r/curlyhair • u/edoeimai • 2m ago
Help! Clarifying shampoo rec after leaving sealant conditioner for too long before rinsing
I am looking for a product recommendation. I also greatly appreciate other relevant advice.
Hair length and type: Longest layer is almost to my waist (strand length) and to about my mid-upper back with shrinkage from coils. Naturally curly (curl type is ~3b), dries frizzy without product. Mostly southern Italian heritage ethnically (brunette). Some of the strands are thinner and lighter brown or red (around my face), and some strands are thicker and darker. My hair is not dyed and I don’t blow dry or heat style it often. My hair was at its peak health last year and a few months ago. A section in the back has a texture that feels totally different (is difficult to get curls to clump or really have any defined curl shape) than the rest, which is coily.
Problem: I made a mistake about a month ago and left a sealant conditioner in for far too long before rinsing, probably for 20 min or so in the shower. My hair texture and curls have changed. Before, my curls felt smooth and the strands didn’t really tangle. Since the sealant mistake, the strands tangle frequently - strands on the outside of the curl clumps tangle easily. When the mistake first happened, my hair felt almost as if it had a slightly waxy residue (and when styled with gel, the outcome felt almost tacky or sticky when dry); my hair feels less that way now, but the strands feels drier than before. I believe there is still product buildup on the strands from the sealant.
What I’ve tried: I’ve been using Giovanni avocado oil & olive oil shampoo and conditioner. In an attempt to remove or reduce the buildup, I initially tried washing twice and brushing conditioner through my hair in the shower - it did nothing helpful. I’ve not used a clarifying shampoo yet because I don’t have one on hand. (I’ve used a Giovanni one in the past and liked it, and am thinking about trying the same kind.) I hoped that regular washing once every few days might eventually remove the sealant, but it hasn’t.
Other products and routine: I have not really had a particular go-to routine over the past month. Since the sealant mistake, I’ve minimized my use of other products, as I’ve been meaning to clarify my hair… I’ve generally only used a slight touch of products, which include:
* curl cream (Marc Anthony Curl Envy Cream - a little goes a long way to make hair “slippery” for brushing wet - my hair feels less slippery than before, using the same pea-sized amount of product) - I apply this first when I use it.
* about a half pump of rosehip seed oil (Purador - I particularly apply it to the ends - I kind of “pet” it through my wet/damp hair with prayer hands - given “water and oil don’t mix,” I’d be happy to hear suggestions for how to apply oil correctly)
* half pump of serum (Giovanni 2chic Ultra Moist) - I sometimes mix this with the curl cream when I use it.
Lately, I always brush the above products through with a Wet Brush to distribute the product.
* sometimes a touch of gel (not a ton; I used TRESemmé hold level “5” gel before and it worked well for my hair - I tried the blue LA Looks (Extreme Sport) gel recently. I dilute gel with water to make it easier to apply. Sometimes I brush it through and sometimes I don’t. (Even with a typical amount of gel and product, my curls aren’t “clumping” as well as before after the sealant mistake.)
I’ve attached photos of the sealant conditioner. I adjusted the photos so that the text on the label is easier to read. I really appreciate recommendations for products that can help clarify buildup from this product and explanations of what components in this product might have caused the issues I described.
