"Squeakless" Clean Hair???

[Longlove]

It sounds odd, I know....

I was always taught that the way you know when something you're washing is clean, is when it squeaks.

I've also learned on LHC that "squeaky clean hair" is not a good thing. It's an indicator of stripped hair.

So regardless of your wash method, what are the in-shower "squeakless" indicators of clean hair? How should non-stripped tresses feel when you finally turn the water off?

Thanks All!!!

[Hypnotica]

Well.

My hair actually love squeaky, so I guess the rule isn't all general.

[freznow]

I hate when my hair is squeaky clean, it just feels awful to me.

That said, wet hair that later turns out squeaky, for me, is a bit stiff and doesn't separate nicely then either. (Almost like it's tangly even with all that water having run through it) Sometimes it doesn't work that way, non stripped hair can feel that way too, but generally the nicer it feels in the shower, the nicer it feels afterwards too. (That's just my hair, though. For a lot of people you can't really tell while it's still wet)

[Finoriel]

Right. Squeaky means stripped hair with spread rough cuticle. The finger gliding and stopping over the micro-rough parts of the hair makes that squeeeak sound. That´s why the hair tends to squeak more / easier / faster towards it´s ends and less at the roots. Older cuticle is rougher than newgrowth, add being stripped of oils :wink: and the poor hair is squeaking for some care. Somehow scary how slogans in commercials can manipulate our needs. Who of us would have ever thought: "Hey, my hair does not squeak, it´s not clean!" without the infamous squeaky-clean commercial. Anyways. Not a good sign at all.

When my hair is oily and wet it becomes a very compact mass, it´s hard to get through the hair to the scalp for example and the length is one big and compact strand somehow clumping together.
When my hair is clean and wet it is very easy to get my fingers through the scalp hair to the skin under it and the length is more spread out, several thinner strands which can be parted very easy.
That´s about as good as I can describe it.

Most times when washing my hair I just go with the amount of my shampoo and application method which I know will leave it clean when it´s dry. Took some time to try that out, but works pretty good after the try and error stage.

[Juneii]

I wish I could tell my mom that. when I was little she would make sure my hair squeaked after washing.
I know my hair is clean when I can run my fingers though it and not have it tangle XD
that and not make any bubbles when I rub a few strands together

[spidermom]

I don't pay enough attention to feel, I guess. I know my hair is clean because I know by experience that my CWC washing method works.

[NeilTheFuzz]

This is kinda interesting. I've never had this problem/not problem :p I never knew that hair could squeak!

[Teazel]

My hair is never better than when it's "squeaky" clean. :scared:

[Tangles]

What Teazel said. It shouldn't actually squeak but my hair is only happy when it's fully clean. It doesn't shine if I do CO more than 2 or 3 times in a row.

[longhairedfairy]

Mine doesn't need to squeak, but it does feel different when it's fully clean. If it's dirty it just feels gross and greasy.

[intothemist1999]

When I've used shampoos (sls, or non-sls but with 2 washes) it will feel squeeky clean AND stipped. I've noticed that when I use the right kind of conditioner for my CO's (my usual routine) my hair DOES squeek, but it doesn't feel stripped.

I should clarify...it squeeks if I pinch some hairs and test it. However, with shampoos, merely running my fingers will make my hair squeek and it's got no slip so my fingers get caught. Not so after a CO.

[Longlove]

I mostly CO, and therefore live a primarily squeak-free existence. I was just hoping there was some commonly experienced simple way of knowing when I can stop rinsing.

Sometimes when I rinse for 4 minutes after a CO, my hair is blindingly shiny. Other times there's no shine to be found. I've added regular clarifying shampoos, teensy bits of coconut oil on the ends, SMTs, pre-wash massages, etc.

Why am I reminded of Dorothy reaching for the oil can whenever the Tin Man squeaked?....

Finoriel.... So if my dishes squeak when I wash them, it actually means they're covered in spread cuticles??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh!!! (hehehe)

[Finoriel]

Hm, I´m not sure if I mixed up two words. English sometimes is not the most clear language (:wink: sorry), too many meanings for one word. I did not mean the one on your fingers :p eww. What I meant with cuticle was the outer layer of the hair the hair-cuticula if you like the medical term better. In the wrong area of the PH-level it spreads itself like a fir-cone, which is used when clarifying to deapclen the hair. The squeaky stage is very close to clarifying, so the Shampoo is cleaning too strong and using less / diluting it would be a possibility. There is a stage before squeaky which is clean, it´s just about finding out how to achieve it. There are several people on the boards not using any Conditioner because they do not need to. If you do not strip all oils off your hair, just enough to make it clean, then an acidic rinse is fine to regulate the PH-level after washing.

And if I may add to the discussion that "hair loves or hates whatever". Well hair is basically dead except directly at the root. It can not love or hate anything. There are some physical and chemical things, which help to prevent it from damage, but it´s we who like the look or how it feels. If we as a person like the look or feel of squeaky hair it does not necessarily mean that that´s really good for it. :shrug: Sure it´s oneself who needs to be happy with our look, but sometimes it´s worth to reevaluate our preferences.
Some people like the look and feel of flat ironed hair, which is their good right, but just liking it does not make it good or healthy for the hair itself. :wink: just saying.

[Nat242]

I use diluted shampoo, and only on my scalp. My scalp is quite oily (my length is dry), so I get a bit of a lather happening. It squeaks sometimes, but only on my scalp - I don't want to strip my length.

[ravenreed]

When I CO wash, my scalp hair is as squeaky as it was with shampooing. I don't feel like it is stripped or unhappy, though. Perhaps it has something to do with my very hard water? I will have to notice if it is still squeaky if I use an ACV rinse.

[Buddaphlyy]

I alternate between co washing and SC, but I can always tell when my hair is clean by the amount of lather I have. The more lather, the more clean my hair is. But because I wash my hair so often, it rarely gets dirty enough to the point where I would have to use enough shampoo to attempt to get it squeaky clean.

[MandaMom2Three]

Oh man, if my hair squeaks I'm in TROUBLE!! I have to condition heavily or it would rip out half my hair trying to comb it!

[Elphie]

How should non-stripped tresses feel when you finally turn the water off?

For me, it feels slightly heavy, not too slippery but I can run my fingers through it easily.

[snowbear]

Just to clarify, Finoriel you were exactly right. "Cuticle" means both of those things.

[Teacherbear]

I lather up, leave the 'poo on my hair for 30 seconds or so, then rinse. When I rinse I base my "rinsed well" decision on how many suds are bubbling underneath me as the shower water rushes over my hair. I figure if I haven't washed long enough, then I'll just have to wash again sooner than normal.