Hi everyone! I'm new here and wanted to say hello and ask a few questions

[Catmom]

So a little about me, I currently have shoulder length hair after a recent cut. I really regret this cut, I thought my hair would look fuller but for some weird reason it's always fuller the longer it gets (I guess because waves show up past shoulder length).

Anyways, I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong with my hair. I have 3.75-4.0 circumference ponytail and stylists always comment on how thick my hair is. But the problem is that it always looks flat to me, lacking volume and it doesn't look thick to me.

I use alterna caviar conditioner and wash hair 2-3x weekly. Do you think the conditioner might be too heavy and making it look thinner?

here are the ingredients:


Aqua/Water/EAU, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Wasabia Japonica Root Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare (Fennel) Seed Extract, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Hydrolyzed Algae Extract, Algae Extract, Caviar Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Pikea Robusta Extract, Glycine Max (Soybean) Symbiosome Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Peroxidase, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Tyrosinase, Lentinus Edodes Tyrosinase, Peptide, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Niacinamide Polypeptide, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Pantothenic Acid Polypeptide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Phospholipids, Papain, Bromelain, Saccharomyces/Lysate Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Superoxide Dismutase, Lactoferrin, Corn Oligosaccharides, Copper Lysyl Oxidase, Acetyl Methionine, Acetyl Serine, Amino Acyl tRNA Synthetase, Phytosphingosine, Adenosine Triphosphate, Melanin Silanetriol, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Jojoba Esters, Cetrimonium Bromide, Dimethiconol, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Polyquaternium-37, Polyquaternium-10, Amodimethicone, Sodium Phytate, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C11-15 Pareth-7, Laureth-9, Trideceth-12, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance/Parfum, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene.

[hennalonghair]

Greetings and welcome to the site.
I'm not sure what's going on with your hair but it might be that your hair is adjusting to your new haircut OR the conditioner you are using is too heavy with cones and other stuff. I've got wavy hair and silicones take a lot of wave out and kinda of flatten my hair out . :shrug: it could be a number of things though.
It's probably temporary so I'd try not too worry about it too much.

[vpatt]

Welcome. I'm new too. I can't give you any advice, but I bet you will find help here. I haven't used commercial hair products for over a year now.....I'm still experimenting.....my favorite recipes so far are Dr. Bronners soap mixed with coconut milk or coconut oil, tho many seem not to like this it works well for me. And a coconut oil shampoo bar is what I am using right at the moment and it leaves a nice feel. I always use a vinegar/water rinse. Good luck finding what works for you!

[Nique1202]

So a little about me, I currently have shoulder length hair after a recent cut. I really regret this cut, I thought my hair would look fuller but for some weird reason it's always fuller the longer it gets (I guess because waves show up past shoulder length).

Anyways, I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong with my hair. I have 3.75-4.0 circumference ponytail and stylists always comment on how thick my hair is. But the problem is that it always looks flat to me, lacking volume and it doesn't look thick to me.

I use alterna caviar conditioner and wash hair 2-3x weekly. Do you think the conditioner might be too heavy and making it look thinner?

here are the ingredients: (Snip)

The conditioner looks fine, but there are a lot of silicones in it. If you're not using a strong shampoo, it's possible there's some buildup affecting your hair texture and making it feel more weighed down and flat. This has happened to me even near shoulder length. I'd suggest getting a clarifying shampoo (something with clarifying or deep cleansing on the label) and giving it a good wash or two with that, then see what your hair is doing.

[Galloway]

Hello! I'm new here too :) These ladies and gents are really helpful and have a ton of knowledge! I'm sure that someone in here will have better advice than I do. That being said, have you tried rotating your conditioners? maybe try out a 'lighter' one for a week and see how your hair reacts. You might want to experiment around with some of the clarifying shampoo/condish recipes in here and see what happens. Hair experiments are pretty fun and kind of scary, but its all good :) My hair really loves silicones but they do seem to take some of the 'fluff' out of it which is ok for me since I like my hair straight and really don't like to use hair spray or mousse in it. Good luck on your hair journey!!

[lapushka]

Is it triangle head? Flat up top, poofy at the bottom, because if it is... it's a phase you have to get past. :flower:

[Deborah]

Your hair will probably show its thickness better once it is a couple of inches longer, as it can then flare out over your back a little bit. Just treat it kindly and let it grow.

[endlessly]

Welcome!

Based on the description of the conditioner you're using and because it is supposed to be mega moisturizing, it's meant to create a "sleek" look for hair which is why you're noticing a lack of volume. If you really need the moisture for your hair, then you will need a heavier product like this, which will make achieving volume an issue. But, if moisture isn't your first priority, I would consider switching to a lighter weight conditioner that will provide only light moisture without completely weighing your hair down. Also, because your current conditioner is heavier, you might benefit from clarifying your hair to help reduce residue, which can also weigh down your hair.

[Catmom]

thanks for the advice everyone! Yes,I do have triangle head lol. After reading these responses, I think the issue is that the conditioner has way too many cones and is in general too heavy. My hair is feeling really healthy now after the cut and being on the correct thyroid med dosage for a few years, looks like I just need a new lightweight cone and protein free conditioner.