How to Get Silky Hair

[melomane]

My hair texture is ok, but always kind of sticky (even if I haven't been working out/sweating). I've experimented with oil treatments but that really doesn't make my hair any silkier, sometimes softer. I stopped doing them over a month ago so I could use a new shampoo (matrix exquisite oil from Biolage) which doesn't wash oil out well. I've always used biosilk (daily) and that helps but doesn't give me long lasting texture. Cones or no cones don't seem to do anything. Does anybody now how to get silky/slippery hair? I've managed to get it before and I actually enjoyed having hair to silky to stay in a simple bun:rolleyes:. I'm not sure if this helps, but my hair is 4 inches thick with a mix of medium to fine hairs.

[MINAKO]

I would look into CO, it's much easier to wash oils out with a conditioner than shampoo, it might also give you the texture and slip you are metioning.

[Sharysa]

It might actually be grabby instead of sticky, if you've tried getting slip and failed. You could still try herbal rinses like nettle or teas, though.

I actually prefer my hair to be grabby--helps a lot with braids and braid-waves.

[arr]

I find a drop of mineral oil rubbed through the lower half of hair after washing can really help with slip and silkiness. For me its almost like a silicone serum but without the coated feeling. It leaves your hair feeling light and non oily.

[jacqueline101]

I like tresemee shine spray for shine and my oil mix. I use both very lightly and the results are grand.

[Jumper]

My first thought was "be born with it" haha. My sister has the finest silkiest hair, and while my coarse wavy hair might be soft nothing I can do can make it silky like hers.

[eadwine]

Also.. try to stretch your washes :)

[ashke50]

Vinegar rinses may help - they always make my hair extra silky.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Silkiness is something you're born with i'm afraid :( But this following routine makes my hair pretty soft to the touch (I do this to the ends and length, not the roots)

1. Dampen hair.
2. Work a little bit of non-penetrable oil (like jojoba and mineral oil) into your hair.
3. Bun.

When you take it down, you'll notice the ends are very soft and moisturized :) Unfortunately this effect doesn't last too long when you wear your hair down :(

[pelicano]

I'm also of the view that some people just don't have silky hair. Some things, eg oil treatments, make my hair feel slightly silkier, but I'll always just look in awe at lucky genetically silky-haired people!

[walterSCAN]

Vinegar rinses may help - they always make my hair extra silky.

I was going to suggest this^ and/ or cold water rinses. Both will encourage the cuticle to lie flat which allows hairs to move past each other without snagging.

You don't mention your styling habits. If you once had silky hair and can't get it to feel the same way again, I'd be looking at what has changed in between. Heat styling and mechanical damage can make hair feel more grabby/ tangle-prone, which is how I'm understanding it when you say 'sticky'. If you are actually meaning sticky (as in sticks together or to your hands) or gunky, I'd try clarifying, chelating, and looking at finding different products to use. Sticky/ gunky hair can also come from washing in hard water.

[melomane]

I was going to suggest this^ and/ or cold water rinses. Both will encourage the cuticle to lie flat which allows hairs to move past each other without snagging.

You don't mention your styling habits. If you once had silky hair and can't get it to feel the same way again, I'd be looking at what has changed in between. Heat styling and mechanical damage can make hair feel more grabby/ tangle-prone, which is how I'm understanding it when you say 'sticky'. If you are actually meaning sticky (as in sticks together or to your hands) or gunky, I'd try clarifying, chelating, and looking at finding different products to use. Sticky/ gunky hair can also come from washing in hard water.
Currently I'm stretching washes (once every four days), and use Biosilk on my dry hair. I comb my hair with a wide tooth comb but avoid finger combing do to the grabby texture of my hair. Every morning I put it in bun of some sort and don't touch it again until I take a shower, and when I get out I put my hair in a satin cap (and sleep on a silk pillow in case it falls out). I do have hard water, can't afford to get a filter yet. I think I'll experiment with vinegar rinses though...

[walterSCAN]

Currently I'm stretching washes (once every four days), and use Biosilk on my dry hair. I comb my hair with a wide tooth comb but avoid finger combing do to the grabby texture of my hair. Every morning I put it in bun of some sort and don't touch it again until I take a shower, and when I get out I put my hair in a satin cap (and sleep on a silk pillow in case it falls out). I do have hard water, can't afford to get a filter yet. I think I'll experiment with vinegar rinses though...

Sounds like a good routine! :) I'm going to guess either product or hard water buildup, then. Good luck with the vinegar rinse, and let us know how it goes!

[Kome]

I stretch out my washes, when I can. I also do conditioner only when possible as well. I say this because I live in Florida and sweat a lot, so sometimes stretching washes is difficult when you workout outside in 90 degree heat and your scalp is sweating. Besides that, I use jojoba hair oil, coconut oil, and suave almond and shea butter shampoo and conditioner. I also use Ion's repair conditioner from Sally's.

That being said... everyone's hair is different. It's really about finding the right oils and hair products that work for your hair. I hope you find something that gets you what you want! :)

[MINAKO]

I duno if that's any kind of help, but since i managed to get my straightening process right, i'm impressed how silky my hair does actually get. Like it seem to have potential that's just difficult to deal with, but also it does have alot to do with the shape of the individual strands as well as the state our cuticels naturally happen to be. the flatter and tighter the scales along the shaft are arranged the more shiny is the hair and the more moisture it is able to retain.

[veryhairyfairy]

Hard water build up makes me hair super sticky, so I'd definitely try and get that resolved first.
This thread helped me realize that I was experiencing buildup: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=94090
And I started to use a gallon jug filled with warm water and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice as the only water to touch my hair.
There was a vast improvement in slip and general manageability, so it's worth a try!

If you have buildup, there are chelating shampoos (I believe Ion makes one for swimmers that people here have had success with) to remove the buildup, or you could do what I do once in awhile:
1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons of shampoo
1 cup (or more) of water
Mix it all together, apply, and lather all the way to your ends, leave it sit for a minute or two and rinse. If you feel like you need it, you could mix up another batch and repeat right after you rinse the first one out.
(obviously follow this clarification with extra conditioning) :D

Hope this helps! :)

[HintOfMint]

I have had silky hair a handful of times in my life, however, I think it always had to do with the perfect storm of exactly the right products, along with the right weather and the right water. Basically... achievable but more like a blessing than a result of something I've actually done.

The last time I was able to have silky hair, I was doing modified SMTs as my regular rinse-out conditioner (honey with a coney conditioner and a capful of ACV). I was also doing a pre-wash oiling with either olive oil or coconut oil and I was rinsing out the conditioner with ice cold water. However, the weather started to cool significantly (this was the fall) and the weather was becoming drier. I was also living in a place notorious for not having hard water.

So for a brief shining period of time I had silky smooth hair that shone like glass. As winter progressed and I moved to a place with hard water, the silkiness went away. I've learned to not chase such dreams. :p

[meteor]

There isn't a whole lot of ways you can dramatically change texture without damaging methods: heat styling (straightening) or chemicals (relaxer) or a combination of these two (Brazilian keratin "treatments"/blow-outs, etc). And of course, I would never recommend them as they are damaging and will have the opposite effect in the long run (frizz, broken down keratin bonds, breakage).

For straighter, smoother, shinier hair, I recommend oils, silicones and lactic acid-containing products. Lactic acid is found in commercial products, like L'Oreal Professionnel (http://us.lorealprofessionnel.com/products/absolut-repair-cellular but also in yogurts, kefir, sour cream - they are traditionally widely used in India and other countries as conditioners for shine. Acidic rinses with diluted ACV/lemon work for similar reasons as lactic acid - mostly keeping the cuticle laying flat and smoothing it down.

[bubbalouey]

I find washing my hair with honey really helps my hair look and feel smooth and shiny. Moderator note: Link removed. No soliciting.