wooing my hair

[keeshesfromindy]

I've been reading Andre Walker's book. I embrace his idea of loving your hair and how I have been declaring war on my hair all these years. Now I am trying to woo my hair, and it's putting up a fight reminding me all those times I done did it wrong. This morning I used Affirm 5 and 1 reconstructor to condition wash my hair and it didn't tangle, and after that I put some rusk smoother leave in conditioner(mixed with jojoba oil) then some carefree gold activator. My hair is sooo thick that I just got home and it was still wet, but it was still frizzy. I let it air dry. I just don't understand, I guess i'm getting dishearted. I put some more carefree in my hair mind you it does moisturize my hair, and makes it feel good, my hair still kind of shed in my hand. I went ahead and wrapped my hair and put my silk scarf on. I'm just trying to understand what else I need to do. Andre also said that my hair type 4A/4B needs protein and moisture. I plan on buying some protein shampoos and protein conditioners/reconstructors but i'm thinking is this too much protein, will my hair rebel and continue shedding? I try to eat right, I drink lots of water. I try to keep things simple, my hair is just loving my approach. I'm going to stretch my relaxers to 5 weeks. I don't want go natural because 1) i'm not sure how I would look great. 2) I would still have to take care of it myself, although that wash and go is sounding pretty good right now. 3) I know me, I'm going to want my hair straightened and I'm going to say I might as well get a relaxer and the vicious cycle starts all over again. My scalp is itchy and I plan on seeing my determatologist and ask for a cream, because of my relaxed hair. I don't see any flakes, but i have a few spots that are very itchy and it seems like my scalp is sometimes on fire. Even when i do a preshampoo treatment, i will let the oils stay on for a long time, I still have hard hair. I haven't used my brush in like a month, this is a positive thing, but i'm wondering where I'm going wrong. I try to keep a regimen wash on wednesdays(condtioner wash, probably put
too much stuff in it after I'm done), saturdays or sundays I give it the works, but these things don't seem the work. The week I go to the hair dresser, I just do a conditioner wash, because my hair is sweaty and stinks from working in a transmission plant. I'm just going all wrong, believe me my hair is soft right now but frizzy. I'm wondering what I should do.
Keeshes.

 

[sweetcocoa]

Do you think the combination of working in a transmission plant(are there any fumes) and sweating are working against you? You really need to shampoo more often and maybe rinse daily to get rid of the salt from sweating...salt and relaxers (and anything you might be picking up at work) may be clashing with each other. If you want to keep relaxing do as a co-worker of mine does..she has bra strap relaxed hair, and she rinses EVERYNIGHT, and wears her hair back in a loose ponytail or up in simple loose protective styles. She says she only wears her hair out occasionally...about once a month for work..or when she goes out. The moisture of rinsing keeps her hair from getting dried out. If your water is hard try your nightly rinsing(between shampoos) with distilled water...that's what I do. I hope this helps some.

 

[UmSumayyah]

Also maybe you need to add in a clarifying shampoo if you haven't done it in awhile.
Someone else had luck with adding cinnamon powder to their hot oil to alleviate scalp soreness, maybe it works for the itchies too. Also maybe you can add some essential oils to your hot oil or just change the kind you use.
HTH

 

[keeshesfromindy]

Well we have a water softner, but we still may have hard water. I will pick up some distilled water. Which clarifying shampoo should I get? I will try rinising every other night. I'm thinking of adding lavendar, tea tree oil, maybe some peppermint to my essential oils. I think I'm just being impatient. Then also I'm in grad school, so that may be stressing me out. Thanks for the information. Also after I wash my hair I always feel I have no idea what to do with my hair or what to add to my hair. I will keep searching the boards for protein based shampoos and reconstructors and natural ingredients in my products.

Keeshes

 

[ny2atl]

Hey Keeshes... I love Affirm's 5 in 1. It's a reconstructor/protein conditioner. I don't think you should be using that for conditioner washes. Reconstructors are usually used for breakage. Overuse of them dries the hair and CAUSES breakage... the same breakage that you're trying to stop. My 2 cents is to use moisturizing conditioners for your conditioner washes.

I haven't ready Andre's book but I agree that "wooing" our hair is GREAT advice. I do try to baby my hair more now. I comb it more gently

.... I do extra moisturizing...

and it really seems to be paying off. Oh yeah and I've become very aware the ingredients in the products that I buy now.

Oh yeah, you said you're going to stretch your touch up to 5 weeks. How often do you do them now?

 

[JenJen2721]

Keeshes,
Can you cover your hair while at work? Maybe w/a hat, scarf, or pretty wrap? Maybe the transmission fumes are damaging your hair.

I also had to watch the amount of protein I was putting on my hair. It was making it quite hard. My hair loves moisture. It responds really well to Lanza's Dry Hair Moisture Treatment followed by the Dry Hair Detangler.

I use shampoos w/protein in them and heat protectants w/protein, but very sparingly otherwise.

HTH,
Jen

 

[patticake]

speaking of protein shampoo, is Motions Lavinshing Conditioning Shampoo considered a protein shampoo? i think it has silk protein and nother protein in it so i was just wondering because i have 2 big bottles of it collecting dust in my cabinet.

 

[keeshesfromindy]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
ny2atl said:
Hey Keeshes... I love Affirm's 5 in 1. It's a reconstructor/protein conditioner. I don't think you should be using that for conditioner washes. Reconstructors are usually used for breakage. Overuse of them dries the hair and CAUSES breakage... the same breakage that you're trying to stop. My 2 cents is to use moisturizing conditioners for your conditioner washes.

I haven't ready Andre's book but I agree that "wooing" our hair is GREAT advice. I do try to baby my hair more now. I comb it more gently

.... I do extra moisturizing...

and it really seems to be paying off. Oh yeah and I've become very aware the ingredients in the products that I buy now.

Oh yeah, you said you're going to stretch your touch up to 5 weeks. How often do you do them now?



[/ QUOTE ]

I tend to get them every 4 weeks. I hope to stretch to atleast five or six but no more than that. I know my limits.
Keeshes

 

[keeshesfromindy]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
JenJen2721 said:
Keeshes,
Can you cover your hair while at work? Maybe w/a hat, scarf, or pretty wrap? Maybe the transmission fumes are damaging your hair.

I also had to watch the amount of protein I was putting on my hair. It was making it quite hard. My hair loves moisture. It responds really well to Lanza's Dry Hair Moisture Treatment followed by the Dry Hair Detangler.

I use shampoos w/protein in them and heat protectants w/protein, but very sparingly otherwise.

HTH,
Jen


[/ QUOTE ]

Jen, I probably can, but I need to find some more pretty scarves, I would love to wear wraps that are knotted at the nape of my neck, I would need silk for sure though. Do you know any different shampoos besides the Lanza's shampoo? I will try those. I'm doing some investigating into products before I go out and buy them. I'm trying to curb my pj tendencies. I have no doubt that the fumes in the plant are damanging my hair. I do wear hats sometimes.
Thanks for the tips.
Keeshes

 

[JenJen2721]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
keeshesfromindy said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
JenJen2721 said:
Keeshes,
Can you cover your hair while at work? Maybe w/a hat, scarf, or pretty wrap? Maybe the transmission fumes are damaging your hair.

I also had to watch the amount of protein I was putting on my hair. It was making it quite hard. My hair loves moisture. It responds really well to Lanza's Dry Hair Moisture Treatment followed by the Dry Hair Detangler.

I use shampoos w/protein in them and heat protectants w/protein, but very sparingly otherwise.

HTH,
Jen


[/ QUOTE ]

Jen, I probably can, but I need to find some more pretty scarves, I would love to wear wraps that are knotted at the nape of my neck, I would need silk for sure though. Do you know any different shampoos besides the Lanza's shampoo? I will try those. I'm doing some investigating into products before I go out and buy them. I'm trying to curb my pj tendencies. I have no doubt that the fumes in the plant are damanging my hair. I do wear hats sometimes.
Thanks for the tips.
Keeshes


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't use Lanza's shampoo, it didn't do much for me. But I love their moisture treatment and detangler (Dry Hair line). I like BreakThru Shampoo (contains protein) or Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing shampoo. Those are my FAVORITE shampoos and inexpensive too!!

Jen