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WaimeaWahine
November 6th, 2009, 05:34 AM
Stupid question time...

Cold water rinses supposedly bring out shine. Flat irons also bring out shine using heat. So it confuses me a little. Can someone elaborate on that please? I'm not sure what I'm even asking. Maybe... How can cold bring out shine and how can heat do it and if heat does it is that really that bad? Doesn't flat iron heat bring out the natural oil in your hair?

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Member of the Official Hair Idiots Club

Calista
November 6th, 2009, 05:37 AM
Cold water smoothes the surface of the hair, thus bringing out the shine. I don´t know how a flatiron works, I have never had or used one. :shrug:

florenonite
November 6th, 2009, 05:41 AM
I think flatirons bring out shine because they make the cuticle lie flat. They also make the hairs align so that they reflect more light. I don't think it's directly related to the heat, just a side-effect of the straightening process. Straighter hair also shines more than wavy or curly hair.

Igor
November 6th, 2009, 06:13 AM
What brings shine to hair is when the little ”scales” that makes up the surface of the strands are laying flat. You can flatten these scales in different ways: Mechanically compressing the hair strand using the heat and pressure in a flat iron, making the scales go flat using low temperatures in for instance a cold rinse, or by using acid as in apple cider vinegar

WaimeaWahine
November 6th, 2009, 08:41 PM
What brings shine to hair is when the little ”scales” that makes up the surface of the strands are laying flat. You can flatten these scales in different ways: Mechanically compressing the hair strand using the heat and pressure in a flat iron, making the scales go flat using low temperatures in for instance a cold rinse, or by using acid as in apple cider vinegar

I have yet to try the apple cider vinegar but will add it to my grocery list.

Flattening, and compressing, and follicles, oh my! One day it will all make sense. :rolleyes:

Yarn Muse
November 6th, 2009, 09:09 PM
When I use diluted apple cider vinegar, followed by a cold water rinse, it really brings out the shine.

Hydrilus
November 7th, 2009, 12:53 PM
Maybe I'm thinking too much into it but I suppose the warmer water expands the hair slightly (kind of like your fingers absorbing water) and causes the scales to get out of line...and the cold water kind of shocks them into order lol

Laylah
November 7th, 2009, 03:16 PM
I haven't actually had either cold water or a flat iron make my hair shinier. The only thing that can do that is oil, lol.

Demetrue
November 7th, 2009, 04:51 PM
I thought flat irons only make hair look shinier because you use a silicone thermal shine serum before applying the flat iron.

jojo
November 7th, 2009, 05:40 PM
Think of a hair shaft as fish scales, they are only supposed to run one way yeah? when they run the right way the fish shines, but run the scale the opposite way and you get roughed up scales.

Now cold water encourages the scales or hair shaft to lie in the correct direction by making them lie flat, this in return makes the scales or hair shaft shine as because its lying in the correct direction the light bounces off it, causing shine.

With straighteners its the fact you are forcing your hair into a vice, a red hot vice and due to this grip and the heat you are temporally flattening your hair, which yes will shine and look lovely and is ok once in a while, but if you was to do this all the time the scales will be so ruffled, confused and weak they will frizz and break-this is my theory anyway!

The fish scales was a way a lady on here explained it once and it stuck with me!

Hydrilus
November 8th, 2009, 01:57 AM
I don't think it could have been explained any better than that jojo haha, I'm gonna try this cold water rinse dealio tomorrow (if I can take it) hehe

Sissy
November 8th, 2009, 07:54 AM
Think of a hair shaft as fish scales, they are only supposed to run one way yeah? when they run the right way the fish shines, but run the scale the opposite way and you get roughed up scales.

Now cold water encourages the scales or hair shaft to lie in the correct direction by making them lie flat, this in return makes the scales or hair shaft shine as because its lying in the correct direction the light bounces off it, causing shine.

With straighteners its the fact you are forcing your hair into a vice, a red hot vice and due to this grip and the heat you are temporally flattening your hair, which yes will shine and look lovely and is ok once in a while, but if you was to do this all the time the scales will be so ruffled, confused and weak they will frizz and break-this is my theory anyway!

The fish scales was a way a lady on here explained it once and it stuck with me!

good explanation. I like the fish scales analogy.

I admit, I used to love the way my hair looked when I flat ironed it... but I haven't done it since joining this site a year ago. I have horrible problems with split ends and hair splitting up the shaft and I can't help but wonder if it's just because my hair got too weak from all the damage I put it through ironing and blow drying it on high heat. I don't want to risk that anymore as I'm trying to reach classic.

However, I do love shiny hair and the cold water rinse and avc rinses give me hope for adding shine.

The thing I've been doing to get shine is using coney type shine leave-ins like Biosilk :)

WaimeaWahine
November 8th, 2009, 08:00 AM
I just found out apple cider vinegar is not recommended for color treated hair. One woman said though that she uses it right before she colors. I stopped using oil because my hair is left down a lot and would cause breakouts on my face. :rolleyes: I may try a cheapo (less heat) flat iron just for special occasions. Oh the trauma of it all...

Raederle
November 8th, 2009, 09:43 AM
I just found out apple cider vinegar is not recommended for color treated hair. One woman said though that she uses it right before she colors. I stopped using oil because my hair is left down a lot and would cause breakouts on my face. :rolleyes: I may try a cheapo (less heat) flat iron just for special occasions. Oh the trauma of it all...

I think you can use white vinegar instead.

jojo
November 8th, 2009, 11:41 AM
I just found out apple cider vinegar is not recommended for color treated hair. One woman said though that she uses it right before she colors. I stopped using oil because my hair is left down a lot and would cause breakouts on my face. :rolleyes: I may try a cheapo (less heat) flat iron just for special occasions. Oh the trauma of it all...
try white vinegar, its better for blondes and dyed hair. ACV makes my hair go a reddy colour.

jojo
November 8th, 2009, 11:41 AM
I think you can use white vinegar instead.
duh! i should read replies first, sorry for the repeat!

spidermom
November 8th, 2009, 12:07 PM
The only way I can increase the shine in my hair is add bright light. No matter what I do, it will look dull in indirect light and shiny in direct light.

jojo
November 8th, 2009, 05:30 PM
Drip drying is perfect for getting shiny hair, cold rinse, no patting or combing of hair except when rinsing, towel over shoulder and just let it dry; this works every time for me!

Sissy
November 8th, 2009, 09:38 PM
Drip drying is perfect for getting shiny hair, cold rinse, no patting or combing of hair except when rinsing, towel over shoulder and just let it dry; this works every time for me!

Interesting way to get the shine but I'm not sure if I could stand letting my hair drip dry... especially with winter coming. I get so chilly at night it's really hard not to blow dry it sometimes!

WaimeaWahine
November 8th, 2009, 09:43 PM
White vinegar you say? :hmm: I'll do a strand test and try it before coloring next time. :)