Silly question...what does "crunchy" hair mean?

**Lutya** · January 11th, 2009, 05:12 PM

I'm fairly new here but I keep hearing people refer to their hair as feeling "crunchy" and I can not for the life of me figure out what that means. Or, should I say, I have never had my hair feel anything like what I would consider crunchy. I guess the closest thing that I can vaguely imagine is what my hair is like after swimming in salt water? When it gets sort of sticky and stiff? Anyway, it's such a common term that I'm figuring it means something slightly different than what I am picturing. Or is it because I have never colored, chemically treated, etc. that I don't experience this crunchy feeling?

Anyway, thanks for answering my silly question!

**GlassEyes** · January 11th, 2009, 05:14 PM

Stiff and brittle feeling, as if made from a pile of straw and or stale candy/dry cereal.

**MadHatter** · January 11th, 2009, 05:18 PM

Stiff and brittle, like it would snap easily if you pull on it. It might sound like walking on parched dead grass when you squeeze it.

**JamieLeigh** · January 11th, 2009, 06:15 PM

If you don't know what it's like to have crunchy hair, you're doing a great job! LOL, I hope I never have to find this out as well.

**Lutya** · January 11th, 2009, 06:24 PM

Thanks all, I guess I've never had it! Lucky me.

**jojo** · January 11th, 2009, 07:11 PM

Ive had crunchy hair in the past and I think its when we have too much protein in our hair.

The ends feel like stiff and hard, a good moisturizer gets rid of it or applying oils to the ends.

More common in hair which is over processed, dyed, bleached, permed etc.

But it also happens when we have product overload, in which case a good claryfying treatment, followed by a deep conditioner and a ACV rinse works wonders.

**CaraLynn** · January 11th, 2009, 07:44 PM

Ah here's how to find out:

Get thee to the shower, and wash your hair.

Put too much gel on it while it's still sopping wet.

Scrunch.

Fifteen minutes later, scrunch again. What you feel will be....

CRUNCHY HAIR!! (at least if you're like me)

Ohh, you don't WANT to do that? ....:P Sorry, I'm just in a really silly mood tonight.

**Teacherbear** · January 11th, 2009, 07:55 PM

My hair feels like little tiny needles poking me when my hair gets crunchy. And when my hair gets crunchy, it sounds and FEELS crunchy. My hair also tangles horribly when it is that way. It is yucky! (wow - great adjective, huh?! lol)

**Lutya** · January 11th, 2009, 08:27 PM

Okay, I guess you guys really do mean CRUNCHY and not something else...heh. So, maybe the secret to not having crunchy hair, for me at least, is no coloring or processing or heat tools; and not using any hair products other than poo and occasional conditioner (I don't use mousse or gel or the like). But I do have horrible static! Stupid 20% humidity in the winter. And I do use a humidifier at night to get it up to 40%.

**Anje** · January 11th, 2009, 08:39 PM

It's also possible for some people to get "crunchy hair" under certain conditions when they apply lots of oil (typically coconut, it seems) to dry hair. Hair that has more moisture in it doesn't seem to have that problem as much, but YMMV.