Ask BYC

[SunriseChickers]

I made myself a couple of these and added embroidery on the back:
View attachment 4319570

They’re very handy but sometimes one wants a change

Not to sound rude, but your hair looks a lot like mine does when it's not been properly conditioned. Do you know what porosity your hair is? Low, medium, high? I'd be happy to help you figure it out and determine what shampoos and conditioners may work best, if you aren't sure and would like some help.

 

[CombNWattles]

Thanks for all the ideas guys!

 

[CombNWattles]

Not to sound rude, but your hair looks a lot like mine does when it's not been properly conditioned. Do you know what porosity your hair is? Low, medium, high? I'd be happy to help you figure it out and determine what shampoos and conditioners may work best, if you aren't sure and would like some help.

Thank you
It definitely needs some tlc right now; that’s one of the things the kerchief is great for- hiding the bird’s nest!

I use devacurl conditioner and gel, which seems to work well but I do wish my hair wouldn’t frizz back up after a day or so.

I’m not sure exactly how porous my hair is- how do you tell?

 

[SunriseChickers]

Thank you
It definitely needs some tlc right now; that’s one of the things the kerchief is great for- hiding the bird’s nest!

Lol, agreed!

I use devacurl conditioner and gel, which seems to work well but I do wish my hair wouldn’t frizz back up after a day or so.

I had that problem before I figured out what to use with my low porosity hair!

I’m not sure exactly how porous my hair is- how do you tell?

It's pretty simple. Remove one strand of hair from your head, and take a 1" piece from the middle. Put that piece of hair in a glass full of water, and wait 5-10 minutes. If your hair is floating on the top, it's low porosity. If your hair is somewhere in the middle, it's medium porosity. If your hair has sunk to the bottom, it's high porosity.
Low porosity hair will sometimes have water bead up on it in the shower, and high porosity hair will often seem to gulp down all of your conditioner. Either can cause crazy frizz if you aren't using the right conditioner. Medium porosity is often considered ideal.
Low porosity hair does not benefit long term from conditioners that use oils such as olive or coconut, because the molecules are physically too large for it to absorb. High porosity hair loses moisture very quickly because it's so open, and it needs some extra help.

 

[CombNWattles]

Lol, agreed!

I had that problem before I figured out what to use with my low porosity hair!

It's pretty simple. Remove one strand of hair from your head, and take a 1" piece from the middle. Put that piece of hair in a glass full of water, and wait 5-10 minutes. If your hair is floating on the top, it's low porosity. If your hair is somewhere in the middle, it's medium porosity. If your hair has sunk to the bottom, it's high porosity.
Low porosity hair will sometimes have water bead up on it in the shower, and high porosity hair will often seem to gulp down all of your conditioner. Either can cause crazy frizz if you aren't using the right conditioner. Medium porosity is often considered ideal.
Low porosity hair does not benefit long term from conditioners that use oils such as olive or coconut, because the molecules are physically too large for it to absorb. High porosity hair loses moisture very quickly because it's so open, and it needs some extra help.

I am very surprised- after 10 minutes it’s still at the top! I always thought I had higher porosity hair. I’ll leave it there and see if it ever sinks
I also put in another strand from the front which tends to be drier; I’ll see what happens to that one.

Thank you, SunriseChickers, this is very informative!

 

[SunriseChickers]

I am very surprised- after 10 minutes it’s still at the top! I always thought I had higher porosity hair. I’ll leave it there and see if it ever sinks
I also put in another strand from the front which tends to be drier; I’ll see what happens to that one.

Thank you, SunriseChickers, this is very informative!

I had the same problem! After a day, I pushed it below the surface and it still stayed in the top inch.
Low porosity hair can get you like that because it gets so dry, so you think "oh, my hair is drying out really fast" when in reality, it wasn't properly nourished in the first place.

Shampoos and conditioners that I have used and liked include:
Mielle Pomegranate and Honey (shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner)
HASK Argan Oil (shampoo, conditioner)
Shea Moisture Low Porosity (shampoo and conditioner, but this one may have been discontinued)

I have been using the Mielle leave-in conditioner regardless of what other shampoo and conditioner I'm using. It makes a WORLD of difference!

This is a list of oils that are best for low porosity hair. My favorite was a sweet almond oil blend, also linked below (I'm pretty sure it's the right one, haven't seen it at Walmart for a while). I used the oil for a refresh when it was frizzy and it helped a ton.

https://salonworthyhair.com/best-oils-low-porosity-hair

https://www.madeforlocs.com/products/locs-vegan-oil-spray-bundle

Using the right products changed everything for my hair. It is much silkier, much less frizzy, curls more nicely, and doesn't get too frizzy or too oily as fast as it used to.
Having a kid made my hair less curly and far more manageable in general, but that's obviously not a life hack option for manageable hair.

If you continue having issues after a couple of months, or if you just want to do it now, look into your individual strand thickness. Fine, medium, coarse. This can also have an effect on how products work with your hair. I am not as familiar with this aspect of hair care.

Glad I could help!!

 

[SunriseChickers]

I had the same problem! After a day, I pushed it below the surface and it still stayed in the top inch.
Low porosity hair can get you like that because it gets so dry, so you think "oh, my hair is drying out really fast" when in reality, it wasn't properly nourished in the first place.

Shampoos and conditioners that I have used and liked include:
Mielle Pomegranate and Honey (shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner)
HASK Argan Oil (shampoo, conditioner)
Shea Moisture Low Porosity (shampoo and conditioner, but this one may have been discontinued)

I have been using the Mielle leave-in conditioner regardless of what other shampoo and conditioner I'm using. It makes a WORLD of difference!

This is a list of oils that are best for low porosity hair. My favorite was a sweet almond oil blend, also linked below (I'm pretty sure it's the right one, haven't seen it at Walmart for a while). I used the oil for a refresh when it was frizzy and it helped a ton.

https://salonworthyhair.com/best-oils-low-porosity-hair

https://www.madeforlocs.com/products/locs-vegan-oil-spray-bundle

Using the right products changed everything for my hair. It is much silkier, much less frizzy, curls more nicely, and doesn't get too frizzy or too oily as fast as it used to.
Having a kid made my hair less curly and far more manageable in general, but that's obviously not a life hack option for manageable hair.

If you continue having issues after a couple of months, or if you just want to do it now, look into your individual strand thickness. Fine, medium, coarse. This can also have an effect on how products work with your hair. I am not as familiar with this aspect of hair care.

Glad I could help!!

By the way, it's important to pay attention to these oils, even if you don't directly oil your hair. Oils are used in shampoos and conditioners. If you get a conditioner with coconut oil in it, it can keep your hair from properly absorbing anything from the conditioner.

Ah, another tip, get a microfiber cloth for drying your hair if you don't already have one. Using a regular cotton towel can cause micro damage to your hair, causing it to be more frizzy and have more breakage over time.