ISO recs for hair products for curly hair - YouLookFab Forum

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ISO recs for hair products for curly hair

K.M.

Veteran

Since you are all so fab and stylish, maybe you can help me with a hair query...
I have curly hair, on the fine side, with big soft curls (not too tight, not too loose). My go-to hair products are not working anymore and my hair has been looking dry, matte, without bounce, sometimes frizzy and sometimes just dull.
Was hoping for some recommendations of:
1) Leave-on creams and conditioners
2) Shampoo and conditioner (not leave-on)
3) Anything else that might help!
I want to avoid the crunchy look that some heavier products can give...

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20 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

Laura G

Veteran

You might want to start with a shampoo to strip off any residue from your current products. Over time, they can build up and cause that dull, heavy look. Neutrogena makes one called Anti-Residue.

As for product recommendations, I'm in the market too. I'll be watching this thread closely...

Anonymous

Have you looked into keratin treatments? I read that you can get them so that your curl is maintained but the frizz is kept at bay.
I am getting my coarse-wavy-frizzy hair done next week!
Expensive but apparently lasts for 4 months. You only live once right?

K.M.

Veteran

Laura G, yes, I think this is part of the problem. I've been trying so many things (my assortment of old products plus a few new ones) that I think my hair has a lot of build-up film on it. (In particular I was upset about the leave-in by Carol's Daughter... that thing left my sticky and took so many washes to come off!!! And I swim three times a week!)

smittie, no, I didn't know about those treatments. Please do share your experience after you have it done next week. This sounds great! I'm feeling so sad about my dull hair and I'm usually low-maintenance otherwise so I'd be OK with splurging...

Dottie

Curls are so different from person to person. On Brooklyn's recent post, she complained of her frizz, so I suggested the book, Curly Girl Handbook, by Lorraine Massey. She dedicates different chapters to different types of curls. It was life changing for me - for under $10!

That being said, it sounds as though you have 2c/3a type curls (fine, curly)? You may need to Google or You Tube to understand that.

I have somewhat similar curls (2b/2c). Sulfate free shampoos are critical, but first it sounds as though you may need a clarifying shampoo to truly clean out residual products. I do this every 1-2 months.

I love the Devacurl line of products. I use:
1. No-poo shampoo & Delight Conditioner.
2. After washing it out, I scrunch in Supercream styling cream while I'm in the shower and scrunch, scrunch, scrunch.
3. Once out of the shower, I scrunch in Frizz Free Foam.
4. I finish with scrunching in Arc Angel Gel. Lots of scrunching.
5. I always use a diffuser with my blowdryer (medium heat).
6. The final product may look crunchy (gel cast), but then you just scrunch out the crunch once your hair is dry to get looser curls.

Here are some helpful YouTube channels:
real life+curly girl
The Polished Curl

Here are some helpful people on Instagram:
vmuse919 - she gives lots of great info in her posts
reallifecurlygirl
mandie.cg.journey
curlysue291

As you can tell, you can really go down the rabbit hole w/ this! It's a journey.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Great information. I have been using Tigi Catwalk Curls Rock Amplifier for years and have yet to try anything I like better - but I don't experiment a lot.

Anonymous

I will let you know how it goes, K.M.

Brooklyn

Veteran

Wow Dottie. I am going to bookmark this post and investigate everything you said

RobinF

Veteran

My hair isn't super curly, I would say more very wavy and fairly thick. I use the same product that Shevia does, the Tigi Curls Rock Amplifier. It helps keep down the frizz and leave the curls. I sometimes use a leave-in conditioner but lately haven't been doing that and it seems fine. Before the Curls Rock, I had to use several products to get similar results so I like cutting it down to one. I also use a diffuser on my hair dryer and just dry it until it has basically the style I want, let it dry the rest of the way naturally and then scrunch out the stiff feeling after it is dry. I don't like leaving the house with damp hair but don't have the patience to dry it all the way with the dryer.

Greyscale

Veteran

Sounds similar to mine. I have the added constraint that I have to avoid almost all fragrance, so my choices are mostly dictated by that. I also use a sulfate-free shampoo (currently Andalou). I use a good detangler/conditioner (John Masters), comb out my hair with the conditioner in, and then rinse it all out even though it's also a leave-in. I find that it's too heavy if I leave any in. Then I use a tiny bit of Beautiful Curls shea butter "wavy to curly defining gel" and comb it through my hair. This works well, but I'm also interested in new leave-in products.

My curls look awesome if I wash my hair at night and put my hair up in a very high ponytail to dry overnight. (People call this the pineapple approach because the ponytail looks like pineapple leaves on top of your head!) This overnight drying approach has worked better than anything else I've tried to give me good lasting curls.

Brooklyn

Veteran

GS, I do that too, and that gets me smoother waves. Sometimes I do 2 ponytails because it's more comfortable for sleeping. Works better for me than blow drying but I do find humidity during the day tends to undo the good work.

elpgal

Veteran

Sounds like my hair. For me, conditioner-only washing with an apple-cider rinse have worked very well. My stylist who is trained in the Deva curl technique uses Oribe products.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I have the same hair type but straighten it somewhat with a big fat curling iron. I don't like a scrunchy feeling curl. I like very soft hair. I think it's important to wash the hair and scalp thoroughly - like they do at a salon using fingertips (not nails) to really get the scalp clean. This keeps the crown of the hair from being too flat for the rest of the curls. I like using a rinse out conditioner because they are thicker and richer but after I still use jojoba oil as a leave in treatment - very light touch with this. I use a heat protectant (Kiehls) just on the front and ends that I will use the curling iron on just the day after I've washed my hair - I don't use more of this product on top if I haven't washed the last out. But quite often I use more of the jojoba oil (lightly) even if I've already used some. I rub a little pea sized or two amount in my hands really well and then just barely touching the hair smooth over the strands, focusing on the drier parts, pinching my shorter strands between my fingers. Works better for frizz than any other product I've ever tried (tested many times in Florida humidity ;-)) and it's natural, inexpensive and not scented. It takes some practice to get the right amount.

I like sulfate free products too but use different ones so I can't recommend just one.

K.M.

Veteran

Wow, thanks everyone so much for sharing your wisdom and experience! I thought that after 43 years of being on this Earth as a curly-haired person I'd have figured this out already!... I'm taking notes and will try as many of your suggestions as possible. Basically all the products and techniques you shared here are new to me.
Part of the issue is that what used to work doesn't anymore, even though I live in the same climate, same tap water etc. Partly it's the gray hairs coming in with a different texture, but they are still a minority so there must be something else bumming my curls...
Thank you again, with curly gratitude!

Anonymous

It could be your hair just needs a break from your regular products.You could try using John Masters Bare shampoo a few times in a row or Liggetts bar shampoo to switch things up.

John Masters makes a cider vinegar rinse but you could just add a little cider vinegar to a bottle of water and pour that over your hair after shampooing, then rinse but don't get it in your eyes! And a cool-ish water rinse is always good.

Laura G

Veteran

K.M. changing hormone levels also mess with curls. I've taken estrogen for years and recently ran out--no more curls!

K.M.

Veteran

Oh my goodness, Laura G--you might be onto something. I'm 43 and not in menopause yet (pretty regular still!) but I'm sure that my hormones are already out of whack with relation to what they were before. I can feel it in other ways. One more reason why I should haul myself to the doctor to discuss this...
PS. Among the changes there's another one that's hair related--namely hair falling out! And in my 20s I used to complain about having too much big hair...

K.M.

Veteran

Curly hair update! Happy update!
I've been implementing your suggestions, starting with washing off built-up products with a residue-removal shampoo once a week; scrunching energetically as I apply a leave-in conditioner; and trying out new products. I started with the Tigi Curl Amplifier recommended by Shevia, and oh my!!!! I haven't been this happy with my curls in a loooooong time.
(I realize I've also entered into the season when my curls are at their best--winter, because of the extremely dry air--but I don't think that's the full explanation as to why my curls, which looked dull and despondent a few weeks ago, now look bouncy and shiny.)
I will try some of the other products and references (including the book on curly hair) suggested here. It seems that part of it is the need to rotate products and change the routine...
Now, next hair quest will be: what to do with the whites that keep appearing!!! (Not just a color issue but also a texture challenge.)

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Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Love your curls in your last post/pics!

I second Curly Girl. By now, you've probably discovered that there are numerous websites devoted to this. Some hints I've picked up are using T-shirt type fabric instead of terry towels to dry it and sleeping on a satin pillow case. There's also a thing called "plopping" your hair that you can look up.

I kept my son's hair long when he was little and loved his curls. I was amazed at how many young guys used to tell him they wore their hair like that until Mom stopped combing it. That's exactly what happened with his. I hope he'll grow it again when he's ready to take care of it.

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Greyscale

Veteran

Your hair looks great, KM!

Aida

Veteran

If you haven't already, also look into the Ouidad line. Interesting that your curls do best in dry weather -- that's when mine are at their worst! I'm attaching the hair products I am currently using for my fine+thin curls. As you can see a lot of my products are for adding/replacing texture and volume depending on what a particular day's curl challenges call for. I wash somewhere between 7-14 days, use a blow dryer with diffuser, and sleep with my hair in a loose top-of-the-head pony secured with a clear poly band (similar to the ones in finds) on a silkyish pillow case.

Lovely curls! Glad to hear they're doing better ^^

Ouidad Ouidad PlayCurl-Amplifying Styling Spray

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Ouidad Ouidad Define & Shine Curl Styling Gel-Cream 6 oz by Ouidad

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Ouidad Ouidad Clear Control Pomade - 114ml/4oz

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Kerastase Kerastase Spray A Porter Tousled Effect Hair Spray, 5 Ounce

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Outer Space Flexible Hairspray, 9.5 oz.

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Shea Moisture SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow and Restore Shampoo

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Ion Extreme Cleansing Conditioner

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Alterna Alterna Caviar Sheer Dry Shampoo, 1.2 Ounce

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Oribe Hair Care Dry Texturizing Spray

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Shea Moisture SheaMoisture 4 oz Raw Shea Butter Reconstructive Finishing Elixir

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EBoot eBoot Elastic Bands Hair Rubber Bands, 1000 Pieces (Clear)

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