Fluffy Hair - Help!!!

[Snowlily]

My fine, wavy, between APL & BSL (22.5") no mans land hair is currently suffering from the most almighty attack of the fluffs. Its a nightmare - if I brush it, it just puffs up like a stick of candyfloss! Has anyone got any advice as to how to combat the fluff and help to return to silky smooth timotei locks?

:p

[diddiedaisy]

I've got fine wavy hair too which just loves to fluff. I'm a few inches shorter than you. The only thing that stops the fluff on me is serum. I use an argen oil based one.

Oh, and I don't brush the ends.

[Firefox7275]

My fine, wavy, between APL & BSL (22.5") no mans land hair is currently suffering from the most almighty attack of the fluffs. Its a nightmare - if I brush it, it just puffs up like a stick of candyfloss! Has anyone got any advice as to how to combat the fluff and help to return to silky smooth timotei locks?

:p

The solution offered by most curly experts/ stylists is never to brush wavy hair, just detangle with a very wide tooth comb.

I tame pouf when wearing hair straight-ish by applying leave in conditioner to very wet hair, squeeze excess water out, then towel turban, wide tooth comb, tie back wet, leave until bone dry, lightly oil on day two to aid detangling (again very wide tooth comb) and smooth out buns.

If this fluff/ pouf new to you you may need to clarify, chelate, use more or less hydrolysed protein.

[Johannah]

Three things that help for me personally: a leave-in conditioner (I prefer sprays), damp bunning (damp, not wet) and using a wide tooth comb. I quit brushing my hair last month and I notice a BIG difference.

[Snowlily]

Thanks for your advice guys! I know my mason pearson brush is one of the culprits so will use my bodyshop wooden comb instead. I will definitely try to clarify my hair or chelate. The fluff seems new-ish though - my hair is the longest its been in nearly 20 years and a lot of hair is at different lengths so with waves so I imagine it exacerbates the fluff. I am so desperate to get to 25" before I start the regular trims to thicken up my hair. I have been microtrimming because my hairdresser is rather trigger happy with the scissors!

[curlylocks85]

My advise - do not use a brush. Brushes fluff out wavy and curly hair. Combs are better. Hope this helps. :)

[MINAKO]

Aside from the thing with the brush i would highly recomment to try CO and also LOC, try not to touch your hair while it dries or damp bun, thats what i do too and i have an aaawfully fluffy canopy layer.. At your length you could also try a headwrap if you prefer straighter hair and don't want to encourage the wave.

[StellaKatherine]

I just posted my journey from the fluffy hair... Maybe this could help you http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=125212

[lapushka]

Strongly advising the LOC method as well. It's awesome for the fluff, and for flyaways. (Link is in my signature.)

[meteor]

What helps me avoid hair poof/fluff:

- sleeping on silk or other smooth materials with hair contained;
- avoiding brushes;
- using occlusives/anti-humectants in conditioners, leave-ins, and serums: oils, silicones, even some waxes;
- using products that are labelled as "anti-frizz", "for damaged/processed/curly hair", "smoothing" and avoiding "volumizing" products for "fine hair";
- doing pre-poo oilings and using some "sealing" oils (e.g. mineral oil) as leave-in.

[Madora]

As a wavy myself, I brush daily, with a pure bbb that has no rubber backing and no nylon. The brushing will bring out the "fluffies" BUT you can tame the "fluffies" to a great extent if every time you brush you follow the path you just brushed with your other hand. The brushing is the "+" and the hand is the minus "-". You might want to use a drop or 2 of mineral oil (baby oil) to help tame those frizzies. However, don't apply it to your head directly out of the bottle. Just put a drop or two (at most) in a dish, take a cotton baby swab and coat it in the oil, then coat your hands with the mineral oiled swab. Then run your hands through your hair and down your strands. Great stuff and inexpensive as well. Johnson and Johnson makes a good baby oil (get the one w/o additives).

[Sparklylady82]

I am stealing all of this advice! I agree that after washing (I have been CO washing) and conditioning using a leave-in conditioner (I use Kinky Curly Knot today) and small amount of oil (I use a blend of coconut, olive, jojoba and grapeseed at the moment) will help with the fluffies. Sometimes I do a prewash oiling but not all the time. If I don't style my hair with gels and such I like to contain it either in a braid or a bun untill the outer layers are dry. I take it down for a bit and then re-bun or braid until dry. At my length this is ideal if I will be wearing my hair up anyway. I am still on the fence about silicones on weather I need them or not but you could try them out too.

If you want to style your hair for a special occasion I would recomend the LOC method and scrunching in a gel. Once you have air dried COMPLETELY you such lightly scrunch out the crunch from the gel and you will have lovely waves with no frizz. The only downfall to this is that my hair honestly gets a little dry and tangly from this so I only do it sometime and then I NEVER brush or comb untill my next wash and my hair is soaked in condish.

Happy Hair experimenting!!!

[Snowlily]

Amazing advice people - thank you so much :)

[Snowlily]

WOW - what a difference some of your advice has made to my hair!

My new routine goes something like this:-

conditioner - whatever is lying around (tresemme/l'oreal/aussie formula etc)
shampoo - whatever is lying around
conditioner - using a schwarzkopf deep conditioner
towel dry
leave in conditioner - soy tri-wheat by healthy sexy hair
comb through with wooden comb
morrocan oil light
put in loose bun fastened with a wooden sculpture tool ( http://www.tiranti.co.uk/edgeimpactshop/product.php?Product=1060 ) which couldn't be more perfect and very cheap too!!!

My hair has not been this soft in about 5 years!!! I am so happy - thank you everyone!

Now to try to talk myself out of getting my roots done....

[GetMeToWaist]

Lapushka's WCC and LOC methods are awesome for smoothing fluff, and comb don't brush if you can.

[lapushka]

Yes, if by chance you want the links to both methods, they're in my signature. But your routine sounds great!