not looking so good...

curlyorwavy

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks coz I've been on holiday, but all is not going well!

Over the last however long, this was what I did:

Clarifying Shampoo (CS)
CS again (just to make sure was cone free!)
Cowash (CO)
CO
Gentle shampoo (GS) (coz my hair looked greasy)
GS
CO
CO
GS
CO
CO

The last cowash was last night and today my hair is not happy. It feels greasy. Also it's very notty at around top-of-ear height, even though I comb it through with my hands in the shower. And it feels quite coarse. And it's gone back to limp waves rather than the bouncy ringlets that appeared back after the first few COwashes. Could it be my mild shampoo isn't CG-friendly? If so, anyone know one in the UK which is? (for if I ever aquire the money to go shopping again!)

Naked Detox Shampoo
Aqua, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Lauryl Polyglucose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Glutarmate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, parfum, Citric Acid, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Rumex Acetosella (Sorrel) Leaf Extract, Linalool, Limonene, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glyceride Citrate, Methylisothiazolinone

I'm sure anyone who manages CG deserves a degree in chemistry...

As an aside, if it is my mild shampoo that's wrong and I need to start again, what do I do after the first two co-washes when it feels greasy? I have no money atm to find a different mild shampoo and I don't think I can deal with going around with greasy hair!

Thanks, you guys are a wonderful support

xx

Becci

Ive been CG 10 days now and on Sunday my hair felt greasy and sticky so I have my scalp a good scub whilst CO-Washing then poured ACV over my head and rubbed as the final step. Shifted my grease hun.

curlyorwavy

Ooh yay, another UK curly! What products are you and your daughter using?

I have no idea what an ACV rinse is... will investigate the boards.

Also, how often do you (and anyone else reading this) wash your hair? I've always washed my hair every time I shower, but I'm thinking my hair will get overconditioned (perhaps what's happened now) if I COwash every night.

curlyorwavy

Also, any advice on what I do next? As in tomorrow morning? If anyone reads this in the next 8 hours. No lemon juice or baking soda in the house, and only use-on-your-chips malt vinegar. Options are COwash, waterwash, use the mild shampoo, use the clarifying harsh shampoo and start again...

Becci

Well hun Im having loads of issues at the moment so Im maybe not the best person to ask.. lol..

Most people only Co-Wash once a week but waterwash everyday whilst detangling the length with conditioner.
ACV - apple cider viniger (I used to use malt but its not recomended hun)

Ive just started all over again by shampooing and Im going to wait until saturday or sunday to do my 1st Co-Wash again. In the meantime my hair is going to scrunchy heaven for a rest.. lol

So where in the U.K are you from?

curlyorwavy

I'm very tempted to go and do a clarifying shampoo and start again... I think I've been doing too many cowashes and so overconditioning...

I live in Bath, tis a beautiful place! I'm a student here. One more year till I have to be a proper grown up.

kat180

Hi! Yay another uk curly! A tip for when you can get hold of some, I always found adding a little lemon juice to my co-wash get rid of any grease. You can go through an adjustment period with cg with your scalp producing more oils than needed after shampooing for yrs, it will get better. You could try clarifying and starting again, and do less co-washes this time, you prob only need to do it 2/3 days, then gradually go to once a week. Everyones different. On the other days you can massage your scalp with the water running and then condition the rest of your hair like normal.

dutch girl

if you have vinegar, any kind will do for now, just try it!lemon juice is a good and cheap option as well.

is this your mild cleanser?

Naked Detox Shampoo
Aqua, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Glycerin, Lauryl Polyglucose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Glutarmate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, parfum, Citric Acid, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Rumex Acetosella (Sorrel) Leaf Extract, Linalool, Limonene, Magnesium Nitrate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glyceride Citrate, Methylisothiazolinone

the bold ones are cleansers, and it seems to me there's a lot of them in this 'mild' cleanser.the italic one, pepermint, can irritate your scalp and cause it to produce more sebum.

i wouldn't say this cleanser is mild. you could try jessicurl, kinky curly, or creme of nature poo. i think inecto coconut co and poo are available in the uk aswell.

curlyorwavy

By mild cleanser I just meant 'something that doesn't contain sulphates'. Plan this time (used harsh clarifying shampoo this morning) is to cowash less and used lemon juice if necessary. Will avoid any shampoo... here goes!

Thanks for the tips kat180! And yay for another UKer What happened with the VO5 gel for you then (reading your signature). That's the gel I'm on coz it was the only CG one I could locate!

As an aside, my fiance read the start of the Curly Girl book this evening. Had explained CG in terms of avoiding sulphates, but not mentioned no shampoo. Anyway, he didn't run away screaming, which has got to be a good thing!

kat180

It just dried my hair out, but most gels do that, I reckon its my hair thats the problem not the gel, plenty of people have recommended that one!