Curlies: moisturising hair

[Covet]

Evening all,


I'm looking for any advice as to how I should moisturise my hair on a daily basis. My hair is quite dry naturally and also unfortunately quite frizzy. I find that whenever I oil my hair (by smoothing my hands over it) I actually end up with more frizz. Odd, I know. Whenever I spritz I also get a slight frizz halo. Am I alone?


I also have an incredibly frizzy canopy of hair. It is actually wavy in comparison to the rest of my hair. I'd love to try and combat this if anyone has any ideas!


Thank you.

ETA: my signature picture is not an accurate representation of my hair at the moment! That was actually a good day. Ha.

[Sharysa]

Do you damp-oil your hair and then comb the oil throughout your length? Because that's how I oil my hair, and I've never had a problem with frizz. It could be that the oil isn't distributed properly, so most of your hair is frizzing despite oiling because it's just not getting the oil.

And in general, most oils seal moisture in as opposed to adding moisture; maybe it frizzes because you're oiling it dry.

[Covet]

I don't comb my hair at all apart from when I am washing it, to comb through my hair when slightly damp would be impossible without tons of conditioner and water. I do spritz before oiling but I can't escape the frizz! I'm really at the end of my tether here and completely stuck for ideas :(

[Leeloo]

My hair gets very frizzy too and CO washing/silk pillow case helped.

[CurlyCap]

Co-washing frequently is what helped my up the moisture in my hair. Oiling is what prevents brittleness, and I usually do that MUCH less often (about once a month).

My hair routine is in my blog, but basically it's frequent wetting, frequent conditioning, and more conditioner on top!

[jeanniet]

A lot of conditioner--I CO wash, and then use another conditioner on top of that, and then use a leave-in as well. I also use gel; I really can't get away without the gel because it's windy here nearly all the time. Without anything to hold the curl together, I get a lot of frizz, and with the gel, I can go 2-3 days and still have good looking hair with minimal frizz. I use oil as a sealer, and then very lightly to smooth any bits of frizz that might develop, but the oil doesn't work to prevent frizz on its own.

[Othala]

I suggest you buy the book "Curly Like Me" or borrow it from a library. The author has a similar hair type to you and the book is full of strategies for taking the best care of curly hair types and especially about keeping it moisturised.

[Firefox7275]

Curly Girl method! If your hair is porous more moisture (water) is not necessarily the solution, hair may need more emollients (fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants), hydrolysed protein and/ or penetrating oils like coconut for elasticity and reduced porosity.

For your canopy: conditioner only washing, piles of a leave in conditioner rich in fatty alcohols when dripping wet, protect your hair from the sun as much as possible. For daily conditioning if still required: don't spritz that can cause frizz for some people, smooth anything you apply on.

[samanthajenalyn]

i agree! the curly girl method could probably help you.

[Covet]

I should have mentioned this but I've been usng the CG method and sleeping caps for four years now. Pehaps my hair has issues with porosity. In fact I'm sure it does and I'd better look into that. As well as co-washing more frequently. (Every 2 days I suppose).

Thanks for the input everyone!

[Firefox7275]

I should have mentioned this but I've been usng the CG method and sleeping caps for four years now. Pehaps my hair has issues with porosity. In fact I'm sure it does and I'd better look into that. As well as co-washing more frequently. (Every 2 days I suppose).

Thanks for the input everyone!

Then either your products are not right for you or you simply are not using anywhere near enough: I have only wavy hair of normal density yet need far more leave in conditioner than seems sensible, particularly given I am actually using products sold as being wash out! You have to use a heck of a lot of fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants to make curly hair look greasy when dry since they are not greasy molecules as such, fatty alcohols particularly aid clumping, frizz control and act as weak humectants so help the hair retain the right amount of water. I have noticed some wavies and curlies select leave ins or stylers that have an oil or butter as the second or third ingredient so end up being really stingy with the amount to avoid greasiness or stringiness.

[CurlyCap]

Then either your products are not right for you or you simply are not using anywhere near enough: I have only wavy hair of normal density yet need far more leave in conditioner than seems sensible, particularly given I am actually using products sold as being wash out! You have to use a heck of a lot of fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants to make curly hair look greasy when dry since they are not greasy molecules as such, fatty alcohols particularly aid clumping, frizz control and act as weak humectants so help the hair retain the right amount of water. I have noticed some wavies and curlies select leave ins or stylers that have an oil or butter as the second or third ingredient so end up being really stingy with the amount to avoid greasiness or stringiness.

I agree with the comments on quantity. It's ridiculous how much conditioner my hair can absorb, even when wet. I add conditioner to my co-wash until my hair is SATURATED. And for leave in, I ~6 quarter to half-dollar sized dollops. It's a lot. And my hair dries perfectly bouncy and touchable. Don't be afraid to use more product! If it's the right product, it'll be fine.

[Firefox7275]

I agree with the comments on quantity. It's ridiculous how much conditioner my hair can absorb, even when wet. I add conditioner to my co-wash until my hair is SATURATED. And for leave in, I ~6 quarter to half-dollar sized dollops. It's a lot. And my hair dries perfectly bouncy and touchable. Don't be afraid to use more product! If it's the right product, it'll be fine.

I know, right? Sometimes I have hair that looks unpleasantly slimy/ greasy or stringy when half dry and I'm convinced I way overdid it, but dries to shiny and bouncy waves and ringlets!

[sisi33]

Have you been sealing your hair (butters, oils, etc.) after you moisturize? That could be the source of your problem if you haven't.

[Beborani]

I find that my hair has to be sopping wet while applying products--canopy sometimes dries out faster even without towel before I get to it, so I attack that area with product first before getting to the rest of hair.

[Anje]

If Curly Girl isn't cutting it, maybe the methods at Tightly Curly (http://www.tightlycurly.com/welcome) would suit your hair better? They're similar, but I think the steps are a bit more suited for really curly hair (3c and tighter).

I agree with Beborani -- I suspect that if you're applying oil to your hair, given the picture, it'd have to be at about the instant you turn off the shower. Don't even run your hands over it to drain the excess water first (do curlies do that?).

[Firefox7275]

If Curly Girl isn't cutting it, maybe the methods at Tightly Curly (http://www.tightlycurly.com/welcome) would suit your hair better? They're similar, but I think the steps are a bit more suited for really curly hair (3c and tighter).

I agree with Beborani -- I suspect that if you're applying oil to your hair, given the picture, it'd have to be at about the instant you turn off the shower. Don't even run your hands over it to drain the excess water first (do curlies do that?).

There are loads of kinky coily types doing CG, check out YouTube you'd be forgiven thinking there are far more than merely wavy curlies! Others seem to be doing a Curly Girl-Tightly Curly hybrid. Apparently there is a section for 'multicultural' hair in the newer edition of the book.

Most times people apply products to dripping wet hair, not running wet IYSWIM but it does vary. I tend to scrunch out a little water from the top section (I wash upside down) with my hands, if I let it run off naturally then the back gets too dry for product application. I'm guessing porosity plays a role in how much water you'd want to shift tho I can't see how you'd get water repellent oil to stick to running wet hair, would have thought it would be a lot easier to just use oil within a conditioner or styling product.

[CurlyCap]

Why don't you try the tried and true, but very annoying, method of getting perfect curls and modify from there? It's where I feel we all start, and then we change things because no sane person can go through that every day.

1. First time, get the in shower, co-wash your hair, rinse out the conditioner, and then while still in the shower, apply conditioner to your soaking wet hair and finger comb out all your curls. With soaking wet hair sopped with conditioner, get out of the shower, don't touch your hair, and let it air dry. My guess is this will give you amazing hair, but take literally 6 hours to dry and reach it's natural volume.

2. Next time, modify it. Co-wash your hair and finger detangle in the shower. Before getting out of the shower, squeeze out the excess water. No towel drying. Apply the same amount of conditioner as before, but this time out of the shower. Let dry with minimal touching.

3. Next time, try two products. Co-wash and detangle. Get out of the shower. Apply conditioner. Top with a light oil. See if it works and if it's worth the extra step.

I dunno. I co-wash everyday with WL hair. I think it's the easiest way to maintain curly hair because it's the fastest way to detangle and it keeps my hair hydrated and therefore easy to maintain and predictable. But lots of people say co-washing everyday takes too much time. That caveat being said, most Type 3/ringlet people I know who are unhappy with their hair are trying to stretch their co-washes. Their hair is dry and frizzy and noticeably low-moisture. So if I had to take a shot in the dark, I'd really suggest trying to co-wash as frequently as you can tolerate with the products your hair likes best but are affordable for frequent use.

[jeanniet]

I don't wash every day. It would drive me insane, and my hair's much shorter than it used to be so doesn't take nearly as long to dry. I don't have a problem with moisture, though, and maybe that's because my hair is primarily 3a. I think 3b's and above tend to have more issues with moisture.

I also don't apply products dripping wet. It just takes forever to dry, and the longer it takes to dry the more likely that if I go outside the wind is going to play havoc with it. I also use Kinky Curly Curling Custard, which I love, but adds to drying time. So Iscrunch with a flour sack towel before putting gel in, but do it very carefully. I don't get frizz the way I do it, but I have a whole routine I've figured out that somehow works.

[seamonster]

What type of oil are you using? Castor oil is a good hydrating oil, also glycerin helps hair to retain moisture too. Coconut oil just sinks right into my hair, so I need another oil to seal in moisture.

[Suze2012]

I've had problems with trying oil too - sometimes it has made my hair smoother, sometimes too oiled up and same as you frizzy sometimes too - I quit trying daily oil in teh end and only use it as an overnight treatment now.

Is it humid where you are? Are there humectants in your products?
I tend to avoid glycerin in humid/warmer weather as that causes me to either go limp or frizz up. Even just some in a conditioner in a hot steamy bathroom will get to me before I can do anything about it and it'll dry frizzy having soaked too much moisture up.

I use a leave in conditioner when soaking wet and then scrunch a curl creme into mine - also when soaking wet and use a very cheap very flat textured microfibre towel to scrunch the water out.

I also never comb..etc..and am a cone free co washer..

Maybe you could just tr a light gel or curl creme - not too much so that you don't have much cast to scrunch out as it dries.

It's seriously humid in the UK just now and I haven't suffered any frizz at all. Next week could be a challenge as we are due high temperatures and rain too! Usually though I will only get frizz now in rain if rain actually hits my hair.

[Indigostreams]

Then either your products are not right for you or you simply are not using anywhere near enough: I have only wavy hair of normal density yet need far more leave in conditioner than seems sensible, particularly given I am actually using products sold as being wash out! You have to use a heck of a lot of fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants to make curly hair look greasy when dry since they are not greasy molecules as such, fatty alcohols particularly aid clumping, frizz control and act as weak humectants so help the hair retain the right amount of water. I have noticed some wavies and curlies select leave ins or stylers that have an oil or butter as the second or third ingredient so end up being really stingy with the amount to avoid greasiness or stringiness.
Firefox7275, I asked you before in another thread if you could recommend any specific products that contain these ingredients? Sorry if you answered me already, I think I got busy and forgot what thread it was. I too have wavy hair, with some curl too. And I cannot control the frizz right now. I think it's partially because of bleach damage, since my virgin hair that's growing in is much smoother and softer. I would greatly appreciate some recommendations, and I'm sure others would too. :) Or should we just try to look for conditioners that say "fatty alcohols" in the ingredients or something?

[Maktub]

I don't know what others think, but I think a clarifying shampooing might help.

Then I'd go with the first step that curly cap mentionned and load up on cone free conditionner.

Also, how are your ends ? When do you trimm ? How do you dry your hair (heat?) ?

[PJolie]

I have curly hair and using the "Aussie 3 minute miracle" has helped a lot, and oil of course. I do a lot of home made treatments as well like avocado, honey, and stuff like that. My hair gets frizzy every once in a while, but rarely...

[PJolie]

Oh and on rainy and very humid or windy days I wear one of those knit hats. I don't know if that in fact helps but my hair used to get frizzy on rainy days and now it doesn't. Wearing the hat seem to protect it.