how can i live with crazy, huge hair?

[anime_length]

honestly, my hair is just huge. just huge. it's sad that I missed the 80's. really.

and i do a lot to try and make it... i don't know... good looking? glamorous? pretty? but it ends up being a lot of damage because as you all know, curly hair is fragile and weak.

I want to stop, but it's like an addiction.

[katfemme89]

Why don't you just COwash and just let your hair curl naturally? be happy with what God gave you :-)

[Mindy]

Have you tried any non heat styling methods? My hair is about 2a so not as curly as yours. But I've found that giving my waves some definition by air drying in a sock bun or braids helps to smooth it out and make it look more "polished" and also tames the frizzies.

[MelH]

Ditto on the non heat styling methods. I also find that if I run my hair through my hands (not finger combing but running my hands over all of my hair) while drying and once dry it tames down both the frizz and the curls. Maybe from the oils on my hands? I don't know.

[akilina]

I agree with CO washing and being happy with what your *mom and dad* gave you in their genetics :)
Pretty sure your genetics decided that your hair would be huge and curly, not god.

Maybe you could look into the curly girl method and try some scrunching methods.
Many of us would LOVE to have some of the curl and body you probably do :) I guess its all about doing what works best for your hair and maybe you haven't found it yet. I know I have not.

[PinkyCat]

Well what's your definition of huge? Do myou mean triangle-head? Do you mean out of control frizz? It's hard for me to imagine 2c being huge like you're describing.

Can you elaborate more on your styling techniques and products?

[anime_length]

But i feel like non-heat styling methods, which is what i'm doing now, is still a lot of damage. a lot of brushing and pulling and pinning. I think I might be under classified as a 2c. I might be a 3a.

I'd like to just be happy with what i've got, but I'm not. It's not like I'm against curly hair, it's just that every strand of hair seems to be doing it's own thing. it just looks so messy and insane.

Actually, I was thinking about being an psychiatric in-patient for halloween and just letting my hair do whatever, lol.

[anime_length]

Well what's your definition of huge? Do myou mean triangle-head? Do you mean out of control frizz? It's hard for me to imagine 2c being huge like you're describing.

Can you elaborate more on your styling techniques and products?

I could easily look like hermione granger with bigger hair than emma watson could ever achieve.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/7321_161425032203_2667423_n.jpg

[Tabitha]

That's a beautiful photo! Maybe get some long layers cut in, to reduce the bulk at the ends. That's what I did and it made a massive difference. I used to get teased about looking like a cartoon character at school, because of my "bushy" hair which was terribly pyramid hair/triangle head (only UKers of a certain age will know "Crystal Tipps and Alistair (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ewUTPgcfHys/TQdKzmMtkFI/AAAAAAAAB44/hQ6J7ec7KNc/s1600/crystal-tipps-and-alistair.jpg)")

[PinkyCat]

Ah. Ok. Looks like mine if I comb out the curls:
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg551/RavenRapunzel/100_3920.jpg

First - you shouldn't use a brush - throw that thing away. Get a nice seamless wide tooth comb. Second - do not comb your hair while dry - you'll pull apart the curl definition and have nothing but frizz (see above photo). Only comb while wet or while distributing products while wet.

What products are you using? How are you using them? What do you leave in?

[anime_length]

i don't use a brush, only when I style it and even then, i typically use a fine comb. thanks for the good advice.

but how do you live with it? how can i learn to love it?

[ratgirldjh]

Geez - I LOVE both of you girls hair!!! What is the problem with having BIG hair! I LOVE LOVE LOVE big hair!!!

And also ^^^ does this mean there is no hair goddess??? (runs to altar to hair goddess and removes offering and hurriedly makes parents/genes altar and puts offering there ;))

[anime_length]

I use morrocan oil and R&B from Lush. I CO and only wash my scalp very rarely. I just got an aloe leaf so i'm trying to decide what kind of treatment i want to do with that. other than that, i just style with magnetic rollers (which are the biggest pain in the ass) and, if it's absolutely necessary, minimally smooth out the roots with a flat iron.

[anime_length]

Well what's your definition of huge? Do myou mean triangle-head? Do you mean out of control frizz? It's hard for me to imagine 2c being huge like you're describing.

Can you elaborate more on your styling techniques and products?


That's a beautiful photo! Maybe get some long layers cut in, to reduce the bulk at the ends. That's what I did and it made a massive difference. I used to get teased about looking like a cartoon character at school, because of my "bushy" hair which was terribly pyramid hair/triangle head (only UKers of a certain age will know "Crystal Tipps and Alistair (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ewUTPgcfHys/TQdKzmMtkFI/AAAAAAAAB44/hQ6J7ec7KNc/s1600/crystal-tipps-and-alistair.jpg)")

actually, i do have layers, it's hard to see in that picture. it's weird, i couldn't find any pictures of my hair naturally curly.

[PinkyCat]

but how do you live with it? how can i learn to love it?

I wouln't trade it for the world! You must first figure out how to take care of it and allow it to do what it wants to do naturally. Stop fighting the curl.

Stop with the flat iron. If you want the roots to lay a bit straighter (as I do) air dry in a loose-ish ponytail until about 85% dry. This will hold the top straighter and your curls will begin at about chin length.

Take a look at my album and my product lineup under my about me tab. I think your hair may be pretty similar to mine.

[DancingQueen]

Well, we seem to have the same hair type, and I know how that feels. Sometimes, it just refuse to behave. I was actually told I had witch-hair by a schoolmate in 8th grade :D

Personally, I just fell in love with coconut oil. Believe it or not, it actually does an amaizing job at taming the frizz. Also, I would recommend to throw away your hairbrush, and get a wide-tooth comb. Don't wash your hair every day. Lots of conditioner. I know this helped me a lot. Hope you find a solution. :)

[ladonna]

My hair is a mixture of OP hair and pinky cats. Olive oil is my best friend to smooth oil the wild hairs and make my curls clump together, I have use about a good amount about a quarter teaspoon on each half of my hair. Then make twists over and over as my hair dries for uniform waves/ringlets.

[katfemme89]

I agree with CO washing and being happy with what your *mom and dad* gave you in their genetics :)
Pretty sure your genetics decided that your hair would be huge and curly, not god.


And I believe that God created humans and our genetics :)


i don't use a brush, only when I style it and even then, i typically use a fine comb. thanks for the good advice.

but how do you live with it? how can i learn to love it?

Fine comb? By that do you mean a fine-toothed comb? Just from what I know, fine-toothed combs are horrible for curly hair, they pull the curls out of sync with each other, making a big frizzy mess.

But your hair in the picture doesn't look like a big, frizzy mess. It just has a few flyaways which could be easily tamed with some oil or pomade. Don't despair, your hair is lovely! Embrace your curls :)

[SerinaDaith]

I know my profile pick doesn't look it but I really am a 2c 3a. I achieved that polished look by doing it using my after shower spray the day after wash day. On wash day I love my curly spirals but I have totally changed my routine since coming here. Here is what is working for me: non sulfate shampoo with oil on my scalp only, non cone conditioner left on for the rest of the shower. Finger combing as I rinse my conditioner. Plop into a turby towel while I brush teeth get dressed and if I am doing makeup that day the towel stays on. By this time my hair is no longer super wet, I take off the turby and spray on my very diluted ACV, EVOO and coconut oil with lots of water spray, I try to hit every bit of my hair. I get shiny, frizzless curls and waves and I am learning to love it. I do not even touch a comb till the day after wash day and if I need to look sleek a couple of quick squirts with my post shower spray and cautious handling does the trick. I no longer wash every day, I only wash twice a week. There are great ways to wake up your curls too so that you can get better curl without washing every day. I guess my point is, love what ya got or keep on damaging it. That's up to you all we ca do is tell you how we got where we are.

[CurlyCap]

I could easily look like hermione granger with bigger hair than emma watson could ever achieve.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/7321_161425032203_2667423_n.jpg

Sweetie, that's not big hair.

However, it does look like curly hair that's not happy. Have you tried the basic advice in the wavy/wurly and wurly/curly threads?

Most curly hair, if it's given enough moisture, end up looking like hair people would pay to have. And yours is already long. Rock it.

[anime_length]

Sweetie, that's not big hair.

However, it does look like curly hair that's not happy. Have you tried the basic advice in the wavy/wurly and wurly/curly threads?

Most curly hair, if it's given enough moisture, end up looking like hair people would pay to have. And yours is already long. Rock it.

I'm going to go through one of those threads and look for more moisture tips. Part of the problem is living in the desert. My hairs gets really dry here and it's hard to get it to retain moisture because the air is so dry.


And thank you to everyone for the great advice.

[Anje]

Looking at your picture, I'll bet you're curlier than 2c. Probably 3a or 3b if you treat your hair the right way.

Look into the Curly Girl method. Get the book, read associated Naturallycurly.com website.

Toss out the fine-tooth comb and only use a wide-tooth. Comb your hair with conditioner in it, rinse about half the conditioner out, give it a squeeze, and let it drip-dry with a towel on your shoulders. Don't touch it and see how the curls form when left alone. I think even just doing that will be a pleasant surprise for you.

[jacqueline101]

I agree use a wide tooth comb to deangle and spray in the detangler to help with the knots. It helps me to mist oil on my length one oil I use is argan oil. It tames frizzy hair. I also love a leave in on the very ends to moisture it. I do that in the winter along with mineral oil.

[LoveSnap]

My college roommate felt this way about her hair. I'd say she was a 3b or 3a. When she first came to college she had only ever worn her hair straight. If she wanted to wear it curly, she got out of the shower and...nothing... Needless to say her hair was frizzy and the curls weren't defined. She really got into the Curly Girl (CG) method and now she LOVES her hair.

Perhaps if you look into it as well you may love your hair in it's curly state as well. I hate to sound like a cheerleader but I love CG! lol.

[spirals]

And I believe that God created humans and our genetics :)Word. :cool:


Sweetie, that's not big hair. However, it does look like curly hair that's not happy. Have you tried the basic advice in the wavy/wurly and wurly/curly threads?I think so, too. But part of it is getting used to the look of curls, which are awesome.

[brave]

Echoing what others have said about your hair needing love and moisture. I think a lot of wavies/curlies have been there. Look for very rich conditioners when you shop if you're in the desert -- think Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, etc -- and consider sealing with an oil after your styling products/conditioner. Basically, look around naturallycurly.com as others have said, but pay special attention to any winter styling tips and learn how to work with dewpoint.

[Silverbrumby]

I'm going to go through one of those threads and look for more moisture tips. Part of the problem is living in the desert. My hairs gets really dry here and it's hard to get it to retain moisture because the air is so dry.


And thank you to everyone for the great advice.

I've heard baby oil helps keep the moisture locked in the hair. I've used leave in conditioner then baby oil. Also use condition only washes a few times and wet bunning. I need to re-do the cassia which seems to help my hair but wouldn't recommend it for your thick hair.

BTW, you have my dream thickness:D

[lapushka]

Sweetie, that's not big hair.

However, it does look like curly hair that's not happy. Have you tried the basic advice in the wavy/wurly and wurly/curly threads?

Most curly hair, if it's given enough moisture, end up looking like hair people would pay to have. And yours is already long. Rock it.

Seconding this! ^^ That's not big hair. That's hair that looks like it came across a brush at some point, or is somehow lacking moisture.

Please do take a look at the curly girl method, and try to comb your curls when they're wet, leaving them alone once washed. No brush. No comb even. Just arrange as you see fit, with fingers, and leave it alone until the next wash. Makes all the difference when it comes to "big" hair.

[manderly]

My nickname in junior high was "Bush" because I had your hair. I had your hair up until just a few years ago, and after several years of LHC. How did it take me nearly 30 years to figure out that I have curls, and I need to treat them like curls?

Lots of great advice here, please give it a chance. To be honest, when I first "discovered" my curls here, I did not like the way I looked. It was weird and alien to me, and I wasn't used to seeing myself that way. Now if my hair isn't curly I feel weird and flat and strange. It's a whole new look that you need to learn to embrace.

[kdaniels8811]

In my never ending quest for natural hair care methods I came across this curly hair revivor:

Curl-Reviving Lavender Spray
adapted from Crunchy Betty and Curly Girl: The Handbook by Lorraine Massey

Cook some up....

1.Bring slightly more than 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pot, and simmer for a 30-45 minutes.
2.Remove from heat and add 1 cup dried lavender buds. Stir well.
3.Cover the pot and let it cool and steep for 12-24 hours.
4.Strain the liquid through a coffee filter into a glass jar or bottle
5.Refrigerate until needed. Will keep for about two to three weeks.
To revive bed-head or ponytail-bump, etc...

1.Fill a small spray bottle with the lavender infusion. (Take the time to find one that make a nice big mist-y spray instead of one that squirts.)
2.Flip dry hair upside down and spray the underside. Gently scrunch hair from the ends up toward the scalp.
3.Flip hair back, shake out, and spray the infusion all over the top side. Gently scrunch again.
4.Use as often you need; whenever your hair needs a pick-up spritz.

[MotherConfessor]

I. Have. Felt. That. Pain. Getting to finally love my hair was a two part journey. Part one was loosing the fine combs and brushes and learning how to take care of my hair. I had to go through every oil in the book before I learned that my hair loved plain old olive oil the best. I had to experiment to learn that washing once a week with very little shampoo was right for me. I learned that its best for me to gently comb my hair at night and then wet it to reset the curls (or braid it for lovely braid waves). And mostly that I needed lots of moisture.
Part two was learning to accept that even though I did not have the sleek beauty of pin straight hair or the pretty face framing layers that my type of hair was just as beautiful. I recommend looking at pictures of women with our kind of vavavoom. As much as it frustrates you, there are women who would love your hair. Your hair looks like a comic book super heroine, you should be battling the forces of darkness with that hair!

Plus, in a totally non creepy way, you have lovely eyes.

[CurlyCap]

Here. I went looking, just for you. Look familiar?

http://i.imgur.com/KZYGN.jpg?1

^^ = Religiously brushed curly hair with some product on top of it in an attempt to tame it. And I was clearly very happy because I only had a wee bit of the frizzy.

Lots of curlies start out with the giant cloud of unruly hair. But it can be fixed. Pretty easily.

Just try washing your hair with conditioner tonight, and when you get out, smooth about a quarter sized dollop of the same conditioner through your hair. Then don't touch it till it dries. I think you'll be surprised!

[HintOfMint]

I would also highly suggest layers if you don't have them already. I have wavy-thick hair as well and my hair is atrocious without layers.

My hair also takes well to damp bunning, but a stronger curl might just end up with frizz from manipulation, so YMMV.

[Elithia]

Seconding the Curly Girl recommendation. And following up on other posters who have shown their hair on brushing or combing:

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t3/soggypoptart/fabefd15.jpg

Who'd've guessed that would settle down into ringlets when you take away combs, brushes, and shampoo, and give it lots of moisturizing conditioner?

[SheaLynne]

Seconding the Curly Girl recommendation. And following up on other posters who have shown their hair on brushing or combing:

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t3/soggypoptart/fabefd15.jpg

Who'd've guessed that would settle down into ringlets when you take away combs, brushes, and shampoo, and give it lots of moisturizing conditioner?

Elithia, that really is amazing difference! Your hair is lovely!

OP, I wish you the best as you find and embrace your true hair and the routine that is right for it. I've had to learn to care for my dd's 2c/3a curls, and it is very different! I'm not sure I keep enough moisture in it even now, and we live in a humid climate!