Anyone else not feeling the love from Glycerin?

Ok ladies, please chime in here.

I have had NO LOVE from glycerin. I know it's the super moisturizer when mixed with water but for some reason it makes my hair feel a bit stiff or rough a bit. I also tried to mix w/ Eco Styler (OMG - why did i do that?) it was definitely felt like I was rubbing something other than hair. Yuck!

I have tried it on new growth and my relaxed portion and just was not doing a thing. I tried on wet and dry hair. Maybe it's the type of glycerin. I use Long Aid.

My natural growth is probably a 4a (I think) and the part with the relaxer is more of a 3b/c and it still feels like stiff hair or just not right.

What am I doing wrong or have you had the same experience?

Is it still cold in DC? From what I understand glycerin doesn't do too well unless the air is filled with moisture.

About 60's off and on but I was mixing with water which I understand that is what you are supposed to do if there is not a lot of humidity.

pardigm wrote:About 60's off and on but I was mixing with water which I understand that is what you are supposed to do if there is not a lot of humidity.

I am not really sure - hopefully someone more well versed in glycerin will chime in. I just started using it when Spring hit down here. It rains 2-3 times a week and my hair is drawing in all the moisture.

@Pardigm - No its the opposite, you should only use glycerine or honey when the moisture levels (the weather term you need to look for is Dew Point and when it's between 40 and 60) below 40 means the air is very dry NO moisture and above 60 means extreme moisture is in the air. Too little moisture will make your hair feel brittle and hard and subject to breakage. Too much moisture, will make your hair feel sticky/greasey (think Jeri Curl no offend to anyone). Don't concern yourself with temperture/humidity numbers when it comes to your hair.

Also, keep in mind that you "not" only have to worry about the moisture outside but inside your home. I live in a relative warm climate (Houston, TX) where we really don't have severe winters but this year has been abnormal so I spent more time indoors (Central Heating). Although, I was not outside it the cold temps, my house was keep very warmer and dry (no humifier) so there was not enough moisture in my home so the glycerine would draw moisture out of my hair.

So I had to remove glycerine & honey from my products (i.e. water spritz, conditioners, and stylers. Since I use mostly all natural or organic homemade products, I could change my regimen for the winter. The only products I use with glycerine were my conditioners VO5 Tea Therapy Nourishing & Giovanni 50:50 (very little in them) for co-washing but I also have a non-glycerine conditioner as well Desert Essence Fragrance Free. My water spritz contains only distilled water, oils (carrier- grapeseed, jojoba, coconut, olive & essential-rosemary, tea tree, peppermint or sweet orange) and I seal my hair/ends with sheabutter mixture or Afroveda Curl Define butter that has no glycerine in them at all.

I also "henna" Jamila 09 BAQ bi-weekly to monthly since January 2010 (use CurlyNikki's recipe minus the honey) and it has worked wonders. I have limited dryness, my hair is soft and no breakage.

I hope all or some of the information was helpful.

Wow! Thank you so much!!! I didn't know that outside temp. had such an effect on the glycerin. Thanks again!

Great response SwanLakeLibra!

My hair pretty much hates glycerine too.. aloe vera gel same thing. I had to stop using curl activator gel because the main ingredient in that was glycerine.

It's all good though because my hair has always loved conditioner and now I figured out it also loves olive oil. I stick with those.