Need shampoo recommendation

[Bethanys]

I have long, fine, curly/wavy hair.  The ends get dry, but my scalp and 2-3 inches out from my roots get oily.  I have a really hard time getting the oiliness and product build up out, without stripping my hair and making it drier.  My beautician is baffled.  She wants me to use sulfate-free shampoos, even though I don't color my hair, but I have never found a sulfate free shampoo that actually gets my hair clean-it feels dry and sticky, and looks dull, and won't cooperate when styling. I've tried so many sulfate free brands, I've lost count. 

With "regular" shampoos, my hair will feel much cleaner, and is always shinier and softer, so I prefer to use them, but I still occasionally have the oiliness problem.  It's like everything I find that works stops working after a while, and I end up feeling like a greaseball!

I generally only wash my hair every other day, because, ironically, it's right after I wash it that the greasiness feels the worst, sometimes.

I use a leave in conditioning product to detangle, but I don't apply it anywhere near the roots, and it is a light weight product that doesn't weigh down my hair.

Any suggestions for a shampoo that will get my hair clean without stripping it?

 

[Deareux]

I have oily hair too and have used tons of shampoos. Right now I really like Number 4's Clarifying Shampoo. It's an amazing cleanser that leaves my hair soft and moisturized. Sometimes I also use it to remove dye stains on my hands and it removes that too. But be careful if you have semi-permanent hair color it will strip the color out. I learned that the hard way.

 

[ZeeOmega]

It's generally recommended that curlies use sulfate-free shampoos because sulfate shampoos are pretty harsh. From NaturallyCurly.com:

Quote: From NaturallyCurly.com  [The sulfate designation] refers specifically to the anionic surfactants sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl ether sulfate. These cleansers are very strong and can be quite harsh for delicate, curly hair. 

They are found in shampoos of all types and prices. They are cheap and produce that nice, rich lather many people associate with cleansing. However, they can really strip away your hair's natural oils. Your body's natural reaction to having oil stripped away is to start over-producing it. The same happens with harsher face cleansers. I found that I could go longer between washes when I switched to sulfate-free as my hair was no longer getting so greasy. I do remember it taking me a bit to adjust to it and finding a system that worked for me.

Since you seemed to have issues with the sulfate-free shampoos, I wonder if the issue might be with product buildup from something else, like your conditioner. This brings in the topic of silicones. People can debate about whether or not silicones are alright until they are blue in the face, but the important point is that some silicones are water soluble, some need a mild shampoo to dissolve, and others need a much harsher one. 

Here are my notes on silicones, also from NaturallyCurly, but I didn't note down what page:

Quote:   Good Silicones
Water soluble silicones will not cause build-up.
1. Stearoxy Dimethicone
2. Behenoxy Dimethicone

Bad Silicones
Deposit repelling silicones are bad because they cause build-up over an extended period of time. Watch out for these ingredients on your product labels:
1. Trimethylsilylamodimethicone
2. Amodimethicone
3. Cyclopentasiloxane
4. Cyclomethicone

Worst Silicones
The worst silicones are the ones that cause build-up quickly and are difficult to remove. Avoid these if at all possible:
1. Dimethicone
2. Cetyl Dimethicone
3. Cetearyl Methicone
4. Dimethiconol
5. Stearyl Dimethicone

The list doesn't encompass all silicones, but it's a start and google is pretty handy. Also, keep in mind, the good/bad/worst designations are from a No-Poo / Low-Poo perspective. You may have had issue with Sulfate-free shampoos if something had a silicone the shampoo simply couldn't dissolve.

So, check your conditioner and shampoo for possible issues. A clarifying shampoo like mentioned above may be a good start to get rid of whatever buildup there is. After that, you should really only need to shampoo around your roots as the rest of your hair can actually be cleaned with conditioner most of the time, which is less drying on it. If you don't to waste nice conditioner on rinsing, you can use something like the Suaves Natural Conditioner (will say moisturizing on it). It's real cheap and free of silicones and sulfates. You can then use something else for actual conditioning purposes. 

 

[Bethanys]

Thank you both! I didn't realize that about silicones in conditioners. The problem has gotten a bit better since I stopped using Pantene as a conditioner.  I now use Derm Organic, which was recommended by my beautician.  I looked at the label of the conditioner, and I don't see any silicones listed at all, so I suppose that's good?

 

[ZeeOmega]

Oooh...yea. You might want to give the Sulfate-Frees another try if you were using Pantene before, since I don't think it would have stood a chance with fighting build up. I have nothing against drugstore brands, as I use them myself with good results, but I think Pantene was (and might still be) pretty notorious for the amount of silicones they use. It's how it achieves that high shine. I have a friend with straight hair and her stylists was constantly berating her for her use of it. I don't know if all the line is like that, though. And not all silicones are bad. Some people are pretty die-hard no silicone, but I think it's all about personal preference and a routine that works for you.

I dont' know if you use any styling products, but also check their ingredient list. Basically, you might start becoming obsessive about anything you put in your hair. I feel so self-conscious with how long I spend reading bottles in the store. 

The greasiness issues might be a result of stripping away too much of your natural oils, so you can try going sulfate-free and starting to spread out how long you wash your hair. It might seem to get worse before it gets better, while your scalp adjusts. Of course, everyone's hair is different and I'm not a stylist, so I'm just working off of research and personal experience. Check out NaturallyCurly. They are a great resource, with a product database that lists ingredients, along with their forums and articles. I so wish that site had been in my life so many many years ago. 

 

[Bethanys]

Thank you! My beautician had a pretty low opinion of the Pantene, also.  I have been also using the Derm Organic shampoo, which is sulfate free, but I have to mix in some Garnier Fructese Fall Fight Shampoo for it to get my hair clean and not sticky.  I might try to wean myself away from it, though, to see what happens.

 

[ZeeOmega]

Give it a try and I hope it works out! I know it's not fun to have hair you're unhappy with and can be so frustrating. It's a bit like going on a diet. Takes a bit of time to see the results and be satisfied with them. There's a lot of different sulfate-free options these days, and not just from high-end and salon-only brands, either. If you're not happy with the one you're using now, you can switch it out pretty easily. 

Best of luck!

 

[Katri22]

I have a greasy hair and I asked my hairdresser to give me something professional. It wasn't cheap but it was worth it

 

[Bethanys]

Thanks everyone for your help.  I've been reading all my hair product labels, and sadly, my HG leave in conditioner/detangler, KMS Moist Repair Revival Creme, has one of the worst silicones as the second ingredient on the list, and a couple others further down.  I love this stuff because it's so light and weightless in my fine hair, and my terrible tangles after washing just comb right out with a little of this stuff rubbed in. Although I don't apply it anywhere near my roots, it must be the cause of my issues, because nothing else I've used lately has silicones, and the problem is getting worse since I completely stopped with sulfate shampoo.  I hope I can find another good leave in/dentangler, because I get awful tangles and need something like this.

 

[ZeeOmega]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bethanys /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Thanks everyone for your help.  I've been reading all my hair product labels, and sadly, my HG leave in conditioner/detangler, KMS Moist Repair Revival Creme, has one of the worst silicones as the second ingredient on the list, and a couple others further down.  I love this stuff because it's so light and weightless in my fine hair, and my terrible tangles after washing just comb right out with a little of this stuff rubbed in. Although I don't apply it anywhere near my roots, it must be the cause of my issues, because nothing else I've used lately has silicones, and the problem is getting worse since I completely stopped with sulfate shampoo.  I hope I can find another good leave in/dentangler, because I get awful tangles and need something like this.

Oh, I know it must be pretty heartbreaking to learn that about your HG. =(

As you've probably already realized, you'll need a regular shampoo or a clarifying shampoo to clear out the build-up from the leave-in. For suggestions on some products you can get your hands on quickly, you can check out http://www.tightlycurly.com/. While her hair is obviously a lot curlier than yours and has more texture, check out her product suggestions pages. My curls aren't nearly as tight as hers and I don't have that texture, but I've found her recommendations to be a good starting point. Her before and after photos are testament to how much time and research she's put into her hair. After, you can delve into the product database over at Naturally Curly to find a conditioner that meets your criteria. Unfortunately they seem to be renovating the look and search function of the database and it is a bit more awkward to use. 

 

[Bethanys]

Thanks! I'll check out both resources!

My other HG, Sexy Hair Beach Spray, is probably not good for my hair either, but I'm purposely going to ignore the ingredients list for a while, because I love how it makes my hair look!  I've only used this product for a couple of months, and I've had the other issue for a couple of years, so I know the Beach Spray isn't the main culprit, anyway.

Only on a makeup/hair site would someone else understand the disappointment at having to change out a beloved hair product!  ;-)

 

[ZeeOmega]

I did a quick look at the Beach Spray and I think you might be safe! I admittedly didn't google all the ingredients, but nothing immediately popped out as having the troublesome silicones. Beyond that, my knowledge of ingredients is pretty weak. 

Haha, yea, it's pretty funny. I was gutted for years when Redken went and changed up their gel lineup. Their old 05 Straight was my HG and then it got replaced with 06 Crystal Curls. No one around me understood my woes. =( This was before I understood the whole Sulfate / Silicone issue, so I don't know if that 05 would actually work out for me these days and I've found a combination of products that make me happy now. Still a little bitter towards Redken, though. >.>

 

[Bethanys]

Thanks for checking for me-I just couldn't bring myself to do it! I just bought their leave in conditioner spray to replace my dearly departed, siliconed KMS creme.  I had a heck of a time finding one without silicones at Ulta (they had NONE of the brands I was looking for), so hopefully this Sexy Hair Leave In will work well.