View Full Version : Changes to hair thickness and feel?
Duffy
December 12th, 2014, 07:52 AM
Hi All, I'm new to this site but I thought such like-minded people may be able to put my mind at rest! My hair is naturally wavy/ curly, has always been quite thick but very manageable, and I keep it below collarbone-length so it doesn't go mental-unruly/ fluffy.
A few months ago I cut down how much I wash my hair (I had tried a temporary dye which washes out over time, to cover early greys :( so wanted it to last). I found I could go longer than I thought before it got greasy, up to 5 days b/w washes, whereas before I washed 3-times-weekly. I noticed that there was more shedding than usual during each wash, but assumed that this was just because there were more 'loose' hairs building up on my head, as washes were less frequent. I was a little worried, but it wasn't really a worrying amount (most sites say shedding 100 hairs a day is within 'normal' range), and that explanation seems to make sense. The shedding seems to have calmed down now on its own and by brushing every day (generally I used to only finger-comb/ comb because of the curls), and I am going to go to twice-weekly washing, for the sake of my scalp.
I also tried a new shampoo and conditioner last weekend, and my hair is noticeably softer and smoother (Aussie products). However, it feels like I have a little less hair, or it is thinner overall - as in, if I gather it into a ponytail it feels like the circumference is less. Could this be because it is smoother and softer? It is flatter than usual but that is probably due to it needing a cut and my shorter layers cut in - when the layers are too long it can seem weighed-down and flat.
Is this something which others find happen - that different products and different frequency of washing can effect how thick your hair 'feels' and looks, if that makes sense? Basically my hair is still quite thick compared to others', I imagine, and it is probably fine - this is probably residual worry about the shedding which has let this 'thiness' fear appear and get my attention. But I am quite a worrier, so really I guess I'm looking for reassurance that this is normal!
[Apologies, I didn't expect this post to get so long! :rolleyes:]
lapushka
December 12th, 2014, 08:17 AM
First of all, don't try and change all of your routine allatonce. Change one thing at a time. Stretch washes, but keep using the same products for example. If stretching goes fine, then change one product, and see how that goes. If you don't do that, you are never going to know what caused a difference.
I would go back to what worked initially. Then start back up again from there.
schnibbles
December 12th, 2014, 08:25 AM
I believe Aussie products contain silicones. (check the label) I know when I use products that are heavier on the 'cones, my hair feels "thinner" but it's really not. If you say your hair is 'flatter than usual' that could be from the cones in the Aussie stuff. Also, are you using coconut oil at all? Coconut oil use can affect how your hair absorbs water ... for some hairtypes (I think -- maybe an expert will chime in)
arr
December 12th, 2014, 08:25 AM
Could it be that your previous shampoo and conditioner were no silicone and your new ones do have silicones? I've noticed that cone free can make your hair fluffier, thus feeling thicker, whereas silicones can smooth hair down more, making it feel more compact. Also if you are stretching washes more, the extra oil can smooth and weigh down hair. So those are possibly some reasons your hair may feel thinner.
Madora
December 12th, 2014, 08:46 AM
I would venture a guess that the products you'd been using coated your hair, and over time, the hair seemed "heavier".
To return to your hair's natural state, you might want to try clarifying with a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying removes every last vestige of product on your strands, leaving them looking and feeling like hay, which is exactly what it is supposed to do. After you rinse out the shampoo, follow immediately with a deep conditioning treatment. The dct returns your hair to its former self. Once you are back to "square one" you can then begin to experiment with shampoos and conditioners, to see what gives you the best results.
You also might want to dilute both the shampoo and conditioner with a little water.
I would strongly suggest that you limit yourself to using just the shampoo and conditioner on your hair for the first 2 weeks, and nothing else (no leave ins, oils, serums, treatments) so you can judge how your hair responds to the shampoo and conditioner.
And just for the record, my personal mantra: "Less is more". The less stuff on your hair, the better for your hair. Less buildup occurs, which means fewer times you need to clarify, which means less opportunities for dealing with tangles when clarifying (and afterwards), which means less mechanical damage, which is a definite win-win for your tresses!
Robot Ninja
December 12th, 2014, 09:07 AM
It sounds totally normal to me. If you have poufy hair, anything that smooths it down will make it seem thinner. It might also make it compact better, which would make your ponytails feel thinner.
lapushka
December 12th, 2014, 10:09 AM
What's your hair texture like? Do you have straight, wavy, or curly hair? And have you clarified recently?
meteor
December 12th, 2014, 03:17 PM
Definitely! Hair can certainly feel poofier/more voluminous or sleeker/finer depending on the products you use.
Hair can compact dramatically when it's covered in cones and/or oils or if you use acidic rinses. You can definitely experience differences in ponytail circumference measurements depending on when you've washed hair and what products you've used.
The Aussie products you've mentioned have a reputation for being silicone bombs, so it's not surprising that they give you that sleeked down feeling. It's not a bad thing at all, don't worry about loosing hair this way. Some products actually roughen up the cuticle a lot, and that's much worse: for example, bleach or salt have that "volumizing" effect on hair (to be avoided!), and that's how some people say that salt water and bleach somehow give their hair "better" texture.
Catatafish
December 12th, 2014, 04:14 PM
My hair seems a lot thinner and sleeker when I use Aussie Shine products, and goes back to its old ways if I use something else. For me, different shampoo and conditioner can definitely change how wavy/thick/heavy my hair feels.
CousinItt
December 12th, 2014, 08:40 PM
I do water only hair care, with some use of oils and herbal rinses and I find my hair texture can change depending on how much moisture/sebum the strands retain - if I damp bun my hair, it will feel thicker and heavier for a few days afterwards, whether I oil it or not.
I've had to occasionally wash my hair with shampoo, after which my hair will feel thinner and lighter. I assume that's not only because I've removed the natural oils, but that removing those oils allow the moisture to escape too.
Duffy
December 15th, 2014, 08:09 AM
Thanks so much for your replies, everyone. Sorry, of course it would help, when asking a product question, if I told you what products I'd used... I had been using Garnier Ultimate Blends (brown bottle, 'Sleek Restorer' one), and according to Google, this has no 'cones (or at least not many?!). Also the conditioner which came with my semi-permanent hair dye (Boots' own Botanical range).
I washed my hair yesterday, using the Garnier instead of the Aussie stuff, and my hair is pretty much back to how it was - not soft and smooth at all, really, and it feels less compact. So, it would seem that the Aussie stuff really is very heavy on the cones!
I think it was just that, after trying all kinds of shampoo and conditioners ever since my teens to try and find one which smooths as it claims and none of them really did it, I was gobsmacked to find the Aussie one could make such a huge difference in just one wash! And coming right after I noticed more shedding each time I washed, I had a fear that I had somehow been losing more hair than I should. But I think the shedding is still normal amounts, especially if I'm stretching washes, the 'loose hair' buildup explanation seems to make sense, especially if I was finger-combing rather than brushing.
It's not really a bad thing, to feel all sleek and smooth, but I don't want to have it build up over time, so I may only use the Aussie stuff now and then when I want a smooth look 'naturally'. I dislike using anything at all in my hair, I love just a clean-hair feel and smell, so I tend to rely on shampoo and conditioners alone - I only really use a serum or hair spray when I curl my hair with a wand every 6 weeks or so for special occasions. Otherwise, I'm obsessed with YouTube videos on heatless curling methods.
Has anyone got any recommendations for no-cone shampoos and conditioners which actually help provide a little smoothness, or are cones the thing which really manage that? I'm naturally between wavy and curly, and it's actually quite nice when it behaves - I'm having my shorter layers cut in again today to encourage the natural curl and get rid of the flatness - but it can be just a little bit coarse/ flyaway. Everyone on this board seems very knowledgeable, so if I have a root around I may find some useful threads on products...
schnibbles
December 15th, 2014, 08:21 AM
I look for Amodimethicone in the ingredients (a water soluable cone, shouldn't build up as much a regular cones... L'oreal Total Repair 5 conditioner is one of my favorites) I also pre-poo with coconut oil on my length, this seems to give me some smoothness also.
Check out the thread on WCC (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=119314). (wash once, condition twice) Hope this helps!
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.