My hair is back! conclusions + recs!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:31 am

Thanks to everyone here and some enlightening posts over on the Long Hair Community boards, my HAIR IS BACK TO ITS NORMAL, BOUNCY SHINY SELF!!!!!
I never thought it possible, but it IS.

For those of you not aware of my recent traumas, I've been suffering from the effects of hard water on my skin and hair (calcium carbonate and iron, perhaps others).

I posted this on another thread which has kind of trailed off, but I wanted to post my conclusions regarding this problem and how to fix it.

The moral of the story before the story: NEVER underestimate the power of DIY!

Sub-moral: Figuring out what you are doing in terms of Ph when washing your hair is key... and that a shower filter is NOT the answer...

Quote:

MermaidGirl,

Before you invest in moisturizing treatments and a vit c filter, however, continue reading:
There are two problems with water supply that are very different and that require different measures. One is chlorine and chloramines; the other is hard water (mineral deposits, calcium carbonate (=evil!). If I understand correctly, LA's problem is primarily a chloramine/chlorine one, and not so much hard water (this depends on your location and your pipes, like you mentioned). Do this: take an empty water bottle or a mason jar and fill it with tap water. Let it sit out overnight. If it smells like a pool in the morning, you have a chlorine problem. I lived in LA this summer and did this--it literally smelled WORSE than a public pool. It was FRIGHTENING. If this is the case, then your hair is merely dry, and a vitashower filter would be your godsend. Then you can do the deep treatments as well. BUT WAIT--if you have a problem with minerals in and through your pipes, you may want to reconsider all of the above. This, from the customer service at ronin-online, where they sell vitashower filters:

Quote:
Hello Lauren,

I believe the product you are referring to is being manufactured by Sonaki Corp., although there are several manufacturer's that produce very similar versions. However, I have never had the opportunity to use the Vitadouche brand for myself. I have had occasion to use the Sonaki brand Vc shower filter and found it to produce satisfactory results. My only small complaint with their product would be the relatively short life and high price of the replacement cartridges.

The amount of Vitamin C exposure that would be required to produce negative external side effects is generally considered to be massive. Unless you are especially sensitive to external Vitamin C, there should be no adverse effects with any quality brand of Vc shower filter. It is practically impossible to overdose on Vc, as any unused vitamin will quickly be passed out of the body through the urine. I suspect your problem may begin and end with other contaminants found in your water supply. High levels of copper and other metals (iron) in water supplies have been known to generate symptoms such as the ones you are describing. I would highly suggest having your water professionally tested before jumping to any further conclusions. Also, Vitamin C can react negatively with any copper that may be in your water supply. If your water usually smells slightly metallic this may be the case. If your water has a slick or oily feel you probably have an iron bacteria problem that has absolutely nothing to do with the shower filter.

I do not believe the product you have purchased to be faulty. I estimate your problem lies either with your water supply or possibly a hyper-sensitivity to Vc. There have been two separate instances where our clients (VitashowerUSA) have made complaints similar to yours. In both cases, the problem was tracked down to high levels of copper leaching into the water supply from corroding connections in the home's plumbing system. Unfortunately, in cases such as these, no shower filter will be able to alleviate the problem since the cause stems from your own home's internal copper pipes.

I have no experience with the quality of water in France, but I suspect it to be disinfected by some means. If chlorine or chloramine is the disinfectant being used in your area, Vc dechlorination will be the most effective method of neutralizing it. If another form of disinfection is being implemented in your area, please investigate this further with the proper authorities for your region as soon as possible. Remember, Vc shower filters are meant to be utilized as dechlorinating devices first and foremost. Any cosmetic benefits that stem from using Vc in a shower filter is most likely associated with the total neutralization of chlorine/chloramine, thus allowing your body to heal itself more quickly and efficiently.

Thank you for contacting VitashowerUSA! Happy New Year!

To Your Health,

--
Jarvis Lacy - Owner/President www.ronin-online.com orwww.vitashowerusa.com
Your Direct Vitashower Source
Call Toll Free: 1-866-585-0732

The only thing that REALLY confused me in this email is Mr. Lacy's claim that one cannot "overdose" on vitamin c--that clearly is not true with regard to topical use. He is conflating the ways in which the body uses vitamins from internal ingestion and topical application. I believe that the ronin-online shower filter controls the amount of ascorbic acid that enters the shower stream, whereas the sonaki filter does not, thus, don't buy the sonaki.

Mr. Lacy also did not address the issue of Ph--a vitamin c shower filter can really acidify your showering experience. This may be good for some, since apparently shampoo and conditioner are very alkaline; thus, the filter is akin to an apple cider vinegar rinse, in the end--it theoretically balances the Ph of the hair and skin after we use our products on it.

If your problem has to do with mineral buildup, however, not only will the vitamin c filter be ineffective, it might be detrimental, as Mr. Lucy points out. The whole point of showering then becomes the removal and prevention of mineral salts binding to the hair shaft. I've now done a lot of research on this, and apparently, the symptoms of this problem are indeed dry, tangly, limp hair prone to breakage in all different places (ends and roots). In this case, there is really no other test other than paying attention to the way in which water leaves marks or settles around the house. If you have buildup around drains, if washing glasses leaves white spots, if your plants have a white film on them after you water them (as mine do), then you have a calcium carbonate problem. If your water feels 'slick' and you can see oiliness, you have an iron problem. I have both of these issues. If you have one or both of these problems, you have to buy a "chelating" shampoo WITHOUT sulfates, minerals, and salts in order to periodically strip the hair of, well, everything on it, including oils. Then you must moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. This process must be repeated over and over on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on the severity of the minerals. Unless, of course, you are willing to spend $1000 for a softening/filtration system. If you are attempting to moisturize your lengths and ends to no avail, you probably have this problem--the hair is not able to take the moisture in, since it is being systematically suffocated by the mineral and product buildup. There is no point to investing in deep moisturizing treatments without chelating and clarifying first.

Here are some other things I learned:
--too much protein, especially if you have the mineral salt problem, will only make your hair worse, and resistant to all attempts to nourish and moisturize. It's best to avoid it for everyday use, and very good to use it after stripping/chelating.
--It is essential to use a moisturizing treatment mask after stripping your hair of its natural oils. You can begin clarifying by mixing baking soda with a non-detergent, non sulfate shampoo, and then add honey to your conditioner. Also, rinse with an ACV rinse of mostly water and about a 1/4 cup AVC.
--ACV IS a chelating agent, so you can use that before you condition as well, but I haven;t tried it. I think I would rather use a chelating shampoo on the market than experiment with pure ACV.
--Think in terms of Ph--baking soda and shampoo and soap are all very alkaline, so ACV rinses will restore the Ph, add shine, and will also prevent minerals from attaching to the hair. I will implement this with every wash.
--Obviously, try not to wash your hair too much (I always do twice per week), and try not to overtreat it; just develop a sensible, gentle routine and slam it with a clarifying treatment once a week. Chelating is recommended once per month for hard minerals.
--there are numerous testimonials all over the web for both ACV and baking soda--similar stories to yours where certain individuals were at the point of cutting off their hair, and clarifying and/or chelating restores the lustre and body to their hair. It is worth a try.
--some people put straight mayonnaise on their hair after they clarify, and then finish with an ACV rinse! gross!
--skin suffers, too: I notice a soap scum that accumulates on my skin, and I also experience a 'suffocation' feeling, dry and tight, when I exit the shower, despite using nourishing oils on my skin (no chemical-laden moisturizers). Lately I've been getting a red rash, and slight rosacea on my face, after I shower. I'm very unhappy about this, but I am just going to use weak ACV all over my body after weekly intense scrubbing at the hammam until this gets better.

Regarding the magnet contraption: I went back to the place where I bought it and explained my problem (since electronic devices also exist to the same end), and the salesperson insisted that they would not work for my problem. I told him that both my hair and my skin are not doing well, and he said, "You have red skin and it itches badly? Yes, that's the CALCAIRE (calcium carbonate) in your water." Yikes!!!!

When all else fails, some people recommend washing with distilled water. This potential future depresses me...

Good luck to all of you, and keep me posted as I will you!

Here is what I did to restore my hair:
1. wash with a non detergent shampoo with added baking soda (be careful not to add too much, as it can really damage your hair). I used Bioderma's Node shampoo.
2. Add a tablespoon of honey to a moisturizing mask, trying to avoid proteins for the moment. I used phytojoba's new moisturizing mask
3. rinse with distilled water and apple cider vinegar (I used 1/3 acv and 2/3 water in an evian bottle.
4. do not rinse after the acv rinse.
5. when hair is semi-dry, use coconut oil on the drier-looking places.
My hair soaked the coconut oil right up, and I am not going to wash it until I really need to. In the meantime, I'm adding a wee bit on cornstarch to my roots if they look too oily, and brushing it through. A boar-bristle brush is the best to distribute oils evenly and to stimulate the scalp--I brush in the morning and the evening.

I hope all of this helps someone now (Mermaidgirl?), or in the future! Apparently, it is best not to buy protein-enriched shampoo and conditioner, but rather it is better to do a protein treatment once or twice a week; I cannot wait to get carekate's hair serum, which is on its way to me now, because I am now confident I know how and when to use it!

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:40 am

Good your hair is back to normal! Laughing

I used ACV rinse the other day and my hair is happy. I'm also considering buying a deep cleansing shampoo, but haven't really decided yet if it's necessary. I also like to mix some oil in my conditioner, oliv, jojoba whatever I have.

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:35 am

Avalange,
This is so great to hear that your hair is back to normal. Good on you. You must be thrilled! I know how traumatising hair issues can be. My mom had early menopause and she is now having hair loss etc so I am actively looking for suggestions to help her. Thanks for updating us.

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:36 am

Schnee,

I'd use baking soda in your non-detergent shampoo if you don't have one already... It's the best clarifying treatment. If you are like me, however, you will need to "chelate." Ughhh. But clarifying is an excellent start, and apparently a good habit. And thanks for your concern and support!

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:38 am

Just wanted to warn ladies with colored hair that using baking soda on your hair can strip the color pretty darn quick. I used it a couple of times to "clarify" my hair, and couldn't believe how brassy my hair got. Then I read something somewhere about just that - that baking soda strips hair color...

Adding ACV to my shampoo doesn't seem to have affected the color at all... And helps keep my hair shiny.

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:07 am

avalange wrote:

Schnee,

I'd use baking soda in your non-detergent shampoo if you don't have one already... It's the best clarifying treatment. If you are like me, however, you will need to "chelate." Ughhh. But clarifying is an excellent start, and apparently a good habit. And thanks for your concern and support!

--avalange

Luckily, I don't think my hard water problems are nearly as bad as yours, but I glad you found a solution becuase it's always good to compare excperiences. Very Happy

I've looked at a chelate shampoo from redken, but I didn't buy it because I've to use some of the stuff I have (if I can). DIY is good as long as it works well!

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:48 pm

Does the ACV rinse make you smell like vinegar if you don't rinse it out?

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:56 pm

Well done Avalange, good news.

skim, no, my final rinse always includes ACV and it doesnt smell at all. I put a bit of honey into my final rinse now also, which is hydrating and also makes the blonde in my hair look good, I find.

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 1:15 pm

Avalange,
You made me almost cry! I am so glad you cured your hair problem. My problem sounds similar to yours, so guess what? I'll be trying your solution. Do you think another brand of moisturizing shampoo and conditioner will be ok? I just bought Jason brand moisturizer shampoo and conditioner because it says it's SLS free and paraben free. The ingredients sounded yummy. Here's a link to the ingredient page:

http://www.vitacost.com/JasonShamanMoisturizingConditioner

http://www.vitacost.com/JasonShamanMoisturizingShampoo

I haven't got the set yet, but can't wait to try. I'll add the stuff you recommended to the shampoo. How many bottles of Evian did you use to rinse? (Ouch, that must be expensive!)

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING. You did a good deed today. Smile

Cherisse

avalange wrote:

Thanks to everyone here and some enlightening posts over on the Long Hair Community boards, my HAIR IS BACK TO ITS NORMAL, BOUNCY SHINY SELF!!!!!
I never thought it possible, but it IS.

For those of you not aware of my recent traumas, I've been suffering from the effects of hard water on my skin and hair (calcium carbonate and iron, perhaps others).

I posted this on another thread which has kind of trailed off, but I wanted to post my conclusions regarding this problem and how to fix it.

The moral of the story before the story: NEVER underestimate the power of DIY!

Sub-moral: Figuring out what you are doing in terms of Ph when washing your hair is key... and that a shower filter is NOT the answer...

Quote:

MermaidGirl,

Before you invest in moisturizing treatments and a vit c filter, however, continue reading:
There are two problems with water supply that are very different and that require different measures. One is chlorine and chloramines; the other is hard water (mineral deposits, calcium carbonate (=evil!). If I understand correctly, LA's problem is primarily a chloramine/chlorine one, and not so much hard water (this depends on your location and your pipes, like you mentioned). Do this: take an empty water bottle or a mason jar and fill it with tap water. Let it sit out overnight. If it smells like a pool in the morning, you have a chlorine problem. I lived in LA this summer and did this--it literally smelled WORSE than a public pool. It was FRIGHTENING. If this is the case, then your hair is merely dry, and a vitashower filter would be your godsend. Then you can do the deep treatments as well. BUT WAIT--if you have a problem with minerals in and through your pipes, you may want to reconsider all of the above. This, from the customer service at ronin-online, where they sell vitashower filters:

Quote:
Hello Lauren,

I believe the product you are referring to is being manufactured by Sonaki Corp., although there are several manufacturer's that produce very similar versions. However, I have never had the opportunity to use the Vitadouche brand for myself. I have had occasion to use the Sonaki brand Vc shower filter and found it to produce satisfactory results. My only small complaint with their product would be the relatively short life and high price of the replacement cartridges.

The amount of Vitamin C exposure that would be required to produce negative external side effects is generally considered to be massive. Unless you are especially sensitive to external Vitamin C, there should be no adverse effects with any quality brand of Vc shower filter. It is practically impossible to overdose on Vc, as any unused vitamin will quickly be passed out of the body through the urine. I suspect your problem may begin and end with other contaminants found in your water supply. High levels of copper and other metals (iron) in water supplies have been known to generate symptoms such as the ones you are describing. I would highly suggest having your water professionally tested before jumping to any further conclusions. Also, Vitamin C can react negatively with any copper that may be in your water supply. If your water usually smells slightly metallic this may be the case. If your water has a slick or oily feel you probably have an iron bacteria problem that has absolutely nothing to do with the shower filter.

I do not believe the product you have purchased to be faulty. I estimate your problem lies either with your water supply or possibly a hyper-sensitivity to Vc. There have been two separate instances where our clients (VitashowerUSA) have made complaints similar to yours. In both cases, the problem was tracked down to high levels of copper leaching into the water supply from corroding connections in the home's plumbing system. Unfortunately, in cases such as these, no shower filter will be able to alleviate the problem since the cause stems from your own home's internal copper pipes.

I have no experience with the quality of water in France, but I suspect it to be disinfected by some means. If chlorine or chloramine is the disinfectant being used in your area, Vc dechlorination will be the most effective method of neutralizing it. If another form of disinfection is being implemented in your area, please investigate this further with the proper authorities for your region as soon as possible. Remember, Vc shower filters are meant to be utilized as dechlorinating devices first and foremost. Any cosmetic benefits that stem from using Vc in a shower filter is most likely associated with the total neutralization of chlorine/chloramine, thus allowing your body to heal itself more quickly and efficiently.

Thank you for contacting VitashowerUSA! Happy New Year!

To Your Health,

--
Jarvis Lacy - Owner/President www.ronin-online.com orwww.vitashowerusa.com
Your Direct Vitashower Source
Call Toll Free: 1-866-585-0732

The only thing that REALLY confused me in this email is Mr. Lacy's claim that one cannot "overdose" on vitamin c--that clearly is not true with regard to topical use. He is conflating the ways in which the body uses vitamins from internal ingestion and topical application. I believe that the ronin-online shower filter controls the amount of ascorbic acid that enters the shower stream, whereas the sonaki filter does not, thus, don't buy the sonaki.

Mr. Lacy also did not address the issue of Ph--a vitamin c shower filter can really acidify your showering experience. This may be good for some, since apparently shampoo and conditioner are very alkaline; thus, the filter is akin to an apple cider vinegar rinse, in the end--it theoretically balances the Ph of the hair and skin after we use our products on it.

If your problem has to do with mineral buildup, however, not only will the vitamin c filter be ineffective, it might be detrimental, as Mr. Lucy points out. The whole point of showering then becomes the removal and prevention of mineral salts binding to the hair shaft. I've now done a lot of research on this, and apparently, the symptoms of this problem are indeed dry, tangly, limp hair prone to breakage in all different places (ends and roots). In this case, there is really no other test other than paying attention to the way in which water leaves marks or settles around the house. If you have buildup around drains, if washing glasses leaves white spots, if your plants have a white film on them after you water them (as mine do), then you have a calcium carbonate problem. If your water feels 'slick' and you can see oiliness, you have an iron problem. I have both of these issues. If you have one or both of these problems, you have to buy a "chelating" shampoo WITHOUT sulfates, minerals, and salts in order to periodically strip the hair of, well, everything on it, including oils. Then you must moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. This process must be repeated over and over on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on the severity of the minerals. Unless, of course, you are willing to spend $1000 for a softening/filtration system. If you are attempting to moisturize your lengths and ends to no avail, you probably have this problem--the hair is not able to take the moisture in, since it is being systematically suffocated by the mineral and product buildup. There is no point to investing in deep moisturizing treatments without chelating and clarifying first.

Here are some other things I learned:
--too much protein, especially if you have the mineral salt problem, will only make your hair worse, and resistant to all attempts to nourish and moisturize. It's best to avoid it for everyday use, and very good to use it after stripping/chelating.
--It is essential to use a moisturizing treatment mask after stripping your hair of its natural oils. You can begin clarifying by mixing baking soda with a non-detergent, non sulfate shampoo, and then add honey to your conditioner. Also, rinse with an ACV rinse of mostly water and about a 1/4 cup AVC.
--ACV IS a chelating agent, so you can use that before you condition as well, but I haven;t tried it. I think I would rather use a chelating shampoo on the market than experiment with pure ACV.
--Think in terms of Ph--baking soda and shampoo and soap are all very alkaline, so ACV rinses will restore the Ph, add shine, and will also prevent minerals from attaching to the hair. I will implement this with every wash.
--Obviously, try not to wash your hair too much (I always do twice per week), and try not to overtreat it; just develop a sensible, gentle routine and slam it with a clarifying treatment once a week. Chelating is recommended once per month for hard minerals.
--there are numerous testimonials all over the web for both ACV and baking soda--similar stories to yours where certain individuals were at the point of cutting off their hair, and clarifying and/or chelating restores the lustre and body to their hair. It is worth a try.
--some people put straight mayonnaise on their hair after they clarify, and then finish with an ACV rinse! gross!
--skin suffers, too: I notice a soap scum that accumulates on my skin, and I also experience a 'suffocation' feeling, dry and tight, when I exit the shower, despite using nourishing oils on my skin (no chemical-laden moisturizers). Lately I've been getting a red rash, and slight rosacea on my face, after I shower. I'm very unhappy about this, but I am just going to use weak ACV all over my body after weekly intense scrubbing at the hammam until this gets better.

Regarding the magnet contraption: I went back to the place where I bought it and explained my problem (since electronic devices also exist to the same end), and the salesperson insisted that they would not work for my problem. I told him that both my hair and my skin are not doing well, and he said, "You have red skin and it itches badly? Yes, that's the CALCAIRE (calcium carbonate) in your water." Yikes!!!!

When all else fails, some people recommend washing with distilled water. This potential future depresses me...

Good luck to all of you, and keep me posted as I will you!

Here is what I did to restore my hair:
1. wash with a non detergent shampoo with added baking soda (be careful not to add too much, as it can really damage your hair). I used Bioderma's Node shampoo.
2. Add a tablespoon of honey to a moisturizing mask, trying to avoid proteins for the moment. I used phytojoba's new moisturizing mask
3. rinse with distilled water and apple cider vinegar (I used 1/3 acv and 2/3 water in an evian bottle.
4. do not rinse after the acv rinse.
5. when hair is semi-dry, use coconut oil on the drier-looking places.
My hair soaked the coconut oil right up, and I am not going to wash it until I really need to. In the meantime, I'm adding a wee bit on cornstarch to my roots if they look too oily, and brushing it through. A boar-bristle brush is the best to distribute oils evenly and to stimulate the scalp--I brush in the morning and the evening.

I hope all of this helps someone now (Mermaidgirl?), or in the future! Apparently, it is best not to buy protein-enriched shampoo and conditioner, but rather it is better to do a protein treatment once or twice a week; I cannot wait to get carekate's hair serum, which is on its way to me now, because I am now confident I know how and when to use it!

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:33 pm

Thanks, you guys!

Dear catmcall: I would only use baking soda if I had major build up and hard minerals on my hair--I am aware that it can strip my color, but I had to use it in this situation, and it worked wonders for me. I am now going to rinse my hair with acv EVERY time I wash, and I am waiting for my sister to send me a proper chelating shampoo--this should be a more controlled way of removing all deposits from the hair without stripping the color. Baking soda was an amazing and inexpensive emergency savior for me. Remember now, just two days ago, my hair would tangle into horrible knots if it moved at all, was on the point of breakage, and was hanging down in lifeless tangled 'crunchy' strands. If I put it up in a bun, forget about it! It was completely crinkled and horridly knotted. After washing, I put coconut oil in my hair and I haven't washed it for two days, and have worn it up in a bun all day, et voila:

Can't even express to you all how happy I am. I can go on with my life now! Ok, a bit histrionic.

Cherisse--the jason shampoo/conditioners sound wonderful and they have all the right ingredients. I'd say, use a little bit of baking soda in with the shampoo only if you are sure that you ave build-up and that it is impeding the penetration of moisture into the hair shaft. If not, do the acv rinse. People also recommend mixing pure aloe vera gel into the conditioner along with honey to get a glistening shine. and coconut oil is a wonderful moisturizer for dry patches of hair! Let me know your experiences, and I hope we all regain lustrous, lively hair soon.

Best,
avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:36 pm

oh, and cherisse--i forgot, i used brita-filtered water in a used evian bottle (small). remember, i live in france, evian here is the cheapest bottled water you can get!!! I think any distilled or filtered water would do. Smile

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:52 pm

Wow avalange your hair is GORGEOUS!!!!!! I am more inspired than ever to pay some more attention to my hair this year. Its shoulder length but maybe I will go long this year. From a child growing up in the caribbean (my parents were there till i was 17) i used to have coconut oil in my hair slathered on the weekend. Problem was how much I hated the smell. Does the one you use have that strong scent as well? I am always admiring the superb hair women have when I go to India too. Fabulous!

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:15 pm

Oh Blacklace,

Isn't it AMAZING? I keep touching it, wondering if I just woke up from a bad dream. And to think that I must begin facing my hard water dilemma again the next time I wash it... Hmm.

I cannot even convey to you how distressed I was that my hair was almost breaking off and I couldn't even run a comb through it. If you google baking soda and acv and hair on the web, you will see many other people who were in my exact situation--who used this method of clarifying and had the same results as me!

The coconut oil that I have does not smell strongly, but I love all things coconut, so it does not bother me. You know, it is a hard waxy substance that one must heat up under the tap (in the bottle). then it turns into an oil. I have coconut oil in my hair in the above photo, in fact--it makes your hair shiny, not oily, if you have just clarified. But I have heard that extra virgin cold pressed olive oil works just as good, but might make your hair look oilier. My mission now is to let my hair drink up the moisture and create its own oils before I wash again, so I'm going to live with oily hair for a few more days...

Thank you again for the compliment. This was really a miracle, and the ladies of EDS deserve all the credit!

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:33 pm

avalange - Your hair is gorgeous and I'm so glad you were able to get it back to where it was (or better)!

I vaguely remember having issues when I lived in Spain for 3 months (it was ages ago). I had a bigger problem in that my host mother charged me every time I used my hairdryer & I had big, permed, Farah Fawcett style hair that required lots of styling! I also HAVE to wash my hair every day (especially back then - I was way oilier) - once I've slept on it, it's toast. Nothing will get the bends out, or the flat parts fluffy again, without totally wetting my head. So I had a short, short cut done at the "most expensive salon in town" (cost me all of $11 USD). And proceeded to wash my hair in cold water every morning (host mother also only turned on the hot water heater twice a week for the two of us to take showers Shock

!). I just remember my hair having a lot of "body" (it's normally VERY fine) but it was so short, it never would have tangled.

Anyway - I just wanted to warn people that baking soda does such a good job of clarifying, that it might also take your color off Very Happy

But your hair looks great!

Cathy

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:44 pm

avalange wrote:

2. Add a tablespoon of honey to a moisturizing mask, trying to avoid proteins for the moment. I used phytojoba's new moisturizing mask
--avalange

Glad to hear that you found a solution. Smile

And thank you for this tip, it's so simple; I've got to give this a try! Very Happy

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:00 pm

catmcall wrote:

avalange - Your hair is gorgeous and I'm so glad you were able to get it back to where it was (or better)!

I vaguely remember having issues when I lived in Spain for 3 months (it was ages ago). I had a bigger problem in that my host mother charged me every time I used my hairdryer & I had big, permed, Farah Fawcett style hair that required lots of styling! I also HAVE to wash my hair every day (especially back then - I was way oilier) - once I've slept on it, it's toast. Nothing will get the bends out, or the flat parts fluffy again, without totally wetting my head. So I had a short, short cut done at the "most expensive salon in town" (cost me all of $11 USD). And proceeded to wash my hair in cold water every morning (host mother also only turned on the hot water heater twice a week for the two of us to take showers Shock

!). I just remember my hair having a lot of "body" (it's normally VERY fine) but it was so short, it never would have tangled.

Anyway - I just wanted to warn people that baking soda does such a good job of clarifying, that it might also take your color off Very Happy

But your hair looks great!

Cathy

catmcall,

that story is hilarious!!!!
I am sorry you had to go through that. I am glad it was indeed many years ago. I think washing with cold water is actually very good for the hair, but I love hot water too much to do it regularly! I will definitely not overdo it with the baking soda on your recommendation. Interestingly enough, my hair lightened considerably because of the vitamin c shower filter I've been using, which I assume was contributing to my damage. I did some highlights in my hair the last time I colored it, since the only color I could find here in Paris that was akin to my beloved "Caramel Kiss" by Feria was a double process package, and as you can see, those subtle highlights have now lightened to blonde. Crying or Very sad

I was afraid of the vit c unbalancing the Ph I was going for, so I removed it for my last, miraculous wash. And thank goodness I did that. It is so refreshing to think of things in terms of Ph and acting accordingly--what a world of difference! I am afraid of different concoctions changing my color, but hopefully I can use the right things and that won't be a problem.

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:19 pm

Oh my goodness, Avalange, your hair is just too gorgeous to describe. You are my inspiration. Your description of your hair problem before is just like mine, so I am sure I have some buildup problem. My hair breaks easily, and while it's fun to pull on the ends of the hair, and have little hair come out, I can do away with this type of fun. I bought some baking soda but could not find the apple cider vinegar yet. I think I will try another store for that. I do have honey.

What is acv rinse?

Thank you!

avalange wrote:

oh, and cherisse--i forgot, i used brita-filtered water in a used evian bottle (small). remember, i live in france, evian here is the cheapest bottled water you can get!!! I think any distilled or filtered water would do. Smile

--avalange

free skin care · Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:21 pm

Cherisse wrote:

What is acv rinse?

acv = apple cider vinegar

free skin care · Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:25 pm

Thank you!

mtview wrote:

Cherisse wrote:

What is acv rinse?

acv = apple cider vinegar

free skin care · Sun Jan 21, 2007 5:29 pm

Avalange,

I have a few questions as I am trying to follow your routines and am scratching my head with questions. Smile

1. What do you mean by a non-detergent shampoo? Do you mean shampoo without SLS?

2. How critical is apple cider vinegar? Can I substitute with regular vinegar, or rice vinegar, or pineapple vinegar?

3. How many tablespoons of baking soda did you use? I don't color my hair, so I don't have anything to worry about in terms of the effect on my hair color.

4. I tried not rinsing out my extra-virgin coconut oil before, and my hair was very sticky. How did you do it without it looking all sticky? Your hair looked so good, and you looked like Nicole Kidman in your picture. Smile

Thank you!
Cherisse

avalange wrote:

Thanks to everyone here and some enlightening posts over on the Long Hair Community boards, my HAIR IS BACK TO ITS NORMAL, BOUNCY SHINY SELF!!!!!
I never thought it possible, but it IS.

For those of you not aware of my recent traumas, I've been suffering from the effects of hard water on my skin and hair (calcium carbonate and iron, perhaps others).

I posted this on another thread which has kind of trailed off, but I wanted to post my conclusions regarding this problem and how to fix it.

The moral of the story before the story: NEVER underestimate the power of DIY!

Sub-moral: Figuring out what you are doing in terms of Ph when washing your hair is key... and that a shower filter is NOT the answer...

Here is what I did to restore my hair:
1. wash with a non detergent shampoo with added baking soda (be careful not to add too much, as it can really damage your hair). I used Bioderma's Node shampoo.
2. Add a tablespoon of honey to a moisturizing mask, trying to avoid proteins for the moment. I used phytojoba's new moisturizing mask
3. rinse with distilled water and apple cider vinegar (I used 1/3 acv and 2/3 water in an evian bottle.
4. do not rinse after the acv rinse.
5. when hair is semi-dry, use coconut oil on the drier-looking places.
My hair soaked the coconut oil right up, and I am not going to wash it until I really need to. In the meantime, I'm adding a wee bit on cornstarch to my roots if they look too oily, and brushing it through. A boar-bristle brush is the best to distribute oils evenly and to stimulate the scalp--I brush in the morning and the evening.

I hope all of this helps someone now (Mermaidgirl?), or in the future! Apparently, it is best not to buy protein-enriched shampoo and conditioner, but rather it is better to do a protein treatment once or twice a week; I cannot wait to get carekate's hair serum, which is on its way to me now, because I am now confident I know how and when to use it!

--avalange

free skin care · Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:14 pm

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! So glad your hair is back!!!!!

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