Kinda tmi....kinda gross.... Brush question

[GracieRae]

I've switched between using Wen daily to shampooing every other day. Ive been on the shampoo every other day wagon lately. I bought a new hairbrush and just gave a good brush and man does that feel good to the scalp. But they are the plastic bristles with the ball on the end. I noticed there was a powder like residue and them and when I wiped it with my finger it was kinda waxy. I was wondering if that means I should do a scalp sugar scrub or something?
And I'm sure some people would say no-no to this brush. I do have a mason Pearson boar bristle at home. This is my work brush. Im not a routine brusher anyway. Anyway, any opinions would be appreciated :)

[curlytwirlykate]

What other products are you using, GracieRae? I don't have much experience with Wen, but I do know that there could be other culprits for the waxy, white residue!

As for the brush... well, I don't know anything about that. Haven't used a brush in years :)

[GracieRae]

I don't really use many products. Maybe a leave in conditioner cream or serum occasionally. Only applied to length. Maybe it's residue from that? Idk? I've never noticed this before. Maybe it's dry scalp?

[arjay.d]

It's sebum. That's the wax that your head produces. The idea of the BBB is to move the sebum down the shaft of your hair to protect it. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but then, mine is sorta crazy anyway. Someone else on here can probably tell you how much sebum is too much. Anyway, probably not a product or anything wrong. Just your head doing its thing.

[curlytwirlykate]

Perhaps?

I just reread your post -- are you still using the Wen every other day, or are you using some other shampoo? And if this is the case, what are you using instead?

[ravenreed]

IIRC Wen has cones. It could be buildup. I would try a clarifying wash myself.

[MadameV]

I've never used Wen, but I used to have the same problem with Dr. Bronner's. I didn't think it was sebum at the time because I figured sebum wouldn't gum up a boar hair brush, which this did. I just put up with it for a while, and when I ended up discontinuing with Dr. Bronner's for other reasons, it went away pretty much instantly. I don't know if that helps.

[jacqueline101]

I agree it's sebum from your scalp.

[spirals]

I really don't know, but I've been using Dr. Bronner's for a year and I am less sebum-y than I was before. I just got a brush yesterday with a colored pad (rather than the white one on my old brush) and I don't notice any residue. Of course, I do use an acid rine after my soap. Maybe that makes a difference? Everyone's different, though.

[Renbirde]

I get the same sort of stuff in my brush and I don't think it's sebum. I see it mostly on my length, not up near my scalp, and if I only shampoo, I find very little until the next wash. I'm pretty sure it's something from my conditioner, and it's not cones-- I'm using a coney HE conditioner right now, and it was MUCH worse when I was using a cone-free Suave. Would love to know what it is and how to avoid it, since my hair gets super tangly whenever it shows up.

[Isilme]

Probably sebum, build up and common dust all cozy and happy together! ;) Nothing to be afraid of, happens when you get a bit of product buildup.

[Chromis]

Probably sebum, build up and common dust all cozy and happy together! ;) Nothing to be afraid of, happens when you get a bit of product buildup.

Agreed!

Just wash your brush as needed and it shouldn't be a big deal. I've always gotten a bit of that no matter how often I was or what method/products I have used over the years.

[NinaJean]

I'm going to say sebum as well. If your shampoo lathers that could be what's causing more sebum than before, because wen is none lathering it doesn't strip the oils from your scalp as much as normal shampoo does. My guess would be that your scalp is just overproducing for a little while to try to find it's balance again. I went from shampooing normally every couple days (i had greasyyyy hair) to Wen once every couple days to W.O and back to shampooing but I only have to wash my hair now once every two weeks to keep it from looking oily because my scalp nearly stopped producing any extra sebum.
But in the middle of all those changes my scalp went whacky and my hairbrush was covered in tons of that ickyness, so I really think it's just your scalp trying to find a calm happy sebum places because of the product switch

[feathers]

I get that on my brush and comb too. I think it's normal, though it kind of grosses me out. :(

[spidermom]

It's probably sebum and/or residue from the products that you use.

[kidari]

I get that too. I think it's a mix of a lot of things. My brushes get really disgusting. There is a thick waxy substance that builds up that I can tell is mixed with dirt and lint and products. Plus there is tons and tons of lint that wraps around the base of the bristles like cotton. I have to take the end of a rat tail comb and scoop out all the hairs but the lint is annoying to remove, sometimes I have to pull it out with my fingers. Afterwards I wash them in the sink with shampoo and a brush scrubber that came with my Mason Pearson. I've read on Gladtobemom's blog that she recommends placing a layer of cheesecloth on your brushes so that it catches all of the shed hairs and other things (sebum, dirt, lint, etc) and it's been a life saver. Every few days I just lift up the cheesecloth (I use two layers) and all of the shed hairs easily come right off and I see the dirty brownish waxy sebum and product residue stained on the white cloth too... ewww!!