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View Full Version : Do products that help against humidity actually exist?



solitudinarian
March 27th, 2012, 06:28 PM
I have been looking for this answer for years and years now.

My hair is very coarse and "naturally dry" - i think my type is 2a C ii - and I have tried a lot of stuff to handle humidity but absolutely nothing has worked for me!

My shampoo/cond usually consists of either Redken, KMS or similar. Currently a Pureology shampoo and Redken conditioner, plus I sometimes use agadir argan oil in spray form. Though recently I've started using a redken leave in creme for curly hair.

anyway, moving on... I've tried countless things, mousse, gel, humidity seal spray, oil, cream, serum, hair spray, and in many different brands, but nothing helps!

Oddly enough we barely have a humidity problem here (compared to more tropical places), but it's enough if I'm im at a place where the wind is coming from the ocean, or if its just a slight morning dew, or a "wet hot" summer day, or if it's been raining earlier that day.

Anything slightly humid willl make my hair a super-fro! It doesn't even properly curl, it just goes absolutely haywire, every strand of hair doing it's own thing, to the point where it actually feels very uncomfortable around my scalp!

Please don't tell me I'm the only one with such sensitive hair!? Is there really a remedy?

I've tried Lee Staffords anti-humidity line, and when I used the shampoo/cond and the hair spray, there was a slight difference, it DID feel a bit better, but not by much, plus the shampoo was a bit harsh tbh, AND the spray actually smell like molded bread, no joke it's the exact same smell, hahaha.. :\

I also tried what looked like a Fructis gel-spray thing at a hair salon (they dont sell Fructis obviously) I'm not sure what brand it was, but the bottle was a small, round one, neon green and the product smelled tropical-coconut-ish.

Soo, for those who also have extremely sensetive hair when it comes to humidity, do you use any products that actually help? It's a really big concern of mine because I always have to wear a pony tail :\

ktani
March 27th, 2012, 06:42 PM
I have been looking for this answer for years and years now.

My hair is very coarse and "naturally dry" - i think my type is 2a C ii - and I have tried a lot of stuff to handle humidity but absolutely nothing has worked for me!

My shampoo/cond usually consists of either Redken, KMS or similar. Currently a Pureology shampoo and Redken conditioner, plus I sometimes use agadir argan oil in spray form. Though recently I've started using a redken leave in creme for curly hair.

anyway, moving on... I've tried countless things, mousse, gel, humidity seal spray, oil, cream, serum, hair spray, and in many different brands, but nothing helps!

Oddly enough we barely have a humidity problem here (compared to more tropical places), but it's enough if I'm im at a place where the wind is coming from the ocean, or if its just a slight morning dew, or a "wet hot" summer day, or if it's been raining earlier that day.

Anything slightly humid willl make my hair a super-fro! It doesn't even properly curl, it just goes absolutely haywire, every strand of hair doing it's own thing, to the point where it actually feels very uncomfortable around my scalp!

Please don't tell me I'm the only one with such sensitive hair!? Is there really a remedy?

I've tried Lee Staffords anti-humidity line, and when I used the shampoo/cond and the hair spray, there was a slight difference, it DID feel a bit better, but not by much, plus the shampoo was a bit harsh tbh, AND the spray actually smell like molded bread, no joke it's the exact same smell, hahaha.. :\

I also tried what looked like a Fructis gel-spray thing at a hair salon (they dont sell Fructis obviously) I'm not sure what brand it was, but the bottle was a small, round one, neon green and the product smelled tropical-coconut-ish.

Soo, for those who also have extremely sensetive hair when it comes to humidity, do you use any products that actually help? It's a really big concern of mine because I always have to wear a pony tail :\

Yes, there is and it is inexpensive and it can work very, very well, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=86298.

Mineral oil/baby oil can moisturize hair better than vegetable oils, sebum and silicones. That is in research.

Used on damp to very damp hair it can rehydrate dry hair. Used on dry hair with a good moisture level, it can help maintain that level. Used in small quantities it is not greasy.

It does not seal hair from atmospheric moisture. That is in reseach too.

It slows down moisture evaporation from hair and slows down atmospheric moisture access to hair, and can help prevent frizz. It is not a seal in either case.

Used in small quantities it does not leave a heavy coating that can be detected on hair (other than adding shine) and other results. It has done that for me and others here and does not need reapplication between washes, as per the majority of reports.

Nedertane
March 27th, 2012, 07:21 PM
Hmm, I thought honey was supposed to help with this sort of thing (used in a treatment, obviously, not dunked on your head :p). But please correct me if this is false (my hair seems to be doing better in humidity with a spray of my own creation that has honey in it, but then again, I am also refraining from hot blow drying).

ktani
March 27th, 2012, 07:50 PM
Hmm, I thought honey was supposed to help with this sort of thing (used in a treatment, obviously, not dunked on your head :p). But please correct me if this is false (my hair seems to be doing better in humidity with a spray of my own creation that has honey in it, but then again, I am also refraining from hot blow drying).

Honey is a humectant. It can help draw atmospheric moisture to the hair.

solitudinarian
March 28th, 2012, 02:53 AM
ah, thanks for the link! I've seen someone use babyoil in their hair and their hair looked SO soft! But It wasn't someone I really knew so I felt it would be kinda creepy to start going on about their hair, haha.


It does not seal hair from atmospheric moisture

^ I thought that was the only way to prevent frizz when it came to humidity? That humid air would make coarse/dry hair frizz because it's trying to soak up the humidity? (i say trying like it's got a mind of it's own haha)! - Or it this a misconception? :eek:

Like, my hair will frizz even when wet (i air dry) so I do get a bit sceptical when people say hair frizzes cause it tries to soak up any vapour in the air and such.

caiti42
March 28th, 2012, 03:24 AM
I'm yet to find anything that works for me except for a pony tail ;-)

ktani
March 28th, 2012, 05:11 AM
ah, thanks for the link! I've seen someone use babyoil in their hair and their hair looked SO soft! But It wasn't someone I really knew so I felt it would be kinda creepy to start going on about their hair, haha.



^ I thought that was the only way to prevent frizz when it came to humidity? That humid air would make coarse/dry hair frizz because it's trying to soak up the humidity? (i say trying like it's got a mind of it's own haha)! - Or it this a misconception? :eek:

Like, my hair will frizz even when wet (i air dry) so I do get a bit sceptical when people say hair frizzes cause it tries to soak up any vapour in the air and such.

You are very welcome.

It is a misconception to a degree. You not want sealed hair and neither silicone not mineral oil do that. If the hair is overloaded with product or "sealed", it gets drier. The mineral oil reduces the amount of atmospheric moisture that gets to hair, helping to reduce frizz. It can work very well ETA: and when I have used it and from a lot of reports, the hair not only looks soft but it feels very silky too. There are a few mineral oil/baby oil threads here, the one I linked being the biggest and there are pictures posted too and reports. Good luck with whatever you may try next!

ETA:2 There is more information on mineral oil/baby oil in my blog below, too.

solitudinarian
March 28th, 2012, 06:28 AM
Ahh, thanks for the clear up, Ktani! I'm going to try using babyoil and maybe, just mayybe put some redken leave in at the "top" of my hair, and treat the rest to this oil. Very interesting to hear all this, as I've usually heard these oils being shunned!

caiti42; me too...me too, haha. But i soo wish I could wear my hair down more often!

ktani
March 28th, 2012, 06:37 AM
Ahh, thanks for the clear up, Ktani! I'm going to try using babyoil and maybe, just mayybe put some redken leave in at the "top" of my hair, and treat the rest to this oil. Very interesting to hear all this, as I've usually heard these oils being shunned!

You are very welcome.

You just may find that you need no leave-in.

Yes, there is a lot of negative hype about mineral oil. This may help you understand why, in part, http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/11/myths-about-mineral-oil-part-2/.

The other part is that often in products that contain mineral oil, the cosmetic companies also use petrolatum and lanolin, both of which are greasy and are waxes (petrolatum contains wax and lanolin is a wax and is sticky) and they tend to cause build-up as they are hard to remove.

Used on its own, mineral oil/baby oil, used in small amounts is very easily washed out, so you get no residue or build-up, just in my opnion and experience, fantastic results. Others here in the majority of reports by far, agree.

barely.there
March 28th, 2012, 07:41 AM
I used Redken for years. eventually my body started becoming intolerant towards it and I got what seems like acne on my scalp. This happens anytime I use a chemical product on my hair. I suggest natural shampoos and conditioners. Since switching, my hair is a lot healthier than it was. Hope you find what works for you :)

solitudinarian
March 28th, 2012, 08:38 AM
Ahhh interesting replies! Yeah I've noticed the redken stuff can be a bit too "chemical" for me aswell, especially the all soft-series/shampoo... the conditioner feels pretty nice though (i think its Real control i use) - oh man I hope I get good results with this babyoil though. It's been a dream for so many years now to be able to wear my hair down outside without frizz!

barely.there
March 28th, 2012, 08:44 AM
Let us know the outcome of the baby oil usage. My friend uses it and she breaks out in a small rash every time....they say baby oil is safe for babies but I am not so sure *reads label*.

Good Luck!

barely.there
March 28th, 2012, 08:45 AM
**sorry, I was talking about johnson & johnson's baby oil/shampoo

ladyshep
March 28th, 2012, 08:47 AM
Do keep us posted if the baby oil works.

ktani
March 28th, 2012, 08:55 AM
- oh man I hope I get good results with this babyoil though. It's been a dream for so many years now to be able to wear my hair down outside without frizz!

You may or may not react to a baby oil fragrance. Some people do, others not. It is not the mineral oil that is the problem in the reaction cases, but the fragrance additives, from all I have read on the topic, here and elsewhere.

For the best results, from all of the reports I have read here in multiple threads, if you have not clarified your hair in a good while, or you have been using a lot of conditioner and leave-in, clarify your hair first, lightly condition, and then on damp to very damp hair, use the drops.

You do not need to clarify your hair all of the time for the mineral oil to work. It just works better as will any product, actually, on less to no residue on the hair and that includes oil residue.

Some people here, including me, need no conditioner or anything else on the hair except mineral oil/baby oil, when I use it. After clarifying well, it is a good idea to use something, in my opinion, just not a lot of something.

ETA: Re the "something" it is better to use a conditioner in my opinion than a leave-in, as those can contain a lot of polymers and the conditioner can contain some silicone but it is best not to use a heavy conditioner (they contain more waxes). The mineral oil/baby oil can take care the rest in terms of being able to fight frizz, tangles and much more!

ETA:2 Look for a baby oil with the fewest ingredients (the extras can cause problems like greasy hair or tangling) and use and think small drops. You need much less than you think to get great results, based on all reports.

solitudinarian
March 28th, 2012, 10:18 AM
the only one i could find around here was Natusan baby oil (with or without scent, i chose the one with alove vera-scent) i'm due for a shower tonight so I will try it out, without any other leave-ins!

ktani
March 28th, 2012, 11:17 AM
the only one i could find around here was Natusan baby oil (with or without scent, i chose the one with alove vera-scent) i'm due for a shower tonight so I will try it out, without any other leave-ins!

Good luck with the clarifying if needed and the baby oil!

irisheyes
March 28th, 2012, 01:30 PM
My hair has porosity issues and gets frizzy when I wash the dishes! I used humidity control shampoo and condish with success during the winter, but it didn't work for me last week with warm weather and spring showers. So I thought about it and did some research, and I decided to try protein again. I did a nice deep treatment with keratin and cones, and now my hair is really behaving nicely. No frizz! I don't know if this effect will last, but I'm loving it! Maybe it was actually the cones that helped. But I think the protein helped close the hair cuticle. It was a miracle compared to how I looked last week. I also found that humectants are wrong for my hair at any time of year.

solitudinarian
March 28th, 2012, 02:14 PM
haha, irisheyes, my hair is the same! When I wash the dishes and the like, my hair feels extremely coarse afterwards! I always thought it was just that my hands were dry afterwards, (stripped of oil) but my hands feel fine afterwards (my hands are sensitive to harsh lotions but not dish washing soap) - and even when I use a good hand lotion, my hair still feels like it's been acting up.

Hmmm.. I didn't know this was common enough to be recognized, haha!

I have now showered and I probably used wayy too much of the babyoil, since I used more than just one or two drops. but we'll see.. usually at this air drying point, my hair would feel a lot more frizzy, so it'll be interesting...so far so good, (though I might end up with really oily hair since I probably overused)

ktani
March 28th, 2012, 02:28 PM
I have now showered and I probably used wayy too much of the babyoil, since I used more than just one or two drops. but we'll see.. usually at this air drying point, my hair would feel a lot more frizzy, so it'll be interesting...so far so good, (though I might end up with really oily hair since I probably overused)

The number of drops needed varies with the person's hair. If you used waaay too much, it can be harder to wash out but not all that difficult. It is a nondrying oil. I hope your hair feels better at least.

ETA: I am probably as anxious to hear your final results as you are in having them, lol. I know how unhappy you were with your hair.

http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/

Creating and supporting: safe, innovative, effective, economical methods of hair care.

solitudinarian
March 29th, 2012, 05:36 AM
Well, my hair, as it air dried, felt a bit frizzy at some points, but not as much as it used to when using leave in/argain oil/all that stuff. I re-applied some babyoil at the ends, and as I did, it looked like I used too much.. but I decided to just see how it went.

My hair was still a bit wet when I went to bed (i somtimes go to bed with wet hair). Usually I keep it in a loose ponytail, but these last months I've also just let it do it's own thing during the nights. I decided to have it down as I went to bed, and when I woke up, my hair was soooo soft, it's got a very nice "bounce" to it, the curls are more visible, there are no "kinks" - the top of my hair isn't too soft as I didnt want to layer on too much oil close to my scalp.. but yeah, so far I'm very satisfied. I haven't tried it out in humid air, and I stil have my doubts, (haha can you blame me ..) but yeah I'll deffo continue using babyoil to see if I can keep this nice soft feeling to my hair.

here are some (low quality) webcam pictures. These are my natural waves, although some of them are probably due to having it in a ponytail for some time yesterday with wet hair, and some are probably "bed head" waves

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/Spretten/Hanne/Picture429.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/Spretten/Hanne/Picture431.jpg

ktani
March 29th, 2012, 07:35 AM
Well, my hair, as it air dried, felt a bit frizzy at some points, but not as much as it used to when using leave in/argain oil/all that stuff. I re-applied some babyoil at the ends, and as I did, it looked like I used too much.. but I decided to just see how it went.

My hair was still a bit wet when I went to bed (i somtimes go to bed with wet hair). Usually I keep it in a loose ponytail, but these last months I've also just let it do it's own thing during the nights. I decided to have it down as I went to bed, and when I woke up, my hair was soooo soft, it's got a very nice "bounce" to it, the curls are more visible, there are no "kinks" - the top of my hair isn't too soft as I didnt want to layer on too much oil close to my scalp.. but yeah, so far I'm very satisfied. I haven't tried it out in humid air, and I stil have my doubts, (haha can you blame me ..) but yeah I'll deffo continue using babyoil to see if I can keep this nice soft feeling to my hair.

here are some (low quality) webcam pictures. These are my natural waves, although some of them are probably due to having it in a ponytail for some time yesterday with wet hair, and some are probably "bed head" waves

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/Spretten/Hanne/Picture429.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/Spretten/Hanne/Picture431.jpg

I think your hair looks great and that it is beautiful! I can certainly see you wearing it down.

I am glad it feels soft too. That is from moisture being in your hair. It is a good idea not to use too much and it does not look as if you did. The oil you used should wash out easily and you can reapply it after the next wash. Now you have a better idea of how much baby oil you do need.

I am very pleased for you. All the best with this if you do continue with it.

ETA: I think that some types of hair have a tendency to dryness. However, they can be moisturized well. Over time, you may find that if and when your hair is no longer dry, you may be able to use the baby oil on dry hair, to help prevent frizz, while it helps to maintain the moisture level you have achieved with using it regularly, if you stay with it.

ladyshep
March 29th, 2012, 02:05 PM
Looks nice!! Keep us posted. :)

jojo
March 29th, 2012, 02:15 PM
Well, my hair, as it air dried, felt a bit frizzy at some points, but not as much as it used to when using leave in/argain oil/all that stuff. I re-applied some babyoil at the ends, and as I did, it looked like I used too much.. but I decided to just see how it went.

My hair was still a bit wet when I went to bed (i somtimes go to bed with wet hair). Usually I keep it in a loose ponytail, but these last months I've also just let it do it's own thing during the nights. I decided to have it down as I went to bed, and when I woke up, my hair was soooo soft, it's got a very nice "bounce" to it, the curls are more visible, there are no "kinks" - the top of my hair isn't too soft as I didnt want to layer on too much oil close to my scalp.. but yeah, so far I'm very satisfied. I haven't tried it out in humid air, and I stil have my doubts, (haha can you blame me ..) but yeah I'll deffo continue using babyoil to see if I can keep this nice soft feeling to my hair.

here are some (low quality) webcam pictures. These are my natural waves, although some of them are probably due to having it in a ponytail for some time yesterday with wet hair, and some are probably "bed head" waves

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/Spretten/Hanne/Picture429.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b46/Spretten/Hanne/Picture431.jpg

you hair looks beautiful, so shiny and full. Baby oil is great stuff eh? congratulations on finding the perfect partner for your hair:)

solitudinarian
April 14th, 2012, 07:12 PM
Soo! I just want to give a quick update about my testing of the babyoil!

My shampoo/conditioner are Pureology shampoo and Redken real control conditioner. However, when these two are empty, I will try out my Burt's bees somethingsomething baby shower-gel/shampoo, as ...well a shampoo, and a regular Fructis conditioner. I'm kinda tired of having to shell out for expensive products, lmao. Just hoping Fructis is an OK brand. I know some "cheaper" brands are harsh but ehh..we'll see. Redken is a bit chemical too.

I don't use anything else in the hair after showering, except Natusan Babyoil (with aloe vera but I'm gonna try without it next time cause the aloe vera smell doesn't stick and it's kinda musky anyway)

My hair is so far SOO GOOD!! It seems the quality of the hair has improved greatly, compared to using those argan oils and such, or harsh chemical stuff.

I can actually wear it DOWN outside, which I could never do cause even just the slightest breath of humidity would frizz it so much! It still frizzes a bit, but not as much as usual! These last days I've worn my hair down when outside, but with a scarf around my neck (due to it being a bit cold, but also to keep the longest parts of my hair in control if theres wind...which there's usually lots of)

My hair doesn't seem to break as much, and i can brush it! I could never brush it before because it would turn into a "sensitive" 'fro or something. It was insane! I use a wide toothed comb to brush (i got that nature bristle stuff too but i never use it), and I mainly just brush it a bit to keep off too much dust and such. woo! it's so weird how my hair texture has changed. It seems to change gradually aswell so hopefully one day maybe my hair will actually defeat humidity! haha :)

midsummernight
April 14th, 2012, 10:39 PM
I think aloe vera and glycerine are humectants too. These might help in humid climates.

solitudinarian
April 26th, 2012, 06:29 PM
well according to the ingredients list, the aloe vera seems to be more just a "scent" than anything else. I've bought another bottle (50 % off lol) from Neutral, a baby oil without perfume etc, though this only has one ingredient, i cant remember, but it I think was it " Olus oil" -- anyone know what this is?! Apparently it's some sort of vegetable oil? Does that mean the Neutral Baby oil would probably not be as good as the Natusan baby oil?