Don't know how to take care of my hair

[Chocowalnut]

I've kind of had this problem for years where I just don't know what to do with my hair. Sometimes it will look good if I wash it, brush it, scrunch it a little and air dry. But a lot of the times it just looks dry, somewhat shapeless and drives me crazy. I think I have 2b hair but could be other types mixed in, not sure. Also I feel like I can't brush it after it dries because it brushes out the curls and kind of makes it a big poofy mess.:( I feel like it might be better if I grow it out really long but for right now at SL, I just don't know what to do with it and I feel it usually looks bad. Any suggestions for what to do with it?

[Arwenlily]

Have you tried CO-washing?

[Chocowalnut]

Yes, well, I mostly only wash my hair with conditioner, or once in awhile a sulfate free shampoo (I use the generic wen stuff for curly hair). It doesn't really change how it dries or anything and that's usually what I don't like

[Arwenlily]

Maybe the best thing you should do is stop brushing your hair all together and instead only finger comb your hair when it is wet. Have you tried plopping?

[Chocowalnut]

I'm not sure what is plopping?

[Firefox7275]

Welcome!

You've partly answered your own questions: firstly stop brushing your hair since it makes it poufy, brushing separates defined curls into individual strands which is exactly what frizz is. Secondly don't expect a cleansing product (shampoo) to do anything more than cleanse, conditioner is for conditioning (softness, slip/ detangling, shine etc), styling products are for styling (defining curls etc).

Research the Curly Girl method, it is from a book by Lorraine Massey. Check out the lengthy wavy and curly threads here on LHC, the Wavy Hair Community on Facebook, Naturally Curly website and forum.

[lapushka]

I second Firefox when she talks about the curly girl method. Here's a link to it online:
http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair

Do not brush your hair dry. Only detangle when washing, while your hair is slathered in conditioner, and leave it alone to dry and when it's dry. If you *must* detangle only lightly finger detangle.

BTW, plopping or plunking is this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2qD38ZYX6A

[samanthaj08]

My hair is the exact same way. And it wasn't until I was around BSL that it started behaving.

What I do is this..
Leave coconut oil in hair for 1-3 hours before washing.
Shampoo (I use Tresemme curl hydration for S and C) scalp only.
Heavily condition starting at the gather of hair on the nape of my neck then spread it downward. And add more to the ends. Wipe excess lightly on my scalp hair. Then braid it and leave it while I wash myself (3-4 minutes).
Then I gently wring it out and towl sponge it until it stops dripping. Comb (I don't use a brush). Then wrap/squeeze one more time for any more dripping and leave it.

It's the only thing that ever worked for me. Took me 2-3 years to find the right recipe.. hope it helps :)