I have come to the realisation that my hair needs moisture, how?

[sarahthegemini]

Up until, well today really I thought my hair was doing well. I did my first smt last week, and I accidently over-oiled afterwards so I couldn't see the true results of the smt. Although, I remember my hair didn't look very hydrated. I figured perhaps I'd gotten the ratios wrong. I repeated my smt yesterday and initially my hair felt ok, but today it feels incredibly dry. Normally after I've shampooed, conditioned and oiled my hair, it feels soft, smooth and has great slip (particularly with grapeseed oil) Today it feels soft-ish but not smooth and it has no slip whatsoever :confused: I can't think what else could have caused this, other than the smt. So I figure, my hair needs moisture to combat the dyness. I plan on doing a heavy oiling it tonight and co-ing it out tomorrow morning with my Tresemme Naturals conditioner (I used this in the smt, I don't think it's very moisturising bt it works well to co-wash out oilings - I follow up with my usual s+c) What else could I do? I think my hair responds well to honey, so it must be eiher the conditioner I used or the AVG that dried my hair out.

[rock007junkie]

Remember that oils on their own are not moisturizing. They are used to seal in moisture. T moisture your hair use a water based product (conditioner/leave-in, etc) and for long lasting moisture use an oil based product after to seal in the moisture you just added to your hair (oils or butters). I would also clarify at some point. It sounds like you are using a lot oil when you are not even using shampoo. Depending on your type of hair but I find that when cowashing oilings are not really that necessary. I usually do them when I'm using a shampoo instead of a cowash.

[WilfredAllen]

get it wet and put a plastic bag or a swim cap over it for a few hours. If you wear a toque over the bag it's even better

catnip helps with slip for me, as does white vinegar. People have different outcomes with vinegar, and use different dilutions and techniques so do research and maybe a strand test with that one

Product build up is a big issue for me, and cause my hair to feel dry if it isn't. My attempts to moisturize it (conditioner, oil) only made the problem worse. Determining your hair's porosity may be the best way to start determining which moisture treatments will work best for your hair.

[sarahthegemini]

Remember that oils on their own are not moisturizing. They are used to seal in moisture. T moisture your hair use a water based product (conditioner/leave-in, etc) and for long lasting moisture use an oil based product after to seal in the moisture you just added to your hair (oils or butters). I would also clarify at some point. It sounds like you are using a lot oil when you are not even using shampoo. Depending on your type of hair but I find that when cowashing oilings are not really that necessary. I usually do them when I'm using a shampoo instead of a cowash.

Sorry I should have been a bit clearer. I shampoo and condition daily, and I use oils after conditionig to 'seal' I don't use oils if I haven't conditioned (unless I'm doing a treatmet - which I do on damp hair to trap in moisture) I clarified less than 2 weeks ago, so I don't think build up is a problem. I co-wash out heavy oilings (which I do x2 weekly) because otherwise I have to shampoo twice which I feel strips the goodness. Thank you for your input though :flowers:

[sarahthegemini]

get it wet and put a plastic bag or a swim cap over it for a few hours. If you wear a toque over the bag it's even better

catnip helps with slip for me, as does white vinegar. People have different outcomes with vinegar, and use different dilutions and techniques so do research and maybe a strand test with that one

Product build up is a big issue for me, and cause my hair to feel dry if it isn't. My attempts to moisturize it (conditioner, oil) only made the problem worse. Determining your hair's porosity may be the best way to start determining which moisture treatments will work best for your hair.

Thanks for your reply - I've tried using vinegar and my hair didn't really like it, and I diluted it *really* well. I clarify usually on a monthly basis and my last clarifying was 2 weeks ago so I'm skeptical that build up could be the cause, although I will keep that in mind. I think really it was the avg that dried my hair which is a shame as I was hopingoit would be a nice addition to my routine.

[spidermom]

Sometimes it's a matter of finding the right products. I was about ready to give up on my hair 6 or 7 months ago. It was dry, tangly, and a lot of hassle no matter what I tried. Then I discovered Regis Designline Hydrating Balm (it was on sale), and using it once or twice a week made at least a 50% improvement in my hair. A few months after that I found Renpure Originals argan oil formula shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in serum, and I couldn't be happier with my hair. I now only use the Regis about once per month. I also clarify with a clarifying shampoo when my hair seems dull and limp, maybe once every other month or so.

Therefore, my advice would be to branch out and try something new; give it at least two weeks.

[AliD]

Build-up can prevent the moisture from actually penetrating your hair as well

[Suze2012]

Is Tresemme Naturalsthe silicone free conditioner?

That massively dried my hair out when I tried it for a couple of weeks for co washing.
It was OK in the beginning but my hair really didn't like it.

[Anje]

SMTs usually do add moisture. My guess is that it's not what you need, at least not alone.

It's possible that you need some additional protein to help your hair hold on to moisture. It's also possible that your lack of slip comes from having too much protein for your hair to tolerate already. When you next have wet hair, see how much it stretches... if it's really stretchy and doesn't seem to spring back, you could use some more protein; if it doesn't want to stretch and tends to be rough and tangly, you probably have too much and need to weed it out of your daily use products.

[sarahthegemini]

I just checked my date diary, apparently I didn't clarify 2 weeks ago. I clarified 9 days ago! (So glad I keep a record) I also thought...perhaps my shampoo is a bit harsh, I use a volume/body shampoo and conditioner which I believe are known to not be very moisturizing. I've decided to give C-W-C a try in order to keep the shampoo off my length (my roots aren't dry) I'll make sure my first conditioner is a nourishing one, then I'll just apply a little blobette of diluted 'poo on my scalp, rinse altogether then condition with my normal volume conditioner. Hopefully I'll see an improvement. I'm also going to up the ante with my overnight oilings, perhaps 3x a week instead of just 2? I'm thinking now that the dryness has stemmed from the smt but also from over-shampooing. I was concerned this would be a problem. I've wanted to experiment with CWC so now is a good time to start :)

[sarahthegemini]

Is Tresemme Naturalsthe silicone free conditioner?

That massively dried my hair out when I tried it for a couple of weeks for co washing.
It was OK in the beginning but my hair really didn't like it.

Yeah, ironically it's the Nourishing Moisture one :rolleyes:

[sarahthegemini]

SMTs usually do add moisture. My guess is that it's not what you need, at least not alone.

It's possible that you need some additional protein to help your hair hold on to moisture. It's also possible that your lack of slip comes from having too much protein for your hair to tolerate already. When you next have wet hair, see how much it stretches... if it's really stretchy and doesn't seem to spring back, you could use some more protein; if it doesn't want to stretch and tends to be rough and tangly, you probably have too much and need to weed it out of your daily use products.

Hmm, my shampoo and conditioner has silk protein in it .... just did the wet strand test - my hair stretched a little then bounced back. It did break but I pulled *really* hard

[Leeloo]

I had the same results. I’m not sure if it’s the honey or the aloe that makes my hair feel drier than usual.

[alexis917]

SMTs usually do add moisture. My guess is that it's not what you need, at least not alone.

It's possible that you need some additional protein to help your hair hold on to moisture. It's also possible that your lack of slip comes from having too much protein for your hair to tolerate already. When you next have wet hair, see how much it stretches... if it's really stretchy and doesn't seem to spring back, you could use some more protein; if it doesn't want to stretch and tends to be rough and tangly, you probably have too much and need to weed it out of your daily use products.

I was going to suggest the stretch test, you beat me to it! Haha.

[sarahthegemini]

Hmm, now i'm concerned my Tresemme 'poo and conditioner is creating a multitude of sins that I never realised before ... it's quite harsh, has protein in, and seems to be drying now. It was ok at first, but if my hair has been dry-ish since my first smt (a week ago) the 'poo and conditioner obviously isn't helping, they might not be the sole cause but they're definitely not helping. I've got some Herbal Essenes Hello Hydration (unused) in my stash. I'm gunna give that a go tomorrow. I'm just hoping my hair doesn't lose it's body and fullness :-/ I don't really want to clarify again - my hair isn't limp, tangled, crunchy, mushy or anything like that but if things don't improve, I'll try it again. Thanks for the input guys :flowers:

[Firefox7275]

Up until, well today really I thought my hair was doing well. I did my first smt last week, and I accidently over-oiled afterwards so I couldn't see the true results of the smt. Although, I remember my hair didn't look very hydrated. I figured perhaps I'd gotten the ratios wrong. I repeated my smt yesterday and initially my hair felt ok, but today it feels incredibly dry. Normally after I've shampooed, conditioned and oiled my hair, it feels soft, smooth and has great slip (particularly with grapeseed oil) Today it feels soft-ish but not smooth and it has no slip whatsoever :confused: I can't think what else could have caused this, other than the smt. So I figure, my hair needs moisture to combat the dyness. I plan on doing a heavy oiling it tonight and co-ing it out tomorrow morning with my Tresemme Naturals conditioner (I used this in the smt, I don't think it's very moisturising bt it works well to co-wash out oilings - I follow up with my usual s+c) What else could I do? I think my hair responds well to honey, so it must be eiher the conditioner I used or the AVG that dried my hair out.

What do you really mean by the word moisturising, slip or something else? And what do you mean by looking hydrated, shiny or something else?

Moisture = water, hydration = water, which is exactly what the ingredients in an SMT attract because honey and aloe vera are humectants, either from the air or from the hair depending on the humidity/ dew points. Oils are not moisturising or hydrating at all, they repel water and are anti humectants. When was the last time you did a protein treatment?

[jeanniet]

Hmm, now i'm concerned my Tresemme 'poo and conditioner is creating a multitude of sins that I never realised before ... it's quite harsh, has protein in, and seems to be drying now. It was ok at first, but if my hair has been dry-ish since my first smt (a week ago) the 'poo and conditioner obviously isn't helping, they might not be the sole cause but they're definitely not helping. I've got some Herbal Essenes Hello Hydration (unused) in my stash. I'm gunna give that a go tomorrow. I'm just hoping my hair doesn't lose it's body and fullness :-/ I don't really want to clarify again - my hair isn't limp, tangled, crunchy, mushy or anything like that but if things don't improve, I'll try it again. Thanks for the input guys :flowers:

I'd say it's more likely to be the shampoo than the conditioner. The conditioner is very moisturizing and very popular with curlies. I use it all the time, at various times for CO, rinse out, leave in, etc. That's not to say that it couldn't be the problem, but it seems to be the opposite for most people.

I would start with clarifying, and possibly chealating if your water is hard or has minerals (well water, for instance). Then go from there. I would also look into using a shampoo without sulfates, because if you shampoo often, that will dry your hair out as well.

[lulana]

I would search for a conditioner which has no protein at all in it and which should bring more moisture into the hair. Other then that hair can also be sensitive with glycerin, i guess if you do a ingredient exclusion it may help
Hope you find the reason soon!

[sarahthegemini]

What do you really mean by the word moisturising, slip or something else? And what do you mean by looking hydrated, shiny or something else?

Moisture = water, hydration = water, which is exactly what the ingredients in an SMT attract because honey and aloe vera are humectants, either from the air or from the hair depending on the humidity/ dew points. Oils are not moisturising or hydrating at all, they repel water and are anti humectants. When was the last time you did a protein treatment?

When I think of moisturised hair, I think of soft, smooth hair with slip. And when I think of hydrated, I think of it as healthy and shiny looking/feeling. My last protein treatment was 3 weeks ago - I was planning on doing another next tuesday.

[sarahthegemini]

Okay, I think I've got a plan. I've had previous success with honey, and although I've never used AVG on it's own, I have a feeling it's the Tresemme Naturals that's the culprit - I've used it in both smt's and for co-washing heavy oilings so I've used it a fair bit recently. I'm going to stick with my normal shampoo and conditioner, but I will dilute the shampoo further (and perhaps only use it on my scalp?) And I will start stretching my washes. For removing heavy oilings I'm gunna give Hello Hydration a go. Actually I might even try Hello Hydration shampoo in conjunction with my 24 Hour Body conditioner to see what happens. Hopefully I'll see an improvement. If not, I will clarify again and I'm gunna do a protein treatment next week anyway. Thanks for all input ladies :flowers:

[CurlyCap]

Did read the whole thread, but my suggestions are:

1. Cleanse hair with a chelating clarifying shampoo. I like Joico K-Pak.
2. Condition hair with moisturizing, protein free conditioner. I like Tresseme Naturals Moisture.
3. Towel dry/sop of extra water.
4. Apply more conditioner as a leave-in. Yep the same stuff from the shower.
5. Leave your hair alone. Let it air dry or put it up in a bun. Just let it soak up the moisture.
6. Co-wash every night for that week.
7. At the end of the week, see if your hair still feels dry. You should have no build-up. You've seen the maximal affect of conditioner. You can determine if you need to add a bit of LIGHT oiling to your hair if it isn't retaining moisture or if another problem has revealed itself.
8. Post what happened so we can help!

[clioariane]

Using Aveda's Dry Remedy mask once a week made a world of difference for my hair when it was very dry!

[Firefox7275]

When I think of moisturised hair, I think of soft, smooth hair with slip. And when I think of hydrated, I think of it as healthy and shiny looking/feeling. My last protein treatment was 3 weeks ago - I was planning on doing another next tuesday.

That is relatively undamaged conditioned hair; not feeling conditioned doesn't necessarily mean the hair needs more water, too much water weakens the hair. Many ingredients or properties contribute to the look or feel you seek - oils, hydrolysed protein, cationic surfactants, a low pH (~4.5), panthenol, ceramides and even silicones. Many of these will patch repair surface damage and encourage the cuticle to lay flat reflecting light without necessarily increasing water content. I know it all sounds like semantics, but if we use the word moisturised to mean conditioned we can start looking to the wrong ingredients to get the effect we want. Work with your hair properties when choosing ingredients and products, look to have balance in your routine not an excess of oils or humectants.

HTH.

[jacqueline101]

I'd clarify and try your product again if it's still not successful I'd try another product.

[sarahthegemini]

That is relatively undamaged conditioned hair; not feeling conditioned doesn't necessarily mean the hair needs more water, too much water weakens the hair. Many ingredients or properties contribute to the look or feel you seek - oils, hydrolysed protein, cationic surfactants, a low pH (~4.5), panthenol, ceramides and even silicones. Many of these will patch repair surface damage and encourage the cuticle to lay flat reflecting light without necessarily increasing water content. I know it all sounds like semantics, but if we use the word moisturised to mean conditioned we can start looking to the wrong ingredients to get the effect we want. Work with your hair properties when choosing ingredients and products, look to have balance in your routine not an excess of oils or humectants.

HTH.

That did help, thank you, I appreciate it! I understand now that my problem wasn't a moisture problem but a conditioning one (I*thought* the words were interchangeable but I can understand the difference now) So it turns out I didn't need anymore moisture or protein, I just needed a better conditioning product. I heavily oiled last night and co-ed it out this morning with Hello Hydration instead of Tresemme Naturals, followed up with my usual S+C and oil, and voila. The dryness has gone completely! So glad it was an easy fix. I appreciate all the responses guys, I know what to do if an actual [I]moisture[/I issue occurs, thanks guys :flowers: