SMT all over my freaking pillow.

[twilight_faerie]

So the other night I decided to do an SMT, and because I put it in so late, I decided to leave it in overnight. Longer is better, right? So I wrapped my head up in plastic wrap and went to sleep. It was pretty uncomfortable, but I'm willing to suffer a little for the sake of beauty. Anyway, a few times during the night I woke up with the plastic wrap gradually falling off, and by the time I woke up for good, the wrap was almost completely off and I had SMT smeared all over my pillow.

Does anyone know of a way to combat this? I like doing SMT's overnight, but I might have to stop if my pillows keep getting gross from them.

[Katze]

hm, a towel over the pillow? Or two - one on your head and one over the pillow? I wouldn't use plastic wrap, either, as it causes the heat from your head to stay there and makes the honey run and drip.

The couple of times I did an SMT overnight, it didn't seem to make much of a difference. Certainly not enough to justify the hassle! For my porous, wavy, damaged hair, 1-2 hours is all it needs for an SMT, but I also go heavy on the honey and use a deep conditioner. Just my two cents.

[Nevermore]

If it's the actual PILLOW that's getting nasty, I'd bag it and put a cheap/ugly/old pillow case over top. A small trash can sized bag would probably fit most pillows, so all you'd have to do is throw the pillow case in the wash and toss the bag in the trash (or if you're in a green frame of mind, rinse and dry well). Another option would be one of those anti-allergen pillow covers, they're plastic-y and zip up over your pillow.

[twilight_faerie]

hm, a towel over the pillow? Or two - one on your head and one over the pillow? I wouldn't use plastic wrap, either, as it causes the heat from your head to stay there and makes the honey run and drip.

The couple of times I did an SMT overnight, it didn't seem to make much of a difference. Certainly not enough to justify the hassle! For my porous, wavy, damaged hair, 1-2 hours is all it needs for an SMT, but I also go heavy on the honey and use a deep conditioner. Just my two cents.

:doh: A towel over the pillow. I am so freaking dumb. Why didn't I think of that?

Hmm, I didn't realize the plastic wrap is what's making the honey drip. What do you use instead of plastic wrap? Just a towel wrapped around your head?


If it's the actual PILLOW that's getting nasty, I'd bag it and put a cheap/ugly/old pillow case over top. A small trash can sized bag would probably fit most pillows, so all you'd have to do is throw the pillow case in the wash and toss the bag in the trash (or if you're in a green frame of mind, rinse and dry well). Another option would be one of those anti-allergen pillow covers, they're plastic-y and zip up over your pillow.

It's actually the pillowcase that's getting trashed. I should've mentioned that. But yeah, a plastic pillow cover would definitely keep the moisture from seeping through to the pillow. Thanks!

[Katze]

[QUOTE=twilight_faerie;274009]:doh: A towel over the pillow. I am so freaking dumb. Why didn't I think of that?

Hmm, I didn't realize the plastic wrap is what's making the honey drip. What do you use instead of plastic wrap? Just a towel wrapped around your head?

/QUOTE]

Honey gets more liquid when it warms up, so the more you sweat and are warm when you sleep the warmed it gets anyway. Add plastic wrap to this and I can imagine a melty, drippy mess!

I cover my head (and BF's)LOOSELY with a plastic bag, secured at the nape with a hair elastic. Then we drape a towel across our shoulders and go about our thing. Yes, it does drip, I haven't really found a way to stop this except occasionally using the towel to sop up the neck drips.

I usually only either do an SMT this way or in the bathtub (I like long soaks) with it just clipped up in a claw clip. The tub edge, where my head is resting, is washable!

It seems to me that unless your hair is very damaged (repeatedly bleached in a short space of time, for example) there's no need to do an overnight SMT. When I tried it, once all day long wearing a scarf, once overnight, I really didn't notice any extra benefit. The overnight test was also trying to see if honey really does lighten hair (it doesn't lighten mine) so I was sleeping in a plastic bag wrapped in a towel, and as a result slept badly. Not worth it, IMO. :)

[berr]

While it might get drippy, doesn't the plastic bag and heat open the cuticle of the hair so it absorbs the treatment better? I've not tried it so I'm not sure exactly what you all are doing, but for any type of conditioning treatment I always use a plastic shower cap to keep my head heat in to try to open the cuticle. If you ever get a deep conditioning treatment at a salon they put your head in plastic and sit you under a dryer for 5 to 10 minutes to lift the cuticle and make your hair absorb the moisture.

[FrannyG]

While it might get drippy, doesn't the plastic bag and heat open the cuticle of the hair so it absorbs the treatment better?

Yes, that's exactly what the plastic bag does. Even if you just cover the plastic bag with foil and /or a towel, that creates enough heat for the "sauna effect" to take place.

If you're going to do this overnight, I would suggest a plastic bag, rather than plastic wrap, and a towel over that.

Then put a towel on the pillow.

Having said all that, I think you'll find that an hour of SMT can do wonders and that any extra time is really unnecessary.

[Paliele]

I haven't done a SMT overnight, but I did leave my henna in overnight to see if it would make a difference (not enough to make it worth it, if you were wondering.) I wrapped my head in plastic wrap and then in a long strip of scrap fabric I had on hand turban-style. The turban got a little messy, but not my bed.

[yogachic]

After doing one overnight deep treatment, I just cannot bring myself to do that again. Its, wet, sticky, hot, yucky.

If your going to do another overnight, I agree with using a towel over the pillow and a bag, and applying the treatment to very slightly damp hair. It may be less drippy.

[cindy58]

I've tried a few times to do an overnight SMT, and I just can't do it. Each time I have woken up in the middle of the night and ended up in the shower rinsing it out. Shorter ones will have to do it for me!

[tinabcurly]

I do overnight SMTs regularly & usually manage to keep messes to a minimum. I pile my hair on top of my head, cover it with a shower cap & cover that with a knit cap. Then... cover that with a satin sleep bonnet & off to bed. The knit cap keeps everything tight & absorbs any drippies I may end up with while the bonnet lets my whole head slide around rather than losing the whole works when I turn over.