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View Full Version : Help: curls/waves have no definition?



Leigh.
January 26th, 2017, 11:41 PM
Hi everyone,

I've been doing the Curly Girl method to some extent for 3-4 years now, but need some help in troubleshooting a problem.

My hair is 2A F (baby fine), and I cannot for the life of me get my hair to have defined waves/curls. On a good day, it looks more like this (https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/471890256610856964/ujXz-GJU.jpeg), but then after day 1, it gets pretty flat and undefined (like this (http://imgur.com/a/quv6V)).

I've tried everything from protein treatments w/ gelatin (because I suspected over-moisturizing), co-washing vs lo-poo, and clarifying w/ baking soda.

My current products are:

Shampoo: Giovanni Root 66
Condish: Suave Essentials Coconut
Gel: Giovanni LA or Giovanni Magnetic Styling Gel
Leave-in: SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Is there a simple adjustment I need to make, or am I doing it all wrong? Would love some help from the LHC ladies. Thanks!!

lapushka
January 27th, 2017, 02:50 AM
You always have to work with what you've got, and also be *realistic* about it. :flower: 2a isn't going to morph into curls, but you know that full well, I'm sure. If you're already doing CG, then that's about the most moisture you can get in there. Maybe it's too much. Maybe you need to switch it up with a regular shampoo once in a while?

I would stop using baking soda (very alkaline + stripping on the hair). You'd be better off just using a sulfate shampoo, IMMHO.

I think there's fairly little you can do.

Also, it's quite short yet. 2a does best with more length, but you'll have to be patient for that.

Good luck & happy growing. :)

Borgessa
January 27th, 2017, 04:10 AM
With a gorgeous face like that no one be looking for them curls/waves, I think both pics your hair looks great certainly not boring.

rmani
January 27th, 2017, 04:40 AM
Hey! I agree with Lapushka - move away from baking soda. I would clarify with a sulphate shampoo as you aren't using anything that requires that much stripping to remove. Also length may help. For me, I have 2C very coarse low porosity hair. Anything above APL I just get really faint waves with the occasional spiral curl.

What is the porosity of your hair? I ask because this may help determine goals eg. if its hydration or protein you need.

pamrlyn
January 27th, 2017, 04:47 AM
Hay there Leigh - I would also leave out that baking soda. also with baby fine hair, your leave in might be too heavy. I dunno really, but maybe try a very light mousse instead, scrunch in. do not comb or brush your hair. day 2, mist with plain water, or add 1 tsp glycerine to 8 oz water for your spritz. scrunch in. good luck!

spidermom
January 27th, 2017, 07:17 AM
I can't add much; all the good stuff has already been said. I think your hair looks good both ways. That's exactly how 2A hair behaves.

Seawurls
January 27th, 2017, 07:25 AM
Hi there,
I have 2a hair and after 10 years of discovering the CG method and trying and failing and nearly giving up, I can share what works for me but first a wavy has to accept that nothing in the world will turn a head of waves into curls. Work with what you have to make the best of it.
1) waves need moisture as much as curls. If you use the right conditioner for your hair properties, it will not weigh it down. For example, I have low porosity hair so light conditioners that absorb well into my hair work for me. I'm very generous and don't skimp.
2) Google squish to condish method, it should be a big help. I find it leaves back just the right amount of rinse-out conditioner.
3) Then I apply leave in in sections and I plop as I have longer hair, to let my hair drink it up for about 10 mins. Then I'll scrunch some more to remove excess water so my styling products can effectively get absorbed by my hair and not be lost.
4) SM smoothie has never worked for
me and I've tried it in many ways, always leaves me with fluffy, undefined hair.
5) Using Hand-dry gloves while
Scrunching in my styling products changes the definition game completely!
6)After my leave in, I may use a styling cream, then I go to a clump enhancing product such as ecostyler or kinky curly curling custard followed bya med and hard hold gel. Products with magnesium sulfate may give a spiral here and there but will build up and be a bit drying. Recently I have found non alcoholic, non aerosol mousse to be a wonderful second day reviver unlike conditioner and gel that can weigh hair like mine down.
7) I let it air dry (takes me about 2.5 hrs), the. It comes out pretty hard due to the gels but is soft and defined once I "squeeze" and crunch out the crunch.

I also oil my hair weekly and low poo. Occasionally I will do protein treatments only on my ends and apply a mask of the sedr herb ( zizyphus spina christi) to perk up my waves.

You can check my instagram, same username where I post my hair routine. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Seawurls
January 27th, 2017, 07:28 AM
Oh I forgot to add another tip that works for me: try coiling/twirling random sections before scrunching and only while you have enough conditioner or products in your hair so you have enough slip and don't cause breakage.

Sapeli
January 30th, 2017, 01:51 PM
It is difficult to find products that just do the trick on your hair. I have found Sante Balm Care Moringa mousse treatment to work absolutely amazingly on my fine wavy hair. It is a leave in conditioner, but it seems to create a bit of hold too. Not sure if it is available outside Europe, but worth a try, if possible.

01
January 30th, 2017, 02:22 PM
You look great. That's waay more defined than my hair. The thing that gives me 3b/c is rhubarb root tea as leave in conditioner. Sulfate shampoo and rhubarb root leave-in. Nothing more. Makes some strands curl into mini tangle balls, though, lol. So use at your own risk. My mom dyes her hair black with two step henna indigo and washes her hair either with rice water or diy sls shampoo mixed with henna and indigo. She just adds them to the bottle. Makes her hair super curly... But it's for people who want black hair, I don't. She curls her hair with a braid, I with bantu knot/cinnabun on top of my head. None of us does conditioner only, scrunching or any of the typical curly girl stuff.

littlestarface
January 31st, 2017, 02:26 AM
Hey you look very handsome and your hair looks great, even in the supposed "bad" one lol. Better than mine thats for sure.