Hair feeling gunky, weighed down, not flowy? Well, you just might be a victim of product overload. We’ve all seen the girl walking around with so much gel in her curls that she looks like a grease monkey. Or the chica with so much helmet hairspray it looks like she could suit up for the Steelers. These are the more obvious forms of product overload and should clearly be avoided, but did you know that the more subtle forms of overload can cause your hair to have serious problems and setbacks? Overuse of styling products can essentially glue the hair down and lead to snapping, knotting and breakage. Overuse of moisturizers can lead to stretchy hair. Stretched hair is compromised and is prone to break at some point down the line. Overuse of silicones can block moisture from entering the hair shaft – leading to a state of chronic dryness. Many silicones are not water soluble and must be broken down with harsh detergents. Overuse of oils can cause the hair to have a limp, greasy appearance. Oils are also not water soluble and must be clarified away to correct the problem. When applying products of any kind remember to keep a light hand. You can always add more but it is a bear to try and work with gunked up hair if you’ve added to much product. Hair should move and be soft and touchable. You can best achieve that by having clean hair and maintaining a sparing hand. Always remember to clarify at least monthly or bi-monthly. Removing buildup is essential so that strands are free to accept the nutrients and proteins in your leave-ins. The bottom line is that super-glued hair is not a good look! Cut down on product overload so that your hair can flow freely.
