Hair is dry at the ends, whatever I do

[BettyBlue]

Hi everyone, nice to know you all.

I have long, dark, straight hair which I wash and condition every few days. But the problem is, 24 hours after washing, it gets like straw, particularly at the ends. And the ends are always splitting and getting raggedy. It used to be waist length, but it got so dry I cut a few inches off and now it's grown to halfway down my arm. It seems that the longer i leave between washes, the drier it gets, even.

I have tried olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, egg yolk, mayonnaise, commercial hair masks. Etc, etc, etc. I feel so far the best thing has been a Pantene mask, or the egg yolk, but even then it never looks the way I want it to look. I want to have smooth, shiny hair that reflects light. But all I seem to get is dry hair that refects nothing and is kind of porous. Also, little growths of new hair seam to stick up when I have just washed it and make a slight frizz. So even when it's freshly washed it never looks like that long, shiny sheet that I wish for.

I rarely blow dry or use heat treatment. And I use a wide-toothed comb. But nothing seems to work.

Any tips?

Thanks

[lapushka]

Maybe try the LOC method for styling. It is a styling method meant to keep moisture in the hair, particularly the ends. The link to that is in my signature. The key is not to use too much of each product when layering products, and the gel/cream is optional (but you'll see when you read the thread).

[vampyyri]

Perhaps you need a protein treatment... especially if you think your hair is porous and that an egg mask worked for you. It may have enough moisture, but it's simply lacking the strength that comes from the occasional protein treatment.

[BettyBlue]

Maybe try the LOC method for styling. It is a styling method meant to keep moisture in the hair, particularly the ends. The link to that is in my signature. The key is not to use too much of each product when layering products, and the gel/cream is optional (but you'll see when you read the thread).

Thank you! Nicely explained video. I like the idea of locking in moisture that way. I find in skincare that really works ( I mean, I shower, apply body oil like olive or coconut oil, and then seal it in with body cream). So I see how this could work well.

[BettyBlue]

Perhaps you need a protein treatment... especially if you think your hair is porous and that an egg mask worked for you. It may have enough moisture, but it's simply lacking the strength that comes from the occasional protein treatment.

Yes, the egg worked better than using oil. Oil made my hair kind of...greasy and dry at the same time, if that makes any sense. I feel at the top it has enough moisture for sure. Down at the ends it gets very straw-like and raggedy.

[DizzyGinger]

I have the same exact problem. So I'm chiming in to see what advice others give :P

[vampyyri]

Yes, the egg worked better than using oil. Oil made my hair kind of...greasy and dry at the same time, if that makes any sense. I feel at the top it has enough moisture for sure. Down at the ends it gets very straw-like and raggedy.

I totally get that, my hair just straight doesn't like oils, they don't do anything that my LOC routine doesn't already do. Definitely look into trying a gelatin treatment, if you're not vegetarian. If you are, you should look into getting a conditioner that has protein in it, like Joico K-Pak for example. I personally use Suave Naturals tropical coconut conditioner, and that's enough for my moisture/protein balance.

[BettyBlue]

I totally get that, my hair just straight doesn't like oils, they don't do anything that my LOC routine doesn't already do. Definitely look into trying a gelatin treatment, if you're not vegetarian. If you are, you should look into getting a conditioner that has protein in it, like Joico K-Pak for example. I personally use Suave Naturals tropical coconut conditioner, and that's enough for my moisture/protein balance.

Your hair is fabulous, by the way. :-)

Yeah I'm not vegetarian so I can try the gelatine. Thank you for the tip. I'll investigate!

[BettyBlue]

I have the same exact problem. So I'm chiming in to see what advice others give :P

I'm sure we'll find something that works for us. :-)

[stephy190]

Hmm have you used a clarifying shampoo? Sorry if I might have missed that in your post! Will help get rid of build up you might have..or if ends are split and have been like that a while maybe you need more cut off the ends :/

Also sometimes the cut itself can cause more dryness and split ends.. like if the ends are in a blunt cut and you've not got too many layers it'll not be as dry in my experience and will feel healthier than hair that has been super layered and thinned out at the ends

[school of fish]

Have you tried a different form of moisture, like perhaps a humectant/more waterbased substance (honey, aloe, etc.)? Most of what you listed up in your original post seems to me to be more occlusive - locking in the moisture (water) - but if there's only a sealing action going on without an actual moisturizing one, then something crucial might be getting left out :)

Generally the recommended first line of defense when trying to diagnose a hair issue is to start with clarifying and then follow up with a moisture treatment such as an SMT. It's a good way to establish a baseline without buildup so you can see your hair's true current behaviour from there. Often a clarifying/moisture treatment is all that's needed ;) If not, it cancels out buildup as the issue and you proceed from there depending on how your hair's reacting - so possibly a protein treatment like gelatin or the like :)

Step by step process of elimination... we've all been there!

[Anje]

My basic protocol is clarify, protein, moisture. That order, maybe oil after that. If you don't get an improvement, repeat but with a chelating shampoo instead of clarifying.

Clarify: use a clear sulfate shampoo. Ones labeled clarifying are usually best, but I'm pretty sure that my usual cheapo clear Suave Naturals is fine for this. Use it full strength and concentrate on the ends, not the roots. Repeat for good measure.

Protein: I don't do this as much, because my hair isn't a big fan. But there are a few recipes for gelatin treatments. Soy sauce and liquid aminos also have a reputation for being ok, but I don't know the relative strength. Otherwise, go with a commercial reconstructor like Joico or ApHogee. Don't bother with eggs, as the molecule size isn't good for this.

Moisture: my favorite is something like an SMT -- mix conditioner and honey, warm it up, and let it sit in hair, covered, for maybe 30-45 minutes. Then rinse it out. It shouldn't be sticky once it's rinsed.

See how that feels, and maybe add the tiniest dab of your favored oil once it's dry.

[Deborah]

Shea nut butter is good for dry ends. You stroke some on the ends before washing, then wash as usual. It can help make the ends soft and silky again.

[Mamabearme]

I've had really good luck with oiling on the 2nd or 3rd day after washing. I WCC, LOC, then a pretty heavy oil when it starts to feel dry.


Coconut oil has been working well on my TBL thick hair. I use a lot, almost to the point the oil is dripping off my hands once it melts. My hair will look pretty greasy for a day or so, then it soaks in. I always have it up, so it's not like anyone other than me knows how bad it looks. ��

[Tosca]

I know when my ends get weird and gross, shampooing the last 6 or so inches with a sulfate shampoo often fixes that. I then wash as usual. YMMV.

[turtlelover]

Have you colored or heat styled in the past? Also, do you have hard water?

[meteor]

Hi everyone, nice to know you all.

I have long, dark, straight hair which I wash and condition every few days. But the problem is, 24 hours after washing, it gets like straw, particularly at the ends. And the ends are always splitting and getting raggedy. It used to be waist length, but it got so dry I cut a few inches off and now it's grown to halfway down my arm. It seems that the longer i leave between washes, the drier it gets, even.

I have tried olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, egg yolk, mayonnaise, commercial hair masks. Etc, etc, etc. I feel so far the best thing has been a Pantene mask, or the egg yolk, but even then it never looks the way I want it to look. I want to have smooth, shiny hair that reflects light. But all I seem to get is dry hair that refects nothing and is kind of porous. Also, little growths of new hair seam to stick up when I have just washed it and make a slight frizz. So even when it's freshly washed it never looks like that long, shiny sheet that I wish for.

I rarely blow dry or use heat treatment. And I use a wide-toothed comb. But nothing seems to work.

Any tips?

Thanks

Something I thought of... you mentioned that your hair is straight, but then your hairtype is stated as 3a/3b... did you use any chemical straightening in the past (e.g. relaxer, keratin straightening, etc...) or lots of heat-styling maybe?
It's just that damaged, compromised hair can often have problems holding natural texture and definitely holding onto moisture, there is usually significantly higher porosity on the ends of chemically processed hair, which can make getting sufficient conditioning (and especially holding onto its effect) difficult.

If any of this rings true, I'd try a strong protein treatment (Aphogee 2-step - but it's heavy duty protein, Joico K-Pak Reconstruct, Redken Extreme, gelatin treatments, etc), followed by a moisture treatment (e.g. SMT) and some oiling to lock in moisture. And for regular upkeep, I like adding gelatin and a bit of oil to SMT, but obviously, this is good only for hair that responds well to protein, oils and humectants.

You also mentioned lots of natural treatments, and those can be amazing, but I also find that damaged hair responds well to silicones. too, because they add that much-needed slip and protection and their occlusive properties are helpful for holding onto moisture for longer.

Ultimately, if there is damage, it's often easier to grow it out, slowly micro-trimming away, but in the meantime, hydrolyzed proteins and penetrating oils, as well as 18-MEA, ceramides, silicones... can really help.

Best of luck! :cheer:

[truepeacenik]

With some splits, it's always going to feel dry.
Have your tried S&D (search and destroy, a method of trimming just the splits by meticulously- or not- snipping off splits as you find them. Use very sharp scissors for this)

Once the micro brooms are banished, the hair is ready to absorb protein and moisture.
I think the people suggesting protein treatments are spot on.
If a shed hair is really stretchy, the moisture is too high, in balance. Adding protein helps.

My hair is naturally straight, one or two long S waves, and I'd say the last 4-7 inches needs extra moisture and protein, but will always feel like the older hair it is.

[BettyBlue]

Hmm have you used a clarifying shampoo? Sorry if I might have missed that in your post! Will help get rid of build up you might have..or if ends are split and have been like that a while maybe you need more cut off the ends :/

Also sometimes the cut itself can cause more dryness and split ends.. like if the ends are in a blunt cut and you've not got too many layers it'll not be as dry in my experience and will feel healthier than hair that has been super layered and thinned out at the ends

Thank you.

No I didn't use clarifying shampoo, but I can look for one.

My hair isn't layered, but there is one problem in that some of the hair has broken or split a little higher up, and so there are small strands that kind of frizz or stand out, even though my hair is generally long and straight.

[BettyBlue]

Have you tried a different form of moisture, like perhaps a humectant/more waterbased substance (honey, aloe, etc.)? Most of what you listed up in your original post seems to me to be more occlusive - locking in the moisture (water) - but if there's only a sealing action going on without an actual moisturizing one, then something crucial might be getting left out :)

Generally the recommended first line of defense when trying to diagnose a hair issue is to start with clarifying and then follow up with a moisture treatment such as an SMT. It's a good way to establish a baseline without buildup so you can see your hair's true current behaviour from there. Often a clarifying/moisture treatment is all that's needed ;) If not, it cancels out buildup as the issue and you proceed from there depending on how your hair's reacting - so possibly a protein treatment like gelatin or the like :)

Step by step process of elimination... we've all been there!

Thank you. Can I clarify with a mix of apple cider vinegar and water?

Yes, I like the idea of the gelatine and I'm going to get some. I have an aloe vera plant growing and I remember seeing someone on youtube (with very shiny hair) rubbing the cut leaf all the way down her hair from root to tip.

[BettyBlue]

My basic protocol is clarify, protein, moisture. That order, maybe oil after that. If you don't get an improvement, repeat but with a chelating shampoo instead of clarifying.

Clarify: use a clear sulfate shampoo. Ones labeled clarifying are usually best, but I'm pretty sure that my usual cheapo clear Suave Naturals is fine for this. Use it full strength and concentrate on the ends, not the roots. Repeat for good measure.

Protein: I don't do this as much, because my hair isn't a big fan. But there are a few recipes for gelatin treatments. Soy sauce and liquid aminos also have a reputation for being ok, but I don't know the relative strength. Otherwise, go with a commercial reconstructor like Joico or ApHogee. Don't bother with eggs, as the molecule size isn't good for this.

Moisture: my favorite is something like an SMT -- mix conditioner and honey, warm it up, and let it sit in hair, covered, for maybe 30-45 minutes. Then rinse it out. It shouldn't be sticky once it's rinsed.

See how that feels, and maybe add the tiniest dab of your favored oil once it's dry.

Thanks for explaining the steps. Getting some great advice here! :-)

[BettyBlue]

Shea nut butter is good for dry ends. You stroke some on the ends before washing, then wash as usual. It can help make the ends soft and silky again.

Thank you! :-)

[BettyBlue]

I've had really good luck with oiling on the 2nd or 3rd day after washing. I WCC, LOC, then a pretty heavy oil when it starts to feel dry.


Coconut oil has been working well on my TBL thick hair. I use a lot, almost to the point the oil is dripping off my hands once it melts. My hair will look pretty greasy for a day or so, then it soaks in. I always have it up, so it's not like anyone other than me knows how bad it looks. ��

Yes, sometimes when I've applied coconut oil to the ends, my hair has kind of soaked it all up like a thirsty sponge

[lapushka]

I think the most important question was asked by meteor. Did you chemically straighten your hair? Because that might explain it all!

[BettyBlue]

I know when my ends get weird and gross, shampooing the last 6 or so inches with a sulfate shampoo often fixes that. I then wash as usual. YMMV.

That sounds interesting. I've never tried sulfate shampoo. I'll see if I can get some. :-)

[BettyBlue]

Have you colored or heat styled in the past? Also, do you have hard water?

I did start colouring it last year as it was getting a bit salt and pepper, so that could have added to the problem. But, to be honest, it was like that before, also. It was in great condition until I got into my 30s (I'm 39). After that I began to notice the dryness becoming more and more of a problem.


Not done a lot of heat styling. Hardly any blow drying at all. I have heat-straightened it about 4 times (it is aleady straight but I wanted it super straight) but the effect was so drying that I decided not to do it anymore. I felt it did a lot of damage even using it that infrequently.


I'm in a soft water area, but when a plumber was doing some work for me, he warned not to drink the tap water. He said the pipes were extremely old and would have had excess iron, etc, which would have got into th ewater. So maybe that could be a factor.

[Temme]

My basic protocol is clarify, protein, moisture. That order, maybe oil after that. If you don't get an improvement, repeat but with a chelating shampoo instead of clarifying.

A lot of other people have said this, but I agree. Clarifying, adding protein, and deep conditioning will rule out a couple of very common potential issues.

What a lot of people don't know is that "moisture" is just water. When your hair is wet, it's kind of ultra-mega moisturized, but then you lose a lot of moisture when it dries. Then if you go a few days without adding water in one way or another, more and more moisture will slowly creep out, and in your case I think the problem is that too much moisture is creeping out.

You say you've tried oils, but have you tried them on wet/damp hair? Oils seal in moisture, and if you apply oil when wet, you can prevent a lot of that initial moisture from escaping. Often applying oil to really dry hair actually does nothing because there is no moisture to seal in in the first place.

Also, you say your hair is straight- I would recommend washing/maybe clarifying your hair and then letting it dry without combing it, blowdrying it, or touching it at all. About a year ago I created a thread similar to yours, and I was told to let my hair dry without interference: my hair dried in loose spirals. I actually have wavy hair (about 2b), but I didn't realize it because I was always combing the waves out. And combing out waves/curls obviously doesn't produce straight hair; it produces frizz. It was a super important step in my hair journey to realize that.

[BettyBlue]

Something I thought of... you mentioned that your hair is straight, but then your hairtype is stated as 3a/3b... did you use any chemical straightening in the past (e.g. relaxer, keratin straightening, etc...) or lots of heat-styling maybe?
It's just that damaged, compromised hair can often have problems holding natural texture and definitely holding onto moisture, there is usually significantly higher porosity on the ends of chemically processed hair, which can make getting sufficient conditioning (and especially holding onto its effect) difficult.

If any of this rings true, I'd try a strong protein treatment (Aphogee 2-step - but it's heavy duty protein, Joico K-Pak Reconstruct, Redken Extreme, gelatin treatments, etc), followed by a moisture treatment (e.g. SMT) and some oiling to lock in moisture. And for regular upkeep, I like adding gelatin and a bit of oil to SMT, but obviously, this is good only for hair that responds well to protein, oils and humectants.

You also mentioned lots of natural treatments, and those can be amazing, but I also find that damaged hair responds well to silicones. too, because they add that much-needed slip and protection and their occlusive properties are helpful for holding onto moisture for longer.

Ultimately, if there is damage, it's often easier to grow it out, slowly micro-trimming away, but in the meantime, hydrolyzed proteins and penetrating oils, as well as 18-MEA, ceramides, silicones... can really help.

Best of luck! :cheer:

Thank you for all the advice!

Yeah I didn't use chemical straightening but I did start colouring it over the past year. I have used minimal heat straightening (I hardly ever blow dry), but the few times I used it really did make the hair straw-like. The problem was there already but got worse after that.

I'm definitely curious about the gelatine because so many of you have mentioned it here. :-)

[BettyBlue]

I think the most important question was asked by meteor. Did you chemically straighten your hair? Because that might explain it all!

Yes, I think you are both onto something there. Not chemically straightened, but it is coloured with a a regular permanent dye (can't remember offhand whether it is L'Oreal or Garnier), so definitely chemicals could be a factor!

[BettyBlue]

A lot of other people have said this, but I agree. Clarifying, adding protein, and deep conditioning will rule out a couple of very common potential issues.

What a lot of people don't know is that "moisture" is just water. When your hair is wet, it's kind of ultra-mega moisturized, but then you lose a lot of moisture when it dries. Then if you go a few days without adding water in one way or another, more and more moisture will slowly creep out, and in your case I think the problem is that too much moisture is creeping out.

You say you've tried oils, but have you tried them on wet/damp hair? Oils seal in moisture, and if you apply oil when wet, you can prevent a lot of that initial moisture from escaping. Often applying oil to really dry hair actually does nothing because there is no moisture to seal in in the first place.

Also, you say your hair is straight- I would recommend washing/maybe clarifying your hair and then letting it dry without combing it, blowdrying it, or touching it at all. About a year ago I created a thread similar to yours, and I was told to let my hair dry without interference: my hair dried in loose spirals. I actually have wavy hair (about 2b), but I didn't realize it because I was always combing the waves out. And combing out waves/curls obviously doesn't produce straight hair; it produces frizz. It was a super important step in my hair journey to realize that.

Oh now that's a thought! No, when I've used oil treatments for my hair it's always been applied to dry hair, left on for 1/2 an hour (or even for a few hours), and then washed out with shampoo. I'll try using it on damp hair instead and see what happens! :-)


Yes, I think you definitely have a point there about just leaving it to dry, untouched. Normally I don't use a blow drier, but I do usually comb it with a wide tooth comb while it is still wet (I thought it would make it look really straight that way). But now you mention it, I have noticed it does look a bit shinier if I just leave it to dry on its own. I thought I might have been imagining it, but with what you say here, yes I can make the connection.

[BettyBlue]

With some splits, it's always going to feel dry.
Have your tried S&D (search and destroy, a method of trimming just the splits by meticulously- or not- snipping off splits as you find them. Use very sharp scissors for this)

Once the micro brooms are banished, the hair is ready to absorb protein and moisture.
I think the people suggesting protein treatments are spot on.
If a shed hair is really stretchy, the moisture is too high, in balance. Adding protein helps.

My hair is naturally straight, one or two long S waves, and I'd say the last 4-7 inches needs extra moisture and protein, but will always feel like the older hair it is.

Thank you, I'll try that!

[school of fish]

Thank you. Can I clarify with a mix of apple cider vinegar and water?

Yes, I like the idea of the gelatine and I'm going to get some. I have an aloe vera plant growing and I remember seeing someone on youtube (with very shiny hair) rubbing the cut leaf all the way down her hair from root to tip.

I'm afraid not, a vinegar/water solution won't clarify - acidic rinses serve a different purpose than clarifying. Clarifying means stripping - stripping whatever buildup of oils/product/sebum/what-have-you may be lingering on the strands and causing textural and/or behavioural issues :)

A clarifying shampoo is your best bet for getting the job done. Several of the mainstream haircare brands have a clarifying option, and they're formulated specifically to strip any coating that's on the hair. A sulphate shampoo may do the job as well, but really I think a shampoo designed for the purpose is the best bet if clarifying is a new thing. I've personally always used Neutrogena's clarifying shampoo when I've felt it's needed it, but there are lots of others :)

Your hair is likely to feel 'stripped' after clarifying (naturally ;) ) so that's the reason for the followup of a moisture infusion. :)

ETA: seconding what Temme said about *moisture*, pointing out that moisture means *water*. That's what I was getting at in my original response ;) Oils have more of an emollient (softening) and occlusive (sealing) action, but are not 'moisturizing' (adding water) in and of themselves. They can have great value in *retaining* moisture on the strands, but the moisture has to be there to begin with for that to be effective :)

[meteor]

I'm in a soft water area, but when a plumber was doing some work for me, he warned not to drink the tap water. He said the pipes were extremely old and would have had excess iron, etc, which would have got into th ewater. So maybe that could be a factor.

In that case, chelating might also be a good idea. :) Chelating (or "swimmers") shampoos or treatments can help remove mineral deposits accumulated from water. Just like clarifying, it can stripping, so I'd follow up with a moisturizing treatment.

[Horrorpops]

Yes I had this exact same problem of dry, crazy ends!

What worked for me was a combination of S&D sessions, regular moisturising treatments (like SMTs), using a silk scalf around my hair at night and keeping my hair braided or in a bun for most days!

I think keeping it up (with a little coconut oil on the ends) makes the biggest difference because when I wear it down a lot the ends start feeling dry and scratchy again. I don't know why wearing it up works but it makes my ends feel so much softer and silkier.

[Llama]

Try dampening your ends with a mist bottle and then applying some coconut oil. Really helps on 2nd and 3rd day hair for me.

[ElfToes]

I second the clarifying shampoo. My ends get really straw like and dry. I do a vitamic c mixed with head and shoulders to lighten my dye and my hair becomes shiny and super soft. I guess the treatment cleans off any build up. I get the same with baking soda washes now and then.

[Jadestorm]

Have you tried hydrating and nourishing your ends in between washes?

I like to put a leave in on my ends after washing and I also regularly spray my ends with demineralized water and then trap that water with a leave in. It does wonders for my ends. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it!

[lapushka]

I second the clarifying shampoo. My ends get really straw like and dry. I do a vitamic c mixed with head and shoulders to lighten my dye and my hair becomes shiny and super soft. I guess the treatment cleans off any build up. I get the same with baking soda washes now and then.

Baking soda is very alkaline, so you need to follow this up with an acidic rinse to get the pH to even back out or else it can in time ruin your hair.

[BettyBlue]

Yes I had this exact same problem of dry, crazy ends!

What worked for me was a combination of S&D sessions, regular moisturising treatments (like SMTs), using a silk scalf around my hair at night and keeping my hair braided or in a bun for most days!

I think keeping it up (with a little coconut oil on the ends) makes the biggest difference because when I wear it down a lot the ends start feeling dry and scratchy again. I don't know why wearing it up works but it makes my ends feel so much softer and silkier.

Now, that's interesting (about keeping the hair up), because I have a neighbour who constantly wears her hair in a bun (it is hip-length), and when she does occasionally let it down it is amazingly healthy and shiny. Maybe when it is worn this way it gets less "wear and tear". I think mine really suffers a lot on dry, windy days, or if I'm using a handbag with a sholder strap, etc.


But yes, this is a really good point and I think I'm going to start wearing my hair up a lot more now. :-)

[BettyBlue]

Try dampening your ends with a mist bottle and then applying some coconut oil. Really helps on 2nd and 3rd day hair for me.

Great tip. Thank you!

[BettyBlue]

I second the clarifying shampoo. My ends get really straw like and dry. I do a vitamic c mixed with head and shoulders to lighten my dye and my hair becomes shiny and super soft. I guess the treatment cleans off any build up. I get the same with baking soda washes now and then.

Thank you. Sounds interestng.

[BettyBlue]

Have you tried hydrating and nourishing your ends in between washes?

I like to put a leave in on my ends after washing and I also regularly spray my ends with demineralized water and then trap that water with a leave in. It does wonders for my ends. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it!

This sounds like a very good idea. I did get some fairly good results by dabbing a rich conditioner on to the ends. The hair seemed to really soak it up. But I didn't do that on wet hair so I'll definitely be trying that.

[BettyBlue]

Thank you all so much for such helpful tips.

Just to update, after all the advice about the gelatine, I made a hair mask with gelatine mixed with a regular deep conditioner. I applied it to damp hair, wrapped it in a plastic bag, then a towel, and left it 45 minutes before shampooing and rinsing out (final rinse in cold water). I have let it dry naturally and right now it does feel much softer and smoother. So let's see over time what happens (I plan on using the mask twice a week for a while).

Another thing I found helped add some shine was to cut an aloe vera leaf and run it carefully down the length of my hair. It didn't help with dry ends, but it did add quite a bit of shine to most of my hair, and made it sleeker.

Haven't tried out the clarifying shampoo yet, but I will.

[meteor]

^ That's awesome news, BettyBlue! :joy: So happy to hear your hair is doing better! :D

I just wanted to say, with gelatin masks, to avoid tipping the balance and over-using protein, I'd do it on a more ad-hoc basis and follow the signs your hair gives you rather than a strict schedule: and "twice a week" does sound pretty frequent. :flower: If at some point you see the law of diminishing returns kicking in or hair getting a bit stiff or more tangle-prone, maybe it's time to give it a rest and switch to more moisturizing routines (e.g. maybe LOC post-wash or mini-LOC in between washes: spraying the ends with some water, leave-in conditioner, oils...). :)


Now, that's interesting (about keeping the hair up), because I have a neighbour who constantly wears her hair in a bun (it is hip-length), and when she does occasionally let it down it is amazingly healthy and shiny. Maybe when it is worn this way it gets less "wear and tear". I think mine really suffers a lot on dry, windy days, or if I'm using a handbag with a sholder strap, etc.


But yes, this is a really good point and I think I'm going to start wearing my hair up a lot more now. :-)

Oh, that's definitely a huge factor! :agree: There is no doubt that long hair is exposed to lots of wear and tear when worn down, especially if you consider all that sun damage, mechanical damage from wind, friction on clothes, tangling, etc, etc... Wearing hair up in low-manipulation protective styles will go a long way towards protection and length retention. :agree:

[lapushka]

Yes I agree with meteor. You don't want to overdo protein, and twice a week sounds a bit... much. I'm thinking more along the lines of twice or once a month. Gelatin is intense, it's not like a regular protein conditioner (that often has other stuff in it to counterbalance the protein). No, it is clear straight-up protein! And you don't want too much of that or it can have the adverse effects of making your hair dry, brittle, and possibly snap off.

[Marette]

:)
Hi everyone, nice to know you all.

I have long, dark, straight hair which I wash and condition every few days. But the problem is, 24 hours after washing, it gets like straw, particularly at the ends. And the ends are always splitting and getting raggedy. It used to be waist length, but it got so dry I cut a few inches off and now it's grown to halfway down my arm. It seems that the longer i leave between washes, the drier it gets, even.

I have tried olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, egg yolk, mayonnaise, commercial hair masks. Etc, etc, etc. I feel so far the best thing has been a Pantene mask, or the egg yolk, but even then it never looks the way I want it to look. I want to have smooth, shiny hair that reflects light. But all I seem to get is dry hair that refects nothing and is kind of porous. Also, little growths of new hair seam to stick up when I have just washed it and make a slight frizz. So even when it's freshly washed it never looks like that long, shiny sheet that I wish for.

I rarely blow dry or use heat treatment. And I use a wide-toothed comb. But nothing seems to work.

Any tips?

Thanks
I used to have the same problem. Then I figured out that my hair just requires washing a lot more often. It's happiest if I wash it every day, but I try to last to every other day. I put Silk Drops (Sally Beauty Supply) on the ends of my hair before I wash. This has helped me so much. I hate to suggest to anyone here to wash their hair more often since the trend is just the opposite, but it is all that works for me. At 3 days I have stringy hair on the top and dry-looking ends. It has also helped for me to trim the ends about an eighth of an inch as needed, just to even up the sides. My hair grows more quickly on the left side. I hope it helps to know that you are not alone in your problem. Good luck and let us know what helps and what doesn't. All the best!

[Stepo_NiNha]

People have already given you good tips here, I'm going to share my experience with dry and crunchy ends:)

I use the Pantene expert split ends fuser and it has been my solution for dry and crunchy ends. Even if I don't have many splits my ends get dry and rough very easily and this product seals the ends temporarily turning them softer and silky. However, it is not permanent, it is just a desguise and it protects the ends during the day but the old damage is still there, "covered" :p. I use it everyday because after 24h the ends start to get a little bit dry again. It has protein and cones in the formula, I don't know if your hair likes these ingredients, every head of hair is different. However, if your ends have high porosity, I believe they would like protein. It's a bit expensive (12,90 eur) but it lasts for 4 or 5 months. I don't know if you are in Europe but I think the expert collection also does exist in US.

I'd also recommend a clarifying and chelating shampoo (is your water hard? Because it also damages the hair).

Another thing I'd recommend is: don't compare your hair to other people's hair because each hair type is different and unique and maybe you don't know it, but some people would love to have hair like yours :flower:

[dansyl]

i haven't read all the comments, but damp bunning REALLY helps with my dry ends <3

[Johannah]

Yes I agree with meteor. You don't want to overdo protein, and twice a week sounds a bit... much. I'm thinking more along the lines of twice or once a month. Gelatin is intense, it's not like a regular protein conditioner (that often has other stuff in it to counterbalance the protein). No, it is clear straight-up protein! And you don't want too much of that or it can have the adverse effects of making your hair dry, brittle, and possibly snap off.

I agree. Another option would be to find yourself a regular condition with hydrolyzed protein in it. This you can use twice a week until your hair feels satisfied. But I wouldn't use gelatin on top of this, though!