My hair WILL NOT absorb moisture without protein.....

[StarScream35]

Anybody else have this issue? Or can you give advice on what causes this? My conditioner AND shampoo have to have protein in them or else the conditioner just sits on top of my hair. I'm not particularly worried because so far I use a moderate protein treatment EVERY week with no problems but it does make me wonder why does this happen?

 

[DarkJoy]

can you list the products you're using? that might help...wonder if it's either a porosity issue or a silicones issues, if you're using silicone-based products.

 

[Supergirl]

My first thought was porosity. Protein does indeed assist with moisture uptake and retention, but if you're finding that your hair has to have it to absorb moisture, then your hair could be too porous. The protein fills in the gaps.

 

[StarScream35]

I use:

Phytokeratine~~The entire line.

Macadamia Hair Oil~~The entire line

Silicon Mix~~entire line

I have tried products with cones and no cones and my hair hates products with NO cones. It gets tangled and matted and becomes a nightmare. I try to use products with low cones. Phyto and Macadamia are low cones. Silicon Mix obviously is high cone. I've never expericed breakage or hardness from protein so apparently my hair is okay with this but I just wondered if anyone else out there had hair that was protein-gasm?

 

[StarScream35]

I should mention I did the hair analysis and the my hair came back with normal porosity. Weird huh????

 

[DarkJoy]

Are you natural?
May be a simple matter of build-up. Clarify those strands.

Perhaps doing a sulfate clarify 'poo to take out the 'cones and re-up the moisture for a week or so 'cone free. They may give the hair slip in the moment but over time the silicons rob the strands of ambient moisture. Esp. if you're heavy-handed and layering it like it sounds you might be.

I suppose after that week if things are looking good, go back to your regular routine. Rinse, repeat.

I'm not anti-cones for everyone btw. Hell, I use grease--my hair loves it, but on lhcf you'd think it's the antichrist! However, if I've been too heavy-handed, once a month I have to give it a rest and sulfate the buildup out of my hair.

 

[Ari8]

Do you have fine and/or medium strands?

I don't see why it's a problem. Doesn't some hair just like/crave protein? Then again, I don't understand this whole hair thing yet, lol.

 

[southerncitygirl]

i use mostly natural products and i am not anti-cones cause they have never done me wrong. use what works for you. i agree with periodically clarifying, though. also consider a shower filter and maybe a chelating shampoo (or water softening system in your home). my first thought was a porosity issue as well but you say its normal.

 

[StarScream35]

To answer some questions

I actually do have fine strands. I clarify once per week and chelate once every two weeks and I am natural. I wash my hair every other day and this has never been an issue. Actually my hair loves being washed on a regular basis. Hardly no breakage, just primarily shedding. I retain length very well. I find the whole thing interesting though. it's like my hair refuses to function without protein. I tried using a non-protein shampoo and conditioner the other day and my hair was rock hard. I was like daaaaaaaaaaaaaang! I had to re-wash it using a protein shampoo and conditioner then it was like ahhhhhhhh. I do think sometimes hair should be the 8th wonder of the world...........strange thing it is.

 

[southerncitygirl]

StarScream35

you clarify and chelate too often, imo. clarifying once a month and chelating every 4-6 weeks is ample enough.

do you moisturize and seal? try the loc method but in the order of lco. you can get things for the liquid or cream portions with silk amino acids or wheat/quinoa/rice proteins in them. for instance here's what i currently use:

L- shea moisture coconut hibiscus mist (will switch to a komaza mist when this is done...i have my eye on the coconut, califa, and aloe my hair )
C- claudies revitalizer balancing ends, quinoa coffee balancing, or isha (these creams also contain ceramides)
O- my own oil mix which currently has hemp, evoo, evco, sapote, and castor in it.

from doing this method less than a month i have soft smooth hair from root to tip....regular moisturizing and sealing didn't do this for me.i also do a hardcore protein treatment once a month komaza protein strengthner is what i prefer.

 

[StarScream35]

southerncitygirl

Thanks for the info. I do seal using a mixture of JBCO and EVOO. This stuff is fire! It has my hair looking and feeling amazing. I will def cut down on the chelating and clarifying and see how that goes. I ordered a recent hair analysis so I'm waiting on the results of that. The first one was done way back at the beginning of last year so maybe things have changed since then. But then even back then my hair loved itself some protein. Oh well...who knows. Hair is soooo weird.