mollydollface

Now that I've found out I'm a 3a I decided to ask my fellow curlies some questions!
1. How do u know if your hair likes or dislikes protein? Is it just trial and error?
2. Would anyone be willing to help me figure out my hair porosity/ elasticity/ and texture? I read the description on LCLF but I dont quite know yet...
3. What is a dimethicone? I know its bad for my hair, but I started reading ingredients on all my beauty products (lotion, make-up, etc...) and its in all of them!!
Thanks for reading, I know this is alot of questions but if anyone has some spare time on their hands or just likes to share their expertise I would really appreciate it!

Sent from my Zio using CurlTalk App

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curlyjenn10

Welcome!

1. The only way to know for sure is to try it. But there are some general rules with protein. If you have coarse hair, you already have an abundance of protein and don't need the extra, so using products with protein in them can lead to straw hair. If your hair is fine, your hair doesn't have as much and would do really well with the extra protein.

2. Sure! Have you read this post? Getting Your Curl On: a step-by-step guide There are some good links there and Tiffany tells you exactly how to figure it out. If this is what you've already read, what questions do you have?

3. Dimethicone and other silicones aren't inherently bad for your hair. Sulfates are what's bad as they're very drying. Most people stop using silicones and other non-water-soluble ingredients because they can only be removed using shampoos that contain surfactants. The preferred surfactant is usually a sulfate like SLS, though there are other milder ones in shampoos that we call low-poos. If silicones aren't removed, they build up and prevent moisture from entering the hair, which can get really gross. When I first joined here, there was a belief that sulfates were the only surfactants that could remove silicones, so that's why most people gave them up. Anyway, silicones can be beneficial in other things like skincare products because they seal moisture in.

I hope that helps! If you think of anything else, just ask

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CG since 6/15/08!
Medium-Fine/Normal Porosity

http://collegecurly.blogspot.com/

whatuask

how nice of you to answer-it benefited me as well. I hadn't heard that rule of thumb about coarse vs. thin hair & protein. i think mine is normal, so i guess i won't worry about having too much or not enough...?

thanks

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Kristin
-Mostly 3A, though wavy if not enough moisture (like when I lived in CO.).
-High dew point gives large ringlets, though smaller & tighter coils at neck.
-Med. texture, high density, normally porous?
-sulfate free, silicone free baby!
-searching for good stylers (but can't purchase living in China! must wait till summers to buy in US)

whatuask

These are certainly not stupid questions-it's obvious you're thinking pretty deeply about all this

i'm not sure of the answers for you or even myself (new also), but from what i read, i don't identify w/ course hair, so i rule that out for now, & from what hairdressers have always said about how my hair is SO THICK, i doubt i have fine hair, right?

dimethicone- yeah, i'm confused about that, b/c it's like this sacred thing-don't use it!!, but then so many CGers list dimth-containing gels/creams in their holy grail products. i guess as long as you can get it out w/ something sulfate-free. i'd rather find something that doesn't contain it & be done w/ it.

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Kristin
-Mostly 3A, though wavy if not enough moisture (like when I lived in CO.).
-High dew point gives large ringlets, though smaller & tighter coils at neck.
-Med. texture, high density, normally porous?
-sulfate free, silicone free baby!
-searching for good stylers (but can't purchase living in China! must wait till summers to buy in US)