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View Full Version : Unusual Curly Hair Secrets and Tips?



legendya
December 17th, 2012, 02:35 AM
I'm always on the lookout for new and original tips for cleanses/managing/styling curly hair. Please share some good tips and advice! Maybe we can create a guide for curly hair :)

pogo0685
December 17th, 2012, 12:42 PM
I have been looking into the curly girl method of doing things lately, I am still a bit confused by it all, but I started to do it the other day and the next day my hair was completely new hair, it was not frizzy and had some seriously nice curls. And then I put it up into an updo to go to my Grandmothers Birthday so I ruined the curls when I did that. All I really changed was I did not use shampoo and added a bit of conditioner to it after I showered as a leave in. So I plan to keep this up for at least a few months if I can to see what it will do for my hair.

rock007junkie
December 17th, 2012, 05:26 PM
The curly trick I learned that made all the difference was pixie curl diffusing. It allows for better curl formation because you are not touching the hair as much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvXyZz6Z2nI

lapushka
December 17th, 2012, 06:34 PM
The curly trick I learned that made all the difference was pixie curl diffusing. It allows for better curl formation because you are not touching the hair as much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvXyZz6Z2nI

I thought that was the regular way to diffuse your hair!

spirals
December 17th, 2012, 11:24 PM
The most important thing to remember is that curly hair never, ever does the same thing twice, or from one hour to the next.

AceOfCurls
December 18th, 2012, 01:07 AM
My curls never look the same twice. I don't have any tips or suggestions, but I look forward to seeing what other people have to say. :)

CousinItt
December 18th, 2012, 09:13 AM
Something I discovered that made my curls shiny and defined was wet oiling the ends with a little bit of castor oil. Even though my hair is quite fine and gets weighed down easily, my curls didn't droop at all.

SerinaDaith
December 18th, 2012, 09:59 AM
I use my turby towel to plop my hair post shower till I am done with teeth, dressing and whatnot then I spray my crazy hair mix of water mineral oil and acv with just a touch of honey which I nuked for 30 seconds before pouring in since that in theory kills the natural peroxide in the honey and I am not looking for any lightning. I get super defined curls pretty much every time so far.

catasa
December 18th, 2012, 11:06 AM
My unusual tip is to stop using conditioner :couch: dare I say it...? And to top it off, to blow-dry on cool :)

I was doing the conditioner-only method, trying every which way to add moisture to my hair, and ending up with icky, frizzy, coarse, dull, bleh-hair. After lots of experimenting without finding anything that worked more than once or twice, I have now ended up with the routine below. This seems to work the best ever, even though results are not perfect (though as some others said, curly/wavy hair never acts consistently, so I guess that maybe this is the best I will get... :) ):

* Shampoo with a dilution of 4-10 times non-SLS-shampoo and a dash of apple cider vinegar (this fixes the acidity of the solution since I use my regular hard shower water to dilute with, and also conditions a little and encourages waves/curls). Dilution strength according to cleansing need/level of dirtiness :)
* Put about 6 drops of pure mineral oil through the lengths and very little on the canopy on dripping wet hair, and scrunch a little.
* "Fold up" in a t-shirt for about 5 minutes to soak up the worst wetness (by "fold up" I mean to drape an old t-shirt over your shoulders with the neckline against your neck, the arms hanging down over your arms, and the rest hanging down your back, with your hair also hanging down your back. Then fold the bottom of the t-shirt up over your lengths and put it at your hairline/brow, so that the t-shirt "body" acts as a "sack" for your lengths. Bring the t-shirt arms up over your brow and tie them loosely together, securing the bottom end of the t-shirt at your brow).
* Remove the t-shirt after chosen time and blow dry on cool setting, always from above the head down along the lengths (this is important to avoid frizz!), keeping the dryer some distance away from the hair, until the hair is about half-dry.
* Air dry the rest of the way, avoiding touching the hair as much as possible (I do not have the patience to blow-dry all the way, possible the results would be even better if I did. Have to try some time...).

This leaves my hair soft, quite shiny, with the least frizz I have ever experienced, with waves and some elongated spirals that actually keeps quite nice and well together left loose and down through a normal day. Note that the blow drying is a vital part of the routine that produces this nice result, see this thread/post with some science explaining this: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=109230&p=2349192&viewfull=1#post2349192

catasa
December 18th, 2012, 11:09 AM
Also, use a silk pillow case when sleeping! This makes a big difference in frizz level for me :)

OrchidRain
December 18th, 2012, 02:04 PM
I don't have curls, but I came across this curly hair tip the other day about using egg whites to give curls definition and that awesome 'sproing'. I've been searching on LHC for 'egg white curls' 'curling with egg whites' 'styling curly hair with egg whites' but found nothing. The search brought up this thread & it seems to fit with the topic so I figured I'd post the link here. I actually tried it yesterday and while it didn't give my slightly wavy hair gorgeous curls it did give me some pretty awesome texture, volume & definite waves. I wish I could end up with curls like the after photo!
http://www.thedatingdivas.com/lisa-p/egg-whites-bring-in-curls/

piffyanne
December 18th, 2012, 02:04 PM
My unusual tip is to stop using conditioner :couch: dare I say it...? And to top it off, to blow-dry on cool :)

I was doing the conditioner-only method, trying every which way to add moisture to my hair, and ending up with icky, frizzy, coarse, dull, bleh-hair. After lots of experimenting without finding anything that worked more than once or twice, I have now ended up with the routine below. This seems to work the best ever, even though results are not perfect (though as some others said, curly/wavy hair never acts consistently, so I guess that maybe this is the best I will get... :) ):

* Shampoo with a dilution of 4-10 times non-SLS-shampoo and a dash of apple cider vinegar (this fixes the acidity of the solution since I use my regular hard shower water to dilute with, and also conditions a little and encourages waves/curls). Dilution strength according to cleansing need/level of dirtiness :)
* Put about 6 drops of pure mineral oil through the lengths and very little on the canopy on dripping wet hair, and scrunch a little.
* "Fold up" in a t-shirt for about 5 minutes to soak up the worst wetness (by "fold up" I mean to drape an old t-shirt over your shoulders with the neckline against your neck, the arms hanging down over your arms, and the rest hanging down your back, with your hair also hanging down your back. Then fold the bottom of the t-shirt up over your lengths and put it at your hairline/brow, so that the t-shirt "body" acts as a "sack" for your lengths. Bring the t-shirt arms up over your brow and tie them loosely together, securing the bottom end of the t-shirt at your brow).
* Remove the t-shirt after chosen time and blow dry on cool setting, always from above the head down along the lengths (this is important to avoid frizz!), keeping the dryer some distance away from the hair, until the hair is about half-dry.
* Air dry the rest of the way, avoiding touching the hair as much as possible (I do not have the patience to blow-dry all the way, possible the results would be even better if I did. Have to try some time...).

This leaves my hair soft, quite shiny, with the least frizz I have ever experienced, with waves and some elongated spirals that actually keeps quite nice and well together left loose and down through a normal day. Note that the blow drying is a vital part of the routine that produces this nice result, see this thread/post with some science explaining this: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=109230&p=2349192&viewfull=1#post2349192

Would a fan work like a blowdryer? My "cold" setting always burns my scalp (not so cold, huh?), so I keep it FAR, FAR away from my hair.

kitschy
December 18th, 2012, 02:30 PM
I've found that my curly hair needs oil - lots of it, and applied to wet hair. Then don't touch your hair or mess with your curl pattern while your hair is drying.

CurlyCap
December 18th, 2012, 04:06 PM
"It doesn't matter what people recommend, do what your hair is asking for."

Thing is, my hair is awesome...but prone to tantrums unless it gets what it wants. What I've found is that most curly hair tips work, but only at certain times and only for a while. So yes, when I oil my hair, I use LOTS. But my hair doesn't always need oil. Yes, co-washing prevents drying and increases moisture. But shampooing isn't the devil. I occasionally do it. Likewise, silicone free products are great for ensuring moisture without build-up, but sometimes when the air is really dry nothing beats something with a little dimethicone in it.

Thing is, no two curly heads are alike. So learn from the threads and try things out. But don't feel bad if something totally different works best for you!

legendya
December 18th, 2012, 05:01 PM
I don't have curls, but I came across this curly hair tip the other day about using egg whites to give curls definition and that awesome 'sproing'. I've been searching on LHC for 'egg white curls' 'curling with egg whites' 'styling curly hair with egg whites' but found nothing. The search brought up this thread & it seems to fit with the topic so I figured I'd post the link here. I actually tried it yesterday and while it didn't give my slightly wavy hair gorgeous curls it did give me some pretty awesome texture, volume & definite waves. I wish I could end up with curls like the after photo! http://www.thedatingdivas.com/lisa-p/egg-whites-bring-in-curls/ I've heard about a diy egg white mousse @ http://hildablue.com/2012/06/05/egg-white-hair-mousse-plus-egg-yolk-recipes/ I've yet to try it though...Thanks for reminding me :)

Luminaria
December 18th, 2012, 05:27 PM
My unusual tip is to stop using conditioner :couch: dare I say it...? And to top it off, to blow-dry on cool :) I was doing the conditioner-only method, trying every which way to add moisture to my hair, and ending up with icky, frizzy, coarse, dull, bleh-hair. After lots of experimenting without finding anything that worked more than once or twice, I have now ended up with the routine below. This seems to work the best ever, even though results are not perfect (though as some others said, curly/wavy hair never acts consistently, so I guess that maybe this is the best I will get... :) ): * Shampoo with a dilution of 4-10 times non-SLS-shampoo and a dash of apple cider vinegar (this fixes the acidity of the solution since I use my regular hard shower water to dilute with, and also conditions a little and encourages waves/curls). Dilution strength according to cleansing need/level of dirtiness :) * Put about 6 drops of pure mineral oil through the lengths and very little on the canopy on dripping wet hair, and scrunch a little. * "Fold up" in a t-shirt for about 5 minutes to soak up the worst wetness (by "fold up" I mean to drape an old t-shirt over your shoulders with the neckline against your neck, the arms hanging down over your arms, and the rest hanging down your back, with your hair also hanging down your back. Then fold the bottom of the t-shirt up over your lengths and put it at your hairline/brow, so that the t-shirt "body" acts as a "sack" for your lengths. Bring the t-shirt arms up over your brow and tie them loosely together, securing the bottom end of the t-shirt at your brow). * Remove the t-shirt after chosen time and blow dry on cool setting, always from above the head down along the lengths (this is important to avoid frizz!), keeping the dryer some distance away from the hair, until the hair is about half-dry. * Air dry the rest of the way, avoiding touching the hair as much as possible (I do not have the patience to blow-dry all the way, possible the results would be even better if I did. Have to try some time...). This leaves my hair soft, quite shiny, with the least frizz I have ever experienced, with waves and some elongated spirals that actually keeps quite nice and well together left loose and down through a normal day. Note that the blow drying is a vital part of the routine that produces this nice result, see this thread/post with some science explaining this: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=109230&p=2349192&viewfull=1#post2349192 I've stopped using conditioner too. It's very hard to find one that isn't heavily perfumed and natural :( Maybe I'll make one someday. I've just started using a method similar to yours. Here's what I do: 1. I shampoo* my hair with a non sulfate shampoo (Trader Joe's Tea tree) and focus on my scalp. 2. I use an ACV rinse (strong works well for me, so 3 tbsp/1 cup water) 3. Apply a few DROPS of almond oil to my length (Use DROPS because last time Iuse like a tsp and it was too much -_-) 4. Let sit for a few minutes. 5. Rinse with warm water, then cool water. 6. Blot dry. It works well and produces less frizz, feels moisturized, and gives lots of shine :) WAY better than any conditioner I've used...less residue/greasy-feeling. I'll try some parts of your method sometime. *I'm no poo, but had to shampoo because of a no poo experiment gone wrong... I wanna stay no poo, but this works SOOO well! Hmmm....

brave
December 18th, 2012, 06:39 PM
A lot of wavies and curlies have found that mixing magnesium sulfate into their spray bottles or conditioner works great. If you use too much it can backfire and cause dryness, but in general it's a known curl enhancer.

cwarren
December 18th, 2012, 09:19 PM
For me it was forgetting about stretching my washes. I can go 3 days. Curly hair is prone to dryness and my hair dries out too fast to stretch for a week or longer.

catasa
December 19th, 2012, 08:09 AM
I've stopped using conditioner too. It's very hard to find one that isn't heavily perfumed and natural Maybe I'll make one someday. I've just started using a method similar to yours. Here's what I do: 1. I shampoo* my hair with a non sulfate shampoo (Trader Joe's Tea tree) and focus on my scalp. 2. I use an ACV rinse (strong works well for me, so 3 tbsp/1 cup water) 3. Apply a few DROPS of almond oil to my length (Use DROPS because last time Iuse like a tsp and it was too much -_-) 4. Let sit for a few minutes. 5. Rinse with warm water, then cool water. 6. Blot dry. It works well and produces less frizz, feels moisturized, and gives lots of shine WAY better than any conditioner I've used...less residue/greasy-feeling. I'll try some parts of your method sometime. *I'm no poo, but had to shampoo because of a no poo experiment gone wrong... I wanna stay no poo, but this works SOOO well! Hmmm....

That sounds like a good routine also. Hmm, maybe Iīll try to use a little more oil sometime and do a quick rinse after. I tried no-poo as well (both WO and CO) but I have a greasy scalp and also very ugly looking "bed/morning hair", so I usually need to wet it down every morning. WO left my scalp much too greasy and my lengths way too dry, and I couldnīt stick with it long enough to see if it would have balanced out eventually. CO actually worked nice for my scalp, but not for my lenghts.

I find that I get much better results (softer, shinier etc) using a very diluted version of my shampoo-dilution rather than just water, or just water and vinegar. This is unfortunate since it means that I use shampoo almost every day, but ah, at least it is always rather well diluted... :shrug: Maybe you could try to dilute your shampoo, making it a little milder? I have been doing this for about two months now and my scalp hasnīt gotten more oily, so hopefully it is mild enough not to disturb the scalp too much.

catasa
December 19th, 2012, 08:22 AM
Would a fan work like a blowdryer? My "cold" setting always burns my scalp (not so cold, huh?), so I keep it FAR, FAR away from my hair.

Hmm, I am not sure, but I would imagine it should work the same way (even though it would probably take longer for the hair to get dry?). Seems like the risk for frizziness would be a little higher as well since you canīt direct the air as precisely? But it would probably have the same benefits while at the same time be milder for the hair, if I had a fan I would definitely try it! :) This post in the thread I linked to apparently tried it with good results: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=109230&page=2&p=2350680&viewfull=1#post2350680.

CurlyCurves
December 19th, 2012, 09:23 AM
Get a chamois for a towel!

And scrunch :)

Vijikanth
December 19th, 2012, 11:14 AM
I tried CO wash only. But I presume it means without oiling because, my hair felt sticky and threaded. After it dried, it felt smooth to comb. My hair routine is washing daily and applying little bit of oil when damp. I have read Baking soda as alternate for Shampoo and Apple Cider Vinegar as alternate of Conditioner are doing magic for curlies. Am dying to test that. I recently bought ACV. Not tested yet. Any comments on the effect if anyone has tried earlier. Of course the proportion varies i guess depending on the individual hair. Mine is 3a I guess.

longcurlygirl<3
December 19th, 2012, 01:30 PM
Moisture, is the key. I only co-WASH (Curly girl method) use cone-free conditioner (GVP Conditioning balm from sally's) detangle with firsts FIRST, then my wooden comb, rinse with cool water apply a cone-free leave-in and scrunch oil in it then seal the ends with shea butter. That makes my curls moisturized, well-defined, and helps preventing tangles. This style lasts for 3 days.

Luminaria
December 21st, 2012, 01:29 AM
That sounds like a good routine also. Hmm, maybe Iīll try to use a little more oil sometime and do a quick rinse after. I tried no-poo as well (both WO and CO) but I have a greasy scalp and also very ugly looking "bed/morning hair", so I usually need to wet it down every morning. WO left my scalp much too greasy and my lengths way too dry, and I couldnīt stick with it long enough to see if it would have balanced out eventually. CO actually worked nice for my scalp, but not for my lenghts. I find that I get much better results (softer, shinier etc) using a very diluted version of my shampoo-dilution rather than just water, or just water and vinegar. This is unfortunate since it means that I use shampoo almost every day, but ah, at least it is always rather well diluted... :shrug: Maybe you could try to dilute your shampoo, making it a little milder? I have been doing this for about two months now and my scalp hasnīt gotten more oily, so hopefully it is mild enough not to disturb the scalp too much. It's pretty hard to find a no poo routine that works well. Sometimes after washing with WO, ACV, or herbs, my hair felt waxy. I was thinking about diluting my shampoo too. What is a good dilution ratio? I'm going to try to alternate between shampoo and ACV/water for now. Atleast until I come up with a better idea.

MissAlida
December 21st, 2012, 03:54 AM
I use SLS shampoo for my roots, cone free conditioner for my lenght. And also use mousse after towel drying. And a hairdrier on warm after it is almost entirely air-dried. This is what my hair likes, and I get very nice and soft curls. I clarify every 2 months before doing henna. I have not been this happy with my hair for a long time. So my unusual tip (according to LHC standards) is mousse. It works better than gel and oils. At least for me.

ETA: White vinegar rinses are great for both scalp and hair. :rolling:

catasa
December 21st, 2012, 09:07 AM
It's pretty hard to find a no poo routine that works well. Sometimes after washing with WO, ACV, or herbs, my hair felt waxy. I was thinking about diluting my shampoo too. What is a good dilution ratio? I'm going to try to alternate between shampoo and ACV/water for now. Atleast until I come up with a better idea.

Regarding the dilution ratio, I think it is really hard to say... it depends on the shampoo, the "dirtiness level" etc. I do not actually measure it out (I am too lazy...). I just put a little apple cider vinegar (maybe about a teaspoon or a little more) in a small plastic bowl that I bring with me into the shower, then add some non-SLS shampoo (how much depends entirely on how dirty my scalp is, but I guess from about a teaspoon to two teaspoons, more if I want a really good lather), and then fill up with about a deciliter of shower water. So I make about the same amount of dilution every time, but alter the shampoo ratio. I have BSL hair in the lower lever of ii, and I concentrate most of the dilution on my scalp but also a little on the lengths, to avoid buildup from the mineral oil I use as a leave in.

Note that I never found shampoo dilutions to work well until I also started to add apple cider vinegar, before that they always left my hair feeling strange, coarse and dry or waxy. I have rather hard water (around 7) and I think that just diluting with this water without adding anything acidic ruined the acidity of the shampoo (since most regular hair care products are acidified). If distilled water is used to dilute I guess that this maybe wouldnīt be an issue.

Luminaria
December 24th, 2012, 12:15 AM
Regarding the dilution ratio, I think it is really hard to say... it depends on the shampoo, the "dirtiness level" etc. I do not actually measure it out (I am too lazy...). I just put a little apple cider vinegar (maybe about a teaspoon or a little more) in a small plastic bowl that I bring with me into the shower, then add some non-SLS shampoo (how much depends entirely on how dirty my scalp is, but I guess from about a teaspoon to two teaspoons, more if I want a really good lather), and then fill up with about a deciliter of shower water. So I make about the same amount of dilution every time, but alter the shampoo ratio. I have BSL hair in the lower lever of ii, and I concentrate most of the dilution on my scalp but also a little on the lengths, to avoid buildup from the mineral oil I use as a leave in. Note that I never found shampoo dilutions to work well until I also started to add apple cider vinegar, before that they always left my hair feeling strange, coarse and dry or waxy. I have rather hard water (around 7) and I think that just diluting with this water without adding anything acidic ruined the acidity of the shampoo (since most regular hair care products are acidified). If distilled water is used to dilute I guess that this maybe wouldnīt be an issue. Thanks for the information! I'm going to try diluting next time I wash with shampoo.

piffyanne
December 24th, 2012, 12:49 PM
I've got a problem maybe you guys can help me with.

Maybe not.

I've got thick hair, so when I wash it, I divide it in two and lay it one side over this shoulder one side over the other. It naturally nestles between where my TMI sorry 34DDD breast and the hollow before my arm starts, on each side, if that makes sense.

I detangle one side, notice the other side has gotten miffed while I was working on the first side so I fix the second side, and by then the first side is knotted up again. It drives me MAAAAD.

My breasts (I think they're the culprit >:[ ) won't leave my hair alone. I have to keep detangling my hair in that area, it keeps being rubbed "up" (hard to describe, sorry), but when I cut back to a curlable length I can see this really affecting curls.

Has anyone found a way to fix this other than not breathing?

No, I'm not going to get a breast reduction to facilitate more convenient showers, but is there any suggestion I can try?

Iolanthe13
December 24th, 2012, 01:04 PM
No, I'm not going to get a breast reduction to facilitate more convenient showers, but is there any suggestion I can try?

I haven't had this problem, but maybe you could try letting your detangled hair hang down your back instead for the final rinse?

piffyanne
December 24th, 2012, 01:36 PM
I haven't had this problem, but maybe you could try letting your detangled hair hang down your back instead for the final rinse?

:doh:

I'll try it! :)

jojo
January 9th, 2013, 02:37 PM
Since going back to soapnuts and catnip i have found a huge difference in my wurls, distilled water too misted is pretty good at reviving curls and waves, i need to get some distilled and go back to this!

spirals
January 9th, 2013, 02:53 PM
My spray bottle has a mix of water, conditioner, oil, and gel. This seems to be working for 2nd-day hair. This is the first time I have been able to get good curls the day after washing. I am going to see how long I can keep this up without washing.

QueenMadge
January 9th, 2013, 03:02 PM
I use a very dilute shampoo for my scalp every four to five days. I put conditioner on the ends about the last 6 inches while my hair is wet and scrunch it in (every time I get my hair wet). I use a turbie towel, put all my hair into it and then gently fold it up before twisting it to put it up as a turban. I use Nightshade's Night Blooming panacea and hair oil mixed and applied to my canopy and put the rest on the ends. I de-tangle my hair with my head hanging down so my hair does not touch my body while in the shower. I find that helps with the re-tangling problem a bit.

catasa
January 10th, 2013, 10:59 AM
Since going back to soapnuts and catnip i have found a huge difference in my wurls, distilled water too misted is pretty good at reviving curls and waves, i need to get some distilled and go back to this!

Oh, I would love to have a short description on how you use the soapnuts and catnip, if you would care to write one! :) I have been meaning to try both of those but havenīt got around to it yet.

fluffypuffy
January 14th, 2013, 03:40 AM
Leaving my conditioner in for at least 5 minutes makes everything tangle free, silky, and shiny. If I really want big hair, I flip my hair upside down, fluff it around, and scrunch some mousse in. Unfortunately, I'm pretty lazy so this doesn't happen too much. But when it does, BOOM ringlets.

legendya
January 26th, 2013, 05:01 PM
Since going back to soapnuts and catnip i have found a huge difference in my wurls, distilled water too misted is pretty good at reviving curls and waves, i need to get some distilled and go back to this! Do you use whole soapnuts or powdered ones (aitha)? I tried the powdered ones and it didn't seem to clean well.

rock007junkie
January 26th, 2013, 05:56 PM
I don't know if this is exactly a secret but today I did an Amla mask and my hair was ridiculously curly after I rinsed it out. I don't ever remember seeing this many curls.

HappyHair87
January 27th, 2013, 08:38 AM
I have gone back to using Dominican hair products. One of the lines i just discovered is called Baba de Caracol. I just finished using up the rinse version of the conditioner and i absolutely LOVE how loopy it made my curls look! I am definitely going to repurchase! I also have been using the shampoo and the leave in. I also want to try the deep treatment.

TThis year im just going to use what works.