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Guenhwyvar
August 7th, 2011, 04:46 AM
So I joined here because I was growing out years of black dye and wanted tailbone hair - I noticed the ends were very dry and frizzy. Pantene helped before LHC but I wanted proper advice.

So I started following the LHC way and went SLS and cone free etc and my hair condition improved - I started in May. It suddenly went dry and frizzy at the ends (quite a way up) again, too much for me to want to cut off. I dont know what to do. I tried oils but my shampoo/condish never washed them out properly leaving my hair looking wet and limp, even with tiny amounts - same with SMT - it took two washed to remove the reside from the aloe.

My shampoo has vinegar as the strongest cleasing agent so I am going to try a different shampoo (Giovanni) in case it does not clean well enough.

I did a protein treatment (egg, olive oil, jojoba oil and coconut milk (from coconut)) last night and I got the same problem - my hair felt soft but did not dry - it stayed wet looking. I am going out so had to borrow some tresemme shampoo to get it out.

The ends feel a tiny bit better but still dry - it might just be the tresemme helping ( tresemme is itchy BTW!). Also the deep black and the brown new growth down to my ears bugs me - any idea how to gently lighten the dyed black hair? And soften the damaged hair?

MissAlida
August 7th, 2011, 06:13 AM
I can't give you advice about the black die, since I never had died hair. But about the oiling...You should try and oil the lenght from ears down the night before the day you wash. Don't put too much oil, it doesen't have to be dripping wet, just oily looking. I use EVOO, but it would work with any oil of your choice. Braid your hair, and go to sleep. When you wake up, most of the oil should be absorbed, and then you should wash your hair. If your shampoo, or conditioner doesen't take it out, you can try a spoon(or more, if your hair is longer) of baking soda. You just mix it with a little water to get a paste and work it very well in your hair, both the roots and the lenght. Try to be gentle, the BS can tangle wet hair easily. Rinse with water and then rinse with 1 tabelspoon vinegar(whit or apple cider) diluted in 1 cup water. Rinse again with water, and the oil should be gone. You will have nice, soft hair. Good luck.:)

Siiri
August 7th, 2011, 06:43 AM
If your ends have just recently become tangled and frizzy (and first they were fine), could it be something in the shampoo and conditioner you were using that's built up? Try clarifying with baking soda (as suggested) or a clarifying shampoo. Do you have hard water where you live, I'm just asking because some areas in UK have very hard water I think, it could cause build up too.

BTW I can't get EVOO out of my hair with one wash (CO), coconut oil seems to wash out easier.

Madora
August 7th, 2011, 07:04 AM
It sounds like there's too many different things being put on your hair.

I'd find a gentle shampoo and a gentle conditioner.

Try shampooing twice..that is, dilute a bit of your shampoo in 8 oz of warm water and then massage it gently throughout your hair. Rinse well with warm then water as cold as you can stand.

Dilute another small bit of shampoo with water and this time use your fingertips to massage it into the scalp. Rinse again with warm then cold water.

Condition as usual (I dilute mine) and detangle your hair while full of conditioner. Rinse out the conditioner with warm water and then with a cold final rinse.

As for oils...unless your hair is very dry, then I'd only put a small bit of oil on the last 2 inches.

I've had no experience with dyeing so cannot advise about that.

Mairéad
August 7th, 2011, 07:22 AM
If you oil your hair, I recommend doing a CWC, that is conditioner, wash, conditioner. It's well known that conditioner has an easier time removing the excess from oil treatments.

For the black hair dye, doing oils with certain oils (I know coconut for sure) has been able to fade hair dye a bit. Clarifying with baking soda, as suggested, may also be able to fade your hair some. You probably want to clarify anyway. I personally like to do this with with a dilute clarifying shampoo rather than baking soda.

Is you choose to try any protein treatments, make sure to follow with a moisture treatment since protein can leave the hair dye. I'm going to go ahead and guess what your hair really needs is moisture though.

Search up the Snowymoon Moisture Treatment. Many of the LHCer's here swear by that as a moisture treatment.

So, I think as a general plan of action: clarify, find a gentle and effective washing routine, and add tons of moisture.

Oilings and time may make a dent in that hair dye.

jojo
August 7th, 2011, 07:23 AM
Hi I am also from the UK and up to recently had Hendigo (henna and indigo) which is known for being impossible to remove but I managed to with 4 treatments for Scott Cornwall's colour B4 which is available online or from large Boots stores. I highly recommend this product. There are 2 types regular and strong; get the strong. The secret with the CB4 is the rinsing and buffering stage. How the product works is short of brilliance, it gets inside the hair shaft and shrinks the dye molecules; no peroxide or bleach is involved in the process. Then you need to rinse and rinse I rinsed for a good 20 minutes to make sure they had all gone, then you add a buffer which is like a shampoo, I left this on for 5 minutes and rinsed a further 10 minutes. My hair felt very soft afterwards, if not a little dry but a good deep conditioner which I add honey to sorted this out.

The CB4 is very much like doing a clarifying treatment, so as with all clarifying treatments you need a super moisturising conditioner afterwards.

I would do this a few times, your hair might not go back to its natural colour but it will lighten some, so growing will be easier. I was lucky mine is very close to its natural colour now. Plus my hair is not at all damaged by doing this.

After doing all this, we need to look at what your hair is like. Always remember to give your hair what its crying out for. If your hair is dry, it needs moisture so a few weeks of COing (using conditioner only, no shampoo) will help a lot. No heat whatsoever, this will dry your hair out and encourage breakage and split ends.

If you have split ends you have 2 choices S&Ding which is cutting the split ends off individually with a pair of scissors used for this purpose only or you can learn self trimming and do what we call micro trims or dusting. This involves trimming this much -----> __ every month or 2; they really do make such a difference.

We also need to look at the tools you use on your hair what kind of brush? is it plastic? does it have little bobbles on the ends? these are terrible at ripping hair. Do you use a comb? does it have any rough seams? again these will rip and damage hair-Body shop does one a wooden one for under £5 which is what I use, I also use a BBB which helps a lot.

What kind of toys or clips, bobbles do you use in your hair? do they have metal bits of them? scrunchies are much safer for hair or hair sticks. Is your hair down a lot? Hair which is kepts down is exposed to the weather elements, catching on handbags, rubbing on coats, catching in seat belts etc again will damage the hair. Buns are a much safer option as they hide those delicate ends away, Id also advocate buns or plaits at bed time too!

Can't think of any other advice, but good look with your quest for long hair. You have found a great forum. If you get chance go to the articles section, theres one on damaged hair by Nightshade which has helped many on here in your predicament.

Guenhwyvar
August 7th, 2011, 11:19 AM
Hiya,

Thanks so much for your replies. These are the ingredients for my shampoo:

Ingredients: purified water (aqua), coco glucose (coco glucoside), organic aloe vera* (aloe barbadensis), glyceryl oleate (fatty acid from sunflower), apple cider vinegar (acetum pyrus malus), jojoba oil (simmondsia chinensis), virgin organic coconut oil* (cocus nucifera), chamomile, sage, xanthan gum, grapefruit seed extract, vitamin e (tocopherol), glycerine, essential oils of geranium, rosemary, lavender, chamomile & sage.

* certified organic ingredient

I am posting because I thought this would be a very kind shampoo for my hair?

My conditioner is along the same lines. Also I only tried oiling a few times and SMT and the protein treatment once over a period of about 3 months. Most of the time I just shampoo my scalp and condition the ends - at least a week between each new thing, recently much longer.

I will try CWC again but I go though conditioner like crazy.

I found that tea rinses helped at first but I cant do them until I move into my new studio.

I also think clarifying with cider vinegar helped too -

- if I am just using the above shampoo and the matching conditioner what could be causing build-up (assuming no other treatments)?

I will try baking soda as soon as possible. I am also very careful and only use hairsticks, spin pins, my beloved tangle teezer and bands without metal etc :)

Will look into colour B4 too - though I will get more moisture into my hair first :)

Mairéad
August 7th, 2011, 11:24 AM
I'm wondering if those products contain too much ACV. It's pretty high up on the list while a rinse may only contain about a tablespoon of it.

Siiri
August 7th, 2011, 01:14 PM
Hiya,
These are the ingredients for my shampoo:

Ingredients: purified water (aqua), coco glucose (coco glucoside), organic aloe vera* (aloe barbadensis), glyceryl oleate (fatty acid from sunflower), apple cider vinegar (acetum pyrus malus), jojoba oil (simmondsia chinensis), virgin organic coconut oil* (cocus nucifera), chamomile, sage, xanthan gum, grapefruit seed extract, vitamin e (tocopherol), glycerine, essential oils of geranium, rosemary, lavender, chamomile & sage.

* certified organic ingredient


- if I am just using the above shampoo and the matching conditioner what could be causing build-up (assuming no other treatments)?



Natural ingredients, like oils and aloe vera, can build up too if you don't clarify regularly.

LouLaLa
August 7th, 2011, 02:31 PM
I find that "Boots Essentials" leave in coconut and almond spray conditioner is the best thing ever and really light. You can use it heaps even between washes and its just great if your hair gets dry. Love the bones of it.

I know some people lighten their hair with honey, maybe you could use that on your ends, if you havent seen that thread yet id suggest having a look at the results that people had with it as its super comprehensive with lots of before/after pics. I doubt itll work miracles but it might lift it a bit.

Or PM Ktani who is the the most knowledgeable person about hair care and lovely to boot, im sure youll get the help you need :)

jojo
August 7th, 2011, 04:49 PM
Will look into colour B4 too - though I will get more moisture into my hair first :)

Good you will be very pleased with the CB4 I am sure. I just used a good deep conditioner its the henna one in a white tub £1 from poundland! bargain!

Guenhwyvar
August 8th, 2011, 02:58 PM
I have ordered two boxes - im not sure how much I would need but it is turning up tomorrow :)

I think I should wait for my clarifying shampoo before using it... depends how impatient I am xD

I have several layers of black dye and a layer of henna so I will let you know how it goes (not that you can see the henna on the black). I want to use a brown/red henna as the end colour.

jojo
August 16th, 2011, 06:59 AM
id clarify before no conditioner and then put on your hair once its fully dried. You have probably done this by now! how did it go?