Opening the cuticle

[Aisha25]

Ok so I am wondering how we get our cuticles to open for the hairs to absorb the henna or deep treatments better?

Do we just use heat to open them up with like say a hot towel or is there something else to make them open up and absorb as much as possible??

Aisha

[ktani]

Ok so I am wondering how we get our cuticles to open for the hairs to absorb the henna or deep treatments better?

Do we just use heat to open them up with like say a hot towel or is there something else to make them open up and absorb as much as possible??

Aisha

A number of things open hair cuticles. It depends on to what degree. Water makes hair swell, so does heat. Alkaline substances like baking soda and hair colouring substances like ammonial open them further.

[Aisha25]

So doing baking soda or getting hair wet before applying is best?? Does the cuticle close after hair is dryed??

[ktani]

So doing baking soda or getting hair wet before applying is best?? Does the cuticle close after hair is dryed??

Baking soda is not necessary IMO. What are you going to be using? Water works fine for many things, so does body heat.

If it is a conditioning treatment, use it on wet or damp hair and bag it.

[spidermom]

I think heat is best. Last time I did a deep treatment, I sat in a dry-heat sauna with the coconut oil, conditioner, and honey mixture in my hair. Awesome results!

[Aisha25]

I think heat is best. Last time I did a deep treatment, I sat in a dry-heat sauna with the coconut oil, conditioner, and honey mixture in my hair. Awesome results!
So lots of steam. Maybe I will run my hot water in the bathroom and close the door:hmm:

[ktani]

So lots of steam. Maybe I will run my hot water in the bathroom and close the door:hmm:

Steam is great but body heat IMO, under saran (cling wrap) or a bag, works very well, from experience. You could do both. Steam can be drying if you use too much. You do not need high heat.

[Rosepatrice]

At first I thought you meant the cuticle on the finger nail, HEE HEE HEE!! I thought, WHAT????:D

[Aisha25]

:lol: Lol!

[spidermom]

So lots of steam. Maybe I will run my hot water in the bathroom and close the door:hmm:

Mine was a dry-heat sauna: hot but bearable, plenty of sweat, no steam.

[Aisha25]

Ooo ok oh well. Thanks spidermom

[Heidi_234]

I've read that you can wet a towel and heat it in the microwave. Sometimes I warm a towel on a heating battery and use it. Or else I use saran wrap and a beanie/toque on top, so it effectively keeps the body heat and makes it warm. Something I did also is use the good ole blow dried, but to blow on the towel on my head, it warms it up nicely as well.
I also won't recommend using anything alkaine to open up the cuticles because I think it's not really good to mess with the pH of your hair and scalp. If you can use heat instead, then do it.

[Aisha25]

Yeah thanks I wanted to see if there was something else but nope. Thanks so much:flowers:

[spidermom]

Oh - and a heating pad. I've put treatment on hair, coiled on head, shower cap over that, t-shirt over that, heating pad on low. Then I watched a movie before rinsing out. Very good results.