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cat11
May 11th, 2015, 05:08 PM
I have been hating my hair this past week. It makes it harder to be gentle. I was still mostly gentle, but found it harder.... I found myself getting very angry detangling because my ends are just horrible from old dye damage and the fact that my layers which hadnt been touched for ages since they were growing out finally made it to the bottom.

And I don't know how I can wait to trim them until the beginning of Fall unless a miracle hair experiment happens. The last 3 trims my ends have deteriorated quicker and quicker :/ Maybe twice a year isnt often enough for me anymore....

I've been very patient about sticking to my grow out plan over the last two years, with diligent trims only twice a year, cutting only the bottom to let my layers grow out and leaving my bangs alone exept for the slightest dusting every other time. Recently I've also started only doing the tip (was doing the bottom all the way around bbefore without my knowledge until i talked to my mother- who cuts my hair and used to Manage a salon and cut proffessionally- about it. This was miscommunication on my end, not her refusing to listen) to fix my hem to straight instead of U slowly.

It was easy to stick to before, but now, like I said, that the layered ends are finally at the bottom, and the sides arent getting trimmed as much, and the front peices are very tangly, I'm having a hard time.... These ends are so difficult because they have been dyed. The older parts have been bleached before. I was gentle on my hair even pre-lhc other than the dye (no heat, or blowdrying, not ripping through the hair (though technique was not quite up to standard) and using a lot of conditioner. Stretching washes. But the damage is still catching up to me... it tangles so easy but only at the ends ;_;

My routine is wash with gentle shampoo(usually palmers olive oil with a gentler sulfate but I use she shea moisture retention every 3rd wash or sometimes mix it with the other if scalp hair is getting to dry...used to use co wash with great results if I rotated it but ran out... bought a new one at wally though), condition with moisturizing conditioner (palmers olive oil, or SMT, or smt with biolage hydra source deep conditioner) leaving in a showercap for at least 5 mins but usually 10-15, once a month I use a protein packet (hask keratin protein packet), dry by gently squeezing, blotting with t shirt, then using 2 turbie twist one at a time for 15 min each then air dry. i think the turbie twist was causing bad tangles on my scalp area that were horrid to get out, so the last time I tried drying it only on my shirt not letting the direction change and then braiding 4 very loose braids when it got 60-70 % dry and sticking them in my sleep cap for the night. This had much better results for getting rid of tangles.... my wet hair clumps like CRAZY and hates being moved...do you think this method could cause damage? I used those stretchy ribbon hair ties done as loose as would hold with decent sized tails for better holding.

When it's dry I put oil on it (recently sunflower & grapeseed have been favorites, or I use Argan, I used to use coconut and got great results but have since stopped because its easy to use too much... maybe it would work better in the summer) and detangle with a wide tooth comb. Either a wooden comb by tans or my acrylic Eternally in Amber one. Then I bun mostly every day and double braid some days. I wash every friday and this timing works well for me. Use a silk sleep cap with a loose english braid inside to prevent tangles.

What do you think I could do to improve my detangling experience? Make a home made detangler mix? I was thikning of trying kimberlilys. I have a lot of oils and glycerine. I think I need to deep condiiton more often but I have fine hair and I so often over do it.... Maybe every other wash? But not for too long of a time so i dont mess up...

I think I need to incorporate a leave in too... I used t ouse them with great success but have stopped because sometimes I just put on too much which results in even worse detangling. It's easy to over load my fine hair :/ But it needs a lot of moisture... paradox...

I need some major tips on keeping old, tangly, fine, 2c/3a ends manageable as possible.. what works for you? Good deep conditioning schedules? Good way to do leave in? Good amount of leave in? Anything else you think will help? Any problems or holes in my routine?

Ergh. I only like my hair in pictures... they are deceiving since the ends are thick... plenty of pics in my length shots and updos album for reference. Pics are taken right before wash days after aweek of bunning...

Sorry this is so long... I need help. Thinking of breaking the wash cycle t oget extra conditioning in tonight, trying the new co wash and a deep condition on the ends...I will wait for possible suggestions to try for this tonight... I really appreciate any help anyone can offer and anyone who reads my hair wall of text :flower:

divinedobbie
May 11th, 2015, 05:21 PM
I wish I could help but I'm dealing with the same problems as you and will be following this thread too. I hope you find something that helps :flower:

lunalocks
May 11th, 2015, 05:32 PM
You might try mini trims more frequently. You might also try a drop of baby oil on the ends daily. I keep my hair up all the time, use catnip tea as a soak and leave in after washing and S and D about once a week. This has cut down on tangles and splits.

cat11
May 11th, 2015, 05:39 PM
Thanks for the welcome commiseration, divinedobbie. I hope it can help both of us!!

Lunalocks, I think you may be on to something with the frequent trims. Part of me hates stopping my plan, but if I make them small I can still grow at the same rate... and if it's not working... why be stubborn, I guess. Maybe I will do a 1/4 trim tonight and bite the bullet... 4 small trims in this half of the year instead of an inch trim in fall like I had planned. (I used to only do 1/3 of an inch half a year but the damage has been worse lately and I want to speed the hem fixing)

I have tried to s&d but..... I cant tell where the splits are... I dont know if it's my eyes of how fine my hair is, or how thick my hair is, or all of it. When I look at my ends as a whole i can see damage but finding the worst strands just never works.... There are so many tiny hairs.. Im also afraid of thinning..Any suggestions?

Also I have coconut milk I wanted to try the coconut milk pre wash rinse... but think it may be too much to use with co wash unless its ends only (which would be suitable for the amount I have left, after making my mom a mothers day coconut milk, african oil & flower bath)

I also have gelatin. I have a lot of hair supplies for people to suggest stuff with

Duchess Fuzzy Buns
May 11th, 2015, 05:40 PM
My layers have just recently caught up to the rest of my hair too, and the shortest bits haven't had a proper trim in an awful long time. The only thing I can think to suggest is some serious S&D. It does seem to help the tangly ends when I really go through and get rid of any splits and fairy knots.

Nadine <3
May 11th, 2015, 05:45 PM
Have you tried the Oil Rinse Method? It's saved my ends and has been fantastic for detangling and keeping my ends moist.

cat11
May 11th, 2015, 05:47 PM
I want to s&d so bad but... I can never recognize anything it makes me feel so stupid :/ I will try again though before my treatment tonight (whatever I decide on) fter a good careful detangle so it is clear... I've tried it many times though and it baffles me how people can tell which ones to cut... I know what Im supposed t olook for, white dots, y's. But... I don see them.... How can one look at each hair.... so many hairs... maybe if I take a half an inch section at a time... it would take HOURS...which I suppose im willing to do but I dont know if I have time tonight.

Nadine, I haven't tried it! You shampoo, put in oil, rinse right out, and then condition, right? How much do you use? (should I just refer to the thread?) Which oils have you used? We both have fine strands so what works for you may work well for me

thanks so much for replying, everyone <3

Duchess Fuzzy Buns
May 11th, 2015, 06:00 PM
I want to s&d so bad but... I can never recognize anything it makes me feel so stupid :/ I will try again though before my treatment tonight (whatever I decide on) fter a good careful detangle so it is clear... I've tried it many times though and it baffles me how people can tell which ones to cut... I know what Im supposed t olook for, white dots, y's. But... I don see them.... How can one look at each hair.... so many hairs... maybe if I take a half an inch section at a time... it would take HOURS...which I suppose im willing to do but I dont know if I have time tonight.

Nadine, I haven't tried it! You shampoo, put in oil, rinse right out, and then condition, right? How much do you use? (should I just refer to the thread?) Which oils have you used? We both have fine strands so what works for you may work well for me

thanks so much for replying, everyone <3

I think I posted the same time you did, so I didn't see your comment about the s&d before. :flower: Hmmm, I'm sure having really fine hair makes that more difficult. If s&d is out, then I would try what lunalocks suggested- doing smaller trims more frequently.

Nadine <3
May 11th, 2015, 06:02 PM
I want to s&d so bad but... I can never recognize anything it makes me feel so stupid :/ I will try again though before my treatment tonight (whatever I decide on) fter a good careful detangle so it is clear... I've tried it many times though and it baffles me how people can tell which ones to cut... I know what Im supposed t olook for, white dots, y's. But... I don see them.... How can one look at each hair.... so many hairs... maybe if I take a half an inch section at a time... it would take HOURS...which I suppose im willing to do but I dont know if I have time tonight.

Nadine, I haven't tried it! You shampoo, put in oil, rinse right out, and then condition, right? How much do you use? (should I just refer to the thread?) Which oils have you used? We both have fine strands so what works for you may work well for me

thanks so much for replying, everyone <3

Yes, it works great and even with my fine hair I find it really hard to weight my hair down! It's been great! I started out using coconut oil and that was working great but I got tired of dealing with the solid oil in the shower so I mixed up 1 cup of grapeseed, 1 cup olive oil, and 1 cup of coconut oil and put it in an old body wash pump bottle for easy use in the shower. it pumps out a little less than a half of a tablespoon. I even add a little more as a leave it when my hair is damp. Without the liberal use of oil my ends like to stick together even though I've cut all my damaged ends out. My hair loves its self, and this has kept me from creating more damage due to tangles :)
HTH!

cat11
May 11th, 2015, 06:06 PM
Yes, it works great and even with my fine hair I find it really hard to weight my hair down! It's been great! I started out using coconut oil and that was working great but I got tired of dealing with the solid oil in the shower so I mixed up 1 cup of grapeseed, 1 cup olive oil, and 1 cup of coconut oil and put it in an old body wash pump bottle for easy use in the shower. it pumps out a little less than a half of a tablespoon. I even add a little more as a leave it when my hair is damp. Without the liberal use of oil my ends like to stick together even though I've cut all my damaged ends out. My hair loves its self, and this has kept me from creating more damage due to tangles :)
HTH!

Thank you so much!! I have the perfect bottle for this and I'll try it tonight!! (and save the coconut milk for my skin so I dont over do it) Im going to make a similar mix.

Nadine <3
May 11th, 2015, 06:12 PM
Thank you so much!! I have the perfect bottle for this and I'll try it tonight!! (and save the coconut milk for my skin so I dont over do it) Im going to make a similar mix.

Yay! I hope it works well for you! :blossom:

Vivalagina
May 11th, 2015, 06:18 PM
When I still had my old bleached ends, they loved gelatin treatments and a long pre-poo soak with coconut oil. You can also mix up a bit of conditioner with distilled water and a few drops of your oil of choice in a spray bottle and used that mix to mist your ends daily. That helped smooth my ends without causing them to get crunchy. Good luck, hope you find something that works for you!

endlessly
May 11th, 2015, 06:50 PM
I've been in the exact same shoes you are now, so I can definitely understand what you're going through, but my answers and suggestions will probably not make you too happy. I had pretty severely tangled ends as a result of multiple chemical dyes and a bleach wash to remove a dye mistake and on top of all that, I was also trying to grow out a botched haircut from several years back. No matter what I did, the 'fix' was always temporary and nothing helped in the long run except finally succumbing and cutting off the damaged ends.

You mentioned several times that you use a lot of moisturizing shampoos/conditioners and treatments, but I don't recall if you mentioned that you had tried clarifying. A diluted ACV rinse can help to remove any excess buildup which can sometimes make your ends extra tangled - I used to spray diluted ACV throughout my entire hair, really massage it in, let it set, and then shampoo it out. Also, are the ends that are tangling more dry or do they almost seem sticky like velcro? The first would mean more moisture and slip is needed, but the second would mean that you might be using too many products loaded in protein which can cause the hair to feel mushy if done in excess.

For the time being, I would suggest adding more moisture and more 'slip' to the hair - if you don't use anything with silicones, you might want to think about adding them and if you already do, look for something with heavier silicones to add additional 'slip and slide' to the hair to help with tangles. My ends were an off-and-on battle with tangles for nearly a year and while I was able to control it, it just reached a point where I couldn't deal with the frustration and the risk of causing additional damage to the rest of my hair. It's definitely hard to cut any amount of length especially when you've been growing it for so long, but sometimes that's the only thing that can be done. So at least for the time being, consider "cutting" a last resort, and try some of the other recipes being recommended first. Best of luck!

cat11
May 11th, 2015, 07:21 PM
Vivalagina, thank you for the mister recipe!! I think I will try this one. Especially since you said it helped bleached hair. And good to know the gelatin will help it.

which leads me to ask (to anyone)... can you mix in gelatin with regular conditioner?

Endlessly, I have considered cutting it but I'd lose 4 inches if I cut off all the dye. 2 would considerably help but I'm so close to waist.. a couple few months I think... but it is in my head as a "last resort" I dont think I'll take.

I definately need more slip! I know what you are saying about protein and buildup- I hate when that happens but it's not what is happening here. I am clarifying- the palmers has gentle sulphates and I make sure I give it a real good cleanse when it needs it- I rotate that shampoo with the ones that are a lighter moister conditioning clean or else i do get the build up you described. I have considered going back to a pre-lhc coney detangler for the ends, but as a last resort. I want to try some recipes here before I go that route- since I only use oil to detangle now, not a detangler mixed for that purpose. I will definately keep these options in mind if the others dont work. Thank you for all your advice and sharing your history! You cant tell looking at your hair now. It looks so soft.

So far I have this:
try rinse out oil
try making water/conditioner/oil detangle spray
make a very serious long s&d attempt when I have an empty day off soon
switch to small more frequent trims
future gelatin treatment- -maybe tonight if I can add it with conditioner

Nadine <3
May 11th, 2015, 07:30 PM
Make sure to only try one new thing at a time! If you change to much all at once you won't know what's working and what isn't.

jupiterinleo
May 11th, 2015, 07:36 PM
You mentioned several times that you use a lot of moisturizing shampoos/conditioners and treatments, but I don't recall if you mentioned that you had tried clarifying. A diluted ACV rinse can help to remove any excess buildup which can sometimes make your ends extra tangled - I used to spray diluted ACV throughout my entire hair, really massage it in, let it set, and then shampoo it out. Also, are the ends that are tangling more dry or do they almost seem sticky like velcro? The first would mean more moisture and slip is needed, but the second would mean that you might be using too many products loaded in protein which can cause the hair to feel mushy if done in excess.



I can confirm the protein overload symptoms. My ends are awful but there is no damage at all. I've been clarifying, oiling, deep conditioning like crazy and nothing has changed. I checked my conditioners and it turns out that every single one has hydrolyzed protein and I have been absolutely loading my ends with it. Whoops, lol. At least now I know that my hair doesn't like too much protein.

Deborah
May 11th, 2015, 08:14 PM
I would not recommend coconut milk for fine hair. That is one of the things to which my fine hair reacted quite negatively. It was years ago, but as I recall it left my hair a tangly mess.

ositarosita
May 11th, 2015, 09:41 PM
I didn't read anything about you clarifying or chelating, if you haven't done it in a while it could very possibly be product build up or mineral build up (as you havent mentioned whether or not you have hard water). I would clarify (chelate to be extra safe) followed by a moisture rich DC and oil lightly while my hair was damp/wet.

cat11
May 11th, 2015, 09:47 PM
jupiterinleo-I will check my bottles... you've got me curious! results shortly


I didn't read anything about you clarifying or chelating, if you haven't done it in a while it could very possibly be product build up. I would chelate followed by a moisture rich DC and oil lightly while my hair was damp/wet.

I clarified this last wash- my hair is so frizzy now- mostly concentrated on the scalp area and roots- and then followed by a very short smt. What you said actually perfetly described my last wash. I used a larger than normal amount of the sulphate (not sls) containing shampoo to make sure I didnt have build up. I used macadamia oil serum on the ends... not enough of the moisture I think, though, to make up for the clarification. This issue Ive been having started last wash period, though, and the one before that. Maybe it's partially weather related but Its largely my dry ends :/

Nadine- Thanks for the reminder. Maybe Ill just try only the ROO this time- save any gelatin for next time.

Deborah- thanks for the hint. It seemed to have mixed reveiws but I couldnt sort out for which hairtype- I think I will keep the coconut milk to bath soaks for now, then.

this wash with moisture retainment goals is getting moved until tomorrow now...

ExpectoPatronum
May 12th, 2015, 07:48 AM
I think trimming a little bit a little more often will help. I remember it helping me when I was battling tangles. Even less than a quarter of an inch every couple months can make a huge difference.

truepeacenik
May 12th, 2015, 08:07 AM
Honestly, that sounds like a lot in rotation at once.

And if cones work on your ends with minimal build up, why not use them?
Channeling LuxePiggy here, certain cones aren't as likely to build up, ones starting with A.

I'd like to not use cones, because of my own personal crunchy factor, but a little Kirkland version of Pureology on the last few inches makes them happy. So I'm happy.
I clarify the ends one extra time a month, in the sink. No wet scalp or significant length. And COLD water doesn't bother me in this situation. I condition with a cone free masque at that point, too. So for a few days my ends don't have the protection. Usually, they are ok, but if not, dampen, use cones, rinse. All in about 2c of water.

Look into micro trimming. I see great results on others. (I self trim but it looks like a kindergartener did it.)

lapushka
May 12th, 2015, 09:45 AM
Before you try any other method, try clarifying first. That's mostly about all it takes. Use a harsher sulfate and get all of the gunk out. Then try and use a nice deep conditioner and leave a leave-in in the hair and a serum to help moisturize the ends.

cat11
May 12th, 2015, 09:46 AM
Honestly, that sounds like a lot in rotation at once.

And if cones work on your ends with minimal build up, why not use them?
Channeling LuxePiggy here, certain cones aren't as likely to build up, ones starting with A.

I'd like to not use cones, because of my own personal crunchy factor, but a little Kirkland version of Pureology on the last few inches makes them happy. So I'm happy.
I clarify the ends one extra time a month, in the sink. No wet scalp or significant length. And COLD water doesn't bother me in this situation. I condition with a cone free masque at that point, too. So for a few days my ends don't have the protection. Usually, they are ok, but if not, dampen, use cones, rinse. All in about 2c of water.

Look into micro trimming. I see great results on others. (I self trim but it looks like a kindergartener did it.)

truepeacenik, Ive been watching the microtrimming thread and I think the only reason I havent joined is stubborn-ness to stick to my plan. But I think that's stupid now. I've been convinced by you and many others on this thread to start microtrimming! I'm very exited to start.

catasa
May 12th, 2015, 10:29 AM
Also seconding clarifying, with a "real" clarifying and/or chelating shampoo that says so on the bottle - I think milder sulphates probably remove a lot but maybe not all, and definitely not hard water minerals if you have that.

My hair is not really tangle-prone so maybe I should keep quiet, but I just wanted to mention that my hair usually tangles worse when I use conditioner than without it... but as I have mentioned in other threads, my hair is a bit strange, very buildup-prone and probably very easily over-moisturized. I usually get best results with only a bit of mineral oil as leave in on dripping wet hair, and no other moisturizing things at all. Maybe something to try if nothing else helps! Mineral oil is good for unhappy ends as I recall it from other threads (I trim quite often, rather than try to handle my ends when they get worn).

Also, I think I saw that you use oil on dry hair - maybe that is good, someone who knows more can hopefully chime in, but I seem to remember that since oil is not moisturizing in itself it is most often used on wet or damp hair. I donīt know if using it dry could cause more buildup and/or tangles?

Good luck! :blossom:

starfire
May 12th, 2015, 02:10 PM
My hair is the complete opposite of yours (coarse and straight) so I don't really have any advice, but I do sympathize with the dry tangly ends.
I tried soaking them in catnip tea this weekend (once only so far) and it seems to have made them softer. But mainly I'm keeping them in a bun so I don't have to look at them.

I took a look at your album. Your hair is gorgeous!

Nightshade
May 12th, 2015, 02:22 PM
Having grown out immense amounts of dye damage, you're doing more harm than good putting off trimming so long. You can read my damaged hair article in my siggy, but here's your issue: months in between trims is far too long if your hair is damaged and snarly. It will continue to break, tangle, and then break and tangle more.

You're better off doing very frequent micro-trims to keep the ends fresh so they break and tangle less, breeding fewer tangles and less breakage. What I did to grow out my dye was to take my growth per month and trim half that. So every month I trimmed 1/4 of an inch. This kept the ends clean(er) and limped me along, but my hair also gained 1/4 in a month in length. If you're holding where you're at to grow out your layers and your dye damage then you can speed it up and take off the full amount of your growth per month (1/2 inch is average) at your hemline. Then do minor dusting on the sides and ends every month to keep them clean so they don't break off faster than they grow.

You'll have neater ends that will tangle less. Trust me, this makes all the difference when you're dealing with dye damage :)

ETA: There's an article I wrote about rehabilitating and growing out damaged hair in my siggy if you're so inclined.

ETAx2: I see that you've decided to microtrim! That's awesome ^_^

gwenalyn
May 12th, 2015, 03:42 PM
You are not alone with S&D being really, really hard! I also have fine, thickish hair and it's too much to keep track of. I wonder if fine hair is more likely just to break off rather than split (without leaving a white dot? or a white dot too small to see?), leaving the ends tangly and damaged but invisibly so.

kahill
May 12th, 2015, 04:48 PM
I went through a similar period growing out a perm. I was mid-way between BSL and waist length, when I'd just had enough of growing it out and had the stylist cut off whatever was left of the perm. It ended up being 5-6 inches. It was a huge amount of hair and felt devastating, but it was SO much healthier and easier to brush and deal with. It took a long time to grow it out, but for me, it was worth it. I'm close to knee length now and just look back on that as a "growing pain" to get to my length. I'm not saying this is the right solution for you. There have been some excellent suggestions on here about microgram mind that could really work for you. That was just my personal experience.

I have only recently discovered the glory of ACV rinse. I use 50% chamomile tea (I've got blonde hair) and 50% ACV, with about a teaspoon or less of raw honey. I leave it on for most of my shower. I have very hard water, and it really helps with my slip.

For S&D, have you tried looking for the splits in front of different colors? Sometimes they hide and looking at it in front of a white background, then a black background can help you see splits you might have otherwise missed.

kahill
May 12th, 2015, 04:52 PM
microgram mind.


Ugh. Supposed to be "microtrim." Darn autocorrect!

cat11
May 12th, 2015, 08:40 PM
catasa thanks for taking the time to write all that! I coud never get away with not conditioning though. Although I do like your suggestion of mineral oil. I know from experience with my build up prone hair though- build up is not the culprit here. I've dealt with that monster many times, learning what conditionants my hair can stand and what it cant. I'm not trying to be stubborn by not clarifying again but.... that shampoo has cleared my buildup so many times and by the way my scalp hair reacted I can tell it clarified.

I think what might have started this mess is , after talking it out,
1.)not enough initial moisture, but I thought it was enough, so when my hair was starting to tangle I thought I needed a protein treatment, then I
2.)did a protein packet and accidentally went on lhc for like 35 minutes with it on when i usually do 10-15
3.)tried to fix it this last wash with the clarifying and moisture but didnt do enough moisture and the clarifying following the protein left it brittle.

What I needed to find out from this thread, and largely have found out, is how to prevent #1- not enough moisture- from happening to my very prone to dryness but at the same time fine hair. I think the ROO idea and the mineral oil plus trying to incorporate oil on to wet hair ideas are very good. Though I still dont know how often i should really be deep conditioning.

starfire- thank you very much for the compliment <3 in my week of hair hate thats quite nice to hear. At least it looks deceptively good.

Nightshade- I think you are spot on and I've decided to follow your advice. I'm going to start microtrimming the first days of June. Im waiting until then so I can take proper result pics to compare to a non inversion month that I promised the Inversion challenge thread first. I'm thinking 1/4 every other month- so then I still grow at the same rate as if I did the 1 inch trim in Fall I was planning, but the hair stays in better shape since it isn't allowed to fray for so long? Be honest- do you think that's enough or should I really suck it up and do 1/4 a month?

It just.. hurts cuz Im waist in the shower now :shudder: so close

Kahil: Glad to hear it worked out so well and you're at knee- my goal!! Since I do have such a far away goal any way I guess it wouldn't hurt to get rid of the damage faster to prevent travel up the shaft, but a big chop would personally be way too much for me. Slowing my growth to a crawl seems much more bearable.

The ACV rinses have made me curious in the past- but I have to admit even though I hear so many great success stories Im still skeptical it would work for me. Can you still use conditioner? I do like the account of it giving you slip- slip is EXACTLY what I need!!

I'm waiting for my hair to dry after using my new co wash (left hair squeaky clean but also soft!) and following with a light ROO with sunflower oil reccomended by Nadine (didnt use a heavier mix because I was afraid of over doing it- but will try later) only on the ends and a regular strength conditioner after from the ear down with no protein and no leave in. So far it looks and feels very good- lately even in the shower I can feel the bad texture but not this time. Maybe this was what it needed. Crossing my fingers. Please dont feel jilted that i didn't clarify, people, Im sorry :( That clarify I did the last time though has in the past gotten out ANYTHING I got stuck in my hair- I really dont think I had build up or it would have gotten it..

Waiting to dry... wont know until morning because my hair is so slow!

Oh, also, i checked all my bottles and none have hydrolyzed protein. One conditioner had hydrolyzed keratin about halfway down a long list though

EDIT: some parts dryed quick and they are SO SOFT. My hair hasnt been this soft in MONTHS. Im super super super happy! DANCE DANCE DANCE!

Nightshade
May 13th, 2015, 12:02 AM
Nightshade- I think you are spot on and I've decided to follow your advice. I'm going to start microtrimming the first days of June. Im waiting until then so I can take proper result pics to compare to a non inversion month that I promised the Inversion challenge thread first. I'm thinking 1/4 every other month- so then I still grow at the same rate as if I did the 1 inch trim in Fall I was planning, but the hair stays in better shape since it isn't allowed to fray for so long? Be honest- do you think that's enough or should I really suck it up and do 1/4 a month?

It just.. hurts cuz Im waist in the shower now :shudder: so close


I think it's really going to depend on your hair. Mine was SO bad that I either trimmed 1/4in or I lost more than that to breakage. My hair broke from my hips to APL inside of a year because the damage was that bad. After awhile, I noticed I could eek that time to every 5 weeks, then 6. But the instant it started getting velcro-ey, I trimmed.

Another option is to try 1/8 to start and do that monthly. I feel that when in doubt 1/8 monthly is better than 1/4 every other. This, of course, is if you have someone not charging you an arm and a leg per trim. My husband does all my trimming so I didn't have to pay a stylist or anything.

Just listen to your hair. 1/8 will probably make a difference, but you'll be the best one to know if you need that 1/4, and how often :)

kahill
May 13th, 2015, 12:02 AM
Yay for soft! I'm testing a new shampoo (my favorite isn't available now), so I get it.

I was really hesitant trying ACV, too. It really is amazing. I was shocked how good the slip was. When I use it, I make sure to leave it on for several minutes (the rest of my shower), then rinse and rinse and rinse. When dry, it doesn't smell like vinegar, but when damp, it can smell lightly of vinegar. I normally don't condition in the shower when I use ACV, but after de tangling, I'll use either a leave-in conditioner (cone free) or a light oiling with coconut oil. You can make a tea and use that in place of the water, depending on your hair needs. There are different herbs recommended for different hair colors, conditions, etc.

And I totally get not wanting to do a big chop. It was hard to do, but saved me so much hassle and frustration in the long run. it's certainly not the right solution for everyone. I'm at the point now where I'll do 1-2 trims annually of maybe 1/2 inch each time, and then S&D in between. You'll get there eventually. And really, the microtrimming sounds like it could be the perfect solution for you to maintain and maybe grow your length while growing out the damaged bits.

Now that I'm almost to knee (about 1 inch from it, technically), I've pretty much decided to see what my terminal length is, unless it gets really annoying and hard to deal with. ;)