I've been having problems with my thick hair this summer. Breakage, frizz, and general unhappiness. My hair used to be WAY shiny all the time, vibrantly healthy. But then, for some reason, in the last six months (due possibly to birth control or other medications) my hair has been less than perfect.
My straight, thick, wash-and-go hair has always been one of my favorite features up until recently. Now, it mostly gets thrown up in a pony tail. I mean, why bother messing with something that just frustrates you. It's not as soft to the touch as normal and frizzes all over the place and general just annoys me.
Generally, I'd take a picture my hair or skin or whatever the problem area is before product and after product, but since I was unprepared for this project until I toweled off post-shower, I'll have to substitute with another picture.
Ok, this isn't the best example of what I mean because I had hair sprayed and generally tried to tame the frizz. But you can still see it over my shoulder on the right hand of the picture.
I've determined that a lot of my frizz is due to breakage that occurs when brushing and styling my hair. I'm bad at using a normal brush to brush my hair when it's wet when I should be using a wide tooth comb.
I will also be using the styling creme that is supposed to tame frizz and straighten hair. So, the products being tested are: Pantene's New Medium-Thick Breakage to Strength Shampoo and Conditioner and Pantene's Medium-Thick Straighten and Smooth Creme.
The plan is to use this product for 2 weeks and weigh-in in finality on the final day. I usually shampoo my hair every other day. I will change stick with this routine. I will use one squirt of the creme. I will re-apply creme to dry hair as needed (as suggested on packaging). I will report in as changes are noticed/commented on by others.
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First impressions: Love the scent. Smells fresh and clean, like the classic Pantene scent we all know. Has definitely added softness immediately following shampooing, conditioning, and applying product. I'm not sure about frizz control. Maybe need to use more product following showering.
I'm not saying it will definitely work, but may I suggest----baking soda? I know, crazy---we're not cooking your hair. I started using it when my hair was just totally dull and would not cooperate AT ALL. I was using it daily, sometimes with shampoo and conditioner, and sometimes substituting them. I was reading what else baking soda can help with (whitening teeth) but when I read that you shouldn't use it daily for teeth because daily rigorous use can slightly damage enamel (we don't want to do that), I started to cut back on the daily usage.
ReplyDeleteI now do it 2-3, maybe 4 times per week, depending on my mood. I don't use a lot of styling product for the time-being. And, as you mentioned, I use a wide-tooth comb to get it out.
When you first use the baking soda it may make your hair seem thicker to comb through---so don't use without conditioner the first time, but don't goup your hair in conditioner, either. Just enough for the ends, and maybe a teensy bit in the length.
My hair is softer and more manageable. And it doesn't frizz as badly. The baking soda seems to work the same way that a shine treatment at a salon does: cleanses the junk (hair spray, other styling products), and (in doing so) lightens the color of the hair (but not like dying--just cleaning off the junky residue). And I think when the hair is cleansed well (not all shampoos are perfect!) it can better-absorb the conditioner.
Just my thoughts! Let me know if you try it/how it works out!
-Dena :)
Oh, also--- it brings out natural/sun and color-treated highlights, too! A couple people have asked if I just had them done. Nope! Just awsome, cheap-o but effective-o hair care!
ReplyDeleteIf you really get ambitious, scrub your hair with baking soda (how much? Oh--- not more than a palmful), and then pour a little lemon juice (freshly-squeezed or from a bottle--no difference) in your hair. It will bubble and fizz like vinagre and baking soda, but not stink. You can also do this for your skin---just baking soda (cleanses, AND softens!) or baking soda rubbed on skin + dabbing lemon or lime juice---citrus juice sizzles anything trying to grow in/on your skin and the fizzling helps lift the dead stuff, and great for right before using an exfoliating glove or cloth, etc.
I played around with that, mainly because one summer I was having a really hard time with my skin---it would be clear everywhere except one spot, and as soon as that spot cleared up, another would appear---it was like an endless game of whack-a-breakout. A Hispanic lady was doing this with her daughters in their kitchen and had me try it. You mix white sugar with some kind of citrus juice--lemon or lime seem to be the best (but you can use orange, too--just doesn't seem as powerful)--and make it into a paste: not too watery, though, it doesn't take a lot of juice, just enough to dampen the sugar (oh, you should do this in a bowl--I don't suggest a plate). Then you scoop the past up on a couple fingers in both hands and scrub circularly everywhere on your face, jaw, neck--wherever you want. I've use it for the outsides of my arms where I sometimes get heat bumps (aka "prickly heat") in the dead of summer. AND you can put it on your lips---super-soft lips! It really helps well with any scars (older ones take a few times) to diminish their appearance. Anyway, after you cover the areas you want to target, you just let it dry. It will get sticky and stiff--don't move your face and certainly DON'T frown! When it is pretty much dry, you rinse it off with your HANDS (don't scrub anymore---or if you're having a hard time with just hands, drench a wash cloth and pat the rest of the paste off your skin, or if any got in your hair--don't scrub!), PAT dry (don't rub!), and use a very light moisturizer.
The juice may make it sting a little if the skin is slightly more acidic than it's normal state, or if you have any opened/broken skin. It will be VERY invigorating, but just breathe deep and it will pass in a few seconds or minute--shouldn't take long.
Good luck!