Shea Moisture-Low Porosity?

GirlyThatsCurly

Hi fellow curlies!

This is my first post to CurlTalk and I was hoping someone could help me out! I have fine, 3A, low porosity, low-medium density, mid back length hair. I have been using the curly girl method for almost 8 months now. I would provide more info about my hair but I'm hoping this will be enough to answer my question. I used Shea Moisture 10-1 Renewal Conditioner for the first time last night (trying to switch from DC One Condition) and stupid me realized after I used it that there is shea butter and coconut oil in the conditioner! :-|

Anyways, my question is will this conditioner provide buildup in fine, low porosity hair? Also, are the ingredients water soluble or can I use a low-poo with coco betaine (such as DevaCurl Low Poo) to remove it? Or do I need to use a stronger clarifying shampoo? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated since I am still experimenting with products!! I'm just trying to avoid potential of buildup since I despise anything that weighs my fine hair down!!

And...I know I know that I don't have a signature or picture yet! I'm working on it !!

NvmbrCurlss

It will likely buildup. A low poo OR cowash could be enough, but you will have to give it a shot to see what your hair likes. My fine hair can only handle sheamoisture in tiny amounts.


3B, Fine, Med D, Normal P & E

NoP: Giovanni 50/50
RO/LI: DevaOneCondition
Styler: DevaLight Gel
Refresher: Water/Glycerin Mix & SheaMoisture Milk

BotticelliBrit

Shea Butter & Coconut Oil aren't bad things, in fact, they can be really awesome things. It's just that people with finer hair sometimes can't 'handle' them as it tends to weigh their hair down and can even make it look greasy. So really it just depends on your hair and what it likes and how often you like to wash.

I can't see any silicones in the ingredients and such, so it should wash out just fine. I wouldn't worry. Shea Moisture products can be really amazing (their shampoo is my FAVE and the only one I'll use). Just try the product a few times and see how your hair likes it.

kathymack

I have fine/low porosity/low density hair. I can't use the SM Coconut & Hibiscus line (only one I really tried.) It just sits on my hair and doesn't absorb. Good news is that it washes out easily.

How did you determine you have low porosity hair?? Most people use the float test, which is notoriously unreliable. Aside from getting microscopic analysis, dry time is the best indicator. For naked hair, less then 2 hours is porous, 6+ is low and in between is medium.

GirlyThatsCurly

Thank so much everyone! So it looks like I don't have to worry too much about washing it out.

kathymack, I have not had a hair analysis done and I know that the float test is unreliable. Honestly, I don't know for sure if my hair is low porosity but I have read the LiveCurly Livefree ebook and based on the descriptions in the book I think my hair is low. For example, my strands are very slick and it seems to take a whole day before any type of product fully absorbs into my hair. I also get build-up very easily. The only thing is that my naked hair does not take long to air dry. About 2 hours and I know that most people say that that is a sign of high porosity, however in the ebook is states that "hair that is finer and less porous has a much shorter drying time." So I've been a little confused on that! But I think that my naked hair dries more quickly because it is so fine rather than it being high porosity since my hair does not show any other signs of high porosity.

Anyways...I am also in the process in looking for a silicone free and glycerin free conditioner since I live in Florida and the weather is already so humid right now!! Any suggestions??

kathymack

Here's a link to CJ Marsha's blog on texture and porosity Curl Junkie - Natural Hair Care for all types of Curly Hair!: My 2 cents on Protein/Texture/Porosity/Moisture Balance! :-) It has visuals, which helps. While my hair is not as fine as my 21 month old granddaughter's, it is thinner then the "2." Not sure it's as fine as the "1." Back in the day, before I used product, I could shampoo/condition, towel dry and diffuse at 6:15 am. Often times, I'd put my fingers in the under layers to check dryness at 11:30 and it would still be damp. So, I don't know if the fineness enters into it all that much.

IMHO, your rinse out conditioner is in your hair such a short period of time while your in the shower, it has little opportunity to be absorbed by low porosity hair. I think the styling products a much more important. I, also, haven't noticed a big problem with glycerin. But that's me.

My all time favorite conditioners are by a company called Sevi. Both the Pumpkin Seed and Sea Buckthorn Berry. The Pumpkin Seed has patchouli in it, which I had; however, I still use it. Her other products are good, too. People really like the CJ products, too. I have to be careful with polyquats, so I check ingredients.

Some less expensive products that don't have glycerin are the "Yes To" lines. You may like some of those. I've just started to use an EO conditioner with Keratin. It has glycerin in it. Also should mention that I rotate my products a lot. Seldom use anything more then once in five days.

GirlyThatsCurly

Thanks so much!! I just bought Yes to Carrots today

Ladybug09

I finally have clarity regarding porosity and the below two articles helped me! The second article has the video below attached, which was very helpful.

My hair takes forever to dry and if it has product on it, it can take days. All that no heat stuff is crap for me. Once I set my curls, I sit under the dryer until my hair is 80-90% dry. I do not like to go out with WET hair.

Hope this info helps.


ALL ABOUT POROSITY - Ouidad

Hair Porosity 101- Natural Hair Care | Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Care

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FKn1sZLbkM#action=share

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FKn1sZLbkM

bookgrdngirl

I used Shea Moisture products almost exclusively for quite a few months. I didn't notice any really bad build-up. However in my honest opinion, I believe it is necessary to clarify when using their products! I didn't realize at first that I was experiencing build-up until I used a clarifying shampoo. For my hair: it was that the shampoo wasn't strong enough to clarify.

I didn't feel their shampoos helped very much in clarifying. I think they're much better if you use them like a co-wash/low poo vs. as an actual clarifying shampoo. I do really like the SM shampoos, but I love how my Giovanni clarifies my hair/scalp, so I don't need to fret about build-up or feeling like my scalp isn't clean.

In my opinion, I think if you use SM products than just make sure that you clarify! Some of the products are definitely too heavy for fine/thin hair... but they have a pretty large selection. You can also water down products to make them less heavy!

Ladybug09

Interesting, the coconut Hibiscus shampoo really cleans my hair. The only other shampoo I've been using is Paul Mitchell's The Shampoo to clarify. I shampoo maybe 1x a month.

bookgrdngirl wrote: »

I used Shea Moisture products almost exclusively for quite a few months. I didn't notice any really bad build-up. However in my honest opinion, I believe it is necessary to clarify when using their products! I didn't realize at first that I was experiencing build-up until I used a clarifying shampoo. For my hair: it was that the shampoo wasn't strong enough to clarify.

I didn't feel their shampoos helped very much in clarifying. I think they're much better if you use them like a co-wash/low poo vs. as an actual clarifying shampoo. I do really like the SM shampoos, but I love how my Giovanni clarifies my hair/scalp, so I don't need to fret about build-up or feeling like my scalp isn't clean.

In my opinion, I think if you use SM products than just make sure that you clarify! Some of the products are definitely too heavy for fine/thin hair... but they have a pretty large selection. You can also water down products to make them less heavy!

bookgrdngirl

Ladybug09 wrote: »

Interesting, the coconut Hibiscus shampoo really cleans my hair. The only other shampoo I've been using is Paul Mitchell's The Shampoo to clarify. I shampoo maybe 1x a month.

I should've added some more information. That's interesting too what you say! I agree a lot actually as well.

When I use the Curl and Shine shampoo, I agree that it cleans my hair too! It removes all of my product goop. When I first started taking care of my hair, I was a gel abuser... so it was impressive. LOL.

I ended up using the Dandruff Control shampoo almost exclusively for two months instead. I had a horrible reaction to Suave Conditioner and my scalp was out of control! I had really serious issues with my scalp; ridiculous flakes, itching, irritation, etc. It's finally normal again. (I even have scars all over of my body from the allergic reaction. UGH!)

I clarify my scalp with the Giovanni Shampoo -- it gives you that 'stripping' type of feeling. I avoid washing my hair with it for the most part; I just let the shampoo clean it when I rinse my scalp. I mostly just make sure my scalp is clean. I'm sure that my scalp issues play an issue, but I know that being low porosity makes you more prone to build-up.

The SM shampoos make my hair and scalp feel clean, but I don't feel like I'm getting clarified by them (if that makes sense). I think a lot of low-porosity people need clarification at least once a month. So when I meant by a low-poo/co-wash, I just meant that I think that SM shampoos are not the most cleansing (a few of their shampoos can't remove silicones) and can inadvertently cause build-up.

I think most Shea Moisture users are SM product junkies, which I was guilty of! :occasion9: I think because a lot of people who use Shea Moisture use a large amount of their products that it's easy to get build-up with. My hair and scalp are a lot healthier and happier now that I have a clarifying shampoo in my arsenal.