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View Full Version : Clarify + SMT did not equal softness - HELP



cocolover
February 11th, 2009, 06:47 PM
I was getting velcro ends so I clarified this morning and then did an SMT for an hour, my ends are still not soft! They are not velcroy anymore but they are not soft like I hoped they would be. Any suggestions? They should not be super damaged, they were not subjected to curling irons, hair dryers or hair dyes. They do not have a bunch of splits. I can get the hair under my canopy and above my ends really soft, but not my ends and canopy. Anyone found an answer for this kind of problem?
I am yet to find a good routine that works for my hair and I'm getting discouraged.:(

salamander
February 11th, 2009, 07:33 PM
Try a heavy oiling, or several. I wet my ends down and saturate them in coconut oil most nights; until I started that, my ends were never happy no matter what.

Ursula
February 11th, 2009, 07:45 PM
Changes in hair texture tend to be subtle, and happen gradually. It may take several repititions of the SMT, spread out over time, to gradually remoisturize the most dry parts of your hair.

Also, some people just naturally have hair that is more or less soft than others. It is hard to tell over the internet what the potential softness of your particular head of hair is, or how close you are to the limits of that potential.

Melisande
February 12th, 2009, 12:03 AM
Fox' sheabutter recipe makes my ends much softer, so do heavy oilings before washing, CWC and catnip rinses.

I introduced these measures gradually, one after the other. I don't have split ends at all and my ends are softer than before, although I have old dye damage that I'm growing out.

aisling
February 12th, 2009, 12:44 AM
Well, an SMT wouldn't make my hair soft either, as my hair dislikes honey. Have you had good results from SMTs earlier and know they work? If not, try some other deep treatment and remember to use a leave in as well, to me that is the big difference.

Debra83
February 12th, 2009, 12:50 AM
I did a catnip treatment once, and plan to do one again as soon as time permits. I was AMAZED at the softness and slip of the hair - but not greasy at all!!!!

If it wasn't such a procedure to boil, steep, strain, I would definitely be able to fit it into my 5 minute morning alotment for hair time!!!! (of course, I COULD get up earlier. shudder.)

scalawaggirl
February 12th, 2009, 05:38 AM
Fox' sheabutter recipe makes my ends much softer, so do heavy oilings before washing, CWC and catnip rinses.

I introduced these measures gradually, one after the other. I don't have split ends at all and my ends are softer than before, although I have old dye damage that I'm growing out.

I do the same things as you, Melisande! I do agree to introduce practices singly so that you can see what helps and what does not. Also, dry ends could be indicative of damage that may be appearing now that your doing things differently (assuming this may be the case).

Nightly oiling on ends should help and also putting Fox's leave-in every day is another thing I would try.

P.S. I adore the catnip rinses. :)

Anje
February 12th, 2009, 07:22 AM
You might also want to watch the protein levels. Protein makes my hair feel like velcro when I get too much, and it takes a few washes and moisture to get rid of it.

Nightshade
February 12th, 2009, 07:39 AM
Fox' sheabutter recipe

I have to second this one. Something with shea has been the only thing that's tamed my former velcro ends. Oils and SMTs just made my hair crunchy on the damaged bits.

cocolover
February 12th, 2009, 01:38 PM
Thanks for the feedback. I've been thinking about the protein thing for a little bit now. My ends got horrible after doing a coconut milk soak, and I read that is more of a protein treatment, correct? I've done an SMT twice before, at the beginning of my time here at LHC. It didn't seem to make any difference better or worse. I tried it again because I was wondering if it was a protein issue and so doing a moisture treatment would be an answer. I put some Fox's shea butter stuff on today and they seem a bit better. I think I'll be vigilant with that for a bit and see. Thank you all for the good suggestions....I'm going to go revisit the catnip thread also. What are other moisture options other than SMT?

cobblersmaid
February 12th, 2009, 01:41 PM
Is your water hard? When I first started trying all this stuff I was living somewhere with TERRIBLY hard water, and nothing seemed to help. As soon as I moved back to somewhere with softer water, all those things (SMTs etc...) suddently started working.

tinabcurly
February 12th, 2009, 02:05 PM
Velcro ends have invaded my hair this winter too! They're so stratchy, I hate when my hair touches my bare skin. Have you tried to S&D? It might help...I've found that even a few tiny splits and pixie knots make everything feel like hay.

SMTs don't do much in the winter for me. My favorite winter moisturizing treatment is to mix 1 part heavy conditioner (usually Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment) & 1 part oil (olive or avocado), really slather it on dry hair, pin it up, cover in plastic and put on my bonnet hair dryer for at least an hour. Usually I'll put a wool cap on afterwards and go to bed and rinse it out the next day. It really softens my hair (for a few days anyway).

The winter is so drying to my curly hair, I should probably do this twice a week but once is hard enough to find time for.

cocolover
February 12th, 2009, 02:58 PM
No, we don't have hard water...maybe I just have hard hair :D