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LadyPlymdale · 11-14-2012, 11:19 PM

My hair is similar.

2C for the most part, with a few 2B pieces scattered throughout. Shoulder length, medium-coarse, low/medium porosity, very dense.

My hair is also protein-sensitive & thrives on a moisture heavy routine.

You mentioned problems with second day hair & a gunky feeling. I had that for the first three months after going CG, until I realized my hair is very prone to "conditioner cling", caused by the buildup of cationic surfactants & polyquaterniums found in a lot of styling products (shampoos, conditioners, leave-ins, gels), especially 'cone-free products, since they add "slip" in place of silicone.

Common cationics are: cetrimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate, "ammonium salts" (a broad category) & anything ending in "-ium".

Common polyquaterniums are: polyquat-4, polyquat-7, polyquat-10, polyquat-11, polyquat-37, polyquat-44. Some are more "sticky" than others, but all can potentially build up on hair & block moisture.

The chemistry can get technical, but most normal (anionic) shampoos do not remove cationics & polyquats, they just cause them to bond even more tenaciously to the hair shaft, so the more you use them & try to wash them out, the worse it all gets.

A low-poo with an amphoteric surfactant, like coco betaine, can help with the removal of polyquats, although it doesn't get 100% of the buildup.

I had to switch out a lot of my shampoos, conditioners & styling agents to avoid these ingredients, but my hair is SO much better for it.

I currently use Aubrey Organics products for the most part, since their whole lineup seems to be silicone, cationic & polyquat free. I also like several Shea Moisture shampoos (Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention; African Black Soap Deep Cleansing).

Again, buildup may not be your issue, but it may be something to look into.

Good luck!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using CurlTalk App

11-14-2012, 11:19 PM	#4
LadyPlymdale Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 24	My hair is similar. 2C for the most part, with a few 2B pieces scattered throughout. Shoulder length, medium-coarse, low/medium porosity, very dense. My hair is also protein-sensitive & thrives on a moisture heavy routine. You mentioned problems with second day hair & a gunky feeling. I had that for the first three months after going CG, until I realized my hair is very prone to "conditioner cling", caused by the buildup of cationic surfactants & polyquaterniums found in a lot of styling products (shampoos, conditioners, leave-ins, gels), especially 'cone-free products, since they add "slip" in place of silicone. Common cationics are: cetrimonium chloride, behentrimonium methosulfate, "ammonium salts" (a broad category) & anything ending in "-ium". Common polyquaterniums are: polyquat-4, polyquat-7, polyquat-10, polyquat-11, polyquat-37, polyquat-44. Some are more "sticky" than others, but all can potentially build up on hair & block moisture. The chemistry can get technical, but most normal (anionic) shampoos do not remove cationics & polyquats, they just cause them to bond even more tenaciously to the hair shaft, so the more you use them & try to wash them out, the worse it all gets. A low-poo with an amphoteric surfactant, like coco betaine, can help with the removal of polyquats, although it doesn't get 100% of the buildup. I had to switch out a lot of my shampoos, conditioners & styling agents to avoid these ingredients, but my hair is SO much better for it. I currently use Aubrey Organics products for the most part, since their whole lineup seems to be silicone, cationic & polyquat free. I also like several Shea Moisture shampoos (Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention; African Black Soap Deep Cleansing). Again, buildup may not be your issue, but it may be something to look into. Good luck! Sent from my DROID RAZR using CurlTalk App __________________ 2C/3A--med-coarse, slightly porous (highlighted), very dry & protein sensitive No-Poo: Naturally Amari Berry No-Poo (w/o Aloe & Horsetail) Condition: Suave Daily Clarifying & Sun-Ripened Strawberry Stylers: 4Naturals Spring Back, L'oreal Everstyle Curl Defining Gel Avoiding: sulfates, ‘cones, parabens, polyquats/cationics (except stearamidopropyl dimethylamine), most proteins/extracts. Last edited by LadyPlymdale; 11-15-2012 at 03:45 AM.