K18 Natural Hair

So, I have 3c-4a hair that seldomly ever puts heat on it... I was wondering if I can incorporate it into my routine ? I heard a few ladies say they use k18 for their natural hair . Or can I use like Loreal Pure or Redken acidic bonding ? Thanks.

Hi everyone, I am in complete panic mode right now and really need your expertise. My wedding is in exactly one month and my hair pattern is completely gone in some areas after a terrible experience during my wedding hair trial. My hair type & routine: Naturally 2C/3A curly hair. It’s usually very healthy, bouncy, and soft. I strictly follow the Curly Girl Method (no silicones or sulfates) and I try to keep my routine very basic without obsessing or overcomplicating things, because keeping it simple always helps my hair a lot. I literally had a trim the day before the trial, so my ends were freshly cut and healthy. What happened: The stylist told me to leave my hair natural so she could work with it. Instead, she drenched it in hairspray/unknown styling products and went in with a super hot curling iron to create artificial ringlets. It felt completely weighed down and stiff. The disaster: Two days later, I washed it using a clarifying shampoo to get rid of the buildup. The moment my hair got wet in the shower, there was a very strong, overwhelming smell of sulfur (like rotten eggs). Now, after drying and trying to style it, the ends and outer layers are completely straight, limp, and stretched out. They refuse to clump or curl back up. Curiously, the hair does not feel dry or crunchy to the touch (it’s actually soft) but it has completely lost its elasticity and structure. My current theory: I read that the sulfur smell combined with high heat means the disulfide bonds in my hair's keratin were chemically broken/degraded by the iron cooking the styling products into the fiber. I also used a ketoconazole shampoo the day before, which probably stripped it even further. I am looking into molecular treatments like K18 Biomimetic Hair Science or Olaplex No. 3 to try and repair the internal bonds before the big day. Has anyone experienced this sulfur reaction from heat before? Is it possible to bounce back from this type of structural damage in 4 weeks? Should I go for K18 or Olaplex to bring the elasticity back? I need to fix this or at least learn how to style/fake the curls for the wedding. Any advice, product recommendations, or routine tips would mean the world to me right now. Thank you so much!😭🙏 UPDATE (24/05): Hey everyone, just wanted to give a quick update since you all helped me calm down so much during my panic mode. My wedding planner managed to get the product list from the stylist (who basically washed her hands of it and blamed my curly routine, of course). She used a GHD flat iron, a L'Oréal texturizing spray while ironing it, and L'Oréal Infinium hairspray. I think she just baked those heavy product resins straight into my hair with extreme heat. I did my fourth regular wash today. Used a Mielle Deep Conditioner and styled with a Denman brush and Talaku gel (it's a local Spanish brand, so you probably haven't heard of it). Honestly, visually it looks way better than I expected. The volume is back and the bottom layers actually curled up nicely. The rotten-egg smell is still there when wet, but it's way weaker now, definitely down to about 30%. The main issue right now is that the top layers and face-framing strands are still pretty stretched out, and my styling definition isn't lasting long at all. The hair just feels heavy, probably because my clean routine hasn't fully stripped away that L'Oréal polymer buildup yet. Good news is I booked an urgent appointment with my regular curly salon here in Barcelona for this week to get a proper professional check, and I'm definitely starting K18 to fix the elasticity. Not 100% fixed, but at least I'm no longer terrified I'll be a bald bride. Thank you all so much! ❤️ submitted by /u/Mitilene to r/CurlyHairCare [link] [comments]

What is your opinion on K18 hair mask? I have naturally dry hair, prone to breakage. Is it worth the price? submitted by /u/pinkuunicorn to r/Sephora [link] [comments]

I’ve had very long hair for years and I try really hard to keep it as long and healthy as possible. I only trim it when the ends get bad. My biggest problem is extreme frizz/flyaways all throughout my hair length. I have tons of short little hairs sticking up everywhere, and many of them become curly/wiry even though my actual hair is naturally straight. It honestly makes my hair look messy all the time no matter what I do. I also struggle a lot with tangling at the ends, especially at the front where my hair is finer, probably from breakage. My hair is naturally more on the fine side and I don’t have super thick density either. I genuinely feel like I’ve tried EVERYTHING. Kerastase anti-frizz products, countless premium masks, K18, serums, oiling, silk bonnet, silk pillowcase, heat protectants, Dyson styling, air drying, applying serum while damp, etc. Three years ago I even did a hair botox treatment, but I feel like my hair shed a lot afterwards so now I’m scared of salon treatments damaging my hair or causing more hair loss. I don’t know if these short hairs are breakage or new growth, but they’re all over the length of my hair, not just near my scalp. Nothing makes my hair look smooth, polished, shiny, or “put together.” I’m honestly desperate at this point because I feel like I can’t retain both healthy hair AND long hair when my ends tangle so much from the frizz. Has anyone dealt with this before? What actually helped you? submitted by /u/No-Offer-1728 to r/longhair [link] [comments]

last night i decided i wanted to bleach two small strands to a grey white, going for that fantasy struck by lighting kind of thing. i did three rounds for 25 minutes, a fourth round on the ends and ended up “toning” it with a grey hair dye. i’ve had highlights a few years ago and went to a very high end stylist, she was able to get my hair to a color much darker than what i achieved. i’ve bleached hair for friends and am somewhat experienced and i am very into hair care. the bleached areas still feel very healthy, i used k18 and a repair mask on them. just wondering if this is the lightest asian hair can go or if it’s possible to go lighter. submitted by /u/Competitive_Poet_336 to r/HairDye [link] [comments]

after hours of my own research and a year of putting it into practice, here we are today. wanted to share some tips on how i grew out my extremely bleach damaged hair without putting down the bleach in hopes i can help someone else. here is what i learned after so many people told me that i would have to dye my hair dark or stop bleaching to get it to grow again: root touch ups only: don’t wait longer than about 8 weeks or your hair will start growing at different rates causing a higher risk of breakage / banding. i also don’t like going under 5 weeks as stylists are not robots and a little bit of overlap is unavoidable which will cause slight damage every time. i find 7 weeks to be the sweet spot that allows my hair to rest while not risking banding. partials or fulls are actually more damaging as it’s virtually impossible for your stylist to not go over the same blonde pieces. always root touch ups. NO HEAT. put that straightener down. i have not used a hot tool since March 2025 and I never will again. most of my damage in the left photo was caused by trying to have my cake and eat it too. you can have long bleached hair, but you cannot style it with the same heat you use to bake cookies. absolutely NO products with protein. protein overload is real, and it will cause your hair to snap. the abby young method is not for us. i meticulously read the ingredients of all my products and only use that which has no hydrolysed keratin, wheat protein etc. moisture products only!!! (they do not need to be expensive, just moisturizing, not repairing) LESS IS MORE: i use a k18 oil leave in and a leave in spray. that’s it. especially if you have fine hair. i used to overload my hair with products hoping something would work. in the end, it just weighed my hair down and contributed to dryness and breakage. keep to a simple routine and let time do its thing. a silk pillowcase and microfiber towel are not just marketing hype. they truly have helped me to have less tangles = less breakage when i brush. also, don’t brush your hair wet. i do now, but i didn’t for a year while it was very fragile. also used a wet brush and a boar bristle brush when it was completely dry 1x daily to spread natural oils *wanted to note that i do not like silk bonnets. i find that the bands are always elastic and pull at my baby hairs on my neck and hairline causing additional breakage, especially after a fresh root touch up don’t overwash. i find once every 3-4 days to be the sweet spot. more and your hair will be dry, less and your hair will be dry. it’s a constant yin yang (optional) stop with the purple shampoo. they’re super drying. as you can see in the left photo, i was going ham on the purple shampoo. it completely stripped my hair. i dont use jt anymore and while my hair is a little yellow, its so much healthier. embrace the slight yellow. go for a toner if absolutely needed but the best is just a good lift so you dont have to cover the imperfections. and if you’re only doing root touch ups and correctly, it should not be hard to get to a buttery level 10. no extensions. i know it’s hard in the beginning because bleached hair can get so thin, but it’s a bandaid solution. there is no extension type that won’t cause noticeable damage (yes even clips). If you absolutely must, i’ve heard good things about halo although i personally choose to abstain i’m a natural level 6 btw. people will tell you the bleach is ruining your hair but im living proof it doesn’t have to be that way. 9/10 people can’t sustain blonde because they dont have the knowledge on how to maintain it. it can’t be treated like non bleached hair. but i promise you can bleach it and have it look healthy. you just gotta change your routine. there’s a lot of misinformation about this online especially surrounding the products to use. stay away from k18 repair mask. i hope this has been informative to someone. once i started seeing platinum hair as a hobby that needs to be maintained rather than just a hair color, i was really able to grow it. and i hope to grow it even longer! my goal is waist length by next year. good luck to everyone growing out their blonde and if you have any additional tips, please share them! submitted by /u/Valuable_Canary_4874 to r/Haircare [link] [comments]

I have naturally jet black hair, and most dry shampoos either left white residue or make it look ashy grey, i tried the k18 one and it didn’t leave a white cast but it made my hair VERY stiff and uncombable, almost like I teased it with a brush, I applied a little kerastase nighttime cream to help fix it but it’s still stiff, does anyone have any advice about what I can use with the product to prevent this from happening? submitted by /u/quadrates to r/Sephora [link] [comments]

My hair was nice, black, thick and voluminous and I have bleached my hair and it started ripping off. There’s lot of hair damage, hair loss and breakage. I’ve used the k18 bond repair leave-in. It helped. But I really want my natural hair back. I didn’t like this light brown and also my hair looks weak. Please suggest me any oil which can reverse the damage and convert my hair to my old natural black color. I’m using castor oil on my hair 🤔 🎀 Thank you all! 🙏🏻❤️ submitted by /u/ChubbyCheeks4 to r/Haircare [link] [comments]

This is how my hair dries after shower. I’ve tried everythinggggggg from DIYs to expensive shampoos and products. From hair essence to hair oil. Silk bonnets and no towels. I’ve done hair keratin/botox treatments and my hair ends up looking super thin and less. But when I style my hair and curl it, it looks nice. I don’t have any bald spots and my hair on my head is looks really full but when it grows out it becomes thin. It’s super light and the pictures are my hair AFTER putting a hair serum on btw so you can imagine what it looks like without. My hair is curly/wavy but I don’t like how curly hair looks on me. Blow drying my hair without a round brush makes this worse. HELLPPPPP. What’s ANYTHING I can do chemically or naturally that won’t make my hair look like a birds nest but also won’t make it look too thin. I use k18 leave in every other week after using it once a week. I’ve been following Abby yung’s method of shampoo, hair mask, conditioner, leave in, heat protectant for when I use heat. submitted by /u/MudOk7863 to r/Haircare [link] [comments]

I am a natural brunette but have been blonde for 5 years now. It took me a while to work out my ride or die products and so by the time I discovered the K18 leave in hair mask a few years ago my hair was so elastic and brittle. I remember reading that you should use it after 4-6 consecutive hair washes as an intense repair treatment, and then afterwards use it as needed, roughly every 1-2 weeks. I’ve been doing this for 3 years and my hair has never gone back to how it was before. I have good hair days and bad days (like we all do) so right now I’m trying to work out exactly which products I use result in those good days so I can try to get into some sort of regular routine. This routine planning is how I discovered I might be using K18 wrong?! The website says use the mask “for 4-6 wash after salon service, and then as needed”. That’s crazy to me?! Are they saying after every bleaching you need to use it for 4-6 washes?! Firstly I get my roots done every 6-8 weeks (bleach + full/half head highlights) and I currently use the mask once every 2ish weeks. If I follow these new instructions, I’ll be tripling the amount of mask I’m using, ergo much more money. Secondly, I use it by using a detox shampoo and nothing else. If I did the whole 4-6 washes in a row thing that would mean I’m doing 6 clarifying shampoo washes in a row without using any shampoo or conditioner. I can’t even begin to imagine how dry my ends and oily my scalp would be?! Please can someone clarify the instructions or share how others use it because I’m shocked by the instructions on the official website listing, but if after all this time I’m using it wrong and not getting the benefit I should / could be getting that’s also just a waste of money. FWIW though, like I said my hair has been revolutionised by this mask so even if I am using it wrong/too infrequently it’s still doing something, I just wanna make sure I’m getting my money’s worth! submitted by /u/freddiethecalathea to r/Haircare [link] [comments]

This is my first time posting on here but I thought it would be fun to share my hair growth in one year. I personally struggled my entire life with growing my hair to my mermaid dreams, and its finally happening. I have NEVER been someone who says "My hair grows really fast," but now I can see actual progress, when before, my hair would literally never grow beyond my shoulders (when curly). My hair journey is as follows Middle school: Str**tened my hair several times per week :( High School: Realized how damaged my hair was and dove headfirst into the Curly Girl method. This was not the way FOR ME, personally. I did this throughout college. My scalp was SCREAMING. I also had bad brushing habits and my hair was constantly dry. BUT, it was cute, and my curl pattern came back. I was doing crazy shit you guys. I was putting eggs and avocado on my head. I was dry detangling my hair for an hour with my fingers. I was using all natural shampoos that had the washing power of candle wax. These were not the days. Post College: Gave up on my dreams. I started using Head and Shoulders, all of the sulfates and silicones (go figure) and kept it basically all drugstore. Early 2025: Discovered the Abbey Yung method... and I gotta say... it makes sense. I just want to say I know that hair is different for everyone, but leaving the CGM did wonders for my hair growth and health. I thought that Head and Shoulders would dry my hair out, but I have quickly discovered that with the right level of conditioning and oils, all of my hair is happier than ever. Current Routine: Usually a pre oil treatment or Olaplex 3 (K18 after a tax return though, you feel me??) Head and shoulders (never 2-in-1, though wondering if I should try it for extra conditioning) rinse and repeat. Usually leave on for a few minutes to let the medication settle in. Conditioner: Matrix Food for Soft OR Dove 10-in-1 serum Bond Strength Mask Leave in: Usually Miss Jessie's Leave-In Condish (the best!) Currently trying Redken ABC. Had high hopes, but it's not thick enough for my hair and doesn't give me the best detangling experience. Curl Cream: Trying Curls Don't Lie by Isima. Its not a 10/10 but its pretty good! Air dry: always, because I find it easier. Oil: my lengths with MoroccanOil or OGx Coconut Miracle Oil every other day-ish, depending on literally nothing except what's easier to reach for in my cabinet. I don't refresh other than oil, I just let it go and look a bit frizzy. Less is more for me If you've read this far, what product surprised you or helped you tremendously in reaching your hair goals?? xoxo submitted by /u/unhhh444 to r/curlyhair [link] [comments]

Hey so I have type 1A (super straight, fine, high porosity) waist length hair. I'm Asian (naturally super black hair) and bleach my hair to a level 7-8 blonde. My hair is in good condition, and there is no visible breakage (I do a blunt cut every 6 months). I also live in a hard water area (if this is relevant) I've previously been using Olaplex no3 which worked well, no tangling, but recently switched to K18 as my bond repair product since its cheaper where I live. The problem is that I find K18 makes my wet hairs stick/grab to each other and tangle/matt up. The problem gets better when my hair dries. I normally detangle while my hair is wet (gently with my fingers and with lots of leave in), because there is more slip, but when I wash with K18 I need to wait until its dry to detangle as its unmanagable when wet. My leave ins do nothing to help the K18 tangle when my hair is wet. My hair just grabs each other and makes knots whenever I touch it. When it dries, my leave ins work better and creates slip again???? (It's so weird) I don't think K18 damages my hair because it objectively feels better after a few uses. It's just right after the wash when my hair is so tangly and aggrevating. When I do a wash without K18, with my usual products, it is not tangly at all. Its definitely the product and not the fact that my hair is in poor condition. I use it about once a week. And I section my hair into half, and use 2 pumps on each side (4 pumps for my whole head). It seems like very little since I have very long hair, but I've heard it has drying alcohols in it so I stuck to the recommended dose. Should I be using more? By the way, I've tried using K18 as per instructions. And also tried washing it out after 4 mins and using conditioner or a moisture mask afterwards. The tanglyness is better after the second method, but its still bad. Has anybody experienced this before? And does anybody have suggestions for techniques or routines to make this stop? My routine plus products below for reference: Wash 3x a week Pre shampoo - castor + argan oil Shampoo - Loreal metal detox Conditioner - Olaplex No5 Moisture Mask - Amika Soulfood (weekly) Leave ins - Loreal Elvive Bond Repair Serum, Amika the Wizard Detangler, Loreal Metal Detox Oil Clarifying - Olaplex Broad Spectrum Chelating Treatment (2x a month) PS I don't think its protein overload as I use very little proteins in my routine submitted by /u/spychalski_eyes to r/longhair [link] [comments]

I have been doing the Abbey Young method for 10 weeks now and my hair looks and feels so smooth and shiny. I have heavily bleached hair and the texture finally feels as smooth and soft as my natural hair. (Natural hair color is brown) What I use (in order): Ogx Coconut Oil Mist (for 30 mins before EVERY wash) Pantene Volume Shampoo (Once a week as my clarifying shampoo) Dove intensive repair shampoo (Every wash. I wash my hair every two days. Hair training doesn’t work. My hair got a lot thicker after I washed it more frequently) K18 (Once a month) Dove serum hair mask (once a week) Dove intensive repair conditioner (every wash) Pantene miracle rescue spray (After shower before blow drying) My hair still gets tangled pretty easily but I think that’s just fine hair problems…. It was like this before the bleach. This routine just helps my hair have way way less breakage. It used to feel like straw. submitted by /u/dianathe8 to r/finehair [link] [comments]

I’ve decided to stop bleaching my hair to help it get healthier. My damage was the result of a bad bleach experience from a hair stylist who fried my hair. I took 4 inches of stringy fried ends off, and I’m doing all the things (bonnet, oil, k18, no heat, etc). The bleach is down to my ears and I did a root smudge to help it grow out better, however, it looks gross still. Is it okay to dye it back to my natural hair color and continue growing out the damage? Or should i just leave it as is? submitted by /u/peartree778 to r/finehair [link] [comments]

I have naturally curly 2B–2C hair. I love it, but it’s so much work. I tried doing the CGM routine for almost 5 years and kept giving up because it was too time-consuming. So I switched to keratin treatments. Lately I’ve been seeing a ton of people use K18, and their “before” looks exactly like my brushed-out curls, while their “after” looks basically like my hair after keratin. So now I’m wondering: if I stop keratin and switch to K18, would it actually help my hair look smoother/manageable? The reason I’m asking is because I really want to be able to heat-style my hair occasionally for special events, but with keratin I’m stuck with straight hair only. It won’t hold curls or waves at all. Has anyone switched from keratin to K18? Did it help? Would love advice! submitted by /u/MarketingDue5102 to r/Haircare [link] [comments]

First. I have medium -long hair. Medium texture. I have been using minoxidil for 2 years and now have my thick hair back (thick as in a lot making it look thick). I will be using this for life. Started turning grey at 10. Have been dying my hair since 18 now 43. I dye it 4 times a year. I only wash my hair 2 times a week. I have dandruff and more than that makes it worse. Only starts getting oily after day 3. I use Kerastase dermo calm and pentane repair conditioner. I have dark brown to black hair (natural and dyed). I'm thinking of going much lighter but am petrified I will badly damage my hair. I have heard olaplex is amazing as well as K18 and dove repair. Thing is I don't wash my hair everyday so will these still work. Will they impact my dandruff (more like very dry flaky skin)? Which one would be best if I do decide to go blonde? submitted by /u/Rorosi67 to r/Haircare [link] [comments]

How are naturals using K18? The instructions say you can use conditioner, but that you're not supposed to rinse out K18. To me, a "conditioner" you don't rinse out is a leave-in. Is everyone just using leave ins after the treatment? I refuse to go without a deep conditioner when I wash my hair. But, that would mean, rinsing out the K18 1hr+ after I've applied it. submitted by /u/Medium_Educator1983 to r/Naturalhair [link] [comments]

Confession time - I'm in my late 30's and it's wild to me that I could have been baking a child this whole time but instead I chose half price hair care products. No, the ex that inspired my hair glow up is not back - thank you for your concern. And yes, I still use Pantene sometimes. It's been nine long months since I set out to test and trial the precious few viral TikTok products recommended by Abbey Yung that are actually available here in Australia. I didn't know what I expected out of this process. Nicer hair maybe? Not like hair commercial nice, but actually wearing it down for a change after you wash it nice. For the uninitiated, I have an oily scalp and fine hair that I have coloured every six weeks from mousey brown to copper red. What I can say with pride is that my very fussy, snobby, middle-aged European hairdresser is praising the health, condition and shine of my hair for the first time. I have been a regular client of his for over five years, and he has never been this effusive about the condition and health of my hair. Now - have I been completely honest with him about my little experiments? No, and I never will. He has some very strong ideas about home hair care and I have decided to maintain my fiction of 'just using a hair mask every time I wash it now' for the sake of our hairdresser-client relationship. I don't feel great about lying to my Husband in Hair, but a woman must do what is necessary in these troubled times. Also as a disclaimer - I spent all of my own foolish money on this stuff. Brands don't know I exist and this post is definitely NOT sponsored. Where to start? What probably surprised me the most is that many of the products that made a significant difference in my hair were the most affordable. Yep. A $5 microfibre hair towel from Kmart has been one of my biggest heroes. I use this to take my hair from drippy to just damp, which is a must when using K18 (more on that later). I also found I've had less breakage since using this towel to partially dry my hair before applying any leave-in product. I'm sure you can probably get cheaper *and* more expensive options, but this one has been wonderful for me. I toss it in the wash and then the dryer with the rest of my bathroom towels and it's still going strong after months of regular use. The next thing I observed over time was the one product I reach for when I want great results but I'm either feeling lazy or in a rush. The award for that goes to the humble lamellar rinse. The OG version of this product is L'Oreal Wonder Water. L'Oreal also make a dry hair version with hyaluronic acid. Garnier make a version too. I've tried all three and they give the same results, but Garnier has a sweet fruity fragrance that some may not like. To get the best results from a lamellar rinse, I double shampoo (as always) turn off the water in the shower and squeeze out the excess water from my hair. I then scrunch my hair in the Kmart microfibre hair towel mentioned earlier until my hair is just damp. I gather a section of hair in my hand and apply it from my upper mid lengths to my ends and massage it in for 8 - 10 seconds before moving on to the next section. One important thing to note is that this is literally a water in terms of texture, so make sure when holding your section of hair that your hand is directly under the section you are working on. Otherwise you will just end up squirting half of it into the abyss of your shower. Also - be careful where you put the absolutely fucking *tiny* screw on cap thingy. I almost lost mine down the drain on more than one occasion, so put it somewhere you can't knock it over or lose it. I don't have a lot of thick or long hair so I typically only ever divide my hair into four sections for this process. When I'm done I rinse it out and follow up with either conditioner and/or a hair mask. Considering these products are often under $10 when on sale at CW/PL/Coles/Woolies they are definitely worth trying, even if you're not sure your hair type would benefit from it. The next product or technique that made the biggest difference for me was pre-oiling my hair before shampooing. I've great results with OGX Coconut Oil - one bottle lasted me over six months of consistently washing my hair multiple times per week. I also tried using the L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Jojoba for this purpose, but the results just weren't as good. Abbey does make a point of stating that coconut oil is the only oil to show benefits in repairing hair, according to studies she has read so maybe that's why? Anyway ... this is the one technique I am probably the least consistent with as it requires some planning and thought. I find I get the best results when I leave the oil in for at least two hours prior to shampooing, but I like to leave it in for up to four hours if I can. Abbey recommends leaving it on for at least 20-30 mins for reference. As a fine haired gal with an oily scalp, I was afraid this wouldn't work for me. But I found my hair smoother and shinier when I incorporated it regularly into my hair care routine. If you're going to try this, it bears repeating to wait for a sale and snag the OGX Coconut Oil for $15. $30 is way too much to pay for it in this economy. The next viral product I would like to endorse is the Aveeno Clarifying Shampoo with Apple Cider Vinegar. Fuck yes for my oily scalp ladies, our salvation is at hand! And it's $9 on sale! This shampoo is THICC. I was worried this would strip the colour out of my hair faster or dry my hair out, but since I use it as first shampoo and pre-oil my mid lengths and ends I haven't run into either problem yet. Just a clean scalp and extra SHOINE for me with this one (don't ask me why I spell it like that, the heart wants what it wants). No notes except I'm relieved to find this before the sweaty summer heat descends in full force. I just re-purchased as it was on sale at Woolies and my first bottle is half gone already I use it so often. This is one of those products in the proof is in how often I reach for it - and I reach for it almost every time I wash my hair now. And now on to conditioner. This is the category where I haven't found something super affordable that I really love. I am still looking, but so far the best in show is still my beloved Insight Anti Frizz Conditioner. This conditioner isn't super expensive in comparison to more bougie brands like Oribe and Kerastase - maybe that's why I haven't felt a driving need to find an alternative. It gives consistently great results for my fine hair, delivering an extra smooth and lightweight finish whenever I use it. I especially love using it in conjunction with K18. Those two products together are chef's kiss and give me "I've just been to the salon" hair that always gets me compliments at work, and requests to know what I've done with my hair and what I'm using. This definitely the category I am least experimental with, but I have a few affordable conditioners on my list I'm waiting to go on sale so I can try them out against my beloved Insight to see how they compare. Watch this space! An honourable mention goes to the Miracle line (gold packaging) of Pantene conditioners. If I'm lazy or time poor and want great results in a few minutes, I'm reaching for a Pantene conditioner. Just make sure you are using a clarifying shampoo regularly so the silicones in the formula don't build up on your hair. The next category for me is bond repair products. I used be skeptical, especially about paying $90+ for 50ml of K18. Like really? I am embarrassed to admit I went through an entire bottle with no real change in my hair. Until I switched up my application technique. To get the best results from a K18 day, I double shampoo as usual. I also DO NOT pre-oil on a K18 day. So my hair gets raw dogged by shampoo twice on a K18 day to ensure the K18 has the best possible chance of *ahem* penetrating my hair. After I rinse out my second shampoo, I squeeze the excess water out of my hair. I then scrunch and towel dry my hair with my microfibre hair towel until my hair is just damp and no longer dripping. I apply 1-2 pumps of K18 from my ends up to my mid-lengths and exit the shower, leaving suspicious wet spots as I slump in my towel on the bed/couch and doomscroll on TikTok for exactly four minutes. I then apply a generous amount of conditioner OVER THE TOP of the K18 without rinsing. I leave it in for another five minutes and get back in the shower to rinse. Some people rinse their K18 out before applying conditioner, but I get the best results by applying it over the top and then rinsing. To each their own with this one - YMMV. Now for my affordable bond repair experiments with L'Oreal. There haven't been many affordable bond repair options available here, with OGX just recently launching their Bond Repair line here (I've just bought the treatment and the serum, may post a review later). If K18 isn't in your budget right now, I would recommend picking up the L'Oreal Bond Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment and the L'Oreal Bond Repair Serum instead. There is a conditioner in the range too, and if you really want to give the whole system a go I would pick that up as well (the shampoo in the range is the most skippable IMO). If you wait for a sale, the pre-shampoo treatment and serum will cost you $30 together. Which is literally a third of the price of one bottle of K18. Now - for these products it took some experimenting to get the best results. I shampoo my hair once with a clarifying shampoo (and as with K18, NO pre-oiling). I then rinse, squeeze the excess water out and towel dry my hair until it is just damp. I apply a generous amount of the pre-shampoo treatment to my mid-lengths and ends and clip my hair up and leave it in for ten minutes. I then shampoo a second time and rinse as per usual. I follow with conditioner and a hair mask if I have time that day. Once my in-shower work is done, I scrunch again with my microfibre towel until it is just damp. I apply two pumps of the L'Oreal Bond Repair Serum to my mid lengths and ends as the FIRST leave in product that I apply to my hair after showering. I then apply whatever other products I like over the top and air dry or blow dry as I please, depending on what I need or feel like that day. Do the results compare to K18? No, not really. BUT my hair still looks lovely, healthy, strong and shiny afterwards. I still recommend these, they just aren't the straight up dupe for K18 I was hoping for. Next category - hair masks. Lord do I feel like I have tried them all. And to be honest - very little has wowed me in this category. None of the hair masks I've tried have been awful. But my results have been hit or miss and I'm still refining application amount and technique with some of them. The stand out winner for this category is the Elizavecca Cer-100 Collagen Ceramide Coating Protein Treatment. This gives me beautiful results every time, just don't use it on a pre-oiling day (much like K18 or other bond treatments) for best results. I like to double shampoo as normal and leave it in for ten minutes before rinsing out. Not much more to say - for anywhere from $8-$12 I have already repurchased this one. I tried almost every variety of the Garnier Hairfood Masks and ya'll ... these are nice to use and it feels great on a pamper day. But I don't really see awesome results with these. The Watermelon one from Garnier did give some good volume though. My experience is largely the same with all the L'Oreal hair masks I tried. Nice and very affordable with decent results, just no 'wow' factor. One thing I will say though - the Aloe vera mask from Garnier is AWESOME as a leg shaving lotion. I will repurchase it, just not for my hair. It left the skin on my legs hydrated and calm. I also noted a lot less irritation from shaving than I normally did. For those masks I did try from Garnier (I tried the Aloe Vera, Macadamia, Watermelon, Papaya and Banana masks), the best performing was the Banana HairFood Mask. From L'Oreal (I tried the Extraordinary Oil, Dream Lengths and Hyaluron Plump masks) it was the Hyaluron Plump Moisture Mask that gave me the best results. For those I'm still on the fence about - the Pantene Pro V Collagen Intense Miracle Hair Mask and the Shiseido Fino Mask. My hair is fine and damaged from colouring, but these two are finicky with the results they give. If I apply even slightly too much, my hair feels heavy and weighed down. I even tried mixing a teaspoon of the Fino mask with the same amount again of water, but still get inconsistent results. Sometimes my hair looks sleek and smooth and amazing, but other times I can feel that there is too much product clinging to my hair. I will persist with these two but sometimes if I feel I have to work too hard for results, I will naturally let a product gather dust on my already overcrowded hair product cart thingy. Where are we now? Right. Leave in products. When I apply leave in products, I follow the same technique for skin care - I apply products in order from thinnest to thickest. First, if I'm air drying my hair I apply a hair water and spray it all over my mid lengths and ends (right now I'm using Orbis Hair Water but not sure if I will repurchase). For the serum step of my post-wash routine, I find I favour the Kerastase 8 Hour serum my sister gifted me. Mostly because it's wildly expensive and a gift. No links to this product because why so expensive? It's nice and my sister buys it for me for my birthday, but I'm not sure I would buy it otherwise. I tend to reach for the L’Oréal Bond Repair Serum most days otherwise. I also am trying to finish off my Oribe Featherbalm Weightless Styler as a final treatment on days I let my hair air dry - it's not enough to protect my hair from getting dry & damaged with regular blow drying, however (trust me I found this out the hard way). On days I blow dry I use my L'Oreal Vitamino Colour 10 in 1 spray first after washing - I bought this for no other reason than I got it in a pack during the L'Oreal Friends & Family sale. The sprayer is a bit leaky but I will use it up, I'm just not super impressed with it. My favourite product to apply last before blow drying is the Alterna Caviar Anti-Frizz Smoothing Blowout Butter. Clearly this product is not made for fine hair, I just try not to use too much - when I get it right it looks amazing but if I apply too much it's grease city and back to square one. I feel like one category of product I am still looking for is a heat protectant I don't have to be so careful with when applying. I just want use up the products I have before I buy anything new (which will take forever the rate I am going). If I feel my hair needs a bit more smoothing and shine after blow drying, I spray 2-4 pumps of the OGX Biotin & Collagen Volumizing Weightless Oil Mist into the palm of hands and applying directly to my hair. I am very cautious about what I apply to my hair once it's dry, but I've found this mist does the job without making my hair look heavy or greasy. An honourable mention goes to the L'Oreal No Haircut Cream for leave in products - I have only recently tried this one and while I initially thought it was too heavy for my hair, after brushing my hair and letting it sit for a day it's actually really lovely and smoothing. If you have fine hair this is great for after an ocean swim when your hair is more dry and stripped - just don't over apply or you will end up with a heavy, greasy mess. I think I enjoy this more than the Frizz Killer Serum from L'Oreal, which is counter-intuitive as a lightweight serum is typically more appealing to me than a leave-in cream product. I have over applied the Frizz Killer Serum in the past and it did get a bit sticky - that was definitely down to a heavy handed application on my part though. For fast results with just one product, an honourable mention has to go to the Pantene Hyaluron Milk to Water Serum. None of these products in the 'honourable mention' category are bad or inferior; in most cases, I've only used them a handful of times and haven't formed a strong opinion on them. That's about it - I think. My hair looks pretty great most days. That said there are still so many rabbit holes I have yet to go down. Oral supplements. Silk or satin bonnets. Scalp serums. Scalp massaging. First up on my list is taking a pumpkin seed oil supplement and trying the L'Oreal Growth Booster serum with Aminexil, the same ingredient in the Kerastase Genesis serum. I need a nap after writing all of this out, but hopefully it helped someone on their quest for healthier hair. Also - it bears repeating. WAIT FOR A SALE. It's not worth paying $20 - $30+ for one product when these major brands go on sale so often at Coles, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse and Priceline. Happy hair care product hunting, everyone! XO submitted by /u/phantompath to r/AustralianMakeup [link] [comments]

Hello! This is my hair today after letting it dry naturally. I have used a bit of Kerastase oil and Davines all in one milk but nothing else. It just looks so messy! I’m so used to brushing it and find it just looks a bit limp. Does anyone have any advice on how to make it look a bit better please? Routine - Redken all soft rotated with Redken extreme lengths. K18 every 4 washes. submitted by /u/WatermelonButterfly to r/curlyhair [link] [comments]

I have been using k18 about 4-5 times in a row except the last wash 3 days ago I did regular shampoo and conditioner. I am going to the salon tomorrow for a blonde balayage and cut. I have naturally blonde hair with little damage (old balayage, no heat damage), mostly in my ends which can be cut. My question is if it would help prevent damage if I were to wash my hair tonight and use the k18 mask (I use k18 detox shampoo when I use the mask). Would having it currently in my hair be that much more effective or will the fact that I’ve been using it be just as good? Also, I do have the protective mist… I could use that after the mask for extra protection. I’m just feeling lazy and it’s late… and also I know it’s better to go to the salon for color with naturally oily hair. Would the k18 treatment and mist be better than going in with dirtier hair? I do also have k18 hair oil to add some oil back in? submitted by /u/stellarlun to r/Hair [link] [comments]

Firstly, excuse the privacy filter - she is definitely cuter than me. Also apologies for the essay below but trying to provide all the information I can think of in hopes someone can help! I’m a 36 year old who has recently had my very long hair cut (pic 4!) and would really really love to learn to wear my hair naturally. I would so incredibly grateful for product advice - I’m lost in the choice of Brigeo, Amika, Colour Wow, Pattern, Adwoa etc. I still haven’t worked out if I’m a 2b, 2c wavy or even 3a curly as I seem to get a mix of classic corkscrew curls and defined waves (with my top floofy layer being the least ringlety and more soft wavey). In the pics attached (pic 1 and pic 2) I dried lightly with a diffuser but no specific curl products, so I’m hoping with a lot of length off it and the right holy grail products I have a chance of wearing my hair naturally. Pic 3 is the day after. I’ve also attached two pics from my 20s of my natural hair (pics 7 and 8) - living in New York in summer in horrific humidity seemed to do amazing things for it. I imagine that was mainly youth on my side as I’ve never seen it look as good since!! Complicating all this is the fact I have a form of muscular dystrophy so can only really wash and style my hair maximum twice a week and don’t have massive energy for a high maintenance routine. At the moment, unless I’ve been hot and sweaty I only need to do my hair once a week as I never get oily. I use my Dyson airbrush with heat protectors and ritual below - which works well though the top layer is always floofy and frizzy even when I hadn’t used heat for years. My worry is that if I try and wear curly by day two/three it will just end up a sad frizzy mess. (I’m simultaneously trying to break the mental conditioning of my genuinely loving and wonderful but curl-unaware mother that my hair looks scraggly unbrushed - when in reality it turns it into a frizz triangle). Things I have worked out about my hair: - It is very dense and thick - hairdressers always make a big deal about how thick my ‘double crown’(?) is and it takes forever to blow dry. The strands are very noticeable on my hand. - Though my crown is a bit flatter most curls start high up unless being weighed down by length - It is DRY DRY - with eternal gratitude to the angel at Sephora who told me to stop using frizz smoothing products and try using rich hydrating products. Using Amika Hydro Rush shampoo, conditioner on my roots, deep conditioning mask every wash and alll the leave in conditioner and oil has been an absolute game changer. - It shouldn’t have much damage - I have only just started using the Dyson which I use primer and heat defence with but before that always air dryed. I’ve recently had it dyed with a toner for the first time. However I do dry brush. - I can’t work out my porosity as it takes a really long time to air dry and holds styles relatively well but is super frizzy and dry and rarely looks that shiny (especially prone to frizz on top). - If I use K18 or a denman brush it really really goes curly when wet but I never know what to do with it… My weekly routine which ends up smooth-ish : - Olaplex 3 Hair Perfector pre-washing - Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo, Conditioner and 10 min mask (If I’ve used a lot of products start with a detox cleansing shampoo) - Satin micro-fibre Kitsch towel to take off excess water - Amika The Wizard Primer, Amika Hydro-Rush Leave-In Conditioner and then a small amount of Ouai anti-frizz crème and either K18/Olaplex/Amika Hydro rush oil to style - Air-dry 80% and then on low heat use Dyson volume brush to smooth out with Colour Wow X-Large Bombshell Volumizer and if needed a tiny bit of GHD dramatic ending to finish - Mid week touch up - if a bit flat then Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo or Amika Volumizing Finishing Spray or a bit dry and frizzy then Colour Wow One Minute Miracle or Dae Cactus Styling Crème Any advice at all on products, easy routines, and lazy/disabled girl hacks of keeping it look half decent are so so appreciated!!! submitted by /u/londonlady1988 to r/curlyhair [link] [comments]

Hi everyone, I'm really hoping for some advice because I'm feeling completely stuck with my hair right now. For many, many years, I used Honey Butter from Curl Junkie for my wash and gos — it was perfect. My curls would stay fluffy, juicy, and defined for a full week, and I only needed a little water refresh in the mornings. But now it's discontinued, and since then, my hair hasn’t felt the same at all. On top of that, I had a bad curly cut last year, so my hair is still in the growing-out phase. My strands are very fine, and even though I’m really careful with it, my hair now looks stringy, brittle, and dry. Here’s what I’m currently doing: Wash twice a week with a gentle shampoo Clarify once a month Protein treatment twice a month K18 treatments after silk presses (which I only do 3–4 times a year for trims) Weekly moisturizing mask (curl junkie) I mostly detangle with my hands No color or chemical treatments Only do braids when I travel I currently use Love ur Curls Leave in Take daily supplements My hair dont't tame well to gels and gelées — they just make it even more stringy and flat. I’ve spent a lot trying to find a replacement, such as Curlsmith, Aveda, Ouidad, Pattern, and Innersense, but nothing gives me the softness, moisture, and hold that Honey Butter used to. Another thing I’m confused about: When I went to a curly salon, the stylist told me I have very porous hair and should do more protein treatment. But my hair dries fast and every time I do the glass water test at home, my hair floats — which would normally mean low porosity? I'm just really confused about my hair’s needs overall. What I’m looking for: Super moisturizing products that can last me for 4 to 5 days Fluffy, juicy curls without that stringy look Any ideas on why my hair still feels so dry despite everything I'm doing? submitted by /u/queen5520 to r/Naturalhair [link] [comments]

Four years ago back in Brazil, I had very long, thick, and strong hair. It was beautiful, and surprisingly, it didn’t require any routine or special treatments. I would only wash it with cheap shampoo and cheap conditioner and that was it. My diet has gotten way better, and I currently take many different vitamins to complement it, but my hair has been destroyed since I moved to the USA. It’s very fragile and has extremely dry ends. For four years I’ve been dealing with a lot of hair loss and recently, it started breaking at the ends. I spend a lot of time and money on my hair routine now. I use K18, Amika bond repair mask, and do deep oiling treatment on my roots and ends using many different types of pure organic natural oils like avocado oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, castor oil and argan oil. I apply a few drops of rosemary oil every wash and massage it well. I’m losing my hopes to have my hair back, and I feel sad whenever I comb my hair. Has anyone had the same experience and have tips to share with me? I don't understand how my diet back then was so much worse, my hair routine was way simpler, but my hair is so weak now. Thank you for your input :) submitted by /u/Some_Piano_8161 to r/Hair [link] [comments]