I feel TORN!!! (Straight hair Natural)

[Crystalicequeen123]

If you chelate, you should clarify also ..... BUT BE AWARE THAT SHAMPOO IS DRYING AS HECK! Moisturize your hair and deep condition after. I personally wouldn't clarify and chelate and all that until I got my regimen down and felt comfortable with my hair and knew how it would react and had all my products down and a good regimen in place.

I also wouldn't recommend using protein right after Chelating and clarifying the first time....protein is drying too. That's my opinion. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

Hmm...thanks for the warning...

Maybe I'll do the chelating shampoo tonight, and just do a light protein conditioner like Nexxus Keraphix instead of the Nexxus Emergencee I was going to do lol.

I guess I won't clarify after Chelating either. I really just want to rid my hair of the chemicals that have probably built up in my hair since I've moved here to CA I JUST installed the new shower filter in my bathroom this morning so I'm set

Now that I will be using filtered water, I probably won't have to chelate until another 3 months, and I'll probably only need to clarify once every 2 months. I think that might work out for me. I hate drying shampoos..... But I HAD noticed that my hair seems dry (even after just being washed!) ever since I moved here, and that sometimes I'll see a film on my scalp after shampooing..... So, although I like the more milder, sulfate-free shampoos for my weekly washing, I'm realizing that I may need to do a clarifying shampoo every once in a while to keep my scalp and hair clean since my products are so sulfate-free most of the time.

Who knows..maybe my conditioners will work a lot better after I chelate.

 

[Poohbear]

Crystalicequeen123,

You shouldn't feel guilty for liking your natural hair straight. Having natural hair isn't about wearing natural styles all the time. It's about wearing your natural hair without using chemical relaxers.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Crystalicequeen123,

You shouldn't feel guilty for liking your natural hair straight. Having natural hair isn't about wearing natural styles all the time. It's about wearing your natural hair without using chemical relaxers.

Poohbear

Awww...thanks Pooh! You're right.

I can't wait until my natural hair is as long as yours!

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

So I'm in Walmart right now and I'm thinking of buying the Nexxus aloe rid chelating shampoo that they have. I used to use it years ago when I experimented with no-lye relaxers, and I found it to be quite gentle on my hair as a chelating shampoo. My hair didn't feel completey stripped on other words.

What do you think? Do they still make this stuff lol?

 

[DarkJoy]

So I'm in Walmart right now and I'm thinking of buying the Nexxus aloe rid chelating shampoo that they have. I used to use it years ago when I experimented with no-lye relaxers, and I found it to be quite gentle on my hair as a chelating shampoo. My hair didn't feel completey stripped on other words.

What do you think? Do they still make this stuff lol?

Get it!!

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Ugh I've been to Walmart and target and can't find it anywhere! Did they discontinue it? Is been years since I used it. Any other suggestions u guys may have for chelating? I'm in target right now

 

[Evolving78]

Ugh I've been to Walmart and target and can't find it anywhere! Did they discontinue it? Is been years since I used it. Any other suggestions u guys may have for chelating? I'm in target right now

Ors is a chelating shampoo. Their creamy Aloe shampoo. Do you live near a sally? You would have more options there.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Ors is a chelating shampoo. Their creamy Aloe shampoo. Do you live near a sally? You would have more options there.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Hmmmm....that does sounds familiar. :scratchch I think I used to use this product also back when I used to use no-lye relaxers. I don't remember if I liked it that much though.... erplexed

But I do live right by a Sally's so I may just swing by there after work and pick it up. I think I'll call first though to see if they carry it.


The lady on the phone at one of the beauty supply stores in my area also recommended Joico K Pak chelating shampoo. Has anyone tried this??

Sorry for all of the questions, but I've been natural for a little over 4 years now, and I Have NEVER Chelated my natural hair! I've always been so afraid of the drying nature of those shampoos. I used to use them every once in a while as a relaxed head, but now that I'm a natural head, I don't ever use them! With this hard water though out here in CA I'm going to have to use this at least once in a while I see.....

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

DarkJoy


Well ladies, as promised...I'm here to provide you with my update!

I was able to wash my hair on Tuesday night, and here are my findings!

*~UPDATE!~*

My Regimen:
-Installed my brand new Sprite Shower Head Filter from Home Depot
-Washed my hair with ORS Creamy Aloe Chelating/Clarifying Shampoo
-Deep conditioned with the ORS Creamy Aloe Conditioner
-Sat under the dryer w/conditioner in a baggy for about 30, and kept the baggy on my head while doing chores around the house. Total Deep Conditioning time: 1 Hour and 45 Min.
-Rinsed Conditioner out
-Mixed small part Infusium 23 leave-in conditioner, lotta body holding spray, and water in a small water bottle. Divided hair section by section spraying my mix and using a tiny bit of Paul Mitchell sculpting foam and following up with coconut oil on EACH section of hair. Spray, foam, oil.
-Put curlformers on each section of hair.
-Sat under hood dryer for about 30 min.
-Slept in curlformers all night (soooo uncomfortable!! )


RESULTS!

Ladies...let me tell you..... As SOON as I stepped out of the shower after chelating my hair, I immediately saw a little bit of a difference. My hair actually felt WET! But as soon as I put that ORS conditioner in my hair, my hair went through an AMAAAAZING transformation!!!! I was shocked! My hair felt so buttery, smooth, and "juicy"! When I say "juicy", I mean JUICY!!!! Like...dripping with water and moisture! My hair hasn't felt juicy like this since I left my home state!

I was so amazed how my natural hair just TRANSFORMED right before my eyes! Idk if it was the shower head filter, the chelating shampoo, or the citrus-smelling conditioner that did it, but my hair was so easy to manage! SOOOO buttery...soo smooth! I'm in awe even right now! It's almost as if my hair said: "THANK YOU!" This dry weather and hard water here in SoCal had been taking a toll on my hair, and I didn't understand what the culprit was! Now I know! Thank you SO much ladies!

My curlformers do turned out great the next day! Soft, bouncy, beautiful curls! I got so many compliments from people at work. Even the men at work were complimenting my hair lol. One guy complimented me TWICE! HE had to stop me and say: "I'm sorry, but I just have to say again that your hair looks REALLY nice like that"

The only thing I don't like about curlformers is that they don't last long...at least not on my hair. This is Day 2 of curlformers, and my hair looks kind of limp. The curls are still there, but not as nicely as they were yesterday. Oh well... I can still wear it an extra day.

Thank you ladies for the wonderful suggestions, especially the shower head filter and the chelating shampoo suggestions! That made a huge difference in my hair. I also had a pretty nice trim right after I got my hair flat-ironed, so I"m sure that also helped my hair to be easier to manage...no split ends.

This whole experience just showed me that our natural hair can either be our best friend or our worst enemy depending on what type of products/regimens we use to manage it. WOW..... I'm still in shock.

I'm telling you, my hair's curls were so defined (even while dry as I was curl-setting) that I almost contemplated doing a wash and go again. I had sworn off wash-n-go's for about a year because they usually only tangle up my hair. But after the shower head, the chelating shampoo, and that wonderful WONDERFUL conditioner, I think I might try my hand at doing a wash and go again because I think my hair would behave MUCH nicer under these conditions.

I'm posting pictures for you all to see!

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

PICTURES!!!



BEFORE THE WASH

READY FOR THE WASH!!

AFTER THE WASH--CONDITIONER

CURLFORMERS

AFTER

 

[Carrie A]

Good to see the advice working for you. You can alternate these techniques with an old school salon press/ flat iron.

 

[naturallymine]

Sorry I never seen this! I use old school blue magic. It is EVERYTHING. My hair stays moisturized for days from a little bit of it. My hair has thickened from it. No protein treatment needed. It has helped me retain length. It protects my hair from heat. It keeps my hair moisturized when heat styled. Greasing my scalp got rid of most of my dandruff. My hair is literally in the best health it's ever been. I've only learned recently that my hair likes products with thick consistencies the same as my texture overall. So it has really made a world of difference as to what I use.

I have been hearing good things about blue magic. Which one are you using? I am having the hardest time figuring out what works for my hair, so I've decided to go back to what mama used to do! It worked back then, so I'm willing to try it.