Long-lasting curls?

[endlessly]

I have a family function in 2 weeks and am hoping to keep my curls lasting throughout the entire event, roughly 12 hours of heat, humidity, and just general movement. I know, the impossible, right?

My usual go-to has been to use a leave-in mixed with a heat protector spray prior to curling my hair with hot rollers, but I've found that given how long and thick my hair is, the curls fall within an hour. I recently purchased the Redken Iron Shape 11 thermal holding spray, which I spray on while my hair is still wet, let it air dry, then respray prior to using my hot rollers. Once I let the hot rollers set and cool completely (an hour in most cases), I spray with the Redken Triple Take 32 extreme high-hold hairspray. Now, all of this seems like it should work, but within 2 hours of leaving my house, the curls were gone and I was left with poofy, somewhat wavy hair. Yeah, not exactly what I intended.

I'm trying to make the best impression at this event since I'm bringing the guy I've been seeing for a year to meet my extended family, but I'm kind of at a loss for how to keep my hair looking its best. An easy solution would be to wear it in an up-do, but I'd love to be able to wear it down and full of big, bouncy curls instead of my normally loosely wavy texture.

Are there any other product suggestions anyone has? Or any changes to my routine that I should make? I use the Suave macadamia shampoo and conditioner (the actual names have escaped me), but also occasionally use the Monoi deep conditioner from Carol's Daughter. My current profile pic is the type of curl I'm hoping to maintain all day, by the way, just haven't figured out how to add it to a thread yet.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[lapushka]

Have you checked this out yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0NMLSUICp4

[floridaorchid]

Try wet set pin curls! Albinwonderland did an amazing video on how to do them. I would recommend trying to do it a few times first so that way you have some practice under your belt, they can be tricky at first

[endlessly]

Have you checked this out yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0NMLSUICp4

Yes, I have! I adore her, but alas, my hair is a not-so-big fan of humidity, so it still falls flat...and by flat, I mean poofy.

[endlessly]

Try wet set pin curls! Albinwonderland did an amazing video on how to do them. I would recommend trying to do it a few times first so that way you have some practice under your belt, they can be tricky at first

I've tried those in the past, but I could never get them to dry completely. I also tried a few other wet curling methods, but always looked like a poodle. I wish the whole no-heat styling thing was for me, but my hair isn't that big of a fan.

[school of fish]

I've tried those in the past, but I could never get them to dry completely. I also tried a few other wet curling methods, but always looked like a poodle. I wish the whole no-heat styling thing was for me, but my hair isn't that big of a fan.

I have very real curling problems too - nothing holds. A wet set is the only way I can get some success, but like you my hair doesn't dry fully when contained in any kind of set - even the barest barely damp hair doesn't dry and curls fall flat within an hour.

My one consistently successful workaround has been to roll up my hair bone dry, and THEN spritz it with water. Somehow this is enough moisture to set the curl, but not enough saturation to keep it from drying fully. The curls still loosen, but they hold as long as curls will hold on me without industrial-level shellacing ;) When they loosen, they fall into attractive waves, with some definition intact.

I also find a spiral-wrapped set to be BY FAR the most successful set for me. The entire length gets the same amount of moisture and dries at the same rate, which can't happen for me when my ends are buried under length wrapped around a roller :)

[Hairkay]

I have very real curling problems too - nothing holds. A wet set is the only way I can get some success, but like you my hair doesn't dry fully when contained in any kind of set - even the barest barely damp hair doesn't dry and curls fall flat within an hour.

My one consistently successful workaround has been to roll up my hair bone dry, and THEN spritz it with water. Somehow this is enough moisture to set the curl, but not enough saturation to keep it from drying fully. The curls still loosen, but they hold as long as curls will hold on me without industrial-level shellacing ;) When they loosen, they fall into attractive waves, with some definition intact.

I also find a spiral-wrapped set to be BY FAR the most successful set for me. The entire length gets the same amount of moisture and dries at the same rate, which can't happen for me when my ends are buried under length wrapped around a roller :)

Hmmm that seems that flexirod sets, rag curls sets and curl formers would give some success.

[school of fish]

Hmmm that seems that flexirod sets, rag curls sets and curl formers would give some success.

Yup! I use bendy rollers/flexi rods - love them :) In high school sometimes I'd do rag curls like my grandma taught me to do, and they did work, except I couldn't always get the moisture level right to get them to dry completely - the bendy rollers leave the hair exposed to the air so the water can evaporate more effectively :)

[meteor]

I also find a spiral-wrapped set to be BY FAR the most successful set for me. The entire length gets the same amount of moisture and dries at the same rate, which can't happen for me when my ends are buried under length wrapped around a roller :)

^ That's a very important point. :agree: It also helps avoid tangling that can happen from wrapping hair over and over the same spot.

Unfortunately, I've never seen spiral sets/flexi rods/curl-formers/etc even remotely long enough for me for a spiral set, so I simply do braids (2-strand twists are nice) for waves - and it still has the same effect of not overlapping length over and over again, so it works for me.
I also like figure-8 / bandanna waves - https://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/bandana-waves/ - but again, after a certain length, it becomes difficult to find materials long enough for this.
I normally just use water and some conditioner as a "setting cream". But I can use hairspray and/or gel for stronger hold, if totally necessary.
Realistically though, my hair is way too heavy to hold a curl at this point, so I settle on basic braid waves.

[Jo Ann]

Here's some ways to get curls without heat: https://www.youtube.com/user/beautyklove/search?query=curls

Some use common drinking straws! Good luck, Endlessly!

[school of fish]

Here's some ways to get curls without heat: https://www.youtube.com/user/beautyklove/search?query=curls

Some use common drinking straws! Good luck, Endlessly!

If I'm not mistaken, endlessly made a fairly epic video a while back cataloguing her drinking straw curl experience... I hope I'm remembering the right person - I certainly remember the video, hahaha!!!

[Jo Ann]

Oh, Lawdy, School of Fish! If that's the case, then color me :shocked:

*blush*

[school of fish]

Oh, Lawdy, School of Fish! If that's the case, then color me :shocked:

*blush*

I really do hope I'm attributing the right member!! Maybe the OP can confirm...?

It was a hilarious video - girl's got a sense of humour, no doubt :D

[Jo Ann]

OK, School of Fish...color me :shocked:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=135950

I'm sorry, Endlessly! *hangs head*

Funny videos, BTW... :p

[lapushka]

Yes, I have! I adore her, but alas, my hair is a not-so-big fan of humidity, so it still falls flat...and by flat, I mean poofy.

Also if you just roll your hair damp (not totally wet, cause that is a no-no).

[PrincessAralin]

I actually do my rag curls 100% dry.
A little oil-based detangling spray, wind them up nice and tight around strips I cut from an old cotton bedsheet, then they set overnight and last all the next day. Last time I made it about 10 hours before I had to brush them out and braid it, and then the ends were still curly for about two days afterwards.
(I am aware that these are probably atypical results. My hair holds a curl like that's it's sole duty in life. Still, might be worth a try!)

[OhSuzi]

My hair is hit n miss Ringletty Curly Wavy Frizzy depending on what mood its in.

For a Beachy wave messy curl I wash in cold water & scrunch it dry with a bit of salt water spray / wax vigourous scrunch followed by gentler scrunching as it dries & then leave it alone to let the last of the moisture dry naturally.

For more controlled curl, after washing with cold water. I put 0 product on my hair, separate my hair into about 7 sections, 4 or 5 around the top and 2 - 3 round the bottom (reasonably fat like width of yer finger sized sections) and twist em - I just leave em dangling like wet twisty carrots - occasionally twisting some more but generally just leaving them alone until they have completely dried naturally - then very gently loosely run my fingers through the twist & stick a bit of hair spray on em. soft curls
bit like rag ringlets without the hassle of twisting it round a rag.

If time is important maybe do it the night before but keep twisting til they're a very poor version of a bantu type knot thing & pin em in place so that they don't fall out whilst your sleeping.

Note if your hair has a curl direction twist em the same way not alternate or you'll end up with some curly some straighter hair!!

I recently tried a version of rag rolling where sections are smothered in moose and then rapped around fat tinfoil rags and then you sleep in it. I had an amazing if slighlty wonky super tight almost 4 type curly hair, that then promptly all fell out the second I stepped outside into some light drizzly weather.

May not be popular opinion but the best curls I ever had were for an xmas party done by a hairdresser for £30 with a heated Barrell Roler and hair products I cant remember what - probably really strong hair spray. It was cold n damp n snowy & hot inside the restaurant but those curls stayed big n soft n curlty.

Maybe just experiment every other night with different techniques til you find one that works for you.

[Ligeia Noire]

I would go with rag curls too. It really seems to work for a lot of us. Actually to even get rid of them I have to wash but my hair is wavy so it might be it. Just be careful not to dampen your hair too much. Here it is my result


https://youtu.be/s__HhTQwL1Y