Need help, nothing is working!

CurlGeek · 10-14-2012, 09:51 AM

I'm totally lost. I have been CG for almost a month now and my hair is sooo dry. I feel like it is dryer than before I went CG. It seems like every product I have tried makes it worse. Currently I am co-washing with the Tresemme Naturals conditioner and using AOHR as my rinse out and leave in then using KCCC. I did the aPHogee protein treatment a couple of weeks go and I have been doing deep conditioning treatments multiple times a week but still dry dry dry. Some of the gels and products I have tried so far are LA Looks Sports Gel, EcoStyler Krystal, Herbal Essences Set me up gel and mousse, herbal essences totally twisted mouse. I thought I might be protein sensitive so I cut those out of my routine but it hasn't made a difference. HELP!

Ml001 · 10-14-2012, 12:37 PM

The Aubrey Organics has denatured alcohol which is very drying to hair. It also has glycerin which some people have a problem with. The tresseme has aloe in it which acts as protein for some people. I would start with changing those products first.

ETA: The LA looks & ECO gel have protein. The Herbal Essences has denatured alcohol.

CurlGeek · 10-14-2012, 01:32 PM

Wow thank you! That's super helpful! Any suggestions for a better cowash and rinseout that I can find at Sally's or somewhere local?

Ml001 · 10-14-2012, 07:39 PM

I can't really help with brands for you - my hair didn't like any drug store products. I think some of the suave naturals are protein free.

But, look through the product review thread and look through responses to other similar posts to yours. You should be able find something to try next. Just remember to find someone with similar hair properties as you - greater chance their hg products will work well for you, too. Until you figure out your hair's protein needs, you might want to avoid them all -- look into what exactly protein is...the ingredient list doesn't always say "protein".

Good luck!

dresdendoll · 10-14-2012, 11:49 PM

This happened to me when I used heavy conditioners and KCCC. I also think it might be protein. My guess is your hair is low-ish porosity and isn't absorbing the moisture you're applying because you're not using a shampoo that would open the cuticle. I'd recommend trying a gentle, gentle lowpoo (like Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo.) Also, gels and KCCC always seemed drying to me. Maybe try a creamier styler(: Creamier gels include Beautiful Curls Gel for Wavy to Curly Hair (found at Whole Foods) and Koils by Nature Herbal Peppermint Gel (found online.) You could also try a curl cream, like Alba Botanica Soft Style Cream. I'm trying it right now and like it. At Sally's, I heard Biotera Curl Cream works well too. Hair One, their knockoff of Wen, could work as a cowash. Good luck!

Ml001 · 10-15-2012, 06:24 AM

The low-porosity thing is a good point. If this is the case, use a steam treatment to get your conditioner to absorb well. Look in the protein-sensitive forum at the "DT?" thread...I explain how I do my steam cap. If your hair is low-po, gentle heat is your friend.

Korkscrew · 10-15-2012, 03:30 PM

You've been layering so many products I would seriously "hit reset" and use a clarifying shampoo to get everything out.

Then I would use a quality conditioner, to be followed up with an ACV rinse to correct any pH balance issue.

I'll take a wild guess and say you might have a problem with one or more of your stylers. You might want to try one at a time to find the culprit/s.

And you don't want to overdo it with conditioning treatments as that causes problems too. So much of hair care is about balance, I've found.

CurlGeek · 10-15-2012, 03:58 PM

I've definitly never used all of these products on the same day but I think you're right. My hair seemed to be gaining more moisure and doing better and then I used the Herbal Essences product with the KCCC because people have suggested using a gel with it and my hair went crazy. On Saturday when I tried to style it there were all these loose frizzy almost crinkled hairs all of a sudden not only on the top of my head but sticking out of all my curls which is totally new to me. I stopped using the Aubrey Organics and shampooed with a sulphate shampoo yesterday just to get anything bad out of my hair. I didn't follow up with any product just GVP Conditioning balm as a rinse out and leave-in. My hair felt a little better this morning when I woke up but when I tried to wash and style with just the KCCC today I had the same effect. I have no idea what is wrong.

MolMol313 · 10-15-2012, 04:59 PM

that happened to me when I first started CG. It's all about experimenting. I have 3a/3b hair and I finally found a routine that I semi-iike. Still not 100% satisfied.

Shampoo: Shea Moisture
Conditioner: Say Yes to Carrots
LI: CJ CCCC
Gel: KCCC
Finisher: CJ Curls in a Bottle

Just bought some BB Flax Seed Gelee cant wait to try!

CurlGeek · 10-15-2012, 05:02 PM

When it happened to you how did you fix it? Did you need more moisture, more protein?

Korkscrew · 10-15-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurlGeek

I've definitly never used all of these products on the same day but I think you're right. My hair seemed to be gaining more moisure and doing better and then I used the Herbal Essences product with the KCCC because people have suggested using a gel with it and my hair went crazy. On Saturday when I tried to style it there were all these loose frizzy almost crinkled hairs all of a sudden not only on the top of my head but sticking out of all my curls which is totally new to me. I stopped using the Aubrey Organics and shampooed with a sulphate shampoo yesterday just to get anything bad out of my hair. I didn't follow up with any product just GVP Conditioning balm as a rinse out and leave-in. My hair felt a little better this morning when I woke up but when I tried to wash and style with just the KCCC today I had the same effect. I have no idea what is wrong.

Did you problem start around the time you began using (or increased the amount of ...) KCCC?

CurlGeek · 10-15-2012, 05:28 PM

I had been using the KCCC every day for a little less than a week when it started happening. But isn't KCCC supposed to be really moisturizing and healthy for your hair?

asianrunner · 10-15-2012, 06:20 PM

The weather change may also be affecting your moisture needs. My hair hasn't always needed lots of moisture but lately my hair can't get enough!

Other light cowashes are Suave Naturals (just not the coconut) and VO5. KCCC has lots of aloe if your hair doesn't like that.

You could also check out GVP conditioning balm at Sally's or Yes to Cucumbers/Carrots at Target/Wal-Mart.

Korkscrew · 10-15-2012, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurlGeek

I had been using the KCCC every day for a little less than a week when it started happening. But isn't KCCC supposed to be really moisturizing and healthy for your hair?

KCCC seems to be inexplicably super-hydrating and drying at the same time, at least that's been my experience with it. To explain:

I, like many other curlies here, have noticed it takes a much longer time than usual for hair with KCCC to dry (and that's can even happen if you're using a conservative amount), suggesting it has a heavy conditioning effect for some of us. That's why I wonder if the KCCC along with the conditioner might be over-conditioning your hair. ... At the same time, KCCC can seem dry sometimes to the touch. Maybe you could try using way less of it, and see if that helps.