First time clarifying! Wish me luck!

[CrunchyMama]

So for the first time, I clarified my hair today. I had been reading for ages how I should be doing it every now and then, but never bothered, and of course, always whined about how dull and lifeless my hair was...

I've been growing my hair from flip length since 2004, and have been a "longhair" if you will since sometime in 2005, and have never once clarified my hair. And I used to use a TONNE of products... and still to this day am using cones.

So needless to say, I am super excited to see what my hair will look like when it dries! I'm waiting with bated breath, as they say! I'm hoping for a huge increase in shine!!! Wish me luck!

(I'm sure I'm placing much more hope into this experiment than it is worth and will probably have them dashed, but a girl's gotta dream!) *fingers crossed*

[Amber_Maiden]

let me know how it turns out! Luck!

[moon2dove]

Good luck!

When I clarify, I always make sure I do a good old moisture treatment. My hair loves it :)

[Martukita]

We want pictures as soon as it dries! :cheese: Good luck!

[Zesty]

Good luck! I always find that clarifying followed by an SMT is the best way to get my hair nice and soft and shiny. :)

[CrunchyMama]

Ok... the verdict is in! I still need to take a photograph. So for the pros: my hair feels softer to the touch and very... clean. Almost too clean for my taste, lol. :P I think it dried a touch wavier than usual too, probably from less build-up.

But alas and alack, the cons: the shine factor I so hoped for is not there. And it may be my imagination, but I feel as though everything is frizzier than usual--probably because there are no cones left in my hair. Thus the reason I still need to use cones, haha. Perhaps an SMT, as Zesty recommended, is in order next time? I've never tried one, oo la la, I love trying new things.

However for now, I think I'll apply some Moroccan Oil to see if I can add a wee bit of lustre and get rid of my frizzies. And maybe the lack of shine is my imagination... I'm going to have to try and get me a picture so I can gaze at it more objectively! ;) I'll take a before oil, and then an after, just for fun!

[Amber_Maiden]

Ok... the verdict is in! I still need to take a photograph. So for the pros: my hair feels softer to the touch and very... clean. Almost too clean for my taste, lol. :P I think it dried a touch wavier than usual too, probably from less build-up.

But alas and alack, the cons: the shine factor I so hoped for is not there. And it may be my imagination, but I feel as though everything is frizzier than usual--probably because there are no cones left in my hair. Thus the reason I still need to use cones, haha. Perhaps an SMT, as Zesty recommended, is in order next time? I've never tried one, oo la la, I love trying new things.

However for now, I think I'll apply some Moroccan Oil to see if I can add a wee bit of lustre and get rid of my frizzies. And maybe the lack of shine is my imagination... I'm going to have to try and get me a picture so I can gaze at it more objectively! ;) I'll take a before oil, and then an after, just for fun!

You can also try sitting around with your favorite moisturizing conditioner in your hair, and then oil after you wash it out. Helped me!
As for shine- try an ACV rinse. :)

[CrunchyMama]

So I took some pictures... And set them up side by side for comparison.

First was after it had all dried. All I put on it post shower was a teeny bit of EVOO while it was still damp. Not so great, but meh.

Second was after I put a bit of Moroccan Oil on it and gave it a brush. I think it looks decently shiny here, but still not what I was hoping for.

Third was an hour or so later when my DH came home and took a picture for me. Yuck! I think it looks dry and brittle and orange here. I really hope that's not what other people see!! But he took quite a few in a row and they all looked like this... :(

And you can see now why I'm unhappy with my hemline--straggly mess or what? So I will start a monthly microtrim as per my other thread to try to thicken it up a bit...

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9205&pictureid=120379