Which is better for dry hair?

[Mina17]

I only use shampoo once or twice a week doing CWC method, other days I CO. My canopy is still pretty dry. I'm wondering which would be better: to try to stretch washes and use leave-in conditioners on the days I don't get it wet, or do several SMT's in a row. I think I read somewhere that getting the hair wet too frequently is bad for it but I can't find where I read that.

[jojo]

You could try CO washing or when using shampoo have it very diluted. I also love EVOO which is lovely and moisturising.

Do you use oils at all?

[Firefox7275]

Some people find frequent wetting/ conditioning (e.g. damp bunning) keeps their hair moisturised, others find their hair gets damaged as wet hair is more fragile. I imagine it depends on how you treat your hair - I caused a lot of damage to wet hair BUT I was not exactly gentle! :o Do you already use leave-in conditioner?

[Mina17]

You could try CO washing or when using shampoo have it very diluted. I also love EVOO which is lovely and moisturising.

Do you use oils at all?

I'm pretty new at this...have been spending hours reading over threads and I think I'm on information overload.:( I'm still trying to figure out what works for my hair. It might be that I'm trying too many things at once, but I'm not really sure what to do for a routine.

I've got several different oils that I've tried: coconut, EVOO, jojoba, and argan. I think my hair looks better with leave-in conditioner when it's down, and I'm not sure where to fit oiling in with that. I do put Fox's Shea Butter Cream on the ends. My hair is layered and it seems that the shorter layers and the canopy are the biggest problem.

[Firefox7275]

I'm pretty new at this...have been spending hours reading over threads and I think I'm on information overload.:( I'm still trying to figure out what works for my hair. It might be that I'm trying too many things at once, but I'm not really sure what to do for a routine.

I've got several different oils that I've tried: coconut, EVOO, jojoba, and argan. I think my hair looks better with leave-in conditioner when it's down, and I'm not sure where to fit oiling in with that. I do put Fox's Shea Butter Cream on the ends. My hair is layered and it seems that the shorter layers and the canopy are the biggest problem.

If you have a leave-in conditioner that you like, try putting more on the canopy. You can dilute it for this if you don't want the greasies. I find a relatively heavy application sometimes feels sticky as it dries but by the next day it's soaked in.

[Aurantia]

I only use shampoo once or twice a week doing CWC method, other days I CO. My canopy is still pretty dry. I'm wondering which would be better: to try to stretch washes and use leave-in conditioners on the days I don't get it wet, or do several SMT's in a row. I think I read somewhere that getting the hair wet too frequently is bad for it but I can't find where I read that.

There is some structural stress that occurs whenever your hair gets wet due to the swelling from saturation. Someone posted a link to a peer-reviewed article that discussed this and other forms of damage... I might try to hunt it down.

Everyone's hair is different -- while it's good to be conscious of the possible consequences, experimenting until you find something that works for your hair is most important. If wetting it every day keeps it happy and moisturized, stick with it. :flower:

[ooo]

There is a theory, that water based leave-ins make the hair dryer. So you should rather use oils and butters.

[Madora]

Too much hair washing robs the hair of its natural oil (sebum)..unless you take precautions to add oil to it (EVOO or another type).

EVOO is wonderful!

[celebriangel]

Your hair type is pretty similar to mine, so...let's compare notes?

My hair used to be like yours - greasy at the roots, frizzy on the canopy, dry at the ends.

The best things I have ever done for my hair (aside from the obvious, like heat styling, not ripping a brush through, etc) are: going conefree (omg my hair texture! I also believe that, without the coney buildup, my hair is better able to absorb moisture. I feel that treatments I do seem to "soak in" more now) and stretching washes.

Do you use cones? For me, cone buildup was making my greasy roots/dry ends problem much worse. To see if your hair likes to be conefree, I would clarify and do an SMT, then put in a conefree leave-in of some kind while damp (I find SMTs very cleansing, so sometimes if I do one after I've shampooed I get an extra-clean feeling, which is kinda weird when my hair is wet, but it always dries to an awesome silky softness. This is why I suggested a very small amount of leave-in) I, as a curly, put a leave-in everywhere except the roots; I need it. I just put a second application of leave-in on the ends. I used to use coconut oil, which was wonderful, but I now use Nightblooming's panacea hair salve. I find the summer blend to be best for my fineish hair.

I used to wash every day; now I wash once a week. This gives the oils a chance to get down the hair shaft, and my scalp no longer overproduces. I admit, getting here was not easy. Basically I got horrendously ill, so much so I could barely get out of bed never mind wash my hair. Two months later, I was only well enough to wash once a week, so that's what I did. Two months SO, a further two or three on once a week washes, and now my hair is not even greasy the day I wash it. Crazy, I know!

So, yes. I really, really recommend stretching washes. For the frizzy and wurly and dry-haired among us, it's really good. I also think washing causes more damage to fine or curly hairs, since they're more fragile anyway, and curly hairs have that darn detangling problem.

I promise your scalp will relearn how to produce the right amount of oil. I mean, if it were true (as I was told on a stupid hairdressing website) that "the only way to stop your scalp being oily is to wash it as often as it needs it", then how come some people *never* wash their hair? I mean, clearly, it's possible to change your scalp oil production levels. You could try the WO method for a time - apparently water rinses help with greasies, or when your hair just feels gunky. I'd check out that thread.

Or you could just stretch washes. Bear in mind that a sleek, smooth updo hides all manner of sins, and even if you think you have greasy hair, unless it's hanging loose in strings most people will not notice. Heck, if you feel really bad about it wear a scarf.

Oh, and about leave-ins; do you currently put them on damp hair after a wash? If not, please start, stat! It will really help. Some curlies and wurlies also find that damping their length and applying more leave-in between washes also keeps their hair sitting nicely in its wurl pattern and also looking moisturised.

Oh, and PS: the CO method doesn't work for me unless I use an SMT - hair gets greasy. even if I wash more often than once a week. Weird, huh? I currently use a diluted SLS-free shampoo on the scalp only using the CWC method. And Co with coney conditioners *definitely* didn't work.

[WittyWordsmith]

There is a theory, that water based leave-ins make the hair dryer. So you should rather use oils and butters.

This is interesting, I've never heard that before. Could you point me to where you read about this?

[ooo]

This is interesting, I've never heard that before. Could you point me to where you read about this?

One of the members told me on a meeting from the german equivalent site. the point of it is, that the water soaks into the hair and when it dries, it's even dryer than before.

[WittyWordsmith]

So does it have the same effect if we mist our hair with water to re-scrunch the curls and define the waves?

If there is a conditioner in it, wouldn't it help counter-act the drying? Or would it make it worse?

[cupcake0619]

So does it have the same effect if we mist our hair with water to re-scrunch the curls and define the waves?

If there is a conditioner in it, wouldn't it help counter-act the drying? Or would it make it worse?

Hmm. I would really like to know the answer to this, i do this almost every day thinking it was good since its just water..? Maybe im wrong! Lol

[Mina17]

Thanks to everyone for your responses! I tend to overdo it with leave-ins (partly because I'm impatient and want quick results) which leads me to have to "wash" so frequently. I think I'll try using a lighter touch, putting my hair up more so I can't see it, and stretching the time between washing. I do get tired of having it up since it's short with layers and there aren't many updos I can achieve with it.

I put leave-in conditioner in my hair when it's damp, but I have been guilty of adding a little more after it's dry if it still looks frizzy. Perhaps putting it on dry hair is contributing to the issue.

I went back and reread the advice for beginners also. Although it's difficult for me :D I'm going to try really hard to stick with one routine for 2 weeks and see how it goes. I believe I'm trying too many things at once in a desperate attempt to find what works for my hair.

Oh, and I don't use 'cones because they make my hair more flyaway.

[ooo]

I can ask her on the other forum about that. We were talking about leave-ins and not about those sprays, so I don't know, if that makes any difference.