Question about combing for 2C's

[mamaherrera]

I always am trying to achieve the most defined/voluminous curls every time I shower. I don't have a routine established yet,but just experimenting. Here's a question, I notice I come out of the shower with clumps, big clumps, and I see some videos where people with curls like mine, comb them after showering, and then do the gel,creme, etc. Others' say once they're out of the shower, no more combing so that they get big clumps. just wondering what you all do/prefer and what is the difference in the final results. Does combing out those clumps give you more volume/less, more definition/less, more curl/less?? I always desire to be a 3B, but obviously I never will be, but just trying to enhance my curls the most I can. Thanks!

[Chocowalnut]

I have experimented with both ways a lot, and I have gotten better results in general by no combing or touching whatsoever when wet. Comb if you must while in the shower with conditioner in- make your part if desired- and then do not touch after you rinse it out. This has given me pretty consistent results- no frizz, defined curls/wurls. I did the latter for a long time before this, combed post-shower and applied leave-in/curl cream after and scrunched. I find that this method generally makes my hair a lot more frizzy with little or no more curl definition/enhancement.

[ooglipoo]

I get the best curls if I brush before I shower, to get any tangles or sheds out of the way, then wash/condish, dry in a towel turban for a considerable length of time, so the curls are compressed dry. Then let down and air dry the rest of the way. I rarely put any goop in to retain the curls.

Or I do this routine before bedtime, then put a towel down on my pillow and sleep that way.

Best of luck!

[lapushka]

I am one that can't comb or brush during the time my hair is slathered with conditioner (it pulls too greatly on my hair/head, I find). So the hair goes into the towel for 15 to 20 min. after washing, and when it comes out, it gets a quick combing with a wide tooth comb (no brush!) and that is it. After that my styling products get scrunched in and that gets the wave back. I do use the LOC method so there's quite a bit of product that goes back in (not too too much). And I get barely any frizz. YMMV

I'd try it both ways and see what you like best.

[mamaherrera]

I see what you're all saying. Even some curlies, say that they good definition using a denman brush. I've tried it, and it it does really make me more curly, but looking at the closeness of those teeth, it makes me nervous to do that always, I think breakage and pulling. so I gave that up. Who knows why that would work so well, but yeah, back to the experimenting!

[lapushka]

You can modify a Denman brush by taking every other row of teeth out.

[jeanniet]

Denman makes a widely-spaced brush. I think it's the 4, but not positive. That's the one I use; the spacing is actually better than a wide-toothed comb. In any case, I agree with Lapushka, try it both ways and see which gives you the effect you want. Dry combing (or damp) may break up clumps too much for you, but with 2 hair that may be less of a problem than for 3 hair. Also there really is something of a difference between "defined" and "voluminous." Defined, clumpy curls IME can be less voluminous because they're tighter, if that makes sense. I usually get more volume with hair that's been slept on and is a bit messier, because the curls have loosened up. So you might need to find a happy medium between the two.

ETA: What do I know--it's the D31. http://smile.amazon.com/Denman-Classic-Styling-Brush-Spaced/dp/B001P5TC8U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1418761587&sr=8-7&keywords=denman+brush

[lapushka]

ETA: What do I know--it's the D31. http://smile.amazon.com/Denman-Classic-Styling-Brush-Spaced/dp/B001P5TC8U/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1418761587&sr=8-7&keywords=denman+brush

That's the one I have; didn't want to be bothered with modifying. Still, I love my tangle teezer more! The Denman, I feel, tugs at my hair.

[ooglipoo]

You kind of have to look at the size of your clumps, when deciding what brush/comb to use when do use the combing when wet method. Or how many strokes you brush, and at what wetness the hair is! So may variables. You might want to make a table. I have, before. :D

[mamaherrera]

What is the logic if I check out my clumps. If they're bigger clumps, a brush?? I have varying sizes all over, but I see many people with 4C like the denman, so maybe me being a 2C, it's not for me. I know. . . I need to make a table.

[Ambrielle]

i also find that not brushing my hair once it has dried gives me bouncier & more defined waves however i much more prefer the look of "fuller" hair which i seem to achieve best on combed & 90 per cent dry hair. i always use a wide tooth comb on wet hair( full of conditioner) and occasionally the Denman D31 mentioned here (on dry hair only).I comb VERY gently and in small sections at a time even though i am not prone to knots. Scrunching never worked for me but this could be because i am more of a wavy than a curly, not sure, i just don't like the outcome on my hair and i hate any type of mousse. More definition equals less volume in my hair and since i have fairly noticeable tapper due to old chemical damage/breakage i find the line of demarcation is more pronounced if i don't comb my hair when it has dried. What i do most of the times is once i have washed it and applied the leave ins (like lapushka i am a fan of the LOC method) i will put it in two braids. I chose loser/medium tightness braids because they seem to mimicate my natural wave pattern fairly well :D When my hair is 90 per cent dry i undo the braids and comb it very, very gently (usually coincides with bed time), then i put it in one single lose braid and sleep like that (twice a week i sleep in a satin cap). This is the method that gives me more satisfaction. I wash my hair every 3 to 4 days and dry comb once or twice a day.

[mamaherrera]

Ambrielle-so you are a regular comber, huh?? Yes i remember when I used to brush my hair daily, everyone told me how much hair I had. but it was an illusion that now is hard for me to break. the denman on dry hair, never any breakage or anything??? I get great volume when I let it air dry and in clumps, but if I single lose braid it at night, it compacts down to almost nothing and it's hard to get the volume back, unless I really spray it real wet again, almost start over, so I don't know how you get volume, maybe from your daily combing. i can definitely see how you would get more volume combing when it's almost dry. Like for me, if I scrunch/add gel on damp hair, I get more volume than if I do it on soaking wet hair. so yeah, it's all about timing, products, tools. Thanks for sharing!That gives me other perspectives to work with.

[jeanniet]

I really don't know about clump size. I think it just depends. I have mostly larger clumps, but I use the brush because it allows clumps to reform after brushing, and I don't get the same results with fingers or comb. I also have less pulling with the brush for whatever reason.

[AlexDig]

For me, if I comb after the shower, I'll get less defined curls but more volume. If I don't comb it out, I get pretty tight curls but the weight of the clumps weigh it down more. So I get to choose the look I'm going for and I use both pretty equally.

[Mellenoire]

For me I get the best wurls when I detangle with conditioner and apply a leave in. I follow this with wrapping loosely in an old cotton t-shirt and going to sleep like that.

[mamaherrera]

UPDATE+ I was very happy with my curls after combing "out" of the shower. I got them very defined and separating the clumps, definitely seemed to give me some more volume. The only thing I did wrong, was I combed "unproperly". I fingercombed in the shower, and thought, it should all be detangled, right? so I tried combing from roots down, because I wanted to comb my crown hair straight back (to try and not have it dry in that "same part" down the middle, and I found tangled and got the comb stuck and did some pulling, not good LHC behavior. But all in all it was good, after that, after blaming myself for the extra hairs that came out (did I yank them out, I asked myself), but here's the question. How do you get crown hair to get combed back, if you're supposed to always comb from the bottom-up?? My hair is so stubborn and doesn't like to go back. Any ideas, on how to get that hair to back without having to comb from roots to bottom?? but yeah, all in all, happy, thanks for the push to try it out. Now I read someone else with curls brushes a lot with the denman, and gets great definition. She says she brushes upside down, then adds stylers, brushes again, flips up, brushes it up and out one more time (right side up) and gets really great definition. Here we thought the brush was taboo for curlies. But that seems like a lot of brushing/risky for breakage and tangles, no?? Thanks!

[Ambrielle]

yes i am a regular comber :) i use brushes (denman) occasionally on my dry hair (say twice a week) not nearly as often as my ginormous wide tooth comb, people tell me they cause damage because it is made of cheap plastic but i honestly think it is all about finding what works best for ourselves, our hair is like our personalities, totally unique and sometimes temperamental too :D. My roomate can't wet comb their hair because of breakage, she has fine (2A) hair though so i am not sure if strand thickness has anything to do with this? so far it has worked well for me though, no breakage, i check on the shed hairs compulsively (cough cough ) and they all have the little white bulb/root on them. I have a bamboo comb also which is supposed to be great but i am not keen on it, it doesn't glide well through my hair, wet or dry.

i forgot to mention i only brush it dry once it has been combed and detangled by the way even though as i said i am not very prone to tangles or knots (windy days are the exception, i never wear my hair down on those days). I honestly don't get any breakage anymore since i have been taking proper care of my hair, i used to get breakage before when i bleached and dyed the heck out of it ironically back then i was mostly finger combing and never detangled in the shower (biiiiig mistake for my hair hahaha). i hope this isn't confusing, my english isn't the best. :p


mamaherrara, i am wondering if you combed in the shower with your head straight? i tend to bend my waist and head to one side a bit rather than standing straight, i am not sure why but i find it helps when i comb. I apply my conditioner with my head upside down unless i am in a rush as i get a better coverage this way but i know a lot of people don't like this method because it may lead to more tangling. I am not sure i understand the question you asked about combing the crown of your hair, do you mean the comb got stuck as you worked your way up? I do it in slow steps/small sections, starting at the bottom and going slowing up to the crown until there are no tangles anymore, i use both my comb and fingers to feel my hair. Once i am tangle free i will re comb my hair very,very gently but this time from crown to bottom. Perhaps letting the conditioner sink in longer may help, that is if you use conditioner?

[LoversLullaby]

I get the absolute best waves and curls when I only fingercomb when my hair is full of conditioner in the shower. They're clumpy and much curlier than if I were to comb them out of the shower.

[Taenarian]

I feel I get the best curls if I first finger comb when damp. I may use Nightblooming's Freya before inversion combing with a wide tooth comb. Then I put it up in a bun LOL

[mamaherrera]

Yes that's what my question was, Ambrielle, is how to comb from the crown to bottom, because i'm trying to untrain my middle part, so i want to comb all my hair back while wet. I guess I need to do what you said, comb from bottom up first, and then gently try to direct it from crown to bottom, going back. Thanks