After 1 year of LHCF.... hair still dry?

[BeatriceFly]

Okay so I dont know what I'm doing wrong
I've used Dudley's PCA, Infusium, Whipped Pudding (Oyin) as a daily moisturizer... not all at the same time
Still dry stringy brittle hair
Then I do the deep conditioning, pre-poos, Ive used all types of conditioners
Elucence, Cholesterol, Redken All Soft, Keracare 5 lb tub because this was supposed to be way better than the smaller bottles, Aubrey Organics (which is what has worked best for me) and others I cannot recall
I try to do protein when needed and moisture when needed
I've baggied ends too!
I keep my hair in protective styles
And I am becoming more and more broke mind you

So why is my hair this way??
Dry, hard, breaking
I'm thinking I need to just cut it
I say this because half of my head is stringy and sort of straight from pressing
So when I do twistouts the root to mid length looks poofy and the rest is see through and spaced out.... am i making sense?
Poof outs, twist outs, braid outs, wash and gos, all go down the drain because of this as well

P.S. Not complaining, I love the hair that I have!!

Any suggestions?
Affordable ones

 

[longhairluva]

For me Infusium is protien based so I couldn't use that everday. I don't know about the other stuff though, Maybe the ladies here can help. Oh Cholestorol does the same thing to my hair too. I can't use it either.

 

[guesswho]

Oh my! I don't know what to tell you and I love your hair so much, well you might not want to hear this but have you tried aveda the damage remedy line? I could see you spent a lot of moolah already but I spent a lot also and it all stopped after aveda, I realy love your hair though

 

[Junonia]

I can't give any advice b/c I am in the same situation. My hair sucks moisture like a vacuum .

Your hair is pretty, do you really need to cut it?

 

[BeatriceFly]

oh thank you
your hair is GORGEOUS and SO HEALTHY AND THICK
I'm telling you my hair looks way different than how it feels
So the Aveda Damage Remedy Line
Anything specific?

Oh my! I don't know what to tell you and I love your hair so much, well you might not want to hear this but have you tried aveda the damage remedy line? I could see you spent a lot of moolah already but I spent a lot also and it all stopped after aveda, I realy love your hair though

 

[BeatriceFly]

i know... what are we to do?

im thinking about it because a good 6 inches of it isnt in the same condition as the rest of my head

I can't give any advice b/c I am in the same situation. My hair sucks moisture like a vacuum .

Your hair is pretty, do you really need to cut it?

 

[Missi]

I dunno if this may help but have you tried Ultra Black Hair Lotion Creme Moisturizer "Minimizes Hair Breakage"....
....Lotion creme moisturizer imparts essential moisture and oils to soften a dry hair type. This non-greasy formula is great on natural, pressed, or chemically processed hair. Can be applied to wet hair or for daily maintenance.

Benifits include:

• More oil for dry hair types
• Non-greasy formula leaves a luxurious feel
• soft, smooth hair
• fragrance free

~HTH~​

 

[Kacie]

I couldn't quench the thirst of my dry hair until I tried NTM Silk Touch leave in. It's cheap(5 bucks).

 

[Jessica Rabbit]

Some of my hair had to be cut because it had been permenantly damaged from pressing with too much heat. The hair wouldn't curl up or take color anymore. It hurt, but it's growing back much prettier and healthier. Hopefully that's not the case for you.

 

[Nonie]

From what I can see, Infusium has to go. Also, if you find something that works, stick with it. If Aubrey Organics worked for you, ignore any raves you hear about anything else. Stick with it and forsake all others. (Girl you need to hang out with me little and learn the ways of a non-PJ ). Only try something new if it stops working (like some products do when formulas change). I am also a believer that less is more. Part of why I go on no-product regimens is because my hair is usually so soft to touch if I don't go for days w/o washing and if I DC frequently. Soft hair is well-moisturized hair, so if your hair is feeling hard and dry, it's time to DC and lay off the protein. Also you might want to invest in a water filter coz hard water will make your hair hard too.

I have a friend with type 4 hair who layers it with products and gets the cutest fluffiest puff ever. Since we have the same type of hair, I tried to do the same, but rather than get a soft fluffy puff, my almost ten-inch long strands shrunk and became one thick dull looking mess that was a nightmare to deal with. And it was icky sticky and oh so greasy, yet it didn't feel moist. Compare that with how fluffy my BC'd hair looks when I use just ONE product. (Of course you've got to find out which one that is for you; I was lucky that for me it was one of the recommended products so I didn't have to turn into a PJ. For you this should be a fun experiment since you already have an arsenal of products.) I honestly think mixing products can cause more problems for some people, like me. So keep your regimen as simple as possible. Lastly, when you put too much heat in your hair, you're basically evaporating all moisture in it, not to mention that the heat could cause its own damage. If the hair cuticle is damaged then it becomes harder for hair to retain moisture. (Read about porosity here) Keep in mind that your hair can be porous too if the cuticle layer has been stripped so that the moisture leaves as fast as it enters. So you really have to give up heat.

I hope you find the answer soon...

Hugs,

 

[guesswho]

oh thank you
your hair is GORGEOUS and SO HEALTHY AND THICK
I'm telling you my hair looks way different than how it feels
So the Aveda Damage Remedy Line
Anything specific?

Well I use the damage remedy intensive reconstructor plus the damage remedy con, and poo, and if you look through my fotki I have spent over 1 grand in products half of them isn't even there lol, well it all stopped with aveda it gives you the right amount of protein and moisture, btw have you tried alma oil by dabur its an indian oil it gives great shine I sleep with it at night and rinse it off the next morning, and I hope you clarify also I see you use a lot of products, what ever you decide good luck and don't cut your hair you would find something to work for you,

 

[Angelicus]

Maybe you're using too much stuff. I'd eliminate Infusium because it's second ingredient is Adimethicone, which makes your hair feel really good at first but then all the moisture is sucked out of your hair.

Maybe you're using too many products. Mix them up all together, use the whole thing and then throw away the empty jars. Use Cone-free items.

You may have heat damage too... and the only way to cure that is to cut it

 

[natstar]

Have you tried wildgrowth hair oil as a sealant when you baggie? It works for me.

 

[shelli4018]

I agree with Anky about using too many products.

I'm having a pretty good run with a "no oil" routine. Basically, after washing I leave conditioner on my ends before putting my hair in a bun. That's it. My hair retains moisture much better this way. One of the benefits of this regimen is that I can judge the effectiveness of a product much better without 10 layers of oil on top.

BTW, I get great results by deep conditioning with a little bit of EVOO mixed with Suave Humectant Conditioner (the Nexxus knockoff). I leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour once a week.

 

[sweetwhispers]

try a no- cone, no/little oil regimine- it has helped me

 

[tkj25]

Any suggestions?
Affordable ones

your hair looks thick & is retaining length so be encouraged by that. but from your description is sounds like your hair is heat damaged. which means you'll have to gradually trim it off as your hair grows out, or cut all the heat damaged hair out now. it's up to you.

as far as the dry hair issue -- you need to minimize or cut-out-all-together the heat (pressing). some hair types can stand up to regular heat styling -- most cannot (& especially if you're trying to grow/maintain mid-back to waist length hair). your hair needs layered hydration. some people can get away with little to no product on their hair. i cannot. i layer hydrating, humectant, botanical products to get soft, touchable, moisturised hair. i notice you have 4a/b hair so this might work for you too. my three steps are: water. moisturise. seal.

water comes from weekly no-pooing. it has saved my dry hair. some good cheapie no-poos are suave humectress, awapuhi, or biobasics, or tresemme vit. e. you've tried no-pooing & it didn't work, but give it one more try with sectioning your hair. put your hair in 4 sections with clips. in the shower unclip, apply conditioner, clip. do this for the remaining sections. let it sit/penetrate for a bit. then unlip a section, detangle with a wide tooth comb, clip. do this for each section. now rinse each section, gently squeeze excess moisture & clip. your hair is ready for the next step. (i don't use poo any more so i'm not the best source for recommendations, but many people have raved about creme of nature detangling, conditioning shampoo. just make sure the poo doesn't have sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates -- sls. if you use aubrey organics -- great products by the way -- their poo doesn't lather. a little goes a long way. don't be tempted to use more to get that "traditional lather" like i did, you'll just end up stripping your hair )

moisturise comes from a spray. i spray my hair daily. i've learned to make my own:

my moisture mix recipe:

get a 16 oz spray bottle, fill 1/4 (of the bottle) with wave nouveau finishing lotion, 1/8 veg. glycerin, 1/8 aloe vera juice or gel, 1/2 or rest of bottle with distilled water. shake & go. you can play with the amounts of ingredients if this mix doesn't work for you. drop in some essential oils or fragrance.

but you've asked for affordable product recommendations so i'm gonna stick to that (not that my mix is unaffordable, it's just several things combined in one)

moisture spray recommendations:

african pride braid sheen spray, care free gold, wave nouveau finishing lotion, sta-soft-fro

seal comes from a leave-in. not that it has to say "leave-in" on the bottle i just leave it it . for me this is usually a slippy conditioner. some good cheapies are aussie moist, trader joe's nourish spa, or garnier fructis curl & shine. (aubrey organics rose mosqueta or white camellia - these aren't cheapies, but you know how good they are)

with layering products you'll probably want to clarify when needed, so buy a good clarifying conditioner, or you can add some baking soda to conditioner.

for a great moisturizing pre-poo try blending:

1 avocado
1 banana
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup olive oil

blend well with an emersion blender. (and i do mean well, otherwise you'll have little bits of fruit stuck in your hair) let this sit for 30 mins to an hour. rinse & no-poo or poo as usual.

as for your twistouts. since the ends are a different texture, just do your twists as usual, then continue to twirl each twist into a bantu knot. let air dry, and unfurl. this will set your hair in curls from root to tip. just don't start with sopping wet hair, or it'll take forever to dry. hth

 

[hairmaster]

How much water do you drink each day.
Do you eat a balanced diet.

 

[BrownSkin2]

Castor oil works for me. I'd clarify, do a deep conditioner and add castor oil to deep conditioner, let that sit for an hour, 1st rinse with warm water, then do a final rinse with cool water to seal the cuticle. Apply a creamy leave-in and seal with a little castor oil on towel dried hair. This always works to make my hair alot softer. Also aveda sap moss shampoo makes hair soft and tangle free.

 

[Bint Yusef]

Do you moisturize more than once a day?

I find sometimes midday I have to remoisturize my hair, especially if I have been out in the sun.

 

[cocoberry10]

Do you moisturize more than once a day?

I find sometimes midday I have to remoisturize my hair, especially if I have been out in the sun.

Bumping! I agree. I think moisturizing more than once/day is key.

OT: Crank dat BSL! I love it!

 

[Energist]

Yeah I think I agree about the infusium and dryness. It works well for me after I have clarified, but I was using it with water to rollerset and at times my hair would come out looking nice but feeling like straw. I hope you are able to find a solution, but I know it's hard especially when you have so many remedy products to choose from

 

[JerriBlank]

oooooooh to every thing you said!!!sounds so good,esp. the no-poo bit

your hair looks thick & is retaining length so be
encouraged by that. but from your description is sounds like your hair is heat damaged. which means you'll have to gradually trim it off as your hair grows out, or cut all the heat damaged hair out now. it's up to you.

as far as the dry hair issue -- you need to minimize or cut-out-all-together the heat (pressing). some hair types can stand up to regular heat styling -- most cannot (& especially if you're trying to grow/maintain mid-back to waist length hair). your hair needs layered hydration. some people can get away with little to no product on their hair. i cannot. i layer hydrating, humectant, botanical products to get soft, touchable, moisturised hair. i notice you have 4a/b hair so this might work for you too. my three steps are: water. moisturise. seal.

water comes from weekly no-pooing. it has saved my dry hair. some good cheapie no-poos are suave humectress, awapuhi, or biobasics, or tresemme vit. e. you've tried no-pooing & it didn't work, but give it one more try with sectioning your hair. put your hair in 4 sections with clips. in the shower unclip, apply conditioner, clip. do this for the remaining sections. let it sit/penetrate for a bit. then unlip a section, detangle with a wide tooth comb, clip. do this for each section. now rinse each section, gently squeeze excess moisture & clip. your hair is ready for the next step. (i don't use poo any more so i'm not the best source for recommendations, but many people have raved about creme of nature detangling, conditioning shampoo. just make sure the poo doesn't have sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates -- sls. if you use aubrey organics -- great products by the way -- their poo doesn't lather. a little goes a long way. don't be tempted to use more to get that "traditional lather" like i did, you'll just end up stripping your hair )

moisturise comes from a spray. i spray my hair daily. i've learned to make my own:

my moisture mix recipe:

get a 16 oz spray bottle, fill 1/4 (of the bottle) with wave nouveau finishing lotion, 1/8 veg. glycerin, 1/8 aloe vera juice or gel, 1/2 or rest of bottle with distilled water. shake & go. you can play with the amounts of ingredients if this mix doesn't work for you. drop in some essential oils or fragrance.

but you've asked for affordable product recommendations so i'm gonna stick to that (not that my mix is unaffordable, it's just several things combined in one)

moisture spray recommendations:

african pride braid sheen spray, care free gold, wave nouveau finishing lotion, sta-soft-fro

seal comes from a leave-in. not that it has to say "leave-in" on the bottle i just leave it it . for me this is usually a slippy conditioner. some good cheapies are aussie moist, trader joe's nourish spa, or garnier fructis curl & shine. (aubrey organics rose mosqueta or white camellia - these aren't cheapies, but you know how good they are)

with layering products you'll probably want to clarify when needed, so buy a good clarifying conditioner, or you can add some baking soda to conditioner.

for a great moisturizing pre-poo try blending:

1 avocado
1 banana
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup olive oil

blend well with an emersion blender. (and i do mean well, otherwise you'll have little bits of fruit stuck in your hair) let this sit for 30 mins to an hour. rinse & no-poo or poo as usual.

as for your twistouts. since the ends are a different texture, just do your twists as usual, then continue to twirl each twist into a bantu knot. let air dry, and unfurl. this will set your hair in curls from root to tip. just don't start with sopping wet hair, or it'll take forever to dry. hth