I washed my hair everyday until I went to Egypt - and it was horrifyingly greasy if I didn't. The showers there were cold and quite frankly, so dodgy that I only took about one shower a week while I was there (5 weeks). Ever since then I only wash my hair about 2x/week and it doesn't get even a little greasy until the day that it's "due". Moral of the story, your hair/scalp gets used to how often you wash it and releases oil accordingly. The less you wash it the less you need to wash it. FYI, it's really nasty while it adjusts though. I never would have done it if I weren't on the Middle East on $3/Day plan (read: *bottom* of the line hotels/hostels).

Well that's fine and Dandy if it works for you Julia but no way in my 'youth' could I have gone without washing it every other day. It got lank and horrible realy quickly. Up until just recently if I went without washing it every other day my head itched as if crying out to be washed. I don't really understand why it is considered a problem to overcome washing every day or other day. As I tend to get a sweaty head as well I prefer to wash my hair so I feel fresher. At the moment it is every two days so I am getting better! There is nothing worse than lank greasy hair in my opinion but that is just my opinion! If you've got it you hate it!!

I have heard that the scalp is self cleansing but really who wants to go around looking like Bob Geldorf! - okay extreme example.

Soemtimes, it's just a matter of letting your body go through it courses. When I was younger I had the same problem, and I always dyed my hair too, which you would think would dry it out, but it doesn't. Part of it really is your body chemestry - ask any 12 year old or pregnant lady, they'll tell you. *L* I didn't grow out of it until I was in my 20's. I tried everything and nothing worked. I definately think that the vinegar thing and also I tried beer too and it worked alright...but I doubt you'd want to smell like either so they aren't an every day thing. My opinion is to try to tea tree oil shampoos. Hubby had great results with one from a brand called Jason. Otherwise if you want to spend a fortune, the vitamin/herbal stores like GNC sell some pretty good stuff for abour 18 bucks. Again, it may be hormonal and not worth the money to try.

Well, I have onlyj ust grown out if it now in my 40's!! It is funny to think as a teen/20 I was trying to find ways of keeping the grease at bay and now my fave shampoo has silicone or such like in it to smooth the hair and to give it some shine. I suppose I should be grateful that my skin isn't totally dry - I still have a t zone.

Wow, lots of good hair care info! My hair is dry and thin and limp.. has no body, it just lays there ...kinda like Marcia-hair from the Brady Bunch..I need to have it cut..no... I need a new style, I'm thinkin of a shag actually.. I'm at the point of just going to a stylist and saying Do what you think will look good and is low maintenance.. but not sure I can be That trusting!
I warsh my hair every other day..or three times a week. More than that and my hair gets really fried looking, even with conditioner, and I use a detangler always! and my scalp gets dried out ... I'm going to try that cider vinegar rinse.. I use beer and egg once in a while... never vinegar...

Hey everyone! I'm new on this thread - my bio is posted so you'll all know what you're dealing with! This seems like a supportive, fun and informative thread - something I was sorely lacking in until recently!

I know exactly what you mean about the greasy hair thing! I struggled with greasy hair for most of my life. However, it's kind of strange. I found that pretty much every black dye I used ended up everywhere except staying in my hair! Two weeks later it would still be ruining towels and bleeding out during hair washes. Consequently, I started this 'ritual' of dying my hair and then going as long as possible before washing it. My hair felt kind of heavy, but it never looked greasy or dirty - I guess because the follicles were so full of the dye. Anyway, I would wash it after the 3rd or 4th day (after switching dyes too!) and I have found that now I don't need to wash my hair nearly as much!

I had a hairdresser in a salon once tell me that, indeed, the more you wash your hair, the more oil the shafts produce. The frustrating part for me was that I also suffered with VERY dry spots on my scalp (more than likely psoriasis) and I'd wash my hair to keep the dead skin in check. BUT, since I've stopped washing my hair so much and the oil is in check, I don't have the dry spots anymore either! Weird!

I also remember hearing on Watchdog (when I lived in England) that there was a huge fuss about Garnier Fructis shampoo because the amount of silicone in it was tremendous. Women on there were saying that they had to go to the hairdresser and have bleach solutions applied just to strip the silicone off their hair, which of course, caused it to look greasy, dirty and weighed down right after a wash. So, although a small amount of silicone is helpful to flatten the hair shaft and give a shiny look, too much can weigh down the hair and produce an oily-like effect.

I would suggest that you try a good, mild shampoo - preferably one that is sold in salons and is recommended by your sylist. I know the cost is ridiculous, but I have found that you only need a minimal amount - about the size of a nickel or a 20 pence coin to wash a huge head of hair! That amount would do me fine when my hair was to my waist. Also, switching your shampoo often can help a lot and using a conditioner only on the ends. I tend to have at least two different shampoos hanging about in the shower for such a purpose.

It's a lot of faffing but well worth it in the end if you can get the desired effect!

Anyway, thanks to all of you who replied to my bio. It's nice to 'meet' all of you and I will check out that website! I'm pretty much a 'mutt' too!

Take care all and have a good day/evening.

Alisha

Hmmm....I would look into some of the milder shampoos, try asking one of the cosmeticians at your local drugstore for some advice on what to use on oily hair or at the Health food store. I have found that a lot of the botanical or natural based products are a bit gentler on hair. My hair is really fine so I can't use heavy products as they weigh my hair down.

Maybe if you use less conditioner or only use conditioner every second shampoo day that might help?

PJ.. I can't find the site you mentioned.. I tried the cauldron.com, cauldron.com etc.. Can you send the link?

Maybe Alisha's address needs a uk stuck in it someplace? most of the GB addy's I see have uk's somewhere near the end. Speaking of expensive hair stuff...its funny, I used to be a total hair product junky. I never bought anything except redken or something expensive. Now that I'm broke, I tell people I'm "Suave Shampoo Broke". lol. So far the coconut version does not seem to be too bad. Of course I use a flattening iron and a curling iron (think pulp fiction lady minus the bangs) so I use a fair amount of the silicone protectant. Maybe that keeps it from drying out. I do notice I never need to use deep conditioners anymore. Anyone thinking of growing their "do" out? I'm so unhappy with the last four cuts that growing it to my butt is starting to seem like a great idea again.

Hey, are there any folk here who are really interested in persuing art? I found a great website that is free. www.wetcanvas.com. I was searching for ideas on how to set up a studio (since I'm going back to school this month) on a budget in a Teeny Tiny apartment. I found some really useful ideas on there...even instructions on how to build space saving storage for large paper. One thing I thought was cool was an idea for an easel if your space was too small. A guy said he went to home depot & bought one of those pine, bracketed shelves...the ones you normally sit brick a brack or photos on & just put it into the wall at a comfortable place to paint. I imagine the verticallness might bug me as I am used to slanted easels but if someone really did not have room....cool huh?

I'm soooo looking for something new to do with my hair. I really need a new cut. I'm also really tired of dyeing it (my hair refuses to hold color for more than a week or two so I'm constantly hitting the dye) I just love it dark, and hate it light, so I always end up reaching for the hair dye. My current fantasy is to find a cut so cute and flattering that I'll cease to care about the color and let it go back to it's natural light brown.

Wow all this hair talk makes me want to color again - it has been ages - I prefer a dark auburn with vibrant red tones - goes with my freckles.

I have long straight hair - been that style for years now - no bangs (fringe). I like pony tails - occasionally I miss the variety but living on a farm my hair is pretty much up and the only reason I dont cut it short is cuz I have a big head that looks even bigger with short hair.

As for the washing - mine gets it at least every 2 days - have gone as many as 4(not pretty) every other is best. My hair oils up when dirty - never had a prob with dye making it oily. My ends are alway dry due to the length and not getting it trimmed regularly. I was told to only wash the scalp (for long hair) - letting the shampoo run through the ends during the rinse - and to condition the ends - before you rinse the shampoo, protecting the ends from more drying.

The website is
http://www.ecauldron.com/

But I have to tell you that I tend to run off at the mouth when discussing anything - especially since I forget that these people dont know me and dont get me - and have recently put my foot in it more than once. I just hope when you happen accross my threads you won't hold any of it against me. And be sure to real the whole thread to see if my babbling gets any clearer.

Better yet - put me on ignore -


99.9% of my comments are hypothetical - I just tend to type without thinking much like when I speak. Then I spend 3 days cleaning up my mess.

You can always PM me if you just have to ask what I was thinking or talking about.

JuliaTN I wonder if you hair go so lank in Egypt because the whole wash was with cold water? I would only do the final rinse. Plus of course there is the heat factor.

Anyway - whatever anyone says about how long you should go without washing your hair, I believe as an overweight woman I am trying to look my best despite the added weight I don't want to be overweight with greasy smelly hair!! I hate it on tubes trains when you get a nose full of people's hair and it needs washing. It has that musty old hairspray and sweat smell. Not that I deliberately go in for sniffing hair you understand!!

Hourglass - was the black dye permanent or semi? I wish red dyes would last longer but they never do. I used to love putting bright reds on my hair but they ended up on the pillow and also when the grey shows through it looks awful. I now have it done fairly dark but when it fades it seems to blend in a goldeny red with the grey so not that noticeable.

Those with dryish frizzy hair - I love the Elvive/Elsive Loreal in a golden coulr bottle. I think it has silicone in it. It smooths my hair (not that it is that frizzy but the ends do get crispy!).

Hourglass - interested in what you said about the Fructis - amazingly enough that dried my hair out and left it so stiff I had to be careful it did not break off. I do not get on with Dove for the same reason.


Sorry to hog this board with hair stuff.

Don't worry Peacock, I think it's safe to say most of us are pretty obsessive about hair stuff
I am really liking the dark auburns done by Garnier right now. I used to get mine done at the stylists but like everyone says, red really does not last long. It feels like mine stays super vibrant for about two weeks & then starts to fade out a bit. I think you can put the fading off a bit w/products & not overwashing but reds are never going to stay...no matter how much you mollycoddle them. I did have a stylist in DC (WONDERFUL CUTS!!!! & colors) who said they had a line used mostly on hispanic & black women that was REALLY permanent but he was loathe to use it on me as he was worried I'd want to go back to being a blond. Every once in awhile for a very special ocassion I will drive up & have him cut it & color it a deep red that is almost like eggplant. Like it looks red in some lights but purple in others. I adore it. Alas, his cuts look bad after about two weeks, if it grows at all it just loses its shape. At the price he charges I can't let that be my maintenance schedule. So now he is my New Years & Birthday guy.
BTW, to those who hate getting dye on everything why fight it? Do what I did...I bought a nice black satin pillow case & a fluffy black towel to use for the first week or so when my dye is getting all over everything.

Hey everyone. Back to work on a Thursday that feels like a Monday for some reason. I'm so glad I found you guys! This thread always cheers me up!

Hi Peacock2! - You asked about the dye and if it was semi or permanent - well it was as permanent as I could get it. I've tried Garnier 100% Color in Blue Black, which washes out with every shampoo, stains my white tub (thank the god/dess for bleach!), my white shower curtain and my beige towels up to 3 weeks after I've dyed it! The color doesn't come off on my sheets or anything once it's dried, but it's a nightmare when it's wet because it gets on everything! I also tried another type but it was so long ago I don't even remember the brand. It didn't do any better. I'm now using Clairol Nice & Easy in Natural Black, but it doesn't give me the blue/black sheen that I like. My hair is naturally a very dark brown with red highlights and that hair dye lets the red shine through too much after only a short time. I will say that it has much more "staying" power than the others so those of you who like reds, you may give that a try. They also have the root touch up system so you can just do the roots if you don't want to do an all over color so frequently. I do like that idea, but the black just doesn't do it for me.

I know that Loreal used to do, sort of, a trinity of colors - I can't remember what the blondes were called, but they had Les Passion Rouges for the reds and the 'Something" Noires for the blacks. At the time I was going red so I always used the red dyes and they worked pretty well. Each color group had 3 shades in it - I remember the red had a copper red, a cherry red and an auburn red and the blacks had blue black, red black and violet black. I'd like to try them in black now but I haven't seen them in about a year and I think they've been discontinued. Go figure.

If anyone has any suggestions for a permanent, blue/black dye that doesn't run all over everything, that would be great!!

Back to what you said about Fructis and Dove, Peacock... I never tried Fructis for the obvious reasons I gave, but I did try Dove. That made my hair lank and greasy feeling too. I threw out probably half the bottle! Right now I use the Aussie products and I'm pretty happy with them. They seem very mild and they smell pretty good. Smell is very important to me but I hate anything that makes me smell like fruit! I want to smell like a woman, not a guava or a mango or strawberries. I spray my perfume in my hair anyway so I don't know how much a difference the smell makes, but it's a pleasant thing to have in the shower when I'm trying to wake up, I guess. My favorite shampoo/conditioner/hair products of all time are Aveda but they don't agree with my wallet very often.

Back in England I had a friend who was a hairdresser and I asked her straight up once if the salon shampoos are actually any better OR if they are just "sold" as being such so they could make profit. She did confirm that they are very much better than anything you can buy over the counter at grocery stores/drug stores and such and recommended the salon brands highly, even if I chose to buy them from a different salon. I do know that Sally Beauty Supply sells a lot of salon stuff so that may be an idea too if money is an issue. I know it is for me - I'm on a Suave budget too!

Anyway all, I'll come back in a bit. Take care.

Alisha