Finding a Balance: Moisture vs Protein

Alright, I'm home and ready to dive into some product testing (more on this later)! But first I wanted to discuss an issue that first popped into my mind about two and a half weeks ago: moisture versus protein.

I'll admit, I never paid much attention to this when I visited CurlTalk frequently, because it wasn't something that really applied to me. I avoided protein and was moisture, moisture, moisture. Easy enough, right?

So when it came time to actually have some understanding of this and apply it to my own hair, it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I always thought that finding a balance between moisture and protein was a tedious process that involved using both at once.

But what if that's not true? (I apologize if this is something everyone else is aware of... I'm slow!)

Let's rewind. Two weeks before I left for the East Coast, I used V05 Champagne Kiss as both my co-wash and rinse-out. This is a light conditioner with more protein than moisture. After a week, my hair was noticeably dry (though not coarse/porous dry like the old days). So I decided to give it some moisture. I used the same V05 as my co-wash, but tried CJ Curl Rehab as my rinse-out.

Holy springy curls batman! My hair was curling all over the place, completely frizz-free and moisturized! It was awesome! I should have taken a picture!

The next wash, I figured my hair was already moisturized, so I used just V05 again. My hair "dried out" a little, and I still had great curls - not the poor ones that I had the last time I used this conditioner exclusively.

This is when the idea of "drying out" my hair and then seriously moisturizing it would lead to good hair all the time popped into my mind. I repeated this over the next two washes to amazing results. It seemed my hypothesis was indeed true.

Then I went to the East Coast. It was awesome, but not for my hair. It's fairly humid where I live, but nothing like this. So I did what I do on all of my trips; I kind of gave up. If it looked semi-presentable, good. If not, that's what pony tails are for. And let's face it, it was hot and humid. I'm not expecting miracles!

So I came back last weekend and haven't really been able to get back on the curl wagon. This could be because of the whole "do my hair at night and sleep on it" thing (i.e. not letting it dry enough before sleeping on it, which definitely leads to wonky curls), an overdose of Aloe Fix Lite, or leaving my Curl Rehab at my grandparents' house and trying to replace the moisture with CJ Strengthening conditioner, which contains protein. Or the ridiculously hot temps outside (we've been over 100 degrees every day for a while). Or a combination of all of these.

Anyway, has anyone else found this to be true for your hair? If you continually dry out and then re-moisturize your hair, do you get awesome curls every wash?

(Pssst! I'm working my way through reviewing my CJ stylers, so no real testing of the CJ Strengthening conditioner for a while. I think I'll go back to GVP CB until I get my Curl Rehab back! Early prognosis for CJ AFL is good! CIAB! not so much, but I've only used it once. Hoping it lives up to the hype!)

Shopping List

(Psst - I have taken down the poll. Thanks for the feedback! I will be incorporating the results into my posting. I have a new poll but blogger is being weird about it. Hopefully it will be up soon!)

I'm getting ready to go on vacation for a week (East Coast humidity, here I come!), but I wanted to update the status of my stash overhaul:

All mine!!! Ok, not exactly...

I decided that since my texture and hair needs have completely changed, I needed to completely change the products in my stash. I'm not getting rid of anything - we all know the #1 rule of product-testing is to try it in every season! - but I do need new products. My budget is around $75, which works out well since I earned a little more than that dog/house sitting this past weekend.

No way would I spend this much if I didn't need a complete overhaul. I know a lot of you are on budgets as you're trying to figure out what products to use. I definitely fall into that category with the whole graduated-but-not-teaching thing. BUT I had the opportunity to earn some extra money this past weekend and this was the perfect opportunity to spend most of it, since I really do need an upgrade. And I can say that I'm helping others by reviewing these products... See, I haven't lost my PJ excuses! :)

What I'm looking for: a couple of rinse-out conditioners and some styling products. Right now we're in the triple digits outside (with dews in the high 60s) and my hair is doing great with no leave-ins and using my co-wash as a rinse-out. This could obviously change, especially when the weather changes. It doesn't seem like I can use the same products every single day anymore, so I'd like some options.

What I was recommended:

Conditioners

• Curl Junkie Beauticurls Daily Hair Conditioner ($19 for 12 oz)
• Curl Junkie Beauticurls Strengthening Hair Conditioner ($22 for 12 oz)
• Suave Naturals Waterfall Mist Conditioner ($1.79 for 15 oz)
• Suave Naturals Wild Cherry Blossom Conditioner ($1.79 for 15 oz)

Styling Products

• Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee ($13.99 for 6 oz)
• Curl Junkie Aloe Fix Lite ($22 for 12 oz)
• Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Scrunching Gel ($4.29 for 6 oz)
• LA Looks Absolute Styling Wet Look Ultra Shine Gel ($3.99 for 20 oz)
• Aquage Uplifting Foam Styling Mousse ($16.95 for 8 oz)
• Herbal Essences Set Me Up Extra Hold mousse ($3.99 for 6.8 oz)
• Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse ($3.99 for 6.8 oz)
• Curl Junkie Coffee Coco Curl Creme Lite ($20 for 8 oz)
• CURLS Curl Souffle ($16 for 8 oz)
• L'Oreal Studio Unkempt Out of Bed Weightless Texturizer ($4.99 for 4 oz)

What I already have:

• Curl Junkie Aloe Fix Lite
• L'Oreal Studio Unkempt Out of Bed Weightless Texturizer
• Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse

What I'm buying:

• Curl Junkie Beauticurls Strengthening Conditioner (check)
• Curl Junkie Coffee Coco Curl Creme Lite (check)
• Curl Junkie Curls in a Bottle! (check)
• Suave Naturals Wild Cherry Blossom Conditioner
• LA Looks Sports Gel?
• Another conditioner? (Mop Top?)

First, what I already have. I've used CJ Aloe Fix Lite for the past three washes and am really liking it. LOOB is a big question mark. I'm not sure how or when I'll fit it into the routine. I have the HE mousse but probably won't be using it any time soon. I think I bought it to combat flat top, and it's not doing that. Plus AFL is already doing wonders for volume. And I kind of don't know what to do with mousse.

On to what I'm buying! I've already purchased the first three on this list and they are in transit. I hope they get here before I leave. I got all three for $52 shipped from Ave You - originally $60, used a 15% coupon and got $1 shipping. Can't beat that (I tried!). The CIAB wasn't recommended, but got rave reviews by fine-haired curlies on NC. I know I'm medium to fine, but using the guidelines for fine hair has been working really well for me.

That leaves me with about $23 left in the budget. I'd like to get the Suave just to try, and it's not going to break anyone's bank. Neither will the LA Looks Gel. I'm kind of unsure about the "wet look" gel recommended, so I figured I'd just pick up the regular sports gel. I'd also like to get another conditioner, preferably without protein. I've been looking at the Mop Top Daily conditioner, but am totally unsure what I'll end up doing. And if there's room in the budget, I may splurge for BRHG. Can you believe in all my three years of CG I've never tried this?

Anyway, that's where I am right now - kind of undecided about what I'm getting next. Fine-haired curlies, any recommendations? I've been reading, reading, reading all the reviews on NC and they're kind of all over the place. And there are so many more options now than when I gave up PJing! I don't know where to start.