Feeling confused? Help please with hair products and routine!

[nikolette]

OKAY, so excuse my newbie questions and also if there is another thread for this.... I apologize!

I am trying to settle into a new routine for my hair since I have joined LHC. HOwever, I am feeling totally overwhelmed with information from different places...

So here go my questions... :rolleyes:

1. Washing
:confused::confused::confused:
I know its not good to shampoo too frequently. That said,

-What are the (major)different types of shampoos and how do you determine what kind to use?
-Are there any good diagnostic tips or general guidelines for different hair types (curly, straight, virgin, damaged) and what sort of shampoo works best ?
-What is the big deal with silicones? When should you use them and when should you steer clear?
- What hair type benefits from co-washing?

2. Clarifying

- When do you decide to clarify?

3. Conditioners and conditioning treatments

-Protein vs. Non Protein Conditioner | Moisture Rich conditioners
Again, are there diagnostic tips for deciding what you should use? I am so overwhelmed with picking hair products!

I find it difficult because I don't know if my hair is dry because it is damaged and needs protein or if it is dry because of too much protein... :confused:

- How often should you do a conditioning treatment?
-Determining what kind of conditioning treatment you need?

and more general questions,
- How to tell when there is too much product builup in your hair from oils etc?


I know this list of questions is a little crazy and general but really I am just looking for some general guidelines. I feel really confused about how to best care for my hair and overwhelmed the more I read on and on....


A little about my hair type:
I am 2b/3a/m/ii with heat damage and hair is also color treated.

At the moment my main concern is that when I brush my hair while dry, the strands feel ready to snap and like they do not slip through my wide tooth comb the way they should. IS this what people mean when they say their ends are grabby? I wear my hair in a braid almost all the time recently and I wash about 2x a week with DevaCurl No-Poo. I use Johnson's baby detangler and a leave in conditioner and use argan oil on the ends.

Any guidance is soooo appreciated!!!!

[Chocowalnut]

Your hair type sounds like mine. I look for really moisturizing hair care products. You can use sulfate-free shampoo if you want, that is supposed to be good for our hair type. I have used it for a long time but am trying some other things now. You want a really good conditioner/treatment. I recommend aussie 3 minute miracle moist or smooth. It's really cheap but effective. For a treatment I love HASK macadamia deep conditioning treatment. I wish it was sold in bulk as I would never get another deep conditioner again. As for silicones, my hair actually really likes them. But I think the thing about them is if you use sulfate-free shampoos they never come out which can cause build up, unless it's a certain type of silicone. Your hair is probably like that when you brush it because it is already heat and color damaged. Try to reduce or stop completely your use of heat and chemicals. Keep putting oil on the ends and cut any split ends you may have. Have you heard of henna or cassia? Henna made my thin, damaged hair feel and look amazingly thick, shiny and healthy. But if you don't want red hair try cassia it's virtually colorless and I heard it comes pretty close to the same conditioning effects.

[katieing]

1. I only know of the sulfate and sulfate free shampoos, I'm not sure there are any other kinds. You want to avoid sulfates as much as possible (SLS, SLES, etc). Curlies generally need a gentler routine I've read, due to how the hair is structured. I don't have lots of advice on curly hair, though. Silicones (like dimethicone) are the ingredients in conditioner that create a slip in your hair. Some people claim to love them, others not. It is all personal preference, but when using silicones, it is best to clarify every few washes. I'm not sure what hair types benefit from CO, but I've heard that people shed more when CO, but it may not always be true.
2. I find I need to clarify once a month or so, because I wash my hair with -cones and three times a week. If your conditioner does not have cones, you don't need to clarify very often or at all. Usually when my hair becomes lank and limp I decide to clarify. The clarifier I use is the Neutrogena Anti-Residue, it works very well.
3. To figure out if you need protein or moisture, take a wet piece of shed hair. Pull the hair in between two fingers. If the hair snaps immediately, your hair needs moisture. If it stretches but does not bounce back to its original length, it needs protein. When hair is dry, it usually needs moisture. Look into doing an SMT if you need moisture. I usually do a protein treatment (with gelatin) once a month followed by an SMT, because protein and moisture go hand in hand. Sometimes I will do an SMT without gelatin if my hair feels really dry.
4. You might be able to tell if product has built up in your hair by looking at it when it's dry. If your curls or waves are stretched out and limp looking, there is probably product buildup, but this might not always be true.

I don't have grabby ends, or at least that does not happen to me. I have read that when this happens to people they need to clarify, but I am not sure.

Your routine sounds good, and it will improve as your experiment more.

I still get overwhelmed sometimes with all the information, I hope this all helps! And feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm still learning too :)

[molljo]

-What are the (major)different types of shampoos and how do you determine what kind to use?
The first type is sulfates, usually SLS. SLS is in most commercial shampoos and are generally too harsh more most scalps (I say most because SLS is great for people with certain scalp conditions, like seborrheic dermatitis). SLES is a sulfate but it is much gentler, followed by Coco Betaine which is gentler still, and is usually the cleansing agent in sulfate-free shampoos/low 'poos

-Are there any good diagnostic tips or general guidelines for different hair types (curly, straight, virgin, damaged) and what sort of shampoo works best ?
Basically, the straighter and oilier your hair is, the harsher the cleanser you can get away with, and vice versa. This is why curlies tend to like CO washing.

-What is the big deal with silicones? When should you use them and when should you steer clear?
It's all personal preference. It doesn't help that there are several different types of cones, from the heavy dimethicone to the very light PEG cones. Some of them are water soluble and some of them are not. I can't use 'cones because they make my hair feel like old doll hair, but some people love them and need them. You really just have to try them out and see what happens.

- What hair type benefits from co-washing?
Curlies, Coilies, Wurlies, and some Wavies.

- When do you decide to clarify?
I clarify about once a month because I use a lot of leave-ins (gel, leave-in conditioner, oils, and some butters). My clarifying shampoo is also a combination chelator which I need because of hard water. You didn't address chelating, but I would check the water quality in your area to see if that's something you need to worry about also. Clarifying is needed when my ends get velcro-like (as in, I can detangle and five seconds later my ends are all tangled up again). My hair looks dull even after washing and it generally just won't cooperate. Always follow up clarifying/chelating with a moisturizing deep treatment.

-Protein vs. Non Protein Conditioner | Moisture Rich conditioners
Again, are there diagnostic tips for deciding what you should use? I am so overwhelmed with picking hair products!
Protein overdose is characterized by hard hair, basically. Your strands will feel hard, stiff, and brittle, like a stick. Moisture overdose is stretchy and gummy when wet, often described as cotton candy. If your hair just feels dry, you may need either protein or moisture, or both. Since you're a wurly with damage I would say you absolutely need both. As to how often, that's up to your hair. Do it when you need it. That can be once a week, twice a month, once a month, etc.

At the moment my main concern is that when I brush my hair while dry, the strands feel ready to snap and like they do not slip through my wide tooth comb the way they should. IS this what people mean when they say their ends are grabby?
Honestly it sounds like you need to clarify and follow up with a heavy protein and moisturizing deep treatment. What you're describing could be several things, and this would take care of all of those issues.

[Athena61]

-What are the (major)different types of shampoos and how do you determine what kind to use?
The first type is sulfates, usually SLS. SLS is in most commercial shampoos and are generally too harsh more most scalps (I say most because SLS is great for people with certain scalp conditions, like seborrheic dermatitis). SLES is a sulfate but it is much gentler, followed by Coco Betaine which is gentler still, and is usually the cleansing agent in sulfate-free shampoos/low 'poos

-Are there any good diagnostic tips or general guidelines for different hair types (curly, straight, virgin, damaged) and what sort of shampoo works best ?
Basically, the straighter and oilier your hair is, the harsher the cleanser you can get away with, and vice versa. This is why curlies tend to like CO washing.

-What is the big deal with silicones? When should you use them and when should you steer clear?
It's all personal preference. It doesn't help that there are several different types of cones, from the heavy dimethicone to the very light PEG cones. Some of them are water soluble and some of them are not. I can't use 'cones because they make my hair feel like old doll hair, but some people love them and need them. You really just have to try them out and see what happens.

- What hair type benefits from co-washing?
Curlies, Coilies, Wurlies, and some Wavies.

- When do you decide to clarify?
I clarify about once a month because I use a lot of leave-ins (gel, leave-in conditioner, oils, and some butters). My clarifying shampoo is also a combination chelator which I need because of hard water. You didn't address chelating, but I would check the water quality in your area to see if that's something you need to worry about also. Clarifying is needed when my ends get velcro-like (as in, I can detangle and five seconds later my ends are all tangled up again). My hair looks dull even after washing and it generally just won't cooperate. Always follow up clarifying/chelating with a moisturizing deep treatment.

-Protein vs. Non Protein Conditioner | Moisture Rich conditioners
Again, are there diagnostic tips for deciding what you should use? I am so overwhelmed with picking hair products!
Protein overdose is characterized by hard hair, basically. Your strands will feel hard, stiff, and brittle, like a stick. Moisture overdose is stretchy and gummy when wet, often described as cotton candy. If your hair just feels dry, you may need either protein or moisture, or both. Since you're a wurly with damage I would say you absolutely need both. As to how often, that's up to your hair. Do it when you need it. That can be once a week, twice a month, once a month, etc.

At the moment my main concern is that when I brush my hair while dry, the strands feel ready to snap and like they do not slip through my wide tooth comb the way they should. IS this what people mean when they say their ends are grabby?
Honestly it sounds like you need to clarify and follow up with a heavy protein and moisturizing deep treatment. What you're describing could be several things, and this would take care of all of those issues.

I apologize since this is not my thread but the above statement regarding moisture overload caught my attention. Can damaged hair from over processing get moisture overloaded?

[spidermom]

What bothers you about your hair the most?

[nikolette]

-What are the (major)different types of shampoos and how do you determine what kind to use?
The first type is sulfates, usually SLS. SLS is in most commercial shampoos and are generally too harsh more most scalps (I say most because SLS is great for people with certain scalp conditions, like seborrheic dermatitis). SLES is a sulfate but it is much gentler, followed by Coco Betaine which is gentler still, and is usually the cleansing agent in sulfate-free shampoos/low 'poos

-Are there any good diagnostic tips or general guidelines for different hair types (curly, straight, virgin, damaged) and what sort of shampoo works best ?
Basically, the straighter and oilier your hair is, the harsher the cleanser you can get away with, and vice versa. This is why curlies tend to like CO washing.

-What is the big deal with silicones? When should you use them and when should you steer clear?
It's all personal preference. It doesn't help that there are several different types of cones, from the heavy dimethicone to the very light PEG cones. Some of them are water soluble and some of them are not. I can't use 'cones because they make my hair feel like old doll hair, but some people love them and need them. You really just have to try them out and see what happens.

- What hair type benefits from co-washing?
Curlies, Coilies, Wurlies, and some Wavies.

- When do you decide to clarify?
I clarify about once a month because I use a lot of leave-ins (gel, leave-in conditioner, oils, and some butters). My clarifying shampoo is also a combination chelator which I need because of hard water. You didn't address chelating, but I would check the water quality in your area to see if that's something you need to worry about also. Clarifying is needed when my ends get velcro-like (as in, I can detangle and five seconds later my ends are all tangled up again). My hair looks dull even after washing and it generally just won't cooperate. Always follow up clarifying/chelating with a moisturizing deep treatment.

-Protein vs. Non Protein Conditioner | Moisture Rich conditioners
Again, are there diagnostic tips for deciding what you should use? I am so overwhelmed with picking hair products!
Protein overdose is characterized by hard hair, basically. Your strands will feel hard, stiff, and brittle, like a stick. Moisture overdose is stretchy and gummy when wet, often described as cotton candy. If your hair just feels dry, you may need either protein or moisture, or both. Since you're a wurly with damage I would say you absolutely need both. As to how often, that's up to your hair. Do it when you need it. That can be once a week, twice a month, once a month, etc.

At the moment my main concern is that when I brush my hair while dry, the strands feel ready to snap and like they do not slip through my wide tooth comb the way they should. IS this what people mean when they say their ends are grabby?
Honestly it sounds like you need to clarify and follow up with a heavy protein and moisturizing deep treatment. What you're describing could be several things, and this would take care of all of those issues.

Great, thank you so much! I will definitely clarify and do protein and moisture treatment! Your info about cones and sulfates is really helpful too :)

[nikolette]

1. I only know of the sulfate and sulfate free shampoos, I'm not sure there are any other kinds. You want to avoid sulfates as much as possible (SLS, SLES, etc). Curlies generally need a gentler routine I've read, due to how the hair is structured. I don't have lots of advice on curly hair, though. Silicones (like dimethicone) are the ingredients in conditioner that create a slip in your hair. Some people claim to love them, others not. It is all personal preference, but when using silicones, it is best to clarify every few washes. I'm not sure what hair types benefit from CO, but I've heard that people shed more when CO, but it may not always be true.
2. I find I need to clarify once a month or so, because I wash my hair with -cones and three times a week. If your conditioner does not have cones, you don't need to clarify very often or at all. Usually when my hair becomes lank and limp I decide to clarify. The clarifier I use is the Neutrogena Anti-Residue, it works very well.
3. To figure out if you need protein or moisture, take a wet piece of shed hair. Pull the hair in between two fingers. If the hair snaps immediately, your hair needs moisture. If it stretches but does not bounce back to its original length, it needs protein. When hair is dry, it usually needs moisture. Look into doing an SMT if you need moisture. I usually do a protein treatment (with gelatin) once a month followed by an SMT, because protein and moisture go hand in hand. Sometimes I will do an SMT without gelatin if my hair feels really dry.
4. You might be able to tell if product has built up in your hair by looking at it when it's dry. If your curls or waves are stretched out and limp looking, there is probably product buildup, but this might not always be true.

I don't have grabby ends, or at least that does not happen to me. I have read that when this happens to people they need to clarify, but I am not sure.

Your routine sounds good, and it will improve as your experiment more.

I still get overwhelmed sometimes with all the information, I hope this all helps! And feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm still learning too :)

Thank you! Very helpful indeed! I like your protein/moisture diagnostic tip too! I can't wait to do a good protein treatment followed by SMT. :disco:

[Hootenanny]

A lot of good advice here. I'd just add that if your hair is 2c/3a, it might be better if you didn't brush when dry at all. Also, have you tried the CG (curly girl) method? You don't have to CO wash (I don't, and I'm 3b), but the techniques used are often very helpful in maximizing the health and appearance of curly or wavy hair. :)

[nikolette]

What bothers you about your hair the most?

Hi Spidermom :)

I would say what bothers me the most is
1. Tangles - it seems like my hair tangles easily and when I detangle (when my hair is dry) even if I am gentle my hair seems to catch on comb. I think this may be what people refer to as grabby ends, but I am not sure...
2. Really would like my hair to feel soft and clean... versus rougher? and coated? Recently I
3. manageability - and I'm talking about frizz here. My hair is really prone to frizz. Not sure if this is a result of damage or my natural hair type... Or a bit of both. Although the frizz has toned down a lot since I have been using DevaCurl No-Poo but I also feel like this may give my hair the above stated odd textural feel of being coated.

Thanks for your help! (everyone else too!)

[nikolette]

A lot of good advice here. I'd just add that if your hair is 2c/3a, it might be better if you didn't brush when dry at all. Also, have you tried the CG (curly girl) method? You don't have to CO wash (I don't, and I'm 3b), but the techniques used are often very helpful in maximizing the health and appearance of curly or wavy hair. :)

Great advice! I am thrilled!!

Well... OK but I only wash about 2x a week, and how do I keep my hair from being a tangled ragged mess in between washings if I don't comb when dry? I hate combing when dry because I feel like all of my breakage happens when I do this... Not sure why though!

[lapushka]

Great advice! I am thrilled!!

Well... OK but I only wash about 2x a week, and how do I keep my hair from being a tangled ragged mess in between washings if I don't comb when dry? I hate combing when dry because I feel like all of my breakage happens when I do this... Not sure why though!

You comb it out when wet and saturated with conditioner. Or damp, right after it gets out of the towel (you might have more frizz if you're not careful in this case, though).

[nikolette]

You comb it out when wet and saturated with conditioner. Or damp, right after it gets out of the towel (you might have more frizz if you're not careful in this case, though).

Thanks again Lapushka, for more advice!!

This is my usual routine...but what can I do in between washes? I have been braiding my hair almost all the time but I have to take the braid out and re-braid morning and night and this is usually when I comb through my hair because otherwise when I go to wash I find its very tangled.

I am finding my hair is tangling VERY easily.

[lapushka]

I am finding my hair is tangling VERY easily.

Using conditioner twice on it might help - lots. The more moisture you put on your hair, the less it is prone to tangling. I use the WCC method as a modified CG method, and I have zero tangles (if I use great conditioners (with silicones)).

[Hootenanny]

Nikolette, the longer you go CG, the less tangles should occur. As lapushka said, the more moisturized you get your hair, the easier it should become, at least up to a point. If you hair is heat damaged and color-treated (as you said) then it is going to be harder to get it properly moisturized, as your hair is likely high porosity due to damage, which means that the moisture evaporates out more quickly. I would recommend using a leave in and doing regular protein treatments, if your hair seems to like that. I will also recommend the LOC method (more info is linked in lapushka's signature) as a way of sealing in moisture.

When it comes to daily detangling, finger detangling works for many curlies. For myself, however, I typically just wait until wash day to detangle. Yes, my hair is fairly tangled by then, but I just smother my hair in massive amounts of conditioner and take it from there. It's much easier than detangling dry, at least for me. Brushing or combing when dry, in my experience, only makes the tangles come back again with a vengeance. I hope this helps! :)

[molljo]

I apologize since this is not my thread but the above statement regarding moisture overload caught my attention. Can damaged hair from over processing get moisture overloaded?

Yes. Protein provides structure, or temporary patch-repair to your strands (keep in mind that nothing can truly heal hair once it's damaged). Damage blows holes in the cortex, which result in protein loss. Too much moisture without the scaffolding (protein) in place can cause it to be weird in the way I've described previously. Think of a mudslide. Too much moisture + not enough structure and the whole thing falls apart.

[nikolette]

Using conditioner twice on it might help - lots. The more moisture you put on your hair, the less it is prone to tangling. I use the WCC method as a modified CG method, and I have zero tangles (if I use great conditioners (with silicones)).

I am going to try WCC and LOC method although and see how it works out for me! Thank you! I really think I need to get a conditioner with silicones as well, mine is silicone free and I think I could really benefit from the "slip" silicones provide.

[nikolette]

Nikolette, the longer you go CG, the less tangles should occur. As lapushka said, the more moisturized you get your hair, the easier it should become, at least up to a point. If you hair is heat damaged and color-treated (as you said) then it is going to be harder to get it properly moisturized, as your hair is likely high porosity due to damage, which means that the moisture evaporates out more quickly. I would recommend using a leave in and doing regular protein treatments, if your hair seems to like that. I will also recommend the LOC method (more info is linked in lapushka's signature) as a way of sealing in moisture.

When it comes to daily detangling, finger detangling works for many curlies. For myself, however, I typically just wait until wash day to detangle. Yes, my hair is fairly tangled by then, but I just smother my hair in massive amounts of conditioner and take it from there. It's much easier than detangling dry, at least for me. Brushing or combing when dry, in my experience, only makes the tangles come back again with a vengeance. I hope this helps! :)

It does help, tons!! I can't thank everyone enough! Before recently I never detangled dry when my hair was curly, I would never even dream of it! But those days I was flat iron my hair straight so it was easier to brush through... Since I don't do that anymore I am just trying to find a new routine. Your advice really helps!

[vicvic]

You've got a lot of good advice here! I don't really have much else to add, but I will say that I have the same problem with my hair feeling catchy and tangly when I use a wide tooth comb, and I think it's because the comb is not seamless - the molded plastic has little seams that snag on hair, whereas a seamless one is carved/sanded from a peice of plastic.

I plan on buying a seamless comb at some point. I don't know if it will help, but theoretically, it should. Until then I finger detangle.

[Panth]

I can answer a few of these questions, so shall give them a go...

1. Washing
:confused::confused::confused:
I know its not good to shampoo too frequently. That said,

-What are the (major)different types of shampoos and how do you determine what kind to use?
-Are there any good diagnostic tips or general guidelines for different hair types (curly, straight, virgin, damaged) and what sort of shampoo works best ?
-What is the big deal with silicones? When should you use them and when should you steer clear?
- What hair type benefits from co-washing?

You shouldn't shampoo too frequently because wetting always causes a little damage to hair due to hygral fatigue and if you want to grow hair super-long then this tiny but cumulative damage can become relevant in terms of look/manageability/length retention. The other reason is that many (but by no means all) people who "need" to wash daily due to greasy scalps have this problem because their scalp over-produces sebum to compensate for their regular washing. In these people, stretching washes results in less greasy-looking hair for less time, effort and money and thus is recommended.

The major types of shampoos are sulphate-containing (based on SLS, SLES, ALS or ALES cleansers) and sulphate-free (based on other cleansers, e.g. cocoamidopropyl betaine). There are also organic vs. non-organic and "natural" vs. non (basically a marketing thing).

I'm not sure about hair types, except that hair that is more easily damaged (e.g. fine hair, curly hair) should generally be treated more gently and is less likely to tolerate harsh washing.

Silicones. Basically, there has been a bit of a scare about silicones, with people claiming that they always cause hair to become dry or lank or other negative things, that they "block" the hair from absorbing moisture, that they make hair "plasticy" and/or that they "hide damage" (I've never quite got why that was a bad thing). All of these things are true for a few people, but not for many. Also, all of those things are also true for oils and other "natural" conditioning agents for at least some people. Basically, silicones have lots of good properties (e.g. they are pro-slip, anti-tangle, anti-static and they patch-repair damage (resulting in better shine, appearance and manageability)). However, they can build up. This is easily dealt with by occasionally clarifying (using an especially strong shampoo especially marketed to remove build-up) and/or by creating a routine that discourages build-up, e.g. by using silicones that build up very slowly (amino-cones and PEG-cones) or using shampoos that remove silicones (sulphate-shampoos or cocoamidopropyl betaine). Going 'cone-free is not necessary for most people (and is not beneficial for many). Going sulphate-free has somewhat more evidence as sulphates have been demonstrated to cause skin thinning even in people without skin conditions and can exacerbate excema and other skin problems. If you are sulphate-free you need to be a bit more careful about what 'cones you use as you are more liable to risk build-up (though it is certainly possible to avoid it with a carefully designed routine - basically, cocoamidopropyl betaine cleansers and/or 'cones that don't build up).

2. Clarifying

- When do you decide to clarify?

Basically, when you have symptoms of product build-up. This is usually things like: lankness, dullness, "plasticky feeling" (for 'cones), "crispy" feeling (esp. on ends), tangling. If clarifying (removing product build-up) doesn't fix it, consider chelating (removing mineral build-up), especially if you have hard water or well water.

3. Conditioners and conditioning treatments

-Protein vs. Non Protein Conditioner | Moisture Rich conditioners
- How often should you do a conditioning treatment?
-Determining what kind of conditioning treatment you need?


Protein conditioners have words like "silk", "amino acids", "wheat protein", etc. in the ingredients.

Most people use some sort of conditioner after every wash. As for additional things, there is a huge range from people (like me) who don't do any additional conditioning treatments to people who do some sort daily. You just have to experiment (though less is usually more).

Determining what treatment to use is largely a matter of trial and error (or finding people with similar hair type to you, or similar sorts of damage and trying their routines). In general, though, if you take a shed hair and stretch it you can determine protein vs. moisture. If the hair stretches and stretches and never goes back to its original length, you're probably protein deficient, if it snaps immediately when you try to stretch it, perhaps moisture deficient. If it stretches a little and goes back to how it was, it's about right. Also, certain hair types are more likely to need protein, e.g. fine hair, very long hair, bleached hair, dye-damaged hair, etc.

- How to tell when there is too much product builup in your hair from oils etc?

Sometimes it feels like general product build-up (see above). Sometimes it just looks like "otter in an oil slick". Sometimes (particularly with coconut oil) the hair feels "crunchy". Often washing with conditioner is the best way to remove oils - they are more soluble in conditioner.

~~~

Other general tips:
- cut out as much damaging stuff as you can bear straight away (e.g. dye (except semi-permanent/deposit only and/or natural dyes like henna), bleach, heat styling, hot blow drying, perms, chemical straightening, rough detangling (incl. detangling with a brush for many people - wide-toothed comb is much better for most people), backcombing, other styles that cause breakage/tangles, etc.)
- for adding stuff / changing routine, try to do it slowly and one at a time (e.g. introduce/change one new thing, do it 5-10 times*, decide whether things are better or worse, decide to keep it / stop doing it, then and only then try a second thing) - it's really tempting to try loads of new things at once, but if you do that then you'll never be able to work out what worked and what didn't and what is actively harmful for your hair

*usually it's "the two week rule" (i.e. try it for two weeks, then assess), but I think a 5-10x rule is better as some things you'll do lots in two weeks (e.g. shampoo) and other things you'd maybe only do once (e.g. a deep treatment).

[nikolette]

I can answer a few of these questions, so shall give them a go...

1. Washing
:confused::confused::confused:
I know its not good to shampoo too frequently. That said,

-What are the (major)different types of shampoos and how do you determine what kind to use?
-Are there any good diagnostic tips or general guidelines for different hair types (curly, straight, virgin, damaged) and what sort of shampoo works best ?
-What is the big deal with silicones? When should you use them and when should you steer clear?
- What hair type benefits from co-washing?

You shouldn't shampoo too frequently because wetting always causes a little damage to hair due to hygral fatigue and if you want to grow hair super-long then this tiny but cumulative damage can become relevant in terms of look/manageability/length retention. The other reason is that many (but by no means all) people who "need" to wash daily due to greasy scalps have this problem because their scalp over-produces sebum to compensate for their regular washing. In these people, stretching washes results in less greasy-looking hair for less time, effort and money and thus is recommended.

The major types of shampoos are sulphate-containing (based on SLS, SLES, ALS or ALES cleansers) and sulphate-free (based on other cleansers, e.g. cocoamidopropyl betaine). There are also organic vs. non-organic and "natural" vs. non (basically a marketing thing).

I'm not sure about hair types, except that hair that is more easily damaged (e.g. fine hair, curly hair) should generally be treated more gently and is less likely to tolerate harsh washing.

Silicones. Basically, there has been a bit of a scare about silicones, with people claiming that they always cause hair to become dry or lank or other negative things, that they "block" the hair from absorbing moisture, that they make hair "plasticy" and/or that they "hide damage" (I've never quite got why that was a bad thing). All of these things are true for a few people, but not for many. Also, all of those things are also true for oils and other "natural" conditioning agents for at least some people. Basically, silicones have lots of good properties (e.g. they are pro-slip, anti-tangle, anti-static and they patch-repair damage (resulting in better shine, appearance and manageability)). However, they can build up. This is easily dealt with by occasionally clarifying (using an especially strong shampoo especially marketed to remove build-up) and/or by creating a routine that discourages build-up, e.g. by using silicones that build up very slowly (amino-cones and PEG-cones) or using shampoos that remove silicones (sulphate-shampoos or cocoamidopropyl betaine). Going 'cone-free is not necessary for most people (and is not beneficial for many). Going sulphate-free has somewhat more evidence as sulphates have been demonstrated to cause skin thinning even in people without skin conditions and can exacerbate excema and other skin problems. If you are sulphate-free you need to be a bit more careful about what 'cones you use as you are more liable to risk build-up (though it is certainly possible to avoid it with a carefully designed routine - basically, cocoamidopropyl betaine cleansers and/or 'cones that don't build up).

2. Clarifying

- When do you decide to clarify?

Basically, when you have symptoms of product build-up. This is usually things like: lankness, dullness, "plasticky feeling" (for 'cones), "crispy" feeling (esp. on ends), tangling. If clarifying (removing product build-up) doesn't fix it, consider chelating (removing mineral build-up), especially if you have hard water or well water.

3. Conditioners and conditioning treatments

-Protein vs. Non Protein Conditioner | Moisture Rich conditioners
- How often should you do a conditioning treatment?
-Determining what kind of conditioning treatment you need?


Protein conditioners have words like "silk", "amino acids", "wheat protein", etc. in the ingredients.

Most people use some sort of conditioner after every wash. As for additional things, there is a huge range from people (like me) who don't do any additional conditioning treatments to people who do some sort daily. You just have to experiment (though less is usually more).

Determining what treatment to use is largely a matter of trial and error (or finding people with similar hair type to you, or similar sorts of damage and trying their routines). In general, though, if you take a shed hair and stretch it you can determine protein vs. moisture. If the hair stretches and stretches and never goes back to its original length, you're probably protein deficient, if it snaps immediately when you try to stretch it, perhaps moisture deficient. If it stretches a little and goes back to how it was, it's about right. Also, certain hair types are more likely to need protein, e.g. fine hair, very long hair, bleached hair, dye-damaged hair, etc.

- How to tell when there is too much product builup in your hair from oils etc?

Sometimes it feels like general product build-up (see above). Sometimes it just looks like "otter in an oil slick". Sometimes (particularly with coconut oil) the hair feels "crunchy". Often washing with conditioner is the best way to remove oils - they are more soluble in conditioner.

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Other general tips:
- cut out as much damaging stuff as you can bear straight away (e.g. dye (except semi-permanent/deposit only and/or natural dyes like henna), bleach, heat styling, hot blow drying, perms, chemical straightening, rough detangling (incl. detangling with a brush for many people - wide-toothed comb is much better for most people), backcombing, other styles that cause breakage/tangles, etc.)
- for adding stuff / changing routine, try to do it slowly and one at a time (e.g. introduce/change one new thing, do it 5-10 times*, decide whether things are better or worse, decide to keep it / stop doing it, then and only then try a second thing) - it's really tempting to try loads of new things at once, but if you do that then you'll never be able to work out what worked and what didn't and what is actively harmful for your hair

*usually it's "the two week rule" (i.e. try it for two weeks, then assess), but I think a 5-10x rule is better as some things you'll do lots in two weeks (e.g. shampoo) and other things you'd maybe only do once (e.g. a deep treatment).

Thank you for taking the time to answer all this!! Very helpful information :)

[Athena61]

Yes. Protein provides structure, or temporary patch-repair to your strands (keep in mind that nothing can truly heal hair once it's damaged). Damage blows holes in the cortex, which result in protein loss. Too much moisture without the scaffolding (protein) in place can cause it to be weird in the way I've described previously. Think of a mudslide. Too much moisture + not enough structure and the whole thing falls apart.

Thank you for your reply and explanation.