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View Full Version : Crunchy frizzies are annoying me!



Frostfen
September 22nd, 2013, 08:41 PM
All right, I've been trying to learn how to manage my hair properly for about a year now, because I realized that using strong sulfates and intermittent coney conditioners may NOT have been best for my hair (my hair was incredibly voluminous and poofy), but even with experimenting with non-sulfates and "natural" conditioners and stopping all heat tools, my hair is now just constantly frizzy and crunchy.

Sure, some of it may be my natural hair texture, I'm pretty sure I'm a 2b (sometimes it flattens to a 2a, for whatever reason), but if you look closely at my hair, it seems that every strand has its own unique curl and sometimes even its own unique texture.... so maybe that's why a lot of them rebel and won't just lie with the main waves and curls! Yet, as you can imagine, I was surprised when all these non-sulfates were making my hair frizzy! After all, they're gentler than sulfates, right? They seemed to control the canopy frizz more, but they made it crunchier. But then, through research, I realized that the high amounts of protein in all the non-sulfates I had picked were probably contributing to the dry crunchies. In the shower, I pulled on some strands, and they promptly snapped off, indicating low moisture/too much protein. When I used "alternative" methods to moisturize my hair, however, they also seemed to leave my hair still dry and crunchy! I've tried coconut oil, which made my hair look odd and frizzy and crunchy, while olive and jojoba oils didn't leave it crunchy, but certainly frizzy after a few hours. ACV helps with the frizz a little bit, and I used that in place of conditioner for a long time since I couldn't afford legit conditioner for a while, but it of course doesn't moisturize the hair. Aloe vera gel makes my hair shiny upon first application, but I think it builds up and then makes my hair frizzy and crunchy. The humectant properties probably don't always help with the frizziness, either. Since I couldn't afford trying bunches of different conditioners, I've only used two so far, so perhaps I can't judge adequately what isn't working..... but again, they gave me crunchy frizzies! Maybe it's because they contain oils and butters as well.... so far, I've used Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree conditioner and Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner. The former helped with hydration but still didn't help the frizz, and the latter doesn't really seem to moisturize and just leaves my hair feeling..... odd. Like it's coated, and, well.... crunchy. I tried an SMT for the first time today using the Shea Moisture (because that's the only conditioner I have right now), and while my hair felt much softer and more manageable in the shower, it's dried awfully frizzy and stiff. Perhaps I didn't wash it out enough, but I'm quite frustrated!

Anyone have advice for the head of hair that seems to be very picky? After all, if aloe nor oils nor butters have seemed to help, what can? How can I troubleshoot this problem? Will I just have to find protein- and aloe- and oil-free products? Or perhaps am I just just using what I have in the wrong manner?

Babzilla
September 22nd, 2013, 08:52 PM
Curly Girl Method? Have you checked it out?

Applegirl84
September 22nd, 2013, 09:14 PM
I had trouble with frizz too and I'm starting to figure it out. CO is helping, but I think the biggest thigh is not touching my hair at all while it is air drying. It's really hard for me, because I always figure comb while wet, but now when I completely leave it alone it dries beautifully. Of course when it's half dry it looks terribly frizzy and in the past I'd start adding oils or leave ins to help, but that just made it greasy or crunchy. Now I pretend not to notice the half dry frizziness and my patience is rewarded! Try it. It takes like 3 hrs for mine to dry without touching, but it's worth it.

sycamoreboutiqu
September 22nd, 2013, 09:40 PM
Yes, been there.

The crunchy part could very likely be excess protein (I get that result from henna sometimes) but I found that it also can be mineral build up. When my hair starts to get "velcro" ends and a stiff feel that is usually the culprit.

The solution is easy - simple baking soda. It helps remove mineral deposits. Since I am a CO washer (that is the holy grail for frizzy poufy hair) I mix about a teaspoon / tablespoon into a big handful of cheap conditioner and squeeze through the bottom 1/3 to 1/2 of my hair. I only leave it on for 1 minute then rinse, rinse, rinse it out. I follow that with a good conditioner which I either only partially rinse out or add more back on and just squeeze through the soaking wet hair and leave on. That and some additional coconut oil on WET hair has made all the difference.

The trick is to seal in moisture (ie:water) at the end of your wash routine. Frizz happens when open cuticle starts attracting moisture - you want that moisture sealed in under the cuticle and to do that you have to seal it in with something on the surface. Applying oil / butter whatever to dry hair doesn't always help if it doesn't have a good moisture content already.

I also agree with Applegirl84 - the partially dry stage is the worst and you just have to avoid combing or excessive handling during that part. My hair takes 12-16 hours to air dry so that can be a challenge. What I usually do is to keep it controlled during the drying period. I start out letting it air dry for a short while, then I do rope braids for several hours until it isn't super wet. Then I take the rope braids out and let it loose for a bit, then I either redo the ropes or put it up in a bun. I repeat the bun / loose method several more times and then bun or braid it for sleep and by the next day it is pretty smoothed down.

By day 3 it is totally calm.

Leeloo
September 22nd, 2013, 10:08 PM
For frizzies I'd suggest Curly Girl method. For crunchy I'd suggest clarifying or chelating.

Firefox7275
September 22nd, 2013, 10:54 PM
When did you last chelate and clarify to remove hard water deposits and protein build up? Oils and butters to not moisturise (add or increase water) they are occlusives/ sealants/ anti humectants. It sounds like what you actually need is more of the major emollients (softening)/ conditioning agents like the fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants.

Baking soda is not a chelant, it's alkaline so damaging to skin and hair. Chelating agents for mineral deposits are all acids.

Panth
September 23rd, 2013, 01:30 AM
1) Depending on how recently you stopped using heat tools, you are almost certainly going to have a lot of damage left. That damaged hair may well just act up, be dry and frizzy, etc. and you will just have to baby it and put up with it until you trim it off.

2) Overloading with protein is definitely not a good idea. Stop the protein-containing products for a while to give your hair a rest.

3) Oils and butters do not moisturise, nor do vinegar rinses. They provide slip, shine, softening and detangling properties ... but not moisture. Try something that is actually moisturising.

4) Have you clarified (to remove product build-up) and chelated (to remove mineral build-up)?

5) Check out the Curly Girl method!