elijahblue - first you puree it...

I have fine, dense, curly hair. I use a brush when it is wet, and a pick when it is damp or dry. My choice in shampoo is based on a) does it keep my hair soft, and b) am I allergic to it? Not necessarily in that order, either. I would never use mouse on my hair.

You forgot detangler, which I have to use religiously because I have long curly hair that snarls easily. My hair has grown much longer since I started taking better care of it.

So, I -do- use "mouse", but what does that have to do with hair care?

I use various dilutions of castille soap for washing, and vinegar as a rinse. The only time I can get a comb through my hair is in the shower. I use about 2 tablespoon of olive oil in my hair to keep it from feeling like brillo.

I have very long hair... shampoo and conditioner... no dyes, no blow drying, no hairspray or any other styling product.... always only use a brush

i was born blonde, but meant to be a red head

I mostly just use shampoo. If I wash in the morning, I'll use conditioner as well. I might use some hairspray for a special occasion - most recently for a funeral - but wouldn't otherwise. I use a brush.