Chemical smell in hair!!

[mermaid]

It's the weirdest thing- when I wash or rinse my hair, I can smell a chemical smell, as if there is a residue in my hair from processing, but the only chemical that IS or HAS been in my hair for the last 8 years is color- and that comes with a neutralizer, so I don't see how there could be a residue. The last time I did my roots was about 5-6 weeks ago, but every time I get my hair wet, it smells like I'm in a salon! Has anyone experienced this?

 

[Kaela]

Do you think it may be your water or the shower faucet head/piping or does this happen no matter where you wash your hair at?

 

[mermaid]

I did my last color at my friend's house, and when I washed, I smelled it there too. Once I'm out from under the water, it subsides and disappears, I just don't understand what brings it on?!

 

[Nonie]

I don't know if we're talking about the same thing but I recently tried that clarifying trick of adding baking soda to your shampoo if you don't have a clarifying shampoo handy. Next thing I knew, a scent that carried me back to my relaxer days filled the air. Scared the pants off me! So I couldn't wait to get me some ACV so I could do a conditioner wash and ACV rinse.

Anyway this is what I deduced (although I haven't confirmed my hypothesis)... That clarifying shampoos are shampoos with a higher PH than regular shampoos (which is why adding an alkaline like baking soda to your shampoo makes it a clarifyer) and that with that higher PH, the shampoo is a lot stronger and thus strips your hair of any build-up -- which again is what you're trying to achieve when clarifying. This further explained to me why it's advisable to use shampoos with lower PHs...ie that are more acidic than alkaline on a regular basis, because even though you do need to remove buildup once in a while, most times you want to retain your hair's natural oils. And using a shampoo with too high a PH every day would be too harsh and stripping. (Uhmm...psst, Scientists on the forum, how am I doing in my guesswork thus far?

)

With that in mind (and if I am right in my thinking that the high PH and smell are related), then perhaps the chemical smell was because your hair was in a very alkaline environment: Hard water, alkaline shampoo...and even maybe your hair had not returned to it's normal PH after the last wash...

My guess is that doing an apple cider vinegar rinse and using distilled water might help wash that "chemical ghost" out of your hair. Just my $0.02.

 

[Supergirl]

I usually smell this on the first shampoo or two after my retouch.

 

[mermaid]

Hmm.. I never thought of the PH balance. I've been using creme of nature protessional extra body, and before that infusium. Maybe it has too much OOMPH for my hair?!
I also have noticed that until I put conditioner in, my hair has a kind of sticky feel, even though while CON is in my hair, it's nice and slippery, once it's rinsed out, there is a resistance when I put my hands in it and the strands just feel, well, like I said- sticky!