Sudden change in hair needs?

[Miss Thyme]

Thank you both for the help with chelating shampoos and deep conditioner advice, MusicalSpoons and fiabia. I'll have to see when I can swing by Normal

Having thought about it some more, I guess it makes sense that my hair might feel different about the amount of coconut oil I've been subjecting it to after I started washing less. My hair feels pretty okay after yesterday's treatment even though I still followed it up with coconut oil. I'll think about whether to keep using it, but only post-wash, or cut it out entirely.

For protein-free products, I really like Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment, it's available at the shop African House (they have a store at Vesterbro and an online shop).

Thanks for the recommendation. Right now my hair seems to like the fructis hair food, but I'll keep it in mind

[Miss Thyme]

UPDATE

Thanks again for all the recommendations. Since last time I've bought the Tresemmé Cleanse and Replenish shampoo. I chelated and followed with a deep condition last Thursday, and then this Wednesday I just did a wash with my regular shampoo and used the Garnier Hair Food as regular conditioner. I've cut out coconut oil and am currently just using jojoba oil after showers to help lock in moisture, and when I feel like my hair needs a little extra slip when brushing.

My hair is definitely doing better. It is a lot softer, and the velcro effect has been heavily reduced. I do need to have some product or oil in my hair to eliminate it completely, but that's still infinitely better than before.

Right now, however, my hair is a fantabulous frizz fest. Perhaps I should have deep conditioned on Wednesday as well. I did not realise that it had been almost a full week since I last washed! I sure managed to stretch that one a lot I'm thinking of going back to my cone-y conditioner to combat the frizz and give my hair some of that extra slippery protection, but at the same time I suspect that the cones have been hiding some quite significant splits and damage from me during S&D, which I'd rather want to have cut out

I haven't completely ruled out trying coconut oil again in the future, but this time with more moderation. I'm not sure I want to risk it, but I do miss the feel of applying it along with that wonderful scent I'm also thinking of adding an ACV rinse to my routine to help with the hardness of the water, and maybe a tea rinse for whichever benefit

I'm not sure how often I should be chelating, but I gather it's best to do no more than once a month or so?

[Miss Thyme]

I'm back with an update just in case anyone finds this thread while looking for solutions to similar problems as mine.

I found the cure!
Whatever caused my problems in the first place, the solution was protein. After using this gelatine protein treatment my hair feels perfectly healthy and soft and not at all velcro-like. It lasts me at least three weeks, but I do eventually have to refresh with another round of treatment. I always follow it up with a deep conditioning. Sometimes I chelate first, but I am not sure how much of a difference it makes with my current routine.

I don't oil anymore.
It just doesn't feel like I need it at the moment. I've been wanting to try coconut oil before washing but other than just once I keep forgetting to do it ahead of time, and so just skip it.

Was it the cones?
I suspect so. I had replaced my coney Garnier Fructis Grow Strong conditioner with the non-coney Garnier Fructis Strength and Shine while sorting out my issues. A while after finding the gelatine treatment to get my hair back to normal I decided to go back to the coney conditioner because I still had a stash of it and was out of the other one. It definitely seemed to shorten the effects of the gelatine treatment! I went back to Strength and Shine (without cones) and the treatments started lasting longer again.
I think I had pretty healthy hair to begin with, and it just took a while for the cones (and maybe coconut oil overuse) to break it down, but I can't be sure.


Thanks again to everyone who chimed in and gave their advice!