Naturally Flexible Support Thread

[Duchess007]

Are these ingredients good for a good protein conditioner

They sound great to me!

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[havilland]

Are these ingredients good for a good protein conditioner

Yes. I'm not a fan of lanolin in my hair. But it looks like a good substantial condish to me

 

[havilland]

My Bunnytail today.

Eco styler and Knot Today are the best combo I have found so far. But I can only add the Eco styler after my hair is dry. Knot Today does not play well with others when wet.

 

[havilland]

Daily or every other day co washing has taken my hair to another level in the few weeks I have implemented.

Last night I slept With my hair in a bun and fell asleep without a scarf. (I NEVER forget my scarf)

My hair was soft and shiny and not a knarled, dry mess when I woke up. Last time i forgot my scarf a few months ago, I fell asleep on the sofa and woke up like I fought with a squirrel all night.

Moisture balance has become key for me. I am so glad I didn't give up on wash n go's. Today I just dampened my ends to reshape and I'm set for the day.

 

[havilland]

here is a pic of my wash n go without daily co washing and twice weekly deep conditioning

(I flipped the picture and cropped it)

 

[havilland]

And here is a pic after implementing daily or every other day co washing and twice weekly deep conditioning.

Significant difference. I'm glad I take pics!

ETA----it looks like different hair! WTH???? I am sitting here looking at old pictures from like a few months ago and I am TRIPPING at how different my hair looks....i have done NOTHING different except re-implement my deep conditioning prepoo once a week along with my regular deep conditioning weekend routine AND added cowashing more.......i mean, DANG, i am stunned.......sooooo glad i take pics!

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

havilland

Catching up in the thread and I see you mentioned a few times about having fine hair. Do you think the daily co-washing is too much manipulation for one with fine hair?

I'm asking because I haven't been able to roller set my daughter's natural hair for the last month because of swollen pregnant hands (lol) and a previous wrist injury and she's been co-washing and bunning or putting her hair in a ponytail daily. Her hair is fine as well and it seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Yesterday we were walking out of Target and she pulled off her ponytail holder and I swear I could see straight through her hair. When we got home I ran my hands through it and there were broken pieces through out my hands. Her last protein treatment was right before my hand injury, she's been cowashing with her Elucence moisture conditioner which has an equal amount of moisture and protein, and her ponytail holder's doesn't seem to be causing tension. So I don't know what else to contribute this to. She was almost out of her conditioner, so I gave her my 2 HV conditioner's and told her to alternate between the 2 (Acai Berry & 24/7 Moist) and to maybe co-wash every other day instead of daily. I'll clarify and do a hard protein treatment on her in a few weeks. Do you have any other suggestions to eliminate breakage since it seems you have similar hair characteristics and routine?

 

[havilland]

havilland Catching up in the thread and I see you mentioned a few times about having fine hair. Do you think the daily co-washing is too much manipulation for one with fine hair? I'm asking because I haven't been able to roller set my daughter's natural hair for the last month because of swollen pregnant hands (lol) and a previous wrist injury and she's been co-washing and bunning or putting her hair in a ponytail daily. Her hair is fine as well and it seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Yesterday we were walking out of Target and she pulled off her ponytail holder and I swear I could see straight through her hair. When we got home I ran my hands through it and there were broken pieces through out my hands. Her last protein treatment was right before my hand injury, she's been cowashing with her Elucence moisture conditioner which has an equal amount of moisture and protein, and her ponytail holder's doesn't seem to be causing tension. So I don't know what else to contribute this to. She was almost out of her conditioner, so I gave her my 2 HV conditioner's and told her to alternate between the 2 (Acai Berry & 24/7 Moist) and to maybe co-wash every other day instead of daily. I'll clarify and do a hard protein treatment on her in a few weeks. Do you have any other suggestions to eliminate breakage since it seems you have similar hair characteristics and routine?

My hair is definitely fine. I have to be careful with "manipulation". When I co wash, I do NOT comb or brush or overly manipulate my hair.

I shampoo and comb once a week with a wide tooth shower comb to remove shed hair. That's it.

When I co wash, I wet my hair and let the water run through it, apply conditioner with my hands only...smoothing the product over my hair. I use a little water from the shower to allow the condish to spread. Then i clip my hair up and shower.

After I'm done, I rinse the conditioner and apply leave in with my hands only. Then I apply my stylers and tie my hair with a silk scarf.

I recommend, clarifying, then a deep protein treatment to restructure her hair followed by moisture treatment to balance the hair's moisture levels.

Switch conditioners to something else. I personally have had great success with Hairveda. But her conditioner is not working so she needs something else.

The next thing I would recommend is that she not manipulate her hair with tools more than once a week or so.

Moisturize and seal daily. Use a spray moisturizer with a few drops of oil added...this cuts manipulation. Rose water with some olive oil added should be enough for her.

If she wants to wet her hair daily, I suggest instead of co washing, get a spray bottle and put distillered water in it and add some essential oil drops to restore the scalp and hair. Peppermint, rosemary, sage...are good ones.

Also, step up the deep conditioning via hot oil treatments to make the hair more supple. something like Methi Sativa by Hairveda once a month until her hair is restored. yogurt is cheap and good for protein and the fat in the yogurt moisturizes.

I would do a deep treatment or hot oil treatment weekly. And keep up a two step type treatment once a month until her hair is healed.

Your water could be a culprit too. Consider a water filter for the shower that she uses to wash her hair.

 

[havilland]

lulu97 Question? Does she tuck her ends ? How does she secure her ends? That could be the culprit too. I will try to find a picture of what I mean

See in the second pic how her ends are twisted under the scrunchie and then exposed? Vs the first picture where the hair is tucked and pinned and then "secured" by the scrunchie? If the ends are exposed like that...the scrunchie could be causing tension on the ends at the contact point, drying the hair at that same point and therefore causing breakage....and then the ends are exposed making them vulnerable to environmental damage.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

havilland Thanks Lady for all your suggestions!!! I'm going to let her read your comments when she gets home from school.

I know she doesn't use a comb/brush daily. She mostly use her hands. Believe me I was asking her a billion questions yesterday. lol She says she mostly wets her hair in the shower, co-wash, rinse, add a little more conditioner as a leave in then put it in a ponytail while in the shower. She doesn't use gel either...she said the conditioner is enough to lay everything in place. During lunch period she will take down the ponytail and turn it into a bun when the hair is mostly dry. She washes with shampoo and deep conditions on the weekend. I just really think her hair is too fine for all that she's doing. Just seems like a lot to me especially when her hair is almost tamed to once a week washing/conditioning and being left alone until the next wash. I set her an appt to get some cornrows in 2 weeks. Before the appt, I'll do an Aphogee 2 step treatment and until that time I've encouraged her to do every other day co-washing versus every day. I think her hair needs a break from her! lol

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

lulu97 Question? Does she tuck her ends ? How does she secure her ends? That could be the culprit too. I will try to find a picture of what I mean See in the second pic how her ends are twisted under the scrunchie and then exposed? Vs the first picture where the hair is tucked and pinned and then "secured" by the scrunchie? If the ends are exposed like that...the scrunchie could be causing tension on the ends at the contact point, drying the hair at that same point and therefore causing breakage....and then the ends are exposed making them vulnerable to environmental damage.

I would say it looks kinda like the 2nd picture. There is hair exposed out because her hair is not at a length where the ends can be fully tucked away yet. It reminds me of how someone's hair would look in a claw clip. Kinda like the picture I attached. So that could possibly be the culprit too.

 

[havilland]

havilland Thanks Lady for all your suggestions!!! I'm going to let her read your comments when she gets home from school. I know she doesn't use a comb/brush daily. She mostly use her hands. Believe me I was asking her a billion questions yesterday. lol She says she mostly wets her hair in the shower, co-wash, rinse, add a little more conditioner as a leave in then put it in a ponytail while in the shower. She doesn't use gel either...she said the conditioner is enough to lay everything in place. During lunch period she will take down the ponytail and turn it into a bun when the hair is mostly dry. She washes with shampoo and deep conditions on the weekend. I just really think her hair is too fine for all that she's doing. Just seems like a lot to me especially when her hair is almost tamed to once a week washing/conditioning and being left alone until the next wash. I set her an appt to get some cornrows in 2 weeks. Before the appt, I'll do an Aphogee 2 step treatment and until that time I've encouraged her to do every other day co-washing versus every day. I think her hair needs a break from her! lol

She basically does what I do...but I use a leave in and styler.

My hair def doesn't like manipulation. So i suspect if her hair is too weak to handle co washing the way she says she's doing it....then something else is wrong. I have always co washed especially when my hair was damaged...in high school and college when I would over color my hair and it would break on me, I would co wash and bun to restore my hair and I never had an issue. My hair is thin, Fine and fragile...a winning combo.

I definitely recommend doing the two step sooner than later. U want to make sure her hair is in balance BEFORE U HIDE IT IN BRAIDS...if her hair is brittle from the treatment, you want to KNOW THAT and be able to add moisture and correct it BEFORE U BRAID it and have no idea that it's off balance until the braids are removed. That could result in hair loss.

Her hair is fragile so I'm not a fan of braiding in that circumstance....not until the hair is healthy. That's just my opinion. I like to have access to my hair when it's damaged so I can see what works and what doesn't and correct it ASAP. (Reniece taught me that)

Good luck. Keep me posted. I'd like to know how she's doing.

 

[havilland]

I would say it looks kinda like the 2nd picture. There is hair exposed out because her hair is not at a length where the ends can be fully tucked away yet. It reminds me of how someone's hair would look in a claw clip. Kinda like the picture I attached. So that could possibly be the culprit too.

This bun is her problem. Tell her to stop ASAP.

What I used to do when my hair was too short....put it in a ponytail. Then use a silky headband to twist the hair that is left out into a bun. I'll see if I can find a pic.

eta-- i can't find a pic....but basically you tie the headband around the base of the pony and then pretend it's hair. keep twisting it around in a rubber band type of fashion until you have a fake bun. i used to soak my ends in moisturizer and oil when i did this...why not treat them to a little extra condish since they are tucked away all day anyway.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

She basically does what I do...but I use a leave in and styler. My hair def doesn't like manipulation. So i suspect if her hair is too weak to handle co washing the way she says she's doing it....then something else is wrong. I have always co washed especially when my hair was damaged...in high school and college when I would over color my hair and it would break on me, I would co wash and bun to restore my hair and I never had an issue. My hair is thin, Fine and fragile...a winning combo. I definitely recommend doing the two step sooner than later. U want to make sure her hair is in balance BEFORE U HIDE IT IN BRAIDS...if her hair is brittle from the treatment, you want to KNOW THAT and be able to add moisture and correct it BEFORE U BRAID it and have no idea that it's off balance until the braids are removed. That could result in hair loss. Her hair is fragile so I'm not a fan of braiding in that circumstance....not until the hair is healthy. That's just my opinion. I like to have access to my hair when it's damaged so I can see what works and what doesn't and correct it ASAP. (Reniece taught me that) Good luck. Keep me posted. I'd like to know how she's doing.

I agree! Ok I'll do the treatment this weekend, tell her to stop with the half bunning and that will give us time to measure if it's under control. Thanks Lady, you are the best

 

[havilland]

I agree! Ok I'll do the treatment this weekend, tell her to stop with the half bunning and that will give us time to measure if it's under control. Thanks Lady, you are the best

Sure thing...I'm happy to help.

 

[havilland]

Are these ingredients good for a good protein conditioner

View attachment 260939

Did u purchase it?

 

[Rae81]

Did u purchase it?

Yes I did. It's called hask keratin protein deep conditioner. They sell it in packets at Wal-Mart. I really like it.

 

[havilland]

Yes I did. It's called hask keratin protein deep conditioner. They sell it in packets at Wal-Mart. I really like it.

I neeeeeeed a review.........

hook a sista up?!

 

[havilland]

last night i did a methi sativa two step protein treatment.....i love that stuff. it's so much easier than aphogee. i wonder how often most naturals use aphogee two step?

Do any of you use it?

 

[havilland]

Deep conditioned ponytail with Hairveda. Styled with Kinky Curly products and Chicoro's edge cream on edges.

Happy Memorial Day hair.

 

[MileHighDiva]

havilland

What is Chicoro's edge cream? I know she has a pre poo recipe.

Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

 

[havilland]

havilland What is Chicoro's edge cream? I know she has a pre poo recipe. Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

My favorite recipe ever. Took a few times to tweak it and get it right.

Aloe Vera gel

Any pure Oil of choice (I use hot six oil because it has vitamin e in it so that preserves the mix without refrigeration)

Guar gum (I ordered this from vitacost.com. It's a fiber. The bottle will last forever. )

I mix about 2 ounces of aloe with 1 tablespoon of oil and a sprinkle of guar gum to thicken the mixture. Stir until smooth. Works best on wet hair.

I cup water from the sink onto my hairline and apply the edge gel. Tie down for a few minutes and go.

I love it because it's easy and I feel I'm nourishing my fragile hair line.

 

[havilland]

Today I tried As I Am Coconut Co wash for the first time.

Also used the Smoothing Gel on my edges. Nice! I doubt it would work on dry hair, but wet it's a go!

I liked it! I don't even know how to act. I rarely have success with new stuff.

 

[havilland]

Freshly Chelated Hair (pic is naked hair with no product... just wet.)

This is my first time doing this. After seeing hard water stains in my sink and tub, I thought maybe clarifying isn't enough.

So I Chelated and now I'm deep conditioning with Hairveda strinillah, peppermint oil and silk aminos.

My hair felt way less stripped then I thought it would. Even less than when I clarify once a month.

I know nothing about Chelating so i'm not sure how often I need to do this.

But I would think every 6-8 weeks ?

 

[MileHighDiva]

havilland what product did you use to clarify and chelate with?

Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

 

[havilland]

havilland what product did you use to clarify and chelate with? Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

I didn't clarify. Which I learned in "Science of Black Hair" is not the same thing.

But I did use Mizani's Chelating and Neutralizing shampoo.

I'm still deep conditioning. I'm going to follow with an acv rinse as recommended on untamedtresses.com to seal the cuticle back up

 

[MileHighDiva]

havilland you did. Some clarifiers have chelating properties and most don't, because you only need to use a chelator, if you have hard water or you're a swimmer.

Citric Acid and EDTA are the most popular chelating ingredients, but they have to be high enough in the ingredients list.

 

[havilland]

havilland you did. Some clarifiers have chelating properties and most don't, because you only need to use a chelator, if you have hard water or you're a swimmer.

Citric Acid and EDTA are the most popular chelating ingredients, but they have to be high enough in the ingredients list.

ok....cool. this was actually titled chelating and neutralizing shampoo. i corrected it above.

i thought that all chelators don't clarify and all clarifiers don't chelate, that it varies based on product....so i don't know what i did.

my hair definitely feels softer and drier. it didn't feel like it does after i clarify. but what do i know?


i finished off with an acv rinse and a rinse out moisture conditioner. then applied my leave in to air dry the hair. my hair feels so much smoother and shinier. i also felt like i needed less product because the products "adhered" to my hair like velcro...... i just hope it's not frizzy.

 

[MileHighDiva]

I'm glad that you're pleased with the results.

Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

 

[sgold04]

I'm headed to atl for a wedding. I was hoping to get my hair pressed while I was there, but the forecast looks humid and rainy I really need a trim and I prefer it to be trimmed when it's straight. I'm going to get a natural style instead, hopefully trimming while curly won't result in a chop.