Mermaid soaks to moisturize?

[linnepinne]

Hi Everyone!

Lately, my hair has been feeling really bleh and my ends horribly cruchy and dry. Nothing I tried worked; oiling, not oiling, SMT, damp bunning, just washing and ignoring. I even tried to clarify (cone- and proteinfree for years).
So I just thought i'd go with the benign neglect method until my schedueled trim at christmas.
But yesterday I went to the local pool for a swim (haven't done that in donkeys years). Trying to protect my hair, I soaked it good in the shower, put it up in a high bun and covered it all with some EVOO. I was in the pool for maybe 40 mins and my hair was under the water for quite some time.
After my swim I did a CO wash with my normal condish, and when it dried the cruchy ends were gone! My hair felt like it had gone through some awesome deep moisturizing treatment or something! It was still a bit oily from the EVOO though which clearly didn't come out with the CO wash, so I have to wash it again today.
Is it possible that the long soak in the pool did this for my hair? Even though it contains some clorine? Or do you think it was the EVOO on completely wet hair that did the trick?

I'd love to know about your experiences with mermaid soaks and using just water to moisturize your hair!

[linnepinne]

Wow! First time my thread has recieved ZERO responses in this forum! Is there really noone who has had any experience like this?

I'm officially bumping this thread!

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Haven't tried it, but definitely will :) Chronic crunchy ends problem here!

[Roscata]

Honestly I think it might be the EVOO. If I were you I'd try putting EVOO on my ends after washing and see how that goes.

[Finoriel]

Mermaid soaks do not do much for me :shrug: which is good, our tub is in the cellar. Besides the washing machine. In a room with wonderful concrete chique :p and home to many many spiders.

When you oiled your hair, did you moisturize it before? Oil itself is well :p oily. Not moisturizing. For more moisture in your hair you need to get it damp/wet before putting on the oil. If there is not enough moisture in the hair before putting the oil on, it can't help with keeping it in longer.
It still helps with adding some slip and softening ones hair, but if dryness is the issue oil without dampening ones hair first won't do much.
In addition, winter started and the air got cold and dry. That's always hard for ones hair.

And *cough* boring swimming pool detail, but as somebody who takes care of a pool I just have to mention this. I hope you'll forgive me, but please do not, never ever under any circumstances :pray: , swim in a pool with body lotion, sun screen, oil, conditioner or other substances freshly applied to your body or hair. (Without wearing a swim-cap over it.)
Most people don't know this, but they ask people to shower before entering the pool not so much because of bacteria or sweat from unwashed bodies :wink: the chlorine or whatever method the pool uses for killing the small buggers takes care of that very well usually. The shower first thing is mainly because old skin cells in combination with such substances like oil always leave residues in the water which totally whack the pool-chemistry and leave dark smudge lines at water level on the pool walls or side gratings, as well as build up on pipes and pumps etc.
Makes the water less than desirable for other guests of the pool and raises the entrance prices because maintenance takes more people/time/chemicals.

[pepperminttea]

I've never had such a good result post-chlorine - it always turns my hair to straw - so I'd say it was the EVOO acting like a deep treatment, too, unless the chlorine clarified it. Either way, I'm envious - enjoy the result! :)

[looniac]

When you oiled your hair, did you moisturize it before? Oil itself is well :pinktongue: oily. Not moisturizing. For more moisture in your hair you need to get it damp/wet before putting on the oil. If there is not enough moisture in the hair before putting the oil on, it can't help with keeping it in longer.
It still helps with adding some slip and softening ones hair, but if dryness is the issue oil without dampening ones hair first won't do much.I was unaware of this! Now that I think about it, it seems totally logical. I just had a "duh!" moment. :P

[Roscata]

I was unaware of this! Now that I think about it, it seems totally logical. I just had a "duh!" moment. :P

I read that coconut oil actually penetrates the hair. Have you tried using coconut oil over night before washing?

[spidermom]

Soaking in water is not good for the hair. I'd say leave some of your conditioner in the ends after you wash it and follow with a little EVOO or coconut oil. That should give good results. Keeping dry ends moisturized requires maintenance; there's nothing you can do to "cure" the problem.

[aenflex]

I do a mermaid soak when removing henna. I use bucket versus my tub though. I prefer a spritzer with oil/water in place of a traditional mermaid soak for moisturization.

[maus]

If you wore a swim cap, it could have been that it retained more heat from your head, giving you somewhat of a DT with heat, especially when you were swimming=raising your body heat.

[torrilin]

I'd see if you get similarly good results from repeating it when you swim. If it works well, it works! If the results aren't repeatable tho, it could have been just a fluke.

[allmixedup88]

could be the evoo... i puit evoo on my ends everynight and cover them. My ends are not as crunchy now.....

[Cailie]

Could chlorine have worked as a clarifying agent, and 40 minutes long enough to well clarify (and oil + pre-wet enough to protect) ?

I know you said you tried clarifying without success... but that's the only thing I can see chlorine water might be good for ! lol

[Cailie]

Or maybe it worked like a deep condish + hair steamer ??

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=60706&highlight=steamer

[Thinthondiel]

I've never tried oiling my hair and then going in a pool, but the last time I went swimming in a pool, my hair felt better afterwards than it had in a very long time. I don't think any of the LHC methods I've used have made it feel that nice.