Mane & Tail Dilemma

[terrin]

I washed and conditioned twice with The Original Mane & Tail about 3 1/2 weeks ago. My hair turned to straw and I felt a waxy gunk all over my hair. It also tangled quickly. I tried to wash out the gunk but it only made things worse. I also clarified with baking soda twice, but to no avail. After some obsessive research, I came to the conclusion that I had "protein overload" and the only 'cure' for it was to eliminate protein from my shampoos and conditioners (for a time) and deep condition once a week until my hair recovered. I have done both and started co-washing. My hair seems to be on the mend, but it still tangles easily and it still feels dry, although a lot less dry than it did. Has anyone else had to work a 'cure' after Mane & Tail? If so, how long did it take for your hair to return to normal or did it? What did you do? When did you start adding protein back into your routine? What did you use? I'm thinking the bigger proteins (like wheat) will be far too much for me from now on but I'm not sure what the smaller proteins are and which might be best for my protein-sensitive hair? I think I am a 1c/f/m/ii. Thank you in advance for any help.

[Shibe]

I wish I could help, my hair loves Mane n' Tail.

Perhaps give it a nice oiling? Try some Coconut or Olive oil.

[LAG93]

I only use mane n tail as a clarifying once a month or so because when I used it regularly I got the same results as you. My hair would be so dry and tangly. I started using a low sulfate shampoo and a silicone free condish about twice a week. I still get tangles with that though. I use a silicone full leave in to make my hair more slippery so it doesn't tangle and brushing is easier, which causes less damage than if I were to not use a silicone. But since I use the silicone my hair does need a good wash with mane n tail every once in a while, and after I use it I usually do a SMT

[HintOfMint]

Mane 'n Tail was the original cause of my protein overload a few years ago. I had to clarify once or twice actually, to get the excess protein off before doing deep treatments with protein-free conditioners.

[LAG93]

Oh wow! It does sound like your hair doesn't like protein at all. Maybe try a protein free shampoo and conditioner, and the chi keratin silk infusions as a leave in, it has cones but also keratin amino acids, which..I'm no scientist but I believe that is a type of protein. It seems to be gentle enough for my hair which doesn't like much protein, but it notice when I use it, my hair detangles easier and also seems to be stronger after a while of using, yet still moisturized from my protein free condish

You just have to experiment with your own hair, maybe try cutting out proteins all together and slowly adding them in if you feel a need to

ETA: I'm sorry I did not realize HintOfMint was not the OP, but I suppose this reply can go towards both of you anyways! Haha sorry for the confusion

[HintOfMint]

Oh wow! It does sound like your hair doesn't like protein at all. Maybe try a protein free shampoo and conditioner, and the chi keratin silk infusions as a leave in, it has cones but also keratin amino acids, which..I'm no scientist but I believe that is a type of protein. It seems to be gentle enough for my hair which doesn't like much protein, but it notice when I use it, my hair detangles easier and also seems to be stronger after a while of using, yet still moisturized from my protein free condish

You just have to experiment with your own hair, maybe try cutting out proteins all together and slowly adding them in if you feel a need to

ETA: I'm sorry I did not realize HintOfMint was not the OP, but I suppose this reply can go towards both of you anyways! Haha sorry for the confusion

Haha, no worries. Yeah I was just offering a clarifying and protein-free deep treatment as a way to cure the aftermath of her experience with Mane 'n Tail. My hair can tolerate protein in small amounts, and it was fine with Mane 'n Tail for a few uses. But then it just started to get rougher and drier with each use. I know that my hair is at its softest with a completely protein-free routine.

[jacqueline101]

I used mane n tail and it does have a lot of protein. I was wondering if your hates protein. To combate protein overload use moisture.

[swearnsue]

Every night before bed put a tiny bit of oil on your ends and then put your hair up for the night. Oils that would be good are coconut, argan or rose hip oil. If you use a tiny bit then your hair will soak it up overnight and not wake up with the greasies.

Don't use protein again unless your wet hair gets really stretchy. Then use the conditioner and leave it on for just a minute and rinse out. You may not ever need protein in your hair, some people don't need it.

[jeanniet]

I think Mane N Tail is just pretty harsh. I can put any amount of protein in my hair, but Mane N Tail just trashed it. Way too harsh for me.

[BlazingHeart]

If your hair responded like that to protein, I'm not sure why you want to add it back in? It's one of those things that some people's hair just does not like or need, and unless you start getting symptoms of not having enough protein, I wouldn't add it back in at all.

[prettyinpink]

Sounds like your hair dosent like protein

[Saldana]

My hair has the same reaction to Mane N Tail. Wierd, stiff, waxy feeling. I got it out with a baking soda scrub (shampoo with about a tsp of baking soda mixed in), followed with a diluted vinegar rinse, followed with a long slow rinsing with tepid (almost cool) water.

[terrin]

My hair has the same reaction to Mane N Tail. Wierd, stiff, waxy feeling. I got it out with a baking soda scrub (shampoo with about a tsp of baking soda mixed in), followed with a diluted vinegar rinse, followed with a long slow rinsing with tepid (almost cool) water.

I did try the baking soda scrub twice. It helped somewhat. My hair doesn't feel so gunky anymore. I'll try the vinegar rinse. Did your hair ever get back to normal? If so, how long did it take?

[terrin]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all of your help. I'm not sure how protein sensitive my hair is. I never had a problem before Mane & Tail. I was using Redken's All Soft, Tresemme's Luxurious Moisture, Tresemme Keratin Smooth, Prell (once a week), and various others. I'd been frustrated with all of them because I always felt the 'serums' were weighing my hair down (and not doing what they were suppose to do), so I switched every other day or so (I washed everyday). I used Luxurious Moisture most often because my hair was always dry and frizzy. Now, thanks to this site, I'm thinking it was the 'cones weighing my hair down.

I am going to wait a long while before trying protein again. I know my hair needs it. My hair is just below my bra strap and all one length. I am just going to be very careful about what proteins I use. I don't want to go through this again. As it is, I am despairing that I may have to live with my hair as is until it all grows out again (5 or 6 years from now.) It is much better than it was, but I've never been scared to wash or brush my hair before.

[Warda]

I really recommend you try the SMT!! It is extremely moisturizing

[livelycurls]

I used mane & tail like 2 - 3 times and it left my hair like straw. End up using the remaining shampoo as hand soap.

[Foxylocks]

Mane n' Tail works wonders for my hair. I love the conditioner (haven't used the shampoo as it contains sulfates).
I would also try the oils that other people mentioned.

[LAG93]

Yesterday I just did a homemade mask type thing, it worked amazingly! My hair was feeling so dry and limp before and it now feels smooth and moisturized.

1/4 cup condish (I used Pantene breakage to strength, i had an almost empty bottle I decided to use up, but I think a cone free one would be fine, although I quite like the results with this conditioner and may use it again)
1 tbsp Shea butter
1tbsp mango butter
2tsp honey
Capful of glycerin

I melted the butters in a double boiler and added the honey and glycerin, took off heat and mixed in condish, it took quite a bit of whipping afterwards to get the conditioner to mix in and become smooth, it looked gloppy at first, but once it started cooling as I mixed it became super thick and smooth.
I put that all throughout my hair and wrapped in plastic wrap for an hour, rinsed, used conditioner to wash out, and then a little shampoo on my scalp, and reconditioned the ends like normal.

After trying many failed attempts at a SMT, I finally just mixed it up a bit and added the butters and glycerin and took out the aloe, this worked so much better for my hair

[terrin]

Yesterday I just did a homemade mask type thing, it worked amazingly! My hair was feeling so dry and limp before and it now feels smooth and moisturized.

1/4 cup condish (I used Pantene breakage to strength, i had an almost empty bottle I decided to use up, but I think a cone free one would be fine, although I quite like the results with this conditioner and may use it again)
1 tbsp Shea butter
1tbsp mango butter
2tsp honey
Capful of glycerin

I melted the butters in a double boiler and added the honey and glycerin, took off heat and mixed in condish, it took quite a bit of whipping afterwards to get the conditioner to mix in and become smooth, it looked gloppy at first, but once it started cooling as I mixed it became super thick and smooth.
I put that all throughout my hair and wrapped in plastic wrap for an hour, rinsed, used conditioner to wash out, and then a little shampoo on my scalp, and reconditioned the ends like normal.

After trying many failed attempts at a SMT, I finally just mixed it up a bit and added the butters and glycerin and took out the aloe, this worked so much better for my hair

This does sound luxurious. I will give it a try and let you know how it works. Thanks so much!

[chen bao jun]

A little warning for those who can't use protein in your hair: coconut oil may not be the oil for you.
It does have protein in it. this doesn't affect most people, obviously, but I am a bit protein sensitive (always clarifying when I use it) and I find that my hair likes extra virgin olive oil much better.
I do need some protein but find I need less and less as my hair grows because while protein helps with the fragility of my hair where it is damaged at the bottom, the rest of my hair doesn't seem to need it at all. I have coarse hair and I've heard that coarse hair in general doesn't like protein,w hich seems to be true in my case.

[LAG93]

This does sound luxurious. I will give it a try and let you know how it works. Thanks so much!

Great I hope it works for you!

And chen bao jun I agree, everyone raves about coconut oil, but I find it's not my hairs favorite either, although a tiny tiny tiny amount maybe once a month, it likes!

[snakes&stuff]

I got a nasty wax buildup on my hair, too. I had to really sulfate it to get all the wax out. The whole process really dried out my hair. Afterwards I starting using cholesterol treatments and it's back to normal. Hollywood Beauty makes a good one with olive oil.

[bananahanna]

May I hijack this thread for a moment and ask if there is a reason why this shampoo condish would make my hair feel super... greasy, I suppose? it was like moisture overload, why does that happen when so many seem to say it made theirs dry like straw?

[BlazingHeart]

Um, so, you've said that your hair needs protein. Is there a reason you think that? If you don't have symptoms of damage or high porosity, there's a very real possibility your hair just doesn't need protein. I have classic length hair, and I'm pretty sure my current routine doesn't include protein. I've been down to hip multiple times in the past without them, too. Having long hair doesn't necessarily mean you need protein, especially if you haven't done any chemical processing (dyes that lift, perms, chemical straightening, etc).

Now, my hair is generally pretty indifferent to protein; I don't really notice a difference between using it and not. For some people, not only do they not need it, they need to stay away from it, because their hair is sensitive to it. As you've just reacted badly to protein, you may very well be in that group of people. If I were you, I wouldn't mess with protein in the future unless I hit a point where I was having clear symptoms of needing it (like mushy, stretchy hair).

[terrin]

Hey everyone. I truly appreciate everyone's help with my hair, but I think my hair is permanently damaged. I've tried everything. My hair just isn't going back to normal. The texture of my hair has completely changed overnight thanks to Mane & Tail. I've been doing the various things suggested here for over a month now, and although it has helped some, my hair isn't the same. I never had a problem with tangles wet or dry and now its like every strand is its own velcro strip, clinging to every other strand. I use to be able to flip my hair any which way and it flowed any which way and all that without tangling. Now, I can't move or run my fingers through my hair without tangles or breakage. I've resigned myself to having this hair until it all grows out.

I would like to offer a word of warning for anyone wanting to try Mane & Tail: try a strand test first! If it works for you, great, but if it doesn't, you will have only damaged a small part of your hair.

Thanks again, everyone!

[BlazingHeart]

Terrin, I'd just keep going with the heavy moisture treatments if I were you. It is possible that you might not ever make it quite back to where you were. Both protein and the BS washes can be very drying, so it can take time for your hair to re-balance - your condition could keep improving.

Also, are you using cones to help with slip? Until your hair gets back enough moisture, you may find they help.

[MaryRose]

I love Mane n Tail shampoo and conditioner. I used to use the conditioner as a leave in too. My hair loved it and was really soft and shiny. My daughter (12 yrs old) used it too but her hair was just like yours, very tacky and straw like. I figured her hair didn't like but didn't know why. After reading some posts here, it sounds like it is is protein thing. This is good to know as we look for her perfect shampoo combo.

[terrin]

Last night, I washed/conditioned with Tresemme' Platinum Strength, and to my surprise, my hair didn't feel quite so 'velcro-like'. It does have a silicones in it. I had tried it earlier on and it didn't do anything for me, but this time it did. :confused: I'm hoping this might stick. I've been fooled before, though. Whether it does or not, I do plan on continuing with the wonderful things I've learned here. I do a deep moisture treatment once a week, co-wash every other day, with a shampoo wash once a week. Overall, the condition of my hair is wonderful. I don't think its ever been healthier-only the texture has changed. I am also going to keep trying different conditioners and shampoos until I find the perfect routine. I've learned so much about hair in general and I am very grateful for this site. I hope to pass on what I've learned to others if they run into the same problem I had with Mane & Tail. Thank you!

[terrin]

I love Mane n Tail shampoo and conditioner. I used to use the conditioner as a leave in too. My hair loved it and was really soft and shiny. My daughter (12 yrs old) used it too but her hair was just like yours, very tacky and straw like. I figured her hair didn't like but didn't know why. After reading some posts here, it sounds like it is is protein thing. This is good to know as we look for her perfect shampoo combo.

I'm glad this thread helped. When this happened to me, I found very little information on what was going on. Everyone, it seemed, loved Mane and Tail. It wasn't until I came here that I found out I wasn't the only one who's hair was affected this way. Keep us posted on her hair. I hope it goes well!

[Coolcombination]

Terrin, if I was you I'd go back to basics, sulphate free shampoo, cone free conditioner and just oil the ends with olive oil pre wash. Try and stretch washes as much as possible. Cut all protein out of your routine. Good luck, I'm sure the condition will improve Hun xxx

[Treble Bolt]

I used to use Mane and Tail....But with Sodium Lara-sumthing Sulfate, I stopped using it. When I was taking care of a neighbor's horses, we tried mane and tail on them, and the synthetic ingredients actually really irritated them. I learned to stay away from synthetic stuff (but I'm too poor to buy those super expensive natural shampoos). so i buy Fleet Farm's brand of horse shampoo and have pretty much stuck to the cheaper horse shampoo because they are actually more natural than the "name brand" shampoos like Mane and Tail....

[KittyMeowMeow]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this!

I've never used Mane & Tail, but I've had this problem with waxy buildup and FINALLY was able to overcome it.

I realized the wax was being caused by things containing wax. My theory is that the Mane and Tail contained a heavy wax (looks like Emulsifying Wax NF is in the ingredients) which got stuck in your hair.

To remove wax:

1. Spray hair lightly with water and coat hair with EVOO (a cleansing oil- lifts wax better than anything). Sit under a plastic store bag covered with a towel for 20+ minutes.
2. Clarify the wax out.
3. Repeat 1 & 2 until hair feels normal.

You can use clarifying shampoo (Ion is good), or I've heard of ACV instead of clarifying shampoo for this. Also, you can try cowashing in between the oil/clarify step.

It took several sessions, with several rounds in each session to finally get complete success using clarifying shampoo & cowash (the ACV didn't work for me). However, it made a big difference after the first time.

What ended up working the best for me were mud/clay based hair masques. I use Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash (this is now my go-to, holy grail that I use to cleanse with instead of shampoo). These *completely* lift the gunk off of your hair, leaving it unbelieveably soft and moisturized. If you have a lot of buildup, you go through a detox period with this it where it excavates layers of previously unknown buildup on your hair (read about it on their site, and/or feel free to ask me for more info!).

If you want to try a mud masque and don't want to wait for shipping, the Shea Moisture Purification Mask should work.




Hey everyone. I truly appreciate everyone's help with my hair, but I think my hair is permanently damaged. I've tried everything. My hair just isn't going back to normal. The texture of my hair has completely changed overnight thanks to Mane & Tail. I've been doing the various things suggested here for over a month now, and although it has helped some, my hair isn't the same. I never had a problem with tangles wet or dry and now its like every strand is its own velcro strip, clinging to every other strand. I use to be able to flip my hair any which way and it flowed any which way and all that without tangling. Now, I can't move or run my fingers through my hair without tangles or breakage. I've resigned myself to having this hair until it all grows out.

I would like to offer a word of warning for anyone wanting to try Mane & Tail: try a strand test first! If it works for you, great, but if it doesn't, you will have only damaged a small part of your hair.

Thanks again, everyone!

[KittyMeowMeow]

I can't seem to edit my post, but I wanted to add:

- I would recommend trying the mud first, since it is gentle on hair and incredibly powerful.
- Doing the above with clarifying shampoo was hard on my hair. I would recommend substituting cowashes in for some of the clarifying steps, since it's more about *manually* moving the wax out with this method.
- Use very warm water if using the shampoo method. Oil rinse first for a few minutes before clarifying. Run your hands down your hair to try to help things out.

[KittyMeowMeow]

Sorry! Once more!

The Shea Moisture mask isn't a mud mask, it's African Black Soap. I'm not sure if it lifts wax or not, sorry! The Terressentials has to be shipped, so I would probably try the oil rinsing/cowash/clarify method. Good luck!

[beautifulending]

I use mane'n'tail everyday and have been for 3 months now and my hair loves this stuff. I have oily hair and it cleans it nicely. I do use a thick creamy conditioner for my ends but over all I love this shampoo and I plan on using it for a while. Your hair may not like the protein in it.

[terrin]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this!

I've never used Mane & Tail, but I've had this problem with waxy buildup and FINALLY was able to overcome it.

I realized the wax was being caused by things containing wax. My theory is that the Mane and Tail contained a heavy wax (looks like Emulsifying Wax NF is in the ingredients) which got stuck in your hair.

To remove wax:

1. Spray hair lightly with water and coat hair with EVOO (a cleansing oil- lifts wax better than anything). Sit under a plastic store bag covered with a towel for 20+ minutes.
2. Clarify the wax out.
3. Repeat 1 & 2 until hair feels normal.

You can use clarifying shampoo (Ion is good), or I've heard of ACV instead of clarifying shampoo for this. Also, you can try cowashing in between the oil/clarify step.

It took several sessions, with several rounds in each session to finally get complete success using clarifying shampoo & cowash (the ACV didn't work for me). However, it made a big difference after the first time.

What ended up working the best for me were mud/clay based hair masques. I use Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash (this is now my go-to, holy grail that I use to cleanse with instead of shampoo). These *completely* lift the gunk off of your hair, leaving it unbelieveably soft and moisturized. If you have a lot of buildup, you go through a detox period with this it where it excavates layers of previously unknown buildup on your hair (read about it on their site, and/or feel free to ask me for more info!).

If you want to try a mud masque and don't want to wait for shipping, the Shea Moisture Purification Mask should work.

Hi, Thanks so much for this tip. I will give it a try and let you know how this, and the other tips you gave me work. I have done quite a bit of clarifying and moisturizing and I think both have helped with the protein overload, but I didn't know anything about the wax. I use to use Pantene when I was a teen and it worked beautifully. When I tried it as a 30-something, it left my hair very waxy. I thought I'd never be rid of it (it took about a month.) The difference between the Pantene and the Mane & Tail was the wax from the Pantene was obvious. The Mane & Tail left it feeling waxy to me, but no one else seemed to feel it. They said my hair was soft, but there was something there. With the Pantene, my hair looked and felt greasy and dirty, but with the Mane & Tail, my hair looked and felt clean. I never thought about wax actually being in the stuff. Thank you so much for the information-not just for me either, but for everyone else who's had this problem. :)

[terrin]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this!

I've never used Mane & Tail, but I've had this problem with waxy buildup and FINALLY was able to overcome it.

I realized the wax was being caused by things containing wax. My theory is that the Mane and Tail contained a heavy wax (looks like Emulsifying Wax NF is in the ingredients) which got stuck in your hair.

To remove wax:

1. Spray hair lightly with water and coat hair with EVOO (a cleansing oil- lifts wax better than anything). Sit under a plastic store bag covered with a towel for 20+ minutes.
2. Clarify the wax out.
3. Repeat 1 & 2 until hair feels normal.

You can use clarifying shampoo (Ion is good), or I've heard of ACV instead of clarifying shampoo for this. Also, you can try cowashing in between the oil/clarify step.

It took several sessions, with several rounds in each session to finally get complete success using clarifying shampoo & cowash (the ACV didn't work for me). However, it made a big difference after the first time.

What ended up working the best for me were mud/clay based hair masques. I use Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash (this is now my go-to, holy grail that I use to cleanse with instead of shampoo). These *completely* lift the gunk off of your hair, leaving it unbelieveably soft and moisturized. If you have a lot of buildup, you go through a detox period with this it where it excavates layers of previously unknown buildup on your hair (read about it on their site, and/or feel free to ask me for more info!).

If you want to try a mud masque and don't want to wait for shipping, the Shea Moisture Purification Mask should work.

Hey! I just wanted to let you know that I tried your suggestion and it is working! The EVOO did lift off the wax. The first time I rinsed out the EVOO, I could feel the layer of wax. It felt awful! I shampooed with Suave Clarifying Shampoo and my hair was a bit better-not perfect, but I could tell a difference. I used the EVOO again a couple of days later, then clarified again. This time it didn't rinse the wax out as well so I added baking soda to more shampoo. Both the wax and the oil came out. My hair now feels almost 98% normal. There is still some waxy stuff on the ends of my hair (about 2 inches worth) but I'm going to have that cut off. I think a couple of more EVOO sessions will bring my hair back to perfect normal. The texture of my hair has returned! :happydance:

I am so ecstatic and so very grateful for your help! Thank you! Thank you!

And thank you to everyone with all of their suggestions! I've learned so much about caring for my hair! I thought I had pretty awesome hair until I came here and learned just how much more awesome it could be. I'll post a picture as soon as I can get one. Now, when people ask my how I take care of my hair, I'll tell them how and add that I learned it all here from all of ya'll. Thanks again! Ya'll are great!

[ositarosita]

I had the exact same thing happen to me when I tried Mane 'n Tail ... used it once and threw it out because I was not going to allow that to happen again .... deep condition on the go with a highly moisturising product .. by deep condition on the go what I do is clarify or chelate my hair let it dry to about 50% then add my deep conditioner (ion inspired by nature) put my hair up in a bun and go about my day until i'm ready to wash it out (currently my conditioner has been in my hair since yesterday at about 2 pm)

[door72067]

the same thing happened when I used M&T, but it was many years ago and I had no idea *why* my hair hated it, I just knew M&T wasn't for me and switched (too long ago to recall what I started using, but most likely Pantene as it was always my "go to" years ago)

[KittyMeowMeow]

Woohoooo! Yes!

You can just use the EVOO as a prepoo on the ends (or wherever needed) with each shampoo until it is all out. You probably won't need to trim! I've never tried it, but I have a theory that mineral oil may actually be the most cleansing oil, if you want to give that a go!

I am SOOOOOO glad your hair is back! I know that neverending wax nightmare all too well!


Hey! I just wanted to let you know that I tried your suggestion and it is working! The EVOO did lift off the wax. The first time I rinsed out the EVOO, I could feel the layer of wax. It felt awful! I shampooed with Suave Clarifying Shampoo and my hair was a bit better-not perfect, but I could tell a difference. I used the EVOO again a couple of days later, then clarified again. This time it didn't rinse the wax out as well so I added baking soda to more shampoo. Both the wax and the oil came out. My hair now feels almost 98% normal. There is still some waxy stuff on the ends of my hair (about 2 inches worth) but I'm going to have that cut off. I think a couple of more EVOO sessions will bring my hair back to perfect normal. The texture of my hair has returned! :happydance:

I am so ecstatic and so very grateful for your help! Thank you! Thank you!

And thank you to everyone with all of their suggestions! I've learned so much about caring for my hair! I thought I had pretty awesome hair until I came here and learned just how much more awesome it could be. I'll post a picture as soon as I can get one. Now, when people ask my how I take care of my hair, I'll tell them how and add that I learned it all here from all of ya'll. Thanks again! Ya'll are great!

[KittyMeowMeow]

Oh man, I wish I could edit my posts!

To add:

The reason it's now on your ends is because the wax moves out manually down the hair. So that will be gone with additional treatments. Use your hands to smooth down and out in sections as you are rinsing.

Also, the 2nd time, it might have been possible that you didn't leave the EVOO in as long or your hair didn't get as warm (either from the plastic baggie or from warm shower water).

You can also use your regular shampoo instead of clarifyer if you want for additional treatments. It is mainly the oil doing the work!

And! If the main and tail possibly got on your scalp (symptom for me is an itchy/dry scalp), I would do a scalp massage with the EVOO one time (maybe also with the baking soda since that worked) to make sure it is gone (this may cause some of it to run down your hair again, but you'll get it out with successive treatments).

Again, congrats on the clean hair!!! I know it feels good to be free!

[tbonita]

I have the same hair type as you; when my hair was long same thing happened to me. I didn't realize it was protein. Turned out ALL my products had protein. My hair breaks at the sight of them now and can't even be oiled with coconut. Switching to a completely protein free regime fixed the breakage pretty quickly.

[snakes&stuff]

Same thing happened to me. It took about 2 weeks of daily shampooing (eek!) with protein free shampoo to make it go away.

[catamonica]

I guess Mane & Tail shampoo isn't for everybody. I put two capfuls of olive oil in the shampoo. It helps. It helped my hair grow. I love the shampoo.

[terrin]

Oh man, I wish I could edit my posts!

To add:

The reason it's now on your ends is because the wax moves out manually down the hair. So that will be gone with additional treatments. Use your hands to smooth down and out in sections as you are rinsing.

Also, the 2nd time, it might have been possible that you didn't leave the EVOO in as long or your hair didn't get as warm (either from the plastic baggie or from warm shower water).

You can also use your regular shampoo instead of clarifyer if you want for additional treatments. It is mainly the oil doing the work!

And! If the main and tail possibly got on your scalp (symptom for me is an itchy/dry scalp), I would do a scalp massage with the EVOO one time (maybe also with the baking soda since that worked) to make sure it is gone (this may cause some of it to run down your hair again, but you'll get it out with successive treatments).

Again, congrats on the clean hair!!! I know it feels good to be free!

Bad news. Despite my hair feeling 98% back to normal, it has returned to its waxy state. It took about a week. I used the EVOO method again last night (it sat on my hair for well over an hour), and clarified with Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo with Baking soda, and today my hair is worse than ever. I have one streak, about an inch wide from root to tip that is my beautiful, normal hair. You can even see the difference in how it lays on my head. But the rest of my hair feels like I've never touched it. I don't know what happened. It feels like I just moved the wax around. I have no idea why the wax came back. I would swear it was gone last time. Also, I can't find a shampoo/conditioner combo that works. Everything leaves my hair feeling either too dry (over-proteined) or too mushy (over conditioned). There isn't anything that falls right in the middle. Daily shampooing isn't working, either. This has been going on now for well over 3 months-with daily shampooing because my hair is now super greasy at the end of the day-and its as bad today as it was when this mess started. I now have a head full of broken frizzy fly-aways. It breaks even if I just run my fingers through it because it sticks to itself.

If I can afford it, I'll try a mud mask, but until then, all I know to do is stick with the EVOO w/baking soda clarifier once a week. (I have to use the baking soda-its the only way I can get out the EVOO.) I know my hair is now damaged beyond repair, but I'd still rather have my natural hair, broken and frizzy, than this gunky, waxy, nasty mess I've got. :-(

I'll keep you posted.

[KittyMeowMeow]

Oh no! My guess is that there was some wax remaining on your scalp, and it got loosened and came down. If that's the case, it should be gone soon!

Another other option is that something you are continuing to use is adding the wax. This ended up being the case with me- that ANY waxes stick in my hair and ruin it. Emulsifiers (which are found in just about any creamy conditioner or leave in) are wax based, so I stopped using conditioners too.

What might have happened is that all the deep cleaning with EVOO and baking soda revealed a previously hidden layer of gunk. Using the mud wash and going through the detox process revealed layer upon layer of sticky one day, hard the next, waxy, etc junk that had been covered by conditioners. When I got to the bottom of the gunk, I couldn't believe how soft, manageable, and naturally moisturized my real hair was.

I just use the Terressentials mud wash (deep cleansing yet moisturizing, so no need for conditioners), oils, butter, and water. I dilute it with water in a shampoo bottle, about 1-2 tbsp per wash, so it lasts for a while. There are recipes for mud washes - basically either rhassoul clay or bentonite clay plus aloe and maybe some EOs that would be affordable. I never had success with that (still trying, though!), so I just use Terressentials. A no-emulsifer routine (if waxes in emulsifers are the problem) could also be done with a gentle shampoo, plus any natural things to moisturize like honey, aloe, rosewater, rinses, oils, butters, etc. Although mud washes are non-drying and you will probably not need a conditioner after.

Hopefully the wax will come out in the next few washes. And please do keep me posted. And keep the faith! You WILL get through this- I know how frustrating this is right now, though!


Bad news. Despite my hair feeling 98% back to normal, it has returned to its waxy state. It took about a week. I used the EVOO method again last night (it sat on my hair for well over an hour), and clarified with Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo with Baking soda, and today my hair is worse than ever. I have one streak, about an inch wide from root to tip that is my beautiful, normal hair. You can even see the difference in how it lays on my head. But the rest of my hair feels like I've never touched it. I don't know what happened. It feels like I just moved the wax around. I have no idea why the wax came back. I would swear it was gone last time. Also, I can't find a shampoo/conditioner combo that works. Everything leaves my hair feeling either too dry (over-proteined) or too mushy (over conditioned). There isn't anything that falls right in the middle. Daily shampooing isn't working, either. This has been going on now for well over 3 months-with daily shampooing because my hair is now super greasy at the end of the day-and its as bad today as it was when this mess started. I now have a head full of broken frizzy fly-aways. It breaks even if I just run my fingers through it because it sticks to itself.

If I can afford it, I'll try a mud mask, but until then, all I know to do is stick with the EVOO w/baking soda clarifier once a week. (I have to use the baking soda-its the only way I can get out the EVOO.) I know my hair is now damaged beyond repair, but I'd still rather have my natural hair, broken and frizzy, than this gunky, waxy, nasty mess I've got. :-(

I'll keep you posted.

[terrin]

Oh no! My guess is that there was some wax remaining on your scalp, and it got loosened and came down. If that's the case, it should be gone soon!

Another other option is that something you are continuing to use is adding the wax. This ended up being the case with me- that ANY waxes stick in my hair and ruin it. Emulsifiers (which are found in just about any creamy conditioner or leave in) are wax based, so I stopped using conditioners too.

What might have happened is that all the deep cleaning with EVOO and baking soda revealed a previously hidden layer of gunk. Using the mud wash and going through the detox process revealed layer upon layer of sticky one day, hard the next, waxy, etc junk that had been covered by conditioners. When I got to the bottom of the gunk, I couldn't believe how soft, manageable, and naturally moisturized my real hair was.

I just use the Terressentials mud wash (deep cleansing yet moisturizing, so no need for conditioners), oils, butter, and water. I dilute it with water in a shampoo bottle, about 1-2 tbsp per wash, so it lasts for a while. There are recipes for mud washes - basically either rhassoul clay or bentonite clay plus aloe and maybe some EOs that would be affordable. I never had success with that (still trying, though!), so I just use Terressentials. A no-emulsifer routine (if waxes in emulsifers are the problem) could also be done with a gentle shampoo, plus any natural things to moisturize like honey, aloe, rosewater, rinses, oils, butters, etc. Although mud washes are non-drying and you will probably not need a conditioner after.

Hopefully the wax will come out in the next few washes. And please do keep me posted. And keep the faith! You WILL get through this- I know how frustrating this is right now, though!

Thank you so much. I will try this (and check my conditioners for emulsifiers) and keep you posted. Thank you so much for sticking with me through this! :)

[Lilelfen1]

*Bumping* :D