I need an intervention

[GlassWidow]

I am at my wits end with my hair this week. I think I royally messed it up and don't know how to fix it. I used a leave-in conditioner product in it, and I didn't realize it was chock full of cones until afterward. So, I used a diluted clarifying shampoo, once, and then returned to my usual CO routine. The day I shampooed it, my hair was full of static and reminded me why I never grew my hair long. It's almost a week since I've been back on CO, and I feel like my hair is clean, but it looks limp and kind of greasy. I have to wash it every day now, because it looks like 2nd day hair on the 1st day. I'm obviously doing something wrong, but I don't know what. :o

Add to all of this the fact that my bangs are seriously annoying me. Maybe they're not bangs at this point, considering they're nearly chin length... :pAnyway, today they're behaving nicely (probably because I'm carrying a clip today), but the last several days I've been fighting to get them to do anything other than hang in my face and stick to my eyelashes.

Maybe it'll help to just vent, but I'd welcome other people's horror stories, and advice, too. ;)

[LaurelSpring]

This too shall pass.

I noticed that I tend to get really frustrated with my hair right before a growth spurt. I have done a few things and used a few products that messed my hair up for awhile but eventually it gets right again. The static has been bad for me this winter and I did try running a dryer sheet over it. That actually did seem to help some.

Just give it some time and it will be ok again. Do something cute with it to make you happy.

[HintOfMint]

You may not have clarified enough. I made the EXACT same mistake a few days ago and I used a "moisturizing" SLS V05 shampoo (not diluted, but full strength) on the length, and it wasn't enough at all. I had to get back into the shower and scrub at it twice more to get it all out. A "moisturizing" V05 isn't very gentle I imagine and I used it full strength, so I don't think a diluted clarifying shampoo would do the trick, especially in only one go.

Also, a while ago I used a coney leave-in on wet hair and as it dried, it felt clean, but looked really greasy and it didn't get better until I bit the bullet and used shampoo on my length (I usually CWC).

[GlassWidow]

I thought about maybe having another go with the shampoo, but I'm so afraid it'll start a viscious cycle. I'm thinking, now, that maybe the viscious cycle is better than this grease. :rolleyes:

Perhaps I'll give it until the weekend. With the snowstorm coming, I can always blame it on hat-head. :D

[Carolyn]

I think you need to clarify again. Use a clarifying shampoo full strength on the entire length. Then put the moisture back in with a nice SMT conditioning treatment. It will be fine. You need to get rid of the ickies that are on your hair. Things won't get better until you do that.

[jujube]

I fully agree with Carolyn.

[Bucatini]

Hi GlassWidow!

Gladtobemom just did a great article on clarifying that you can read here. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=194) She's very scientific about figuring out what your hair wants/needs for clarifying, how to do it, and what to do afterwards.

Hope it helps you as much as it helped me. And, Gladtobemom if you stop by, THANKS!

[GlassWidow]

Thanks again for the replies! That was a great article, Bucatini, so thanks for sharing and thanks gladtobemom for writing it!!

I ended up clarifying again last night. I did two washes, with a lot of scrubbing, and then deep conditioned. It's definitely looking better. I will need to see what it looks like tomorrow, though. I fell asleep last night with a wet head, and as a consequence had to spritz it this morning because it was all over the place. I think the issues I'm having today are related to that...but at least it doesn't look greasy. If it happens again, I'm blaming what I use for CO wash.

Anyway, I just wanted to provide an update because before joining LHC, I would have called the salon and made an appointment for a chop. All the info I've gotten here has given me the intestinal fortitude to find a solution that doesn't involve scissors. :cheese:

[Cupofmilk]

woohooo. Well done. glad to hear it s feeling better.

I do this sometimes - I ended up with horrid hair when I insited on remaining sls free even though my scalp was really itchy and my hair itself was rather limp. When I sorted my scalp out I thought.... why didn't I do that sooner.

[GRU]

I know how you feel -- I somehow used a conditioner that had cones listed as the second ingredient... how on earth did I miss that? I call that incident "The Great Cone Disaster of 2010". (one good outcome from it, though, was I tracked down the source of my random eye watering -- I thought it was mold at the office, turns out it was 'cones in my hair!)

Like you, I wanted to try to get rid of the stuff as "gently" as possible, but that stuff sticks on there HARD! I finally got so fed up with my hair's behavior that I washed it and did a cassia/henna treatment (even though I'd just done my roots a week or two previous) followed by an SMT-type DT, and it FINALLY calmed down.

Never ever again. Uh uh. Not gonna happen. Nope.

So glad that your hair is happier now!

[GlassWidow]

It's so funny you guys mentioned itchy scalp with SLS free...I'm ready to claw my scalp off my head today because of the SLS! I'm in the middle of a psoriatic arthritis flare, too, though, so my skin is unhappy anyway. Yay autoimmune diseases! not. ;)

[Shay0969]

Anyway, I just wanted to provide an update because before joining LHC, I would have called the salon and made an appointment for a chop. All the info I've gotten here has given me the intestinal fortitude to find a solution that doesn't involve scissors. :cheese:

:hifive: :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[MissCharizard]

It's so funny you guys mentioned itchy scalp with SLS free...I'm ready to claw my scalp off my head today because of the SLS! I'm in the middle of a psoriatic arthritis flare, too, though, so my skin is unhappy anyway. Yay autoimmune diseases! not. ;)

Me too! SLS makes my scalp itch! Funny as it never itched when I always used it, but once I switched to SLS free and then used a SLS shampoo again it was awful!

[GlassWidow]

One more update! I tried the Suave Naturals Sunkissed Strawberry. Holy smokes! Why didn't I know about this before!!?? I just cut my hair care bill by 85%!

I was so nervous it was going to be a horror show, but I've got second day hair right now, and it's not looking awful. I don't think I could go another day, but I'm not dying to get home and wash it, either.

YIPPEE!!! :)

[GRU]

One more update! I tried the Suave Naturals Sunkissed Strawberry. Holy smokes! Why didn't I know about this before!!?? I just cut my hair care bill by 85%!

I was so nervous it was going to be a horror show, but I've got second day hair right now, and it's not looking awful. I don't think I could go another day, but I'm not dying to get home and wash it, either.

YIPPEE!!! :)

No, you didn't cut your hair bill... you just reassigned your budget items - that 85% savings can now be allocated to HAIR TOYS instead! :cheese:

[GlassWidow]

ooh...you're right! Darn you! :)

[GRU]

ooh...you're right! Darn you! :)

They don't call me "The Enablinator" for nothing! :lol: