Weekly washings and tangles?

[Curlsgirl]

I generally wash every five to seven days. I can get tangles late in the cycle, and I do think that it comes from lack of moisture. Because I've decided to grow beyond classic, I changed my routine and now use conditioner almost daily just on wet down ends and a bit finger-combed through the rest of dampened hair.

This has made a huge difference in the condition of my ends. They are softer and don't tangle much at all. If I skip this routine, the dryness and tangles come back.

I have more complete directions for this technique in the thread started by Snowy currently running.

Thanks Shell, that was very helpful! I applied coconut oil to my dry hair overnight last night and it helped tremendously. My fingers just ran through my hair like a knife and butter this morning! Also I dragged my old satin pillowcase back out and forced myself to use it. I hadn't thought it made that much difference but I am rethinking now. My hair must have had a growth spurt lately because I am certainly dealing with a lot of different things that I have never dealt with before. That's okay though!

[RedButterfly]

Yes, I also have more tangles when I wash my hair weekly. I find that I must mist my length and add oils and conditioner daily to keep my hair moist and tangle-free.

[jessie58]

I'm having the same trouble, been washing once a week lately and terribly tangly. I have been carefully combing each day and then misting between washes. However by wash day, it's pretty bad.

Shell thanks for the link, I'll check it out now.

[Cichelle]

This is the exact reason I cannot go to once a week washings. Tangles. I probably have it worse than you. I just have really tangly hair and there isn't a thing I can do besides wash more often to keep it detangled and moist. The longer my hair gets, the more this becomes an issue for me. I wish I could give you some tips or something, but I'm still trying to figure it out myself. I'd love to wash once a week, but I've learned it's not for me. I'll be watching this thread.

[redcelticcurls]

I find that I have to wash (well, condition) my hair more in the winter than I do in the summer. This seems to be the opposite of what I see plenty of others needing though.

In the summer, I can get 4th day hair. In the winter I stop at two. I need the conditioner!

[heidi w.]

I'm assuming that your weekly hair wash includes using a fair amount of conditioner. If not, for any reason, please use it. I have reason to believe you may well CO wash, which is fine, then.

One reason tangles happen for some people is they don't use enough conditioner.
Here's how I use conditioner: I ensure the water is quite warm (not merely luke warm, but a trace on the hot side). In cold winter months, I find my conditioner is cold too, so I warm it up in the shower before applying it to warm hair (cuticles open). I literally pack my hair (not scalp hair, but I don't CO wash and I have a scalp condition). I slightly fan the chunks/clumps of wet ropes of hair so conditioner gets on inner strands in these chunks and has better penetration. I find in winter months, the hair cools down easier, so I do allow warm water to dribble down the conditioned hair to keep that cuticle open for penetration and not allow the conditioner to cool and lay more as a skin on top of the hair.

I rinse well, then, too.

Another reason I think you may have tangles is the additional length, as you suggest. If wearing down, in winter months this means hair is against sweaters, hats, scarves, fleece, etc, and tangles can increase. PLUS movement of the head is one direction, and hair kind of s curves in response to movement, so more tangles (especially behind the neck/shoulder blade area). To resolve, wear the hair up. When taking hair from an updo, try to proceed in reverse order of putting it up and while wearing clothing that allows hair to slide a bit.

The final reason I suggest an increase in tangles is that you mention the length has increased. You may be in need of a small microtrim. If the tangles tend to be more at the bottom or near the hemline, it can mean that hair is really broken down (old hair) and the cuticle layer more upset (more splits, white dots). Even when hair is well cared for, the hair in this zonage is the oldest hair and will show the wear and tear of detangling (even if done properly), washing and so on. So a small microtrim, even of an inch or even less, could help to make it better.

If you CO wash or honestly any kind of hair wash, and you mention your hair still being dry and brittle to the touch and overly tangly and not soft and acting like the conditioner 'took', even after a fresh hair wash, it is then quite likely that you may need to clarify because you have buildup. To clarify, you will need to get the stuff layered on the surface of the hair off, and then still condition EXTREMELY WELL as part of the clarify process, and begin anew.

There are a variety of ways to clarify. You can purchase a clarify shampoo product where it says 'clarify' on the bottle or create your own recipe. I use baking soda and my shampoo. Equal parts (I use 3 Tablespoons each of baking soda and my shampoo). Blend well to a creamy, somewhat bubbly consistency (no baking soda clumps). Then do my first hair wash with regular shampoo on very wet hair to break the surface tension of grime, and so on. Then use the baking soda shampoo concoction on all the hair (head and length). Rinse extremely well. Maybe one more application and follow with a very good rinse.

THEN condition well, perhaps even leaving the conditioner on for longer than normal, even stepping out of the shower (and if do that, then back in a bit later 15-30 minutes) to rinse extremely well. If you want to condition quite well, I recommend trying Biolage's Conditioning Balm. It's a thick, viscous conditioner and it works quite well. Rinse well; really well.

Follow your usual routine then.

It is imperative to understand that a baking soda clarify hair wash literally strips all the stuff off the surface of the hair and thus, what's removed needs to be replaced.

If you just clarify and do not condition the hair will come out kinda flyaway, feeling funny like a kind of brittly but it will not break or cause damage, and feel quite dry and behave quite abnormally. This is the normal outcome of a clarify hair wash of any kind, particularly the baking soda method. It will have then 'worked'! BUT do condition to avoid all these problems, and your hair will be fine. Condition a little heavier than normal to ensure good penetration and to all strands.

Hope this gives you some ideas.
heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Yes I love the CG book though I don't follow it completely. I do not use gels either. I WISH I could sleep on a braid but the thing is I just cannot sleep with the "bump". I leave it loose. The tangles don't come as much at night I don't think as I am not a tossing and turning person. I am not doing anything different but just perhaps not washing as often. It must be the drier weather and length.

I recommend going to the fabric store and buying some slippery fabric or go to a pillowcase store and buy a slippery fabric for your loose hair to slide along. Do not use fleece pillowcases, for example.

If you want create the braid high up on the head, such as almost the top. Create it quite loosely from the scalp, and make the braid itself a very loose weave. Tie off at night in a different location, considering using a satin ribbon for tie off. The idea then is you can lay the braid over the pillow which in turn is covered in a slippery fabric.

Lady Grace uses a large smooth panel for her hair. I use an old silk dress and lay it down the side of the bed for my braid and/or loose hair to slide against during the night.



heidi w.

[Curlsgirl]

Heidi, I can't think of anything you said that would apply to me except perhaps I am not distributing my conditioner well enough all through my hair. Great suggestions though! Also the last few days I have been adding some coconut oil in between my wash and that has helped a LOT. I had slacked down on the oiling. My ends are really not particularly tangling more but my nape hair is. I don't CO, tried it once but it made my hair and scalp dirty much faster. Now I mostly CWC and I used a LOT of condtioner. It doesn't tangle right away but it is usually a couple of days after or more that it gets worse which is why I am thinking it could be a lack of moisture at that time. Thanks so much for taking the time to give me all of that advice! I don't need to clarify either because I use a diluted SLS shampoo and no cones. I have learned to tell when I need to clarify. I use baking soda very rarely because it really dries my hair out if I use it too much. I find the SLS works well diluted to keep what little buildup I may get away.

[Curlsgirl]

Heidi, oh and I do think you are completely right about the satin pillowcase. I got mine out again and am forcing myself to use it. I have tried the high braid or "pineapple" top on my head at night and my scalp is so tender I can't do it. Thanks again SO much!!!!

[Isilme]

I have this problem too. I wear my hair down when I sleep (less stress on scalp AND hair for me) I flip a satin sheet over my pillows so it's not like I haven't looked into that option. My hair dislikes oil and goes crunchy when I use it, and trust me, I have tried many oils, but they aren't for me. I have found my hair just likes to be clean and me using a light conditioner, sometimes with cones, sometimes not. My hair likes variation. Trims or no trims doesn't matter for the tangles problem at the end of the wash cycle.
I use a sulfate shampoo, (diluted) once again my hair just likes to be clean, if I condition without having used shampoo first it goes stringy, tangly and just a plain mess. (CO wasn't for me...)
What I have found to delay (I'm saying dealy, not cure) the problem is damp bunning and/or a tiny tiny amount of leave in. But I wouldn't recommend damp bunning if you live in a colder climate. Oh, and it hasn't got anything to do with humidity in the air, I can have tangly hair a cloudy moist winter day. (we have the rainy, windy and cold costal climate here)
I can totally relate to your problem, in my in the case, my hair just likes to be clean.