I KNOW it's hard....

To come on here and read me ranting and raving and NOT want to help. I think I just have to remember what I did the first year to get my hair so healthy. There was quite a bit of hair at my disposal BEFORE I started listening to the critics. I mean, face it, I had NO ONE around me who had a natural and I had NO IDEA what to do with my hair as it began to grow out. I went on my favorite hair board and saw all these people who could do so many styles and I really wanted that half up/half down style that I saw a few others wear. Granted, my hair needs to be handled with care, but because of all of the negative feedback that I was getting, I began to try to pick my hair out in the perfect little TWA and that was when everything went downhill. These days, I don't pick my hair at all. I DID cut almost a half an inch off (the colored ends had to go) so in a sense I am starting over. My regimen consists of the same three step process that worked so well in the past even with me switching it up and trying everything under the sun. I used to shampoo and condition with my Suave products of choice and then moisturize with whatever beckoned for me at the time. I have some Suave stuff but I plan to use up my Nature's Gate stuff first. Suave is really cheap and readily available. I think it's cool to use their shampoo as long as I follow it up with the condish. I've seen a few people post about castor oil. I really wish I liked it. I might go ahead and use it after all of my fifty leven other products run out. I don't remeber any itchies with it, but who knows....

As for my DD's hair, it is coming in nicely and I'm not doing anything special other than the fact that I DID add conditioner back into the regimen and it's just cheapie Suave. Nothing special there, but I think it allows me to comb easier. Also, I try no to handle her hair unless it is COATED in moisturizer. The breakage factor is a part of the type of hair that we have, so I just have to be gentle with both.

Thanks to all who have offered their support and patience. I'll keep you posted.