I've been having difficulty keeping my piece the correct color when using the c-22 citrus based cleaner. I use this cleaner whenever I remove my front partial (every 6-9 days) and do a mirror slide, followed by hitting it with a little mild shampoo in warm water.

The base is turning orange and so is my hair over time... I was able to neutralize the golden color with my hair stylist, but I feel as if it's going to be a reoccurring factor being I live in a sunny environment. I'm having to do this every month or so and it's getting a little frustrating. Again, this isn't a sun fade that's happening, it's due to the cleaner.

Any suggestions? Anyone else deal with these issues?

There is a product called Back2Natural that people swear by.
Its meant to restore colour and is easy to use regularly.
Its especially designed for replacement hair.
TopLace will be stocking it soon.
In the meantime, a Google search will show you where you can get it from.

I know you say its not the sun fading your hair, but that you do live in a sunny climate.
I have light brown/blonde hair and have recently returned from NZ.
I was there 5 weeks and had to darken/colour my hair twice because of exposure to the sun.
I only have to do that occasionally back here in the UK.
So I think sun can play a factor in fading and a good sunscreen for hair is recommended.
Once the hair has become 'bleached' by the sun, it becomes more porous and likely to absorb the colourant in the C-22.

If you believe that the C-22 is causing the problem, you should try using pure alcohol instead.
Its colourless, but won't smell as nice!
Its readily available in 91% and cheap compared to specialist products.
If you can get 99% alcohol, it works even better.

I think there`s no need to use it on your system every time you remove... if you use sufficient `Lace-release` and allow it to penetrate through the lace onto the bonding material, it should allow your system to become free of the hold, with little residue on the lace--any small amounts can be loosened with glue-melter [alcohol] such as `Pure`..once it`s softened the residue, you can then wipe it off using the usual methods---- mirror-slide, microfiber cloth or some plastic[ polythene] bubble-wrap..... I personally wouldn`t use it on the lace, so frequently....it shouldn`t be necessary as such, except for if/when a bond has been allowed on too long and has become `gooey`/messy .....I`d confine C-22 to scalp-cleaning ......place a sweat-band around the head, spray it on, and wait 5-10 minutes for it to attack the residue..wipe it off with kitchen towel,and shampoo your scalp as normal....others may disagree with me but it doesn`t surprise me that a citrus-based solvent, used so frequently, could lead to your issue...... I`ve never used it on lace, only on scalp -residue....it`s fine to use it on the lace if you need to, but I feel such frequent application as you are doing, will inevitably lead to that issue...also, you really have to shampoo the lace properly once that and similar products have been allowed soak into the lace....they tend to have an oily-type consistency and if not fully washed out, will affect your subsequent bonds.....just try it as I suggest and see how you get on.

Try a different bond, or a different solvent. I say different bond in that u could try to find something u don't need a citrus based solvent to remove etc.. And there are different solvents out there on the market.. I also recommend trying to avoid the sun or putting a product that has sunscreen in your hair.

(03-22-2012, 05:51 AM)Xeon005 Wrote: Try a different bond, or a different solvent. I say different bond in that u could try to find something u don't need a citrus based solvent to remove etc.. And there are different solvents out there on the market.. I also recommend trying to avoid the sun or putting a product that has sunscreen in your hair.

Do the mirror slide first than dab on a little C22 if need be. I have very little residue on the lace when I detach. After a quick mirror slide, I use a microfibre cloth with a bit of alcohol to remove the rest.

(03-22-2012, 05:51 AM)Xeon005 Wrote: Try a different bond, or a different solvent. I say different bond in that u could try to find something u don't need a citrus based solvent to remove etc.. And there are different solvents out there on the market.. I also recommend trying to avoid the sun or putting a product that has sunscreen in your hair.

Hmmmm......I have been using PPI Enchance Leave in conditioner and it has sunscreen on it. To use or not to use?

I do really like Enhance....it leaves the hair soft and at times i will also combine it with waxworks.

(03-22-2012, 04:28 AM)Hersute Wrote: There is a product called Back2Natural that people swear by.
Its meant to restore colour and is easy to use regularly.
Its especially designed for replacement hair.
TopLace will be stocking it soon.
In the meantime, a Google search will show you where you can get it from.

I know you say its not the sun fading your hair, but that you do live in a sunny climate.
I have light brown/blonde hair and have recently returned from NZ.
I was there 5 weeks and had to darken/colour my hair twice because of exposure to the sun.
I only have to do that occasionally back here in the UK.
So I think sun can play a factor in fading and a good sunscreen for hair is recommended.
Once the hair has become 'bleached' by the sun, it becomes more porous and likely to absorb the colourant in the C-22.

If you believe that the C-22 is causing the problem, you should try using pure alcohol instead.
Its colourless, but won't smell as nice!
Its readily available in 91% and cheap compared to specialist products.
If you can get 99% alcohol, it works even better.

Thanks for the reply! I totally hear what you're saying about the sun's harshness.
The reason I'm holding the c-22 more responsible is because the fade I've gotten from the sun in the past (without use of this product) turned my hair a more natural blonde color - as if the sun were bleaching my hair with excessive sun exposure.
The citrus oils from the c-22 are turning the hair and base an unnatural golden color with sun exposure... it's as if I can never REALLY remove all of the c-22 from the unit even after shampooing.

---

(03-22-2012, 04:31 AM)Paul In Ireland Wrote: I think there`s no need to use it on your system every time you remove... if you use sufficient `Lace-release` and allow it to penetrate through the lace onto the bonding material, it should allow your system to become free of the hold, with little residue on the lace--any small amounts can be loosened with glue-melter [alcohol] such as `Pure`..once it`s softened the residue, you can then wipe it off using the usual methods---- mirror-slide, microfiber cloth or some plastic[ polythene] bubble-wrap..... I personally wouldn`t use it on the lace, so frequently....it shouldn`t be necessary as such, except for if/when a bond has been allowed on too long and has become `gooey`/messy .....I`d confine C-22 to scalp-cleaning ......place a sweat-band around the head, spray it on, and wait 5-10 minutes for it to attack the residue..wipe it off with kitchen towel,and shampoo your scalp as normal....others may disagree with me but it doesn`t surprise me that a citrus-based solvent, used so frequently, could lead to your issue...... I`ve never used it on lace, only on scalp -residue....it`s fine to use it on the lace if you need to, but I feel such frequent application as you are doing, will inevitably lead to that issue...also, you really have to shampoo the lace properly once that and similar products have been allowed soak into the lace....they tend to have an oily-type consistency and if not fully washed out, will affect your subsequent bonds.....just try it as I suggest and see how you get on.

I can always depend on these types of answers from you Paul.
Lots of great info here.
I do use alcohol to release the system from my head, but I still manage to get a frustrating amount of residue on the bottom of the lace. I wonder if there's another way to apply the alcohol or if I'm not allowing it to work properly before removing.
It's always fairly easy for me to remove my unit. I'm very active, so I sweat a lot -the glue becomes pretty gooey by the time I'm removing. Can you describe how you apply the alcohol to your pieces when removing?

Also, I didn't think a slide would work properly without applying sometime to the base to help it..well, actually slide. I thought I would risk pulling hair through the lace and or causing early shedding. Is it okay to spray liberal amounts of 91% alcohol to the bottom of the system? I was afraid this would cause excessive drying and or knot loosening. I use sealer, but I'm trying to preserve my pieces... so far this one has lasted me 3 months with my current methods, but this fading to orange issue is absolutely frustrating.

Everyone else, thanks for all of the information. You all are very helpful.

James.. sounds like you need to increase the frequency of the de/re`s as the adhesive is breaking down `early` due to the active lifestyle, and you could also try a different glue and see how that `behaves`under those conditions....once they deteriorate like that, it can be a real chore at clean-up time, so a bit of `prevention being better than cure` might be worth it.
As you are using knot-sealer [you can re-apply it monthly] it forms an acrylic `skin` on the lace, so there`s no real chance of you pulling hairs through at all....alcohols do/will dry the hair, but the most accurate way to apply lace-release is to fill a plastic syringe with it and then you can aim it in close /onto the lace whilst avoiding most of the hair......once it`s off the head, you can use one of those little atomiser/spray bottles to spray Glue -melter onto the residue on the lace, and allow it time to attack /weaken it....then wipe it off.....bubble wrap is pretty good and disposable....saves having to clean a mirror too ! Alcohols evaporate, unlike solvents such as C-22, so no need for deep-shampooing to get it out of the lace. The fact that you are sweating profusely/frequently means you should aim for a more frequent de/re so you can give the lace a bit of a shampooing to freshen /cleanse sweat -residues [acids] which inevitably weaken any base-material.....even poly will eventually get little holes or small tears in it from sweat...... I often just grabbed the hair in a bunch, and dunked just the base into water [to which shampoo has been mixed] and just rubbed the lace with my other hand...rinsed it out under running water---- the hair itself isn`t `dirty`as such...it`s the lace which picks up the sweat and scalp oils and microscopic bits of skin we all shed daily....frequent shampooing will also lift the hair -colour as you know. Hope that helps.

Is the "glue - melter" basically just alcohol or is it something that's slightly better/safer?

Yeah --- Lace-release and Glue-melter are alcohols... they break the `hold`of glues/tapes and then soften the residues, to a state where you can physically remove them.... things like C-22 are actual Solvents , which breaks them down into a kind of goo. Some of the adhesive materials can be `stubborn`and not as affected by softening products like alcohol, as they are when exposed to Solvents.....