Real Talk....
- Thread starter gymfreak336
- Start date
99.99999% of your conditioners are going to be pH balanced or normalizing. You really cannot go wrong! (Kenra, Kenra, Kenra, Kenra) Conditioners are made up of cationic surfactants which'll assist in cuticle closing. They are naturally acidic.Make sure that you're following your rinses with a cold water rinse in the end for several minutes. This will help with the mechanical closing of your cuticle. Generally, you are going to want to wash your color treated hair in luke warm water, as hot water will cause your color to leech. After you apply your heat to your rinse, make sure that you let your hair cool down before you rinse it too. That'll keep you from rinsing half your color down the drain.
I've been doing this for a while now, and loving the way my hair feels smoother. My question, though, is: If you rinse your hair with cold water, closing the cuticles, don't they just open right back up when you use heat for styling? I can understand the compression of some of the cuticles during a rollerset, but what if you air dry on a hot day? TIA
Sistaslick
New Member
Well, Not exactly. With flatirons, the cuticle is forced down with the combo of concentrated, high heat and the physical downward motion of the iron. With rollersetting, the mold of the roller does the same thing with less heat. The cuticles are smoothed from the iron/roller b/c water is systematically evaporated from the hair as the hair is pulled straight. The heat alters hair proteins and temporarily "freezes" the hair into place as the water is evaporated from the shaft. The hotter the styling tool, the sleeker the outcome... which is why airdried hair is the least sleek of all the drying/styling options. But with hotter heat implements, which would be more drastic hydrogen bond breaking and protein denaturing, you open yourself to extra damage. You also get extra, sometimes permanent "lengthening" of the hair with flatironing b/c of the concentrated, (right on the shaft) heat's ability to manipulate the protein structure of the hair. This is why flatironing is the least desirable of the options, and why some naturals can "press" out and damage part of their natural curl pattern w/ high enough heat no matter how much water is reintroduced to the shaft.
Heat by itself opens cuticles (deep conditioning,etc), but we're talking about the "controlled" heating of the hair using concentrated heat and a tool like a roller or iron. That directed heating with the assistance of a protective serum helps close the cuticles. Blowdryers, on the other hand, get a bad rep because they blow hair all over and do NOT assist with the closing of the cuticles. If you just blast heat at your head randomly, you don't get that silkening/sleek effect. You get big, swollen, cuticle crazy hair.
(Unless you are using a tool to straigten as you blow)As soon as you introduce more water or humidity, your hair will "revert" and the cuticles will reopen to take in that water from the air/or wash. The natural bonding structure returns, hence, the frizzy, poofy look of reverted hair. Porous or damaged hair responds the worse to heat straightening since there are rarely enough hydrogen or sound protein bonds there to manipulate. It does not "hold" a curl easily. HTH!
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Well, Not exactly. With flatirons, the cuticle is forced down with the combo of concentrated, high heat and the physical downward motion of the iron. With rollersetting, the mold of the roller does the same thing with less heat. The cuticles are smoothed from the iron/roller b/c water is systematically evaporated from the hair as the hair is pulled straight. The heat alters hair proteins and temporarily "freezes" the hair into place as the water is evaporated from the shaft. The hotter the styling tool, the sleeker the outcome... which is why airdried hair is the least sleek of all the drying/styling options. But with hotter heat implements, which would be more drastic hydrogen bond breaking and protein denaturing, you open yourself to extra damage. You also get extra, sometimes permanent "lengthening" of the hair with flatironing b/c of the concentrated, (right on the shaft) heat's ability to manipulate the protein structure of the hair. This is why flatironing is the least desirable of the options, and why some naturals can "press" out and damage part of their natural curl pattern w/ high enough heat no matter how much water is reintroduced to the shaft.
Heat by itself opens cuticles (deep conditioning,etc), but we're talking about the "controlled" heating of the hair using concentrated heat and a tool like a roller or iron. That directed heating with the assistance of a protective serum helps close the cuticles. Blowdryers, on the other hand, get a bad rep because they blow hair all over and do NOT assist with the closing of the cuticles. If you just blast heat at your head randomly, you don't get that silkening/sleek effect. You get big, swollen, cuticle crazy hair.
As soon as you introduce more water or humidity, your hair will "revert" and the cuticles will reopen to take in that water from the air/or wash. The natural bonding structure returns, hence, the frizzy, poofy look of reverted hair. Porous or damaged hair responds the worse to heat straightening since there are rarely enough hydrogen or sound protein bonds there to manipulate. It does not "hold" a curl easily. HTH!
Thanks for that answer, Sis. When I understand the "why", I always know the "what"!
Cien
Pink is my signature color
Normally, I don't read long threads or posts....but I got caught up in this one, because the initial post was so interesting!! Now I understand why my hair loooooves CON conditioner!
This thread should help me be more careful when choosing hair products---and not to run out and purchase 'the next new thing'...because my hair type might not agree with it.
I'll try that cold water rinse tonight when I wash my hair. I may freeze my hiney off, since I wash in the shower..but it may be worth it!
This is some REALLY GOOD STUFF!!!!
*subscribing*
Thanks ladies!!
This thread should help me be more careful when choosing hair products---and not to run out and purchase 'the next new thing'...because my hair type might not agree with it.
I'll try that cold water rinse tonight when I wash my hair. I may freeze my hiney off, since I wash in the shower..but it may be worth it!
This is some REALLY GOOD STUFF!!!!
*subscribing*
Thanks ladies!!
sunshinebeautiful
Well-Known Member
Gym, Sista, and Artemis.... ya'll are on point! You know more information about the science of hair than some hairstylists.
Normally, I don't read long threads or posts....but I got caught up in this one, because the initial post was so interesting!! Now I understand why my hair loooooves CON conditioner!
This thread should help me be more careful when choosing hair products---and not to run out and purchase 'the next new thing'...because my hair type might not agree with it.
I'll try that cold water rinse tonight when I wash my hair. I may freeze my hiney off, since I wash in the shower..but it may be worth it!
This is some REALLY GOOD STUFF!!!!
*subscribing*
Thanks ladies!!
Helpful Hint: I wash in the shower, too, but I found a way to rinse without the rest of my body getting wet: I use a sprayer I got from the pet supply store and lie backward over the edge of the bathtub (a tub or shower stool can help) and let my hair hang in the tub. It's the same position as the shampoo bowl at the salon. I wear a shampoo cape, and the only thing that gets wet is my hair! HTH
gorgeoushair
Well-Known Member
I've done the water test before in the past and it sank. Is the strand suppose to be dry or wet? i used super b/c my hair is resistant.
LynnieB
Well-Known Member
.........and because i had nothing else better to do then to take silly arse pixchures of a flat, ribbon-like, hard and wiry hair strand
what size would you ladies consider this to be? Medium?
feel free to bust out laughin'
right
NOW
Artemis
New Member
LynnieB, is that middle line the result of a ball-point pen? It looks like you used a marker.
ETA: If compared to a ball-point pen, it would be easier to tell, but I think that might be medium. According to an author on Hairboutique, "wiry" is apart of hair typing too. So "medium-wiry" is my final answer
ETA: If compared to a ball-point pen, it would be easier to tell, but I think that might be medium. According to an author on Hairboutique, "wiry" is apart of hair typing too. So "medium-wiry" is my final answer
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LynnieB
Well-Known Member
naw, it's just one of those cheapo Staples brand 200 in a box type pens.
it's not a fine point pen
lachen:you are suppose to laugh Artemis - where's the laughing smilie?
ETA: i'm really trying to figure out why i have such a hard time finding products that work for my hair. this post explains some of it to a point (don't think i'm not grateful gym and sista cause i am LOL).
if your hair is hard and wiry like this, there's not gonna be many products that work for it
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Artemis
New Member
naw, it's just one of those cheapo Staples brand 200 in a box type pens.
it's not a fine point pen
you are suppose to laugh Artemis - where's the laughing smilie?
Oops, sorry
I was in analyst mode - clicking back and forth between here and Banana Republic
I edited my post above - I say medium.
LynnieB
Well-Known Member
Oops, sorry
I was in analyst mode - clicking back and forth between here and Banana Republic
I edited my post above - I say medium.
hehe np, i've got about 5 active windows going at the same time
.thanks!
gymfreak336
New Member
Thanks Sistaslick for coming back in and posting more info.
Lynnie and Artemis......... Yall are crazy but yeah, I agree with A. medium-wirey
@ Gym Class
Lynnie and Artemis......... Yall are crazy
but yeah, I agree with A. medium-wirey@ Gym Class
bludaydreamr
Well-Known Member
[QUOTEah! i see I'm learning to be extra gentle as the strands of my hair are very fragile
i find that i have to put the stuff in while my hair is wet. putting anything on dry hair for me is a waste of product
Same here. I put everthing I need on my wet hair. I find that putting moisturizer on my hair after its dried does next to nothing. I can't rely on that anymore
QUOTE]
I have not been able to figure out, why my hair will not stay moisturized when i moisturize daily.Thanks for the info.
i find that i have to put the stuff in while my hair is wet. putting anything on dry hair for me is a waste of product
Same here. I put everthing I need on my wet hair. I find that putting moisturizer on my hair after its dried does next to nothing. I can't rely on that anymore
QUOTE]
I have not been able to figure out, why my hair will not stay moisturized when i moisturize daily.Thanks for the info.
thegirltolove
Member
You know, this has to be the most informative thread that I have run across. You ladies are so helpful. I did the strand/ball point pen test and my strand looked much like LynnieB's. I guess my strands are not as thick as I once thought
.
Also, I notice that when I rinse milk over my hair prior to shampooing and conditioning, ALL of my hair is smoother, not just the NG. It is softer and able to hold moisture a lot better. Couldn't figure out why...
After reading this thread, I am thinking it is the lactic acid in the milk. Normally, my hair feels rough and breaks, but after adopting the milk into my normal hair care routine, I find that I don't have to use such heavy moisturizing products and the breakage STOPPED instantly.
I thank you ladies for hookin a sista up with knowledge. This is SOOOOO worth my $5!!!
.Also, I notice that when I rinse milk over my hair prior to shampooing and conditioning, ALL of my hair is smoother, not just the NG. It is softer and able to hold moisture a lot better. Couldn't figure out why...
After reading this thread, I am thinking it is the lactic acid in the milk. Normally, my hair feels rough and breaks, but after adopting the milk into my normal hair care routine, I find that I don't have to use such heavy moisturizing products and the breakage STOPPED instantly.
I thank you ladies for hookin a sista up with knowledge. This is SOOOOO worth my $5!!!
thegirltolove
Member
Gymfreak told me once that you can tell by taking a ball-point pen and drawing a straight line on a piece of paper, and then hold a strand of shed hair next to it. If the hair strand is thicker than the line, your hair is coarse; if it's thinner, then it's fine, and if it's about the same size it's medium/normal.
And yes, you can test your porosity by doing the "sink test". Make sure your hair is clean and product-free first, though.
Thank you so much for the info Artemis!!!! I love learning new things about my hair!!!
kiesha8185
Active Member
Excellent read, Gym!!!!
Mook's hair
New Member
This thread is great...well-worth the read. I missed it back in Jan.
I'm bumping for the newbies and anyone else who might have missed it.
danigurl18
Active Member
Wonderful!! I need this...
LovingLady
Well-Known Member
This thread has a lot of great information.
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