my hair looks really bad now . . . any advice?

di · 01-19-2007, 06:56 PM

okay, i posted after my second day doing curly girl, and my hair sincerely looked better than it *ever* has - shiny, curly, volume . . .

that didn't last . . .

now, it looks worse than normal - it got really matted and greasy after the 4th or 5th day of cg routine, so now i wash just the roots (and hold the rest above my head when i rinse so that it doesn't get shampoo on it) every other day or every third, and i keep using conditioner in the cg method (canopy and underneath) on the rest, and i do full cg method on days when i don't shampoo the roots . . .

so, honestly, it's just looking nasty, and i'm tempted to just go back to my imperfect - but better - old routine (if it's a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best, before i tried cg my hair was probably a 7, now it's about 4).

i'm just not interested in messing with this and buying a bunch of products, trial and error, and etc. i feel like i've spent my whole life doing that . . . .

but if anyone has advice, here's what i'm doing:
my hair is botticelli, probably considered 3a on this chat group.
i'm using:
nature's gate aloe conditioner
goldwell flexi-whip mousse
dry with diffuser for volume

TeresaS · 01-19-2007, 07:45 PM

It may take a bit for your hair to settle down and return to "normal"... Your hair is used to being stripped of moisture which, for me at least, increases natural oil production.

You need to give your hair at least 3 weeks on total CG - you have to give the system a chance. One day, let alone one week, is not long enough to let your hair adapt to the changes.

Make sure you scrub your scalp with the exfolicating brown sugar scrub. Scrub it good. I do it for 5-8 minutes.

Do a vinegar rinse.

When I first started CG, I deep conditioned 2-3 times a week. My hair was very dry but oily at the same time! It did take 3 weeks for my hair to adjust to the changes. I couldn't be happier with it right now.

lushaholic · 01-19-2007, 07:51 PM

You definitely need to give it at least a week, no less, and 2-3 weeks is even better. Are you using the same conditioner for co-washing and regular conditioning? You might try using 2 different ones, but you certainly don't have to. Granted I've only tried the NG aloe once, I didn't get such good results with it. You might be better off with the jojoba one. Definitely make sure your're gently but firmly massaging your scalp for a good couple of minutes before stopping, and then let it sit for another minute or two before you rinse it out. I assume the Goldwell mousse is CG-friendly? Just asking because I haven't tried it myself. Just make sure doing the massaging really well when you're co-washing though, and that should help some. You could also try doing an ACV or lemon + conditioner rinse, or an epsom salt/brown sugar scrub if your scalp feels itchy.

di · 01-19-2007, 08:10 PM

i really appreciate it . . . i am, for now, staying with modified cg routine (b/c i wash the scalp/roots only with gentle shampoo) . . . i did almost 1 week of full cg, and i honestly can't have that - i am a professional, and i was in a work situation, and it struck me that i looked dirty and greasy . . . i can't do that, you know?

medusahair · 01-19-2007, 08:22 PM

I don't get much scalp grease but if I don't get the gel out of my hair with conditioner or no poo my hair will be tangly and look dirty. In the summer I can rinse and conditioner and do my routine but in the winter I have to work no poo or a cheap suave for washing through my hair to get off the gel.

I never got greasy but then I redo my hair daily.

You know they have no sulfate shampoos you can use so that you don't get greasy but you can still be gentle to your hair