Wurly and Curly thread!!!

**cmg** · September 14th, 2011, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by GRU

If these two people are standing side-by-side and you stretched each of those curls out, would they both stretch (straighten) out the same distance?

Is this what the book is doing, comparing two lengths? Sounds silly to me. Isnt the idea to compare quality regardless of the current length? Say, if you take five or ten inches of both people and se how they spring? My hair doesnt automatically change springyness when the length changes either. Is the CG book designating different spring factors for different lenghts?

Someone with short 3c hair would have less "stretch/spring factor" than someone with long 3a hair, simply b/c the person with long hair HAS more hair.

This sounds useless. If one wishes to compare two different hairs then you would have to take a standardized length portion, say ten inches of each person (relaxed state, wet or dry etc.), and stretch it out and see what happens. Anything else makes no sense. It seems the book has a funny way to compare this. Thanks for your effort explaining, GRU.

Originally Posted by TrudieCat

Also, I definitely agree with GRU that it's stupid to give length measurements to define spring factor - it should really have to do with proportion of overall hair length, like a ratio of stretched:not stretched.

You are saying it much better than I. Percentage in stretching out or something would make sense.

Originally Posted by C.H.

Yeah, I was actually surprised how little information there actually is in the book.

I'm sure, there is a lot more informative things to read here on LHC

**dRummie** · September 14th, 2011, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by GRU

Go here: http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Han.../dp/076115678X

Click on "search inside this book" on the left.

Type baptism into the search box and it should bring up page 40.

Huh.. I read through that paragraph several times, and couldn't make sense of it. Surely whether it's a trickle or the shower spray, you're still removing more conditioner from the canopy than from the underlayer

Thanks for doing the legwork, GRU!

C.H. - thanks for the info on that one, I might check it out next time I'm at the book store. Would be good to have some basics all in one place without having to hunt the forums for them.

**GRU** · September 14th, 2011, 07:50 PM

Since we're talking books/philosophies, what I like best is the Live Curly Live Free version of things. She has an e-book that you can purchase which I've heard is very good (note, I haven't read the e-book myself), but even just the basic stuff she has on her website gives a way better explanation of the why and how than Curly Girl, and it's less involved than the Curly Like Me "defining the curls" technique.

**GRU** · September 14th, 2011, 08:14 PM

How in the heck did I get a double post???

**C.H.** · September 14th, 2011, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by GRU

Since we're talking books/philosophies, what I like best is the Live Curly Live Free version of things. She has an e-book that you can purchase which I've heard is very good (note, I haven't read the e-book myself), but even just the basic stuff she has on her website gives a way better explanation of the why and how than Curly Girl, and it's less involved than the Curly Like Me "defining the curls" technique.

It's true that Teri's method of defining her curls is a lot of work. But I had tried it years ago based on her youtube videos before even reading the book, and already determined that although it worked well it was too time-consuming for me. Come to find out, once I actually read her book, she states quite plainly that if your hair isn't as tightly curly as hers (which mine is not), her full method may not be necessary and simply running your fingers through it might do the trick--she was right, and that's exactly what I've been doing.

I feel that her information has so much more range and depth than LM's, though. Like someone else mentioned, LM's book and her whole brand really is all about her particular method and there isn't a huge amount of information beyond that. Whereas even if you don't fully subscribe to Teri's exact method, she still has plenty of other information that will be useful for you.

Having said that there was a recent occasion where I really needed perfect curls (photo shoot), so I used a modified version of her technique (blended with CG) and by God, I actually got them. And it extended my need to wash by several days. So I'm really glad I at least know her technique, it really paid off.

But Teri's the one who introduced me to the whole concept of leaving a large amount of conditioner in your hair and to recognizing and enhancing my hair's natural tendency to clump--which I consider the truly revolutionary ideas that ultimately allowed me to achieve curls that are beautiful and wearable. Teri's whole concept is built around leaving a sh*t-ton of conditioner in your hair and then defining, defining, defining those clumps. LM says leave some or all of the conditioner in your hair and then layer gel on top of it. Teri's position is that if you leave enough conditioner in it, and use her technique to fully define the curls, you won't even need gel.

**C.H.** · September 14th, 2011, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by cmg

I'm sure, there is a lot more informative things to read here on LHC

I've absolutely learned a great deal here, and in this thread partciularly that LM doesn't cover. But if you want absolute curl information overload the nc.com forums are the place to be. They're total product-junkies over there, though, which turns me off. Their knee-jerk response to most problems seems to be to buy/try a new product. They also tend to depend on some fairly complex routines, which is also a turn off for me, as I am not a high-maintenance person. Though to be absolutely fair, if I'm honest with myself, my own curly routine has become quite complex.

I guess I just feel TLHC approach to things fits my overall lifestyle and worldview better and has a greater sense of community.

**Tealpuffin** · September 15th, 2011, 04:54 AM

I am sorry to change the subject but I just thought I'd tell you guys that I decided to wear my hair naturally today. Last night I CO and my hair of holding the curl/wave much better! I got so many compliments from my friends and also my tutor who has beautiful curly hair

this is the first tinlme in years that I have been able to wear my hair natural in years. I still don't know whether my hair Is quite curly or wavy. It just has random wavy kinks in it but there are also random curls. I shall have to post a pic to see what you guys think x

**Kelikea** · September 15th, 2011, 05:06 AM

I was wondering about the "spring factor" everyone was talking about earlier. I pulled on some strands and found no spring. Does that mean I'm a 1? My hair definitely waves and twirls, but isn't "curly." It also doesn't look longer wet than dry.

**MinderMutsig** · September 15th, 2011, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by C.H.

But Teri's the one who introduced me to the whole concept of leaving a large amount of conditioner in your hair and to recognizing and enhancing my hair's natural tendency to clump--which I consider the truly revolutionary ideas that ultimately allowed me to achieve curls that are beautiful and wearable. Teri's whole concept is built around leaving a sh*t-ton of conditioner in your hair and then defining, defining, defining those clumps. LM says leave some or all of the conditioner in your hair and then layer gel on top of it. Teri's position is that if you leave enough conditioner in it, and use her technique to fully define the curls, you won't even need gel.

This sounds interesting! I'll have to read up on her method. I'm not a huge fan of gel. It leaves me unable to brush my hands through my hair and I like to do that on occasion. The result is getting my hands stuck and hearing hairs snapping all over. I also can't comb or brush my hair at night without considerable breakage so I've resorted to washing daily just so I can comb my hair which is just silly.

The only gel I've been able to do all of that with is homemade flaxseed gel so I'll probably just use that. It looks and feels like snot but once my hair is dry it's real easy to scrunch out the crunch and my hair is transformed into soft touchable hair. It doesn't give the hold that normal gel does so my wurls are not as curly as they could be but I'll gladly deal with that in return for being able to comb and washing less.

**MandyBeth** · September 15th, 2011, 07:29 AM

If J wants to run around with her hair loose (please God, no, please, please, please), I work in some flaxseed and aloe gels, then let it dry, get some oil on my hands and scrunch the oils in to break up the crunchies. Then she's got some pretty wild curls going on, and she's happy.

I suspect in 10 years, she'll want her curls either straightened or at least controlled, but at 6, big curly hair is adorable.