Hard crunchy tangled hair

FluffyRed

New Member
***11/21/09 UPDATE - Problem is finally resolved after 3 mos and a few inches cut.***

I've been cowashing and wet bunning - low manipulation stuff.

Yesterday I did a touchup, using a KIT (dark and lovely) because I've been feeling like the Mizani Butter Blends wasn't making it quite straight enough. I probably made several mistakes yesterday. At any rate, here is what I did (before WORK!!!!! so I had to go to work like that. Gracias a Dios for hairzings!)

  • Mizani Honeyshield to protect previously relaxed ends
  • MIzani Butter base on scalp
  • Relaxer
  • Relaxer neutralizer
  • Mizani chelating shampoo (maybe mixing brands/mixing lye vs no-lye chelaters a problem)
  • a cup of ACV and water* to get rid of buildup (probably too much ACV)
  • Relaxer kit conditioner
  • Redken Real Control/Allsoft conditioner mixture
at first, there were mats where the Honeyshield had been, as if the ends of shed hair had bound together, and I could see little white bulbs, so I know it was from-the-root fallen hairs

Mats were in about 3 sections and I could not comb them out. I used every moisture con I had - Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, Giovanni 5050, Suave Humectant, Costco moisture...

Eventually I had to go to work!!! So I rinsed it out, slapped on a hairzing, went by CVS and got some kiddie detangler, closed my office door and tried to detangle - nothing.

As my hair was drying, it became very hard and crunchy. I came back home and tried the detangler and conditioner. Nothing. It feels soft while wet, but crunchy to the point I don't wanna combe when dry. Fell asleep on it.

Then I put ACV in a spray bottle in a much weaker concentration. Spraying it all over the hards parts. It seems a *little* better. Less brittle, but not moisturized. Now I'm going to DC and see if that helps.

Will report back with results.

Posting this because I did a search for hard crunchy hair and found only one thread with some instruction. She said that if you use ACV to get rid/prevent calcium buildup and your hair comes out too hard, you probably used too much ACV.

Anyone else experience this? I feel like doing a BC and going natural right now.
 
Last edited:
yes you might have used too much ACV but it could be because you used a neutralizing shampoo, chelating shampoo and ACV rinse. THat just might have been too much for your hair. Neutralizing shampoos are harsh to me by itself, some can be quite drying but then a chelating shampoo after and then acv. I dunno know, aren't chelating shampoos and acv suppose to get rid of build up. I don't think you needed both.
 
What about using some Lekair Cholesterol, honey and EVOO to get your elasticity back. I think your combination of NS+CS+ACV was too much for your hair... Good luck :)
 
Sounds like to much ACV. Soft Sheen has a line called Roots of Nature, they have an awesome deep conditioner that detangles and moisturizes well. It might be worth a try. I can usually find it at walmart or CVS. Good luck.
 
Do one of these two things:

1) Warm up some oil: Doo Groo Growth Oil or olive oil or coconut oil in an applicator bottle. Apply the warm oil directly on the matted portions. Put on a cap for a few hours. Repeat the oil application a few more times if necessary. Then spray the portions with Soft & Beautiful's Just For Me Two-in-One Detangler. And slowly attempt to detangle. Keep spraying until you feel the hair is soft enough. I like to use the end of a fish tail first. Take your time.

2) Warm up some conditioner, add honey, olive oil, coconut oil, and maybe even some coconut milk. Apply the warm concoction to the hair and sit for a few hours. Reapply some more warm conditioner right before you are ready to detangle.

These are the two methods that have worked for me in the past when I have super stubborn tangles. I hope one of them works for you.
 
Last edited:
Here's an update. I dced all day with protein & moisture saturday. Still crunchy.

Dced all day sunday with pure moisture and the crunch is 70% gone.

Tangles are mostly gone. I'll try the recommendations tomorrow for the tangles.

Thanks everyone. I hope this can help someone else.
 
IMHO don't mix stuff from 2 different relaxer types/lines or adlib the process. Follow the directions. All that extra stuff can (and did) lead to disaster.
 
This morning, it was semi crunchy. Some S-curl hooked it right up.

However, I don't want to manipulate my hair in an overmoisturized state, so I'm looking a H.A.M.
 
I hope your hair feels better! I did my first ACV rinse today after a cowash...1/4 cup to one whole 1/2 gallon pitcher full of water. I also think I used too much ACV, because my hair came out hard and more tangled than usual. I'm baggying with shea butter cholesterol now to see if some softness will come back!
 
OK, it's been three weeks, and my hair *still* does not feel back to normal.

The mats are all gone, but when I DC, it does not get as soft.

I DCed overnight Thursday, rinsed and wet bunned friday am. It was fine. This morning, it's not as soft.

The protein-moisture balance is perfect, as I pull on shed strands.

Could my hair just be holding on to more protein due to what I did 3 weeks ago?

It's not exactly brittle today, but it's not as baby soft as normal.

I want to do a caruso set, but I'm scared to manipulate it...
 
Seriously when you do an ACV rinse you're only supposed to use a tiny amount of ACV to water otherwise it will totally dry out your hair. There should be no overwhelming smell of vinegar.
 
Seriously when you do an ACV rinse you're only supposed to use a tiny amount of ACV to water otherwise it will totally dry out your hair. There should be no overwhelming smell of vinegar.

i understand. That was a big mistake. But how long until I'm back to normal?

It seemed porous before I dced thursday, so I misted with ACV/water in a 1:25 ratio. Really diluted.
 
i understand. That was a big mistake. But how long until I'm back to normal?

It seemed porous before I dced thursday, so I misted with ACV/water in a 1:25 ratio. Really diluted.


I'm not sure, but if you continue as you are I'm sure your hair will correct itself soon enough. It's probably best not to manipulate the hair too much as you've said. Try not to panic too much, you'll be fine. :)
 
Update - my hair is still JACKED!!!

Well, not AS Jacked, but it's not normal.

After I DC, cowashed on Sunday, flat ironed on MOnday, my hair was feeling porous again on Tuesday. (sigh) I have had a touchup that was probably no-lye 3 weeks ago, and done everything I can think of to restore my hair's porosity.

I even chopped two inches off, because I could not handle this porosity on dyed ends.

My last resort is a lye perm. I can't think of anything else.
 
Last edited:
Here's an update. I dced all day with protein & moisture saturday. Still crunchy.

Dced all day sunday with pure moisture and the crunch is 70% gone.

Tangles are mostly gone. I'll try the recommendations tomorrow for the tangles.

Thanks everyone. I hope this can help someone else.

What did you use for pure moisture?
 
Update - my hair is still JACKED!!!

Well, not AS Jacked, but it's not normal.

After I DC, cowashed on Sunday, flat ironed on MOnday, my hair was feeling porous again on Tuesday. (sigh) I have had a touchup that was probably no-lye 3 weeks ago, and done everything I can think of to restore my hair's porosity.

I even chopped two inches off, because I could not handle this porosity on dyed ends.

My last resort is a lye perm. I can't think of anything else.

What about Roux Porosity Control? Can you try using that instead of the ACV...
 
yeah, i'm using porosity control, but the effects last for only a day.

actually, using Sabino helps it stay moister, but I forgot the sabino Monday.

I want my hair back!

(for pure moisture, I used redken allsoft)
 
My hair finally seems somewhat cured from the vinegar incident.

I had to cut off about an inch.

I no longer have to use porosity control every two days.

Moral - don't OD on vinegar!!!
 
yeah, i'm using porosity control, but the effects last for only a day.

actually, using Sabino helps it stay moister, but I forgot the sabino Monday.

I want my hair back!

(for pure moisture, I used redken allsoft)
Redken all soft is full of protein

girl put some oil in your hair stat

try some EVOO overnight
 
My hair finally seems somewhat cured from the vinegar incident.

I had to cut off about an inch.

I no longer have to use porosity control every two days.

Moral - don't OD on vinegar!!!
oh ok your hair is better??

I never messed with ACV , and girl you did a neutralizing poo Chelating poo, AND ACV and followed up with more ACV, porosity control and protein??

oh geesh mama! I'm glad you made a come back from that

I wouldnt have had no hair left.....I know it

I cant even take mild clarifying :spike:
 
That took three months and a few inches to recover from!!

I never knew the proportion of vinegar to water was so important!!

I'm back to grazing SL again...
 
Last edited:
Back
Top