What am I lacking?? Dry, Brittle hair

L

laurend085

Well-Known Member
Okay I straightened my hair only a few times last year and once this year just to see the length or prepare for getting braid extensions.
I am currently 16 mths post btw. Anyway I DC at least once a week and began dcing overnight sometime last year especially when I am about to straighten. So I do this ....wash detangle airdry almost completely then blow-dry to stretch my hair a little and proceed to flat iron. I find that when I blow dry it kind of catches so I try to detangle a little more. When I flat iron I use the comb chase method and still throughout most of my hair the comb catches and there are little hairs in the comb and by the time I'm finished all over the sink.
I just did my first protein treatment of my whole journey because my hair is always dry so I thought i needed moisture and was scared to use any protein. So I used aphogee 2 min cause I was scared to do the full 2 step but I didn't really notice a difference after. AND I just realized the dcs I was using were more protein based than moisture. Sorry this is so long but in trying to squeeze in as many details as possible. What am I doing wrong? I feel I could possibly hinder my process. Thanks!!
























Ed
 
You solved it yourself, you said the deep conditioners you are using are more protein based. Your hair I think at this point is craving moisture especially since you're 16 weeks post and you're using heat. With my hair, those 3 factors (heat, too much protein, stretching) make my hair dry. I suggest you stay away from protein and only use moisturizing conditioners for a while.
 
Great answer Aireen. Also OP, what is the exact conditoner that you were using? Did it contain mineral oil or petrolatum? I'm asking because a lot of the conditioners that you get from drug stores and even Sally's have some pretty bad ingredients in them. I know a lot of people don't think it matters but putting a little extra money into our hair products makes a huge difference. Also adding natural, moisturzing oils like grapeseed oil and unrefined coconut oil helps as well.
 
Thanks silkii_locks! :)

To add, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is a moisturizing oil that is able to penetrate the hair shaft while lubricating it. You see, when your natural hair texture grows out, the natural oils your scalp secretes have a hard time traveling down the strands of your hair due to its curly texture. Oils now have to travel down in a spiral pattern rather than just straight down.

Moisturizing and penetrating oils: EVOO, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil.

As of now, cling to moisture and anything that will protect your stands since they're more delicate right now because you're stretching.
 
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You're 16 months post! What is your hair type? IMO, breakage comes with the territory of type 4 hair and transitioning. My hair breaks every time I touch it. But I guess you'd want to minimize breakage so I agree with easing up on the protein products. How often do you moisturize your hair and with what? what kind of styles do you normally wear?
 
Aireen said:
Thanks silkii_locks! :)

To add, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is a moisturizing oil that is able to penetrate the hair shaft while lubricating it. You see, when your natural hair texture grows out, the natural oils your scalp secretes have a hard time traveling down the strands of your hair due to its curly texture. Oils now have to travel down in a spiral pattern rather than just straight down.

Moisturizing and penetrating oils: EVOO, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil.

As of now, cling to moisture and anything that will protect your stands since they're more delicate right now because you're stretching.
Click to expand...

Don't sleep on the Grapeseed oil guys, give it a try and I guanrantee you will be amazed! It is my number one treatment oil right now, even before Coconut oil and that is saying a lot for me. :yep:

I only use it for steam treatments though, I use the coconut oil on dry hair.
 
silkii_locks said:
Don't sleep on the Grapeseed oil guys, give it a try and I guanrantee you will be amazed! It is my number one treatment oil right now, even before Coconut oil and that is saying a lot for me. :yep:

I only use it for steam treatments though, I use the coconut oil on dry hair.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah! Grapeseed oil is great too a lot of board members use it and love it, it also as ceramides which help prevent protein loss so that you won't need as much protein in the long run. :grin:
 
silkii_locks said:
Great answer Aireen. Also OP, what is the exact conditoner that you were using? Did it contain mineral oil or petrolatum? I'm asking because a lot of the conditioners that you get from drug stores and even Sally's have some pretty bad ingredients in them. I know a lot of people don't think it matters but putting a little extra money into our hair products makes a huge difference. Also adding natural, moisturzing oils like grapeseed oil and unrefined coconut oil helps as well.
Click to expand...

I was using Lekair Cholesterol Plus and ORS Replenishing PAK (Bottle). I've started to try to find more moisturizing DC's. I had AOHSR but only enough to do a cowash. This past week I used Aussie Moist 3 Min Miracle and the week before Motions Moisture Plus. I'm looking for something that is reaaalllly moisturizing.

Aireen said:
Thanks silkii_locks! :)

To add, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is a moisturizing oil that is able to penetrate the hair shaft while lubricating it. You see, when your natural hair texture grows out, the natural oils your scalp secretes have a hard time traveling down the strands of your hair due to its curly texture. Oils now have to travel down in a spiral pattern rather than just straight down.

Moisturizing and penetrating oils: EVOO, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil.

As of now, cling to moisture and anything that will protect your stands since they're more delicate right now because you're stretching.
Click to expand...

Yes I just started experimenting with adding oils to my dcs and to seal. I've been adding Castor Oil and Coconut Oil don't know if it's making a difference or not.

LaFemmeNaturelle said:
You're 16 months post! What is your hair type? IMO, breakage comes with the territory of type 4 hair and transitioning. My hair breaks every time I touch it. But I guess you'd want to minimize breakage so I agree with easing up on the protein products. How often do you moisturize your hair and with what? what kind of styles do you normally wear?
Click to expand...


Not sure of my hair type... I would say 4a if I were to type it but I really have no idea esp since I think it may have different textures throughout and it may change when I cut my relaxed ends off. I have been wearing wet buns with a phony afro puff (cowash at night every 2 days, spritz with rosewater and Taliaa Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier, add coconutoil then ic gel and rake through with shower comb and denman knockoff, put in hair band seal left out hair with castor oil then tie with scarf and it's dry in the morning) I don't use a daily moisturizer per say. I made a mix of shea butter and some oils but haven't been using it so really the only time I get additonal moisture is when I cowash or dc. I've been doing this style for at least the last month. Before I was wearing kinky twist extensions. My hair plan until June (which is when I will cut off the relaxed ends hopefully) is to wear Crochet Braids and Senegalese twists.
 
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laurend085 said:
I was using Lekair Cholesterol Plus and ORS Replenishing PAK (Bottle). I've started to try to find more moisturizing DC's. I had AOHSR but only enough to do a cowash. This past week I used Aussie Moist 3 Min Miracle and the week before Motions Moisture Plus. I'm looking for something that is reaaalllly moisturizing.


Ok, you named some "ok" products but to acheive the level of moisture that you obviously need you're going to have spend a little more $$$ for your products. Try Joico, Kenra, KeraCare, Design Essentials or any of the deep conditioners from shescentit.com. You will not be dissapointed. I would just completely retire the Lekair and Motions all together. :sad:
Click to expand...
 
laurend085 said:
I was using Lekair Cholesterol Plus and ORS Replenishing PAK (Bottle). I've started to try to find more moisturizing DC's. I had AOHSR but only enough to do a cowash. This past week I used Aussie Moist 3 Min Miracle and the week before Motions Moisture Plus. I'm looking for something that is reaaalllly moisturizing.
Click to expand...

The order that you put those DCs in is the order of how moisturizing they are for me. AO products are quality natural products so I really feel like my hair gets a lot of moisture without the fillers of synthetics. Aussie Moist keeps hair amazingly soft. MMP is good but to me it has too many cones to know if my hair really is holding moisture or if it's just coated after a while, with this I suggest clarifying your hair when you can. Overall I suggest the AOHSR and Aussie Moist, it really quenches hair. MMP, I'd suggest for co-washing and make sure to clarify to avoid buildup that can lead to breakage.

ETA: I agree with silkii_locks, she gave some very good product recommendations! ESPECIALLY JOICO AND KERACARE! :grin: For my post, I meant if you already had these products and to want to use them up to avoid wasting them.
 
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I agree with the ladies about the oils! Especially grapesee oil! You should moisturize 2x a day until your moisture level improves!
 
laurend085 said:
I was using Lekair Cholesterol Plus and ORS Replenishing PAK (Bottle). I've started to try to find more moisturizing DC's. I had AOHSR but only enough to do a cowash. This past week I used Aussie Moist 3 Min Miracle and the week before Motions Moisture Plus. I'm looking for something that is reaaalllly moisturizing.



Yes I just started experimenting with adding oils to my dcs and to seal. I've been adding Castor Oil and Coconut Oil don't know if it's making a difference or not.




Not sure of my hair type... I would say 4a if I were to type it but I really have no idea esp since I think it may have different textures throughout and it may change when I cut my relaxed ends off. I have been wearing wet buns with a phony afro puff (cowash at night every 2 days, spritz with rosewater and Taliaa Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier, add coconutoil then ecostlyer and rake through with shower comb and denman knockoff, put in hair band seal left out hair with castor oil then tie with scarf and it's dry in the morning) I don't use a daily moisturizer per say. I made a mix of shea butter and some oils but haven't been using it so really the only time I get additonal moisture is when I cowash or dc. I've been doing this style for at least the last month. Before I was wearing kinky twist extensions. My hair plan until June (which is when I will cut off the relaxed ends hopefully) is to wear Crochet Braids and Senegalese twists.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a problem to me. You are manipulating your hair ALOT! My hair would hate me if I co-washed that often. When I was relaxing, that was fine, but not as a transitioner. Then you are using gel and raking it through every 2 days? How often do you actually shampoo your hair? The gel is probably drying your hair out and then you keep piling product on top of product. The wet bunning could also be an issue for you as well. I think you need to stick to a low manipulation style but be sure to keep your hair moisturized. So when you're in braids, you should be spritzing your hair every few days with some type of moisturizing spray (could simply be water and oil or something you purchase).
 
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LaFemmeNaturelle said:
This sounds like a problem to me. You are manipulating your hair ALOT! My hair would hate me if I co-washed that often. When I was relaxing, that was fine, but not as a transitioner. Then you are using gel and raking it through every 2 days? How often do you actually shampoo your hair? The gel is probably drying your hair out and then you keep piling product on top of product. The wet bunning could also be an issue for you as well. I think you need to stick to a low manipulation style but be sure to keep your hair moisturized. So when you're in braids, you should be spritzing your hair every few days with some type of moisturizing spray (could simply be water and oil or something you purchase).
Click to expand...


Hmmm I actually thought I was protective styling and it was low manipulation by keeping it in a bun. 2 days is the most it will last before looking dry and dull. I also thought the cowashing could help with adding moisture. I HAVE to use some gel for my hair to lay down. I'm not keeping track of how often I shampoo but it's not that often because I only shampoo when I have buildup. I would say maybe once a month. When I was relaxed my hair would get build up quicker and itchy and would need to be washed more often (although I didn't as needed then) so I think once a month is good for my hair. When in braids I do try spraying them often with a moisturizing spray I also dc in them.
 
Sorry I forgot to add that I was also using the Silk Elements Megasilk (green bottle) as a dc which I found out was the protein one.
 
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