Just a few questions!

[Vlientje]

Hello, there are a few things that still confuse me, so I guess you can help me the best :D

1) "build up". How do I know if I have it? :P I don't use much products, just a leave-in conditioner and some coconut-oil right before I wash my hair.

2) Clarifying. Do I need to do that too when I wash my hair with shampoo that contains SLS? Or is that the same as clarifying? :P If so, why do people use baking soda instead of SLS-shampoo?

3) Proteins. How do I recognize them on bottles? This I want to know for a SMT-treatment, I read that the CO shouldn't contain proteins, to I need to go out and search for the perfect CO!

[Kelikea]

1. You will probably not get build-up unless you conditioner contains cones. If your hair starts feeling "crunchy" or the texture seems different, that is probably build up.
2. Clarifying is basically the same as using an sls shampoo. Some of us (me) us BS instead because we are sensitive to sls shampoo (many make my head break out) . You do not need to use any clarifying shampoo or bs very often.
3. Many conditioners with protein state so on the label, or look for hydrolyzed keratin, wheat protein, soy protein, silk protein, etc. in the ingredients. Mane&Tail, V05 moisture milks and the new cashmere conditioners all contain protein.

[torrilin]

You'll see people on LHC describe a *lot* of different things as "build up".

1) silicone build up on hair - this can cause a dry, tangled or even velcroy feel. washing with a shampoo formulated to work with silicones will fix it. not all silicon containing ingredients are considered silicones, and not all silicones will build up, so this can take a good bit of research to deal with.

2) protein build up on hair - not all hair needs protein, and it can feel dry and crunchy if you use more than your hair can absorb. some hair types just don't absorb protein too. Again, shampoo formulated to deal with excess protein will fix.

3) mineral build up - stuff like calcium carbonate or iron salts can build up on your hair. chlorine can too. some shampoo formulations are meant to deal with this. you can also use *dilute* acid rinses. not all acids will remove all minerals, and in some situations it's hard to figure out what mineral is building up. this is a common problem if you live in an area with very hard water.

4) sebum build up - depending on your washing technique and your detangling technique, your scalp may or may not get sufficient exfoliation. if you're not getting enough, you can get dead skin flaking off your scalp like in a dandruff shampoo commercial. you may also find that your combs or brushes get dirty very quickly. if this is the case, you need more exfoliation. things like sugar scrubs, scalp massage and using a boar bristle brush that is washed regularly all can help

5) product build up - if you're new to using a particular product and the formula is not right for your hair/body, you can get a sort of scaly layer on your scalp. proper exfoliation can fix, and if you know which product caused it, switch back to the last one that worked.

6) skin conditions like psoriasis and fungal infections can produce behavior that might get described as "build up". see a doctor for a diagnosis. There are a lot of different possible skin conditions so if your scalp is acting weird and none of the above stuff quite fits... see a doctor.

If it's not a medical problem, one or two washes with a stronger shampoo will usually clear things up. If you have a real medical problem, it can take several weeks to clear, or it might be a chronic condition. Hair is a good indicator of general health, so you shouldn't feel embarrassed to see a doctor over "just" hair.

[Vlientje]

Well, those are some really good and clear replies, thank you!!

[heidi w.]

Hello, there are a few things that still confuse me, so I guess you can help me the best :D

1) "build up". How do I know if I have it? :P I don't use much products, just a leave-in conditioner and some coconut-oil right before I wash my hair.

2) Clarifying. Do I need to do that too when I wash my hair with shampoo that contains SLS? Or is that the same as clarifying? :P If so, why do people use baking soda instead of SLS-shampoo?

3) Proteins. How do I recognize them on bottles? This I want to know for a SMT-treatment, I read that the CO shouldn't contain proteins, to I need to go out and search for the perfect CO!

1. Buildup is signaled by conditioner seeming not to work as well as it once did. One can have buildup from product, from minerals lying on the hair from one's water and so on. It all shows by more tangliness; a kind of straw-like feel to the hair.
The solution is clarifying, or at least a really great shampoo session. If you CO wash for the most part, you may have to clarify a bit more often than the average longhaired person. But clarifying does NOT need to be done by a schedule or calendar; it should ONLY be done when it's necessary and needed.

2. Clarifying, people have differed with me over the decades but I know this works for me and also does for others, although there have been some who said they had trouble with it. I don't know what occurred for sure since I wasn't there. But I clarify by using Baking Soda, around 3 Tablespoons blended into equal parts (3 Tablespoons) of my choice of shampoo. At the time, I used Biolage Hydrating Shampoo. (I hardly ever need to clarify anymore.) I blend these together with a spoon, stir very well to remove any clumps of Baking Soda, wet the hair and wash my scalp hair with this. Sometimes I applied it to the length; most times I just allowed the stuff to just run down the length. Some will tell you that if you use a shampoo with SLS in it, that's clarifying. I'm sorry to say that to the best of my knowledge that is somewhat inaccurate information. The point of clarifying is to remove the buildup. However, in clarifying we strip the hair of everything that is on the top layer of hair, including moisture of some kind. Therefore, one must replace what they removed, so conditioning the length becomes quite important as part of this type of hair wash. Despite what you may read here or elsewhere Baking Soda should not be used as the primary form of shampoo agent. It's quite drying and a bit harsh on the hair. Baking Soda + water, + shampoo, + conditioner....all bad ideas.

3) I can tell you that all shampoo/conditioner products in a manufacturers specific line are designed such that both the shampoo and conditioner (as a generalization here) have a bit of protein between them. Most people are fine on protein. I wouldn't recommend protein conditioning the hair UNLESS you factually know that you need it. Watch out for V05. Those products have a lot of Protein in it. Protein overload is indicated by hair breaking off suddenly, and a lot of it very suddenly. I had this happen once on the recommendation that I use a leave-in conditioner from a different manufacture brand line from my then normal shampoo and conditioner. I was in protein overload. I simply had to get back in the shower and wash the stuff out of my hair. I later re-read the bottle's instructions and it said for fine hair types this leave-in conditioner should be rinsed out. So, word to the wise, read the instructions. Sometimes there's important information there. You can always seek out a licensed colorist's professional assistance and have them conduct a strand test to see about protein and porosity in hair. If your hair is porous, adding protein can be a real problem, as I understand it. So don't just think or assume you need protein. Find a way to be sure before you go fiddling with protein stuff. That's all I know.

Hope this is of some help,
heidi w.

[heidi w.]

1. You will probably not get build-up unless you conditioner contains cones. If your hair starts feeling "crunchy" or the texture seems different, that is probably build up.
2. Clarifying is basically the same as using an sls shampoo. Some of us (me) us BS instead because we are sensitive to sls shampoo (many make my head break out) . You do not need to use any clarifying shampoo or bs very often.
3. Many conditioners with protein state so on the label, or look for hydrolyzed keratin, wheat protein, soy protein, silk protein, etc. in the ingredients. Mane&Tail, V05 moisture milks and the new cashmere conditioners all contain protein.

Some people's here doesn't like cones. Other people's hair is fine on cones. I wash/condition with cones. No problem so far. But I do watch the sulfates. That's what I watch since I have a scalp skin condition. I also softened the house water. That has made a big difference.

heidi w.

[Suze2012]

I want to ask a quick couple of questions related to this - not sure if it is within the forum rules as I haven't found them yet as I'm new so apologies if this is inappropriate..

Is soy milk a protein?

Also, how can you tell whether your hair needs protein?