Clarify your hair

[Anabell]

Hello everyone!
I read the article about clarifying, and I have some questions:

How often you clarifying your hair? Are you doing that on regular basis, or just when it’s needed?

What the product do you use (baking soda, a shampoo, vinegar etc.)?

If you clarify, you still do your regular pre wash treatment or not? (like putting some oil on that in the day before washing)?

If you use a baking soda/vinegar in which concentration do you use (how much you dissolve this?)

Also yesterday I tried to do a sock curls, and my sister convince me to put some lotion for curls. I look at the ingredients first, and didn’t see anything too bad (no cones, no silica...). It also has argan oil. should I need clarify after this?

In general, my hair feels pretty healthy (considering that most of it dyed right now)- it’s really soft and barely has tangles. But it don’t look like- it’s has no shine at all (It never have it. maybe it just my hair type?) and look a little dry (but don’t feels dry). Also my hair is really heavy (at a tailbone + length). Sometimes even my simple English braid seems to be heavy.

What do you think? Should I clarify?

For some reason I can’t upload a pictures, but I will try later…

[Madora]

Hello everyone!
I read the article about clarifying, and I have some questions:

How often you clarifying your hair? Are you doing that on regular basis, or just when it’s needed?

What the product do you use (baking soda, a shampoo, vinegar etc.)?

If you clarify, you still do your regular pre wash treatment or not? (like putting some oil on that in the day before washing)?

If you use a baking soda/vinegar in which concentration do you use (how much you dissolve this?)

Also yesterday I tried to do a sock curls, and my sister convince me to put some lotion for curls. I look at the ingredients first, and didn’t see anything too bad (no cones, no silica...). It also has argan oil. should I need clarify after this?

In general, my hair feels pretty healthy (considering that most of it dyed right now)- it’s really soft and barely has tangles. But it don’t look like- it’s has no shine at all (It never have it. maybe it just my hair type?) and look a little dry (but don’t feels dry). Also my hair is really heavy (at a tailbone + length). Sometimes even my simple English braid seems to be heavy.

What do you think? Should I clarify?

For some reason I can’t upload a pictures, but I will try later…

Clarifying should only be done when necessary. It strips your hair of buildup and is very harsh.

I've only clarified my hair once and used Neutrogena Anti-Residue Clarfying shampoo, followed by 4 drops of mineral oil. I don't believe in pre-treating my hair. Besides, pre-treating before clarifying would be useless since the clarifying process removes everything from the hair.

As for your hair's heaviness, that can be solved by learning how to do sectioned updos.

You might want to investigate using mineral oil to help with keeping your hair moisturized longer. Mineral oils is also a great detangler and helps tame the frizzies. MO works best on hair that has been clarified first, but you can use it on damp hair and dry hair too. Use it sparingly...no more than 4 drops. It works best when used alone.

PS In order to post a pic, you first have to upload it to a photo sharing site, like Photobucket

[RubyTuesday]

Madora? Can I ask why you do not believe in pre-treating your hair?
Also, what are the benefits of mineral oil? I know pretty much nothing about mineral oils and haircare so it would be interesting to know. Thanks.

[Wildcat Diva]

Madora? Can I ask why you do not believe in pre-treating your hair?
Also, what are the benefits of mineral oil? I know pretty much nothing about mineral oils and haircare so it would be interesting to know. Thanks.

Not Madora, but, what I believe the point is that pretreating your hair before clarifying does nothing because the clarifying is going to strip that away, so why would you do it?

[Amygirl8]

I only clarify when I feel my hair is starting to look oily, feel dry and tangle like madness. I only do it every couple of months or so, even though I use heavy silicones. I've never oiled before though, which may be why I can last so long despite my hair being prone to oiliness.

I just use a shampoo that has sulfates and not cones, usually a dandruff shampoo, all over my hair. Then I just do my regular shower routine, and start piling up on the cones again :rolleyes:

[Madora]

Madora? Can I ask why you do not believe in pre-treating your hair?
Also, what are the benefits of mineral oil? I know pretty much nothing about mineral oils and haircare so it would be interesting to know. Thanks.

Hi, RubyTuesday! Here is Ktani's article on mineral oil:

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

Generally speaking (and it doesn't work for everyone but several members have benefitted from using it) MO helps keep moisture in your hair longer.

It is also a great detangler and helps tame frizzies.

While it works best on hair that has been clarified first, you can also use it on damp (not dripping) hair, and dry hair as well.

I don't believe in pre-treating my hair because to me, that's only adding "more fuel to the fire"..i.e. more stuff to shampoo out. I'm more interested in having a healthy scalp and conditioning afterwards. I use the George Michael method of shampooing..i.e. shampoo the length to remove the dirt. Rinse. Shampoo again, this time concentrating on the scalp and scalp hair. I dilute my shampoo...one tablespoon of GM Pink shampoo into 8 oz warm water.

Everything you put on your hair leaves a trace...and after time builds up and your hair begins to behave differently. Clarifying, of course, gets rid of the buildup, but is also very harsh and should always be followed by some kind of conditioning.

Personally, I've only clarified once in all the years I've been growing. I used Neutrogena Anti-Residue Clarifying shampoo (which made my hair feel like hay...a pretty wretched experience) followed by 4 drops of Mineral Oil (rubbed on my palms..not directly on my hair). I was amazed how well it worked to detangle my hair. To be sure, I still had to detangle carefully BUT using MO on damp hair was a better alternative to what I'd been doing for years....loading my hair with conditioner and detangling while sopping wet (hair is weakest when it is wet). Also, I didn't have to bother with rinsing out the MO, which is a major plus factor in my book because I have arthritis in one foot and any time I save in the shower is wonderful.

The MO left my hair shiny, soft and supple. I've also used it on the last 4 inches to help keep the ends moisturized.

MO is very lightweight and rinses out easily and leaves no after scent. You use MO very sparingly and it should contain only MO plus a fragrance. Any additives make it less effective, not to mention having the possibility of causing breakouts on some users.

[RubyTuesday]

Thank you Madora! You understood what I meant. Wildcat Diva I did not mean one would pre-treat before clarifying, I was referring to not pre-treating AT ALL - EVER.

I had always been afraid to use baby oil but I might tentatively try it and see what results I get.

Madora, do you have any other pics of your hair? I would be interested to see. I love the braids you have here.

[Madora]

Thank you Madora! You understood what I meant. Wildcat Diva I did not mean one would pre-treat before clarifying, I was referring to not pre-treating AT ALL - EVER.

I had always been afraid to use baby oil but I might tentatively try it and see what results I get.

Madora, do you have any other pics of your hair? I would be interested to see. I love the braids you have here.

Here you go, RubyTuesday:

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w225/07Erzbet/7412Hairmontagetaketwo.jpg

There are more pics in my blog, but they're braided updos.

[Madora]

Not Madora, but, what I believe the point is that pretreating your hair before clarifying does nothing because the clarifying is going to strip that away, so why would you do it?

Exactly, Wildcat Diva! Wasted effort and wasted products!

[RubyTuesday]

Wow - so long and lustrous! It looks silky. I have the urge to stroke your hair like a cat :bigeyes:

[Madora]

Wow - so long and lustrous! It looks silky. I have the urge to stroke your hair like a cat :bigeyes:

Thank you, RubyTuesday! I'm a "less is more" type of longhair and so nothing goes on my mane except my GM shampoo and MO. And of course brushing every day with my bbb:)!