Not liking my steamer

[Tafa01]

Based on all the raves i saw here, I asked for a steamer for my birthday. Hubby got me the standing one. Its been 3 weeks now and I have used it 4 times so far, still not liking the results. after steaming my hair is dull, not as soft as regular D'cing with my cheap dc bonnet.
Am I the only weird one not getting great results with the steamer? or do I need to use it more to see results?
I always prepoo overnight with my butters mix, then poo and DC (without plastic cap when using the steamer) for 30mn with heat. I get super results with the plastic bonnet, and "blah" results with the steamer.
I feel so bad bcause I made him spend all this $$ and I don't even want to use the thing!!
Any suggestions to make it better? I really do want to like it.

 

[january noir]

Based on all the raves i saw here, I asked for a steamer for my birthday. Hubby got me the standing one. Its been 3 weeks now and I have used it 4 times so far, still not liking the results. after steaming my hair is dull, not as soft as regular D'cing with my cheap dc bonnet.
Am I the only weird one not getting great results with the steamer? or do I need to use it more to see results?
I always prepoo overnight with my butters mix, then poo and DC (without plastic cap when using the steamer) for 30mn with heat. I get super results with the plastic bonnet, and "blah" results with the steamer.
I feel so bad bcause I made him spend all this $$ and I don't even want to use the thing!!
Any suggestions to make it better? I really do want to like it.

If you use a lot of different products, especially products with cones, you will need to clarify first. I rarely clarify, but that's because I don't use products with high percentages of cones.

Try that first, then steam using your favorite moisturizing conditioner.

 

[Tafa01]

I tried that already. I clarified with kenra clarifying poo...still not liking the results. And I don't use much cones either.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I don't know if this makes a difference, and I don't have a steamer myself, but have you tried using the steamer with a plastic cap? Whenever I would get my hair steamed at a salon, they would always put the conditioner, then a plastic cap, and then sit me under the steamer.

By the end, my hair would be just about ready to slide off my head.

 

[Miss AJ]

Aren't you supposed to use a plastic cap under a steamer?

 

[january noir]

Aren't you supposed to use a plastic cap under a steamer?

I don't. Most, if not all ladies here that have one don't either. The pictures I have seen on the chinese websites that sell a table top steamer don't show the use of a plastic cap either.

 

[Tafa01]

I thought I was not supposed to use a plastic cap? that's what I understood from the posts here. I googled it and I got both answers lol...some hairdressers say you have to, some say no. Maybe I will try with and see the difference?

 

[SunnyDelight]

I don't use a cap with my steamer. Try clarifying and using very little product. See if that helps. I think the more you do it, the better the results wll be.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I have Fantastically Amazing Results with My Steamer. Hair incredibly moisturized and shiny and Definitely Well-Conditioned.

It has been one of my Best Investments since beginning my Journey.

I usually use a Thick DC Treatment, Hair Mask, Hair Paste, Intensive Treatment, (something along those lines) and Steam Away.

I Just Love it!

(I Never Steam in a Cap)

May I ask: What are you using for your DC Treatment?

 

[isabella09]

Have you tried doing an ACV rinse as your final step. This worked wonders for me after a steam treatment as it locked in all the treatment and my hair felt beautifully soft afterwards. I use a mix of 75ml of ACV to 1 litre of spring water.

 

[Tafa01]

So far I have tried rusk keratin pro, YTC mud mask, baba de caracol, and ORS pack (this one worked the best). I have used all of these previously with my regular cap and they worked great.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

So far I have tried rusk keratin pro, YTC mud mask, baba de caracol, and ORS pack (this one worked the best). I have used all of these previously with my regular cap and they worked great.

Okay: What do you do after you steam? Or when you were using your regular cap? What's your follow-up?

Me: I always rinse my hair in "cool" tepid water and then I close (Seal) my cuticle with some Porosity Control or some other low ph rinse.

I've read some people let their hair "sit" for a while after steaming and then proceed with rinsing etc......

Your cuticle is pretty "swollen" i.e. lifted/raised after the Steam Treatment, so how are you bringing it back down?

oh..isn't rusk keratin and ors both protein treatments? are you also moisturizing as well?

 

[Tafa01]

after my treatment I wait for about 10 to 20mn for my hair to cool off, then i rinse with "cold" water and apply YTC conditioner, or Joico hydrating condish (low ph)for about 2mn to close up the cuticles, then rinse.

I did the same when using the cap. Also the porosity control makes my hair hard, so i only use it right bfore and after relaxing.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

after my treatment I wait for about 10 to 20mn for my hair to cool off, then i rinse with "cold" water and apply YTC conditioner, or Joico hydrating condish (low ph)for about 2mn to close up the cuticles, then rinse.

I did the same when using the cap. Also the porosity control makes my hair hard, so i only use it right bfore and after relaxing.

hmp....It sounds like you are doing everything right?erplexed WOW! I can't believe it is not working for you amazingly.

I use Distilled Water, do you?

So you are planning on using it with a cap next time correct? Please Let me know how that goes.

 

[Tafa01]

Yeah...I was floored!! After the first time I was a little discouraged...now I decided to just use it once a week to make dh happy LOL. I will DC a second time a week with my beloved bonnet until I figure this out. I will let you know how it works with the plastic cap.

 

[ElegantExotic]

bumping!!!

 

[peony]

I had the same problem, went back to my electric heat cap. Maybe I'll try the plastic cap too...

 

[brittle_hair]

I think a plastic cap is defintely the missing part of the puzzle, and i aint never heard of porosity control making anyone's hair hard, that is an absolute hair staple - it has to be the cap thing, and you could maybe add a bit of EVOO too.

 

[Ms. Feliz]

Doesn't it kinda defeat the purpose if you use the plastic cap? Isn't the point of using a steamer to open up your pores so the moisture can actually get in? If you're using a cap under it wouldn't it be like the equivalent of sitting under a dryer? All the moisture is just hitting the cap and going everywhere else but your scalp. Somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but that's just what I thought the purpose of it was.

 

[PinkAngel]

Doesn't it kinda defeat the purpose if you use the plastic cap? Isn't the point of using a steamer to open up your pores so the moisture can actually get in? If you're using a cap under it wouldn't it be like the equivalent of sitting under a dryer? All the moisture is just hitting the cap and going everywhere else but your scalp. Somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but that's just what I thought the purpose of it was.

That's exactly what I thought.

OP...the only thing I can think of is to be sure you're using distilled water everything else you're doing sounds right. Also, are you using a fresh batch of water each time you steam?

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

Doesn't it kinda defeat the purpose if you use the plastic cap? Isn't the point of using a steamer to open up your pores so the moisture can actually get in? If you're using a cap under it wouldn't it be like the equivalent of sitting under a dryer? All the moisture is just hitting the cap and going everywhere else but your scalp. Somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but that's just what I thought the purpose of it was.

That's exactly why most people don't use a cap. It's supposed to defeat the purpose entirely.
But at the salon, they used a special cap, I think. It was really thin, not like a normal shower cap. I think that kind of cap is okay to use under the steamer. A thicker one would probably keep too much steam out.

 

[Vintageglam]

I don't use a plastic cap because for me that would defeat the purpose of the steamer.


First off OP a few question (not sure if they have been asked so please excuse me);

1. Are you using distilled water?
2. Are you using a cap?
3. What sort of DC are you using?

I first discovered steamers when I started going to an old west indian salon (one of the best I have ever been to). This was her method (also I would usually arrive with at the salon with an oil pre-poo in my hair):

1. She would detangle my hair gently with a wide tooth comb and then shampoo me with a moisturisng shampoo (always smelled of coconut).
2. She would then place a liquidy type of condish all over my hair which she informed me was a mix of moisture and protein (she would never give up the name - I will find out one day. It was almost like a clear liquidy gel). I would also ask her to add my Matrix Biolage Ceramides at this point.
3. I would sit under the steamer for 30 mins to 1 hr depending on how dry my hair was or how much pampering I felt like.
4. She would then wash out this treatment and then finish with PC or another rinse out moisturizing condish such as Humectress.
5. Apply moisturing leave in i.e. Keracare leave in, Neutorgena, Mizani H20 intense etc and rollerset and dry under her hood dryer for 40 mins and "tada" super soft bouncy curls.

I am not sure if this will help you but HTH;s all the same...?

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Steamin's Great! I can't say enough "Good" things about it. It Give Moisture Like Non-Other, it makes Detangling a Breeze and it Makes Your DC Treatments Perform to their Optimal Level.

I never steam in a Cap. Always Use Distilled Water.

It has been By Far, the Best Hair Purchase I have Made the the Benefit Most Definitely Outweigh the Cost.:lovedrool:

 

[LushLox]

OP, don't write off the steamer too hastily. If you can't see the results now, at least try and steam consistently for say a three month period and then assess.

For me personally when I first started, because my hair was so damaged it took at least three to six months of consistent usage to see a very noticeable difference to my hair but it was certainly worth the commitment.

 

[ebonimama]

A thin shower cap is the missing ingredient. My steamer is one of the best purchases I have made since I've been on lhcf and I've steamed with a cap since I've had it. Definitely try it op and if it doesn't work then at least you've ruled that out.

 

[ElegantExotic]

ok, so from this thread, i've got that I need to use distilled water and porosity control after.

Usually my hair is great after steaming, but I recently got highlights (no bleach, just lifted with normal color and developer), and my hair didn't have alot of shine after steaming. I wouldn't call it dull, but it definitely didn't have the usual shine.

I ordered some PC (hope it doesn't take forever to get here).

In the meantime, I will use Elucence Moisture acidifying Shampoo and Phyto Citrus mask (which claims to close the cuticles), and see what happens.

I'll be sure to report back.