Professional products success?

[linnepinne]

Hi all.

I'm kind of stuggling with my long hair journey and I'm feeling insecure about the stuff I do to my hair.

Long story short (ETA: not really): I have problems with extremely oily scalp. Anything that lathers (SLS, sufate free shampoo, shampoo bars etc.) give me horrible greasy hair the next day after washing. So I've been doing some CO washing, some washing with Rhassoul clay, experimenting with WO and so on.

But when I was at the hairdressers to get a trim the other week, the hairdresser made me think (she was also quite rude and harsh, but that's another story), and she used some really expensive products on my hair (Kevin Murphy) and they just made my hair feel really great! It was a sulfate free scalp balancing shampoo and a masque with some rebuilding properties (with water soluble cones). She also put something on my roots to keep it from getting oily, some kind of balancing spray. My hair felt fresh and very repaired, even the next day.

But on the evening of day three (day one is washing day) my scalp made an EXPLOSION of oil! I simply HAD to wash it the next day. For that wash I used some samples of the same brand of products, but for "dry hair", my hair was then unbarebly greasy in the evening of day 2.

The next wash I did (yesterday) was a CO wash with an SMT and some prior heavy oiling with EVOO. My hair feels much more dry, but my scalp seems to be a little less greasy. Everything I do that seems great for my scalp is seems very drying for my length!! Also, I had to trim quite alot becuse of my ends being so dry and damaged, and I feel like I've been stuck at APL forever.

Sigh. I just don't know where to go from here. Just cave in and by the expensive products which seem so good for my lenght? The hairdresser also stressed that it was vitaly important that I kept my scalp clean (aka using something more cleansing than conditioner) and my lenght moisturized. But this forces me to wash more often, maybe every second day.

Have any of you had good experiences with expensive salon brands?
Are there any of you with my greasy scalp problems out there?
What would you do if you where me?

Maybe this isn't very interesting for you to read or respond to. But I just had to vent. I feel like crying right now :(

TIA/ Linn

[linnepinne]

Also:

Is there any one out there who have an oily scalp and just wash their hair often? And has grown it long and healthy with success?

Maybe I just need to accept that my scalp will never be "balanced" it just produces lots of oil and needs to be washed often...

What do you guys think?

[Madora]

Hi all.

I'm kind of stuggling with my long hair journey and I'm feeling insecure about the stuff I do to my hair.

Long story short (ETA: not really): I have problems with extremely oily scalp. Anything that lathers (SLS, sufate free shampoo, shampoo bars etc.) give me horrible greasy hair the next day after washing. So I've been doing some CO washing, some washing with Rhassoul clay, experimenting with WO and so on.

But when I was at the hairdressers to get a trim the other week, the hairdresser made me think (she was also quite rude and harsh, but that's another story), and she used some really expensive products on my hair (Kevin Murphy) and they just made my hair feel really great! It was a sulfate free scalp balancing shampoo and a masque with some rebuilding properties (with water soluble cones). She also put something on my roots to keep it from getting oily, some kind of balancing spray. My hair felt fresh and very repaired, even the next day.

But on the evening of day three (day one is washing day) my scalp made an EXPLOSION of oil! I simply HAD to wash it the next day. For that wash I used some samples of the same brand of products, but for "dry hair", my hair was then unbarebly greasy in the evening of day 2.

The next wash I did (yesterday) was a CO wash with an SMT and some prior heavy oiling with EVOO. My hair feels much more dry, but my scalp seems to be a little less greasy. Everything I do that seems great for my scalp is seems very drying for my length!! Also, I had to trim quite alot becuse of my ends being so dry and damaged, and I feel like I've been stuck at APL forever.

Sigh. I just don't know where to go from here. Just cave in and by the expensive products which seem so good for my lenght? The hairdresser also stressed that it was vitaly important that I kept my scalp clean (aka using something more cleansing than conditioner) and my lenght moisturized. But this forces me to wash more often, maybe every second day.

Have any of you had good experiences with expensive salon brands?
Are there any of you with my greasy scalp problems out there?
What would you do if you where me?

Maybe this isn't very interesting for you to read or respond to. But I just had to vent. I feel like crying right now :(

TIA/ Linn

I would imagine that your oil explosion was due to the stylist putting something on your roots to keep them from getting oily! The follicles should be allowed to breathe normally, not covered with something!

As far as keeping your hair clean, you really need a shampoo (not conditioner) to cleanse the oil away. Also, have you tried shampooing twice...i.e. first shampoo the length, rinse, then shampoo the scalp and scalp hair.

As far as dryness is concerned, you might want to look into mineral oil for helping to keep the hair moisturized. Ktani has written a very information article on MO:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=225

There are also threads on mineral oil and how it has helped many members with dryness problems.

Also, since you have oily hair, I would suggest using a diluted conditioner (if you need to) after shampooing and staying away from gels, sprays, and anything that might coat your hair. Try and keep your hair routine as simple as possible.

Good luck!

[linnepinne]

Thanks so much for you reply Madora!

I actually have been thinking about this, maybe mineral oil and cones would be beneficial to my length. I feel like giving this a shot.

But I still worry about over-cleaning my scalp and making the greasiness worse. Could you explain to me about the shampooing twice? <--- This is exactly what the hairdresser told me too! Not once on the length and once on the scalp, but she told me it's good to do it twice.

[Madora]

Thanks so much for you reply Madora!

I actually have been thinking about this, maybe mineral oil and cones would be beneficial to my length. I feel like giving this a shot.

But I still worry about over-cleaning my scalp and making the greasiness worse. Could you explain to me about the shampooing twice? <--- This is exactly what the hairdresser told me too! Not once on the length and once on the scalp, but she told me it's good to do it twice.

linnepinne, I learned about shampooing twice from Dr. George Michael.

You wet the hair, then apply the shampoo to your palms and then run your palms down the length of your hair so that all the hair is covered with the shampoo.

Then you rinse thoroughly.

The second shampoo is applied to the palms again, but this time you concentrate on massaging the shampoo into your scalp and the scalp hair.

Rinse again and if you can stand it, end with a cold rinse.

I have a dry scalp so use the GM Pink Creme Shampoo..and I use a tablespoon of shampoo diluted in 8 ounces of warm water. (My hair does much better with a diluted shampoo than with shampoo straight out of the bottle).

I have no idea about using both mineral oil and cones. Maybe someone else would know.

From what I've read in the mineral oil threads, and Ktani's article on Mineral Oil, it seems very beneficial in helping keep moisture trapped in your hair, to prevent splits and damage. You need to clarify your hair first before you use the mineral oil (so that the mineral oil has a "clean canvas" to work on). The MO is used very sparingly (only a few drops), on damp hair.

[ktani]

If your scalp is overproducing oil there is little you can do about that from the outside, except clean it.

Changes to your diet may help but the problem is internal. My scalp was very oily as was my skin when I was younger.

It was hormones and diet that made things worse for me.

I suggest that since you need to wash your scalp more often than you would like there are a couple of things that may help.

1. Use a mild shampoo so that your scalp does not get constantly irritated. A non sulfate shampoo is fine if you prefer it.

2. You can scalp wash only and there are methods here on that. It can be awkward but there are those here who swear by it.

You do not have to clarify your hair before trying mineral oil/baby oil drops unless you have not clarified in a while and you have been using a lot of product. In those cases it would be better to do so and then condition lightly and try the oil.

Good luck!

ETA: Re your diet, just avoid overdoing greasy and oily foods. You do not have to be strict about it but it can help, in my experience.

[linnepinne]

Thanks so much for your input. I reeeeeeally loved the idea of being "natural" in my hair care routine. I have been for five years or more (just been growing long a year and a half though). But maybe it's not for me? My dream is to have long hair, and I'll do what I can to achieve it.
This idea will take some getting used to.

I appreciate any other input aswell!

[ktani]

Thanks so much for your input. I reeeeeeally loved the idea of being "natural" in my hair care routine. I have been for five years or more (just been growing long a year and a half though). But maybe it's not for me? My dream is to have long hair, and I'll do what I can to achieve it.
This idea will take some getting used to.

I appreciate any other input aswell!

You are very welcome.

Mineral oil is natural by the way, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=2004879&postcount=185

and http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=2018998&postcount=6

[Annalouise]

Hi, I can relate to you.:) I also have fine thin hair with over active sebaceous glands. And I have tried to go completely natural in the past but always failed for one reason or another.

The thing about the over active sebaceous glands it that they are out of balance. However, how does one get them back in balance? That is the question. Ktani is right that diet does play a role and I suspect there is some sort of systemic issue also.

If you don't wash your hair (WO) with something to remove the oil then you will experience hair loss. So you need to remove the oil daily from your scalp to prevent a hair loss situation.

I think washing your scalp every 2nd day would also be acceptable but I wouldn't try and push it past that or your scalp pores will be clogged with the oil which leads to hair shedding.

I am going to try a new natural product soon that is supposed to "balance" overactive sebaceous glands. But, I do not know if it will work yet. Chemicals can also irritate your scalp to produce more oil and so I understand that you want to not use chemicals.

If I was you, since you are from Sweden, I would research what natural products are available to you and try them. They are more gentle than detergents and would allow you to wash your scalp daily without stripping your hair.

Since you have fine, thin hair I wouldn't think mineral oil would be a good choice for you as it is very heavy but i don't know? That is just my assumption.

I recently started brushing with a boars bristle brush everyday to stimulate the hair follicals and move the oil down to the ends of the hair where you need it. Some people report that it makes their scalp more oily but if you are moving that oil down the hair then I would think that is good as you are taking it off the scalp and moving it down. As well as you are getting better circulation on the scalp. This will help with new hair growth.

I don't think you should use the salon products with detergents in them just yet. See if you can find a natural product that is well formulated. If you want to stay natural then do that.:)

I personally don't think dumping a ton of chemicals on one's head everyday is the best idea, especially if your scalp is already out of balance. For daily washing, you need something gentle. The length doesn't need expensive conditioners as long as its not being dried out in the first place.;) But washing everyday with a detergent shampoo will only wreek havoc on your hair length.

Also, rhassoul clay will be very drying for the length and I wouldn't recommend that.

Have you looked around at all the natural hair care products available to you? I know there are not many on the market. Especially, one's that honestly don't contain chemicals. Most of the products marketed as natural are not at all natural.

[heidi w.]

Some people do have very productive sebacious glands, and I am one such person. In fact, I have Seborrheic Dermatitus, apparently a rather vicious form of dandruff (it was diagnosed by a licensed Dermatologist that does surgery from Stanford Medical Center in California). In children, this may actually be called Cradle Cap. The cause is incurable for S.D., but there are things one can do to mitigate the symptoms. One can manage the condition yet not solve it nor cure it.

I finally found a good shampoo that gets all the gumminess off of my scalp skin. If you have greasiness on the scalp skin from sebum production that is produced somewhat rapidly, then CO washing on the scalp skin, oiling the scalp skin or related scalp skin hair may be unwise. I wouldn't recommend it. I would advocate only applying this stuff to the hair length ONLY and nowhere near the top of the head. Somewhat below the earlobes at the highest.

I would also advocate you dilute your chosen shampoo OR find a shampoo that is sulfate free. There are AVEDA products (AVEDA salons are expensive! but they have good products). Recently my curly-haired girlfriend tried WEN shampoo and absolutely loves it. Being that it is sulfate-free, it does not lather as regular shampoos will.

I would consider adding in a finishing rinse, Apple Cider Vinegar or White Distilled Vinegar. (Never Balsamic vinegar as it contains sugar.) A rinse is applied and immediately rinsed out and in this case is either the last thing done in a hair wash process, or done just prior to conditioning. There's lots of info about ACV rinses on LHC.

These are my most immediate ideas for consideration.

My best,
heidi w.

[ktani]

I did an article on vinegar here, http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=184

It is best used well diluted.

You may have a systemic issue but try modifying your diet first. It is most likely that you just naturally are producing a lot of scalp oil at your age.

You can talk to your doctor about any suspected underlying causes if you are concerned about that. If need be he or she can check you out.

[heidi w.]

Thanks so much for you reply Madora!

I actually have been thinking about this, maybe mineral oil and cones would be beneficial to my length. I feel like giving this a shot.

But I still worry about over-cleaning my scalp and making the greasiness worse. Could you explain to me about the shampooing twice? <--- This is exactly what the hairdresser told me too! Not once on the length and once on the scalp, but she told me it's good to do it twice.

To build on what Madora has already offered, one applies one's shampoo choice twice. The first time is to break the "surface tension" that develops when our hair is dirty and greasy or oily. You see, all this gunk kind of binds together and forms a layer that is somewhat hard to penetrate, moreso if one allows the dirt, sebum and grime to build up for a while between hair washes. The second time is to actually wash the scalp skin and related hair allowing the suds to go down the length with low help from you somewhat on their own.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

In my case, nothing I did diet-wise has modifiied nor mitigated my problem. Absolutely NOTHING!! So it's possible that idea may not work. I hardly eat a whole lot of fat. In fact, more recently I'm eating one thing a day, and I've lost just about 25 pounds. So it's not what I'm eating, apparently. I've had this condition since around 30-35 years of age. My then hair guru, who is now deceased, noticed these little red bumps and told me to see a dermatologist about them. It took me around 5 years to pay attention to his advice. The problem became worse as time marched on.

Do you have terrible itchiness accompanying the greasiness, or any bumps on the scalp?

heidi w.

[Annalouise]

Heidi, I am 41 and my oil production has not slowed down. And I also experience itchiness on day 2. So then I start scratching my head a lot and that is why I started daily washing was so that I wouldn't scratch my head on day two.

And I also have tried nearly every diet on the planet.:D

[jeanniet]

I wouldn't suggest washing your entire length every time you shampoo, at least not if you're washing several times a week. If you were only washing once a month as Madora does, it wouldn't matter so much, but as often as you seem to need to wash is going to dry your length out. If you haven't tried CWC yet, that might work well for you. Even using a diluted conditioner on your length will protect it somewhat from the frequent shampooing. You can also dilute your shampoo so you use less without losing the effectiveness.

[linnepinne]

Thank you all for your great advice!

I will definately do vinegar rinses if i start shampooing again. And the shampoo will have to be sulfate free since it's more gentle. I will also dilute it.

I don't really have an ichy scalp, so I don't think I have any skin conditions or a dry scalp at all. My scalp just seems sensitive to detergents. The more I wash, the more grease I get, and with detergents it's not like its sebum, it's more like a light oil - my hair actually looks WET! And there is no way I can hide oil in an updo.

I'm still a bit ambivalent; I mostly feel like trying the expensive brand, since I know it made my hair feel really nice. And maybe using the shampoo every once in a while, and more regularly use CO on my scalp and the coney expensive condish on my lenght (and just be very observant of any build up).. However, a little bottle of baby oil is much less expensive, and I have som gentle SLS shampoo on hand already. So I might try that first.

Gosh! I get tired of just thinking about these things! Even more so reading my own posts. Sorry if I seem a bit flimsy. I'm just soooo tired of not having a working routine that can get me somewhere on this hair journey! :steam

[ktani]

Thank you all for your great advice!

I will definately do vinegar rinses if i start shampooing again. And the shampoo will have to be sulfate free since it's more gentle. I will also dilute it.

I don't really have an ichy scalp, so I don't think I have any skin conditions or a dry scalp at all. My scalp just seems sensitive to detergents. The more I wash, the more grease I get, and with detergents it's not like its sebum, it's more like a light oil - my hair actually looks WET! And there is no way I can hide oil in an updo.

I'm still a bit ambivalent; I mostly feel like trying the expensive brand, since I know it made my hair feel really nice. And maybe using the shampoo every once in a while, and more regularly use CO on my scalp and the coney expensive condish on my lenght (and just be very observant of any build up).. However, a little bottle of baby oil is much less expensive, and I have som gentle SLS shampoo on hand already. So I might try that first.

Gosh! I get tired of just thinking about these things! Even more so reading my own posts. Sorry if I seem a bit flimsy. I'm just soooo tired of not having a working routine that can get me somewhere on this hair journey! :steam

Good hair care does not have to be expensive.

If you like the salon products that is a different matter.

Do not stress over this.

You may or may not need to clarify before trying the baby oil. That depends on how much of what is on your hair before you try it. If your hair is dry, try it on damp hair.

Milder shampoo should help you.

I wash my scalp and length once a week. My hair is not dry at all. I use a sulfate shampoo and regular catnip treatments and just the baby oil in between catnip treatments, 3 times now with perfect results each time. There is no build-up on my hair though.

One step at a time, lol.

[Long_hair_bear]

As far as professional products go, the only one I really like is Sebastian drench deep treatment. It has cones but works wonders on my hair. Just do what works for your hair.

My scalp is somewhat flaky by day 3. Usually I just oil it with triple moon oil before my shampooing.

[Annalouise]

Also:

Is there any one out there who have an oily scalp and just wash their hair often? And has grown it long and healthy with success?

Maybe I just need to accept that my scalp will never be "balanced" it just produces lots of oil and needs to be washed often...

What do you guys think?

I have not grown long hair with "success" because my length was too dry from frequent washing to keep my scalp happy.

However, I have not given up and I don't think you should either. I think that we can balance our scalps. Maybe I'm crazy to think that, but I believe that if we find the right products and the right grooming habits, we will be successful.

So don't get discouraged ok. :) But if you want to prioritize, then prioritize on your scalp. Your scalp is the soil that grows the hair so you can't ignore it. What we both need is a gentle cleaser that we can use daily to keep our scalp clean, combined with brushing, that will not strip the hair of all its oils.

That's all. When I find the product I'll let you know! :D:D

If anyone here knows the right product for us then now is not the time to be silent.:D

[HintOfMint]

I completely understand wanting to try more expensive products, and in some cases, you truly do get what you pay for. However, just because Pureology worked for me doesn't mean I want to pay over 20 dollars a bottle. Won't do it, no shan't.

And it's a pretty terrible situation to feel like you HAVE to use certain expensive products. I liken it to being trapped, in a way.

So, let's look at what made your hair feel amazing that day. You said you were at the hairdresser for a trim and she did a few treatments on you. First of all, I'm assuming she did a blow out on your hair and used a styling product as well. That will make ANYONE'S hair feel exquisite, I love my hair after a blow out. So the silky feeling on your length possibly had to do with the routine rather than the product on its own.

As for your scalp--the spray was possibly a salicylic acid and/or alcohol combination or powder combination that absorbed or dried up the oil. Once the product wore off, your hair went back to its normal oily state. It probably felt like an explosion because you had some of the oil from the day before, in addition to the normal amount of oil you produced that day. All in all, that product might be the only thing worth splurging on if you really want to wash your scalp less often.

That combination of factors probably made your hair amazing for those few days, not just the products themselves.
It does sound like the CO builds up on your length, but not your scalp, which explains why your scalp seems to be fine with it, but your length isn't. By all means, experiment with conditioners, but don't be tied to the expensive brand, especially since you haven't really tried it in the long run.

Good luck and try to be patient! It's hard to find a routine, but at least you have a decent understanding of what your scalp needs.

[young&reckless]

i had a similar problem with my hair. While I do not over produce oil, I do get dirty or sweaty from workouts every day, so I wash every day. Enter dry hair or oily scalp if I try to skip a day.

So after trying many things (poo bars, CO, every shapoo and condish known to mankind) heres what works for me now.

If my hair is not dry feeling before my bath (I hate showers) then I just wash with a shampoo bar (lather twice) and do a ACV rinse at the end.

If my hair is dry feeling before my bath I coat my hair in cheap cone free conditioner (I use Suave Naturals) and scrub my shalp with it like you would in a CO wash, then coat the length as well and procede with my bath. At the end, I rinse out the conditioner (mostly the stuff on my scalp and kinda of ignoring the length, then wash my hair (now I may use a poo bar (lathering twice again with a ACV rinse or I may use shampoo just depends on time or what I feel like) after which I rinse my hair again then coat just the length (about shoulders down) with conditioner and rinse it out.

So my scalp and the hair near it gets nice and clean without being greasy from having conditioner on it at the end and my hair gets CO washed (for the most part, I only wash the length with poo bars about one a week)

Poof! Soft hair!

Other things I use as well (may have an effect on end results):
Cassia (with henna)
Oil the ends (A drop or two after combing)
Nightbloomings hair salve on the ends (like once a week or so)

Hope this helps.

[Safira]

There´s been three years since my scalp has this burning, greasy itchiness. I´m shampooing my hair with Ducray Kelual-shampoo and I use kortison. It helps a little.
I have no idea why this started again, I only hope it goes away soon.

But Ducray Kelual has helped with the burning feeling.

And I love Kevin.Murphy-products, especially Born.Again is so good stuff.

[kidari]

I'm finding this thread very helpful. I can relate to the issues of oily scalp and dry length. In the past I stopped listening to what was the most popular thing to do and tried things for myself and stick with what works for me. Some people have reactions to SLS or daily shampooing so putting oil on their scalp and stretching washes to once a week is actually beneficial for them. For others the opposite could be true. I have tried to stretch washes in vain because I hear it's the best thing to do but it just doesn't work out for me. Here are what I do to counteract my situation: use the gentlest shampoo possible (SLS-free moisturizing, etc) and wash my scalp only letting the rinsing clean my length and putting coconut oil on the length prior to washing. Afterwards I always make sure to put in a nourishing leave in conditioner and I also use a little bit of a coney serum or oil afterwards to ensure my ends are protected. Also, I am diligent about treatments and weekly deep conditioning. In spite of all of this I realize that daily washing does take it's toll on my ends and that's why I microtrim and dust diligently every four weeks. I figure even if it only grows half an inch a month, I take off less than that so I will see growth. Even though it's slow growth, at least it's progress and the length I gain is as beautiful and healthy as I can make it.

[Tota]

I have extremely oily scalp and fine dry length. I tried to stretch washes with shampoo - it worked a bit but I ended up feeling insecure and ugly on day three when the "oil explosion" happened. Then I tried CO every other day - the lenght was extremely happy that way, but the scalp was bleh after one week.

So now I do this: I wash my hair once a week with a dilluted shampoo (I lather twice as Madora suggests) and then I CO every other day. This works for me at the moment I just hate the fact that I have to airdry my hair for 3+ hours every other day.

ETA: I don't believe that professional products are much better than drugstore products (ofcourse not just any drugstore product, you have to know what to choose). I tried a bunch of both and what I learned is that it's mainly not WHAT you use, but HOW you use it. For me the effect of the expensive brands is not worth the expense because my hair looks good enough (or even better) with a simple ACV rinse and a bit of oiling. I choose to spend my money on other stuff.

[linnepinne]

Yes, I'm starting to see that what is beneficial for most might not work for me. I'll have to start experimenting again (one part of me feel "bleh" and "sigh" about this, but the other part feels kind of excited).

This is what I did just a few minutes ago:

Used warm, but not hot water for my shower, lathered my lenght with a mild SLS-shampoo (to sort of clarify), rinsed well and then put conefree condish of the same brand on the lenght, did not rinse.
I then took some of the shampoo (about a teaspoon) and diluted it in about 1/4 of a cup of water and washed my scalp with the dilution, rinsed my whole hair well.
Then I rinsed my scalp and hair with a blitz of cold water (I read about that squeezes out some of the sebum in the skin so that the wash is more cleansing).
Then I generously put the conefree condish ALL over my hair AND scalp (my gut feeling says that my scalp needs it, after all it's much less greasy after a CO wash than after just shampoo or shampoo+ACV rinse) and let it sit for a coulpe of minutes. I rinsed it out thoroughly.
I then did a. ACV rinse with about 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 cups of water (500 ml), let it sit for minute, and then rinsed out briefly.
Finished with a quick cool water rinse.My hair feels good now, when still wet, fresh but not too squeeky clean. Maybe a bit dry on the ends, but I will add some EVOO to them (haven't bought the baby oil yet). I'm a bit tense to se how my hair will behave tomorrow and even more so on the day after.

[spidermom]

I can recommend CWC with diluted shampoo, and concentrate the washing at the scalp. I only wash my entire length with shampoo solution once a month to every 2 months.

[heidi w.]

This is what I did just a few minutes ago:
[LIST]
Used warm, but not hot water for my shower, lathered my lenght with a mild SLS-shampoo (to sort of clarify), rinsed well and then put conefree condish of the same brand on the lenght, did not rinse.

Um, to say one shampoos their hair and then in parens declare "to sort of clarify" is a tiny bit misleading. Clarifying means a very specific thing. It means to remove all product, grime, oils, leave-ins, sebum, dirt, dust, off the top of the hair, off the top of the cuticle and leaves the hair without any product whatsoever on it. It strips the hair bare naked.

Shampooing doesn't slightly similar; however, it is not nearly as stripping as clarifying can be.

I know I'm in the minority when I respond regarding language choice because most people do not know what I'm getting at really. I just hate for lurkers to read this and be misled as to what exactly clarifying is and is not. For this reason, I'm somewhat vigilant regarding explaining the definitions of words. Just as for years I fought the battle regarind S&D which is a unique terms within the LHC community. If you go to a George Michael salon, chances are they have no idea what you mean as they call it dusting OR microtrimming. I stick with the term dusting as it's more universal a word.

Just posting this for the benefit of other readers who may not know what clarifying is.

heidi w.

[Vanilla]

I have an oily scalp as well, I can get the wet look from my scalp oil a day and a half after I wash. I also sweat in my sleep which makes the problem worse.

I use a BBB upside down morning and evening to distribute the day (or the night's oils) throughout my hair. I can stretch washes 2 days especially if I keep my hair up and away from my face.

I've experimented with sulfate free shampoos, and I found that I had to use a lot more product to get my scalp clean enough, as well as additional mechanical damage from scrubbing more.

We all experiment with different routines until we find something our hair and scalp likes. Don't give up!

[SpinDance]

I'll also suggest CWC using very, very diluted shampoo on the head only, and diluted conditioner for the head as well. I use full strength conditioner on the ends and lengths, basically from about the ears down. Everything else is diluted, the shampoo extremely so. It really doesn't take much to do the job, it doesn't even need to be enough to make a lather, just enough that you can feel it cleanse your scalp and head hair.

Also, there is nothing wrong with washing more often if that is what your hair and scalp need. The challenge is finding what works for you, not what works for someone else, no matter how many of them there are! ;)

Originally I had thought to stretch my washes, but I think to do that I would need to use a bbb or something to distribute the oils. I am growing out dye and the hair that was dyed seems to be much more fragile than my natural hair. When I tried the bbb it broke off too much. I'm not that concerned about it, since if it is that fragile it is likely to break anyway, but it makes the ends really thin. I'm going to wait for the dye to grow out before I try bbb and stretching washes again.

[UltraBella]

I use cheap products and expensive products, and I keep going back to the expensive ones. My hair loves Pureology, Biolage and Joico. I don't wash often, about once a week is all, so shampoo lasts me a long time. Conditioner I go through quickly though.

[linnepinne]

heidi w.: I didn't mean to use the term clarifying in an incorrect way. I just thought that for me, normal SLS shampoo would be enough to strip my hair since I don't use cones, styling products or anything else that traditionally causes buld up. But I was under the impression that normal (cone free and with few ingredients) SLS shampoo would be enough to clarify with? Or do you actually need a special clarifying shampoo? In that case; what does a clarifying shampoo contain that makes it special?

Vanilla: My experiences with a BBB have been both good and bad. It does distribute some of the oil, and that's probably very good for my hair. But it makes it look terrible! Extremely greasy. I used it with success when I tried WO. It helped me to get the oil off my scalp, and then it was easier to get my scalp really clean with just water (and some honey). But WO is not an option for me since it made my hair very dry.

Ultrabella: I also got through condish really quickly! My hair definitely needs it. I decided to use the cheapo stuff I have on hand until my next pay. Than I'll invest in some of the Kevin Murphy products I tried at the salon. I'm going to try the Balancing Wash (sulphate free shampoo) and the Born Again Masque. Hopefully I'll just have to use tiny amounts of the mask so that it will last me a long time. It's so expensive

SpinDance and Spidermom: I will definitely do CWC more often than shampooing my length. And I will try diluted condish on my scalp instead.

Now it's the morning after my wash yeasterday afternoon, and my hair feels fine. Not greasy at all. But the real test is to see how it looks/feels tonight and tomorrow. I would not like to wash any more often than every third day ideally.