No Moisture

L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
What should moisturize hair look and feel like? I know this is not:nono2: it on my head. Back in June I cut my BSL hair completely off due to getting micro twist for the first time. After getting them out (myself & daughter) I proceeded to wash it, which I later found out was a big no no:nono2:. Later found out that your suppose to detangle & comb your hair out before wetting it. Well it was a "hot mess":hair::mwahahafire:. Water locked & matted it as if I had dreadlocks .No amount of conditioner or anything would straighten it out. So the next day I went to salon and cosmetologist just looked:look: at me in :giggle: this manner undercover & staying professional about it.Like "girl what have you done to your heado_O:lachen:". She said "you're going to have to cut it all off and start over because I had long & short everywhere". So I went on to the b-b shop and cut it all the way down. Fast-forward to now my goal is to grow wl or tbl hair. I am 4 a/b with a little bit of c texture in the back. Here's the thing I have very thick hair and I cannot get it to stay moisturized. Today I tried the LOC method. It still looks dry. These are adjectives to describe what it feels and looks like. Dry, crunchy, and soft. If I put my hands in it, it's like the oil is just sitting on top and not penetrating because its on my hands. Just as if I've touched a piece of greasy fried chicken. I'm sorry, but this is the only way I can describe it:lachen:. It's all in good humor even though I feel so uncomfortable & unattractive w/o my long hair. I started in June and now at about 3 inches of growth. That's all.
 
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Rocky91

Rocky91

NYE side boob.
it sounds as if whatever you're using is not penetrating.
i would clarify and DC with something very moisturizing....try shea moisture manuka honey.

once that's done, then you can tweak your moisturizers as prettymetty pointed out.

I find that my DC habits matter much more than my moisturizers.
 
kupenda

kupenda

Well-Known Member
Rocky91 said:
it sounds as if whatever you're using is not penetrating.
i would clarify and DC with something very moisturizing....try shea moisture manuka honey.

once that's done, then you can tweak your moisturizers as prettymetty pointed out.

I find that my DC habits matter much more than my moisturizers.
Click to expand...


Great post Rocky! I totally agree. The Manuka system is pretty darn good for on the ground product needs.

And in my case, if i dont have a bomb DC, ive got nothing.

I agree that you should clarify, DC, and evaluate. Do the products you originally liked for your long hair no longer suit you? Whats your porosity? It sounds like products arent sinking into your strands the way they should
 
L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
Prettymetty said:
What are you using to moisturize and seal?
Click to expand...
I have L- Plain water / Infusium 23 leave in / Aphoghee Pro-Vitamin Leave In Conditioner
O- Grapeseed Oil
C- Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Cream

Today I used Infusium liquid , grapeseed oil, and the Cantu cream. None of these have worked and every-time I use the Cantu Cream it leaves a white residue on my hair it takes about 5 minutes or so to vanish. I'm rubbing like a maniac as if I'm fighting:catfight: :giggle:. I'm thinking that the problem is that these products are not penetrating into my hair strands.
 
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L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
Rocky91 said:
it sounds as if whatever you're using is not penetrating.
i would clarify and DC with something very moisturizing....try shea moisture manuka honey.

once that's done, then you can tweak your moisturizers as prettymetty pointed out.

I find that my DC habits matter much more than my moisturizers.
Click to expand...
Okay. Everyday other day I condition and every week I deep condition with DPR by QP. Doing this religiously.It's soft and look moisturize after I finish washing but later on-back dry again. The products are in but dry,soft, and crunchy with oil on top.
I would also clarify with ACV and the next day again dry.So I thought maybe go buy a bottle of the VO5 clarifying kiwi conditioner ...and you know it .Dry. Something's not right.
 
L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
kupenda said:
Great post Rocky! I totally agree. The Manuka system is pretty darn good for on the ground product needs.

And in my case, if i dont have a bomb DC, ive got nothing.

I agree that you should clarify, DC, and evaluate. Do the products you originally liked for your long hair no longer suit you? Whats your porosity? It sounds like products arent sinking into your strands the way they should
Click to expand...
You are exactly right, they no longer work since doing the big chop. As far as porosity- I really don't know. How do you tell your porosity?
 
N

naturalyogini

Well-Known Member
You could have a pH problem. Now ACV doesn't always work. For my hair ACV/water is too strong unless I use 1/4 tsp to 8oz water. Straight aloe vera juice makes my hair hard. Try mixing it with water also. The best products for softening my hair are from Botanical Spirits. The mud mask softens my hair like nobody's business. I don't use it that often because it's quite expensive. Also I agree with the other posters that you may need to clarify and then use a moisturizing conditioner. Co-wash between shampoo washes. My favorite cone conditioner is Miss Jessie's Sweet back(name?) conditioner. Leave-ins and styling products can be a problem for very dry hair. I'd stay away from stylers with cones as they block moisture. Try looking for products with sodium lactate in them. One more thing, you may want to give Komaza Hair Care a try. All of their products are pH balanced and Rene, the owner is very good about dispensing hair info by e-mail or phone. Their products didn't work for me but may for you.
 
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P

PJaye

Well-Known Member
Rocky91 said:
it sounds as if whatever you're using is not penetrating.
i would clarify and DC with something very moisturizing....try shea moisture manuka honey.

once that's done, then you can tweak your moisturizers as prettymetty pointed out.

I find that my DC habits matter much more than my moisturizers.
Click to expand...

I agree. The DC is the first line of defense, and an integral part of the moisture absorption and retention equation (as well as being a key factor in other areas, such as straightening). A person has to jump through 47 hoops just to make up for the shortfall of an ineffective or inadequate DC. IMO, a highly effective is DC is more than half the battle for any given hair situation. If an individual complains of dryness between DC sessions, to me it means that their DC is not as effective as they may think. A good DC should be able to take you from one DC session to the next with no problems and minimal effort.

As to porosity, there are a few ways one can ascertain their hair's porosity, The first is how the hair behaves - its ability to absorb water and hair products, as well as the time it takes to become fully dry. If the hair takes a bit of time to become fully saturated with water, takes a while to fully dry, requires little protein to maintain balance and experiences difficulty with hair products penetrating (they seem to sit on the hair) = low porosity. If the hair overly absorbs water, dries rapidly, requires frequent doses of protein and seems to suck up hair products = high porosity. Normal porosity hair is able to absorb and retain water or hair products well without becoming overly saturated; it also can maintain balance via occasional doses of protein without too much effort. The second method is how the hair feels when one runs their fingers along their dry, product-free strands - feels slick = low; feels smooth = normal; feels somewhat ruffled = high. Lastly, some porosity indicators can be found in the types of products and ingredients the hair prefers, e.g., humectants are most effective for low porosity strands while high porosity hair seems to respond well to emollients, ACV, oils, butters, gels and protein-laden products.



ETA: I agree with a PP in that you may be using too many protein-laden finishing products. I suggest that you steer clear of those, as well as the clarifying agents, while rethinking your chosen DC. In the interim, dampen your hair a bit before saturating your hair with oil (do not use EVOO or EVCO). Let that sit under a cap for at least 30 minutes before rinsing and lightly cleansing with a cone and protein-free conditioner. Rinse again and apply your DC (add a gaggle of oil to it). Let that sit for a while, too. Rinse then smooth and squeeze the excess water from your hair (do not use a towel or other drying device), apply a creamy cone and protein-free leave-in and seal it all in with an oil or butter. Air dry in a ponytail; braid the end. Bun and ponytail it while refreshing every other day with a bit of plain water, a creamy leave-in and an oil. Keep doing the aforementioned method (oil pre-poo, conditioner cleanse, DC, LCO) for the next few wash sessions. All that remains is for you to observe how your hair responds. Please be sure to come back and update this thread with your findings.

I apologize for the long-winded response, but I wanted to be as clear and as helpful as possible.
 
niknakmac

niknakmac

Well-Known Member
If your conditioning every other day with a protien conditioner this may be the main problem (DPR??? i'm not familiar with this). I find that hair in the 4's(4abc) really needs a heavy butter to lock in the moisture. My personal fave is raw shea butter mixed with other things. Once this soaks into the hair you can go days maybe even up to a week with out having to remoisturize, your hair should not feel oily to the touch but soft and malleable.

Also try using your deep conditioner with heat to open the hair shaft and really get that moisture in.

I stand by Shea moisture for myself and my DD but I'm sure their are other really great products that can be recommended as well.
 
L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
No don't apologize. Its a pleasure for you to give your thoughts as it provides knowledge to most if not all of those who are here. So from what you described on porosity, I guess I'm = low. My hair takes a while to dry especially when its longer. I'm one of those people if I go in to get a flat wrap, my hair never drys completely under the dryer. I usually have a damp spot somewhere on my head. I guess I need to look into and research humectants also. I'm actually looking into every product and suggestion(s) given here to try and figure out what I think will work and not work.


PJaye said:
I agree. The DC is the first line of defense, and an integral part of the moisture absorption and retention equation (as well as being a key factor in other areas, such as straightening). A person has to jump through 47 hoops just to make up for the shortfall of an ineffective or inadequate DC. IMO, a highly effective is DC is more than half the battle for any given hair situation. If an individual complains of dryness between DC sessions, to me it means that their DC is not as effective as they may think. A good DC should be able to take you from one DC session to the next with no problems and minimal effort.

As to porosity, there are a few ways one can ascertain their hair's porosity, The first is how the hair behaves - its ability to absorb water and hair products, as well as the time it takes to become fully dry. If the hair takes a bit of time to become fully saturated with water, takes a while to fully dry, requires little protein to maintain balance and experiences difficulty with hair products penetrating (they seem to sit on the hair) = low porosity. If the hair overly absorbs water, dries rapidly, requires frequent doses of protein and seems to suck up hair products = high porosity. Normal porosity hair is able to absorb and retain water or hair products well without becoming overly saturated; it also can maintain balance via occasional doses of protein without too much effort. The second method is how the hair feels when one runs their fingers along their dry, product-free strands - feels slick = low; feels smooth = normal; feels somewhat ruffled = high. Lastly, some porosity indicators can be found in the types of products and ingredients the hair prefers, e.g., humectants are most effective for low porosity strands while high porosity hair seems to respond well to emollients, ACV, oils, butters, gels and protein-laden products.



ETA: I agree with a PP in that you may be using too many protein-laden finishing products. I suggest that you steer clear of those, as well as the clarifying agents, while rethinking your chosen DC. In the interim, dampen your hair a bit before saturating your hair with oil (do not use EVOO or EVCO). Let that sit under a cap for at least 30 minutes before rinsing and lightly cleansing with a cone and protein-free conditioner. Rinse again and apply your DC (add a gaggle of oil to it). Let that sit for a while, too. Rinse then smooth and squeeze the excess water from your hair (do not use a towel or other drying device), apply a creamy cone and protein-free leave-in and seal it all in with an oil or butter. Air dry in a ponytail; braid the end. Bun and ponytail it while refreshing every other day with a bit of plain water, a creamy leave-in and an oil. Keep doing the aforementioned method (oil pre-poo, conditioner cleanse, DC, LCO) for the next few wash sessions. All that remains is for you to observe how your hair responds. Please be sure to come back and update this thread with your findings.

I apologize for the long-winded response, but I wanted to be as clear and as helpful as possible.
Click to expand...
 
L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
My images will not upload correctly. But I'm deep conditioning with a product by Elasta QP called DPR-11.
sweetnikki_6 said:
If your conditioning every other day with a protien conditioner this may be the main problem (DPR??? i'm not familiar with this). I find that hair in the 4's(4abc) really needs a heavy butter to lock in the moisture. My personal fave is raw shea butter mixed with other things. Once this soaks into the hair you can go days maybe even up to a week with out having to remoisturize, your hair should not feel oily to the touch but soft and malleable.

Also try using your deep conditioner with heat to open the hair shaft and really get that moisture in.

I stand by Shea moisture for myself and my DD but I'm sure their are other really great products that can be recommended as well.
Click to expand...
 
niknakmac

niknakmac

Well-Known Member
Top Knot said:
My images will not upload correctly. But I'm deep conditioning with a product by Elasta QP called DPR-11.
Click to expand...


OK, I just looked up that conditioner. Girl stop using that ....The second ingredient is petroleum followed by alcohol and wax.

INGREDIENTS: Water (Aqua), Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Emulsifying Wax NF, Dimethicone, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Biotin (Vitamin H), Linoleic Acid (Vitamin F), Persia Gratissima (Avocado) Oil [contains Vitamins B2, D, A, E, K, and Potassium], Steareth 10, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Parfum (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Melissa Officinalis (Mint Balm) Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng (Ginseng) Root Extract, CI 15985 (FD&C Yellow

After you put this in your hair nothing is going to be able to penetrate the shaft and allow you to moisturize your hair. Your hair will probably turn around as soon as you stop using this.

RUN TO WALMART AND GET SOME SHEA MOISTURE or at least something that has shea, avocado, glycerin, coconut oil in the first three ingredients right after water. Water should be the first ingredient.

HTH
 
DarkJoy

DarkJoy

Bent. Not Broken.
AND dimethicone! Alladat is a recipe for super dry, OP.

sweetnikki_6 said:
OK, I just looked up that conditioner. Girl stop using that ....The second ingredient is petroleum followed by alcohol and wax.

INGREDIENTS: Water (Aqua), Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Emulsifying Wax NF, Dimethicone, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Biotin (Vitamin H), Linoleic Acid (Vitamin F), Persia Gratissima (Avocado) Oil [contains Vitamins B2, D, A, E, K, and Potassium], Steareth 10, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Parfum (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Melissa Officinalis (Mint Balm) Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng (Ginseng) Root Extract, CI 15985 (FD&C Yellow

After you put this in your hair nothing is going to be able to penetrate the shaft and allow you to moisturize your hair. Your hair will probably turn around as soon as you stop using this.

RUN TO WALMART AND GET SOME SHEA MOISTURE or at least something that has shea, avocado, glycerin, coconut oil in the first three ingredients right after water. Water should be the first ingredient.

HTH
Click to expand...
 
NaturallyATLPCH

NaturallyATLPCH

Well-Known Member
I agree about the DC. If my DC super moisturizes my hair, then everything else falls into place.

While cones aren't necessarily the devil, I don't think I would use it if it's high up on the list. I've used DCs where dimethicone was towards the middle or bottom of the list and my hair felt fine.

For example, my hair this week has been off. That Blue Roze Beauty Coffee DC was the culprit :angry2::angry2:.
 
snoop

snoop

Well-Known Member
DarkJoy said:
This is all good advice!

Also please keep in mind that full moisturizing does not take place with one wash cycle. It might be months before it reaches a good balance.
Click to expand...

This! I thought that year 3 my hair was moisturized but year 4 was even better! I'm sure if I knew what I was doing I could have better moisturized hair faster, but it's all part of the learning process.
 
P

PJaye

Well-Known Member
beauti said:
@PJaye which deep conditioners do you recommend? Your post was thoroughly helpful.
Click to expand...


Every one of the deep conditioners referenced below has consistently provided me stellar results – unbelievably silky softness along with an insane amount of moisture and slip:

APB Green Tea, Milk & Honey Mask
APB White Chocolate Mousse Mask (contains silk protein)
Bobeam Cocoa Cream Condish
Bobeam Condish – Peppermint
NG Herbal Blends DC
NG Intense DC (contains silk protein)
NG Jamaica Me Crazy DC
NG Mango & Coconut DC
NG Marshmallow Root & Slippery DC

Honestly, I would advise anyone searching for a highly effective DC to pick up one...or four jars of the Bobeam and begin experimenting with it posthaste. I promise anyone contemplating a purchase either of those Bobeam DCs mentioned above will not be disappointed because they are excellent. As for the others, I suggest waiting for a nice sale promotion (25% or higher) before purchasing since they’re very pricey.

Two other highly effective albeit slip-less conditioners are PBN Chocolate Hair Smoothie (contains silk protein) and SD Shea What Deux. These two has given me extremely soft, ridiculously moisturized hair every time.
 
Amethyst67

Amethyst67

Member
My steamer works wonder for my hair. The kimmaytube leave in also keep my hair moisture. I have high porosity hair. I also use Scurl and wear a wig.
 
ajargon02

ajargon02

Well-Known Member
Top Knot said:
What should moisturize hair look and feel like? I know this is not:nono2: it on my head. Back in June I cut my BSL hair completely off due to getting micro twist for the first time. After getting them out (myself & daughter) I proceeded to wash it, which I later found out was a big no no:nono2:. Later found out that your suppose to detangle & comb your hair out before wetting it. Well it was a "hot mess":hair::mwahahafire:. Water locked & matted it as if I had dreadlocks .No amount of conditioner or anything would straighten it out. So the next day I went to salon and cosmetologist just looked:look: at me in :giggle: this manner undercover & staying professional about it.Like "girl what have you done to your heado_O:lachen:". She said "you're going to have to cut it all off and start over because I had long & short everywhere". So I went on to the b-b shop and cut it all the way down. Fast-forward to now my goal is to grow wl or tbl hair. I am 4 a/b with a little bit of c texture in the back. Here's the thing I have very thick hair and I cannot get it to stay moisturized. Today I tried the LOC method. It still looks dry. These are adjectives to describe what it feels and looks like. Dry, crunchy, and soft. If I put my hands in it, it's like the oil is just sitting on top and not penetrating because its on my hands. Just as if I've touched a piece of greasy fried chicken. I'm sorry, but this is the only way I can describe it:lachen:. It's all in good humor even though I feel so uncomfortable & unattractive w/o my long hair. I started in June and now at about 3 inches of growth. That's all.
Click to expand...
Are you keeping up on your protein treatments? It will help you to retain moisture.
 
L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
Hi:wave:.
No I have not used protein treatments since I BC'd. Some posters suggest that I may be using too much protein in the products i'm using currently (or was using).
 
L

Learn2Gro

Well-Known Member
ajargon02 said:
Are you keeping up on your protein treatments? It will help you to retain moisture.
Click to expand...
Hi:wave:.
No I have not used protein treatments since I BC'd. Some posters suggest that I may be using too much protein in the products i'm using currently (or was using).
 
PlainJane

PlainJane

Well-Known Member
I feel your pain! I did that before after taking my weave down once and I just cried and cried in the shower lol.

Once my hair was so dry it would snag while I was driving in the car and u could hear it scratching against the head rest of my car. It was really bad. I could barely comb it.

The only thing that helped my hair was overnight DCing every few days because like you, product would kind of just sit on top. After I did about 4 overnight DCs it got much better and my hair started reacting better to moisturizers and regular DCs.
 
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