Dry ends after color

[Sisgoldenhair65]

Hello...some of you may have seen in my earlier thread that I got some low lights put in my hair (over dyed and bleached hair). I really love the new toned down color but of course with every good there is a bad. :(. As you may guess from the title it's my ends. They are dry, velcroy and crunchy. I'm really hoping this is only a temporary condition due to new color. Anyone have any suggestions on treatments? I've already loaded them up with coconut oil and my hair is going up in a sock bun for our Mother's Day dinner outing. :steam. I took 1" inch off the ends yesterday so I'm really not looking to do another trim so I'll have to baby them back to life somehow. Thanks for your suggestions!! :blossom:

[honeyblonde]

Olive oil works for me!! I color my hair and my ends feel great!! As a matter of fact...I am doing a hot oil treatment right now!! Today I have added castor oil and a little shea butter to the mix! I will leave it on for hours while I do my house work!!! My hair also loves cones!

BTW Just looked at your album, your hair is lovely!

[mzBANGBANG]

I'm sure it's just temporary, while coloring hair isn't the best thing for it you can make a very good recovery in the initial two weeks after the process depending on how damaged the hair is.

After my last color, I made sure to use leave in conditioner daily and oiled my hair every 2-3 days. Avoid washing with shampoo daily because this will only continue to dry out your ends. I clarified my hair once a week at this point because I used so many cones from leave in conditioner. By the end of the week my ends were just as velcro-y if I didn't clarify. If you try a similar routine (no matter what it is, just make sure to treat your hair with TLC) you'll notice a big difference within a couple weeks. Just remember it is more than likely a temporary feeling, so try not to get too scissor happy :)

[Sisgoldenhair65]

Thank you both so much for your replies! I'm kind of crazy about the health and condition of my hair (even though I color) so when it gets even a bit dry I freak! I could try a leave in. What do you use? I don't have any on hand here. I'm working all week so my hair will be up so I'm not worried about a little greasiness. I'm pretty optimistic about a full recovery at this point so not getting any scissors out yet. :).

[mzBANGBANG]

I use one made by Neutrogena, I believe it is called "smooth as silk." It works best on wet hair right out of the shower, and I'm pretty sure it's coney though I never took a look. I chose it because I often have good experiences with Neutrogena products.

For a serum, I have been using this one for 3+ years (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zero-Frizz-Corrective-Hair-Serum-Extra-Strength-Corrective-Treatment-System-4-fl-oz/10308749) and never had a complaint with it! Also a coney product. I've used so many serums by more recognizable brand names and they just have this really weird feeling to them, while this one doesn't weigh down my hair at all, and definitely gives it a smooth and healthy feeling (might be enough to detract from the "freaking out" we're all familiar with while your hair is repairing).

The last time I did my hair, I seriously freaked out, too. I was actually shocked at how fast it improved, and it even feels better than it did before, so I do believe a full recovery can be made! After the chemical dying or lightening, the hair is so clarified that there is barely anything to it so it just a matter of moving the oil down the strands and retaining moisture (imo).

Hope this helps! If you can't find any product you love, just do your best to stay away from heat and oil it up!

[mzBANGBANG]

I should add, every time I use the serum, I do blowdry it on for best results. I am not well-versed with it as an air drying product, but since you list your stats similar to mine, I can say airdrying with this serum makes it somewhat stringy. I always use low heat, but that is how I got best results through the process.

However the leave in conditioner I mentioned is wonderful for airdrying. If you apply it and comb your hair in front of a fan, it works just as good as a flat iron.

[Amethyste]

While damp, oil the ends lightly with baby oil and dry as normal ... I have that happen to me as well and that's the only thing that works for my hair :) Good luck :)

[Sisgoldenhair65]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions!! So many things to try, wow! Thanks to the coconut oil my hair feels so much better already!! :). This is the first time I have gotten to use it since I just received it in the mail on Friday. It's amazing!! My DD really put my poor hair through the wringer yesterday, brushing with a paddle brush while wet (I made her stop and get a wide tooth comb), blowfrying (she insisted...what we do for our kids!), and coloring. I'm not planning on washing for a few days and letting the oil do it's magic while it's up and protected. I really panicked when I awoke to crunchy ends this morning. Thanks for the encouraging words. No one else would understand. Thank goodness for my LHC family!!

[jacqueline101]

When I colored my hair purple I had dry hair and I used a cheap leave in conditioner. I'd say try using a leave in conditioner daily like I did.

[Sisgoldenhair65]

When I colored my hair purple I had dry hair and I used a cheap leave in conditioner. I'd say try using a leave in conditioner daily like I did.

Thank you, Jacqueline. I definetly need to pick up a leave in since I don't have any handy here. I'm so much happier now than I was this morning, though. Phew, that was a fright! :pumpkin:

[earthnut]

Load it up with conditioner and/or oils and leave in as much as you can for as long as you can. If you use multiple products, use the most penetrating first followed by less penetrating. Here's an approximate order for penetration:

Most penetrating: coconut oil
Shea butter/cocoa butter
Olive oil/Almond oil/Avocado oil
Walnut oil/Sunflower oil, many non-coney conditioners
Jojoba Oil, coney conditioners
Non-penetrating: Mineral Oil

You can use only one thing or many things, conditioners or no conditioners, oils or no oils, whatever you think will work best on your hair. Leave in these moisturizers for as long as you can stand, for days even, then wash as normal. You're basically doing a deep conditioning treatment. You can repeat as often as you like.

[Sisgoldenhair65]

Load it up with conditioner and/or oils and leave in as much as you can for as long as you can. If you use multiple products, use the most penetrating first followed by less penetrating. Here's an approximate order for penetration:

Most penetrating: coconut oil
Shea butter/cocoa butter
Olive oil/Almond oil/Avocado oil
Walnut oil/Sunflower oil, many non-coney conditioners
Jojoba Oil, coney conditioners
Non-penetrating: Mineral Oil

You can use only one thing or many things, conditioners or no conditioners, oils or no oils, whatever you think will work best on your hair. Leave in these moisturizers for as long as you can stand, for days even, then wash as normal. You're basically doing a deep conditioning treatment. You can repeat as often as you like.
Thank you so much!! That's pretty much the plan. I must wear my hair up for work so I'm not worried about the appearance much. I really appreciate the list of oils....it's VERY helpful since I really don't know much about them. Thanks again!! :blossom:

[spookyghost]

Load it up with conditioner and/or oils and leave in as much as you can for as long as you can. If you use multiple products, use the most penetrating first followed by less penetrating. Here's an approximate order for penetration:

Most penetrating: coconut oil
Shea butter/cocoa butter
Olive oil/Almond oil/Avocado oil
Walnut oil/Sunflower oil, many non-coney conditioners
Jojoba Oil, coney conditioners
Non-penetrating: Mineral Oil

You can use only one thing or many things, conditioners or no conditioners, oils or no oils, whatever you think will work best on your hair. Leave in these moisturizers for as long as you can stand, for days even, then wash as normal. You're basically doing a deep conditioning treatment. You can repeat as often as you like.

My hair hates coconut oil. I have tried olive oil for about the past two weeks-every other day and I will sleep with it in and wash out the next day. My hair doesnt hate it like the coconut but my hair still isnt too impressed! Right now I have sweet almond oil on the length and ends. Castor oil and argon on the scalp. If the almond oil doesnt work out would you suggest the shea butter or coco butter since its the next most penetrating? My hair needs moisture and Im really trying to find a few good oils that works really good on my hair. Any suggestions?