Hi guys - I am based in Ireland and I have to change my human hair system every 6 weeks. Here is my routine and you can tell me what I am doing wrong.
I wash the system twice a week (detach and attach - never wash it on my head - I have to do this as I have oily skin) I use nearly natural silk protein shampoo - I wet the hair and put a table spoon of shampoo on and wash it under a showerhead in lukewarm water - it always seems to be washing out dirt at this stage . I then repeat the shampooing process as the second time produces a nice white lather and then I dry the hair. The hair although thoroughly clean will always feel kind of dry after this process - I don't use conditioner here as I use leave in conditioner every day.
I then tape it up and once on my head I spritz it with water and some leave in conditioner - the one I have always used is called Equave two phase by Revlon for dry, coloured, permed or highlighted hair. I then spritz it with Jorgen wet look spray.
Here are my problems:
If I go out in the sun for even half an hour my system will dry out.
My hair dries out anyway and needs to be spritzed with water 3-4 times a day to look lifelike.
My sides are thin so if I put in styling products like gels or waxes they look great at the time but I pay for it the following day as there will be a distinct difference between the piece and my own hair. This doesn't happen when I just use the styling method described above.
Maybe I'm using totally the wrong products - I don't know but have been wearing for 5 years and love it but I just wish the pieces didn't dry out so quickly. I would appreciate any feedback - I mean that.
-sleeping on a satin or silk pillow case? Cotton will 'wick' the hair causing it to dry out and break.
-using a charcoal shower filter? If you have hard water with minerals it can shorten the life of your unit. And maybe that's why you have to shampoo it twice--definitely should not be necessary.
Your shampoo is a good quality. But you're not washing the unit two times--- you shouldn't have to do repeat the shampooing. I think that's your problem. With a charcoal shower filter you'll find that your shampoo will clean more effectively and you won't have to do it twice. And use cold water instead of warm water. The shower filter will be good for your hair---and your skin.
Regards,
John
Deano....you`re washing too frequently / severely ....dryness is always the main issue with system-hair...... anything which preserves moisture will prolong the life-span of the system. Unless you work in a dusty environment, the hair won`t be truly ` dirty`. If you have an oily scalp [scalps naturally produce lubricating oils even when no hair is present any more] you can easily rinse/wash your lace base in the interest of hygiene, without shampooing the hair itself, by just applying some shampoo to the base, lathering it, and then rinsing it off..... yes, some will get on the hair, but minimal amounts....I shampoo the hair about twice a month max. Using gels /waxes can also be negative....many off-the-shelf products have alcohols in them which have a drying effect, and they also build-up on the hair necessitating heavy shampooing and so, the vicious cycle begins. I`ve used the Equave conditioner.... I found it to be a little ` oily` on the hair and left it looking a little ` tired` [as you`ve described] ..... I use ``PPI Enhance`` leave-in conditioner all the time now....... it definitely prolongs the life of my systems and doesn`t build-up....has the consistency of water and has sun-screen in it [not that we need a lot of that in Ireland as you know !] ...you can get it at Bargainlacewigs.co.uk ... a bit pricey compared to Hairdirect in Holland, but the shipping from Holland is prohibitive so I get mine there, as the shipping is more reasonable.....a few darts of that into the [ damp] hair will work wonders. I also use a system-specific shampoo / conditioner...... in my opinion / experience, ` less is best` when it comes to system hair....... the hair gets no moisture or lubricating oils and treating it like growing hair in terms of gels /waxes/shampoo, will only make things worse....keep it simple and preserve moisture as much as you can and you should get a longer serviceable life from your system/s.
Hi - I am sleeping on a satin pillow and that has definitely helped with the tangling.
I don't have a charcoal shower filter - could you direct me as to where to find one - they have shower filters on ebay but not charcoal ones.
I use product in my hair - such as the leave in conditioner and Jorgen wet look - I don't think cold water will wash this out - am I wrong?
Paul - I have to take it off my head twice a week or my head gets itchy - I use C22 to get the lace off the front and therefore feel it is necessary to shampoo the hair to get all the C22 out of my hair.
I'm glad that you noticed that the Equave leaves the hair tired - this has been the one constant item I have used for the past 5 years so maybe that is the culprit. I have taken your advice and ordered the PPI Enhance -thanks for the tip.
This week I have a tired unit that has a good base and plenty of hair - I have used a tiny bit of Brylcreem instead of the Jorgen Wet look and that seems to be keeping the hair moist for most of the day even after being outside in the warm (for here) air. - Will using a speck of Brylcreem everyday have any negative effects on my pieces?
You can get one here : http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss...d%20filter
The best way to remove your system is to use lace-release rather than C22....... I apply mine with a dropper --the type of thing you can buy in a pharmacy for putting drops in your year.. a glass tube with a rubber bulb on the end.... costs about 2€..... it ensures you are not spraying the alcohol in a scatter-gun approach onto the hair...... citrus solvents will eventually stain your lace and as you say, need to be shampooed out or they will affect your new bond.....lace-release simply evaporates off and so, no need to shampoo it out. C22 and suchlike, are really for dealing with stubborn residues on the scalp or lace...if you simply use lace-release properly, by allowing a minute or two for it to break the bond between lace and tape / glue before prising the system off your head, there should be little or no residue stuck to the lace.The other main thing to remember is to do a regular debond whilst the hold is still strong---leaving glues / tapes in place until they begin to become unstable/ gooey, will leave you with a really messy clean-up. I`m sure you`ll be pleased with the Enhance.... about 5 or 6 darts of that into the damp hair , then style it, and you can also give it a ` finishing-coat` ... I usually back-brush the hair so it`s standing up a bit ..that way, I can get the conditioner right into the hair and not just on the outer surface.
Brylcreem is a Pomade.... a little is all you need..... a teaspoonful in the palm of your hand, spray it with water, rub both hands together ensuring you coat the fingers, and then push the fingers ` into` the damp hair, spreading it around as much as possible..... again though, I`ve found that repeated applications can lead to build-up and a lifeless look..... you end up shampooing it out again. Have you tried a serum at all ? Many are good and have silicones which give a nice shine to the hair.Just try adjusting your care-routine a bit and avoid too much shampooing --- the Enhance should help you big-time..... it lasts ages too ! I just spritz nightly with water, and use Enhance....that `s all I use, and wash / condition the hair not very frequently.... you`ll find if you use only the leave-in conditioner, you won`t need to shampoo often...by all means though, you can rinse your base and give it a dusting-over with shampoo to wash off sweat/oils/ bacteria etc.....the hair itself is not dirty as such.
One other thing I think many of us over look is the type of brush or combs we use.
I highly recommend a 'detangler comb'.
These have wide teeth with blunt ends and the prongs sort of cross over each other.
You can't really see this clearly in the picture.
These take the stress out of combing the hair and can really help to prevent shedding.
Also a 'paddle brush' with soft bristles is gentler for a system and the hair itself.
Hi Paul - cheers for the link for the shower filter - I'll definitely try it. Should I always use cold water - like I said I'm afraid it won't clean out the brylcreem or Jorgen wet look. I actually made a mistake - I use Walker's lace release and Not C22 - I always thought I had to shampoo out the walker's lace release - is that the same lace release you use? So what your saying is that I don't have to worry as it will just evaporate - that means I could rebond with jus cleaning the base - that would be brill - am I right?
5-6 darts of Enhance on damp hair - I only use 2 darts of the Equave - so if I up it to 5/6 darts then maybe I won't need any styling product - would that make sense?
Is there any serum you use that you would recommend?
Hey Hersute - thanks for the tips on the brushes - where would I buy brushes like the ones you have pictured?
Best Wishes and thanks a million - I feel this feedback will really help me get a few more weeks out of my system
Yeah, lace -release is just alcohol, so it evaporates off..... if you have tape or glue residue on your lace you`ll have to remove it before re-bonding.....you can use the mirror-slide or get a strip of bubble-wrap and rub the lace across it...that will roll the residue into little lumps..... if it`s stubborn, you`ll need things like an alcohol glue-remover, which is mostly alcohol, or a citrus-based solvent such as C22 [ needs to be washed out before the new bond].
I find Enhance gives a ` light hold` if you dampen the hair, apply it, style it as normal, then finish off with a final outer-surface few sprays and allow it to dry naturally...it lightly `holds` the style...it will relax once you brush / comb the hair again...it`s a nice product to use and really helps lengthen the life of a system.You can be ` generous` when using it but no need to get carried away...... I wear fullcap so I use a bit more than a topper -wearer would need. Let me know what you think of it when you get / use it ! I immerse my system in lukewarm water in a sink to which I`ve added/mixed a dessertspoon sized amount of shampoo.... I let it sit for a few minutes, lift it out, let the water out, and simply run lukewarm water through the lace, onto / down the hair to remove the shampoo and then I apply conditioner....let it sit in the [empty] sink for an hour, and rinse out the conditioner in the same way...dry the hair by blotting on a clean towel, spray on the ` Enhance` , style, and let it sit on a head-form to dry naturally.
I don`t often use Serum but I bought a few bottles of Joshua Galvin a while back .. I believe it`s no longer available though.....any of the well-known haircare product -makers usually produce serums too...... just have a look in any of the big pharmacies for a serum for dry / damaged hair rather than for frizzy / curly hair as this tends to have a straightener in it and it will take the wave / curl out of your hair..... read the ingredients and if you see something like ` dimethicone` or anything ending in `` ...... cone`` it`s silicone and will give shine ! You only need a few drops on the finger tips and kind of ` pluck` at the hair tips and slightly down the hair shafts.....you don`t want to literally coat the hair in it...just a little product ` pulled` through the hair can give it a nice sleek /shine-look.
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In Ireland and my system only lasts 6 weeks?
