Seems like I had a slight protein overload...

[Ruce]

Pre-LHC, I ran out of ordinary conditioner and decided it would be a good idea to use Aussie 3 Minute Reconstructor daily, thinking it would keep my hair healthy. How little I knew...

It wasn't until recently that I noticed the problem. I've always had some ends that are full, thick and shiny, but feel ridiculously dry, almost like sandpaper. I disregarded them as damaged hairs that I'd get rid of in the next trim. But, they just keep coming back, travelling further up the length, but leaving no visual impact - only extreme brittleness and dryness.

After surfing on LHC for a while, I realise this was clearly the result of using way too much protein. It seems there's a solution that many people use; clarify, then follow with an SMT or similar moisture treatment. The problem I have is that due to many reasons, I cannot buy a proper clarifying shampoo, and also cannot get any aloe vera gel for an SMT - only honey and conditioner.

So, my question is basically this: is there a way to clarify without a clarifying shampoo, and does an SMT work without the aloe vera gel? I've heard that mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with regular shampoo works, but I've heard about baking soda disasters somewhere, so I'm a little wary of it. Thanks.

[HintOfMint]

You can use a regular shampoo, even if it doesn't have SLS, for clarifying after a protein shock. A hardcore clarifying shampoo is really only necessary for coney buildup.

Also, you don't have to follow with an SMT, just use a protein-free conditioner for a while. I used Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition (cone free and protein free). Also, you can mix just honey into your conditioner, you don't HAVE to have the aloe.

Give it a few washes and your hair should recover. It is more important that you stop using the protein than it is to deep condition. I didn't use an SMT right after my protein shock, I just used conditioner and my hair still went back to normal. Good luck!

[Ruce]

Thanks for the advice, HintOfMint. I happened to do a quick wash just now, my hair's wrapped in a towel at the moment. I took more shampoo than normal and basically raked it through my hair, especially the dry ends. Some of them were starting to break off from the dryness, so it hit me fairly soon that I had to do something about it.

I'll see what the results are in about an hour, it's usually somewhere between damp and dry by then. The bottle that started the mayhem in the first place is just about empty now, so I can happily chuck that away. I'm going out some time this week to buy some Tigi Moisture Maniac - protein AND cone free, plus I've heard a lot of LHC praise about it. Cones aren't necessarily bad, but I prefer to have all my damage gone rather than it just be disguised and look as if it's gone. But that's off topic - thanks again for the advice.

[jojo]

I like the honey in conditioner, I also rub a little honey inbetween my hands and run it down my hair (after doing the honey in the conditioner) and leave for 5 minutes and rinse, not at all sticky but really helps with shine its lovely.

[GRU]

Baking soda is okay for most folks IF you follow it up with an acidic rinse -- ACV, white vinegar, lemon juice, citric acid, etc. It's when you don't re-acidify the hair that it acts so pissed off from the baking soda.

And there are a gazillion recipes for deep treatments besides SMT. I like to use oil mixed with conditioner and honey (or molasses), too. Aloe is nice, but it's not the only happy-hair ingredient!

[aenflex]

I never like AVG in my SMT's personally. I use oil/honey/conditioner, just less oil. Maybe you could try something like that, like another mentioned, there are lots of variations.

[LotusFIre]

So why is protien a bad thing? I have been using eggs in my hair, is that not good to do? It makes my hair really shiny, but how much is too much?

[GRU]

how much is too much?

As in all things, moderation is the key. A protein treatment once a week or even once a month might be fine, whereas every day might be too much. Plus, everyone's hair has different needs/likes.

If your hair is happy, the routine you're using now is fine. If your hair is dry and tangly and brittle, you're probably overdosing it on protein. Since your hair is happy, keep on doing what you're doing! :D