Two and a half (anomalies of my) mane

[Doomjoon]

So, lately, I've started using an Aussie moisturizing conditioner (don't really know exactly which one at the moment), and it has prompted me to ask about two things that have been bothering me for a while, along with a new minor question:

1. Particular areas of my hear, especially the back-right and back-left (NOT middle back) of my hair tend to get quite greasy, no matter what I seem to do. I shower twice a week, and after around 3-4 days it's almost gone, but as soon as I wet my hair, I think that some of the grease comes back, after I apply shampoo, it seems like even more of it is arrives (???), and the conditioners seem to seal the deal: they grease up that particular part of my hair to hell and back. I really don't know how this happens. Some how suggested that I should try to rinse my hair both while it's right side up and upside down, and I've done this for a while to no avail. My best guess is, well, since I always apply shampoo and conditioner with my hair upside down over my head, those particular parts are at the top layer of my hair (since their roots are at the back of my scalp/on my upper neck, they cover the rest of my hair when I put it that way), so they receive the most product. Even worse, in this configuration, while the rest of my hair is layered, this area at the back of my scalp is completely thin since again, there is no other hair covering it. So all the product it receives it keeps for itself. Should I try to completely stop doing my hair upside down and applying product this way, or perhaps stop applying conditioner to my scalp altogether?

2. I have a wavy/curly hair, and hair on the left side of my head is always somewhat messier, either stringier and less clumpy or with no formation at all, a little bit frizzier, and has quite noticeably less defined curls. Again, I really don't know how this could be. I've tried switching over my after-shower hair oiling routine to first oil the right side of my hair and then the left (EVOO btw), because that is the only asymmetry I could think of, but it hasn't helped in any way. Does anyone have similar experiences with this, and could perhaps provide some tips as to what might be wrong and how to fix it?

3. Not really an anomaly, but rather a simple question, this Aussie conditioner is a bit too moisturizing and makes my hair rather greasy (besides what I talked about in the first question, which happens even without the Aussie). I can't really completely give it up since my hair generally heavily lacks moisture and this one is the best I've ever found at counteracting that, and I can't stop using my SLS shampoo since I need it for my scalp (besides, my hair seems to actually like a little bit of SLS). My usual routine is a WCC wash on Sundays (first C is for now some Syoss repairing conditioner that my family has, and the second C is the Aussie), while on Wednesdays I do a CWCC (first C being a coneless Balea, which I don't like using that much since my hair seems to dislike coneless conditioners, the other two are the same). So, should I switch this up somehow, or should I try to apply less of the Aussie conditioner, and perhaps not put it on my scalp (the lengths are somewhat greasy too, but mostly the stuff that's close to my scalp)? I know that this is a noob-heavy question that I should be able to figure out on my own, but I'm not that experienced, and since I'm already asking questions I might as well put in another one.

Besides, I got an excuse to make a sweet thread title.

[Beeboo123]

Hi! I can't comment on 1 and 3. I wonder if 2 could be due to mechanical damage. How do you do your hair when you sleep? Do you sleep on your side? Do you carry your bag on one shoulder, do you wear a seatbelt when driving, and does your hair rub against your bag strap or seatbelt?

[Obsidian]

1. Absolutely stop applying conditioner to your scalp and roots, they don't need it. Try using it only from your ears down.

2. Can't really help with this but I can say that olive oil is really heavy. I would suggest a lighter oil like almond

3. Sounds like the Aussie is too heavy for you, maybe try just it instead of double conditioning. I know I couldn't use Aussie, it was just too much, made me really greasy.

[lapushka]

1. Particular areas of my hear, especially the back-right and back-left (NOT middle back) of my hair tend to get quite greasy, no matter what I seem to do. I shower twice a week, and after around 3-4 days it's almost gone, but as soon as I wet my hair, I think that some of the grease comes back, after I apply shampoo, it seems like even more of it is arrives (???), and the conditioners seem to seal the deal: they grease up that particular part of my hair to hell and back. I really don't know how this happens. Some how suggested that I should try to rinse my hair both while it's right side up and upside down, and I've done this for a while to no avail. My best guess is, well, since I always apply shampoo and conditioner with my hair upside down over my head, those particular parts are at the top layer of my hair (since their roots are at the back of my scalp/on my upper neck, they cover the rest of my hair when I put it that way), so they receive the most product. Even worse, in this configuration, while the rest of my hair is layered, this area at the back of my scalp is completely thin since again, there is no other hair covering it. So all the product it receives it keeps for itself. Should I try to completely stop doing my hair upside down and applying product this way, or perhaps stop applying conditioner to my scalp altogether?

If you wash standing up in the shower. Do you take a glob of shampoo and put it underneath your hair? Because that's what you're supposed to do. I see all these wavy/curly girls on YT just put shampoo on the top of their head and then not washing their nape, instead just letting the suds run down from the top of their head. That is not the way it's supposed to go. You are supposed to put shampoo on every bit of your scalp, that means the underneath too! It bugs me to no end.

If you wash upside down, then you really shouldn't have this issue. Maybe try and experiment with not putting conditioner on your scalp! :flower:

Variations in wave/curl pattern are quite normal! :flower:

[Doomjoon]

Hi! I can't comment on 1 and 3. I wonder if 2 could be due to mechanical damage. How do you do your hair when you sleep? Do you sleep on your side? Do you carry your bag on one shoulder, do you wear a seatbelt when driving, and does your hair rub against your bag strap or seatbelt?

Out of all these, I can only comment that I sleep with a ponytail, and I do sleep on my side but I don't really sleep on only one side (although I do believe that I usually sleep on my right). Still, it's odd that this effect already happens after showering. I'm thinking of investing into silk pillowcases anyway.


1. Absolutely stop applying conditioner to your scalp and roots, they don't need it. Try using it only from your ears down.

2. Can't really help with this but I can say that olive oil is really heavy. I would suggest a lighter oil like almond

3. Sounds like the Aussie is too heavy for you, maybe try just it instead of double conditioning. I know I couldn't use Aussie, it was just too much, made me really greasy.

1. I'll give it a shot. I've just been reluctant to do it since my hair is rather thirsty, including the scalp. Perhaps I could apply only the other conditioners to my scalp.

2. I have coarse hair, so it has zero trouble devouring any oil I throw at it. EVOO has worked fine and I never found it to be a source of any problem, although I am planning to get some argan oil to try it out.

3. I'll try to just use less of it and see how it goes, since applying it only ears-down should make a noticeable difference enough.


If you wash standing up in the shower. Do you take a glob of shampoo and put it underneath your hair? Because that's what you're supposed to do. I see all these wavy/curly girls on YT just put shampoo on the top of their head and then not washing their nape, instead just letting the suds run down from the top of their head. That is not the way it's supposed to go. You are supposed to put shampoo on every bit of your scalp, that means the underneath too! It bugs me to no end.

If you wash upside down, then you really shouldn't have this issue. Maybe try and experiment with not putting conditioner on your scalp! :flower:

Variations in wave/curl pattern are quite normal! :flower:

I do massage shampoo into my hair, if that's what you mean, although I don't use globs of shampoo particularly for that task. I guess I could try using more, since my hair does tend to "soak" it all up rather quickly, before I'm done with spreading it around. Although it's quite a significant length of it that just sort of instantly turns greasy, not just near the roots, but anything that's close to my scalp in general.

It is rather annoying to have really nicely formed hair on one side, and a tangle of *bleh* on the other, but I'm willing to accept that, just hoping that there might be a way I can remedy it.

[Corvana]

1: Have you clarified? I know you said you use SLS shampoo, but I've found personally that I can use one or the other (SLS or SLES) and still get loads of buildup over time from coney conditioners. If I get one with both, then they're too harsh for regular use but amazing when my hair gets grease spots like that from what I assume is just buildup. It gives me a super clean slate lol. But now I've started to dilute my SLES+SLS shampoo, and have found it's both not too harsh and still super cleansing and I can go longer before I need to clarify with it full strength. Plus the diluted shampoo is 100x easier to apply all over my scalp!

I also condition my scalp a little. I hate the "squeaky clean" feeling I'm left with after using any shampoo at all (it feels like I'm running my fingers backward over my hair! shudder: ). But I first condition my ends, and then whatever is left on my hands goes through my roots very lightly. Perhaps doing that will help, if you feel you still need to condition your scalp hair.

2: Do you ever pull all of your hair over your shoulder? If so, do you pull it over your right shoulder? But it could also just be that your hair has a different wave pattern on that side. Try parting your hair differently to see if that makes it seem less odd to you.

3: Try clarifying (either with a clarifying shampoo, or with a very strong regular one) before changing other things, IMO. If it happens with other conditioners, than it's less likely the conditioner. Sure it's more with the Aussie, but that could just be because there's more moisturising in it that can't get where it wants to be.

[Doomjoon]

1: Have you clarified? I know you said you use SLS shampoo, but I've found personally that I can use one or the other (SLS or SLES) and still get loads of buildup over time from coney conditioners. If I get one with both, then they're too harsh for regular use but amazing when my hair gets grease spots like that from what I assume is just buildup. It gives me a super clean slate lol. But now I've started to dilute my SLES+SLS shampoo, and have found it's both not too harsh and still super cleansing and I can go longer before I need to clarify with it full strength. Plus the diluted shampoo is 100x easier to apply all over my scalp!

I also condition my scalp a little. I hate the "squeaky clean" feeling I'm left with after using any shampoo at all (it feels like I'm running my fingers backward over my hair! shudder: ). But I first condition my ends, and then whatever is left on my hands goes through my roots very lightly. Perhaps doing that will help, if you feel you still need to condition your scalp hair.

2: Do you ever pull all of your hair over your shoulder? If so, do you pull it over your right shoulder? But it could also just be that your hair has a different wave pattern on that side. Try parting your hair differently to see if that makes it seem less odd to you.

3: Try clarifying (either with a clarifying shampoo, or with a very strong regular one) before changing other things, IMO. If it happens with other conditioners, than it's less likely the conditioner. Sure it's more with the Aussie, but that could just be because there's more moisturising in it that can't get where it wants to be.

1. Yeah, a clarifying shampoo is also a thing I need to invest in. But the idea of using only what is left on your fingers to condition the scalp does sound interesting, although I don't know how much there should be left since by that time my hair has already soaked up pretty much everything. I'll try it out.

2. Nope, it's always in a low ponytail at the back, when it isn't loose.

3. It only happens with the Aussie actually, that was a new question introduced due to me trying it out.

[Corvana]

1. Yeah, a clarifying shampoo is also a thing I need to invest in. But the idea of using only what is left on your fingers to condition the scalp does sound interesting, although I don't know how much there should be left since by that time my hair has already soaked up pretty much everything. I'll try it out.

2. Nope, it's always in a low ponytail at the back, when it isn't loose.

3. It only happens with the Aussie actually, that was a new question introduced due to me trying it out.

Ah I see. Have you thought about doing a deep conditioning treatment less often, and then using other conditioners for your "regular" washing? I'm not sure which Aussie you chose, but if it's the 3 minute miracle, I believe that's supposed to be a treatment and not a regular conditioner (unless you need/like it as such). But other moisturising conditioners that are a bit lighter could work? My favorites are by Tresemme, and the bonus is that they're super cheap here. I get the moisture rich (my favorite), and the smooth and silky (my best backup). I also have a backup backup, just in case, but that one is by Renpure. It's their coconut cream conditioner, and the scent is too strong for me, which is why it's such a far backup haha. It's lovely otherwise, though! My favorite deep conditioner is LOreal nature's therapy mega moisture, but I recommend only using it on clarified hair because it's quite heavy IMO. Ymmv, of course, but the last time I used it the extra silkiness and softness lasted two weeks. I only wash once a week right now, though.

As for using what's left, here's my conditioning routine so you can see that I do end up with a bit on my scalp: I get the conditioner, like 3 or 4 pumps, spread it between my hands and run it through my ends finger combing style. Then I grab them like I'm going to make a very loose ponytail and run my hands over them, squeezing a little to smoosh it in (which in turn causes some conditioner-y water to run out into my hands). Then I very gently, so I don't get too much conditioner on my scalp, run my palms over my scalp hair and then carefully finger comb that as well, making sure to not do it too much but enough that it doesn't feel squeaky clean anymore. Once I'm happy with my scalp, I go back to my ends, and if I need to add another pump. I don't go back to my scalp again, I don't want to over condition there and cause greasiness or itchiness for myself.

By using the smooshed out conditioner and water, I've thinned out how much conditioner I put on my scalp (and make it easier to apply without overdoing it in any one spot), but still left enough to do the job I want out of it. You can always add more conditioner to your ends, you're not stuck on rations lol. And if your hair is thirsty for the conditioner, it'd probably like the squeezing method anyway (as that helps get the conditioner in your hair).

Basically I only use diluted conditioner on my scalp, because I get the benefits I want without having to use too much and make my hair greasy.

[Doomjoon]

Yes, it is indeed the 3 minute miracle, I figured I needed to use it since my hair truly is quite thirsty, but twice a week in the amounts I've been using lately might be a bit too much. I'll try using your method, thanks.

[LadyCelestina]

The one side of hair frizzy other not is completely normal. I have this too. There's no explanation, but it's common amongst curlies. eta: as for solution, you could add more gel to the frizzy side, but imo the difference is not noticeable to other people anyway.:shrug:

[diddiedaisy]

Yeah, my left side is frizzier, doesn't hold a curl as good, doesn't grow as fast and is thinner. Thinking about it, my left side hates me haha :)

[spidermom]

Diluting my shampoo in a bottle with a pointed top for squirting directly onto the scalp has been a game changer for me. I alternate washing standing upright with leaning forward with my hair falling toward my feet. Either way, I apply the shampoo solution in stripes all over my scalp, working from one side to the other. When I feel my scalp needs extra cleansing, I comb over my scalp with my shower comb after I apply the shampoo solution - not the length - just the scalp. As far as conditioning, I don't have to do it at this length, but when I do, apply it while bending forward so that I can get conditioner on my canopy hairs while avoiding my scalp.

[JadedByEntropy]

1. I also wash upside down with iii C hair, and place globs of shampoo evenly down my part and throughout my head underneath the hair. Putting it on the 'top' layer anywhere doesn't reach where its going. Maybe a shampoo brush could help you spread it into the scalp? i've heard people like those. People at greater lengths often do a scalp only wash, as washing just the hair doesn't cleanse the scalp and all the oil will be immediately back on the hair.

I agree with OO being too thick and greasy. I use Tea Tree oil, which is drying to the greaseiness, but moisture to the hair. Mine is kinky waves and needs a lot of moisture. I also love ACV rinces, just like they've said chleating or a clarifying step would get rid of the buildup which is trapping oils too.

Since curls are usually dry, maybe its being overdried by shampoo (even while not being stripped of sebum) and washing CO would help? I switched to that for at least a year and my natural greasiness went way down.

[proo]

Sounds like too much product
I agree with spidermom; diluting allows for lighter, evener application.

"Thirsty" hair isn't necessarily asking for more product imho-
It needs internal hydration (water),
then the trick is getting the cuticle to lay down and stay that way.
For me that's been a process, not a product.

[Doomjoon]

Diluting my shampoo in a bottle with a pointed top for squirting directly onto the scalp has been a game changer for me. I alternate washing standing upright with leaning forward with my hair falling toward my feet. Either way, I apply the shampoo solution in stripes all over my scalp, working from one side to the other. When I feel my scalp needs extra cleansing, I comb over my scalp with my shower comb after I apply the shampoo solution - not the length - just the scalp. As far as conditioning, I don't have to do it at this length, but when I do, apply it while bending forward so that I can get conditioner on my canopy hairs while avoiding my scalp.

Thank you, gonna have to try that.


1. I also wash upside down with iii C hair, and place globs of shampoo evenly down my part and throughout my head underneath the hair. Putting it on the 'top' layer anywhere doesn't reach where its going. Maybe a shampoo brush could help you spread it into the scalp? i've heard people like those. People at greater lengths often do a scalp only wash, as washing just the hair doesn't cleanse the scalp and all the oil will be immediately back on the hair.

I agree with OO being too thick and greasy. I use Tea Tree oil, which is drying to the greaseiness, but moisture to the hair. Mine is kinky waves and needs a lot of moisture. I also love ACV rinces, just like they've said chleating or a clarifying step would get rid of the buildup which is trapping oils too.

Since curls are usually dry, maybe its being overdried by shampoo (even while not being stripped of sebum) and washing CO would help? I switched to that for at least a year and my natural greasiness went way down.

EVOO has done me well so far, but I'll experiment with others. As for CO washes, I've tried it in the past, hasn't gone that well. Turns out my hair just likes a bit of SLS.


Sounds like too much product
I agree with spidermom; diluting allows for lighter, evener application.

"Thirsty" hair isn't necessarily asking for more product imho-
It needs internal hydration (water),
then the trick is getting the cuticle to lay down and stay that way.
For me that's been a process, not a product.

It always seemed overly frizzy even right after showering so I assumed that I needed something to give it more moisture, the Aussie actually did that very nicely, it's only the third time that I've been using it that it starts to grease me up. I'm gonna look into investing hair cream (I've got quite a list I know) and try LOCing to see how that goes.