V dry straw-like hair, nothing works! HELP!!

[OhWesternWind]

Please please help - you are my last resort! Since I had the dc, my always dry hair has turned like straw. It is frizzy and uncontrollable. It is wavy and coarse in texture.

I have tried the "no poo" for a month and a half with no improvement, I use frizz-ease cream which works for around an hour and then it's back to its usual state, I've tried frequent conditioning with heavy-duty conditioner, I've tried all sorts of products - Tresemme, hot oil, Aussie etc etc - but nothing works. It is probably the driest hair I have ever seen! As this is a new(ish) thing I am at a total loss to know what to do next. Hairdresser no help either so I am relying on you ladies. Only other option is to get as much as poss chopped off, but it's only shoulder lenghth at the mo and I don't suit very short hair so don't really want to do this.

Before I had DS my hair was like straw.

I found that Pantene Repair and Protect shampoo and Avon Dry hair conditioner helped.

Avon really is a great kept secret. Thier products are sooo cheap, but great! Serums, sprays etc are brill.

Btw, I'm not an Avon rep!

Have you tried a freezing cold rinse after every wash? Proper head numbing cold?

Cider vinegar rinse might help too (1 part vinegar to 2 parts water) leave it on for 10 minutes then wash as normal.

Use less shampoo and wash your hair every third day?

Dying your hair will have some short term benefits, I use a wash in/out tint, 99p form superdrug 3 times a week, which seems to stop my hair drying out, because it is being coated in colour? You use it like shampoo but leave it on for 5 mins before rinsing - then condition the ends and do the freezing cold rinse.

Get layers cut into your hair if you want to keep the length, shorter at the front to keep it off your face. If the longest layers are at the back and get frizzy, at least you don't have to look at them.

I use Recital dye on mine (red) and because I only wash it once a week, the superconditioner that comes with it lasts 8wks or so til I need to dye again. I also use Tresemme serum/creme stuff just before drying and between washes if getting frizzy.

FYI The Teflon-style conditioners like Pantene, Tresemme etc are also great for shaving your legs with!

kerastase aquoleum treatments are great & worth the money, especially if you buy online.

I quite like aveda sap moss too as it isn't a foaming shampoo.

Ojon shampoo seemed popular when I was in the states, again this doesn't foam. John Lewis do a sample size kit so you can try it out as it is expensive.

Agree cold rinse is a must too, even in this freezing weather! Good luck :)

Terax Crema, it's amazing. Second Kerastase, TIGI oat & honey excellent too.

My hairs like this as well, have you tried straighteners, they make my hair really smooth.

Everyone will probably think I'm a nutter, but you could try this.
Used it back in my youth to repair hair after having bleached blond dread locks.

Lol, did it work?

I have dry hair and this works well for me:
Aveda Damage Remedy.

Yes, TrappedinSuburbia, it did

You say that it's a newish thing, so I'm presuming some sort of major stress? It might help to (as Gwyneth Paltrow twitters on about) 'nourish the inner aspect'. What about vitamins? The ones you really need for healthy hair are:

Vitamin A
B vitamins
Biotin
Folic acid
Vitamin E

Biotin particularly - you could try slapping some raw eggs on your hair mixed with VitE oil.You'll need to give it a couple of weeks but perhaps if you really up the vits in your diet your hair might cheer up. Good luck anyway.

aveda is amazing

egg yolk is cheaper - and you could whip up the egg whites whilst you were at it and smother it on your face for a quick face pickmeup

olive oil is better than Hot Oil - use in exactly the same way though - can wrap it (your hair) in cling film, leave for five-ten mins and then shampoo it out (takes a couple of rinses)

It sounds like it needs less chemicals perhaps.

caveat: am not a hippy i promise! Just skint and love cheap solutions!

Aveda damage remedy is brilliant, there's an everyday leave in serum which my hair just soaks up but doesn't leave any residue or heaviness, get through tubes of the stuff!

I use olive oil like frizz ease on mine.

I have had the same problem since having dc's. When I can be bothered I will redo the Lush Caca henna colur. It is very cheap and one block does for 2-4 treatments depending on your hair length. I use the Brun colour which just peps up my mousey brown with good sprinkling of grey hair. The colour is a little more lively, it blends in the grey slightly but as an added bonus makes the hair beautifully soft, silky and shiny for around a month.

I'd recommend Philip Kingsley's Elasticizer (you apply it for 20 min or so before shampoo)

I'd follow up with Frederic Fekkai shampoo and conditioner - very expensive but I've been really impressed with them. Loads of my hair fell out after my second baby and it looked tatty, dull and rough - I was seriously impressed by the glossing shampoo and conditioner and my mum's hair looks terrific with the ones for coloured hair

Hi, I read this on the Irish equivalent of Mumsnet in answer to someone seeking advice on dry hair.

When I say the Irish equivalent of Mumsnet, I don't really mean that. It's not a patch on Mumsnet!!!

Maplesyrup ID:- 34701 Date:- 05/11/2010 12:58 Send PM reply:- 1

Yep.
Stop washing it so much and stop blow drying it. I have (or had) same kind of hair as you apart from the colour, but now it's more curly, less frizzy. This is how my hair looks good - wash once a week (max 3 times every 2 weeks), every morning wet and apply loads of conditioner (no particular type really just lots of it) and either comb through or (for best curl result) finger thru til no knots. Do NOT rub hair with towel or wrap towel around head. Instead, leave it dripping wet and take small towel and lean over to the side while gathering the hair gently up with the towel and kind of press and very gently squeeze hair, let it go and move on to the next side of your hair and then on to the next bit and the next etc. til the really heavy dripping wet has gone. Next - get some curly cream/ serum or both mixed together and lightly scrunch it thru your hair. Next - LEAVE HAIR ALONE - DON NOT TOUCH IT. Allow to air dry. You can add a bit more finishing product (curly cream/ serum) at this point if you wish.
This all sounds very complex when typed out but it's no big deal to do and it guarantees to get your hair as frizz free and smooth curly as it can be. On days when I'm too lazy to be bothered - I might wrap my hair up in a towel or even rub it with a towel - it's not a fraction as nice as when I do it properly. I think you can probably do all the above but also use a hairdryer on low and with a big diffuser and it will work out ok but no hairdryer is definitely best. Good luck!

2 things:

1. No SLS products at all - try health food shops and H&B for SLS-free shampoos, the detergent is incredibly drying.

1. Try bathing with bath oil(no SLS - Waitrose Organic ones are very good) and washing your hair in the bath (rinse with clean water of course). I find this brilliant for my dry hair.

Try wrapping your pillow in a towel and sleeping with damp hair (if you are happy to embrace any natural wave and if it's long enough to put up in the morning because occasionally the waves do wake up a little insane). I often wash & condition my hair, slather on the serum, wrap it in a little microfibre turban and go to bed. Benefit is that hair isn't rubbed or heated.

Granard's post is pretty much what I've been doing with my hair lately - it has become really dry (needs a good trim) and I'm attempting to grow it. Trying to embrace my natural wave - not curly,not straight, really just a horrible kink around it, I've been leaving curly hair serum (Aussie stuff) on it wet,and scrunching it through then etting it dry naturally. It leaves it kind of tousled but it's softer and shinier than it's been for ages - I barely use the hairdryer any more.

Also Dove's new range seems pretty good, their intensive conditioner has serum in it and I quite like it so far

Running theme on this thread seems to be wash less - I wash every other day as my hair gets greasy at the roots if I don't...

When living in the US I used this and really liked it. Might try it again now you can get t here....

Thank you all so much for your help! I can see I'm going to have to brace myself for a) cold water and b) spending a bit more than I'm used to on hair/horse products Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Thanks again.

Just another thought, vigorous exercise! I have similar hair and have noticed how oily my scalp gets (almost teenager like!) after exercise class or a good run. Only happens if I REALLY work up a sweat though, but benefitting my hair!

Ooh, more aerobic shagging then. What's not to like?

faith in nature is a very reasonably priced sls free shampoo, I have been using it for years, I get it form health food shops, most seem to stock it!

Have a keratin treatment (Brazilian blowdry), it will make it soft, shiny and tackle the frizz.
Your hair sounds very similar to mine and this is the only thing that has sorted it out, and believe me, I have tried pretty much everything!

If it's too expensive at the hairdressers, buy some off eBay and do it yourself :)

I also recommend Moroccan Oil treatments.