PDA

View Full Version : To poo or not to poo?



Kat Girl
March 20th, 2011, 01:04 PM
Ok this might sound like a silly question but I'll ask anyway. A few years ago I got a very bad dye job that I have been growing out ever since. At that time I started using wen and it has worked wonders getting my hair to look and feel so much better as it is growing out. Anyway, I have used only wen for years now and ai have some new virgin hair that is (sodium laural) sulfate free. The drawback is people do say it (wen) causes build up, although I'm not even sure if it really has on me. (My hair has always been such that it gets oily by the end of the day, but when I wash with wen it feels clean and great) As it is my natural virgin hair has laways been very fine and gets oily super quick, but since the dye job the rest of my length had been so dry and damaged. So up to this point I have been fine with the flat oily roots as it tames the rest of my length so well. So all of that said, I'm trying to decide if I should use a shampoo (just once to clarify). I got some Dove shampoo and cond and it has soduim laureth (not laural) sulfate. The question is if I use it will it make my hair clean and pretty or dried out and fried looking?

Also I have been using the wen cucumber aloe occasionally to clarify. It cleans better than the regular sweet almond mint I use, but does not moisturize as well, so I can't use it regularly.

One other thing, my hair has come a long way in the last few years. I have cut off most of the damage and it is much more moisturized than it was, although the colored part is still drier than my virgin hair.

Firefox7275
March 20th, 2011, 02:14 PM
It's not a silly question, but I don't think there is a simple answer. :) SLS does not wreck your hair just by using it once otherwise pretty much everyone you know would have straw for hair! Only you know if you have build-up, that depends on what products you have been using alongside the Wen and how well you have rinsed them out. I never thought I had build up until I realised why my hair seems flat and greasy right before chemical colouring and so great afterwards. Pretty sure the colour is very efficient at stripping off the cones (I don't use a ton of products)! Since you have purchased the shampoo you may as well clarify but maybe have an intensive conditioner at the ready?

jaine
March 20th, 2011, 02:22 PM
I also don't think there's any harm in using it once and seeing how your hair feels. Long-term SLS usage made my hair 2 shades lighter... I actually had a noticeable growout line when I stopped using it because the SLS-free hair was darker. It was interesting.

There are also lots of SLS-free shampoos that you might consider.
I use John Masters shampoo and like it a lot ... it doesn't lighten my hair like SLS did, and my nitpicky skin doesn't react to it either. I still mix it with conditioner when I use it so I can use less of it but still distribute it evenly through my hair.
http://www.johnmasters.com/ingredients_dhs.htm

Roseate
March 20th, 2011, 02:29 PM
I think the Dove has cones, so if your aim is to clarify it might not work very well for you.

But since you already bought it, heck, why not? One lather isn't going to do permanent damage. You might get some dryness, but nothing a good deep conditioning won't fix.

My scalp reacts badly to SLS, but even so, it takes a couple of washes before I start to get serious problems. Few things short of bleach will really tank your hair with one application.

Kat Girl
March 20th, 2011, 02:42 PM
Thanks. I'm not really worried about wasting the shampoo as my DH will use it up anyway. I just picked that particular one because I had always wanted to try it but never did as I was using wen.

Also my new virgin hair is darker. I thought it was just because obviously my colored hair is lighter blonde. But then I read that someone else mentioned having a color line and it got me to thinking maybe my new dark blonde virgin hair is a tiny bit darker than my old virgin dark blonde hair, although I'm not 100% sure if that is due to SLS or age.

I do love how healthy my hair is getting and it was without SLS, so it just makes it scary for me to use SLS again, even if it is just once. But maybe if it does not damage it I might do it once today (as I'm not really doing anything today) just to see what happens. I'm not going to give up the wen by any means.

Kat Girl
March 20th, 2011, 02:56 PM
Also the only products I use now are the wen products: The cleansing conditioner (which I use every day. I had always washed daily just because my hair is fine and my scalp is always oily/greesy at the end of the day no matter what I use), the styling cream after each wash (it tames my hair and keeps the damaged hair from being completely frizzy and flyaway), and the deep conditioning mask about once a week (maybe after I finish cutting off the damage I'll use it less often). Anyway those have worked wonders for me.

I gave up hairspray a long time ago as I had done some serious damage with that in the past, and I never was big on gels, mouse, or other products. I tried Curl Confidence products by Ouidad while using wen and the Curl Confidence looked pretty for a minute but dried my hair out pretty quick, so I stopped that.

Considering I do still have some damage left to grow out/cut off, I am pretty happy with my progress. Although I would be happier if my scalp was less oily and "weighted down." In all honesty my hair looked better and cleaner when I blowdried, but I quit that. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if it was the blowdrier that actually made the difference or the SLS shampoos.

Also since I've started using wen my fine hair doesn't tangle anymore! I could actually keep it down all f the time and just finger comb it without needing a brush or comb ever. (Though I use a wide toothed comb a little, I can live without it.) I NEVER could say that before wen. Sorry if I'm sounding like a commercial but wen has actually been that good to me. The only issue I have (in addition to waiting to cut off all the damage) is my flat oily scalp. Sure I could cut off the rest of the damage now and use less moisturizing products, but my now APL hair is already driving me crazy by being too short. :(

CurlyCyndi
March 20th, 2011, 02:56 PM
I have been using Wen from 2008- a few months ago. That product really helped me go from almost bald to BSL in a few years (with major cuts in there).. I did have build up from WEn only when I didnt use it properly. I feel like water by itself is probably the best way to callrify your hair... Of course a lot of people would disagree with that. The only reason I stopped using wen is because it was very expensive for my budget right now. I started shampooing again this month, but it wont be on a regular basis. I plan on only shampooing once or maybe twice a month. I am doing this only because of heavy oiling... the shampoo I am using is DermOrganic Conditioning Shampoo. So far I like it. I don't use it on my length just my scalp. Anyhow everyone's hair will react different to different things. If Wen is working for you and your aren't seeing build up I would probably stick to it, and maybe try out some of the suggestions LCH's have. But always keep in mind that what works for some might not work for you... So it's probably not a good idea to buy big bottles of products until you deiced you like it. I say this because I like to "shop smart" and save so I ten to look for the whole sale prices and the bulk stuff... I have done that on recommendations of products and ended up with a lot of stuff I end up having to give away

Amraann
March 20th, 2011, 03:00 PM
I use Wen as well. I have not noticed any build up issues.

Kat Girl
March 20th, 2011, 03:07 PM
Thanks CurlyCyndi, that's encouraging. I do remember when I first started using wen I didn't use enough and I had buildup, but when I started using more it was better. I know they tell you that and it is true but also a hard thing to get over because you do have to use a lot and it is expensive. Plus the good thing for me is the amount I need has steadily increased as I have used the product but that's because the amount of hair I have has increased. Like you said I also went from almost bald (from damage) to now more hair than I have ever had (volume wise). I can't really get mad because I'm so thrilled to have so much more hair. Also I had layers forever, and I finally cut them to a blut hemline and I'm amazed at how thick my hemline is now. I still have fine hair, but for me the difference is amazing. Anyway because of the price and the amount I'm using I have started to throw in some CO washes (though I don't particularly feel like my hair is as claen from them). I also heard about "Hair One" which is aknock off of wen that's sold at Sally's for $11. a bottle. I plan to try that soon. They have several different "flavors" or types of that to choose from. :cheese:

Kat Girl
March 20th, 2011, 03:11 PM
Thanks Amraann. I'm actually not even sure if my issues are even build up or not. I do have issues with fine hair and my scalp gets oily quick, so my hair can look flat. I was just wondering because I have heard people say wen causes build up. I use it and my hair feels clean, I just can't go days or weeks without washing, like others seem to do. My hair is flat and oily by the end of the day (or next morning).

HintOfMint
March 20th, 2011, 03:43 PM
Sweetie, don't worry, everone poos:p

ArienEllariel
March 20th, 2011, 03:52 PM
my sister saw this thread and immediately thought of the obvious poo... I had to say sham-poo before she got it. lol

Amraann
March 20th, 2011, 03:52 PM
Thanks Amraann. I'm actually not even sure if my issues are even build up or not. I do have issues with fine hair and my scalp gets oily quick, so my hair can look flat. I was just wondering because I have heard people say wen causes build up. I use it and my hair feels clean, I just can't go days or weeks without washing, like others seem to do. My hair is flat and oily by the end of the day (or next morning).

You can try to clarify with some a vinegar water solution?
I would do that before shampooing.