Hair questions...

[cindy.wellman]

After living in a very humid area, we now live in a dry area. I'm looking for some tried and true products that might help our hair. We recently added a water softener to our house, so that is helping a little bit, but not as much as I'd like.

Both my daughter and I have fine hair, which means that some of the heavy stuff might weigh it down. At this point, I'm willing to try the heavy stuff. My hair is wavy, though I usually don't wear it that way, and my daughter's hair is really curly.

The many shampoos we've tried all seem to cause the most problems. Our hair almost feels like it is going to break after using some of them. Even the few combo shampoo/conditioner ones we've tried are too harsh. I do add highlights and lowlights to my hair, so I know that is some of the problem. Sam doesn't have any processing done to her hair.

So, I'm looking for nourishing products for the dry situation, and styling (in a dry environment) products for Sam's curly situation.

Yeah, I know this is TOTALLY off topic, but any and all answers would be so much appreciated.

***Edited to add: Learning about how water softeners work was very interesting!

[Ritterskoop]

Biolage products have several options. I get the shampoo at the salon, but I saw some in the grocery store the other day, so they must've opened up their distribution.

[marrymeflyfree]

I have really (really) fine hair, too - and it can get dry on the ends, especially when I let it go really long. I have been using the following products for about 3 years now, and really have a hard time even thinking about parting with them. I'm an addict. It is my crack.

Any old shampoo will do, really. At home I tend to gravitate toward Rusk Deep Shine, but sometimes I just get something cheap - and I use whatever hotel shampoo is available when I'm on the road. Who knows what kind of crap is in that stuff. But the conditioner I use, recommended by a stylist friend, is the key. If I could open a vein and squeeze it in, I would. K-Pak Reconstruct by Joico. I slather on about a gallon every day and leave it in for 5-10 minutes. (Squeeze out the excess water from your hair before applying so that more of the product gets onto your hair, rather than down the drain!) It rinses clean but keeps it healthy and manageable and not fly-away, even when I let it get reeeeally long. Another daily favorite is Biosilk Therapy. Just rub a teeny little dab of it in your palms and run through wet hair before drying. It will absolutely tame any frizz and brings out your natural shine. (Also a great product to keep hair from drying out if you are without conditioner for a few days.) Since I get a little oily on top at times, I usually just run it through the long parts in the back and skip the crown. It is kind of essential for me in the winter with all of the dry indoor heat - keeps the static at bay.

If you use styling products, go for alcohol-free items. If I am curling the hair or doing a lot of heat styling with the blow dryer, I use an alcohol-free mousse and then use the Biosilk op top of that. Also try to squeeze out as much water as you can before blow drying to minimize the dry heat on your hair.

I don't know much in this world, but I do know hair.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

So, I'm looking for nourishing products for the dry situation, and styling (in a dry environment) products for Sam's curly situation.

My daughter has what we call in the family, a "Jewfro."


I buy her Control Freak shampoo by TIFI BedHead, or None of Your Frizziness by Herbal Essence. She always uses Be Curly by Aveda on her wet hair and ends up with perfect ringlets. Another product that she uses is Hair Caviar by Alterna for shiny hair and an occasional treatment of Biosilk Silk Therapy.

Emma and I have wavy hair that is thick. We also have hard water.
I use Aveda products on my hair, but swear by Hair Caviar by Alterna and Biosilk Silk Therapy, which I think would help thinner hair. Emma's hair goes down to her waist and Hair Caviar works as a great detangler when it's dry outside.

[kayrharris]

My hair is totally straight, so I would be of no help. Looks like lots of good suggestions, as I knew you would get here. Good luck!

[ladysoleil]

After living in a very humid area, we now live in a dry area. I'm looking for some tried and true products that might help our hair. We recently added a water softener to our house, so that is helping a little bit, but not as much as I'd like.

So, I'm looking for nourishing products for the dry situation, and styling (in a dry environment) products for Sam's curly situation.

I have dry, thick, wavy hair and I admit that I'm lazy and generally use whatever's in the shower and get a deep conditioning when I get a cut, but when I'm being good, I swear by Infusium 23 products.

The leave-in might be too heavy for fine hair but will probably make Sam's curly hair happy.

[cindy.wellman]

Oooh, I'm excited by all of these great suggestions! Thank you for the help.


I'll report back with updates.

[Bixby17]

I have curly fine hair that looks thicker than it is. It is baby soft and humidity is good for me, and dry air makes it all fly away.

Sometimes if it is really dry, I like the VO8 Hot Oil treatment that you can get at drug stores. I put it on my hair about four inches below the roots so that the roots don't get to oily--and to mostly put it on the ends.

Hope that helps.

[gsabc]

My daughter has what we call in the family, a "Jewfro."

LOL! I call it an "Isro", fitting in better with the concept behind "Afro". Never had one myself, but a college friend (male) had similar hair. A PE teacher (we had to take a semester of PE to graduate) told him that he "looked like Simon and Garfunkel".

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

My daughter has what we call in the family, a "Jewfro."

LOL! I call it an "Isro", fitting in better with the concept behind "Afro". Never had one myself, but a college friend (male) had similar hair. A PE teacher (we had to take a semester of PE to graduate) told him that he "looked like Simon and Garfunkel".

It's amusing to here Maddie talk about her hair.

On some days she is "rockin' the Jewfro" or on others her hair is "Jewtastic." She is getting better at using the flat iron, but I still have a "one a week only" flatiron rule because I don't want her to ruin her hair.

[gsabc]

Family story. Oldest sister had fairly curly hair, not quite an Isro, but close. Her best friend had straight hair. Mom claims that she found the two of them, around age 8, crying together one day. Sis wanted BF's straight hair, and the BF wanted Sister's curly hair.

BD inherited my (when I still had some) wavy hair. Occasionally she'll get it straightened, but only to do something different. It's back to wavy when the straightener wears off.

[wbtravis007]

I had the kind of soft fine hair that you're describing, I think.

My head kept getting hot, though, so I told them to shave a round patch out of the back of the top and thin the rest of the top and cut it short.

My four-year old said something about not having hair on top of my head. I explained that I do have hair, and grabbed her hand and ran it across the top of my head to demonstrate.

She said: "That's not hair. Those are just stems."

Time to get the Newton back out, I guess. I just wish the damned thing fit better.

[VAdame]

My Mom -- a child in the 1920's -- had poker-straight hair when she was little. She said she used to cry every time she saw a boy with curls!

My hair was pretty straight -- enough for me to sleep on hard plastic curlers when I was little to get a tiny bit of a curl. I wanted a "That Girl" flip like Marlo Thomas -- sadly, my Mom had not a clue how to achieve that look. I learned to do it myself in 5th or 6th grade. My 6th grade school pic, with the flip, is still my favorite school pic!

Leah has thick, curly, biracial hair - she can't understand why anyone would want curly hair, as it's a helluva lot of work! Of course everyone else thinks her hair is gorgeous & wants it.

As for the original question, I think she has good results with SunSilk. The commercials are horrible, but apparently the product is pretty good!

[ladysoleil]

As for the original question, I think she has good results with SunSilk. The commercials are horrible, but apparently the product is pretty good!

I originally liked the SunSilk stuff a lot but if I use it every time I wash, my hair feels really heavy and greasy. Ick. I save it for special occasions now because it really does work when I need to straighten my hair.