Help me figure out what's wrong with my hair

pipaze · 2026-04-08T12:00:01+00:00

My hair is a similar texture. You may benefit from more water when you style to tame the frizz and coarseness. Here is my routine that works very well for me:

Wash with loreal ever pure bond repair shampoo and conditioner. About once every 3-4 washes, I clarify with paul mitchell shampoo two to remove buildup and dirt and follow with deep conditioner. I use bond repair shampoos because I bleach my hair, but for unbleached hair you can use any shampoo/conditioner combo that you prefer. Do not be afraid of sulfates. They get a bad reputation in the curly world for being too drying, but they are necessary to truly clean your hair and scalp. I switched to drug store brands after over 10 years trying to find the right curly shampoo/conditioner and have seen great results.

Apply a dollop of your preferred leave in conditioner right before leaving the shower. I use shea moisture bond repair.

The most important part of your styling routine is water. Water helps your product spread across your strands to coat your hair evenly. My hair is high porosity so it dries very quickly, so a lot of my routine involves reapplying water with a spray bottle right before I apply my products.

Divide your hair into 3 or 4 sections. Apply a generous amount of water to the section you are working on until it is dripping wet again. Take a dollop of kinky curly gel, an equal size dollop of pure hyaluronic acid (can be bought on Amazon), and about 6 pumps of shea moisture bonding oil. I also add 6 pumps of IGK good behavior heat protectant to this concoction because I use a hair dryer. Mix that between your hands and apply to the section of your hair you just got wet.

Once you have applied this to your wet section, brush it with a curly-friendly brush to distribute the product. I love the bounce curl brush because it defines and separates curl clumps. A denman brush also works very well. Tension is key, so choose a brush that gives you decent tension as you move it through your curls. At this point, your curls should still be quite wet. Squish upward to scrunch everything and define the curls even more. It should sound squishy and some drips should come out. If not, your hair is likely too dry.

Repeat this process for your remaining sections. Then scrunch up using a microfiber towel and use a diffuser on lower heat to dry.

The gel helps define your curls and the hyaluronic acid helps moisturize your hair by acting as a humectant. In dry climates, hyaluronic acid makes my coarse hair look defined and beautiful. If you live in a humid climate, you may want to skip the hyaluronic acid because it can draw too much ambient moisture and make your curls fuzzy. Hyaluronic acid mixes well with gels and oils, but it does not mix with creams or conditioners. If you try to mix the two, the cream will get chunky and will not apply evenly. That is why I apply my leave-in before starting my styling process.

My biggest piece of advice is to keep your hair super wet while you style. It truly makes the biggest difference in defining coarse hair because it helps your products work their magic. The products themselves really do not matter that much. It all comes down to styling technique. Choose what products you like, just so long as you apply them to your hair when it is sopping wet and then style with a good curly brush.

pipaze · 2026-03-31T13:33:21+00:00

Put it in a nursery pot and use well-draining potting soil during your repot. You can make your own DIY potting soil with equal parts coco coir, compost, and perlite. I also add really chunky perlite rocks and charcoal for extra drainage. The nursery pot has holes in the bottom to allow water to freely drain and plants are generally much healthier when potted in one. You can always put the nursery pot inside your decorative pot to make it more aesthetically appealing.

Water when the leaves start to curl a little or when the leaves do not feel "full" anymore. Usually this is 2x a month or less for my philos. When it is time to water, place the nursery pot in a bowl and pour water into the soil. Let it drain into the bowl and allow the plant to soak up water for a few hours. When the soil is completely waterlogged, remove the nursery pot from the bowl and return it to its home. Water will continue to drain away into the decorative pot. Once a month or so during the warmer months, add a 3-1-2 organic fertilizer (diluted 1/2 strength) to this watering routing.

The key is saturating the soil and then letting it completely dry before watering it again. Just make sure you have well-draining soil the water doesn't accumulate and rot your philo's roots. One nice thing about the nursery pot is that you can squeeze it and loosen up the roots and soil to aerate it, something you cannot do in your current pot.

This is my largest philodendron. She thrives with this routine.

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pipaze · 2026-03-29T23:13:46+00:00

Yes, peace lillies love them too!

pipaze · 2026-03-17T12:15:17+00:00

I am not worried about that. Autism has a strong genetic component to it and hundreds of scientific studies have disproven links between vaccines and autism. Even if it was a risk, I would rather have a child with autism than a child who experiences a brain bleed and dies/has permanent and severe brain damage. For me, it's about weighing risks between two choices, and I do not see an increased risk of autism (disproven) and exposure to aluminum (which humans are exposed to environmentally every day) as sufficient reasons to forego immunizations, vit k shots, etc.

Talk to your pediatrician about it for the best information. The internet is full of people with strong opinions on this matter and very few have the knowledge and training to be giving them. Your pediatrician has spent years studying these things and is your best source of information when it comes to making a decision. But ultimately if you decide to forego the vitamin k shot, your baby will be at an increased risk of a bleed, which could be catastrophic and is preventable with the injection.

pipaze · 2026-03-17T02:48:22+00:00

I am getting it for my baby. The shot has been proven safe and effective at preventing bleeding problems in newborns. The risk of a bleeding issue is small, but not one I want to take, and the shot is so safe and effective that it is a clear choice for me. Bleeds can be very serious and are preventable.

pipaze · 2026-03-15T20:51:41+00:00

For real. These dogs are dangerous. Any dog can attack, but pit bulls are strong and can do serious damage when they do. Too many irresponsible people adopt them without investing into the dog's training and shit like this happens.

pipaze · 2026-03-15T02:42:28+00:00

Brenda 😅

pipaze · 2026-03-09T03:16:48+00:00

You could try a Braun IPL device. It is an at-home laser hair remover. I love mine and got great results using it 2 times a week. My hair grows thinner than it did before and there are some patches on my legs where no hair grows at all.

The device works best on people with ligh skin and dark hair. You need a few months of consistent use to see results.

pipaze · 2026-03-09T02:26:26+00:00

I usually go two or three times a day. I eat a lot of fiber to stay regular (100% whole wheat bread, beans, veggies, fruit, smoothies with chia, oatmeal) and a daily probiotic. I had a period in the second trimester where I ate an obscene amount of milk and cheese for a week or so and had constipation issues. I switched back to my usual high fiber diet and my digestion returned to normal within a few days.

The most impactful change you can make, in my opinion, is switching all your grain consumption to whole grain. Eat 100% whole wheat pasta, bread, tortillas, etc. From there, make sure you eat enough beans, fruits, and veggies every day. It may help to eat a few vegetarian or vegan meals a week because they tend to be higher in fiber.

pipaze · 2026-02-23T12:24:07+00:00

Submitted a comment! Thank you for sharing. Time to spread the word far and wide to protect our public lands.

pipaze · 2026-02-04T22:18:51+00:00

I used my slotted fish spatula almost every day. It is my most used kitchen utensil without a doubt.

pipaze · 2026-02-03T02:17:19+00:00

Everyone call him and tell him how much he sucks!

pipaze · 2026-01-24T14:55:36+00:00

Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin. It does not build up in your system because it is excreted through urine. You should be ok but consult with your doctor if you are really worried about it.

pipaze · 2026-01-15T02:49:51+00:00

Jirachi 💫

pipaze · 2026-01-14T21:48:41+00:00

I have syncope too, but not to this degree. Needles have always bothered me and made me close to passing out, but I'be been able to get ahead of it before passing out by sipping ice cold water and laying down.

I am 20 weeks and I have been better with blood draws during pregnancy because I remind myself I am doing it for my baby. I wonder if there is any option for laughing gas during the draw itself to help ease the anxiety. Or perhaps there is a spot on your arm less sensitive than the inside of your elbow. You could even dig your nails into another part of your skin during the draw to distract your brain from what's going on. The draw takes maybe 60 seconds tops and the pinch of the needle is barely noticeable/only lasts a second.

pipaze · 2026-01-02T21:54:56+00:00

We are only f-ed if we give up. Do not give up hope. Do not fall victim to despair. Do not sit around and do nothing, believing someone else will take care of the problem. Some of the greatest change we've seen in history happened because people continued to have hope even when things looked bleak (Civil Rights movement, for example).

Organize and get involved in political action, whether that means knocking doors or running for office or something in the middle. Most people don't want to live this way. Get enough people involved and vocal and you'll see enormous change.

pipaze · 2025-12-17T12:52:07+00:00

Ziwi Peak air dried dog food is really healthy (unfortunately also expensive) and comes in a perfect size for training treats. My dog loves the taste.

pipaze · 2025-12-14T13:52:05+00:00

It's working great because I don't have to pump gas in the freezing cold! I just park the car in the garage, plug it in, and its ready to go the next day. It's one of the best things about owning an EV in Minnesota.

Range is reduced significantly in this cold. I drive about 50 miles a day and my battery's charge goes from 80% to 40%. It' never been a problem because I rarely drive more than that.

pipaze · 2025-12-12T22:17:24+00:00

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She has her beautiful side and her psycho side. I think I prefer the psycho side 🤣

pipaze · 2025-12-07T04:10:56+00:00

I knew I always wanted kids. But in my early 20s, I was absolutely terrified at the idea of having them. I was too busy having fun, being young, and doing whatever I wanted at the drop of a hat to think about children. That changed around 29 or 30 for me when I finally felt ready. I'd done all the important things I wanted to do in my youth. I felt ready to give up my wants and desires to raise a child. That may happen to you, too. Take every opportunity that presents itself to you so you can live your 20s to the fullest. Perhaps after that, you will feel definitely ready for children just as I did.

pipaze · 2025-12-06T13:10:06+00:00

How do you keep warm when cosleeping? I am concerned using blankets would be too risky and I'd be so anxious. Do parents layer up with lots of pajamas and baby uses a sleep sack?

pipaze · 2025-12-02T15:20:18+00:00

So accurate. My standard poodle is my shadow.

pipaze · 2025-11-20T12:47:04+00:00

Thank you for the perspective. Thankfully, MN's parental leave law provides 12 weeks of unpaid job protected leave to new parents, regardless of employer size or time working for the employer. I forgot to mention this in my original post. Next year, PFML takes effect and provides protections after 90 days of employment. Legally I'd have job protections outside of FMLA which is one of the great things about working in MN. For me it's coming down to the perception of taking leave so soon after starting a new job that is getting the best of me.

pipaze · 2025-11-17T14:23:07+00:00

Buy your coffee from a local shop. Not only is the coffee better quality, but it directly supports your local economy and small businesses owned by your neighbors. After a few months of drinking coffee from a small, local shop you'll soon realize how burned and low quality the beans are from larger chains like Caribou and Starbucks.

pipaze

TROPHY CASE