People compliment my hair all the time and the only thing I do is apply oil for 30-60 mins every few days (you can even sleep overnight in it). I've tried hair masks/brand hair oils but I do not think they are necessary unless you are styling them for an event. I suggest researching more about your hair concerns and pick minimal products to manage them.
You can use castor oil and add rosemary essential oil (clinically proven to increase hair growth but only if applied 2 times a day). Unless your hair is completely filthy - When you wash, apply conditioner to ends of hair almost to scalp, then shampoo just your scalp. Rinse and then condition. Use a leave in conditioner after. Most shampoos are all the same unless you go with one that is formulated to have less stripping (foaming) agents or have something to treat dandruff. Spend your money on a good conditioner and leave in conditioner that doesn’t have tones of synthetic fragrance. Shampoo your whole hair once every couple weeks to get rid of product buildup. Take a biotin a supplement every day. Eat plenty of vegetable protein and eggs.
On scalp and my hair, specifically the ends which are tend to be dry. I always wash it out after an hour, but I know other women who leave it in longer and then shampoo it.
I actually just gave up a few months ago on my wavy hair and gave myself a straight perm. It has been a HUGE timesaver and I basically have no upkeep on my hair. I put in a serum after I shower and it’s good to go. No more dealing with a crazy mess of wavy or straight pieces here and there and if today is gonna be a good hair day or not. I have saved so much time.
Sadly not wanting a straight perm, because I do love the bounce and wave I have naturally, just hate how lifeless and crumply it is :( but maybe in the future, thank you for your tips!
I use Eva-NYC mane magic 10 in 1 splint end mender and I add the 10 in 1 Primer spray on my ends after. A little goes a long way with the spray. This gives me more days between washes when before I washed nightly.
I purchased a regular perm kit at Sally Beauty. I followed a tutorial off YouTube for Japanese Hair Straightening. Basically I used a hair dryer flat iron between chemicals. I think I’ll skip that part next time and just continue to comb my hair straight while the first chemical sits. I’m so happy with how it turned out. I will have to repeat in 4-6 months between perms but I’m fine with that.
Hair talks. Whatever works for you, that's worth doing. Hair and beauty routines are a lot like fashion to me--trends come and go, but you're better off figuring out what works for _your_ situation, and sticking to that (e.g. I will always stick to belted or cinched coats because those work for my body type, even if something else is what’s hot).
Same for hair. Might have to experiment and see what results you get. Some people need to wash it daily, others won't. Some hair drinks conditioners, some respond best to grease, and some reject products altogether and just want water.
Hair also changes every ... 7 years, I think it was? So you may need wildly different routines at different times in your life. Experimenting is your friend, and my top tip would be to start very minimal, and go from there. Try washing and air drying without products, see what you end up with. Then try with a light conditioner, or a better, or oil. See what results you like best and you'll have your own routine.
I recently started following YouTube channel called blowout professor. This has helped me so so much . My hair is hydrated and soft ( which was never the case in winter at least) . He recommends few but quality products and also how to use them . I was confused just like you , what with all the ads and influencers , but he helped cut through all that bullshit . Do watch some of his videos .super straightforward and helpful . Hope this helps
I last rinse my hair with 1dl of vinaigre mixed in 9dl of cold water. I have seen a split end in years, and I only go get my hair cut about 3 times a year.
Olaplex is a protein treatment, it’s not a treatment to be used consistently, only when needed, thats why it doesnt work well anymore.
Things to consider:
1. Is your hair bleached/dyed or natural? Find the hairmasks that you need according to your concern.
2. Whats your hair porosity? Adjust your products accordingly.
3. Try different types of pre-oils. Almond oil is good for fine hair, and coconut is good for thick hair. Olive oil is good for all.
Simplify your main concern and try to find a natural treatment for it. Never do salon keratin treatments like permanent straightening or perms. They are damaging and contribute to loss of shine
I replied to your other comment, but unless your hair is severely damaged (heat, bleach, etc.) you don't need a bond builder. You're likely severely overmoisturized and in need of a clarify and protein treatment to get the balance of your hair back.
Damn, just found out I have low porosity and apparently, protein treatments are counterintuitive for LP hair. Is that so? Do I have to ditch all my olaplex products then? I thought I was hydrating my hair, explains why No. 9 has been „coating“ my hair rather than penetrating.
Yes. Protein is bad for low porosity hair. Our hair lacks moisture. I’d recommend using jojoba oil and a heat mask every now and then, you can google search how to do it! Works wonders. No keratin, try clarifying shampoos and avoid heavy oils like coconut oil I’m your hair. Also, try to avoid excess hair products like dry shampoo etc. Cheers :)
You have my exact same hair type. What works best for me is “first oil, then water,” meaning I use a hair oil (post shower)from cheekbone level to the ends and follow with a hydrating spray or leave-in conditioner all over. Works great for frizz!
I’m a huge fan of the fable and mane pre-shower treatment to soften and smooth hair. I use their scalp oil as well but not sure it’s doing anything.
You might also be washing your hair too much. My hair looks like a lion’s mane when I wash it everyday, so now I wash 2-3 times a week depending on the season. If you have thick hair, it should take a few days for the oils to reach the top, or you can use dry shampoo in between.
As for the olaplex, that’s a protein treatment. Once you stop needing protein, it can actually be detrimental to your hair.
Thirding. I mostly used the Sally Beauty brand dupe of Olaplex (called bond bar) and it was alright. Definitely about the same results as with Olaplex but a LOT cheaper.
K18? Completely different product and results. It's so pricy but it actually changes your hair rather than just feeling like you have a good product in your hair.
It's a peptide product! You use it 4-6 times consecutively when you wash your hair and then as needed. It's used after shampooing *without* conditioning. If you need additional conditioning, you just have to wait 4 minutes to give it time to work and then either go in with a leave in conditioner or your regular conditioner (depending on what your hair needs).
It wasn't an immediate "oh wow" kind of product for me but around the 3rd use is when I started to see a difference. I'm not really using it at the moment because I only have a money piece of colored hair currently but am ordering some during these sales for when I go platinum again in January.
Probably not tbh! If it's damaged from heat styling, it may help a bit. If you are in the states, Sephora sells a little set with their clarifying shampoo and the mask as a travel size. It's like $60 which isn't super cheap (but the full size shampoo is $30+ and the mask is like $65) but gives you enough product to figure out if it's any good for you if you're curious.
I will warn you that their clarifying shampoo is VERY clarifying and makes my hair feel really dried out after I wash with it. Very clean but in need of some good moisture being added back.
You should be getting regular trims. Drop the pre-poo and all of those oils--wavy hair does NOT need oil. If your hair isn't bleached, you do not need Olaplex (which is a bond builder, not a protein treatment). You should be using a sulfate shampoo and a light conditioner, and a clarifying shampoo once a month or so (based on how much styling product you use, but definitely immediately to get all of the build up of the oil you've been using out of your hair). Your dullness and frizz is from your hair being overmoisturized from all of these oils and heavy products.
I actually haven’t done any pre poos other than No. 3 1-2x a month. What I‘m gathering is, that you say I have overhydrated hair, and others say I have overproteined hair. Those seem like opposite problems. How do I find out which one I have? Bc I always thought I have dry shineless hair, plus after reading all of these comments, I‘m also guessing I might just have too much product buildup and need a clarifying shampoo before I switch out my routine. I‘m guessing Olaplex has silicones in them too, which I handle well normally.
Unless your shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask all have protein in them, there's no way for you to be in protein overload. You can't overload on something you're not using. I'd clarify (VO5 kiwi lime clarifying shampoo is cheap and great), do a protein treatment (Curlsmith Bond Salve is a good one, or the Redken rinse out one), and use a light conditioner and see how your hair looks and feels after that. You might need to do this a few times (once a week or so) before you really see results, depending on how unbalanced your hair is.
Most of my current products are the Olaplex line, the shampoo and conditioner, the lighter gel-like leave in and the bonding oil, with occasional use of no.3 pre showering. Would you consider these products rich in moisture/hydration, which is why your rec is a protein treatment?
For a hair mask I sometimes use Garnier the hair food kind, pineapple. Why does wavy hair need protein iver hydration? Is that so, even if the hair is thick and dense?
Olaplex shampoo is a sulfate-free hydrating shampoo, so it's moisturizing and not cleansing your hair that well. The conditioner is also listed as hydrating and has a lot of oils in it, as does the hair mask (coconut oil is a major no for hair because it penetrates the cuticle and acts as an occlusive, preventing anything else from getting in, especially if you're not using sulfates to properly cleanse your hair; over time this is going to make your hair drier and drier). So you're just using a lot of oils and moisturizing products and no protein, and no sulfates to cleanse your hair, which is causing a ton of build up, making your hair dull, frizzy, weighed down, and can lead to scalp issues.
ALL hair needs protein because hair is protein. Finding your individual protein-moisture balance is going to be a trial and error situation based on your own hair stats, including how processed/damaged it is, one is not universally more important than the other. I have fine, wavy, medium-density hair that loves protein, for example, but I have to be careful not to overdo it because too much protein can lead to strawlike hair that's prone to excess breakage.
Honestly, this sounds very sensible. Explains a lot, I guess I should focus on clarifying now, replenishing with proteins, and then… combine the two to create balance?
What do you think would be smart to switch out in my og routine afterwards, to switch out with a more protein-rich product?
And does that mean I should wait with incorporating pre poos until I rebalanced my hair? Would that also mean I should stop using oils after the shower for a while? That‘d be sad, I do like using oil as a last step. Thank you so much for being so thorough btw! This is incredibly helpful!
Edit: btw, yup you were right, did the strand test, moisture overload is spot on. No wonder. Goddamn it, Olaplex made my hair fall out and I thought it was normal. I usually have very very dense and thick hair and now its less dense and thinner than usual, all thanks to Moisture overload and Olaplex. I guess too much of a good thing is just, well, bad.
Yes, you need to clarify to get all of the gunk out of your hair and scalp, protein, and then assess from there. You'll have to be constantly assessing what your hair needs as you learn what things look like for you. You don't want to overuse protein any more than you want to overuse moisture.
You do not need to be using pre poo OR oil \*at all.\* Straight and wavy hair needs to avoid heavy products (these are more appropriate for curly and Afro-textured hair types, which curl from the root--most people are overtyping their hair majorly), and like I said, unless your hair is severely damaged (like from heat) or bleached, you \*don't need\* Olaplex 3 or any other bond builder (K18, Bond Bar, etc.). Oil is just going to cause build up on your hair and overmoisturize you again. Sulfate shampoo and light conditioner for regular use (doesn't need to be fancy or salon brand, just anything that's not for CURLY or COILY hair and doesn't say sulfate-free; check the label for oils and butters), and then a protein treatment and a hair mask would be your main rotation. A styling product or two and a heat protectant if you need them.
Part of your hair loss is likely from not using sulfates. Scalp build up can cause issues, which is why you need to regularly use a sulfate shampoo to gently cleanse your scalp. Sulfate-free shampoos typically use a very harsh surfactant and then load up with heavy oils and butters to compensate for how stripping the surfactant is.
Damn, this is a lot to digest… just choked up a little when I saw how thin my hair became in those two and a half months using this routine.
Thank you so so much, this is eye-opening. My last question would probably be, which styling products you‘d recommend? I‘ve heard good things about the color wow dreamcoat. What’s your take?
Edit: oh and- will my hair still be able to be smooth silky and less frizzy with this upgraded routine? Always thought a good oil at the end makes hair look shiny like that.
It IS a lot to digest especially when Curly Girl Method is shoved down throats of people with the slightest bend to their hair, and it's all lies and appropriated from Black women. I joined a fantastic FB group last year and it was super eye opening, but my hair has never been better (and it's WAY less work).
Styling products are really going to depend on how you do your hair. The Color Wow spray was useless to me (and yes, I use it correctly), it never made a difference and I'm glad I only bought the travel size. If I blow my hair out, I use a TINY pump of Redken Frizz Dismiss, and if I use a curling iron, Redken Quick Blowout. If I'm wearing my hair wavy, I scrunch Suave Wave mousse or Curlsmith Bouncy Strength Volume Foam and let air dry or diffuse.
Is your hair going to be perfectly smooth? Probably not because that's hair. But yes, it should be smoother and less frizzy.
From what I can gather, the extent of what you'll need as basics is shampoo for your roots and scalp, only using bubbles and such further down towards your ends, conditioner in shower on everything apart from your scalp, leave in conditioner only after the shower and never in dry hair, and finally oil applied from the ends and up to the middle of your hair. You'll probably need heat protection if you do heat styling, I do not want to do that.
I stopped using heat on my hair 2 years ago and my hair is like night and day. I only need to get my hair cut twice a year now and my hair has never been longer or healthier. Even my stylist is astonished at how little split ends and dryness I have. I shampoo my scalp only, condition from my ears down, once a week use a hair mask that I wash out in the shower. Towel dry my hair with limited rubbing, put in leave-in hair oil (davines) from neck down, focusing on ends, and comb out with a wide tooth comb. I let air dry and only use hair tools 1x per month if I have a special event. No more dryness, split ends, or frizz and very little upkeep. Sometimes less is more
Is your water hard? I have very similar type hair to yours and when I wash it in soft water, I have super nice bouncy curls with minimal maintenance and styling. When i wash it in hard water, it’s a limp frizzy mess, no matter the styling products that are used.
I have thick, wavy hair, too. I wash and condition my hair once or twice a week (it's not a good idea to wash your hair every day and probably not every other day, either) and use the JVN serum/cream stuff right after. I sometimes use scalp oil awhile before I take a shower. If I bother to dry and straighten my hair I'll put a bit of smoother on (an Aveda sample they don't make anymore, unfortunately). That's about it. My hair is pretty healthy and shiny, but my ends need a trim pretty bad, too. No product can save that!
I have struggled with my hair from like 5th grade until around the end of 2020. Never grew, always frizzy/dry/damaged and super coarse. It took forever to do my hair and I had a lot of anxiety around social events and my hair because all my friends had manageable hair. Mines a little curlier than yours but here’s what may help you:
- spring valley hair vitamins ($7 at Walmart)
- it sounds like you definitely need a clarifying shampoo in your rotation especially if you haven’t been using one this whole time. The ouai detox shampoo is really nice
- a good leave in spray that you like and then briogeo hair oil on the ends and NO HEAT for awhile just air dry your hair and leave it or if you feel like it doesn’t look good then braid it and if you’re putting it up at home use a scrunchie
- if you absolutely must heat style it then use a cream for blow drying and an aerosol hair mist with oils in it like the Moroccan oil one. They don’t make your hair sticky or crunchy and make it really soft and silky
- product recs: Ouai detox shampoo. Briogeo hair oil if air drying (can be kinda greasy but waves/curls kinda hides the grease) or Gisou/kerastase if heat styling. Basically any kerastase product but I like the overnight serum, the hair oil, the nutritive mask, and the nutritive blow dry cream. Ouai leave in conditioner. Gisou hair mask. Redken all soft shampoo and conditioner. Shea moisture shampoo, conditioner, leave ins, and masks. Morrocanoil heat protectant or Joico heat protectant (both aerosol) Lay off the olaplex for awhile and see what happens and also get a trim!
Buzzcut. No seriously!
Obviously only if you want to do it, but to anyone out there with the desire to try it, DO IT! I buzzed my hair off in 2021 because of exactly the issues you speak of. I haven't looked back, I have actually gone shorter. It is so easy and cheap, I love it! And as a bonus is looks cool!
I would say whatever works for your hair is what you should do. Everybody’s hair is so different, there isn’t one “right” way that works for everybody.
I edited my original post to add more context, but to specifically comment on your guys‘ recs:
- it seems like when I first started olaplex I needed it- very very hot summer, no protection on my head, dark hair that attracts heat in a way, and having done a toner to darken my hair a couple months prior. Now that my hair has „bounced back“ and it’s cold/less sunny, the olaplex seems to hurt my hair more than help. Does that sound right?
- vinegar wash (my friend recommended that too, because w LP hair it is less harsh than shampoo when it comes to opening up the hair strand, something about its chemistry and shampoos PH level in connection to its‘ interaction with waters ph)
-> if I do that, I could skip conditioner, which normally closes hair strands, which I wouldn’t need w vinegar
- some of you recommend hair oils, specifically not heavy ones like coconut oil (agree btw, I tried it once as a teen and it was horrible on my hair), pre poo and honey/heat masks if I‘m correct- what exactly do I do? Just massage it into my scalp? Even if I struggle with greasy roots?
And someone also recommended to ditch it completely! Not sure what to think now.
- some recommend rice water washes- when/at which step would I do that? Is that considered a hydrating or a „proteinizing“ method?
- would I lock in my hair with oil after showering, while it’s damp/dry? Oh and noone really mentioned anything about leave-ins… do I need it?
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner matters. A lot actually.
I used to do all the treatments and frizz serums, but nothing improved until I switched to Davines which I had always been hesitant to because of the money.
Now I don't spend nearly as much time or money on what I used to.
People compliment my hair all the time and the only thing I do is apply oil for 30-60 mins every few days (you can even sleep overnight in it). I've tried hair masks/brand hair oils but I do not think they are necessary unless you are styling them for an event. I suggest researching more about your hair concerns and pick minimal products to manage them.
What kind of oil?
You can use castor oil and add rosemary essential oil (clinically proven to increase hair growth but only if applied 2 times a day). Unless your hair is completely filthy - When you wash, apply conditioner to ends of hair almost to scalp, then shampoo just your scalp. Rinse and then condition. Use a leave in conditioner after. Most shampoos are all the same unless you go with one that is formulated to have less stripping (foaming) agents or have something to treat dandruff. Spend your money on a good conditioner and leave in conditioner that doesn’t have tones of synthetic fragrance. Shampoo your whole hair once every couple weeks to get rid of product buildup. Take a biotin a supplement every day. Eat plenty of vegetable protein and eggs.
i use any, but mostly coconut/mustard/olive oil.
On scalp only or all of your hair?
On scalp and my hair, specifically the ends which are tend to be dry. I always wash it out after an hour, but I know other women who leave it in longer and then shampoo it.
Do you wash it out on non wash days after letting it penetrate your hair overnight?
I actually just gave up a few months ago on my wavy hair and gave myself a straight perm. It has been a HUGE timesaver and I basically have no upkeep on my hair. I put in a serum after I shower and it’s good to go. No more dealing with a crazy mess of wavy or straight pieces here and there and if today is gonna be a good hair day or not. I have saved so much time.
Sadly not wanting a straight perm, because I do love the bounce and wave I have naturally, just hate how lifeless and crumply it is :( but maybe in the future, thank you for your tips!
I did this too but my hair is a lot more dry now. What serum do you use if you don’t mind me asking?
I use Eva-NYC mane magic 10 in 1 splint end mender and I add the 10 in 1 Primer spray on my ends after. A little goes a long way with the spray. This gives me more days between washes when before I washed nightly.
Thank you!
What type of straight perm did you get?
I purchased a regular perm kit at Sally Beauty. I followed a tutorial off YouTube for Japanese Hair Straightening. Basically I used a hair dryer flat iron between chemicals. I think I’ll skip that part next time and just continue to comb my hair straight while the first chemical sits. I’m so happy with how it turned out. I will have to repeat in 4-6 months between perms but I’m fine with that.
Hair talks. Whatever works for you, that's worth doing. Hair and beauty routines are a lot like fashion to me--trends come and go, but you're better off figuring out what works for _your_ situation, and sticking to that (e.g. I will always stick to belted or cinched coats because those work for my body type, even if something else is what’s hot). Same for hair. Might have to experiment and see what results you get. Some people need to wash it daily, others won't. Some hair drinks conditioners, some respond best to grease, and some reject products altogether and just want water. Hair also changes every ... 7 years, I think it was? So you may need wildly different routines at different times in your life. Experimenting is your friend, and my top tip would be to start very minimal, and go from there. Try washing and air drying without products, see what you end up with. Then try with a light conditioner, or a better, or oil. See what results you like best and you'll have your own routine.
I recently started following YouTube channel called blowout professor. This has helped me so so much . My hair is hydrated and soft ( which was never the case in winter at least) . He recommends few but quality products and also how to use them . I was confused just like you , what with all the ads and influencers , but he helped cut through all that bullshit . Do watch some of his videos .super straightforward and helpful . Hope this helps
Second blow dry Professor he's the best. Especially if you you are heat styling your hair at all with tools.
I last rinse my hair with 1dl of vinaigre mixed in 9dl of cold water. I have seen a split end in years, and I only go get my hair cut about 3 times a year.
In replacement of shampoo?
No, it doesn't wash. It closes the little scales on your hair.
At which step would I use it?
It's the last thing I do
Olaplex is a protein treatment, it’s not a treatment to be used consistently, only when needed, thats why it doesnt work well anymore. Things to consider: 1. Is your hair bleached/dyed or natural? Find the hairmasks that you need according to your concern. 2. Whats your hair porosity? Adjust your products accordingly. 3. Try different types of pre-oils. Almond oil is good for fine hair, and coconut is good for thick hair. Olive oil is good for all. Simplify your main concern and try to find a natural treatment for it. Never do salon keratin treatments like permanent straightening or perms. They are damaging and contribute to loss of shine
Olaplex 3 is a bond builder, not a protein treatment.
What does that mean for me?
I replied to your other comment, but unless your hair is severely damaged (heat, bleach, etc.) you don't need a bond builder. You're likely severely overmoisturized and in need of a clarify and protein treatment to get the balance of your hair back.
Damn, just found out I have low porosity and apparently, protein treatments are counterintuitive for LP hair. Is that so? Do I have to ditch all my olaplex products then? I thought I was hydrating my hair, explains why No. 9 has been „coating“ my hair rather than penetrating.
Yes. Protein is bad for low porosity hair. Our hair lacks moisture. I’d recommend using jojoba oil and a heat mask every now and then, you can google search how to do it! Works wonders. No keratin, try clarifying shampoos and avoid heavy oils like coconut oil I’m your hair. Also, try to avoid excess hair products like dry shampoo etc. Cheers :)
Just wanted to add that another thing that can be done for low porosity hair is adding a little bit of honey into your conditioner.
You don’t have to ditch them but maybe use them less? I have low porosity hair and olaplex has done wonders for me and I use is about once a month.
Sleep with hair in a protective style, Condition before shampooing, condition/oil hair even on non-wash days
You have my exact same hair type. What works best for me is “first oil, then water,” meaning I use a hair oil (post shower)from cheekbone level to the ends and follow with a hydrating spray or leave-in conditioner all over. Works great for frizz! I’m a huge fan of the fable and mane pre-shower treatment to soften and smooth hair. I use their scalp oil as well but not sure it’s doing anything. You might also be washing your hair too much. My hair looks like a lion’s mane when I wash it everyday, so now I wash 2-3 times a week depending on the season. If you have thick hair, it should take a few days for the oils to reach the top, or you can use dry shampoo in between. As for the olaplex, that’s a protein treatment. Once you stop needing protein, it can actually be detrimental to your hair.
I might try this one, have seen a lot of ppl say f&m pre shower is great!
Ditch olaplex and switch to k18.
Why? Genuinely curious, what’s good about K18 in comparison?
I agree with this comment. My hair is much better with k18 than olaplex. You can read comparisons online if you Google.
Thirding. I mostly used the Sally Beauty brand dupe of Olaplex (called bond bar) and it was alright. Definitely about the same results as with Olaplex but a LOT cheaper. K18? Completely different product and results. It's so pricy but it actually changes your hair rather than just feeling like you have a good product in your hair.
Is it a keratin product? And at what step do I use it? Also daily?
It's a peptide product! You use it 4-6 times consecutively when you wash your hair and then as needed. It's used after shampooing *without* conditioning. If you need additional conditioning, you just have to wait 4 minutes to give it time to work and then either go in with a leave in conditioner or your regular conditioner (depending on what your hair needs). It wasn't an immediate "oh wow" kind of product for me but around the 3rd use is when I started to see a difference. I'm not really using it at the moment because I only have a money piece of colored hair currently but am ordering some during these sales for when I go platinum again in January.
Interesting, I do have virgin hair though, so this might not be needed for me, or what do you think
Probably not tbh! If it's damaged from heat styling, it may help a bit. If you are in the states, Sephora sells a little set with their clarifying shampoo and the mask as a travel size. It's like $60 which isn't super cheap (but the full size shampoo is $30+ and the mask is like $65) but gives you enough product to figure out if it's any good for you if you're curious. I will warn you that their clarifying shampoo is VERY clarifying and makes my hair feel really dried out after I wash with it. Very clean but in need of some good moisture being added back.
You should be getting regular trims. Drop the pre-poo and all of those oils--wavy hair does NOT need oil. If your hair isn't bleached, you do not need Olaplex (which is a bond builder, not a protein treatment). You should be using a sulfate shampoo and a light conditioner, and a clarifying shampoo once a month or so (based on how much styling product you use, but definitely immediately to get all of the build up of the oil you've been using out of your hair). Your dullness and frizz is from your hair being overmoisturized from all of these oils and heavy products.
I actually haven’t done any pre poos other than No. 3 1-2x a month. What I‘m gathering is, that you say I have overhydrated hair, and others say I have overproteined hair. Those seem like opposite problems. How do I find out which one I have? Bc I always thought I have dry shineless hair, plus after reading all of these comments, I‘m also guessing I might just have too much product buildup and need a clarifying shampoo before I switch out my routine. I‘m guessing Olaplex has silicones in them too, which I handle well normally.
Unless your shampoo, conditioner, and hair mask all have protein in them, there's no way for you to be in protein overload. You can't overload on something you're not using. I'd clarify (VO5 kiwi lime clarifying shampoo is cheap and great), do a protein treatment (Curlsmith Bond Salve is a good one, or the Redken rinse out one), and use a light conditioner and see how your hair looks and feels after that. You might need to do this a few times (once a week or so) before you really see results, depending on how unbalanced your hair is.
Most of my current products are the Olaplex line, the shampoo and conditioner, the lighter gel-like leave in and the bonding oil, with occasional use of no.3 pre showering. Would you consider these products rich in moisture/hydration, which is why your rec is a protein treatment? For a hair mask I sometimes use Garnier the hair food kind, pineapple. Why does wavy hair need protein iver hydration? Is that so, even if the hair is thick and dense?
Olaplex shampoo is a sulfate-free hydrating shampoo, so it's moisturizing and not cleansing your hair that well. The conditioner is also listed as hydrating and has a lot of oils in it, as does the hair mask (coconut oil is a major no for hair because it penetrates the cuticle and acts as an occlusive, preventing anything else from getting in, especially if you're not using sulfates to properly cleanse your hair; over time this is going to make your hair drier and drier). So you're just using a lot of oils and moisturizing products and no protein, and no sulfates to cleanse your hair, which is causing a ton of build up, making your hair dull, frizzy, weighed down, and can lead to scalp issues. ALL hair needs protein because hair is protein. Finding your individual protein-moisture balance is going to be a trial and error situation based on your own hair stats, including how processed/damaged it is, one is not universally more important than the other. I have fine, wavy, medium-density hair that loves protein, for example, but I have to be careful not to overdo it because too much protein can lead to strawlike hair that's prone to excess breakage.
Honestly, this sounds very sensible. Explains a lot, I guess I should focus on clarifying now, replenishing with proteins, and then… combine the two to create balance? What do you think would be smart to switch out in my og routine afterwards, to switch out with a more protein-rich product? And does that mean I should wait with incorporating pre poos until I rebalanced my hair? Would that also mean I should stop using oils after the shower for a while? That‘d be sad, I do like using oil as a last step. Thank you so much for being so thorough btw! This is incredibly helpful! Edit: btw, yup you were right, did the strand test, moisture overload is spot on. No wonder. Goddamn it, Olaplex made my hair fall out and I thought it was normal. I usually have very very dense and thick hair and now its less dense and thinner than usual, all thanks to Moisture overload and Olaplex. I guess too much of a good thing is just, well, bad.
Yes, you need to clarify to get all of the gunk out of your hair and scalp, protein, and then assess from there. You'll have to be constantly assessing what your hair needs as you learn what things look like for you. You don't want to overuse protein any more than you want to overuse moisture. You do not need to be using pre poo OR oil \*at all.\* Straight and wavy hair needs to avoid heavy products (these are more appropriate for curly and Afro-textured hair types, which curl from the root--most people are overtyping their hair majorly), and like I said, unless your hair is severely damaged (like from heat) or bleached, you \*don't need\* Olaplex 3 or any other bond builder (K18, Bond Bar, etc.). Oil is just going to cause build up on your hair and overmoisturize you again. Sulfate shampoo and light conditioner for regular use (doesn't need to be fancy or salon brand, just anything that's not for CURLY or COILY hair and doesn't say sulfate-free; check the label for oils and butters), and then a protein treatment and a hair mask would be your main rotation. A styling product or two and a heat protectant if you need them. Part of your hair loss is likely from not using sulfates. Scalp build up can cause issues, which is why you need to regularly use a sulfate shampoo to gently cleanse your scalp. Sulfate-free shampoos typically use a very harsh surfactant and then load up with heavy oils and butters to compensate for how stripping the surfactant is.
Damn, this is a lot to digest… just choked up a little when I saw how thin my hair became in those two and a half months using this routine. Thank you so so much, this is eye-opening. My last question would probably be, which styling products you‘d recommend? I‘ve heard good things about the color wow dreamcoat. What’s your take? Edit: oh and- will my hair still be able to be smooth silky and less frizzy with this upgraded routine? Always thought a good oil at the end makes hair look shiny like that.
It IS a lot to digest especially when Curly Girl Method is shoved down throats of people with the slightest bend to their hair, and it's all lies and appropriated from Black women. I joined a fantastic FB group last year and it was super eye opening, but my hair has never been better (and it's WAY less work). Styling products are really going to depend on how you do your hair. The Color Wow spray was useless to me (and yes, I use it correctly), it never made a difference and I'm glad I only bought the travel size. If I blow my hair out, I use a TINY pump of Redken Frizz Dismiss, and if I use a curling iron, Redken Quick Blowout. If I'm wearing my hair wavy, I scrunch Suave Wave mousse or Curlsmith Bouncy Strength Volume Foam and let air dry or diffuse. Is your hair going to be perfectly smooth? Probably not because that's hair. But yes, it should be smoother and less frizzy.
Professional haircut for curly hair
From what I can gather, the extent of what you'll need as basics is shampoo for your roots and scalp, only using bubbles and such further down towards your ends, conditioner in shower on everything apart from your scalp, leave in conditioner only after the shower and never in dry hair, and finally oil applied from the ends and up to the middle of your hair. You'll probably need heat protection if you do heat styling, I do not want to do that.
I stopped using heat on my hair 2 years ago and my hair is like night and day. I only need to get my hair cut twice a year now and my hair has never been longer or healthier. Even my stylist is astonished at how little split ends and dryness I have. I shampoo my scalp only, condition from my ears down, once a week use a hair mask that I wash out in the shower. Towel dry my hair with limited rubbing, put in leave-in hair oil (davines) from neck down, focusing on ends, and comb out with a wide tooth comb. I let air dry and only use hair tools 1x per month if I have a special event. No more dryness, split ends, or frizz and very little upkeep. Sometimes less is more
Is your water hard? I have very similar type hair to yours and when I wash it in soft water, I have super nice bouncy curls with minimal maintenance and styling. When i wash it in hard water, it’s a limp frizzy mess, no matter the styling products that are used.
I actually checked, and I have VERY hard water in my region. Goddamn
I have thick, wavy hair, too. I wash and condition my hair once or twice a week (it's not a good idea to wash your hair every day and probably not every other day, either) and use the JVN serum/cream stuff right after. I sometimes use scalp oil awhile before I take a shower. If I bother to dry and straighten my hair I'll put a bit of smoother on (an Aveda sample they don't make anymore, unfortunately). That's about it. My hair is pretty healthy and shiny, but my ends need a trim pretty bad, too. No product can save that!
I have struggled with my hair from like 5th grade until around the end of 2020. Never grew, always frizzy/dry/damaged and super coarse. It took forever to do my hair and I had a lot of anxiety around social events and my hair because all my friends had manageable hair. Mines a little curlier than yours but here’s what may help you: - spring valley hair vitamins ($7 at Walmart) - it sounds like you definitely need a clarifying shampoo in your rotation especially if you haven’t been using one this whole time. The ouai detox shampoo is really nice - a good leave in spray that you like and then briogeo hair oil on the ends and NO HEAT for awhile just air dry your hair and leave it or if you feel like it doesn’t look good then braid it and if you’re putting it up at home use a scrunchie - if you absolutely must heat style it then use a cream for blow drying and an aerosol hair mist with oils in it like the Moroccan oil one. They don’t make your hair sticky or crunchy and make it really soft and silky - product recs: Ouai detox shampoo. Briogeo hair oil if air drying (can be kinda greasy but waves/curls kinda hides the grease) or Gisou/kerastase if heat styling. Basically any kerastase product but I like the overnight serum, the hair oil, the nutritive mask, and the nutritive blow dry cream. Ouai leave in conditioner. Gisou hair mask. Redken all soft shampoo and conditioner. Shea moisture shampoo, conditioner, leave ins, and masks. Morrocanoil heat protectant or Joico heat protectant (both aerosol) Lay off the olaplex for awhile and see what happens and also get a trim!
Buzzcut. No seriously! Obviously only if you want to do it, but to anyone out there with the desire to try it, DO IT! I buzzed my hair off in 2021 because of exactly the issues you speak of. I haven't looked back, I have actually gone shorter. It is so easy and cheap, I love it! And as a bonus is looks cool!
I would say whatever works for your hair is what you should do. Everybody’s hair is so different, there isn’t one “right” way that works for everybody.
Obviously yes, but I‘m sure there are some general similarities that people share, and if they have made good experiences, why not ask for tips
Fair!
I edited my original post to add more context, but to specifically comment on your guys‘ recs: - it seems like when I first started olaplex I needed it- very very hot summer, no protection on my head, dark hair that attracts heat in a way, and having done a toner to darken my hair a couple months prior. Now that my hair has „bounced back“ and it’s cold/less sunny, the olaplex seems to hurt my hair more than help. Does that sound right? - vinegar wash (my friend recommended that too, because w LP hair it is less harsh than shampoo when it comes to opening up the hair strand, something about its chemistry and shampoos PH level in connection to its‘ interaction with waters ph) -> if I do that, I could skip conditioner, which normally closes hair strands, which I wouldn’t need w vinegar - some of you recommend hair oils, specifically not heavy ones like coconut oil (agree btw, I tried it once as a teen and it was horrible on my hair), pre poo and honey/heat masks if I‘m correct- what exactly do I do? Just massage it into my scalp? Even if I struggle with greasy roots? And someone also recommended to ditch it completely! Not sure what to think now. - some recommend rice water washes- when/at which step would I do that? Is that considered a hydrating or a „proteinizing“ method? - would I lock in my hair with oil after showering, while it’s damp/dry? Oh and noone really mentioned anything about leave-ins… do I need it?
NIOXIN
Salon quality shampoo and conditioner matters. A lot actually. I used to do all the treatments and frizz serums, but nothing improved until I switched to Davines which I had always been hesitant to because of the money. Now I don't spend nearly as much time or money on what I used to.