[HarleyMom]

Hi Eve,

Can I be there when you use the easystraight on the easystraight people? I bet we could sell tickets, maybe even do a pay-perview deal LOL. My hair is looking a little bit better since my own nightmare with this stuff began on May 1st. as Smartstyle mentioned, basically once hair is damaged that is pretty much it, it is possible to mask some of the damage though, my hair was midway down my back before I used easystraight and I did have about 3 inches cut off afterwards, it definetly takes more time to get it to look good now but it is possible, I don't know how bad your hair was damaged so what works for me might not work for you, but mine was fried pretty bad and I am just very determined not to cut anymore off (except trims). Smartstyle mentioned K-Pak products and Biolage which are 2 that I have been using and they really do work well, I use the Biolage conditioning balm, it cost about $22.00 for a jar but even with my thick hair it lasted me almost 2 months. I hope you can find something that works well for you and cheer up Eve, I promice it well get better, just hang in there and continue to be gentle with your hair and keep it conditioned. You don't have to feel alone either, you are not the only one this has happened to, the Makeuptalk boards have been a God send for me. Take care.

[Californian]

Originally Posted by Harleymom10860

Hi Eve,

Can I be there when you use the easystraight on the easystraight people? I bet we could sell tickets, maybe even do a pay-perview deal LOL. My hair is looking a little bit better since my own nightmare with this stuff began on May 1st. as Smartstyle mentioned, basically once hair is damaged that is pretty much it, it is possible to mask some of the damage though, my hair was midway down my back before I used easystraight and I did have about 3 inches cut off afterwards, it definetly takes more time to get it to look good now but it is possible, I don't know how bad your hair was damaged so what works for me might not work for you, but mine was fried pretty bad and I am just very determined not to cut anymore off (except trims). Smartstyle mentioned K-Pak products and Biolage which are 2 that I have been using and they really do work well, I use the Biolage conditioning balm, it cost about $22.00 for a jar but even with my thick hair it lasted me almost 2 months. I hope you can find something that works well for you and cheer up Eve, I promice it well get better, just hang in there and continue to be gentle with your hair and keep it conditioned. You don't have to feel alone either, you are not the only one this has happened to, the Makeuptalk boards have been a God send for me. Take care.

Yes to Harley! Absolutely. And don't forget to check out my lovely post below.

Hello everyone,

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Pablo Munoz, brother to hair terror expert, Haime Munoz. I have taken it upon myself to redesign my brother's EasyStraight box to more carefully reflect the delicacy of it's properties. But before you view my new work, I must beg of you to listen.
Please do not sue my brother, Haime. He has always been the family underdog. Ever since we were 5 years old, Haime has been jealous of my long hair. You see, my lover, Francois, used to be Haime's lover. When Haime cut his own hair, Francois came to me and admired my long hair. One thing let to another and now... well.. Francois are I are lovers living in exile. Haime has a multitude of personality disorders and other problems that I cannot go into here (forgive me mi madre, hay!)
Long story short, Haime has taken our family fortune and turned it into a terrorist hair empire in order to get back at being spurned by Francois. He has avowed to seek revenge on every woman in the states until he gets his lover back. I am so sorry. We tried to encourage Haime to take his meds, but he is angry at the world and refuses to take responsibility for anything unless Francois returns to him again.
Please forgive my brother, Haime Munoz, as he is no longer with us in mind.
Sincerely,
Pablo Munoz (in hiding)
Remember: "Don't hate us because we're beautiful."

Here is my new box design:


<!-- / message -->

I guess what bums me out is that my hair is looking really bad right now and today is my 36th birthday. Lots of pictures and I look like crap. So now I am not only very fat in the pictures I am fried hair head too. I am not worried about the weight I am on Weight Watchers and have a personal trainer and have lost 40 pounds as of this week but I still have a long way to go. I started off at 366 and I have about two years more to get it all off (if I am lucky and everything goes as planned). I guess that is what has me really bummed out today. I have decided I will just not look at the pictures and not worry about something that I cannot control.

And, I am going wig shopping this afternoon. If I can find a cute wig I may whack it all off real short and not worry about it any more... it would save me a ton of money on products!

Have a greyt fourth everybody!

Eve

[NYAngel98]

Hi Guys!
I wish I had seen this website before I bought EasyStraight.... now I too, am another casualty of fried hair. =0(
I used the stuff about 5 days ago.... Watched the online video 2x, read the instructions first.... seemed simple enough - I should've known something was wrong from the get-go during the first 5 minutes of having this stuff on my head when I could've sworn that the once white cream was now looking rather RED! I have medium-dark brown hair (with some natural red undertones) I sometimes have to dye it back to dark brown after it always lightens up to this reddish color... (I'm 24, with no greys yet - but the reddish color is horrible!) Anyway... according to the box and site, this stuff wasn't supposed to do anything to alter your color. But it did lighten mine - I would guess about 2-3 shades! (Now it's back to that nasty reddish-orange) and everything from the ears down (my hair is about mid-back length) is totally frizzed out and fried beyond belief. My hair was wavy before, but healthy and shiny. I got this stuff because I figured it would save me some time in the morning before work blow-drying and would help out alot during the summer and humid weather. Now I would gladly take back that 30 min. of blowdry time straightening just to have my healthy hair back. It's like a broom now.... total straw sticks. I haven't really noticed any abnormal hair loss (YET) - and have been doing some deep conditioning... I used to be a hairdresser, and a friend I used to work with recommended that I use the Paul Mitchell Hair Repair. - I picked it up today w/ her... so I'll let you know how much it helps. If at all. I've been just throwing on whatever conditioner I have - hopefully something will help. I don't even remember my hair being this fried when i used to have it permed - about 10 years ago. But this stuff is something that I would NEVER use again! Yeah, it's straighter... but some parts are so stick straight that it makes my haircut look choppy. I have some long layers just at the bottom, and angles around my face. Now if I try to use a round brush to make the angles 'wisp' toward my face... an hour later I'm left with sticks again. maybe I shouldn't have put this on my ends at all. Who knows. But, I know what everyone on here is going through, trust me. I too emailed that law firm after seeing a post about them earlier. And I also emailed the customer support at EasyStraight about my problems. Maybe at least they'll send my money back - I don't think Walgreens will give a refund if I used the product and opened the box
Oh well... guess I better go condition again!!! (UGH)
Good luck everyone... and keep posting updates!

[HarleyMom]

Hi Angel,
I am so sorry that you have become another easystraight victim, I too wish I had done some checking on the net before I used this garbage. I used it 2 months ago and it just fried my hair. Since you used to be a hairdresser you probably have a good idea on how to care for your hair to prevent further damage, lots of TLC and conditioning. I was able to get a full refund from the Walgreens where I purchased it, so you could give that a try, I know the ladies in the cosmetic department there so they were all very sweet. A lot of us had a problem getting through to the easystraight people, I finally spoke to a woman named Randy a couple of weeks ago and she told me that they were trying to revamp the customer service dept. so maybe you will have an easier time getting through than some of us did early on. One thing you need to know is that there is a woman who tested easystraight for the magazine she works for which is Glamourgirl, her hair was destroyed and she has been in touch with a law firm to start a class action lawsuit against the makers of easystraight, be sure to take pictures of your hair and keep all receits for products you have had to purchase because of easystraight. I have listed a link to the story on Sarah Hooper below and also the letter that the law firm that is representing her sent out. Good luck too you and check back here on Makeuptalk often, there are a lot of us here who have expierenced what you are going through so we are here for you.

ATTENTION ANY AND ALL USERS OF EASY STRAIGHT HAIR STRAIGHTENING SYSTEM:

You may be eligible to participate in a class action law suit against the maker of Easy Straight hair straightener.

This firm represents a client who used Easy Straight on her then healthy hair. She alleges that product severely damaged her hair.

We have information which leads us to believe that there are many, many other women who have had similar experiences with Easy Straight. Rest assured that your injuries are not without recourse. This firm is currently in the process of putting together a class action against Easy Straight and it's maker. In many situations, dangerously designed and manufactured products injure consumers, but due to the limited nature of their injuries these consumers do not find it economical or efficient to sue individually. A class action is a mechanism whereby a large number of injured parties may sue for common injuries and obtain a recovery for their injuries and loss, at very little or no up-front cost to the individuals.

If you have been damaged or injured as a result of the use of Easy Straight Hair Straightening System and are interested in participating in a class action lawsuit, please contact this firm, as listed below:

SHAFRAN & MOSLEY, P.C.
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2310
Empire State Building
New York, New York 10018
Phone: (212) 631-7000
Fax212) 239-6900
Or by email at shafranmosley@yahoo.com



iWon - Page Six

[Tony-admin]

Welcome NYAngel! How are you? Glad you found us. Welcome from the programming dept of MakeupTalk.

Why don't you introduce yourself in the regular general chit/chat forum here. Everyone will welcome you formally!

Originally Posted by NYAngel98

Hi Guys!
I wish I had seen this website before I bought EasyStraight.... now I too, am another casualty of fried hair. =0(
I used the stuff about 5 days ago.... Watched the online video 2x, read the instructions first.... seemed simple enough - I should've known something was wrong from the get-go during the first 5 minutes of having this stuff on my head when I could've sworn that the once white cream was now looking rather RED! I have medium-dark brown hair (with some natural red undertones) I sometimes have to dye it back to dark brown after it always lightens up to this reddish color... (I'm 24, with no greys yet - but the reddish color is horrible!) Anyway... according to the box and site, this stuff wasn't supposed to do anything to alter your color. But it did lighten mine - I would guess about 2-3 shades! (Now it's back to that nasty reddish-orange) and everything from the ears down (my hair is about mid-back length) is totally frizzed out and fried beyond belief. My hair was wavy before, but healthy and shiny. I got this stuff because I figured it would save me some time in the morning before work blow-drying and would help out alot during the summer and humid weather. Now I would gladly take back that 30 min. of blowdry time straightening just to have my healthy hair back. It's like a broom now.... total straw sticks. I haven't really noticed any abnormal hair loss (YET) - and have been doing some deep conditioning... I used to be a hairdresser, and a friend I used to work with recommended that I use the Paul Mitchell Hair Repair. - I picked it up today w/ her... so I'll let you know how much it helps. If at all. I've been just throwing on whatever conditioner I have - hopefully something will help. I don't even remember my hair being this fried when i used to have it permed - about 10 years ago. But this stuff is something that I would NEVER use again! Yeah, it's straighter... but some parts are so stick straight that it makes my haircut look choppy. I have some long layers just at the bottom, and angles around my face. Now if I try to use a round brush to make the angles 'wisp' toward my face... an hour later I'm left with sticks again. maybe I shouldn't have put this on my ends at all. Who knows. But, I know what everyone on here is going through, trust me. I too emailed that law firm after seeing a post about them earlier. And I also emailed the customer support at EasyStraight about my problems. Maybe at least they'll send my money back - I don't think Walgreens will give a refund if I used the product and opened the box
Oh well... guess I better go condition again!!! (UGH)
Good luck everyone... and keep posting updates!

[Rouge047]

First off happy 4th everyone!

Well I made my 4th trip to Sally's yesterday and was in there what seemed to be hours looking at all the products that may just help my hair. I decided upon
L'oreal Natures therapy - I bought 3 things -Mega Repair (for weakened hair suffering from protein loss and prone to breakage) Mega Moisture (for very dry chemically processed hair) and Heat Control (protects against heat damage generated by styling appliances). I had a friend cut another inch off my hair then used all three products last night. My hair actually feels lots better today! Let's pray it's not a fluke.
It is still coming out mind you, but that seems to be better also. I hope that I am not speaking too soon, but you gals may want to give it a try. It really seems to be great stuff. I even went through a drive through to get me something to eat today, and the guy (or 20 yrs old or so)told me (47 yrs old) I looked awesome! Either he says that to all the girls or wanted a tip . Oh if he only knew what we were all going though.

NY, I went to Walgreens and told them what happened, not meaning to get my money back and they insisted, so they should refund your $30, no problem. Now if only the EasyStraight people had the .... .... to fess up and see what their product is doing and compensate each of us for AT LEAST our out of pocket money to try and correct the damage to our hair.
Oh by the way I was in Walgreens yesterday and EasyStraight was nowhere to be found - lets just hope they were just out of it!

Well continue good luck ladies and try the L'oreal products, hopefully they will continue to work for me and will for you too!

Blessings, Rouge

[HarleyMom]

Hi Rouge,
Happy 4th. to you and thanks for sharing your list of products you've had success with, I think all of us easystraight ladies have been on a desperate quest for a miracle. My hair is looking a bit better too but it sure hasn't been easy. I just started using K-Pak and also Bed Head "Control freak" for frizzy hair, I like the K-Pak but not sure about the Bed Head yet, I know one thing, this stuff sure isn't cheap, Biolage conditioning balm has been great too. I am planning a trip to Sally on Tuesday, they have just moved into a brand new, much larger store so I will be sure to look for the items you mentioned. By the way, I'm 43 and it does do a girl good to be flirted with every once in a while doesn't it?

[Tony-admin]

Hi and WELCOME to MakeupTalk!

Originally Posted by Rouge047

First off happy 4th everyone!

Well I made my 4th trip to Sally's yesterday and was in there what seemed to be hours looking at all the products that may just help my hair. I decided upon
L'oreal Natures therapy - I bought 3 things -Mega Repair (for weakened hair suffering from protein loss and prone to breakage) Mega Moisture (for very dry chemically processed hair) and Heat Control (protects against heat damage generated by styling appliances). I had a friend cut another inch off my hair then used all three products last night. My hair actually feels lots better today! Let's pray it's not a fluke.
It is still coming out mind you, but that seems to be better also. I hope that I am not speaking too soon, but you gals may want to give it a try. It really seems to be great stuff. I even went through a drive through to get me something to eat today, and the guy (or 20 yrs old or so)told me (47 yrs old) I looked awesome! Either he says that to all the girls or wanted a tip . Oh if he only knew what we were all going though.

NY, I went to Walgreens and told them what happened, not meaning to get my money back and they insisted, so they should refund your $30, no problem. Now if only the EasyStraight people had the .... .... to fess up and see what their product is doing and compensate each of us for AT LEAST our out of pocket money to try and correct the damage to our hair.
Oh by the way I was in Walgreens yesterday and EasyStraight was nowhere to be found - lets just hope they were just out of it!

Well continue good luck ladies and try the L'oreal products, hopefully they will continue to work for me and will for you too!

Blessings, Rouge

[Californian]

In response to Harley's flirting comment:It sure as hell does, Harleymom. LOL! Big time. It does a world of good!

In reponse to Rouge: I am really happy to hear about Rouge's good news. That L'Oreal Mega Moisture conditioner works wonders. If anyone is interested in trying it, here is what it looks like:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=430 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=430 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD vAlign=top width=430>

For very dry, chemically processed hair. An exclusive salon product. Softens, nurtures, and moisturizes. Rich cocktail of natural oil, moisturizers, silicone derivative and humectants for deep, intense moisturizing. Softens, nurtures and brings smoothness, detangling ease and flexibility. Rich emollients tame unruly hair & improve manageability. Adds superb shine. For professional use only.

Apply to shampooed, towel-dried hair. For deeper conditioning, leave on for 2 to 5 minutes. For even more intense conditioning, apply moderate dryer heat for 5 minutes. Rinse.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
You can get it at Sally's beauty supply or at online stores such as this one: http://store.hello-gorgeous.net/lbmocr.html

[NYAngel98]

Today seems to be a better hair day!!! HOORAY!!! Yesterday I heated up a small tub of olive oil in the mirco - left it on the ends for about 15 minutes... heated it up with the blow dryer every so often... seemed to help. I also kept up with my Paul Mitchell 'Hair Repair' and the Loreal Triple Moisture 'Silk Touch Leave In Cream' - they all seem to be really helping a lot to restore the shine and the texture I had before EasyS. I was reading up on some other products and heard that Paul Mitchell "The Super Strengthener" is supposed to be really good. They usually don't sell it in stores because they use it at a service in salons - but I managed to find some online & also ordered some K-Pak too. I think I can manage a conditioning treatment at home instead of shelling out some big $$ for a salon to do it. lol After blow drying I still use my STRAIGHTSEXYHAIR smooth n' Seal - brings back the shine BIG time! I just wish I had it naturally again! The only downside I can see so far out of all my conditionings is that my hair feels kinda weighed down and 'dirty'... but I'd rather have it OVER conditioned than dry and straw-like. I still haven't had it cut... and I think I may only go for a slight trim this week - being it seems to be coming back to life - I dont' want to chop it all off if I dont' have to. I seem to notice that it tangles a lot more now than before... If I'm driving with the window open I have to attempt to separate all the tangles or I'll end up looking like a Lion! It never used to tangle up like this, but I guess since the texture's changed so much, and the smoothness is gone - that's the result. I dug out my "Split-Ender" to help trim some of the fly-aways... seems to actually help! lol I got that thing when it first came out - it was like $35... now I've seen it for $9.99... go figure! lol Guess I'll give you guys another update when i get the Paul MItchell stuff & the K-Pak... maybe out of all these conditioners we're all spending mega $ on -SOMETHING will work! lol
Oh well, gotta run... hope you all had a happy 4th!

[NYAngel98]

http://www.paulmitchell.com/site/sub...ction=2,11,280

Here's a link to the Paul Mitchell "Super Strengthener" I was talking about.... I'm crossing my fingers that It'll help... I had a HARD time finding it to buy - I called about 10 stores that carry PM... but none had this ... found it online at just4hair.com

[Laura]

Just popping into this thread to say HI to all the girls who've had trouble with EasyStraight.. Looks like most of ye are finding some sort of product to fix up some of the damage caused (THANKFULLY)!

If ye are looking for any other advice, tips on hair-do's etc.. check out the rest of this board.. It has lots of great info! Plus we've our very own HAIR PROFESSIONAL SmartStyle who's a fantastic asset to MuT. She has answers for every problem

It has been exactly 19 weeks since my EasyStraight nightmare started. Like the rest of you, I've been trying tons of hair products to conceal and less then damage as well as look for ways to speed up my hair growth.

I can't recommend this for every hair type so some stuff may or may not work for you. My hair didn't turn out fried and frizzy, just tons and tons of breakage. Just thought I share my holy grails with everyone.

Protein treatments: This is crucial in preventing premature breakage in your hair. Hair is primarily made up of keratin protein. By applying protein treatments, you are temporarily filling in the gaps in your hair where the breakage are at. Not all protein treatments are equal and too much protein can be drying for you hair.

I highly recommended one called "Aphogee Treatment". You can buy this at Sally's Beauty Supply. It really stinks - smells like cat pee so light scented candles and turn your bathroom fan on. You apply this mixture to your freshly shampooed hair, and let it dry until it hard. Use a hair dryer to speed up the process. It normally takes me 40 minutes or so, while using the hair dryer about 75% of the time (my arms get tired). Do not comb it and do not fuss around with your hair. Your hair can break off at this stage if it’s being mess around with (complete instruction and warning is on the bottle as well). When it is completely hardened, carefully rinse out and towel dry. Follow up with porosity control. You can also pick this up at Sally's. This step is totally optional but it helps to get rid of that stinky cat pee smell from your hair. Leave on for 15 minutes then rinse and towel dry. Use a very moisturizing deep conditioner. I have a ton of deep conditioners but I'm loving Schwarzkopf Bonacure Total Repair (Got mine at Ulta, and I’m lemming Redken All Soft Heavy Cream and Goldwell Kerasilk Ultra Rich. Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture is pretty good too!). Leave your deep conditioner on for 30 minutes or more with a heat cap. If you don't already have one, this is one item you definitely should get. Heat helps with penetration of deep conditioners so it will make your hair super-soft. I have one called the Micro HairCap. They have a website that you can order online for about $15. They cap is made of these gel packs that you put in the microwave. Sally's sells an electric version for about $25 if you prefer that. You can also put a shower cap on and wrap it with a warm towel heated in the dryer or the microwave but I find that it cools down too quickly.

You should repeat this treatment every 6 weeks.

The 5 weeks in-between the Aphogee, use a not-so-potent protein treatment. Do this weekly and leave it in your hair for 15-30 minutes. I have tried Aphogee Intensive Two Minute Keratin Reconstructor, Nexxus Emergencee, Redken Extreme Rescue Force, and Joico K-Pak (Sally's has a knock-off of this). I like them all so you might have to experiment for yourself which ones you like. I also tried one called Ion Repair Solutions Effective Care Intensive Therapy Protein Rebuilder Moisturizer that I didn't care for too much. Always follow a protein treatment with a deep conditioner, preferably both treatments with a heat cap.

When you style your hair on a daily basis, you can use a leave-in protein on the damaged area. My favorites are Redken Extreme Anti-Snap and Sebastian Potion 9 (Sally has a knock-off of this) Apply this to the breakage on damp hair. I do this about 3x a week.

To keep the breakage from being dry and looking dry I have 2 leave-ins in that I love - Schwarzkopf Bonacure Sealed Ends and Smooth N Shine Repair Xtreme Silkener. You can find the Smooth and Shine in the ethnic section of selected Walgreen's and Target. The bottle looks like Elmers Glue. Dab this in on the damaged area on damp hair. You can also use this on dry hair as a finisher. I just started using Redken All Soft Addictive Transformer. It's a spray treatment that you're supposed to rinse out but it works much better if you don't rinse it out. It makes my hair super-soft!

Always use a gentle and moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. There are tons of excellent ones out there, both salon and drugstore (Joico Silk Result, Redken All Soft, Schwarzkopf Bonacure, Kerastase Nutritive, Tresemme Vitamin E, Tresemme Keratin)

Lay off the hair dryer, other heated appliance and don't wash your hair daily. I was a daily morning washer and hair dryer so it was really hard to break the habit. I now wash my hair every other day at night and I blow-dry my hair when it's about 75% dry.

Vitamins - I've been taking 3000mcg of biotin, 3000mg of MSM, 1000mg of calcium, along with my daily multi. I've notice a tad more growth, about 1/8" to 1/4" more a month. I've also read that omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E helps as well so I just started taking those last week. I've heard rumors that MSM might not be beneficial so I might not buy more when I'm out and see if there's a difference.

If you have dark hair like me, the ends of the breakage are a few shades lighter than the rest of you hair, making it really noticeable. I found that dyeing your hair is actually okay to do. I was very hesitant at first because the last thing I need is more chemical damage. Revlon Colorsilk is extreme gentle and it contains no ammonia and peroxide. It is dirt-cheap too - $3-4 a box. It helped to conceal the damage a lot and gave me tons of shine as well. I also learn to add in 2 oz of a thinner consistency conditioner to the developer to make it into a color conditioner glaze. The color doesn't last as long but it's so moisturizing. Since this is a chemical process, I would suggest consulting with a professional before you proceed.

I don't want to bore you guys to death with my long post but feel free to ask me specific on anything or styling product recommendations and I'll do my best to answer you. I've tried tons of brands from your typical Pantene at the drugstore; to your popular salon ones like Redken, Paul Mitchell and Joico; and the upper end ones like Kerastase. I'm not a hair expert but I've definitely learned so much these past 4 months.

Just remember, hair grows faster in the summer and treat your hair with kidd gloves. You'll survive...we all will!

[Californian]

Originally Posted by snafuish

It has been exactly 19 weeks since my EasyStraight nightmare started. Like the rest of you, I've been trying tons of hair products to conceal and less then damage as well as look for ways to speed up my hair growth.

I can't recommend this for every hair type so some stuff may or may not work for you. My hair didn't turn out fried and frizzy, just tons and tons of breakage. Just thought I share my holy grails with everyone.

Protein treatments: This is crucial in preventing premature breakage in your hair. Hair is primarily made up of keratin protein. By applying protein treatments, you are temporarily filling in the gaps in your hair where the breakage are at. Not all protein treatments are equal and too much protein can be drying for you hair.

I highly recommended one called "Aphogee Treatment". You can buy this at Sally's Beauty Supply. It really stinks - smells like cat pee so light scented candles and turn your bathroom fan on. You apply this mixture to your freshly shampooed hair, and let it dry until it hard. Use a hair dryer to speed up the process. It normally takes me 40 minutes or so, while using the hair dryer about 75% of the time (my arms get tired). Do not comb it and do not fuss around with your hair. Your hair can break off at this stage if it’s being mess around with (complete instruction and warning is on the bottle as well). When it is completely hardened, carefully rinse out and towel dry. Follow up with porosity control. You can also pick this up at Sally's. This step is totally optional but it helps to get rid of that stinky cat pee smell from your hair. Leave on for 15 minutes then rinse and towel dry. Use a very moisturizing deep conditioner. I have a ton of deep conditioners but I'm loving Schwarzkopf Bonacure Total Repair (Got mine at Ulta, and I’m lemming Redken All Soft Heavy Cream and Goldwell Kerasilk Ultra Rich. Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture is pretty good too!). Leave your deep conditioner on for 30 minutes or more with a heat cap. If you don't already have one, this is one item you definitely should get. Heat helps with penetration of deep conditioners so it will make your hair super-soft. I have one called the Micro HairCap. They have a website that you can order online for about $15. They cap is made of these gel packs that you put in the microwave. Sally's sells an electric version for about $25 if you prefer that. You can also put a shower cap on and wrap it with a warm towel heated in the dryer or the microwave but I find that it cools down too quickly.

You should repeat this treatment every 6 weeks.

The 5 weeks in-between the Aphogee, use a not-so-potent protein treatment. Do this weekly and leave it in your hair for 15-30 minutes. I have tried Aphogee Intensive Two Minute Keratin Reconstructor, Nexxus Emergencee, Redken Extreme Rescue Force, and Joico K-Pak (Sally's has a knock-off of this). I like them all so you might have to experiment for yourself which ones you like. I also tried one called Ion Repair Solutions Effective Care Intensive Therapy Protein Rebuilder Moisturizer that I didn't care for too much. Always follow a protein treatment with a deep conditioner, preferably both treatments with a heat cap.

When you style your hair on a daily basis, you can use a leave-in protein on the damaged area. My favorites are Redken Extreme Anti-Snap and Sebastian Potion 9 (Sally has a knock-off of this) Apply this to the breakage on damp hair. I do this about 3x a week.

To keep the breakage from being dry and looking dry I have 2 leave-ins in that I love - Schwarzkopf Bonacure Sealed Ends and Smooth N Shine Repair Xtreme Silkener. You can find the Smooth and Shine in the ethnic section of selected Walgreen's and Target. The bottle looks like Elmers Glue. Dab this in on the damaged area on damp hair. You can also use this on dry hair as a finisher. I just started using Redken All Soft Addictive Transformer. It's a spray treatment that you're supposed to rinse out but it works much better if you don't rinse it out. It makes my hair super-soft!

Always use a gentle and moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. There are tons of excellent ones out there, both salon and drugstore (Joico Silk Result, Redken All Soft, Schwarzkopf Bonacure, Kerastase Nutritive, Tresemme Vitamin E, Tresemme Keratin)

Lay off the hair dryer, other heated appliance and don't wash your hair daily. I was a daily morning washer and hair dryer so it was really hard to break the habit. I now wash my hair every other day at night and I blow-dry my hair when it's about 75% dry.

Vitamins - I've been taking 3000mcg of biotin, 3000mg of MSM, 1000mg of calcium, along with my daily multi. I've notice a tad more growth, about 1/8" to 1/4" more a month. I've also read that omega-3 fatty acid and vitamin E helps as well so I just started taking those last week. I've heard rumors that MSM might not be beneficial so I might not buy more when I'm out and see if there's a difference.

If you have dark hair like me, the ends of the breakage are a few shades lighter than the rest of you hair, making it really noticeable. I found that dyeing your hair is actually okay to do. I was very hesitant at first because the last thing I need is more chemical damage. Revlon Colorsilk is extreme gentle and it contains no ammonia and peroxide. It is dirt-cheap too - $3-4 a box. It helped to conceal the damage a lot and gave me tons of shine as well. I also learn to add in 2 oz of a thinner consistency conditioner to the developer to make it into a color conditioner glaze. The color doesn't last as long but it's so moisturizing. Since this is a chemical process, I would suggest consulting with a professional before you proceed.

I don't want to bore you guys to death with my long post but feel free to ask me specific on anything or styling product recommendations and I'll do my best to answer you. I've tried tons of brands from your typical Pantene at the drugstore; to your popular salon ones like Redken, Paul Mitchell and Joico; and the upper end ones like Kerastase. I'm not a hair expert but I've definitely learned so much these past 4 months.

Just remember, hair grows faster in the summer and treat your hair with kidd gloves. You'll survive...we all will!

Excellent and helpful post, Snafu. Thanks!! Still, I cannot believe you dyed your hair after this! Wow! You've got guts. Thanks for the helping everyone!
BTW... what is the immitation version of Potion 9 called?

[rowantree]

Thank you for the advice, it's great! I am almost out of my leave-in serum goo and was wondering what to buy. Now I know I should try the Smooth N Shine. Have you tried John Freida's? Is the Smooth N Shine better? What does everyone else here recommend for a leave-in anti-frizz?

[rowantree]

I called Shafran & Mosley today to verify their email address. It is their email address. I was transferred to a law clerk who confirmed they were involved in a class action lawsuit against the makers of EasyStraight. He informed me that tomorrow they are mailing *everyone* who emailed them a packet containing a very detailed questionnaire, a retainer (agreement that authorizes them to represent you) and a release of medical records form that only needs to be filled out if you saw a doctor or dermatologist.

The most interesting thing I learned from the phone call was this - according to the law clerk, the makers of EasyStraight *violated* FDA regulations by failing to put a warning label on the outside of the box. As he stated, "they didn't comply with FDA regulations".

He asked that as soon as we receive our packets that we fill out the paperwork and get it back to them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Good luck to all of us and if you haven't emailed them yet, do it now!

[Californian]

HI Rowantree,
SmartStyle, the MuT hair pro recommended a product to me that I love for frizz free hair.
Here it is:
1) Bed Head Tigi After-Party Smoothing Cream for Silky Shiny Healthy Looking Hair. $17 +
2) I also really like Zero Frizz Quick Fix Glistening Mist (corrective treatment system) Do Not use a lot though. Only a tiny bit is needed! $8

Generic Sebastian Potion 9:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1210

Generic Joico K-Pak:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1215

Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1215

L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture Nurturing Creme:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1215

Smooth N' Shine Therapy Repair Xtreme Sleek Results Silkener
http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...ush&navCount=1


Rowantree, I like both the Smooth N' Shine and Sealed Ends cos you can use it on damp or dry hair. Smooth N' Shine even has biotin in it! Now sure how helpful that is but if digesting it helps hair growth, I wonder if having in hair product helps. Anyway, both are very light and not sticky at all. Some serums I find too sticky and makes my hair way too greasy. I haven't tried and of JF's stuff though. I hear the Frizz Ease line isn't that great but the Brilliant Brunette/Sheer Blond lines are much better.

Californian, I consulted with quite a few people before I even dared to dye my hair. The no ammonia and peroxide part made me a lot less afraid to. I certainly wouldn't do it without doing tons of research on it. Wish I did with EasyStraight.

[Californian]

Originally Posted by snafuish

Generic Sebastian Potion 9:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1210

Generic Joico K-Pak:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1215

Aphogee Treatment for Damaged Hair:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1215

L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture Nurturing Creme:
http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/prod...dept%5Fid=1215

Smooth N' Shine Therapy Repair Xtreme Sleek Results Silkener
http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...ush&navCount=1


Rowantree, I like both the Smooth N' Shine and Sealed Ends cos you can use it on damp or dry hair. Smooth N' Shine even has biotin in it! Now sure how helpful that is but if digesting it helps hair growth, I wonder if having in hair product helps. Anyway, both are very light and not sticky at all. Some serums I find too sticky and makes my hair way too greasy. I haven't tried and of JF's stuff though. I hear the Frizz Ease line isn't that great but the Brilliant Brunette/Sheer Blond lines are much better.

Californian, I consulted with quite a few people before I even dared to dye my hair. The no ammonia and peroxide part made me a lot less afraid to. I certainly wouldn't do it without doing tons of research on it. Wish I did with EasyStraight.

Thanks Snafu. This is great. I am sure you did some research on the hair dye. It's hard to imagine dying your hair without frying it. Sigh...
Tks for the links!