SOS! Dry dry ends - please help!

[Thumper]

My ends are very very dry, straw like. They are not split, nor do they have any white dots or weird breaks in them. They are just very dry. I've tried oiling, leave in's and nothing seems to work. It's about the last 2 inches that need treatment. Any good suggestions out there? Is this even reversible???

[amaiaisabella]

Did you try clarifying yet? I would do that, and some damp bunning with your favorite leave-in before dusting or trimming. I made a great leave-in that helped with my ends, but unfortunately we have an ant problem in the summer, and had to toss it :(

[swanns]

My friend had success with the following combo - a trim, aloe vera gel and shea butter. :) You and her seem to have pretty similar type hair too, so it might just work for you!

[Thumper]

Did you try clarifying yet? I would do that, and some damp bunning with your favorite leave-in before dusting or trimming. I made a great leave-in that helped with my ends, but unfortunately we have an ant problem in the summer, and had to toss it :(


Thanks - I can't seem to find a clarifying shampoo - can you name a specific brand that clarifies??

[amaiaisabella]

Thanks - I can't seem to find a clarifying shampoo - can you name a specific brand that clarifies??

I usually just let my regular shampoo run throughout the hair (I always shampoo the scalp, condition everything else, and then rinse together so the shampoo gets on the length, but doesn't clean deep enough to feel stripping) but V05 makes one called Kiwi Lime Squeeze that members on this board have recommended. Suave has one that I have never tried, and there's one by Neutrogena, but that one dried my hair into a tangly mat :rolleyes:

[Carolyn]

Many product lines include a clarifying shampoo. Even Suave has one. Go into a place like Trade Secret or Regis and ask what they recommend. I don't know what you have in Canada so it's hard to be more specific. A small trim/dusting would freshen up your ends. The tiniest bit off can make my hair behave better. Clarifying takes moisture out of your hair so you have to put it back in after the shampooing. I'd do a nice rich SMT. I sometimes like to make SMT with a moisturizing conditioner AND a protein conditioner. Cure Care and Terax Crema have made a good combo for me. When my ends are feeling extra dry I do a light oiling on the ends and damp bun my hair. The oil soaks right in. If you wear your hair in a braid, try lightly oiling your braid tassel.

[shadowclaw]

I second the kiwi lime squeeze. It's the one I use. It's in V05's "Herbal Escapes" line of products.

I had a tough time finding a clarifying shampoo, too. My local Walmart only had Suave. Wegmans had Herbal Essences degunkify and the V05. The V05 is cheap ($.89 in you have the Wegman's card, $.99 if you don't) and it smells great.

I also recommend Fox's Shea Butter Cream after you clarify. I put it on the last 3 inches of my hair after a shower, because it tends to get dry very easily there.

You could also try doing a honey mask on the ends (and the rest of your hair if you want). I mix honey to conditioner in a 1:1 ratio and leave it on for an hour or so, and it really moisturizes the hair. It would be pretty easy to do on just the ends. Apply and then put a plastic bag over the ends and put a hair tie on the bag to keep it closed.

[spidermom]

When my ends get dry and straw-like, the best remedy is a trim. But clarifying followed by moisture should definitely be tried first.

[redneckprincess]

aloe vera gel works well for mine...for the time being, and Just before I read this post I made a post about whats the best kind of clarifying shampoo

[jel]

As long as you have no damage (splits, white dots) I would stay away from the scissors! :D

I second (or third/fourth etc.) the clarify -> moisture procedure. It looks like you have buildup that has to be removed before the moisture and oils can act. It could be silicone, protein or mineral buildup. Personally, my ends get dry and strawlike from protein. If you're using protein conditioners and leave ins, and coconut oil (which is protein-sparing), you might try to change to moisturising products for a while.

[RancheroTheBee]

Ah, our hair has the same problem. Dry, but no visible damage. I've found that in this case, trimming doesn't do a whole lot; the problem just returns a few days later. Instead, try CO-ing for a while, or pick a really moisturizing shampoo. Clarifying is also a good option to try first.

[Thumper]

As long as you have no damage (splits, white dots) I would stay away from the scissors! :D

I second (or third/fourth etc.) the clarify -> moisture procedure. It looks like you have buildup that has to be removed before the moisture and oils can act. It could be silicone, protein or mineral buildup. Personally, my ends get dry and strawlike from protein. If you're using protein conditioners and leave ins, and coconut oil (which is protein-sparing), you might try to change to moisturising products for a while.

A couple of your comments stand out to me.
First, I was using a coconut oil to oil my ends and noticed it made my hair feel even more crunchy. This was bad? I also was using a Charigin Valley coconut shampoo bar - does this also = bad???

I picked up a clarifier on my lunch hour today. It's a neutragena moisture rich conditioner (something like that). I'm going to try that. Then I'm not sure what to put on my ends. I have some grapeseed oil - I wonder if that would be okay?

Edited to add; I just went and looked up grapeseed oil online and found this;


How to Use Grape Seed Oil to Restore Hair

Grape seed oil is a lightweight, colorless and odorless oil that has a number of uses. It can be taken as a health tonic, used as a cooking oil or used to moisturize the skin and hair. Because it is lighter weight than many other oils, such as olive oil, it absorbs into the skin and hair much faster, and without weighing hair down. Here is a quick and easy grape seed hot oil treatment that is sure to leave your hair moisturized, beautiful and luxurious.

Difficulty: EasyInstructionsThings You'll Need:
Grape seed oil Zipper lock baggie Clarifying shampoo Essential oil (optional)
Step 1Measure 4 tbsp. of grape seed oil into a sandwich-size plastic zipper-lock baggie. If desired, you can scent the odorless grape seed oil with one drop of an essential oil of your choice. Simply drop the essential oil into the baggie of grape seed oil, and swish for a few seconds.

Step 2Put a plug in your sink, and fill with hot tap water. Place the securely-closed zipper-lock bag with the scented grape seed oil into the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 3Shampoo your hair. Thoroughly wash your hair, using a gentle clarifying shampoo. After rinsing the shampoo, gently towel dry your hair.

Step 4Gather your hair at the base of your neck, as if you're making a ponytail. Starting with the hair at the base of your neck, run the warm grape seed oil through your hair, paying special attention to the ends where hair tends to need the most moisture. Once the ends of your hair are thoroughly saturated, use whatever grape seed oil is left on your hands to run through the roots of your hair, and massage into your scalp. Leave the grape seed oil in your hair for between 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 5Rinse the grape seed oil from your hair, using warm water. Then run cool water over your hair to achieve gleaming, beautiful locks.

[jel]

First, I was using a coconut oil to oil my ends and noticed it made my hair feel even more crunchy. This was bad? I also was using a Charigin Valley coconut shampoo bar - does this also = bad???


Protein and protein-sparing oils such as coconut are not bad as such. :D But if they build up on hair, you can get crunchy ends.

Grapeseed oil should be OK, I don't believe that it's protein-sparing. Still, I would add some light, moisturising conditioner in between the shampoo and the oil application... If nothing else, it will make the oil rinse out more easily.

[zzstarz13z05]

my hair was like that for a while too. I was switching between different shampoos/conditioners. I finally found one that seemed to work--garnier length & strength. for the first few days, i thought my hair was getting worse, but after a few days it seems to be getting better.

that and leave-in when my hair is damp and gently twisting into a bun all day (or night, depending on when i shower) helped alot.

[Teacherbear]

Hey, Thumper. I can totally related to the dry ends. It took me a couple of years of hanging out here at LHC to figure out what made my ends crunchy. It finally boiled down to the fact that my hair doesn't like a lot of protein and it doesn't like oil. :shrug: So I use a shampoo that doesn't have a lot of protein (and is cone-free) and I use a conditioner, but I do not oil my hair.

If, for some reason, my ends get crunchy I start by clarifying. I mix baking soda with my shampoo and wash. I wash from scalp to ends, then rinse well. I apply my conditioner as usual. I then avoid proteins and/or oils. Within 3 or 4 washes my hair isn't crunchy.

I use to cut off several inches every time my hair got crunchy, but I no longer feel that is necessary. I trim/cut, but that is because I want my hair to be shorter, not because of the crunchy ends.

I hope that helps.

[Jinx2234]

COing and SMTs helped my dry ends. I agree with everyone else that you should clarify first. I personally like VO5 Tea Therapy Clarifying.

[Darkhorse1]

I got crunchy ends too. I attribute it to being out in the sun more.
There's a great product from Herbal Essence that's a leave in split end sealer--it's coney, but made my ends really smooth, and reduced frizz. The best part was the scent was so nice, it removed horsey smells ;)

[Thumper]

Well last night I first just did a straight wash with the Neutragena creamy conditioner. Then I did a vinegar rinse, which I kinda botched because I made it to strong and my scalp got ingredibly itchy. I only left it on my hair for about 5 minutes. I then warmed up some grapeseed oil and put it on my ends, massaged well, then applied to my scalp and the rest of my hair. I left that in for about 15 minutes. I rinsed it out, used a mild shampoo, then conditioner again. This morning my hair looked like a grease ball. I washed again with a conditioning shampoo. I rinsed hot, then straight cold water for a good 3 minutes or so. I did not put my usual leave in Shea Butter this morning. I'm a little suspect that it might be part of my problem because there are so many other ingredients in it (like alchohol). Today my hair really really shines and is ubber soft! But it also feels terribly fine because the leave in Shea always gives my hair a ton of volume.
Next week i'm on holiday and will be at the cottage for the whole time so I plan on just letting the lake water take care of it and wear it up all week. No styling, no products and see if that give it a nice break.

[ratgirldjh]

I recently had the problem of very dry straw like ends that just stuck straight out!
After trying clarifying with both clarifying shampoo and baking soda - I finally tried Sibylla's Secret Moisture Treatment - which contains bentonite clay and sea salt.

Evidently it was protein build up on my hair because after the treatment - which I left in for 30 minutes - my hair - all of it including the ends :) was soft and shiny and silky again.