My hair changes its length depending on the products I use. Yours too?

[Wusel]

I have noticed a funny thing. My hair changes it's length by about half an inch, depending on the products I use. When it's only my natural shampoo, no sulphs, no cones and a bit of rose water and oil to moisturize it's shorter. When I clarify with harsh sulphs and use a coney conditioner and a coney leave in it gets longer.
Funny, isn't it?
Did you notice something like this too?

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I've never taken any notice, to be honest.

[CuteCrow]

As you have some wave in your hair that could be the reason. Some products stretch your curls by weighting down your hair, like conditioners with cones. Also I think I read somewhere that certain ingredients can actually stretch the individual hairs on your head so it could also be that.
Personally I can't tell because as a curly head my hair never dries the same twice :lol:

[LittleHealthy]

I’ve not noticed any difference, my hair is straight. As above have said, if you have wave to your hair that would be why :)

[lapushka]

I'm sorry, but I don't look that closely at my hair. :flower: To me that is just waaay too much, and too much trouble.

Patience, my dear, it will grow. ;)

[hinabelle]

Not just products, but the position of the stars, the humidity, the way the birds sing on wash day... :rolleyes:

[AutobotsAttack]

I have noticed a funny thing. My hair changes it's length by about half an inch, depending on the products I use. When it's only my natural shampoo, no sulphs, no cones and a bit of rose water and oil to moisturize it's shorter. When I clarify with harsh sulphs and use a coney conditioner and a coney leave in it gets longer.
Funny, isn't it?
Did you notice something like this too?

Yep. It’s called shrinkage.

At the moment I’m in braids, but typically when I wash my hair, all of my new growth and unprocessed parts of my hair will shrink up. Doesn’t really matter what it is, so long as there is water involved. Usually my hair will shrink from TBL+ stretched out, to above Waist length after a fresh wash and air dry. It used to shrink up all the way back to the top of my shoulders when I was hip length.

I don’t mind it though. Used to irk me for a while. But it is what it is.

[lapushka]

Not just products, but the position of the stars, the humidity, the way the birds sing on wash day... :rolleyes:

LOL! :lol: Yeah, that pretty much covers it! :D ;)

[blackgothicdoll]

Yep, glycerin/gel it will shrink to the point that it enters a time/space vortex and is no longer visible on the 3rd dimension.

Products that lock moisture in/out can definitely cause hair to 'draw up' more than it typically would.

[ExpectoPatronum]

It's called shrinkage and certain products encourage more or less of it. I believe the cones weigh down waves, which reduces shrinkage, thus making hair look longer.

[lapushka]

For shrinkage, don't you have to have "texture" to your hair, though, or does it happen on straight hair too? :hmm: I can understand straight hair "shrinking" from being wet (longer) to being dry (shorter), but... shrinkage shrinkage, like with curls or waves? I wonder!

[AutobotsAttack]

For shrinkage, don't you have to have "texture" to your hair, though, or does it happen on straight hair too? :hmm: I can understand straight hair "shrinking" from being wet (longer) to being dry (shorter), but... shrinkage shrinkage, like with curls or waves? I wonder!

I think any deviation of straight hair could cause shrinkage. Just to a lesser degree.

[Kalamazoo]

If I put enough oil in my hair & comb it out, it looks straight to any innocent bystander, & definitely seems longer.

[milosmomma]

I just used a deep conditioner with cones in it for the first time in about a year and I noticed using cones pulled my waves straight and I didnt even need to brush to pull them straight. Since being cone free I have been about a 2b but with the cones I used my hair came out a 1c and appeared longer with the absence of waves. Maybe that is what happened for you? The coating of cones may add just a little more weight to our strands and go straighter than normal?

[Wusel]

It's called shrinkage and certain products encourage more or less of it. I believe the cones weigh down waves, which reduces shrinkage, thus making hair look longer.

Sounds quite logical, yes :)

[Wusel]

I just used a deep conditioner with cones in it for the first time in about a year and I noticed using cones pulled my waves straight and I didnt even need to brush to pull them straight. Since being cone free I have been about a 2b but with the cones I used my hair came out a 1c and appeared longer with the absence of waves. Maybe that is what happened for you? The coating of cones may add just a little more weight to our strands and go straighter than normal?

Yes... this sounds plausible. :)

[The-Young-Maid]

My length changes depending on products as well. But for me it's mostly a matter of volume. With a good coney conditioner, extra oil or heavy shampoo it just kinda flattens everything out. It makes my ends look way more even/sleek instead of fluffy. So on a good/extra sleek day I look hip/tb, but on meh day my ends floof out at waist length. Not bent or textured just lots of volume.

With protein products my braid waves hold extra well and I lose length.

[MusicalSpoons]

I think any deviation of straight hair could cause shrinkage. Just to a lesser degree.

Yup. I think only true 1a doesn't experience shrinkage.


My length changes depending on products as well. But for me it's mostly a matter of volume. With a good coney conditioner, extra oil or heavy shampoo it just kinda flattens everything out. It makes my ends look way more even/sleek instead of fluffy. So on a good/extra sleek day I look hip/tb, but on meh day my ends floof out at waist length. Not bent or textured just lots of volume.

With protein products my braid waves hold extra well and I lose length.

My experience is similar; e.g. with a volumising shampoo I tried a few times it definitely looked shorter. When really oily it looks a bit longer because it's all flat on top. Even with protein it holds texture better - waves and floof after a wash, or after that mainly kinks from bunning, nowhere near as elegant as braidwaves :lol:

[Wusel]

Yup. I think only true 1a doesn't experience shrinkage.



My experience is similar; e.g. with a volumising shampoo I tried a few times it definitely looked shorter. When really oily it looks a bit longer because it's all flat on top. Even with protein it holds texture better - waves and floof after a wash, or after that mainly kinks from bunning, nowhere near as elegant as braidwaves :lol:

That's a good point, didn't think about that. With more volume mine gets shorter too, true... when it's not flat on top...

[Kalamazoo]

So this means virtually everybody's hair type & length are up for negotiation...