Question about moisturizing and curls?

[littlestarface]

I have some questions about my hair and what people say to get your hair to curl

Some say to bring out curls you have to moisturize your hair but when I do this(i do this alot) my hair turns out straighter for some reason,when I dont moisturize like say after I clarifye with nothing after, my hair is curlier, same thing happens when my hair gets dried out it gets little curls or when its waxy I get spiral curlies. I dont understand it at all,does anyone?

[rowie]

Hmmm it's hard to tell if I don't know the products, routines, and methods you do on a daily basis. Do you use some kind of natural oil like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oils, for some people who use oils, it will accentuate their waves or curls. Do you use sulfates and follow it up with a coney conditioner? Some people experience straighter hair with this method. It is really interesting though what you are going through, maybe your hair is naturally more straight?

[DarkCurls]

I can't say why -- I'm no scientist. But this makes me think of salt sprays to encourage curl, etc. My hair tends to be "curlier" when dried out, but only a little. It's not worth the difference in softness and frizz.
Only a short while ago, if I wanted to wear my hair down and be sure it looked great, I would use shampoo (which I hardly ever use). Sulfates dry out my hair just the right amount, curl-wise.
To my mind, moisture is more for curl definition than for the actual tightness of curls.

What do you do when you "moisturize"?

Interesting topic. I have to see what others will say.

[littlestarface]

Hmmm it's hard to tell if I don't know the products, routines, and methods you do on a daily basis. Do you use some kind of natural oil like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oils, for some people put oils will accentuate waves or curls. Do you use sulphates and follow it up with a coney conditioner? Some people experience straighter hair with this method. It is really interesting though what you are going through, maybe your hair is naturally more straight?

I use no cones, I use sulphate free shampoo,I use olive oil,vatika coconut oil,argan oils before and after shower,henna. When I use conditioner I put honey and oils in it to mosturize it all the time. I use matrix biolage conditioning balm with honey and I wash once a week.

[littlestarface]

I can't say why -- I'm no scientist. But this makes me think of salt sprays to encourage curl, etc. My hair tends to be "curlier" when dried out, but only a little. It's not worth the difference in softness and frizz.
Only a short while ago, if I wanted to wear my hair down and be sure it looked great, I would use shampoo (which I hardly ever use). Sulfates dry out my hair just the right amount, curl-wise.
To my mind, moisture is more for curl definition than for the actual tightness of curls.

What do you do when you "moisturize"?

Interesting topic. I have to see what others will say.

Yah I have to use a sulphate poo to make the curls come. To moisturize I use honey oils and conditioner and heat cap ,sometimes I use natural hair masks too like yogurt,coconut milk and no curls after at all,its more straight :S

[DarkCurls]

From your hairtype (it says 1c/2a on your profile) I understand that you're a wavy... So maybe the "moisture" weighs down your hair and makes it straighter.

[rowie]

I use no cones, I use sulphate free shampoo,I use olive oil,vatika coconut oil,argan oils before and after shower,henna. When I use conditioner I put honey and oils in it to mosturize it all the time. I use matrix biolage conditioning balm with honey and I wash once a week.

That is really interesting. It sounds like you might have the type of hair where you would have to do braids or use rollers (over night, or other techniques that require heat free methods) if you want to really accentuate your curls or waves. Does your hair naturally loose it's curl or wave when you get braid waves for example?

ETA: I read your profile, and yes I agree with DarkCurls that maybe "moisture" might weigh down your hair.

[littlestarface]

From your hairtype (it says 1c/2a on your profile) I understand that you're a wavy... So maybe the "moisture" weighs down your hair and makes it straighter.

I never thought of that,so it makes my hair too heavy to hold a curl,that would explain it cuz when its nice and clean its bouncy and I get curlies.




That is really interesting. It sounds like you might have the type of hair where you would have to do braids or use rollers (over night, or other techniques that require heat free methods) if you want to really accentuate your curls or waves. Does your hair naturally loose it's curl or wave when you get braid waves for example?

Yah I have to use braids to make it more wavey,even after I heavy oil it stays wavey, more so I should say. I never tried heat curls but if i try to do like sock curls or something it stays for long time.

[Thinthondiel]

My hair is also curlier when it's drier/less moisturised, and I have heard other people on here say the same thing.

It seems like my hairs are stiffer/firmer when they're dry, so there's more hold to them, whereas they're a lot softer when moisturised. Sometimes if I want to curl my hair, I'll wash my hair with a sulphate shampoo first so that the curls will hold better. If I do something to moisturise my hair before curling it, however, the curls have much less hold to them and tend to straighten out after a while (such as the few times I tried aloe vera gel before curling because some people suggested using it to get more hold - it worked completely against its purpose for me).

For me, it's not so much that it feels like the moisture is weighing down my hair as that it simply makes it feel soft and slippery instead of "firm".

[littlestarface]

My hair is also curlier when it's drier/less moisturised, and I have heard other people on here say the same thing.

It seems like my hairs are stiffer/firmer when they're dry, so there's more hold to them, whereas they're a lot softer when moisturised. Sometimes if I want to curl my hair, I'll wash my hair with a sulphate shampoo first so that the curls will hold better. If I do something to moisturise my hair before curling it, however, the curls have much less hold to them and tend to straighten out after a while (such as the few times I tried aloe vera gel before curling because some people suggested using it to get more hold - it worked completely against its purpose for me).

For me, it's not so much that it feels like the moisture is weighing down my hair as that it simply makes it feel soft and slippery instead of "firm".

Well it's nice to see i'm not the only one experiencing this,I thought my hair was weird :lol:

[SnowWhite]

Mmm yep I can totally relate to this... Before LHC, my hair was shorter, drier, and wavier. I was perhaps a 2b, on some days even 2c!! Look at my avatar that was in the beginning of my hair growth & care journey
But now I started moisturing, oiling, brushing ( & 1 full henna application, now occasionally henna gloss )... My hair is much straighter :(
You can see it here: http://imageshack.us/a/img13/7770/201212121552.jpg I also think moist weighs down my hair. Besides, I do not think it's only the moist. It's also my hair growth. I've got thick hair and it's relatively 'heavy'

But..... on the other hand, I love the silkiness and smoothness of my hair now. I'm going to cut layers when I'm at waist. I think my waves will show more.

[RubyTuesday]

Someone else wrote that this made them think off salt spray. It made me think of that too - or rather how my hair is when I come out of the sea. The drier and more untouched my hair the curlier it becomes. The more messing around, combing and product I put on it, the more weighed down and lank it gets.

Maybe try a salt spray? After you wash, try not to comb or fingercomb your hair. Use less product, less heavy conditioner etc. Try getting your hair washed and dried using minimal/no product and then if it looks a frizzy mess, add product incrementally until you get the desired look.

[chen bao jun]

Maybe it's that moisture works up to a point and that over-moisturized is a curl killer?
I'm much more curly than the OP (not sure my hair type, 3b, 3c, 4a) and while when my hair isn't moisturized, I get frizz and it looks wild, when it gets TOO moisturized it goes limp. It's never straight, but it does lose the body, the bounce and the spirals go away--it becomes kind of limp and semi wavy if you know what I mean--usually rewashing helps with this but sometimes I need a mild protein treatment. I don't know if this helps you, since my hair type is so different but just thought I 'd share in case it did.

Also, I find flax seed gel is a great curl encourager.

[missannie]

I have noticed when i use olive oil my hair is almost straight, but when i use a gel and mix a little bit of morrocon oil with it my curls are wild and crazy!

[spirals]

The only thing that has a significant impact on my curl tightness is weather. If it's humid out, I will get tighter spirals. I do notice flax gel will encourage it though. But even that effect is tempered by humidity. As for moisture, washing it puts moisture in somehow, and as time goes on it gets drier. Flax spray will revive it, but I don't go longer than 3 days between washes.

[littlestarface]

Wow flax seed gel must really work, going by everyone in here maybe I should try it too. Does it come in a bottle or do I have to make it?