Almost 2 years into my natural hair journey, I experienced a slight setback with my natural hair. I was on a mission to moisturize my hair, which at that time was on protein overload. Unfortunately in the process of doing so, I tipped off to the deep end and yes my hair became over-moisturized! As a natural, never in a million years did I think this phenomena was possible since our hair naturally is prone to dryness. I won’t go on and on about over moisturized hair since this blog post is about how I fixed this issue. But if you haven’t, I seriously recommend that you read my post on Finding the Balance: Protein and Moisture .
After cutting out all forms of protein out of my regimen, my hair became so fragile. It was constantly shedding and it was nearly impossible to to style my hair, wet and dry. I even lost some elasticity to my hair. Determined to get my hair balanced (just the right amount of moisture and protein), I had to reintroduce protein into my regimen. After doing lots of research, the Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment had the best ratings and reviews so I decided to go with it. Most of the people that used this 2 step treatment raved about it and said their hair shedding stopped after just one use and that their hair felt and looked much better, so likewise I expected the same results for my hair. Unfortunately it did not happen that way. I didn’t understand why it didn’t work when I followed the directions to the tee. The instructions said to repeat the treatment every six weeks, so after 6 weeks I did another treatment but that only seemed to exacerbate the problem. I decided I would do some more research and try something else.
I recalled doing an egg and mayo protein treatment on my hair in the beginning of my journey so I thought what the heck, let me give it another shot. Now, there’s been great debate concerning this protein treatment because it is said that the molecules are too big to penetrate the hair shaft, but through my research I found many mixed reviews. Some naturals said it worked great for their hair and some said the opposite. Every week for three weeks I did an egg and mayo treatment on my hair (I used 3 eggs, 3 tbsps of mayo, and 1 tbsp of olive oil). I did see a noticeable difference in my hair each time I used the treatment, but the results were not lasting. My hair was shiny, soft and the shedding decreased but the problem was that this was only a temporary fix. If I skipped a week my hair was back to the same condition. Disappointed, I went back to the drawing board.
This time around I took a different approach with my research. Instead of searching for the best and most effective protein treatments, I began to look into how to restore the balance of my hair and scalp and that was when I stumbled upon the Aubrey Organics GPB Glycogen Protein Balancing Conditioner. Everyone was raving about this conditioner. Desperate for results, I went to my local natural foods store and purchased my first bottle. After just one use (on dry hair), my shedding reduced by 50%. The elasticity of my hair was coming back and for the first time in months detangling my hair was a breeze and boy was I happy! I decided to bring back the Nourish Spa conditioner to my regimen. Why? Because this conditioner is also a balanced conditioner that is ideal for replenishing dry brittle hair but the soy protein in it also helps in strengthen the hair. I used it to co-wash my hair once a week (which is something I couldn’t do for a while since co-washing help to add more moisture to the hair). The third product I added to my regimen to fix my over-moisturized hair was the Aphogee Keratin 2 minute Reconstructor. Since hair is made up of keratin, I saw it fitting to give it a mild dose of protein every once in a while instead of an intense treatment like the Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment. The 2 Minute Reconstructor also helped with elasticity and to improve my dry, itchy scalp.
To style my hair I used the Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter anti-breakage Leave-in Conditioner. This leave-in definitely made my detangling process easier and left my hair soft and more manageable. Plus it smells AMAZING! I followed all these steps until my hair was healthy again. My drastic shedding has stopped, my hair is no longer mushy when it’s wet, the elasticity of my hair has returned completely and best of all my hair looks and feels great. I believe I am one step closer to achieving perfect hair.
Quick Rundown of how I fixed my Over-moisturized hair:
- Deep conditioned my hair with the GBP Conditioner on dry hair every week (left on for at least 30 mins)
- Co-washed hair once a week with Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Balanced Moisturizing Conditioner
- After washing my hair I applied the Keratin 2 minute Reconstructor and rinsed
- Styled my hair in a twist-out using the Elasta QP Olive oil & Mango Butter anti-breakage Leave-in conditioner
To anyone else out there who is struggling with hair that is over-moisturized, you are not alone and you don’t have to start over in your hair journey! It’s okay to have setbacks, its all part of the journey. These are the products I used to fix my hair and I can honestly say that my hair is healthy again. I’m pretty confident that you will see a difference in using these products but please don’t just take my word for it. Try them out for yourself and let me know how it worked for you! Remember, Healthy hair = Balanced hair.
Happy Healthy Hair Growing
Rose
