curly hair

[Nikky88]

Hello!! after I wash/condition my hair I brush it out while it is still wet,and then once it dries it has wave in it...probably 2a (although i am not all that familiar with the rating system), however I am wondering if i didn't brush it when it was wet and just let it dry if it would be curlier? The reason why I am hesitating doing this is because I have extremely tangley hair, and i have a fear of leaving it un-brushed because as it dries it is harder to brush through.

Any help/suggestions/past experience would be awesome! I love curly hair and would love to be able to embrace all the curl my hair has!!:)

[Copasetic]

I don't think brushing your hair when it is wet has an effect on how much it will curl as it dries. I generally comb my hair when it is wet, but when I don't, it doesn't look any curlier at all.

[Just_Isabel]

however I am wondering if i didn't brush it when it was wet and just let it dry if it would be curlier?

Probably. ;)

I'd suggest that you start by combing (not brushing) your hair with a wide tooth comb and then scrunch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M16WG9jpU-Y) your hair (possibly with a good leave in that will help hold the curl) for about half a minute. Let your hair air dry after that.

Generally, brushing and even combing will make wavy hair straighter and curly hair bushier / frizzier.

ETA: That's interesting, Copasetic, if I just comb my hair without scrunching afterward when it's wet, it gets less curly and much frizzier / messier / ickier. :silly:

[Rohele]

If I don't comb my hair when its wet, I get a nasty tangled mess. It doesn't seem to effect the waves either way.

If you want to encourage waves you could try scrunching your hair while it dries or plopping your hair. I find a little bit of product for curly hair encourages my waves too, but I don't think its possible to get 3a hair out of 2a hair (you could probably enhance what you have a little bit though).

[A'eorryn]

I second everything Just Isabel advised - and my hair is also of the sort that the more it is played with when wet the less the curl shows up and the more spastic it gets. If tangles are a problem you could try gently combing with a wide-tooth comb in the shower while your conditioner is in, then leaving it alone (as far as brushing/combing that is) til it dries - for me that more or less eliminates the tangles but doesn't interfere with the curls.

[Nikky88]

Hey! that's a great idea(to comb it while the conditioner is in!!) once I do the final rinse I will try not to touch it and see what happens! Thanks so much!!

[Curlsgirl]

Mine also is less curlier if I brush (which I never do :shudder: ) when wet or even comb when wet. I do it sometimes anyway but if I want much prettier curls like for wearing it down, I only comb in the shower with conditioner. I don't usually do anything to it like combing or brushing until I need to wash again unless I am smoothing for an updo or something. Yes it does get tangly if I wear it down, you just have to let it not bother you because if you detangle it WILL frizz if it's curly. I definitely have to have some kind of defrizzer leave-in or my curls are not very good either, more frizzy and less defined. So I use a curl cream on top of a leave-in conditioner.

[RocketDog]

I have very fine, tangle-prone curly/wavy hair. I comb while in the shower, and I comb again when I get out - if I don't, I end up with a bird's nest of tangled hair on my head.

I find that all I need to do to coax the curls back after a thorough combing is to place my fingers on my scalp and kind of 'shake' my hair, almost like I'm scratching my scalp. It helps the curls clump back together and separate, which also helps it dry better since it's not all plastered down to my head.

[AutumnLeaves]

JustIsabel, I think we have similar hair. What you said is the same for me. I never brush wet hair, but use a pick on it. I also always condition so that the pick goes through a wee bit easier (less ripping and pulling). Scrunching is a must for decent curls, but by DD3 it is all a wash and I'm back to frizz, kinks, and some underneath curls.

[Nikky88]

ok, so i just washed/conditioned my hair, and i combed it while the conditioner was in it. I have let it dry and wow....def. more wave then before....probably like twice as much, I actually seem to have some spiral/ringlet type curls throughout!
Thank-you all again for you help!!!!