Clarification on clarification

wild~hair · 07-20-2009, 02:34 PM

Something has been UP with my hair for a while. I used to be a 5th-day hair kinda gal. Lately, I've been lucky if I can get one good day.

My symptoms: the curls are well formed initially [day one], then they just expand and keep expanding until they are poufed out beyond recognition.

In trying to assess this situation, I ended up blaming: all the myriad styling products [AOHR being a big one], lack of protein, overconditioning, too much protein, the weather, you name it.

This has been going on since last winter! And I would try something, like a protein treatment, and my hair would respond really favorably initially. I would think, "Finally!" And then within a day or two, I'd be right back where I started. So frustrating.

At points I thought I needed clarifying, so I did that. I would wash with what I thought would be a clarifying shampoo [Aubrey's Rosa Mosqueta or some Suave I had laying around] or use baking soda mixed into some conditioner. Nothing really did much of anything.

A couple weeks ago, I decided to get serious and try Aloe Rid. But my Walgreens didn't have it that day. So I was reminded of Dr. Bronner's and got that instead, in lavender. One application and I saw a slight improvement. The curls stayed more formed and cohesive by day two. It didn't look great, but I could still see them in there, hanging on.

Thinking back, this has been an issue with my hair before. I had a product a couple years ago that built up [Garnier Fructis Curl and Shine] and it took a couple months to get that stuff outta my hair. I used Dr. Bronner's to do the deed back then too.

My point with this thread: I think we need to try different things with clarifying. And if you've done it once, don't just check it off the list of things you've tried, like I did. Maybe you need to try it in a different way. Or do it more than once.

By the way, I think the culprit this time was the mineral oil in the K-Pak knock off. But I can't be sure. Anyway, I've since switched to Nexxus Emergencee.

I'm hoping that by posting this, I WILL REMEMBER THIS next time I have build up! All the months I've been so frustrated and the answer was so simple!

tinah · 07-20-2009, 06:46 PM

For future reference - Sally's has a GVP knock off of the Aloe Rid. I use it every so often because I have terribly hard water and it does a really good job of taking care of that problem for me.

I hope the Dr. Bronner's stuff works for you! I'll keep my fingers crossed.

msgiblet · 07-21-2009, 04:25 AM

Yep, the Sally's GVP knockoff of the Aloe Rid is the one I use, too. I actually prefer it over the real deal. It's supposed to be the exact same thing so I think it's the packaging I like better.

kathymack · 07-21-2009, 05:32 AM

I've had the same issue trying to get rid of mineral oil (and castor oil, too.) I never did sulphates, but I did did soap bars, Dairy Whip and finally lowpoo. It took about ten days for my hair to return to normal. That's why I always caution against the K-Pak. When you can buy a product (Nexxus makes several great protein treatments) without mineral oil, why take the chance???

DEL2C · 07-22-2009, 08:12 AM

I've been there, clarifying with Baking soda, ACV, Low Poo, Lemon/conditioner combo, Soap Bars. wild hair when you say Dr. Bronners I don't know if you're talking about the Castille Soap?? I've used that in the past as well to clarify and it worked pretty good followed with an ACV. When I would Low Poo or try some other things I would see a slight improvement but that icky coated feeling would still be there. I don't mess around anymore I go straight for the big guns it's just not worth doing it in stages! Aloe Rid gets the job done in 1 shot. msg recommended it to me when I was having severe build up issues, it's the best!

wild~hair · 07-22-2009, 07:44 PM

Thanks for the Aloe Rid knock-off tip, ladies.

Yeah, DEL2C, I wash with Dr. Bronner's liquid castille, and then do ACV to bring the ph back into balance.

I did what I think will be my last clarification for a while yesterday. It's really working, the curl definition is lasting through day 3 now.

The only issue now is my hair is a bit drier than it normally is. So I'll be babying it a bit here with some extra moisture. Hopefully this episode is behind me. But I want to make sure I don't forget this!

The very nicest part is I can use AOHR again. I had all but given up on it, but now that I don't have build-up, it's able to work its magic again. Yay!

hypnotic · 07-22-2009, 10:50 PM

i love aloe rid

acv and those other things dont work for me

wild~hair · 09-01-2009, 01:12 PM

I wanted to follow up on this thread, since I am making further headway on the clarification thing. Things were getting better, but I did switch from Dr. Bronner's to some more heavy duty stuff, in order to make more progress quickly.

Meanwhile, I'm starting to see the wisdom in this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEL2C

I don't mess around anymore I go straight for the big guns it's just not worth doing it in stages! Aloe Rid gets the job done in 1 shot. msg recommended it to me when I was having severe build up issues, it's the best!

You're totally right, Del. There just isn't any sense in prolonging it, just get the big guns out.

That said … [haha

]

I couldn't find any Aloe Rid [or a knock off] where I was shopping for it, so I went for the Suave Clarifying, and I washed with it twice two weeks ago, then once last week. HUGE improvement. I still can't say that I'm out of the woods, but I'm getting closer.

I'm thinking I should just add a trip to Sally's to my errands this week and get some Aloe Rid and keep it around for this type of thing.

Oh, and I'm using the Emergencee for protein now — about once a month and/or whenever I clarify — and it's working brilliantly.

A light at the end of the tunnel, finally.

Clarify, clarify, clarify.

goobernut · 09-01-2009, 04:36 PM

Just a note, my sally's doesn't have the GVP Aloe Ridd, nor do they sell it online anymore.

I haven't been able to find the original Aloe Ridd in a store either. I still have to stop by CVS and that's where MsG says she gets hers.

wild~hair · 09-01-2009, 04:39 PM

Ah, thanks for the tip!

I go near a Sally's for another errand, so I'll try that. But there's also a CVS fairly close by, so that'll be my Plan B. Thanks for the heads up!

WileE-Dead · 09-03-2009, 06:55 AM

I've been using Kenra's Clarifying weekly

Code:

Don't tell spidey! lol