Depression - After all these years, my hair feels like straw

[tuffCOOKiE]

i think the problem may be the moisturizer you are using. ltr is a leave in and while some people have success using leave ins and everyday moisturizers some of us need a real moisturizer. a cream, butter or lotion.

I feel LTR has the same consistency as like, ORS Moisturizing lotions which, does nothing for my hair. The label 'leave in' doesn't apply here. i've tried NTM an while it's a good leave in, its not a good leave in for me to use on my hair after it's dried (or to retian moisture). I ordered butters from shescentit.com (recently) and, I haven't given them a fair shot, but you have to use them when your hair is damp so I would have to spray w water then add the butter.. when I could just use the LTR which has a water and creamy component. This is also my first time using a butter.

Other than the LTR, I don't really know of any good moisturizers. I've tried many I'm open to suggestions, though. Ones i've (unsuccessfully) tried include: water & glycerin mix sealed w oil, NTM, Profectiv, Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Spray and Aerosol, Sta Sof Fro, Humectress.. I can't think of anything else, but I know there are more.

You might want to try another lye-based relaxer. My stylist used Mizani Butter Blends on me the last time and my hair hates it! It definitely feels drier than usual

I really love the mizani! I just tried it last sunday and this problem has been ongoing. I will try this though, after I finish the tub I bought and after I tried other stuff. I really hope this isnt it and a doubt it but, like the hard water thing, it's worth a shot! thank you!

I'm also thinking of giving up the relaxer. My hair is a lot to handle when natural and it gets dried out easily but it also wasn't breaking all over the place and shedding as it does now. I like wearing my hair straight though so my other plan was start doing texturizers. My hair is coarse but isnt resistant so, maybe if I leave my relaxer in for like, 10 min or soemthing. Seeing how relaxers work, if i leave it in for less time, would I retain more moisture? unless, I have no moisture in my strand to begin with...

i think you need a break. wash, dc, dry, moisturize, and then braid it up/ do you like cornrows or kinky twists?

I, seriously am on the verge of doing this. This reason why I came here first was because, I tried that around this time last year. I'm back at square one which means either, 1. I've learned nothing in the last 3 years and 2. I need to deal with my hair and have the **option** of putting it in braids, and not having to do so.

 

[Evolving78]

i get what you are saying. when i was relaxed and decided to just deal with my hair, things were simple for me. i got a hot oil treatment, washed, dc, molded down (under the dryer) and then blow dried it to get it a little more straight, bumped with the curling iron and kept it wrapped for a week. then when it got longer, i started to get it wet wrapped, dried under dryer, bumped with flat iron and wrapped it for a week. then i started to get rod and tight roller sets. during the week i would just an oil or light moisturizer. if my wrap started looking crazy, i would just put it up into a ponytail (or pinned it up when it was neck length) until wash day. i wasn't using a lot of products either. shampoo, conditioner, wrap lotion, oil, and moisturizer.

 

[DarknLovely1913]

Dont swallow the Oil alone, take your tbsp of oil in your mouth, hold it, and put some liquid in with it , like soda and swallow, you never taste it or feel it that way

If you could take
Fish Oil
Flax Seed Oil
Borage seed oil or Evening primrose oil

you would be getting all your EFA's

u can even add a lil Olive oil too

I get a pill from Wal-Mart that has Fish Oil, Borage Oil and Flaxseed Oil in it. You take it twice a day. It is kinda huge though

 

[chebaby]

I feel LTR has the same consistency as like, ORS Moisturizing lotions which, does nothing for my hair. The label 'leave in' doesn't apply here. i've tried NTM an while it's a good leave in, its not a good leave in for me to use on my hair after it's dried (or to retian moisture). I ordered butters from shescentit.com (recently) and, I haven't given them a fair shot, but you have to use them when your hair is damp so I would have to spray w water then add the butter.. when I could just use the LTR which has a water and creamy component. This is also my first time using a butter.

Other than the LTR, I don't really know of any good moisturizers. I've tried many I'm open to suggestions, though. Ones i've (unsuccessfully) tried include: water & glycerin mix sealed w oil, NTM, Profectiv, Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Spray and Aerosol, Sta Sof Fro, Humectress.. I can't think of anything else, but I know there are more.

you dont have to use butters on damp hair. my hair is straight 99% of the time and i can use a butter everyday and it keeps my hair soft. try it. i love the paul mitchell awapui mist, i use it as a leave in before i blow dry or flat iron, but i dont use it as a daily moisturizer.

good moisturizers imo are:
jane carters nourish and shine
shea butter
keracare cream hairdress
hydratherma naturals growth lotion
profective lotion
shecentit seyani butter
hairveda green tea butter

the bolded are staples for me.

 

[CurliDiva]

This thread has some GREAT advice!

IMO, sometimes we switch things (products and techniques) up too quickly before giving it chance to really work.

If your health and/or hair is off-balanced or weaken it may take several sessions or months to reap the benefits of a product.

I realized that I had started to get lazy with deep conditioning since the weather got colder, and my hair was getting dry and brittle.

I upped my moisturizing, started deep con with heat again, and started sealing my ends with vaseline ti hold in the moisture. Since last weekend, I actually deep con with heat several times and my hair feels so hydrated.

 

[MissNina]

This thread has some GREAT advice!

IMO, sometimes we switch things (products and techniques) up too quickly before giving it chance to really work.

If your health and/or hair is off-balanced or weaken it may take several sessions or months to reap the benefits of a product.

I realized that I had started to get lazy with deep conditioning since the weather got colder, and my hair was getting dry and brittle.

I upped my moisturizing, started deep con with heat again, and started sealing my ends with vaseline ti hold in the moisture. Since last weekend, I actually deep con with heat several times and my hair feels so hydrated.

ITA with this thread

Give some of these suggestions a try (including the doctor check up), come up with a sample regi and run it by the thread for opinions, and then keep it up for at least 60 days and see if there is a difference.

Good blessings to you!

 

[Chevelure618]

That's fair. I started taking EFA's but the taste is disgusting. One of my friends was taking an orange flavored one but I can't find it anywhere! I can't swallow pills let alone horse pills so I don't take multi's. I wish I could drink my health... It has to be tasty.

Try TJ Clarke's liquid vitamins. Google it.

Are you relaxed or natural?

 

[Chevelure618]

Could it be hard water?

This is IT. It is a HARD WATER problem!!! I've heard of people washing their hair in rainwater or even gallons of bottled water.

 

[HairBarbie]

I have the exact same problem as you and have done tons and tons of research and nothing worked.

I also have hard water, but I heard that filters don't help hard water and water softeners are way out my league.

Due to my hardwater I decided to stop co-washing and just shampoo and dc with a moisturizing conditioner(honeysucklerose) with ACV rinse once a week but nothing is working. I feel like giving up sometimes, it's so frustrating especially since I feel like I'm trying to hard.

 

[Noir]

Hey tuffcookie

ok sorry i know you posted some of the products that you use but can you list your hair products for me again.... i wanna know what you use as a....

-prepoo
-shampoo
-conditioner
-dc
-leave-in (if you use one)
- moisturizer
-sealing oil

and anything else that you use on the reg.

If you have been exp dryness for many years then yes I would definitely have some blood work done, inclu a thyroid panel.

Check your water for hardness (you can get the strips at a hardware store) and you should also get a shower filter to filter the chlorine in your water (chlorine is horrible for the hair). Bare in mind that if you do in fact have hard water; a shower filter will NOT work on eliminating minerals that are making the water hard; you will need a water softener for that.

I would also invest in a chelating poo which unlike a clarifying poo, is able to draw out mineral deposits from within the hair. Pureology and L'anza sell non-sls chelating poos.

As for EFA's you can buy the actual flaxseeds if you don't want to drink the liquid. You can sprinkle them on fruit or cereal. They have a nice nutty taste.

 

[Irresistible]

I have hard water now after moving a year ago, evidenced by the mineral deposits all around the toilet bowls, the white substance left behind on everything such as dishes, my trees and patio and stairs etc. So far my hair is doing fine, but I use TONS of oils and moisture, it was already my regimen long before moving here, I have seen no huge difference, my hair might just rinse a little drier when rinsing all product out, but I'm putting it all right back , a whole year now and no hair problems......

but I will say this if I had both hard water and relaxed hair I KNOW for a fact I wouldnt have any hair left on my head by now

 

[lila_baby]

maybe try using a shampoo without Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate I know that that dries hair out

or maybe ur hair is sensitive to silicones? try using products without them for a bit and see how ur hair reacts.

 

[lila_baby]

is it just ur ends that get dry/ feel like straw or the complete length of the hair?

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

I put the attachments in the wrong order. The first picture is June 06 when I started taking care of my hair.

The second attached picture is a picture of my ends. this picture was taken in July 07. I'm not sure how they got that way as, my hair was just chopped off in Sept of 08.

The third picture is a photo of my hair right after washday around March 08. My notes say that my hair was 'feeling good' but provides NO details what that means so, I guess my hair was feeling better.

The fourth pic is late Aug 08 when I did a major chop. My hair was amazing that day until I washed it...

the last picture is a picture of why I cut my hair. Do you see the ends how they get really wavy? That's where my hair got really rough. I don't understand why. I thought maybe I got an underprocessed relaxer but its happening to me all over again! (see second picture) So it must be something I am doing. I know I'm using a significantly smaller amount of protein.

To clarify, my whole head is dry, it's just extremely dry at the ends..

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Soft-hard Water Test

Author/Submitted by: Cheaper and Better
Servings: 1
Categories: Household / Information

Ingredients:
1 Tsp Soap flakes
2 C Warm water

Directions:
Place soap in jar, cover, shake. If solution makes nice quantity of suds that lasts up to 5 minutes: SOFT WATER. If solution produces few suds that disappear quickly: HARD WATER. Shared by Sherilyn SchamberLink.

has anyone ever tried this?

i just looked up water sofetners not in this economy...

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Hard water Map For those that don't know, this is the map I keep referring to. I'm in NY. I also don't know how old it is...

Here is an updated map I'm sad because I'm now in the blue part I don't know if I trust this map though because all the water is 'Hard'. It's just on a scale from 'Not so hard' to 'very Hard'

Canada, this is for you

UK this is for you..

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Hard water Map For those that don't know, this is the map I keep referring to. I'm in NY. I also don't know how old it is...

Here is an updated map I'm sad because I'm now in the blue part I don't know if I trust this map though because all the water is 'Hard'. It's just on a scale from 'Not so hard' to 'very Hard'

Canada, this is for you

UK this is for you..

I just bought one of these.... they are relatively cheap - and maybe it could help you!

http://spriteshowerfilters.com/

 

[africa]

I know this will not be popular and I'm not saying it is a cure for all. But I went through a period of time when my hair was SO DRY. I clarified and stopped using oils. I learned that too many products can make my hair dry. And oils can make my hair dry (and crunchy). It took a while, but I no longer have hay for hair.

I started using oil again but very, very little and not all of the time. If I go overboard, it never fails to result in dry hair. In general I use as little product as possible.

ITA with this advice. If you suspect the oil, an overnight oiling may be a risk. And if you are going to do an overnight oiling, PLEASE DO NOT USE EVOO. It made my hair hard and dry when I did that. I've heard of a few other where this happened as well. Jojoba or coconut may be safer if you go this route.

 

[Irresistible]

ITA with this advice. If you suspect the oil, an overnight oiling may be a risk. And if you are going to do an overnight oiling, PLEASE DO NOT USE EVOO. It made my hair hard and dry when I did that. I've heard of a few other where this happened as well. Jojoba or coconut may be safer if you go this route.

it always amazes me and astounds me when this happens for others

EVOO is so full of fatty acids and nutrients it confuses me how it could go wrong for some like thaterplexed

 

[Irresistible]

I put the attachments in the wrong order. The first picture is June 06 when I started taking care of my hair.

The second attached picture is a picture of my ends. this picture was taken in July 07. I'm not sure how they got that way as, my hair was just chopped off in Sept of 08.

The third picture is a photo of my hair right after washday around March 08. My notes say that my hair was 'feeling good' but provides NO details what that means so, I guess my hair was feeling better.

The fourth pic is late Aug 08 when I did a major chop. My hair was amazing that day until I washed it...

the last picture is a picture of why I cut my hair. Do you see the ends how they get really wavy? That's where my hair got really rough. I don't understand why. I thought maybe I got an underprocessed relaxer but its happening to me all over again! (see second picture) So it must be something I am doing. I know I'm using a significantly smaller amount of protein.

To clarify, my whole head is dry, it's just extremely dry at the ends..

I dont know girl but if nothing you do fixes it , I still think you really need to see a doctor as one of your first moves

Low Thyroid can really make your hair dry, my hair was never drier than when I was sick and didnt know it yet

so whats your plan now?

 

[worthy2b]

Yes, my skin is dry. I actually just developed a patch of dry skin on my thigh i think, in the last 5 or 6 months. But my hair's been like this for a lot longer. You think there might be a correlation (well, obvi there is) but I thought they'd be independent of each other since they didnt happen at or around the same time.

The thyroid thing, is this something you need to specifically ask for? I went for a checkup and my MD never mentioned anything.

Dry brittle hair and nails also your skin gets dry as well. A stylist once told me that my hair felt like straw and to get my thyroid checked. I took her advice and sure enough that was my problem. My hair is getting better since I started taking the replacement meds. Does the Hair on the rest your body grow slow? if so your thyroid maybe to blame.

 

[DSP]

It's the taste for me I can't handle. If you have any that have a better taste, pls suggest.

Also, do you take it with food or on an empty stomach? It kinda makes my tummy rumble.

I have a hard time swallowing oil too (as a kid I was force-fed cod liver oil every winter night ) so I make my flaxseed oil into a healthy salad dressing. I mix a tablespoon of oil with juice from half of a lime or lemon, add a little tiny bit of pressed garlic and throw in whatever fresh herbs are in the fridge. I mix it together and use it on my salad at lunch. It also keeps my tummy from gurgling to take it with food.

 

[africa]

it always amazes me and astounds me when this happens for others

EVOO is so full of fatty acids and nutrients it confuses me how it could go wrong for some like thaterplexed

I'm not sure why its astounding or confusing. Not everybody has the same hair, and not everything works for everybody the same way. That's why its good to have different people share what has and hasn't worked for them so people can have a balanced view and find out what may work for them.

 

[BostonMaria]

OP, would you ever consider not relaxing your hair anymore? I'm wondering if its the relaxer making your hair dry. Just a thought.

 

[Prose Princess]

Omg I'm so glad I read this thread. I've been having the same problems as the OP, and now I realize that my hair has been getting drier and drier since I started Co-washing. My hair used to feel soft with certain moisturizing products, but recently my hair feels like straw no matter what. It's my water! Kentucky has some of the hardest water around! I've probably got SO much mineral buildup on my hair that it won't accept any type of moisture! I'm headed to Regis to get Kenra Clarifying/Chelating Shampoo TONIGHT. I'm really excited, I hope I see a change in my hair. I would like to purchase a Waterstick, but finances won't permit that for now, so I will have to combat the hard water with Chelating products. Thank you ladies for all of your help! I love this forum!

 

[Cichelle]

ITA with this advice. If you suspect the oil, an overnight oiling may be a risk. And if you are going to do an overnight oiling, PLEASE DO NOT USE EVOO. It made my hair hard and dry when I did that. I've heard of a few other where this happened as well. Jojoba or coconut may be safer if you go this route.

Wow, your post gave me flashbacks. EVOO is the WORST! I once used it for an overnight oiling and my hair was a mess....all dried out and crunchy. I know some people love it, but it's one of the worst things I ever used on my hair.

 

[Irresistible]

I'm not sure why its astounding or confusing. Not everybody has the same hair, and not everything works for everybody the same way. That's why its good to have different people share what has and hasn't worked for them so people can have a balanced view and find out what may work for them.

just an expression , tis all

its hard for my mind to grasp it being drying, just expressing that

no biggie

 

[Irresistible]

Wow, your post gave me flashbacks. EVOO is the WORST! I once used it for an overnight oiling and my hair was a mess....all dried out and crunchy. I know some people love it, but it's one of the worst things I ever used on my hair.

Cichelle does your hair like any oil at all?

I'm asking because you know how I am about Oil, so I'm wondering for the ladies' hair that does not tolerate oil if there would be one that generally works better or something

for future suggestion and reference, not that your hair would be the standard but might give others an idea of what works better for anti-oil hair


I remember you loved Avocado butter once upon a time, do you still use that? or the oil?