What makes your hair feel "dry"?

[Curlsgirl]

I think I found out "holding gels" do this to my hair. I left them off recently and my hair has been MUCH better. I was using one that is supposed to be curl friendly (LA Looks Sports gel) but I think it was still drying my hair out.

Has anyone else found this to be true and anybody else noticed anything in particular that makes your hair feel and/or look dry?

[Little_Bird]

Well, I never used gel with longer hair but, I'm sure it's drying :eek:

I only sense dryness in my ends, and my trick is to be very precise on the amounts of conditioner and oil that I use, specially with the oil. Believe it or not, if I leave too much on them, they will feel drier...

Oh well :p Oils are still one of my best friends tough :happydance:

Glad your ends feel better :flower:

[Anywhere]

leave-in conditioners and gels make my hair feel dry and sometimes sticky.

When I rinse them out the next day though, its so soft. ♥

[ericthegreat]

Well this is completely obvious of course, but just about any kind of shampoo leaves my hair feeling very hard and dry. Which is why of course I CO as my normal routine. I only use shampoo when I'm using it to wash out an intensive overnight oiling I did the day before. And yes even having done an oiling, the moment I apply the shampoo on my hair and then wash it out my hair gets very hard and feels dry. I have to then apply a whole load of conditioner back into my hair ASAP!

[~GypsyCurls~]

If I don't put any styling products (even if hair has been moisturized w/conditioner & leave in), or if I use a hard hold gel.

[Stephichan]

Well, my climate makes my hair feel dry.... (I live in the desert). But seriously... I used a clarifying shampoo earlier this week and my hair was very static-y last night before I washed it with my new Nature's Gate shampoo and conish. Also, I have this leave-in conditioner that I used to use all the time last semester when I was having trouble with static in my hair, and when I used it a few weeks ago my hair just felt awful and by the end of the day my hair was limp. Not greasy or anything, but just flat flat. Upon checking the ingredients, I found that it's packed with amino acids. Apparently my hair doesn't like protein. Who knew?:shrug:

[spidermom]

Hard water makes my hair feel dry, and it sticks together like Velcro. Gels - no problem (usually). Ditto shampoo.

[clairenewcastle]

My hair has quite a few hates. Any styling product leaves it crunchy despite being thoroughly washed out so it's been years since I used any gels or mousses....probably 23 years to be exact.
The after effects of a protein treatment aren't good either.
Silicone has been a major problem but thankfully I gave it up two years ago.
Natural products like oils and herbal rinses seem more easily tolerated by my hair.

[Roseate]

Yes, gels dry my hair like nobody's business, even the nice alcohol and 'cone free ones that everybody over on NC.com adores. I don't know how many I tried. Lots.

I was ready to give up and just let my wurls do their own floofy thing, but I'm glad I tried flaxseed gel first; it gives me just enough hold, and so far no dryness at all. I bought it from Botticelli Botanicals on etsy, haven't tried making my own yet.

[Honey39]

Yeah, product can make me hair feel dry, definitely! My main aim is to make my hair moisturised (which will mean less frizz), so I don't use shampoo, I condition-wash only and I use leave-in and oils. I tend to steer clear of products to give me curls, as they tend to dry my hair out a lot (although boots curl creme didn't, not does AVG I think - I don't use it very often!).

[Konstifik]

The climate, shampoo and various conventional products with harsh chemicals. My hair gets dry easily, but is also quite easy to moisturize again. :)

[JamieLeigh]

Shampooing makes my hair feel really dry. Even my clarifying 'poo once a month had to be turned into a CWC. And until the next wash, I still feel really dry around my scalp area. :( My hair and I are just NOT fans of shampoo.

[GlassEyes]

Gels can make my hair dry--but only if they contain protein (most do) and/or magnesium sulfate (like the jessicurl stuff). It doesn't happen all the time, so I still use them, but periodically my hair will have a protein overload and reject them.

In general, protein does this to my hair--though not as often as before. I think it's partially that I don't henna as often (once every 2-3 months IF I'm not lazy xD) and I'm not using as much coconut oil. :shrug: It's supposed to help with protein retention, which defeats the purpose of using so much protein--my theory, at least.

Humidity, air-drying completely without some form of moisture product, and any sort of heat are other factors that make my hair feel 'dry'. Certain conditioners can do it too--not necessarily coney ones, but Suave Humectant, for example, makes my hair rebel. :p And, of course, shampoo is quite the horror to it--I've yet to find one that doesn't make my head look like a bush or feel like it's covered in wax.

[mbaker223]

Yay I'm so glad I'm not alone! I too get dry crispy hair if I oil it too often or for too long.

Here I thought I was just doomed. But I found that a good SMT followed by a light evoo treatment does the trick to repair my moisture issues.

[Tinose]

I just discovered the other day that a protein overdose does! And it was feeling so nicely thick until then, alas.

[Bianca]

I have no problem with gels drying my hair out. I use biosilk rock hard gel. It's the best :D

What makes my hair feel dry would be shampoo, and airdrying with no product :)

[embee]

Baking soda is the worst thing I have done to my hair since joining LHC. Gave me a broom straw look and feel. It took many washes and conditionings to get soft and combable again.... and it felt so soft and smooth and silky in the shower. Oh well.

[colibri]

dying my hair makes it dry.also styling products are the worst for me becouse not only they make my hair feel dry but they gave me a lot of split ends:mad:

[longinthehair]

My work environment makes my hair dry! I work in a "closed" building [re-circulating air (if you can even call it that?)]..and really notice this when I occasionally wear it in a half-up at work..such a difference in the lack of moisture in my hair by the end of the day - on those days when I dare to wear it down for some or all of the day, and these are few and far between mostly, it is such a relief to get out in real oxygenated air, and return some moisture to it.
(Too bad - my co-workers never see my hair at its 'moisturized best'..ah well.)

Lately my thing is to go into work with my hair down, plan for an updo, and then relatively soon put it up. (This way I can get the pleasure of the variety..think it's providing me with a little more enjoyment of my locks..) Provides that extra bit of relaxation just before getting into the nitty-gritty of work (in an office environment) - mostly not practical to have it down too much at work anyway and one of the main reasons besides the moving around is that exact "dry air."

[camirra555]

My hair feels dry if I don't put anything in it. It needs leave ins or mositurizers or else is feels like straw

[lookingglass]

shampoo, gel, mouse, hairspray, blowdrying, mane n tail, not using leave in, too many cones, oil on top of clean hair

[Curlsgirl]

I guess I need to check my gel for protein! I never thought of it being in gels. Hmmmmmm. Anyway, haven't used it for the past week or so and my hair is MUCH better!

[juliaxena]

Oils and protein. THo only time I tryed SMT it made my hair dry too but I think it'sbecause I heated the hony too much. It almost turnd into caramel. I do't have a microvawe and I ont know how long is just right to heat honey on stove. Any advice here?