new thread
I tried growing my hour out last year but gave up after it turned into a tangly puffed up mess. As my hair is getting longer now I've been doing some research and found what I was doing before - trying lots of different shampoos, conditioners and hair gels was not helping my naturally fine and dry hair at all. This is what I have discovered.
"Each hair shaft is made up of two or three layers: the cuticle, the cortex, and sometimes the medulla. The cuticle is the outermost layer. Made of flattened cells that overlap like the tiles on a terra-cotta roof, the cuticle protects the inside of the hair shaft from damage.
In an acid solution, the cuticle cells shrink and harden. In an alkaline solution, the cuticle cells swell up and soften."
When hair has been washed in an alkaline solution eg. hard water it will be rough and tangly. In an acid solution it will be smoother and shinier.
So...this is how I found to wash my hair to give it a nice smooth and shiny condition.
Wet and apply a small amount of shampoo. You can just use vegetable soap as this is less harmfull to your hair. Shampoo is a detergent which foams even in the most alkaline water which is its selling point but it strips all your natural hair oil.
Rinse thoroughly and apply the juice of a lemon (or bottled concentrated lemon juice). Run through your hair to make sure it is all covered. This is the acid which will close the hair cuticles.
Rinse and apply conditioner.
Towel dry. If your hair is naturally dry you can apply a small amount of jojoba oil.
Result - excellent hair.
Best of luck
Yeah I use a little coconut oil on the ends of my hair to control flip ups keeping my hair totally straight. Good stuff.
wouldnt this lead to some "bleaching" if the suns rays have their way?
When do you apply the oil? Also, where can one buy some? Thanks.
You apply it when your hair is dry, and I buy it from the body shop, which I think is an international distrubtor, so you should have one near you.
I once read lemon juice was good for the hair, then I asked on this board and several people told me it would make the hair dry, now you say it's good... I'm really confused.
Some people put lemon juice on their hair and then go out in the sun which has a bleaching effect. This will certainly dry your hair but my method rinses it out shortly after applying it.
Lemon juice can lighten your hair, so be sure to rinse thoroughly, especially if you are not blonde. Brunettes can use cider vinegar, supposedly it does not have the lightening effect. Also; you can get the same shine and softness if you dilute the acid of choice, lemon or vinegar, in lots of water, and mix in some hair conditioner, dump over your head (keep your eyes closed!), massage in well, and rinse, rinse, rinse, then rinse some more. The dilute solution is easier on the hair, and it doesn't take much of the acid agent to change the pH.