Crazy dry ends again...

[ilovelonghair]

I don't want to cut them off, because they are on their way to tailbone and will get there next year. But they are so dry, even in the wet weather.
I have tried:
-leaving in conditioner
-aloe vera gel (normally that works)
-jojoba oil
-wet bunning (my hair loves the dampness, but goes bad when it dries up)
-busy dusting, but it takes an awful amount of time, so not yet finished.

[Nymph]

Have you tried clarifying? Sometimes you build up a bunch of stuff around your hair and nothing reaches the core anymore.

Personally I like shea butter when I have bad ends day.

[KittyLost]

I second the clarifying idea, then use a leave in conditioner and see what happens.

[ilovelonghair]

Should I use bicarb? I have used it before, but too much, what is the best amount?

[serious]

A mixture of shea butter, cocoa butter and a few drops of olive oil, used as a pre wash treatment, and a drop or two after wash, works like :magic:

[fairy_ends_girl]

My ends are crunchy too. I've been oiling a lot lately and it has gotten crunchier. As per everyone's advice I am going to try clarifying tonight. I have never clarified my hair before so I will let you know if it works.

[emsahib]

Should I use bicarb? I have used it before, but too much, what is the best amount?

Nooo don't use bicarb! somebody suggested I used it about a year ago when I dyed my hair too dark to get rid of the dye and it dried it out so much! Much safer with the clarifying shampoo I think, or maybe try a different kind of oil, do you heat the oil up?

[nytquill]

Bicarb (baking soda) does clarify hair but it's pretty harsh. I've used it before in a pinch, it hasn't ruined my hair or anything but it does feel REALLY "squeaky" I couldn't even bear to touch it. An acidic rinse (diluted vinegar or lemon juice) really helps with that though.

Of course clarifying of any kind is going to be drying on your hair and make it feel kind of bad and stripped. Clarifying shampoos don't give you your nicest hair (at least they don't for me) because they are so strong but they DO get rid of anything that might be coating your hair, so that the products and treatments that normally DO give you your nicest hair, will work as well as they used to! So the end result is nicer hair but directly after the clarifying wash you might not think so!

For me I find a clarifying wash followed by an SMT is a great way to get moisture into my hair. The SMT has more direct access after I've clarified and it helps to put the softness back into my hair after the clarifyer makes it kind of dry and squeaky. Good luck! :)

[hanne jensen]

Try a clarifying wash and then rinse with a flat beer.

[Athena's Owl]

you can use bicarb but you *must* immediately do an acidic rinse afterwards. i like to use apple cider vinegar and water for the acidic rinse.

after that, do a nice conditioner and leave in and check out your ends. if they are still dry and crunchy, just bite the bullet and trim an inch.

[xoxophelia]

I don't know if you can get it there but I just got Trader Joe's Nourishing Spa Treatment Shampoo/CO and it really helped my ends. After everything if it doesn't work I would suggest doing .25" trims once every other month until needed :)

[monsterna]

Mine felt like crap too. Last night I clarified and then used Garnier Triple Nutrition 3 Minute Undo treatment, and the ends feel very soft and nice now. Something similar could work for you!

[spidermom]

I usually dilute my shampoo and only wash the scalp area, and I find that washing all the way to the ends with my regular non-diluted shampoo clarifies just fine. Sometimes it takes two washings to get all the stuff off.

[Infinity]

How ever long my hair is, the last 6 inches feel like Brillo. Boy, do I need this thread!

[Infinity]

I don't want to cut them off, because they are on their way to tailbone and will get there next year. But they are so dry, even in the wet weather.
I have tried:
-leaving in conditioner
-aloe vera gel (normally that works)
-jojoba oil
-wet bunning (my hair loves the dampness, but goes bad when it dries up)
-busy dusting, but it takes an awful amount of time, so not yet finished.
My hair feels like Brillo pad that was left in between a dehumidifier and an electric heater for at least several days. . It physically hurts the skin of my hands to touch it. May I ask, what exactly is WET BUNNING? And DUSTING? And Clarifying? I never heard of dusting hair before, and really don't know what the other two are. I just know I need help!!! Thank you!!!! Infinity

[monsterna]

My hair feels like Brillo pad that was left in between a dehumidifier and an electric heater for at least several days. . It physically hurts the skin of my hands to touch it. May I ask, what exactly is WET BUNNING? And DUSTING? And Clarifying? I never heard of dusting hair before, and really don't know what the other two are. I just know I need help!!! Thank you!!!! Infinity

I don't know wet bunning, but dusting is a tiny trim. Like taking 1/8" off or just a little more or so. It's to help with splits.

Clarifying is a way of removing buildup from hair (from cones, styling products, etc.) It can be in the form of a clarifying shampoo, vinegar, baking soda rinses, etc. Just search around the forum for clarifying. :) It should usually be followed up with a moisture treatment because it can be a little harsh on hair. You can see my routine a few posts up!

[x0h_bother]

This may not be your problem, but when I overused oil my ends got dry, I think it was preventing moisture. GL!

[Gilly]

I would clarify then get yourself a tub of Nightblooming's Panacea hair salve, Nightshade from here makes it and sells it on her Etsy store, it is working wonders on my hair and I have already warned Nightshade that I am after a 6oz pot of it!!:cheese:

[Athena's Owl]

I love panaeca! I use it on my ends, and it smells SO GOOD

[greygoth]

I don't want to cut them off, because they are on their way to tailbone and will get there next year. But they are so dry, even in the wet weather.
I have tried:
-leaving in conditioner
-aloe vera gel (normally that works)
-jojoba oil
-wet bunning (my hair loves the dampness, but goes bad when it dries up)
-busy dusting, but it takes an awful amount of time, so not yet finished.
If I've been using cones a lot, I eventually develop this problem. If I've been coneless, same thing! I clarify and switch methods for awhile. Seems to help.

[bettylibertine]

I don't really have any advice but I feel your pain (though my hair isn't quite so long as yours). About a month ago I had to have about two inches chopped off because of how terribly dry the ends were. Good luck and I hope you find a solution!

[rosek]

ilovelonghair, how are your ends now? Did clarifying help?

[ilovelonghair]

I have been away for a while (xmas, new years, parents over from Holland), in the meantime I have done a crazy amount of dusting (took me 3 days) All split ends are GONE! I also did the bicarb, but just a tiny bit in water. After I rinsed it out I left some conditioner in.
My hair is still the same though.

serious how do you make that mixture, how much of each ingredient?

[serious]

serious how do you make that mixture, how much of each ingredient?

Oh, I don't have exact measures, let's say it's a chunk of cocoa butter, walnut -sized or smaller, one tsp of shea butter and a few drops of olive oil.
If I feel lazy to melt the cocoa butter, I just apply shea butter on my ends and then oil them and leave like that for at least an hour before wash.
HTH

[Melisande]

When I had my dry ends, before my last chop, I used to mix conditioner, olive oil and honey - shoveled the mixture into a sandwich bag - dropped my ends into this bag - massaged the mixture into the ends - put a scrunchie over the bag and let my ends stew for some hours inside. Usually under a towel to keep it nice and warm.

If your ends are in need of protein, add some drops of hydrolized wheat protein to the mixture.

[Varney]

Maybe you are protein sensitive? Have you tried excluding protein? My ends still felt dry even though I had CO-washed for a year. So I tried excluding protein and did a clarifying and now they finally feel good.

[ilovelonghair]

How do you exclude protein? How do you know it's in your products?

(this adventure is getting very science-like!)

[Alvrodul]

How do you exclude protein? How do you know it's in your products?

(this adventure is getting very science-like!)
Take out your magnifying glass and look at the ingredients list! If it contains anything hydrolyzed, wheat germ, silk, keratin it has proteins. (I am sure there are others but those were the ones I could remember off the top of my head.)
For me, moisture (try out the SMT!!) and the Panacea has been a lifesaver! My ends have tended to get dry, tangly and brillo-like, and ensuring that my hair gets enough moisture has improved them no end! My hair also gets very soft after a good pre-wash oiling! I mix up a bit of coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil and almond oil, and add a few drops of EO. I usually add a tiny amount to the length of my hair (in addition to the Panacea on the tips), and a generous amount as pre-wash - I wait at least a couple of hours before washing - all night when I can.
I also used heaps of my mixture during my Christmas holiday on Gran Canaria, to protect it during my frequent dips in the pool and sea.

[ilovelonghair]

Is there a vegan version of SMT? Something I can use instead of the honey?

[Malibu Barbie]

I recently found a leave in called Agadir, Argan oil. Its a light oil I spray on my hair. I love it and since I started using it, my hair feels great and has lots of shine. I was told by my hairdresser to be careful too much conditoner can dry out the hair. Its light enough you can use it everyday if you want.

[McFearless]

Is there a vegan version of SMT? Something I can use instead of the honey?

Just leave out the honey

[ilovelonghair]

I found something that works! BUT it was a left over pack of conditioner that you are supposed to put in your hair after coloring it, I got it from Holland... Shame I can't get it here.

[jojo]

For over a year I have been oiling my hair ends, straight after washing and I can report my hair never gets dry ends, though I am only at waist so maybe its a length thing. Id advise clarifying a few times and add oil to the soaking ends. I also never use a towel even patting to help dry, I just let it dry from soaking.

Baking soda for me was a disaster it dried my hair out and made it very frizzy. I just use pantene clarifying shampoo and wash 3 times from roots to the ends and then follow with a DC treatment.

[TheBluffs]

I had the same problem, fized it with two overnight treatments of olive oil! :D

[Marjolein]

I found something that works! BUT it was a left over pack of conditioner that you are supposed to put in your hair after coloring it, I got it from Holland... Shame I can't get it here.


Hmm, those are usually laden with cones. Just a little warning that the good effects you're experiencing right now are maybe because of a (potentially, but not necessarily, harmful) silicone coating.

Oh and a little quick question: Could you tell me how you did the bicarb rinse? (amounts, time left on, stuff like that). I'd like to try that myself, but there's way to much info on it on these boards :o.

[Messyhair]

You could try taking a break from shampooing your length to see if that helps. Personally I never use shampoo on my length unless I need to clarify, which happens *maybe* once or twice yearly. I switch conditioners every couple of weeks which seems to minimize build-up.

A friend tells me that she finds the L'Oreal EverStrong conditioner line to be a lot like the conditioner that comes with hair dye. I love Biolage Conditioning Balm, myself. I hope you find something that you can use regularly to moisturize your ends.

[ilovelonghair]

The nice conditioner I had is finished now :( Now I need to find something else!