What's The Word on Lanolin?

[LittleLuxe]

Let me start off by saying while I am ECSTATIC to be learning about my hair and getting control of my own locks damn is it hard to be a newbie, lol. I feel like it's 5 steps forward, 3 steps back and I'm still wobbling. My pockets are a little (why am I even lying, A LOT ) emptier but my brain's fuller so I take the good with the bad.

Still after about...4 weeks or so of being on the good haircare rituals and trying to do right by my mane I'm still having an uncomfortable amount of breakage. Now I know my hair is damaged, for too long I let the weave cover up what I should have been working with so right off the bat I'll be honest and say there's some strands that may not get redemption from anything other than some scissors still just running my fingers through my hair gets about 30 or so (not even kidding) hairs in my fingers after about 5 or 6 swipes through. My hair doesn't look any thinner but I don't have a lot of leeway here.

I thought my problem was too much moisture (I had been moisturizing up to 3 times a day at the start of my journey) because I was still having disgusting amounts of breakage in the back I cut down to once at night. After reading this however:

"Wet or Dry) Experiences very little to no stretching, and simply snaps or breaks, you need to increase the moisture in your regimen."

I'm thinking it may be not enough moisture while I had been avoiding mineral oil I've recently heard lanolin can be pretty bad. Still it wasn't quite clear and I went on about my business. Now I'm rethinking it. I do have one moisturizer where lanolin is way on the bottom of the ingredients list, but I also use an anti-breakage cream and split-end prevention cream where it's the 5th ingredient.

Please, help a sistah out cause she's tired, lol. I mostly use the anti-breakage cream and split-end remover in the back because those are my ends and the lotion on the top and underside. My hair FEELS smooth and moisturized but obviously I'm still struggling and need to find some solutions before I end up bald.
:thatsall:

 

[LittleLuxe]

Bumping for responses

 

[Americka]

I only have one product with lanolin - Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil - and I love it. I use it almost every day on my ends. Lanolin is at the low end of the list of ingredients and I'm not allergic to it. If it works for ya, keep using it. I've also linked other discussions on lanolin. HTH!


These are really, really old threads from here that addresses the issue of lanolin: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=11491;http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=7718


Hairlista's Blog: Is Lanolin good for hair? - http://www.hairliciousinc.com/2009/08/hair-question-lanolin-good-for-hair.html

 

[topnotch1010]

Once you put lanolin On your hair it'll seal out any moisture you try to put behind it. It's a thick coating. If it's far down the ingredient list and it works for you then go for it. I suggest using coconut or olive oil instead though.

As far as the breakage, I'd suggest a hardcore protein treatment like Motions CPR. It always stopped my breakage in it's tracks in the past.

 

[aymone]

Have you tried researching past threads for this. I'm sure the topic has been dealt with here.

 

[LittleLuxe]

Thank you ladies for the links and advice!

I'm off to research the lanolin debate further, though my gut is telling me the split-end repair and leave-in conditioner are going to the island of forgotten beauty products under my sink.

What was I saying about those 5 steps forward...

Thanks again!

 

[virtuenow]

Lanolin is one of the top 4 ingredients in the best moisturizer i own--Elasta QP Mango Butter (original formula). I think it depends on your hair and how it reacts to a product. I used to be leary of lanolin too, until I discovered that despite this product being in my fav moisturizer, the elasta still worked the best to soften & moisturize my hair. I decided from there that lanolin must not be all that bad. Then I found that there are members here who use it in its pure form alone (wow). Now petrolatum & mineral oil, I run far away from those products.

 

[Aireen]

ITA with topnotch1010, Motions CPR stopped my breakage. I was experiencing a bit of breakage for the past few weeks and I used Motions CPR Protein Reconstructor and there is no more breakage. Right now I can run my fingers and my comb through my dry hair with no problem. Isostearoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen is the 6th ingredient and to draw moisture to your hair, glycerin is the 3rd.

If your hair isn't mushy and just snaps and you do use this then you should probably follow up with using moisturizing conditioners to be safe then alternate.

 

[LittleLuxe]

First off let me say Aireen you are adorable! lol. I might need to look into that Motions, it sounds like a good product.

Americka the links you posted are some that I already went over in the past. I does my homework, still it was sort of unclear so I was hoping some consensus would come out. Where it clearly said "THIS IS BAD":hardslap: and I should keep it far away from my hair. But thanks for your help all the same

Virtuenow I think I'll take a break from my lanolin products for now and see if I notice a difference in the breakage, if not I'll try to find happiness being bald :ha:

 

[Aireen]

First off let me say Aireen you are adorable! lol. I might need to look into that Motions, it sounds like a good product.

Aw! Thank you so much! :blush3:

Yep it is and there's no mineral oil or petroleum like they have in the other Motions products.

 

[lalla]

Lanolin is good for my hair.I mostly use it ( mixed woth other oils and butters) to seal my ends.

Make sure you aren't allergic to it and do what works for you and your j
hair.

 

[motherpopcorn562]

maybe you should do an aphogee treatment. My hair was breaking like that a couple of months ago then I did a two step treatment and no breakage afterwards. Like really none.

 

[LittleLuxe]

Is the Aphogee a protein treatment? I'm willing to do anything (and will, bank account be damned! ) to try and get some healthy hair.

I only wash my hair one to every two weeks, depending on how I feel about the hair in general.

Yesterday was my relaxer day (looove those days).

I used Mizani Butter Blend Honey Shield, ORS Olive Oil No-Lye Relaxer (normal as opposed to the sensitive scalp I KNOW I need - mistake on my part) and then the Mizani Butter Blend Honey Chelating and Neutralizing Shampoo. Washed with KeraCare Detangling Shampoo and then followed with Joico Reconstructor. I'd heard the carboxilic acids in the KeraCare would help the Joico bind better and overall just help with binding moisture and protein in a good balance. Deepconditioned with Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner with Wheat Germ Oil added (ceramides) and after finishing and drying a tiny bit (should I just apply Leave-in to wet hair?) with my hair still moist applied OJON Restorative Leave-In Treatment. I'd heard the Mizani H20 Intense (I know I'm probably not using the right names for these products, hope I'm atleast in the ballpark) was really good for helping with breakage so once my hair was fully dried (and plenty uncomfortably frizzy near the ends) I applied this and I have to say there's a LOT less breakage now and my ends don't look so horrifically frizzy. I'm only planning on using the Joico on my relaxer days.

On a daily basis I spray Chi Keratin Mist on after I apply my moisturizer at night so at this point I'm afraid of overloading on protein. The Chi Keratin Mist says it's safe to use daily but uh... you never know I suppose.

I tell you, I respect you ladies for figuring all this stuff out. I swear it's like a 5000 piece puzzle where I solve the puzzle only to realize I put the wrong pieces in the wrong places and the puzzle's picture is messed up.