Dry Styling Products for Curls?

[HopelssRomantic]

Hi All!
I'm trying to figure out how to find/make a dry curling cream or gel-type product for travel. I have 2c-ish hair and want to travel just with dry/ solid products this year so I don't have to deal with extra TSA screenings. I want to try solid conditioner bars anyway, but does anyone know if they're good as leave-ins? or any other product that might do the trick?

[lapushka]

I have never heard of curling products / stylers in bars or so. Unless you want to take shea butter? But I'm sure if it's hot enough that will melt just like that. :hmm:

[HopelssRomantic]

Yeah, I thought of shea butter too, but it's too much for my hair usually, and I'd also be woried about it melting :/ That's why I was thinking of conditioner bars. Any experience with conditioner bars?

[Kalamazoo]

Maybe cocoa butter? The 100% pure, no added ingredients kind in a push-up tube.

ETA: But that's going to be an oil. Oops. That might not work at all for styling. But it makes a great detangler! (Forgive me. I probably shouldn't have posted.)

[Panthera]

How about taking flax seeds with you and making only small amounts of gel when you need it? Or are you going to travel from one place to another a lot?

[MusicalSpoons]

How about taking flax seeds with you and making only small amounts of gel when you need it? Or are you going to travel from one place to another a lot?

Ooh, this sparked an idea: take gel powder with you to mix up just what you need at a time (I know they do aloe vera powder, surely there must be other gel powders available).

[HopelssRomantic]

Maybe cocoa butter? The 100% pure, no added ingredients kind in a push-up tube.

ETA: But that's going to be an oil. Oops. That might not work at all for styling. But it makes a great detangler! (Forgive me. I probably shouldn't have posted.)


How about taking flax seeds with you and making only small amounts of gel when you need it? Or are you going to travel from one place to another a lot?


Ooh, this sparked an idea: take gel powder with you to mix up just what you need at a time (I know they do aloe vera powder, surely there must be other gel powders available).

All great ideas!!! I actually really like the idea of cocoa butter, because it's a cream, but yes, same issue. I do like flax seed gel though! and I had no idea there was gel powders available! Has anybody used salves? I saw this one on Chagrin Valley's website when I was looking for conditioner bars...

https://www.chagrinvalleysoapandsalve.com/p/hair-balm-coconut-primrose/

[ExpectoPatronum]

My hair generally doesn't like coconut oil that's solid in cooler temperatures - but the fractionated coconut oil seems to be okay. If your hair likes coconut oil, that balm you linked should be okay.

[HopelssRomantic]

My hair generally doesn't like coconut oil that's solid in cooler temperatures - but the fractionated coconut oil seems to be okay. If your hair likes coconut oil, that balm you linked should be okay.

That's a good point. I was really questioning it because of the coconut oil, which my hair doesn't like straight and in large amounts. But I think I might try this one anyway for the other ingredients...

[Kalamazoo]

OK, another styling product for curls ~ it's just not dry, unless you take MusicalSpoons' idea, & get it in a powder to reconstitute as needed: aloe vera. My mom was in the habit of putting her hair up in pin curls, every night before bed. One time when she visited me, she forgot her styling gel, so I gave her a little George's Aloe Vera instead. I thought it worked better than her regular styling gel. The next morning, when she took the bobby pins out, not only did she have curls, but they were soft to the touch, not at all crunchy.

[HopelssRomantic]

OK, another styling product for curls ~ it's just not dry, unless you take MusicalSpoons' idea, & get it in a powder to reconstitute as needed: aloe vera. My mom was in the habit of putting her hair up in pin curls, every night before bed. One time when she visited me, she forgot her styling gel, so I gave her a little George's Aloe Vera instead. I thought it worked better than her regular styling gel. The next morning, when she took the bobby pins out, not only did she have curls, but they were soft to the touch, not at all crunchy.

Yep! I love aloe vera gel! I can't tell you how many bottles I've gone through :o But I've never used it in powder form. I'm really tempted to try it though, and it would definitely solve the travel issue.. Any suggestions for the powder?

[lapushka]

Yep! I love aloe vera gel! I can't tell you how many bottles I've gone through :o But I've never used it in powder form. I'm really tempted to try it though, and it would definitely solve the travel issue.. Any suggestions for the powder?

Wouldn't they stop and ask you what powder it is though if you put it in a generic bottle? Kind of... difficult I think passing customs.

[Kalamazoo]

Yep! I love aloe vera gel! I can't tell you how many bottles I've gone through :o But I've never used it in powder form. I'm really tempted to try it though, and it would definitely solve the travel issue.. Any suggestions for the powder?

I think I've seen aloe powder at my friendly local neighborhood Indo-Pakistani grocery store...

[Kalamazoo]

If you're trying to live with airline baggage regulations, you could actually take 3 ounces of your favorite usual brand of aloe vera, put it in a travel bottle, & put that bottle in your Ziplock quart baggy. Then you wouldn't have to mess with measuring & getting the proportions right & just wondering if reconstituted powder was going to work the same way as your usual brand...