Product recommendations for my hair type?

**ChloeJL** · May 26th, 2020, 09:33 AM

Hello! I've been having some troublesome hair recently and am wondering if there are any products or tips more experienced people could recommend for me. My hair is as follows:

Oily. Must be washed daily before the oil builds up.
Thin. Buns don't look good in my hair and there is barely any volume whatsoever. Tangles easily.
Straight. Can't hold any curls.

This is what I do to take care of my hair currently:

Shampoo daily, condition daily. I use a blend from a website called Function of Beauty. It hasn't done many wonders for me.
Is brushed before I shower, after I shower, once it dries, before I leave the house, and before bed. I use the Wet Brush brand and have one for wet hair and one with some boar bristles.
I never really put it up unless it's for work in a ponytail.
I do not style it with heat and let it air dry.
I occasionally use a hair mask from Lush called Roots.
My mom trims my hair about once a month.

My hair goals:

Less oily i am desperate at this point
If it's even possible, thicker hair
Growth
Less tangly
Volume

Anything helps! Even if changing something in my routine will help, I'm all ears. Thank you!

**Ylva** · May 26th, 2020, 09:53 AM

My suggestion would be to use a harsher shampoo than Function of Beauty. Something clear with sulfates. It could even give you a bit of volume in case that's something you'd like.

**Feral_** · May 26th, 2020, 09:57 AM

Oily hair can be caused by hormones and as you’re young this might be a factor. Does your skin get oily too or just hair? Thing is if you strip away the oil too much, the scalp produces more to compensate so you end up in a cycle. It might seem counterintuitive, but leaving the hair to normalise a bit by gradually stretching out the need to wash it might help. The hairs natural oil, sebum, will be produced but as you stretch out the washes it gives the sebum chance to coat the hair length rather than sit on your scalp, especially if you massage and brush it gently.

I’m only speaking from experience of oily hair myself. I used to wash mine every other day or it looked awful, all separated and rats tails. Then I transitioned to a bastille soap to wash it, was washing it every 3-4 days and then finally water only. It was only when I did WO that it stopped being oily. I realise this is quite drastic for you, but I would certainly try and stretch out the washes, maybe try conditioner only? And invest in some pretty head scarves, decent updo’s in the interim!

**Feral_** · May 26th, 2020, 09:58 AM

Oily hair can be caused by hormones and as you’re young this might be a factor. Does your skin get oily too or just hair? Thing is if you strip away the oil too much, the scalp produces more to compensate so you end up in a cycle. It might seem counterintuitive, but leaving the hair to normalise a bit by gradually stretching out the need to wash it might help. The hairs natural oil, sebum, will be produced but as you stretch out the washes it gives the sebum chance to coat the hair length rather than sit on your scalp, especially if you massage and brush it gently.

I’m only speaking from experience of oily hair myself. I used to wash mine every other day or it looked awful, all separated and rats tails. Then I transitioned to a bastille soap to wash it, was washing it every 3-4 days and then finally water only. It was only when I did WO that it stopped being oily. I realise this is quite drastic for you, but I would certainly try and stretch out the washes, maybe try conditioner only? And invest in some pretty head scarves, decent updo’s in the interim!

**ChloeJL** · May 26th, 2020, 10:06 AM

My suggestion would be to use a harsher shampoo than Function of Beauty. Something clear with sulfates. It could even give you a bit of volume in case that's something you'd like.

Do you have any brands in mind? I'd love to try that out.

Oily hair can be caused by hormones and as you’re young this might be a factor. Does your skin get oily too or just hair? Thing is if you strip away the oil too much, the scalp produces more to compensate so you end up in a cycle. It might seem counterintuitive, but leaving the hair to normalise a bit by gradually stretching out the need to wash it might help. The hairs natural oil, sebum, will be produced but as you stretch out the washes it gives the sebum chance to coat the hair length rather than sit on your scalp, especially if you massage and brush it gently.

I’m only speaking from experience of oily hair myself. I used to wash mine every other day or it looked awful, all separated and rats tails. Then I transitioned to a bastille soap to wash it, was washing it every 3-4 days and then finally water only. It was only when I did WO that it stopped being oily. I realise this is quite drastic for you, but I would certainly try and stretch out the washes, maybe try conditioner only? And invest in some pretty head scarves, decent updo’s in the interim!

I'd say my skin is normal, but I am prone to acne somewhat. I'll try stretching the washes out, thank you!

**lapushka** · May 26th, 2020, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by ChloeJL

Do you have any brands in mind? I'd love to try that out.

I'd say my skin is normal, but I am prone to acne somewhat. I'll try stretching the washes out, thank you!

Any harsh sulfate shampoo will do. Say Pantene (volumizing) or Herbal Essences (be sure to pick one up for oily hair!!!)

**Mariekeeee14** · May 26th, 2020, 11:15 AM

Where do you live? That is useful for product recommendations

Also, how much does your mom trim? If it’s half an inch every month, it will not grow seemingly, cause you trim off all your growth for the month. Trim less, oil your ends with coconut or olive oil, and use a nice leave in conditioner.

**MusicalSpoons** · May 26th, 2020, 11:22 AM

Function of Beauty use silicones in their shampoo, as far as I know, which absolutely is a no-no for oily scalps. Silicones in conditioner are okay as long as they don't go near the scalp hair (and are actually probably helpful as you wear it down).

Putting it up would probably help if you touch it a lot, and I'm not sure boar bristles are great for oily hair so don't use that brush after you've just washed it. (Boar bristles immediately turn me into an oil slick.)

With tangly hair, you might need to leave the conditioner on for longer than it says on the bottle, if you don't already. I want to say putting it up more protectively would probably help the tangliness too (a ponytail isn't protective), but as you wash every day I don't know how much of a difference that would make to start with. We have a few members who wash daily and wear their hair down so it can be done.

Have you measured your ponytail circumference?

Edit: throwing a question out there - does 1a hair tangle much? If not, it might mean slightly more texture and the hair is unhappy needing more moisture.

**Bri-Chan** · May 26th, 2020, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by MusicalSpoons

Edit: throwing a question out there - does 1a hair tangle much? If not, it might mean slightly more texture and the hair is unhappy needing more moisture.

This. The first thing I think when I hear about 1-hair with this struggle.

ChloeJL what happen if you don't brush your hair at all until it is 100% dry?

**MusicalSpoons** · May 26th, 2020, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Bri-Chan

This. The first thing I think when I hear about 1-hair with this struggle.

ChloeJL what happen if you don't brush your hair at all until it is 100% dry?

Indeed. Loads of us came to the hair typing system thinking 'my hair's pin straight', only to find very quickly that it is in fact nowhere near 1a

*laughs in straivy*