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My dry bittle natural hair is driving me insane! Help?!!!

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Welcome!!!

I feel you on the SSK's!!!

See how many of us are talking about clarifying shampoos?!? Yeah it will change your life. I would back away from the baking soda until you get more of a feel what works for your hair(I not a very savvy mixtress Lol). Are there any ULTA's near you?? I'll link you my holy grail chelating shampoo. Also SEALING yes SEALING it's a DO. I love oyin's burnt sugar pomade on wet hair after my leave in of choice.

Are you against co-washing or wetting everyday? I did this until I found what helped me retain moisture, but it kept me moist in the meanwhile. Good luck and STEP AWAY from the relaxer...majority of the ladies I know regret the telax when their hair starts to pick up length! Good luck!! Keep us posted!!!
 
I too am experiencing this problem. Lately I've been cowashing/DC as needed and seal with Giovanni Direct leave-in mixed with EVOO. At night, I ALWAYS sleep in a baggy and that has been helping tremendously. HTH
 
Clarifying didn't do much for the brittle feeling of my hair. Using French Perm Stabilizer to smooth my cuticles did the trick.
 
I was having this problem too and the only thing that helped was using carefreecurl gold and sealing with jojoba oil. Unfortunately its not ideal for when I want to do twist outs.hth
 
Hello Ladies,
I want to thank all of you for your advice, I have some things I need to work on. It seems all of you are saying:
1) Get a chleating shampoo to get rid of mineral deposits and maybe use ACV
2) DC with heat and/or steam
3) Seal with castor oil and or leave-ins/ grease ( I will try some of those mentioned to see which one works best).
4) Protect the ends!!!!
5) Add water daily until the problem is resolved

I have some work to do and lets hope that in the next month I can get have a turn around.
Again, thank you all for the great suggestions!!!
I will try these things and get back to you all in the coming weeks on which things seems to help.
 
Simply_elle said:
Also:

What are you doing for protein??? And how often?
Click to expand...

I really do not do protein. I do not know if it is good for my hair or not? I have never done a treatment with it other than using yogurt, egg, mayo, and ACV a while back. This is one area that I know nothing about and afraid it might make my hair even harder. I am open to suggestions though, this has just been the one area I do not quite get.
 
Zoromo, yes you have been given lots of ideas but be careful you don't try too many at once.

It can be information overload on here and it can do more harm than good. I really would just keep it as simple as possible.

Personally i don't think the protein/moisture balance is a huge issue....infact i think people are starting to get overly paranoid and harming their hair - using strong Aphoghee in their hair for example and then REALLY having a protein overload problem, then having to be on the search for a really good DC then a few weeks later wondering if their hair is overly moisturised. Over clarifying and drying out their hair, using highly acidic then very alkaline products to balance it.....opening the cuticle, closing the cuticle, buying 1000 products and then claim none of them work......:nono:

These are the things that many posters suggest but i know for me personally that 6 years ago i had never heard of purposely using, for example, protien in my hair and my hair was just fine with a shampoo, conditioner and a leave-in. I'd either rollerset or I'd use a grease/pomade half way through my blowdry and that's it.
Infact i purchased my first flat iron because of the raves here and that thing f'd up my hair - and yes i bought every darn heat protector too. :nono:
 
NYDee said:
Queen Helene Cholesterol helped me with shedding and dryness. Using French perm also got rid of the brittle feeling.
Click to expand...


I use QH's or DPR11 for my regular CWs to which I add a few drops of Argan oil and another oil and deep condition with heat. I always do either a pre-poo, hot oil or oil rinse before my CW. I also use Kimmaytube's leave-in recipe after washing on wet hair then seal with Shea butter and another oil usually Camellia oil.

I use water as a moisturiser and seal with a little SB and Camellia oil to seal every other day in between washes. This has really helped me retain moisture and length.
 
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Have your thyroid checked. My hair was dry, brittle & thinning in the crown area. I'm being treated for hypothyroidism & my hair is finally growing in healthy & thicker.
 
zoromo said:
I really do not do protein. I do not know if it is good for my hair or not? I have never done a treatment with it other than using yogurt, egg, mayo, and ACV a while back. This is one area that I know nothing about and afraid it might make my hair even harder. I am open to suggestions though, this has just been the one area I do not quite get.
Click to expand...

I have medium DENSE strands w/ low porosity, and I wet/co-wash frequently so I need to impart some kind of protein every 6 weeks or so...Or my hair will be MUSH

You mentioned that you recently put chemicals on your hair? That can throw you off whack... SO some tried and trues :)

TIGI Moisture maniac, have used for 5 years wash then baggy with this:lick:-


http://www.amazon.com/Moisture-Mani...QCH0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1311821504&sr=8-2 MY condish holy grail co-wash,leave in,everything!!!

Olive oil (whole foods)

Oyin's burnt sugar pomade will seal and soften yes ma'am-

http://www.curlmart.com/store/oyin-handmade-burnt-sugar-pomade.html

IMHO: I try EVERYTHING and I've gotten some great tips and reviews from products and things I've never heard of from hair boards..youtube ect. One beauty in this age of information is we can seek the proper knowledge/technique on almost anything we seek to try!! Ease into it and you'll find your niche and will have your reggie down in no time!!!
 
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@ Simply Elle and Bublin,
I think I have gotten a lot of advice. I will try to use the things that seem to go together and leave aside those things that do not apply to me or that conflict. I put off washing until tonight and am DCing as we speak. I went to sally's and purchased ion hard water shampoo. I hope that this makes a diff. We will see. When my hair is wet, I am all good, it is just when it dries that I have the problem. Bublin, I am going to try to use some sort of grease product to do my final seal since sally's did not have the dax you mentioned.

Thanks again ladies for taking the time to give me advice.
 
Bublin said:
...
My hair is very porous and this is what was happening. I was spending lots of money, trying to find a moisturiser that would stop the brittleness but they all failed. baggying was only good for as long as i had the baggy on my head. DCing quite honestly didn't make any difference. Roux PC - mmm that was OK, ACV, yeah that was OK i suppose but no real change in the dryness.

I am having excellent results with using Dax (you can use any pomade) or Castor Oil (my natural alternative) on wet hair,...

My hair has done a 360 since doing heavy sealing and there isn't much build up as the Dax does absorb but just really slowly. My ends are smooth and no longer crispy.

HTH.
Click to expand...

Ok @Bublin I tried this heavy sealing last night (because I am not a sealer) and this seemed to help my hair retain moisture. I did the porosity test and my hair just sunk, and here I thought that I had low porosity! My hair sounds just liek yours.

Anyways I used Curl Junkie Smoothing lotion and sealed with castor oil and my hair feels soft and supple (hate that word) this morning, it also has some sheen to it. Usually my edges are so cruncky but today they are soft!:grin:

THANKS for the suggestion!
 
@zoromo (eta: summary at end)

At first I didn't want to respond b/c so many people have already given you suggestions. I know it can really be overwhelming b/c I have asked this same question--and dealt w/dry, brittle, hard natural hair forever. I haven't seen anyone suggest my solution yet, however. So here are my tips & techniques (and then suggestions):

(1) Test it out:

You never really know if something truly works until you've tried it a few weeks...consistently. For example, a product may feel good on application, overnight and then into the next day; try it again and your hair feels sucked dry; or sometimes it takes longer to show its true colors---try it a few weeks and you notice your hair is more dry than ever.

I've been tricked by a few products and new techniques. ACV rinses (diluted) felt very good on application, my hair felt strong so I began using them w/every wash. I believe it attributed to eventually drying my hair out more and disintegrating it in some areas. I am still disturbed by this. the really strong acidic (acv) or strong alkaline (baking soda) break the hair down. If you are starting out w/brittle hair, these are "quick fixes"

(2) Nature or Natural (identifying prob)?:

If your hair is naturally dry and brittle, let that be the starting point in making your decisions. Now, some people have dry hair by outside/environmental forces (i.e. what they are putting in it--bad products/perm/extreme heat= always dry/breaking hair=damaged hair). It sounds like you, however, are describing hair that is naturally dry/brittle b/c you said its always been short, dry, breaking and chronically the same length (whether it is natural or permed or telaxed w/good or bad products).

Thus, it sounds like you need to avoid the "quick" damage remedies that many ideas are born out of and focus on an altogether moist & strength balancing routine.

I would never suggest clarifying/chelating shampoos to someone w/dry brittle natured hair. I tried that after advice and it dried & stripped my hair more...And then the watery based conditioners never put enough moisture back into my hair.

(3) Identifying solution:

Since your hair is not responding to the tons of products you have already tried-- you need a technique that will bring out what your hair is not naturally doing. Producing or maintaining moisture.

remember the key item that should be moisturizing your hair is what you put in it at the wet- after wash phase. You shouldn't have to apply any additional product after your conditioner for the whole week until your next wash. Shampoos are extremely stripping by themselves --especially to those w/naturally dry hair-- stripping your hair of what little oil/moisture gets down your strands is attributing to the constant breakage and stagnated length. If only more dry-haired people knew this, they would truly find an alternative solution. Here's mine-- it came together after years of ignoring suggestions and advice here.

STEPS:

Pre-shampoo prep/DC-wash:
I always thought the idea of pre-poo treatments was silly and counteractive since you are applying products to hair right before you wash...and the whole idea is to get squeaky clean, right? Well, after I tried everything else, I finally tried this. Its the "moisture drenched pre-poo" that is now saving my hair. In spray bottle, add 1/2 cup aloe vera juice/1-2tsp of castor/jojoba oil each (or ur fav oil); then slather on coconut oil: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=509482

In addition, I started doing something unique at the pre-shampoo phase. I just add my deep conditioner right on top of the pre-poo. It acts as the cleaning agent for the length of my hair and dc all at once. It is actually the directions on the bottle (I know, I thought it was strange, too!) Remember, conditioners have cleansing properties to them but w/o the stripping affect of shampoos.

I use Aubrey Organics GPB which is a restructuring moisture-protein balanced conditioner. It is organic and not watered down like the majority of conditioners out there. No water in the ingredients, many people w/dry-brittle hair need organic cleansers (thick/natural). It is also the only conditioner that my hair has responded to after 5 yrs of trying every conditioner on the market and suggested on lhcf (even the 4oz $30 Aveda Intensive Damage Remedy DC which did nothing for my hair!).

Then I put on a plastic cap, and wrap a towel or t-shirt around my head to generate heat for 15 min. (I don't go under the dryer anymore-- as it seemed useless all the years I did it and still ended up w/dry hair)

For Cleansing Scalp:
Try using diluted shampoos in a color applicator on your scalp only. See these vids for example (both members here) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVmVuG6SI0 (at 1:56); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy_VzXCkKR0 (at 3:44). The only reason I do this is b/c I don't like the feel of my scalp after just doing a co-wash. If you're not a fan of co-washing, then scalp cleansing is the way to go-- the rest of the hair will get some residue of the shampoo if that makes u feel better. And you can use the pre conditioner to cleanse the rest of the hair.

For Conditioning:
My favorite part (as everyone is learning): Oil rinsing w/castor oil. It conditions my hair better than any single conditioner by itself. That is why its my last step. Here's the link: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=509482. I just put a little bit in the 4 quadrons of my head-- maybe 1/8 tsp per section plus the crown (my special area), and rinse w/hot water right away.

Dry hair w/a t-shirt instead of a towel. They also contribute to drying the hair out.

Single Strand Knots:
I'm a fan of heat as a style preference and to show length (I have nearly 90% shrinkage, so imagine those knots). Heat has also helped combat ssks. I blowdry after every wash...Usually using the tension method or comb combo, and now sometimes on "cool" setting. I find tension gets my hair more straight than just using the comb. In the past 2-3 months I've been moonlighting w/heat training sessions also (brittanynic16 has some good vids on youtube and heat training threads here).

Summary:
I realize this is a very long post, but I needed to get this off my shoulders!

In summary:
(1) Pre-poo (protect hair, no more stripping, strengthening, pre-conditioning)
(2) Co-wash w/DC (Aubrey Organics GPB or Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose to cleanse & condition hair at once)
(3) Low-poo (diluted moisturizing shampoo on scalp only)
(4) Oil Rinse (more intense conditioning, sinks more deeply into the hair)
(5) Heat (I'm a fan)

Process looks like alot but is actually quite quick. Each step includes moisture. No in and out of the shower or under water-- its very streamlined w/2 quick rinses and moisture for days (unheard of for my hair-- and it takes to heat even better w/this process)
 
Last edited:
virtuenow said:
@zoromo (eta: summary at end)

At first I didn't want to respond b/c so many people have already given you suggestions. I know it can really be overwhelming b/c I have asked this same question--and dealt w/dry, brittle, hard natural hair forever. I haven't seen anyone suggest my solution yet, however. So here are my tips & techniques (and then suggestions):

(1) Test it out:

You never really know if something truly works until you've tried it a few weeks...consistently. For example, a product may feel good on application, overnight and then into the next day; try it again and your hair feels sucked dry; or sometimes it takes longer to show its true colors---try it a few weeks and you notice your hair is more dry than ever.

I've been tricked by a few products and new techniques. ACV rinses (diluted) felt very good on application, my hair felt strong so I began using them w/every wash. I believe it attributed to eventually drying my hair out more and disintegrating it in some areas. I am still disturbed by this. the really strong acidic (acv) or strong alkaline (baking soda) break the hair down. If you are starting out w/brittle hair, these are "quick fixes"

(2) Nature or Natural (identifying prob)?:

If your hair is naturally dry and brittle, let that be the starting point in making your decisions. Now, some people have dry hair by outside/environmental forces (i.e. what they are putting in it--bad products/perm/extreme heat= always dry/breaking hair=damaged hair). It sounds like you, however, are describing hair that is naturally dry/brittle b/c you said its always been short, dry, breaking and chronically the same length (whether it is natural or permed or telaxed w/good or bad products).

Thus, it sounds like you need to avoid the "quick" damage remedies that many ideas are born out of and focus on an altogether moist & strength balancing routine.

I would never suggest clarifying/chelating shampoos to someone w/dry brittle natured hair. I tried that after advice and it dried & stripped my hair more...And then the watery based conditioners never put enough moisture back into my hair.

(3) Identifying solution:

Since your hair is not responding to the tons of products you have already tried-- you need a technique that will bring out what your hair is not naturally doing. Producing or maintaining moisture.

remember the key item that should be moisturizing your hair is what you put in it at the wet- after wash phase. You shouldn't have to apply any additional product after your conditioner for the whole week until your next wash. Shampoos are extremely stripping by themselves --especially to those w/naturally dry hair-- stripping your hair of what little oil/moisture gets down your strands is attributing to the constant breakage and stagnated length. If only more dry-haired people knew this, they would truly find an alternative solution. Here's mine-- it came together after years of ignoring suggestions and advice here.

STEPS:

Pre-shampoo prep/DC-wash:
I always thought the idea of pre-poo treatments was silly and counteractive since you are applying products to hair right before you wash...and the whole idea is to get squeaky clean, right? Well, after I tried everything else, I finally tried this. Its the "moisture drenched pre-poo" that is now saving my hair. In spray bottle, add 1/2 cup aloe vera juice/1-2tsp of castor/jojoba oil each (or ur fav oil); then slather on coconut oil: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=509482

In addition, I started doing something unique at the pre-shampoo phase. I just add my deep conditioner right on top of the pre-poo. It acts as the cleaning agent for the length of my hair and dc all at once. It is actually the directions on the bottle (I know, I thought it was strange, too!) Remember, conditioners have cleansing properties to them but w/o the stripping affect of shampoos.

I use Aubrey Organics GPB which is a restructuring moisture-protein balanced conditioner. It is organic and not watered down like the majority of conditioners out there. No water in the ingredients, many people w/dry-brittle hair need organic cleansers (thick/natural). It is also the only conditioner that my hair has responded to after 5 yrs of trying every conditioner on the market and suggested on lhcf (even the 4oz $30 Aveda Intensive Damage Remedy DC which did nothing for my hair!).

Then I put on a plastic cap, and wrap a towel or t-shirt around my head to generate heat for 15 min. (I don't go under the dryer anymore-- as it seemed useless all the years I did it and still ended up w/dry hair)

For Cleansing Scalp:
Try using diluted shampoos in a color applicator on your scalp only. See these vids for example (both members here) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVmVuG6SI0 (at 1:56); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy_VzXCkKR0 (at 3:44). The only reason I do this is b/c I don't like the feel of my scalp after just doing a co-wash. If you're not a fan of co-washing, then scalp cleansing is the way to go-- the rest of the hair will get some residue of the shampoo if that makes u feel better. And you can use the pre conditioner to cleanse the rest of the hair.

For Conditioning:
My favorite part (as everyone is learning): Oil rinsing w/castor oil. It conditions my hair better than any single conditioner by itself. That is why its my last step. Here's the link: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=509482. I just put a little bit in the 4 quadrons of my head-- maybe 1/8 tsp per section plus the crown (my special area), and rinse w/hot water right away.

Dry hair w/a t-shirt instead of a towel. They also contribute to drying the hair out.

Single Strand Knots:
I'm a fan of heat as a style preference and to show length (I have nearly 90% shrinkage, so imagine those knots). Heat has also helped combat ssks. I blowdry after every wash...Usually using the tension method or comb combo, and now sometimes on "cool" setting. I find tension gets my hair more straight than just using the comb. In the past 2-3 months I've been moonlighting w/heat training sessions also (brittanynic16 has some good vids on youtube and heat training threads here).

Summary:
I realize this is a very long post, but I needed to get this off my shoulders!

In summary:
(1) Pre-poo (protect hair, no more stripping, strengthening, pre-conditioning)
(2) Low-poo (diluted moisturizing shampoo on scalp only)
(3) Co-wash w/DC (Aubrey Organics GPB or Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose to cleanse & condition hair at once)
(4) Oil Rinse (more intense conditioning, sinks more deeply into the hair)
(5) Heat (I'm a fan)

Process looks like alot but is actually quite quick. Each step includes moisture. No in and out of the shower or under water-- its very streamlined w/2 quick rinses and moisture for days (unheard of for my hair-- and it takes to heat even better w/this process)
Click to expand...


Thank you so much for all the information you gave me:thankyou:! I saw you in other post a long time ago talking about heat and how it helped your hair. I am not against heat and was trying to lightly heat train my so I could get rid of this ssk knot problem.

I did already try the chleating shampoo b/c I think I may have a some mineral build up, DCed, and did a heavy seal and braided the hair and then did a braid out. I am wearing a braid out to see how my hair feels to see how long it would take to become dry. Usually by the second day it feels dry (It does not feel dry in twist or braids).

I have not done a pre-poo like you mentioned and have seen posts about it and it is something I will try:yep:. Castor oil works well for me and will try conditioning the hair with it on my next wash. It sounds like a good move. So you pree-poo, shampoo, DC, and then oil condition? This may be what I need to do ( I usually use a conditioner or DC on dry hair then wash, condition, seal ( leave -in and/or oil), and style.

A number of ppl have suggested Aubrey Organics products and when I get a chance, I will be sure to pick them up. I too tried an aveda DC that cost me $26 and I could not tell the diff b/w it and a cheaper aussie product.

About the T-shirt towel idea. A while back African Export mentioned this and I tried it and it did not seem to absorb much water. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Do you just wring the hair and then twist the hair in the shirt to further dry? It seems simple, but my hair was still dripping with tons of water last time i tried it.

Thanks again
 
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DayDreamist said:
I went out of town to visit my mom and washed and DC'd my hair there. I didn't think to ask if she had hard water, I should've known because she lives in a large city. That water made my hair feel like hard dry crap even after a few hours of DCing. My hair is used to well water out here in the country and when I move to the city I refuse to wash my hair without a shower filter or bath ball or something. Have you tried a water filter???
Click to expand...

That one simple thing made a difference in the dryness my hair and how my hair responsed to products.
 
zoromo said:
Thank you so much for all the information you gave me:thankyou:! I saw you in other post a long time ago talking about heat and how it helped your hair. I am not against heat and was trying to lightly heat train my so I could get rid of this ssk knot problem.

I did already try the chleating shampoo b/c I think I may have a some mineral build up, DCed, and did a heavy seal and braided the hair and then did a braid out. I am wearing a braid out to see how my hair feels to see how long it would take to become dry. Usually by the second day it feels dry (It does not feel dry in twist or braids).

I have not done a pre-poo like you mentioned and have seen posts about it and it is something I will try:yep:. Castor oil works well for me and will try conditioning the hair with it on my next wash. It sounds like a good move. So you pree-poo, shampoo, DC, and then oil condition? This may be what I need to do ( I usually use a conditioner or DC on dry hair then wash, condition, seal ( leave -in and/or oil), and style.

A number of ppl have suggested Aubrey Organics products and when I get a chance, I will be sure to pick them up. I too tried an aveda DC that cost me $26 and I could not tell the diff b/w it and a cheaper aussie product.

About the T-shirt towel idea. A while back African Export mentioned this and I tried it and it did not seem to absorb much water. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Do you just wring the hair and then twist the hair in the shirt to further dry? It seems simple, but my hair was still dripping with tons of water last time i tried it.

Thanks again
Click to expand...

You're welcome. Yes, I do all of this in one step (well actually 2 but u get the picture). In this order: I pre-poo, DC, shampoo scalp, (rinse whole head/massaging-cleansing motion), then oil rinse (condition). Believe it or not, its the quickest wash routine I've ever had, and also the most moisturizing. No in and out of shower. Most of the work is done outside the shower; you can even shampoo it outside since using an applicator bottle and only on the scalp. I do it that way sometimes.

The t-shirt should absorb the water readily-- maybe you need a bigger t-shirt. I use a med- to large shirt I don't care about anymore. Just squeeze it over your head in the same way you do w/a towel (but gently w/out rubbing; more of a blotting motion), then wrap around your hair a few minutes and it should absorb the excess water. You can't really just blot and go like w/a towel.
 
Last edited:
virtuenow said:
@zoromo (eta: summary at end)

At first I didn't want to respond b/c so many people have already given you suggestions. I know it can really be overwhelming b/c I have asked this same question--and dealt w/dry, brittle, hard natural hair forever. I haven't seen anyone suggest my solution yet, however. So here are my tips & techniques (and then suggestions):

(1) Test it out:

You never really know if something truly works until you've tried it a few weeks...consistently. For example, a product may feel good on application, overnight and then into the next day; try it again and your hair feels sucked dry; or sometimes it takes longer to show its true colors---try it a few weeks and you notice your hair is more dry than ever.

I've been tricked by a few products and new techniques. ACV rinses (diluted) felt very good on application, my hair felt strong so I began using them w/every wash. I believe it attributed to eventually drying my hair out more and disintegrating it in some areas. I am still disturbed by this. the really strong acidic (acv) or strong alkaline (baking soda) break the hair down. If you are starting out w/brittle hair, these are "quick fixes"

(2) Nature or Natural (identifying prob)?:

If your hair is naturally dry and brittle, let that be the starting point in making your decisions. Now, some people have dry hair by outside/environmental forces (i.e. what they are putting in it--bad products/perm/extreme heat= always dry/breaking hair=damaged hair). It sounds like you, however, are describing hair that is naturally dry/brittle b/c you said its always been short, dry, breaking and chronically the same length (whether it is natural or permed or telaxed w/good or bad products).

Thus, it sounds like you need to avoid the "quick" damage remedies that many ideas are born out of and focus on an altogether moist & strength balancing routine.

I would never suggest clarifying/chelating shampoos to someone w/dry brittle natured hair. I tried that after advice and it dried & stripped my hair more...And then the watery based conditioners never put enough moisture back into my hair.

(3) Identifying solution:

Since your hair is not responding to the tons of products you have already tried-- you need a technique that will bring out what your hair is not naturally doing. Producing or maintaining moisture.

remember the key item that should be moisturizing your hair is what you put in it at the wet- after wash phase. You shouldn't have to apply any additional product after your conditioner for the whole week until your next wash. Shampoos are extremely stripping by themselves --especially to those w/naturally dry hair-- stripping your hair of what little oil/moisture gets down your strands is attributing to the constant breakage and stagnated length. If only more dry-haired people knew this, they would truly find an alternative solution. Here's mine-- it came together after years of ignoring suggestions and advice here.

STEPS:

Pre-shampoo prep/DC-wash:
I always thought the idea of pre-poo treatments was silly and counteractive since you are applying products to hair right before you wash...and the whole idea is to get squeaky clean, right? Well, after I tried everything else, I finally tried this. Its the "moisture drenched pre-poo" that is now saving my hair. In spray bottle, add 1/2 cup aloe vera juice/1-2tsp of castor/jojoba oil each (or ur fav oil); then slather on coconut oil: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=509482

In addition, I started doing something unique at the pre-shampoo phase. I just add my deep conditioner right on top of the pre-poo. It acts as the cleaning agent for the length of my hair and dc all at once. It is actually the directions on the bottle (I know, I thought it was strange, too!) Remember, conditioners have cleansing properties to them but w/o the stripping affect of shampoos.

I use Aubrey Organics GPB which is a restructuring moisture-protein balanced conditioner. It is organic and not watered down like the majority of conditioners out there. No water in the ingredients, many people w/dry-brittle hair need organic cleansers (thick/natural). It is also the only conditioner that my hair has responded to after 5 yrs of trying every conditioner on the market and suggested on lhcf (even the 4oz $30 Aveda Intensive Damage Remedy DC which did nothing for my hair!).

Then I put on a plastic cap, and wrap a towel or t-shirt around my head to generate heat for 15 min. (I don't go under the dryer anymore-- as it seemed useless all the years I did it and still ended up w/dry hair)

For Cleansing Scalp:
Try using diluted shampoos in a color applicator on your scalp only. See these vids for example (both members here) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVmVuG6SI0 (at 1:56); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy_VzXCkKR0 (at 3:44). The only reason I do this is b/c I don't like the feel of my scalp after just doing a co-wash. If you're not a fan of co-washing, then scalp cleansing is the way to go-- the rest of the hair will get some residue of the shampoo if that makes u feel better. And you can use the pre conditioner to cleanse the rest of the hair.

For Conditioning:
My favorite part (as everyone is learning): Oil rinsing w/castor oil. It conditions my hair better than any single conditioner by itself. That is why its my last step. Here's the link: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=509482. I just put a little bit in the 4 quadrons of my head-- maybe 1/8 tsp per section plus the crown (my special area), and rinse w/hot water right away.

Dry hair w/a t-shirt instead of a towel. They also contribute to drying the hair out.

Single Strand Knots:
I'm a fan of heat as a style preference and to show length (I have nearly 90% shrinkage, so imagine those knots). Heat has also helped combat ssks. I blowdry after every wash...Usually using the tension method or comb combo, and now sometimes on "cool" setting. I find tension gets my hair more straight than just using the comb. In the past 2-3 months I've been moonlighting w/heat training sessions also (brittanynic16 has some good vids on youtube and heat training threads here).

Summary:
I realize this is a very long post, but I needed to get this off my shoulders!

In summary:
(1) Pre-poo (protect hair, no more stripping, strengthening, pre-conditioning)
(2) Low-poo (diluted moisturizing shampoo on scalp only)
(3) Co-wash w/DC (Aubrey Organics GPB or Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose to cleanse & condition hair at once)
(4) Oil Rinse (more intense conditioning, sinks more deeply into the hair)
(5) Heat (I'm a fan)

Process looks like alot but is actually quite quick. Each step includes moisture. No in and out of the shower or under water-- its very streamlined w/2 quick rinses and moisture for days (unheard of for my hair-- and it takes to heat even better w/this process)
Click to expand...

@virtuenow

Wow your regimen sounds amazing - I know it must be such a relief to find what works for you finally!!! I'm still getting there after 5 years natural and it's frustrating when it seems like EVERYBODY & their mother has managed to find a good regimen and the same things seem to work for soooo many people except you! :perplexed

Question:
When & exactly how do you DETANGLE during this process? That's the only part that's missing....

PS: FYI I think you accidently reversed the order of your steps in the summary (highlighted in pink above)
 
NappyRina said:
@virtuenow

Wow your regimen sounds amazing - I know it must be such a relief to find what works for you finally!!! I'm still getting there after 5 years natural and it's frustrating when it seems like EVERYBODY & their mother has managed to find a good regimen and the same things seem to work for soooo many people except you! :perplexed

Question:
When & exactly how do you DETANGLE during this process? That's the only part that's missing....

PS: FYI I think you accidently reversed the order of your steps in the summary (highlighted in pink above)
Click to expand...

@NappyRina You're right, it is out of order. You followed my steps really well! I'll fix it! I knew I left detangling out-- I did that on purpose :). It gets more confusing when I try to explain...I have the most tangliest 4b shrunken fro (no matter the length) kindof hair. Yet I do not have a true detangle phase designated to itself in the trad'l sense. I rebelled at the end of the year after spending 4+ hour detangling sessions per wash.

Two for one:
Now, before each wash, I just do a quick, light detangle w/a very wide tooth long teeth comb (like Brittanynic16's-- see her youtube vids for ref).

After I wash, I blowdry small sections w/the comb attachment. On each section, I spray on Nioxin Thermal Bliss Protector (which is a leave in, heat protector and awesome detangler). This helps get any tangles out that seem to take hours w/o using the blowdry. I believe the heat helps to melt the tangles. The nioxin helps the comb to go thru easy. Blowdrying is my detangling.

I think detangling gets too much time & attention on natural heads, more than it deserves. So detangling is no longer a highlight in my routine-- its a hidden step on the backburner. It held me back for TOO long-- & almost caused me to cut to twa or perm. It took 5 yrs to find a routine, but now I'm winning this battle! Goodbye detangling sessions :yep:
 
Cosigning everything virtuenow said. I used to have hair like you described OP and this board might have you running out to spend some money. But the regimen she outlined is very simple and affordable.

As for the detangling question, I finger detangle before the prepoo and then when the prepoo and conditioner combo is in my hair, it's so easy to run the comb through if I so choose and I think the aloe vera juice is the culprit here. It melts tangles away.

I don't blow dry after washing only because I haven't found the perfect comb attachment for my blow dryer. But here's a tip that has helped with moisture retention. Keep a spray bottle mixture of avj and water handy, so that after washing, you spray that as a leave in and then let it dry (usually in braids) before adding your moisturizer (I use shea moisture deep treatment masque) and sealing with an oil (castor, grapeseed...), then twisting or braiding it up in preparation for a twist/braid out. Moisture retention to the max!
 
Last edited:
virtuenow said:
@zoromo (eta: summary at end)


I've been tricked by a few products and new techniques. ACV rinses (diluted) felt very good on application, my hair felt strong so I began using them w/every wash. I believe it attributed to eventually drying my hair out more and disintegrating it in some areas. I am still disturbed by this. the really strong acidic (acv) or strong alkaline (baking soda) break the hair down. If you are starting out w/brittle hair, these are "quick fixes"
Click to expand...

It seems that you misused ACV rinses. I have never had your experience and I used the rinse to get rid of dry hair. However, I have an excellent regime and my hair is not naturally dry or brittle. Actually, I don't think anyone's hair is naturally dry or brittle. Getting your hair PH balanced will allow it to retain moisture. Therefore, hair that is not PH balanced will be dry and brittle. Some people like yourself find a solution then proceed to overuse the solution to the point of damage like you did. Or they will ignore other parts of their regime to the exclusion of this one method which leads to damage.

The biggest problem is that many people don't know WHY their hair is dry and brittle. It could be dry due to the overuse of protein, it could be dry due to the underuse of moisturizers, it could be dry due to buildup, it could be dry due to using products that are too alkaline or too acidic. Unless you know exactly why your hair is dry it will be trial and error trying to solve the dryness problem.

Your regime worked for YOUR DRY HAIR but it's not the be all end all of fixing the dry hair problem.
 
knt1229 said:
It seems that you misused ACV rinses. I have never had your experience and I used the rinse to get rid of dry hair. However, I have an excellent regime and my hair is not naturally dry or brittle. Actually, I don't think anyone's hair is naturally dry or brittle. Getting your hair PH balanced will allow it to retain moisture. Therefore, hair that is not PH balanced will be dry and brittle. Some people like yourself find a solution then proceed to overuse the solution to the point of damage like you did. Or they will ignore other parts of their regime to the exclusion of this one method which leads to damage.

The biggest problem is that many people don't know WHY their hair is dry and brittle. It could be dry due to the overuse of protein, it could be dry due to the underuse of moisturizers, it could be dry due to buildup, it could be dry due to using products that are too alkaline or too acidic. Unless you know exactly why your hair is dry it will be trial and error trying to solve the dryness problem.

Your regime worked for YOUR DRY HAIR but it's not the be all end all of fixing the dry hair problem.
Click to expand...

I did not "misuse" acv rinses. I used them highly diluted once every month or two. That is how they are supposed to be used. Many women use them much more often and more concentrated and don't have problems. I have dry hair.

What do you mean no one has dry hair naturally? There is a whole community of black women with chronically dry/brittle neck/ear length hair that would beg to differ. The whole point of my post was to determine the ultimate reason for the dry brittle hair (so you repeated alot of what I said, hmm). I found my reason, merely made some suggestions and pretty darn good ones. I never said it was the end all of everyones problem.

People don't really speak the language of PH & balancing, we are not scientists. So I'm backing away from that description for the most part. So how a statement about ph (w/o explanation) could help anyone is beyond me.
 
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Virtuenow,
I tried your method and am on day two. I blow dried my hair as well so I can't tell how it would feel after a braidout or wash and go. I liked the way my hair felt after washing, it was most def moist. It was a little hard to comb through because the castor oil seemed to firm up some how. It felt more moist when blow drying for sure. I like it so far though. Thanks again. I will try this for the coming washes and let you know.
 
Hello NYDee,
I purchased the product you mentioned ( french perm stabalizer) and am looking forward to trying it tonight!!! Thanks for the suggestion I hope it helps.
 
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