Help please, all of my perfect products stopped working...

[Hollyfire3]

Hi, so about 3 months ago, I FINALLY found a shampoo, condioner and leave in that works perfectly for my hair but....this past two weeks, it has all stopped working, nothing works. Only very very very protein heavy products make my normally protein disliking hair look semi-normal. I have tried clarifying, I have done a protein treatment followed by a moisture treatment and I have tried my previously "perfect" hair routine many times over with still crappy results. My hair is terrible now, it won't curl right, its not pretty and is just not good at all. Do I maybe need MORE protein or do I need to start yet another year long search for workign products and go into mental break down mode over my hair for the next 12 months.......:confused:

[Henrietta]

Well, hair does get used to products. At least mine. It gets to some point of awesomeness and then stops, and I have to change products for a while. But... you said your hair is terrible. So it's something different.
What are the miracle products? I doubt I'll be able to analyse the INCI list in any way, but we have specialists here. Maybe it's something in the ingredients that on long term causes a little disaster?

Don't fall into breakdown! We'll fix it! You've... let me see... 48,525 people to help you ;) :D

[TeaEarlGreyHot]

Do you happen to live in an area with hard water? Or maybe soft water? If it is hard what about using a chelating shampoo? It is different than clarifying. My hair seems to go through phases (or I should really say scalp because it is sensitive to most shampoos/conditioners) and we have very hard water here in the Midwest. What does your current routine happen to be? Have you tried ACV or highly diluted lemon juice rinse?

[Hollyfire3]

Well, hair does get used to products. At least mine. It gets to some point of awesomeness and then stops, and I have to change products for a while. But... you said your hair is terrible. So it's something different.
What are the miracle products? I doubt I'll be able to analyse the INCI list in any way, but we have specialists here. Maybe it's something in the ingredients that on long term causes a little disaster?

Don't fall into breakdown! We'll fix it! You've... let me see... 48,525 people to help you ;) :D


Aww thanks, I'll post the ingredients....the only reason a breakdown threatens is that I had terrible and I mean terrible (dry and ugly, not ever pretty, won't do what it should no matter what, no ever going to wear it down its so bad) hair that really took a blow to my self esteem and it really is a very dark place I never want to see again.
Shampoo ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Cocoamphodipropionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Equisetum Hiemale Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Pouteria Sapota Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panthenol, Wheat Amino Acids, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-55, Polyquaternium-10, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum).
Conditioner ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Pouteria Sapota Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panthenol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Quaternium-91, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Maltodextrin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance (Parfum).
Mousse ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Propane, Polysorbate 20, Butane, Polyquaternium-11, VP/VA Copolymer, Isobutane, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Quaternium-52, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Alcohol Denat., DMDM Hydantoin, Parfum (Fragrance), Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone.

the shampoo and conditioner were both found ona random sale-lets buy it kick. Oddly enough, they are both volumizing, I don't need volume, but apparently all the herbal ingredients work for my hair...or used to. My current plan of action is to clarify again (just did so a week and a half ago) then deep condition wiht this conditioner, olive oil, and an egg.

[Hollyfire3]

Do you happen to live in an area with hard water? Or maybe soft water? If it is hard what about using a chelating shampoo? It is different than clarifying. My hair seems to go through phases (or I should really say scalp because it is sensitive to most shampoos/conditioners) and we have very hard water here in the Midwest. What does your current routine happen to be? Have you tried ACV or highly diluted lemon juice rinse?

I don't have hard water at all. My current routine consistes of trying ever product I can grab in the bathroom to see if it works (as of the begining of this week). My normal routine is to use shampoo, conditioner and mousse and wash every three days.

[Henrietta]

I almost failed chemistry in high school so no help here. I'm sorry :( But I am sure someone who it good at breaking down INCI lists will see this thread.

The two things that came to my mind are: all volumizing things I tried made my hair dry and puffy. Well, it is some kind of volume, but... Yeah. (ETA: It was in pre-LHC era, when I was using rather random products. Whatever my mum bought.)
The second one: I've heard a few people on YT ranting about mousses. And saying that it's really hard to find a good one, because majority are evil that cause hair to crumble and break. But. Those were styling mousses. Like... hairsprays, only in a moussy form. Your mousse is a leave in, but... a mousse instead of a cream, right? So the general ugliness doesn't apply.

[Hollyfire3]

I almost failed chemistry in high school so no help here. I'm sorry :( But I am sure someone who it good at breaking down INCI lists will see this thread.

The two things that came to my mind are: all volumizing things I tried made my hair dry and puffy. Well, it is some kind of volume, but... Yeah.
The second one: I've heard a few people on YT ranting about mousses. And saying that it's really hard to find a good one, because majority are evil that cause hair to crumble and break. But. Those were styling mousses. Like... hairsprays, only in a moussy form. Your mousse is a leave in, but... a mousse instead of a cream, right? So the general ugliness doesn't apply.

I think the volumizing is not great for my hair, it does get a bit....umm, big? But, for some reason, this line of shampoo is balanced in protein and moisture to work well for my hair, I may need to look into getting a different type (smoothing, color protect, curly hair) of shampoo by the same line (they all have similar ingredients, this just seems a bit more drying probably, for volume and such). My mousse doesn't cause my hair to crumble and break, I know this, I use maybe three palmfuls in damp hair and air dry, its not even enough mousse for my hair to get hard from the product, just enough to perserve curl. It is a creamy mouse, not a hairspray in mousse form, so I don't think the mousse is the problem.

[spidermom]

Has the weather changed significantly?
Try a different formulation in the same product line.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I have heard that sometimes it can be good to take a break from your usual products for a while and then go back to them - as hair can get "used" to things. I don't know how true this is but maybe you could try it?

I'm sorry you are having all this trouble, it sounds horrible! I hope you find a solution quickly.

[AnnaJamila]

I know my hair type is different than yours but I just tried the "Honey I'm Strong" line from Herbal Essences and I LOVE it.

My hair is very, very fussy about what I wash it with- I've tried all the major brands, several types of homemade and herbal washes, CO, WO and this has by far delivered the best results. And at about $9 you can't beat the price with a stick.

[Hollyfire3]

Has the weather changed significantly?
Try a different formulation in the same product line.

I plan on doing the last suggestion, but I have just bought more of this same product...ugh. The weather has not changed significantly sadly. And Sarahlybrith, I don't know what else to try if my hair is used to this product...it really was th eonly one to work constitently.....

[Delila]

If you haven't tried a chelating shampoo, maybe it would help?

Have you read this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=15746)? Gladtobemom's got some great advice that's worked well for me.

[Hollyfire3]

I may have to try the Honey, I'm strong line, thanks to the poster who suggested it and I am looking at gladtobemom's article right now, I always have so hard a time diagnosing my own hair though, I'll give it my best shot though.

[Madora]

Try clarifying again and condition lightly afterwards.

I cannot stress too much that "less is more". Find a good shampoo and a good conditioner. Try diluting both.

Leave off all other leave-ins and oils or honey or anything else that will leave a coating on your hair. If you have to oil, use a drop or two of mineral oil.

If you brush, do it daily. Detangle before you brush.

Also, you don't need a lot of lather when shampooing.

[Littlewing13]

Don't forget that you can give your hair too much protein. And if you try something new don't forget the golden rule: clarify first. (says me who hasn't clarified in a long long time)