Hi Fellow Moms!! When I woke up Tuesday morning my 22 month old was sitting by my head. I saw a gooey mass on her head and thought she threw up and then rolled in it. I spring up and smelled it.. nope.. no vomit scent. I looked around to find a jar of petroleum jelly smeared on the bed sheet, her head, and MY head. Her hair has the appearance of being semi-wet after 4 shampoos and 2 rinses with the recommended Dawn dish soap (original). My head is not so lucky. I think the fact that I rung out the equivalent of 3 adult handfuls worth of this jelly is the reason why it's still in bedded in my hair. It LOOKS like I have wax for hair and have not showered in 2 months. It is saturated in this petroleum jelly and I have broken one of my brushes in attempt to tame it. It's still like this even after 5 shampoo rinses and 3 Dawn rinses. I DO NOT know what to do! I am embarrassed to leave the house. Please help.
THANK YOU for all your ideas! For about 15 minutes on Tuesday I seriously contemplated shaving my head. I thought it was going to be a hopeless cause. And yes, I took pictures of our jelly heads. Heres was greasy but mine had clumps( gobs and gobs). No I didn't use conditioner in my first run of shampoo and Dawn soap. I gathered product I already had at home and then hit the store about an hour after I read the first bulk of responses that same morning. Unfortunately i was not able to find some things like glycerin soap and Burt's Bee's Mint Shampoo. I wish I read that dry hair application of Dan soap in time! I tried a sequence of three things in one shower session and most of it came out. I can't tell you which ones really did it since they all collaborated. I used baby oil, a glass of Coca Cola, Dawn soap, baby oil again, and then my regular shampoo and conditioner. It took another separate shower of my regular shampoo, rinse, conditioner rinse in order to have my hair return to its regular state. Ladies, THANK YOU!!
I found this site with tons of tips:
http://www.creativehomemaking.com/cleaning/removing-vasel...
Hope you find something that works!!!
Try a Clarifying Shampoo like Pantene. It may take 2-3 washes but it worked great with Crayola Color Wonder finger paints!
Good luck!
I too had petroleum jelly in my hair once. What worked for me was to use Neutrogena Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula. It really helped to clear out all the grease.
I know this sounds crazy, but use baby oil. My daughter did this a couple years back and someone told me to do it. I poured it on her hair and used papertowels to pull it out of her hair. It took a while, but after I washed it agin after doing the baby oil, it came out clean.
Good luck....
Check out the link below. It suggests putting cornstarch on your hair to absorb the petrolrum jelly. Then to wash with clarifying shampoo (I find the cheap brands like Suave or White Rain work best) and use hot water. Cold water will make it worse.
http://www.hairboutique.com/tip951.htm
Good luck! If all else fails, just slick your hair back into a tight, sleek bun so it looks like you have gel or other hair product in your hair.
I would not add any powder just yet! That will turn it almost into a concrete! Have you conditioned everytime you have shampooed? Oil removes oil. Put a heavy conditioner on it, shampoo with a clarifying shampoo and repeat until it is not so oily. If you do not have a clarifying shampoo...add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda to your shampoo right before you put it on your hair, it will give the shampoo some extra power!
Good Luck!
Hi..not sure if you have solved this dilemna or not but here is my suggestion as a hairstylist for 13yrs. Try using Dawn on DRY hair. When you wet the hair first the water acts as a barrier and keeps the soap from attaching to the grease. Pour some Dawn into your hands and emulsify then put on your hair and work it in adding a little water at a time. Do this a couple different times and PLEASE make sure to uses a VERY intense conditioner after the final shampoo. Good Luck and let me know what finally works!!
I think you will have to go to the salon for this one. They probably have some product that will get it out of your hair, but not damage it too much. If you can't afford a regular salon, call a local beauty college and talk to the instructor, tell them your 'special problem' and see if they know what to do and would use you as an example for a class- they might do it for free, just to help train students in case an emergency like yours ever comes up.
At least it isn't the day before Christmas!!! Good luck and hide the petroleum jelly! :)
I wish you all the best and have some advice for the after part on conditioning ... I highly recommend mayo.. that's right real mayo or buy Queen Helene's Cholesterol in the hair care aisle at any drugstore for under $5, glob on & comb through dry hair, wrap in plastic with warm towel over it & let sit for 1/2 hour. Then clean with Neutrogena or another strong shampoo a few times and follow with your regular conditioner.
Hi, sorry to hear about the bad hair week. My daughter has a book that has some in a "fix" home remedies. It says for greasy hair to use baby powder over the hair if you have light colored hair and witch hazel (dab it in with a cotton ball) if you have dark colored hair. Not sure if it will work. We just got the book and haven't had a chance to try it on her greasy hair. Good luck.
Try diluted goo be gone.
try calling the sally beauty supply store to see if they can give you some suggestions.
Get some cheese cloth & vigorously rub the hair. It's great for saoking up grease & oil.
use waterless hand cleaner such as gojo brand. rub into hair and towel it out. then wash with regular shampoo. i know this works because i had the same problem about 6 months ago.
One of my twins sons did the same thing many years ago..I ended up putting baby powder in his hair, and then washed it again. At the time, it was crazy trying to figure out what to do, but looking back at the pictures, it REALLY was funny! :) Take care, and this too, shall pass!
I wish I knew what to tell you! Maybe call the company Vaseline is made by? Maybe you need to go to a hair dresser for help?
And I know you don't want to hear this, but I am laughing at the image of this. Take pictures. I know right now you don't want to, but in 6 yrs you'll be glad you did.
Have you called a salon? They can give you advice about your hair. If nothing else works, they should have something that fixes it as well. Good luck!
Ok, I found two helpful hints on the net, one soak hair with olive oil, then shampoo with dish soap. Or try a little cornstarch to soak it up then shampoo, best of luck, let us know what worked!
Hi J. Try calling the beauty salons in your area and see what they say or go online and see what advice they have. Maybe if you rinse your hair with vingear that may help. Vingear is use for many of things.
Use Tide. It works wonders. Good luck.
Tide laundry detergent...a little goes a long way. Rinse well.
My advice is to use dry laundry soap, mix with a little water to make a thick paste use this to wash the hair. It is a very concentrated deterent, it may take more than once to get it all out. You will want to wash with regular shampoo and condition VERY well after. I am a hair stylist of 25 yrs., and my cousin's child did this very thing to himself when he was little.
Hi !My friend Julie , a stylist for 32 years asks, did you try washing your hair with Dawn dish soap? Its a degreaser and may work. Good luck !
Hi J.,
My younger siblings smeared an entire jar of Vaseline all over themselves, their clothes, stuffed animals, bedding, etc. It took about 8 times (multiple washes each time) to get it out of their hair. So keep at it! You can also try using an antiresidue shampoo (Neutrogena makes one), and doing a cider vinegar rinse.
Cornstarch helps lift grease stains out of fabric.
Best,
R.
Have you tried baby powder or corn starch? Let it sit on your hair and soak it up then wash out. Good luck!!
Try pouring a bottle of witch hazel over your daughter's hair, and comb through really well. Then shampoo. Witch hazel works well on greasy hair. Good luck.
