Please give me some good news, or I'm gonna bust into tears!!!!

[Angkin73]

Ya'll I am ready to start crying! I used baking soda and water to wash my hair this morning, and I have noticed my beautiful curls have changed!!!!

Heres what I did: I cowashed (to get some of the products out).
I then mixed a heaping tbs. of baking sode to a cup of water. Poured it on my hair and washed my scalp.
I rinsed, then I did a ACV rinse and rined that out.
Then DC"ed for 2 hours. No heat. (my hair felt a little rough)

I knew that the acv rinse was for clarifiying. But I didn't know much about the baking soda. Just that I had seen alot of people that don't want to poo use this.

I could tell the texture was different, but figured after I put my moisturizers in and oil it would be back the way it usually was. I already figured I had made a huge mistake.

Well It's not!!!! I want my coils back!!! Somebody PLEASE, tell me my curls will revert back to normal!!!

I'm tearing just writing this post!!!!

 

[onecharminglady]

good luck with this, i wouldnt try everything people suggest on here, especially if i didnt know much about it, some of the things are really out there but i am so sorry you are going through this. hopefully someone will come along and answer your questions

 

[Tamrin]

Baking soda is also for clarifying. Basically you gave your hair a double dose. What you need right now is moisture. A little Glycerine mixed in some aloe vera juice should give you a bit of moisture to start. the seal with coconut oil.

 

[Rain20]

Can you post a picture? It's hard to know what's wrong with your curls. Have they straightened out or is your hair dry? I think your hair will be fine. Maybe try washing(shampooing with gentle or diluted shampoo) and conditioning again.

 

[Angkin73]

Baking soda is also for clarifying. Basically you gave your hair a double dose. What you need right now is moisture. A little Glycerine mixed in some aloe vera juice should give you a bit of moisture to start. the seal with coconut oil.

Thanks you for answering so quickly. I put a mix of aloe vera gel, glycern, conditioner and water on and sealed with EVOO.

My hair was doing so good too, and was so moisturized, before this. This is a mistake I will not make again.

Will my curls revert back?

 

[Tarae]

I don't know what happened but do you have Porosity Control conditioner?

My mother did something to her hair before where her curl definition was shot. It just looked like she spiked her hair. I gave her the PC, she left it in for about 3 minutes, and her curls were back.

I don't know if that'll work, but if you have it, you can try it. Hope you figure out something soon.

 

[Angkin73]

Can you post a picture? It's hard to know what's wrong with your curls. Have they straightened out or is your hair dry? I think your hair will be fine. Maybe try washing(shampooing with gentle or diluted shampoo) and conditioning again.

well, they are rough feeling and frizzy. They used to coil up really good, now they are just wavy. When I stretch them out they won't even spring back!!!

Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!! I'm starting to cry writing this!!

 

[Nonie]

I have never understood how baking soda can be good for hair. Sounds to me like you stripped your hair and opened cuticles (baking soda), then closed cuticles w/o any moisture (ACV). What did you DC with? A strengthening (protein) or a moisturizing conditioner? If you DC'd w/o heat on hair whose cuticles were already closed, then no moisture penetrated your strands. So you've got extra dry hair in need of major pampering.

My suggestion would be to DC with a moisturizing conditioner under a dryer. Rinse with lukewarm water and then follow with a dilute ACV solution. Then towel-dry and apply SCurl and baggy for the night. I think your hair will look better in the AM. That's what I'd do anyway, if this had happened to me.

 

[Tamrin]

well, they are rough feeling and frizzy. They used to coil up really good, now they are just wavy. When I stretch them out they won't even spring back!!!

Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!! I'm starting to cry writing this!!

Do no stress your hair is just dry right now. Moisture and PC will help you. Bry hair does feel rough. you will be ok . Co-wah tomorrow apply moisture seal with oil. You will be fine.

 

[Tamrin]

I have never understood how baking soda can be good for hair. Sounds to me like you stripped your hair and opened cuticles (baking soda), then closed cuticles w/o any moisture (ACV). What did you DC with? A strengthening (protein) or a moisturizing conditioner? If you DC'd w/o heat on hair whose cuticles were already closed, then no moisture penetrated your strands. So you've got extra dry hair in need of major pampering.

My suggestion would be to DC with a moisturizing conditioner under a dryer. Rinse with lukewarm water and then follow with a dilute ACV solution. Then towel-dry and apply SCurl and baggy for the night. I think your hair will look better in the AM. That's what I'd do anyway, if this had happened to me.

I agree with that except no more ACV.

 

[Angkin73]

I have never understood how baking soda can be good for hair. Sounds to me like you stripped your hair and opened cuticles (baking soda), then closed cuticles w/o any moisture (ACV). What did you DC with? A strengthening (protein) or a moisturizing conditioner? If you DC'd w/o heat on hair whose cuticles were already closed, then no moisture penetrated your strands. So you've got extra dry hair in need of major pampering.

My suggestion would be to DC with a moisturizing conditioner under a dryer. Rinse with lukewarm water and then follow with a dilute ACV solution. Then towel-dry and apply SCurl and baggy for the night. I think your hair will look better in the AM. That's what I'd do anyway, if this had happened to me.

No, I rinsed the baking soda out then did the ACV rinse. after that I felt my hair was rough feeling and so I decided to DC with Praital silk worm rinse and added some oil to the mix. I usually use suave. ETA: Oh My gosh, I was rinsing with cold water. So your right, I didn't get any of the moisture from the DC. I didn't even think of that!!!

Thank you everybody for you responses and caring. I am feeing l so much better.

After Baking soda wash.

how my curls looked before the wash

 

[ladylibra]

I have never understood how baking soda can be good for hair.

i always thought the idea is to use it for the scalp (from what i've seen/heard). it worked just fine for me when i did it this way. but i'd never use it on my actual hair, not as squeaky-clean as it makes my teeth! i don't have any build-up on my hair that harsh...

OP, you know some people use baking soda as a natural texturizer... so i dunno how temporary or permanent it is. did your DC have protein in it? that may have aggravated the problem. i say keep moisturizing your hair (no protein for a little bit) and see if that helps nurse it back to health.

 

[ladylibra]

No, I rinsed the baking soda out then did the ACV rinse.

okay here's what you did... the baking soda opened up your hair's cuticles, then the ACV snapped them shut again. so the conditioner/oil you put on your hair AFTERWARDS did you no good. you gotta do the conditioner/oil AFTER rinsing the baking soda but BEFORE the ACV rinse.

i think you will be okay

 

[Nonie]

No, I rinsed the baking soda out then did the ACV rinse. after that I felt my hair was rough feeling and so I decided to DC with suave and added some oil to the mix.

Thank you everybody for you responses and caring. I am feeing l so much better.

After Baking soda wash.

how my curls looked before the wash

Yes, I understood you rinsed the baking soda out. But rinsing it out still left your hair completely bare with cuticles open. The ACV closed the cuticles, except your hair was already bone dry. So you were left with very thirsty hair. DCing w/o heat may have coated your hair with conditioner and adding oil just coated the outside of your hair too. But deep inside, your hair is dry, dry, dry. So you need to DC with an extra moisturizing conditioner (Elucence, Triple Moisture Mask, etc) and heat to get moisture inside your strands.

Perhaps if you'd followed the BS with a conditioner before the ACV, it would not have left your hair feeling so dry. I think the mistake was closing your hair cuticles when there was no moisture inside the strands, thus sealing out any moisture you might add later.

 

[ladylibra]

^^^LOL nonie we were both thinking the same thing

 

[Angkin73]

okay here's what you did... the baking soda opened up your hair's cuticles, then the ACV snapped them shut again. so the conditioner/oil you put on your hair AFTERWARDS did you no good. you gotta do the conditioner/oil AFTER rinsing the baking soda but BEFORE the ACV rinse.

i think you will be okay

Should I do a DC with heat then, or just leave it alone and continue to do my regular routine of cowash, moistureize and then oil to seal?

I was thinking of bagging my hair tonite for extra moisture, my hair usually does really well with this.

 

[ladylibra]

^^^yeah i'm with nonie, DC with a good moisturizing conditioner with heat.

don't worry girl, we ain't gonna let you lose your hair that easy!

 

[Nonie]

^^^LOL nonie we were both thinking the same thing

Heee! I just now saw your post. Great minds think alike, huh? Now if only I could be as concise as you, bloody rambling me!

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

No, I rinsed the baking soda out then did the ACV rinse. after that I felt my hair was rough feeling and so I decided to DC with suave and added some oil to the mix.

Thank you everybody for you responses and caring. I am feeing l so much better.

After Baking soda wash.

how my curls looked before the wash

Okay looking at your AFTER shot, I have to say that my hair looked like that the first time I tried doing an ACV rinse after a BS clarifying session. It felt very stripped to me (worse than using a SLS shampoo IMO)

So what I did was use a moisturizing DC like others have advised you to do. But after the DC session(I don't know about others, but I did mine's with heat), the curls were springing back like normal.

The way I see it is, the BS is normally for trying to get at the gunk(buildup) that's left on the scalp, but we both have TWA's and that's a bit of a struggle to actually get the BS ON the scalp instead of the hair. So being with our hair shorter than normal we can't help but to get some ON our hair sometimes. It's like a hit or miss thing. Your curls/coils should come back soon.

But I don't think Suave's a very moisturizing DCerplexed I could be wrong, but I've never DC'd with Suave before nor did I even know they had a DC in their line. Someone school me on this please.

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

Ohhhh SNAP!!! LadyLibra and Nonie!! LOL

 

[Angkin73]

Thank you all. I do have the redken all soft heavy cream.
My heat cap on my blowdryer keeps coming off when it gets to hot, so, can I just warm up the conditioner and apply then wear a plastic cap all night, and get the same results?

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

Thank you all. I do have the redken all soft heavy cream.
My heat cap on my blowdryer keeps coming off when it gets to hot, so, can I just warm up the conditioner and apply then wear a plastic cap all night, and get the same results?

I would think the heat would quickly wear off, but you can try it and see. Have you ever tried doing it similar to the way steam treatments are done? I admit, I do it this way sometimes too, to keep myself mobile while I'm doing housework if I don't feel like getting under a dryer LOL. The heat from the towels are great IMO.

 

[Angkin73]

Okay looking at your AFTER shot, I have to say that my hair looked like that the first time I tried doing an ACV rinse after a BS clarifying session. It felt very stripped to me (worse than using a SLS shampoo IMO)

So what I did was use a moisturizing DC like others have advised you to do. But after the DC session(I don't know about others, but I did mine's with heat), the curls were springing back like normal.

The way I see it is, the BS is normally for trying to get at the gunk(buildup) that's left on the scalp, but we both have TWA's and that's a bit of a struggle to actually get the BS ON the scalp instead of the hair. So being with our hair shorter than normal we can't help but to get some ON our hair sometimes. It's like a hit or miss thing. Your curls/coils should come back soon.

But I don't think Suave's a very moisturizing DCerplexed I could be wrong, but I've never DC'd with Suave before nor did I even know they had a DC in their line. Someone school me on this please.

I'm sorry, they don't have a DC in the line, I use suave to cowash. I put that in their wrong. I was tramatized at the time.
I usually use Silk Elements Megasilk Moisturizing Treatment.

 

[Angkin73]

I would think the heat would quickly wear off, but you can try it and see. Have you ever tried doing it similar to the way steam treatments are done? I admit, I do it this way sometimes too, to keep myself mobile while I'm doing housework if I don't feel like getting under a dryer LOL. The heat from the towels are great IMO.

I'll try that then, I have seen a thread here some where about how to do it. I'll do a search. Thank you so much.

 

[MonPetite]

I'm sorry this did not work well for you!

As evidenced by my thread about it, when I used too much, what helped me was a good DC with a humectant (honey, agave, molasses, etc) and COCONUT oil (jojoba will work well too). Coconut absorbs into skin and hair instead of just sealing it, or only absorbing into the scalp!

I hope your lovely coils bounce back!

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

I'm sorry, they don't have a DC in the line, I use suave to cowash. I put that in their wrong. I was tramatized at the time.
I usually use Silk Elements Megasilk Moisturizing Treatment.

Awww I totally understand about being traumatized about it. But really it's going to be okay. Just do your DC with heat and it should be okay!
to ya!

I'll try that then, I have seen a thread here some where about how to do it. I'll do a search. Thank you so much.

Good luck and let us know how it goes! Welcome anytime!

 

[Angkin73]

I'm sorry this did not work well for you!

As evidenced by my thread about it, when I used too much, what helped me was a good DC with a humectant (honey, agave, molasses, etc) and COCONUT oil (jojoba will work well too). Coconut absorbs into skin and hair instead of just sealing it, or only absorbing into the scalp!

I hope your lovely coils bounce back!

Thank you, I just got my order of extra virgin coconut oil back the other day. I will use it to seal instead of the evoo.

I was reading through you thread about the BS, thats what really made me relize what I had done.

 

[Angkin73]

Update: I cowashed my hair and did a DC with steam. I left it on for about an hour and half. I used my silk elements for the DC. I rinsed and added silk elements leave in moisturizing creame and sealed with coconut oil.

My hair feels so much better. Not the way it did, but a huge improvement. My curls have not reverted back, but I know that will take time. I really don't mind it that much as long as my hair is healthy. I have little spirals hanging in my face now.

I just want to thank everyone again for helping me out so quickly. Also with all the care you showed me. :blowkiss:

This is my first time being natural. I have been relaxed since I was 13. So, am just learning how to tend to my natural hair. I am loving the natural journey tho and I never plan to go back to relaxing..

I really don't know what I would have done with your support. Thanks agatn.

 

[Irresistible]

I'm glad your hair feels better

Update: I cowashed my hair and did a DC with steam. I left it on for about an hour and half. I used my silk elements for the DC. I rinsed and added silk elements leave in moisturizing creame and sealed with coconut oil.

My hair feels so much better. Not the way it did, but a huge improvement. My curls have not reverted back, but I know that will take time. I really don't mind it that much as long as my hair is healthy. I have little spirals hanging in my face now.

I just want to thank everyone again for helping me out so quickly. Also with all the care you showed me. :blowkiss:

This is my first time being natural. I have been relaxed since I was 13. So, am just learning how to tend to my natural hair. I am loving the natural journey tho and I never plan to go back to relaxing..

I really don't know what I would have done with your support. Thanks agatn.

 

[ImFree27]

it will come back once you wash again, its only temp... I use baking soda all the time and my curls are the same...I wouldn't worry.