What can give strength to hair?

[Eirinn]

I'm wondering what can make it stronger and more vivid. Mine just got limp again:( I've been washing it with claryfing shampoo and nothing so far so that's not build up... Can you advice any strenghtening treatment or product? Henna washes out within a few washes:mad: so it wouldn't help... I'll be grateful for any hint:flower:

[ChloeDharma]

I might be misunderstanding you, but do you mean you wash your hair each time with a clarifying shampoo? I imagine that would weaken the hair if you did.

Other than that......horsetail rinses tend to be strengthening because it's rich in silica. Yogurt gives lovely shine and definately strengthens my hair, or seems to. Henna can be used quite regularly if you want by combining it with some conditioner or yogurt and used as a weekly deep treatment without really colouring hair much if you dont want it too.
Methi i found quite strengthening and conditioning too.

I think i remember you saying your hair doesn't like coconut oil in another thread.....have you tried any others? I'm trying to remember which ones i found made my hair feel stronger when i went through a phase of testing them a few years ago......wheatgerm and avocado are 2 that spring up in my memory as strengthening. Castor oil too i found good, although it's very thick and a bit sticky so best diluted a bit with another oil.

[Arctic]

I was going to suggest henna and coconut oil :) I like olive oil too, but on my hair it feels more "moisturizing" and coconut oil is more strengthening. I haven't got experience from other oils yet.

Here (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278612/the_fine_art_of_protein_and_moisture.html?cat=69) is a good article about protein and moisture balance. You might want to see if your hair could benefit from either or both treatments?

[pariate]

Cassia obovata really boosts my hair in this respect! It's sometimes called white/clear henna. It's fantastic for adding thickness I've found.

What's your current routine?

[jojo]

are you drinking enough water? other than that a good balanced diet might help.

[yogachic]

An overnight oil on dry hair maybe, then braid.

[Stagecoach]

I was going to suggest two things.

Henna. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45) I doubt it would give you and color change since your natural color appears to be very dark. But I hear that it's very strengthening to hair and gives incredible shine.

Catnip tea rinses. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476) I've been using these for a few months now, and they have definetly improved the strength and quality of my hair. The shine is also much better.

[LadyLongLocks]

Coconut oil. It has the properties to penetrate the hair which helps prevent protein loss.

[Slug Yoga]

I might be misunderstanding you, but do you mean you wash your hair each time with a clarifying shampoo? I imagine that would weaken the hair if you did.

Okay, sorry this is OT, but I'm having a bit of a panic.

I CO wash routinely with VO5 vanilla mint tea conditioner, which is called "clarifying" on the bottle. Could it be damaging my hair? :agape: I always just figured it was a non-buildup-y kind of conditioner, made for use after a clarifying shampoo!

[ChloeDharma]

Okay, sorry this is OT, but I'm having a bit of a panic.

I CO wash routinely with VO5 vanilla mint tea conditioner, which is called "clarifying" on the bottle. Could it be damaging my hair? :agape: I always just figured it was a non-buildup-y kind of conditioner, made for use after a clarifying shampoo!

Awww sorry i made you panic :flower:
What i meant was using a clarifying shampoo, if it's a conditioner i'm sure it's just a really light one, as you say, to prevent buildup. Though if anyone knows different please do correct me.

[Slug Yoga]

Awww sorry i made you panic :flower:
What i meant was using a clarifying shampoo, if it's a conditioner i'm sure it's just a really light one, as you say, to prevent buildup. Though if anyone knows different please do correct me.


Whew, okay. Just checking. Thanks. *wipes forehead*

[Eirinn]

I might be misunderstanding you, but do you mean you wash your hair each time with a clarifying shampoo? I imagine that would weaken the hair if you did.

Other than that......horsetail rinses tend to be strengthening because it's rich in silica. Yogurt gives lovely shine and definately strengthens my hair, or seems to. Henna can be used quite regularly if you want by combining it with some conditioner or yogurt and used as a weekly deep treatment without really colouring hair much if you dont want it too.
Methi i found quite strengthening and conditioning too.

I think i remember you saying your hair doesn't like coconut oil in another thread.....have you tried any others? I'm trying to remember which ones i found made my hair feel stronger when i went through a phase of testing them a few years ago......wheatgerm and avocado are 2 that spring up in my memory as strengthening. Castor oil too i found good, although it's very thick and a bit sticky so best diluted a bit with another oil.

No, I'd have to be mad to wash my hair with caryfing shampoo all the time!:p I just meant that because I wash with it a build up is not the reason of limp hair. Every oil makes my hair dry. But yoghurt sounds interestng, how do you use it? And what are horsetail rinses?!:confused:

[Eirinn]

I was going to suggest henna and coconut oil :) I like olive oil too, but on my hair it feels more "moisturizing" and coconut oil is more strengthening. I haven't got experience from other oils yet.

Here (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278612/the_fine_art_of_protein_and_moisture.html?cat=69) is a good article about protein and moisture balance. You might want to see if your hair could benefit from either or both treatments?

I know how to say if it's a protein thing and have some protein treatmen in case of that. But this is not a protein problem.

[Eirinn]

Cassia obovata really boosts my hair in this respect! It's sometimes called white/clear henna. It's fantastic for adding thickness I've found.

What's your current routine?

Unfortunatelly we don't have cassia, AVG, shea butter or more then one coconut oil in this forsaken by God and men country:mad:

My current rutine: S&C every 2 days (CO made my hair get greasy fester:rolleyes:) with AVC rise, gliceryn mask/ condish with coffee/eggs+ honey+EVOO (I really can't make up my mind about EVOO working or not) for deep treatments, no blow drier, no styling products

[Phalaenopsis]

Ever tried to add a little bit of ylang ylang EO to your shampoo?
I really like it and Ylang Ylang is for strength. Just add 4 drops to your shampoo in your hand, mix it with your fingers and do the usual washing :)

[ChloeDharma]

No, I'd have to be mad to wash my hair with caryfing shampoo all the time!:p I just meant that because I wash with it a build up is not the reason of limp hair. Every oil makes my hair dry. But yoghurt sounds interestng, how do you use it? And what are horsetail rinses?!:confused:

Lol i figured i must have got it wrong.....

Yogurt is really easy to use, you can mix it with some conditioner as a deep treatment, or honey and aloe, i just use whatever natural yogurt is about really. You could add an egg yolk for extra conditioning if you wanted.

Horsetail is a herb, so for a rinse i just put some dried horsetail in a jug and poured on just boiled water, covered and left to infuse till it had cooled down. You could add herbs like rosemary and nettles too it too if you wanted.