Seriously though: why are there so few humectant free gels? - Page 2

dusalocks · 01-31-2013, 06:02 PM

I feel like now I need to find a protein free glycerine gel just to try and rule out the protein sensitivity. . . My coarseness is giving me a hairache.

I am going to look into this cj pattern pusha gel then. Protein and glycerine free. Such a find.

Kathymack, I suspect my hair likes more natural products (and boutique-y type) products too. Because my brain does, so that's why I need to get on that FSG.

So apply glycerine to hair when it is sopping wet and with steam. Right out of the shower then. I can try that and then scrunch out the excess moisture or plop afterwards. But don't reapply a glycerine laden gel to damp or dry hair? ? ?

kathymack · 02-01-2013, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dusalocks

So apply glycerine to hair when it is sopping wet and with steam. Right out of the shower then. I can try that and then scrunch out the excess moisture or plop afterwards. But don't reapply a glycerine laden gel to damp or dry hair? ? ?

I apply all products to soaking wet hair after I get out of the shower. I don't apply anything after my initial layering of products. For me, that guarantees a frizzy, bad hair day.

Morgan_Adcock · 02-01-2013, 09:11 AM

Quote:

... not being able to use humectants (ie glycerin) in winter and/or dry weather is a MYTH. Google it.

I found your comment interesting. So I took your advice, and Googled it.

First result This supports the argument that in low dew points glycerin will suck moisture out of the cortex of your hair.

The second result is the page on the same site that the first result took me to.

The third result is a short conversation on CurlTalk, which then links to the article above.

The fourth result again yields the information that when there is little water in the air, humectants will pull it out of hair. So, not a myth.

The fifth result takes me to information about glycerin being counterproductive in high dew points because it can draw too much moisture. So not relevant to this discussion.

The sixth result states that "If you can avoid most of them (which can be difficult) you’ll do a lot to help keep moisture in your hair." It also links to this article on NaturallyCurly.com, and cites this quote:

"In extremely low-humidity conditions, such as a cold, dry winter air, there is no appreciable amount of water in the air for the humectant to attract to the surface of the hair. In this particular type of climate, the best one can hope for with most traditional humectants is for them to prevent evaporation of water from the hair into the environment. Also, under these circumstances, there is some risk of the humectant actually removing moisture from the cortex of the hair itself, creating the problem it was intended to prevent."

So, again, this does not support your contention that humectant use is irrelevant in low dew points. I could go on, but there's a definite trend here.

dusalocks · 02-01-2013, 10:51 AM

I also googled it and wasn't able to find the exact link yet (more bad dew point stuff like morgan) but found something off this one site (I wish I'd bookmarked it) about how good glycerine is at retaining moisture, which made me think maybe I'm just using it incorrectly. . . I'm hopeful. Glycerine's in everything so I'd like to be able to get along with it.

All right so I'm adding this because I thought on it some more and did another google search with a more specified query. This time I landed on this link, but I'm skeptical of its claims because it's by oyin and, naturally, they'd say this because they want to sell their products:

Why It’s Okay to Use Glycerin In Winter | Black Girl with Long Hair

Also, why would I apply my glycerine gel or products before a shower? That would rinse them out. Maybe they're alluding to the supersoaker method.

Then there was this:

The Glycerine Dilemma | Savvy Brown

which confused me with the part about it being 70 degrees out and having to watch out for alcohols. I wasn't sure whether they meant the glycerine or other alcohols. . .

And this:

Hair Tip of The Day- The Truth About Glycerin | Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Natural Hair Care

which made me feel hopeful again. I think I'll have to just tinker with my styling technique.

then

This which actually says glycerine can help your hair grow:

Glycerin for Hair Growth | eHow.com

(Color me skeptical on that one. I think hair growth is genetic but influenced by diet probably first and foremost. Retaining length and stopping breakage is a different story.)

This which goes on about the virtues of ky jelly (of all things!) for your hair. FYI natural haven is actually the site in which I found good things about glycerine earlier this week:

THE NATURAL HAVEN: Glycerin: Good Stuff in a funny form!

And this:

Is Glycerin Good for Your Hair?

which kind of makes me think glycerine is a bit of a tricky devil again.

So end result:

Not sure. I'll have to keep at it.

dusalocks · 02-01-2013, 10:52 AM

I apply my leave in to sopping wet hair, but I prefer to apply my gel after scrunching out excess moisture. Not exactly damp hair but maybe halfway towards drying. I guess I'm lucky. My hair hasn't seen frizz since I've gone CG. But I'll try doing it you guys' way first and then plopping.

Morgan_Adcock · 02-02-2013, 10:14 AM

What glycerin and other humectants do is draw moisture to themselves. The traditional thinking is that if the humectant is in direct contact with hair, it will draw water to itself, and the hair in contact with it will be the first to benefit from excess water the humectant absorbs. Up to a point, that's right. However, the evidence shows that humectants will first and foremost maintain a minimum amount of water in the humectant, and that if the amount of water in the air (which is what dew point indicates) goes too low for it to draw moisture from the air, it will actually draw that moisture from hair it is in contact with, drying out the hair.

It's science: just the facts, ma'am.

rmc2 · 02-02-2013, 10:31 AM

Morgan I do not agree with you. My thinking is that so long as there is enough moisture aka water mixed with the glycerin (in my case by way of applying that glycerin containing product on soaking wet hair), the glycerin like a
sponge that is oversaturated will be "fed" and unable to absorb/steal more water from the hair. So the added moisture/water in hair will be "left alone.". You put a sponge in water. It will absorb water up to a point. After it is saturated, it cannot absorb more water. I use my glycerin products even in winter (Wash DC) and do not have a problem. On refresh days I just spray hair with water to revive the curls. My favorite products for my 4a hair (mid neck length if stretched) are Hawaiian Silky Curl Activator (glyc is 2nd ingredient) for "unnatural" product 0) and 3 tbsp aloe Vera gel or flaxseed gel mixed with 1 tbsp jojoba or almond oil and 1 1/2 tsp glycerin.

rmc2 · 02-02-2013, 10:34 AM

I meant either the Hawaiian curl activator (my favorite unnatural product) or my fsg/avg recipe (my favorite natural
product).

dusalocks · 02-02-2013, 12:28 PM

rmc2, I don't doubt for a second what you say is true and that your hair is healthy and has no adverse reactions to glycerine in your stylers.

Morgan and the rest of you guys, same there. I don't doubt that it dries your hair out like heck. But I can't rule out the possibility that maybe I, personally, wasn't applying it correctly.

I'm going to try and see if I can make glycerine work for me. Maybe the best way to experiment would be to go out and buy pure glycerin and dilute it, then try to style. Anybody know of a (cheap) protein free glycerine styler so I can rule out the protein sensitivity as a possible contributor? Or I may just try doing a protein treatment and seeing if my hair gets frazzled. If it does, I'm protein sensitive. If it doesn't, I ain't. Then I could just experiment with my argan ecostyler again . . .

rmc2 · 02-02-2013, 07:28 PM

Dusalock why don't you try my homemade recipe but skipping the glycerin. What is your type of hair. Why don't you try aloe vera gel (3 tpsp) mixed with 1 tbsp jojoba or sweet among oil ..... Also Check Curls Creme Brûlée at Target. May be but I am not sure glycerin and protein free.

dusalocks · 02-02-2013, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmc2

Dusalock why don't you try my homemade recipe but skipping the glycerin. What is your type of hair. Why don't you try aloe vera gel (3 tpsp) mixed with 1 tbsp jojoba or sweet among oil ..... Also Check Curls Creme Brûlée at Target. May be but I am not sure glycerin and protein free.

I will! Just as soon as I finish drinking my aloe juice because I bought the wrong thing.

And I'll check out Curls Creme Brulee. What a yummy name. It hope it smells as good as it sounds. . .

dusalocks · 02-02-2013, 07:42 PM

Oh and I'm 3A with 3B underlayer at the nape. Coarse, high porosity, low elasticity, medium to high density. Maybe I'll update my signature to be less whimsical and more practical. And then I'll update my life to follow suit.