Oh please HELP!!!

[Dreams_in_Pink]

after EVERY CO or sulfate-free poo wash, my hair's stringy!!! While rinsing, how can i tell if the product's rinsed well enough?? I really really wish there's a way because if there isn't, i'm gonna go back to the good-old lathering detergents!

This is second time it's happening and i cannot stand it! :(

[Fractalsofhair]

Rinse till you think it's rinsed well, and your hair feels... Smooth, but not oily, and then rinse for a few more seconds.

[coscass]

Yeah, rinse until you think it's well rinsed, then do it for a few more minutes. And make sure to run your hands through your scalp to get it all out.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Smooth, but not oily, and then rinse for a few more seconds.

how can i tell it's "smooth but not oily" when it's wet in the shower?

[chopandchange]

Maybe you're using too much, not rinsing enough, or you just haven't found a product that works for you yet.

Maybe you are just not used to how your hair feels when washing it this way.

Or maybe this method isn't right for your hair, and you should just go back to sulfates. :)

[coscass]

how can i tell it's "smooth but not oily" when it's wet in the shower?

It's just a feeling you'll learn to recognise over time. When it's got conditioner in it you can run your hand down it and it's slick, but when it's just wet it wont' feel so slick. You could apply less, like the person above me said, and rinse a little longer.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Maybe you're using too much, not rinsing enough, or you just haven't found a product that works for you yet.

Maybe you are just not used to how your hair feels when washing it this way.

Or maybe this method isn't right for your hair, and you should just go back to sulfates. :)

Bolded is the problem. when using sulfate poos, a little rinse was enough and i never worried about "stringy hair". but now i cannot tell how much rinse is required; oily and dry hair acts the same when dripping wet!

i cannot go back to sulfates, they ruin my scalp. the best i can do is to lather it up with sulfate-free poo. (i'm not lathering it now)

[Liss]

My hair has been feeling a bit stringy and I've just started CO. I'm not ready to give up just yet because I keep thinking it might be from oiling my hair.

You didn't mention if you also put oil in your hair, so it is just a suggestion and hoping that other's might be able to enlighten.

I usually oil nightly before washing, so I think that possibly my hair doesn't need it so often and without the oil, it might not be stringy anymore, just nicely moisturised.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

My hair has been feeling a bit stringy and I've just started CO. I'm not ready to give up just yet because I keep thinking it might be from oiling my hair.

You didn't mention if you also put oil in your hair, so it is just a suggestion and hoping that other's might be able to enlighten.

I usually oil nightly before washing, so I think that possibly my hair doesn't need it so often and without the oil, it might not be stringy anymore, just nicely moisturised.

yes i did oil my hair this time. i'm undecided as to oil or not to oil before wash, because my scalp loves them! :(

[trillcat]

yes i did oil my hair this time. i'm undecided as to oil or not to oil before wash, because my scalp loves them! :(
When you CO over oiled hair, are you applying the conditioner to wet or dry hair?
I find that if I have oiled, it works best to apply the condish to my hair dry and really glop it on, work it in then let it sit for a bit, then add water and work it in again before I rinse, rinse, rinse, then rinse some more.
If you can rinse it in the sink instead of the shower, you can see when the foam/lather stops and the water runs clear, that means it's all out, and you can then get to know the "feel" of the hair that way for when you are in the shower.

[BlndeInDisguise]

I like to rinse until my hair feels like there's no conditioner left on it. If I run my fingers over the hair on my head they don't smoothly run over it, but kind of get "stuck" if that makes any sense. :o

Also, how long are you letting it sit on your hair, and how long do you work it in? I like to work it in for at least 3 minutes and then let it sit on my hair around 10 minutes before I get in the shower. And then in the shower I wash, shave, etc., before I rinse my hair out.

[chopandchange]

i cannot go back to sulfates, they ruin my scalp.

You don't necessarily have to use them on your scalp. Maybe just on your hair, if it's feeling stringy?

[Madame J]

You don't need to go back to sulfates, but have you experimented with a bunch of different sulfate-free cleansers? Some are more cleansing than others. I know that Kiss My Face shampoo doesn't get my hair very clean, but Burt's Bees does better, and Giovanni is the best so far. These are just examples. If you look up non-sulfate surfactants, you'll find that some are considered gentler than others. You may just need a stronger cleanser.

Also, have you tried clarifying? If you don't use sulfates, and have used 'cones in the past, you may need to clarify a few times before you can get the residue out of your hair. I have good luck with Dr. Bronner's (a liquid castile soap), mixed with baking soda, and then diluted. I lather twice with this, and then follow with a 'cone-free conditioner on my length for the rest of my shower, and end the whole thing with a rinse of 1:8 ACV:H2O, and rinse that out with warm, and then cool water. I have pretty oily hair, and get build up from the castor oil in shampoo bars, but that gets me clean for at least 3 or 4 days. I've actually gone 5 days without washing after one of those washes.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I don't think the problem is buildup; It's been a month at max since i let go of sulfates; and i don't use coney products.

I guess the problem here is my conditioner. I wish there were other brands i could try but this is the only cone-free one i can find in stores.

Probably tomorrow I'll try sulfate-free shampoo on the back of my head and crown (the problem area) and won't apply conditioner. We'll see if that helps to remove buildup. Once buildup is gone, i'll start WO and leave my scalp and hair alone.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

You don't necessarily have to use them on your scalp. Maybe just on your hair, if it's feeling stringy?

unfortunately, my hair's too short to isolate from the scalp. my hair doesn't like sulfates either, it turns brittle as soon as it dries.

[WaitingSoLong]

Not sure what conditioner you are using but Mane and Tail does not have cones (checking now to make sure). Nope, no cones. It is the only conditioner I can use that has no cones. I use it for my deep conditioning after a cleanse wash, but I use cones the rest of the time. I simply cannot get a comb through my hair without cones.

[Arctic]

Just reminding that cones are not the only things that cause build up.

[Thinthondiel]

after EVERY CO or sulfate-free poo wash, my hair's stringy!!! While rinsing, how can i tell if the product's rinsed well enough?? I really really wish there's a way because if there isn't, i'm gonna go back to the good-old lathering detergents!

This is second time it's happening and i cannot stand it! :(

I find that whenever my hair is moisturised enough, it tends to look sort of stringy after it dries. What helps for me is using a BBB (with boar and nylon bristles - I need the nylon bristles to penetrate my hair) - it fluffs my hair up a bit and removes the stringy look.

I don't know if that would help if I CO-ed, though. I tried to CO once, and my hair looked so greasy afterwards that I've never tried it again.

[little_cherry]

With CO, I rinse my hair for a good 10 minutes, otherwise, my hair stays lanky. I'm actually going to experiment doing a weak ACV rinse after a CO and see how that goes. :)

Ed...I have to clarify around once a month since I believe that Castor oil does leave some residue.