Shampooing my length makes it more manageable?

[draysmir]

I have had to wash my hair in hard water the last few months, and this has made my hair completely unmanageable. I can't run my fingers through my hair at all, it's quite voluminous but it feels dry and "fluffy". I condition my hair twice in the shower, and I put an oil-in-cream after I shower, as well as usually a couple drops of oil on my length a couple times a week. This all helps make my hair feel more manageable, but it still is a lot more difficult than it is if I were to wash my hair in soft water unfortunately. A couple months ago I accidently started to put shampoo on my length because I mistook it for my conditioner, and I noticed that my hair feels way better from this. I've tried it a couple more times, just gliding the extra shampoo in my hands down my length a few times, and each time my hair is way softer and less tangly from this, almost as if I did wash it with soft water. I haven't shampooed my length in years, as I don't need to and it's more damaging, but for some reason it makes my hair feel and act way better (only with hard water).

I use the same brand of shampoo and conditioner, both from the L'Oréal Everstrong sulfate-free line, so I wouldn't think it's because the shampoo would have different things that my hair would like better. Why would my length act this way to being shampooed? Should I keep doing this or not? I'm planning on getting a shower filter in the next couple months probably, because the hard water has given me a lot of damage despite me only washing once a week, but I would still like to know how to make my hair more manageable in the meantime.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e42/draysmir/IMG_20170324_151010_zpsfrphyppj.jpg (http://s36.photobucket.com/user/draysmir/media/IMG_20170324_151010_zpsfrphyppj.jpg.html)

I'm not sure if it's noticeable with my bad quality pictures :p but the left picture is when I shampooed my length, and the right one is when I didn't. I did the same routine otherwise in both pictures (neither have any drops of oil in them yet). My hair in the right picture felt more tangly and dry. Thanks to anyone who offers advice or an explanation :o

[Anje]

It might be as simple as you had some buildup and shampooing got some of that off. You might get better results for several iterations of this, or a clarifying shampoo might make a big difference.

It certainly doesn't hurt to shampoo the length from time to time, though too frequently has potential to be drying.

[MoonRabbit]

I started adding more suds to my length recently and it too has made my hair more manageable. I think it's because I am sensitive to build up. I figured if it's not feeling dry from the extra shampoo then this will combat the damage I get from the tangles without washing my length, so the damage kinda evens out. I do make sure to add a leave in to my ends just to be safe.

I think if your hair likes it then keep trying it, or maybe do it off and on with each washing (one wash scalp, next wash day, adding length)

[Andthetalltrees]

My hair is this way too, It's very prone to build up and if I don't wash the length it ends up getting dryer in the end. So I just go with it because it's what it needs

[Arctic]

Yeah I am also one of those who washes my length very often, I get buildup and everything, including my own sebum, makes my hair velcro together. In addition to using normal shampoo on my lengths often, I still need to use a clariqying/chelating shampoo occasionally too. I think my buildup proneness (is that a word?) is quite extreme.

[lapushka]

I have had to wash my hair in hard water the last few months, and this has made my hair completely unmanageable. I can't run my fingers through my hair at all, it's quite voluminous but it feels dry and "fluffy". I condition my hair twice in the shower, and I put an oil-in-cream after I shower, as well as usually a couple drops of oil on my length a couple times a week. This all helps make my hair feel more manageable, but it still is a lot more difficult than it is if I were to wash my hair in soft water unfortunately. A couple months ago I accidently started to put shampoo on my length because I mistook it for my conditioner, and I noticed that my hair feels way better from this. I've tried it a couple more times, just gliding the extra shampoo in my hands down my length a few times, and each time my hair is way softer and less tangly from this, almost as if I did wash it with soft water. I haven't shampooed my length in years, as I don't need to and it's more damaging, but for some reason it makes my hair feel and act way better (only with hard water).

That might be it, right there. I agree with Anje, might have been build-up from years of not washing the length. I myself on and off wash the length or don't (weekly washer). I interchange this, but I do it quite frequently, as I also use oil rinses and the like.

[draysmir]

Thank you for all of the replies! :) I associate shampoo with dryness, so I was hesitant to continue lightly shampooing my length, but you all have valid points. My hair feels better from being washed in hard water when I wash my length, so I will continue doing this regularly until I get a shower filter probably. I've tried a product that is supposed to help get rid of product buildup and minerals and stuff, but it didn't seem to help much, so I'll have to try a proper clarifying shampoo like Artic mentioned. :)

[Chromis]

Hard water can give you a lot of build up! I use citric acid to lift the minerals off my hair (chelate) and an acidic rinse to keep them from collecting. We have a water softener now, so I can just use ACV to prevent it from building up, but before I used a combination.

The screw on water filters mostly deal with chlorine and need frequent changing. A lot of people do have trouble with chlorination, but they don't actually solve hardness issues.

[Reyesuela]

For me, some conditioners give me fluff. Pantene's new histamine conditioner does this, but my hair is so silky it makes no difference when it's up. The other factor is hair styling while it is still damp.

My hair just doesn't get buildup with the stuff I use. Ymmv.

[draysmir]

Hard water can give you a lot of build up! I use citric acid to lift the minerals off my hair (chelate) and an acidic rinse to keep them from collecting. We have a water softener now, so I can just use ACV to prevent it from building up, but before I used a combination.

The screw on water filters mostly deal with chlorine and need frequent changing. A lot of people do have trouble with chlorination, but they don't actually solve hardness issues.

Hmm ok, I'll have to look into that. I thought I've seen some that also filter out minerals and such, but I may be wrong. I might try what you do sometime, and see if it helps :)