Tips for/from wurlies and curlies, please!

[Pixna]

I'm trying to figure out my hair's preferences so I can wear it wurly. So far, I've discovered that my wurls do not like conditioner (either leave-in or rinsed out), gel (including aloe vera), mousse, wax, or styling leave-ins of any kind. It's good to know what it doesn't like, as that narrows things down and helps me minimize products. My hair DOES like shampoo and a teensy amount of oil, and other than that, it likes to go nude.

However, I'm not sure what to do BETWEEN washings, especially because I shower in the evening and only wash my hair about once a week.

Does anyone wet their hair with water (in a spray bottle) between washings? If so, do you re-scrunch? If not, what do you do on non-wash days to maintain your wurls/curls?

How OFTEN do you wash your hair?

When you do wash your hair (regardless of what you wash with), do you let your hair dry in front of your shoulders, behind your shoulders, or part of it in front and part of it in back? I'm wondering if you find that one way or another affects the curl/wurl pattern.

Any tips you can pass on would be appreciated.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

i have wurly hair too. I'm also looking for ways to define and keep my wurls. I don't have an exact solution but, there are things i noticed.

first, sea water enhances curls when dries. I'm not sure if salty water will do the same or is that damaging to hair.

also observed that misting black tea also defined my waves a little.

Beside all this, i know you should avoid combing and brushing (even fingercombing) while your hair's damp after wash. I wouldn't wash it during that day, even if it's completely dry.

I'd like to hear other advices over this :D will keep an eye on this thread.

[Roseate]

Well, my hair is very fond of conditioner and much coarser than yours, so none of this may apply at all, but I'll respond anyway.

How OFTEN do you wash your hair?

I wash once a week. However, the appearance of my wurls changes dramatically over the week- they are only really wurly and spirally on the first day after washing, then they drop out as the week goes on. I don't really mind; I like my wurly wurls but I also like looser waves, so I just go with it. For comparison, here's

first-day wurls:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2664/4115023431_baa875c8fb_m.jpg vs. second-day waves: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4214416143_d4e6d239bc_m.jpg

and it gets less wavy from there. I usually start combing my hair with a wide-tooth comb at around day 3-4; once it hits about a 2a it doesn't frizz from combing anymore and I like to separate the remaining wimpy clumps.

Does anyone wet their hair with water (in a spray bottle) between washings? If so, do you re-scrunch? If not, what do you do on non-wash days to maintain your wurls/curls?

I often spritz with a version of Kimberlily's defrizz spray (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=277) (basically some water, aloe and oils, varied as I feel like it), but as your hair dislikes aloe that probably won't help you. Plain water just makes me frizz. I don't re-scrunch, just sort of spray it on and ruffle it up a bit at the roots. Scrunching dry/damp is another one-way ticket to frizztown for me.

I haven't really found a way to maintain my wurls. I just let them go, treating my hair differently as it goes from 2c to 2a through the week.

When you do wash your hair (regardless of what you wash with), do you let your hair dry in front of your shoulders, behind your shoulders, or part of it in front and part of it in back? I'm wondering if you find that one way or another affects the curl/wurl pattern.

I dry it hanging down behind my back. I do find this makes a difference; if I let some of it hang in front those parts inevitably get handled more and I get less wurl there.

[Pixna]

Hi, DreamsInPink -- thanks for your comments!

Roseate, thanks so much for your input. Your opener ("...none of this may apply, but I'll respond anyway") cracked me up from the get-go! :gabigrin: You make a good point about just going with the flow as your hair goes from 2c to 2a. Those photos are great -- really helpful (as visuals often are) and much appreciated! Thanks also to the link to Kimberlily's defrizz spray. It's good to know about it, even if I don't end up using it. By the way, your hair is drop-dead gorgeous (but I'm sure I've told you that many times before)!!

[darkwaves]

There are two threads that might be helpful -- the long running curly-wurly thread (curlies, primarily) and the newer one for wavies.

I don't remember the exact names, but both are on the Mane Forum, and the curly thread is very active.

[pepperedmoth]

I don't often spritz, but when I do, it helps define my waves, especially if I scrunch.

Damp-bunning has been the best for me for very nice waves . . .

[GlamFanatic]

I comb out my hair in the shower, with my head tilted over and keep it that way with the towel and then use a scrunchie to keep it in a pony tail on top of my head until it air dries, usually quite awhile (My family can't seem to grasp why I have to plan around washing my hair, I tell them it's' like having a pet on my head...I have to consider it!) I never touch it again, more or less, until the next time I wash it. I keep it in a top of head pony tail at night. I think it could look better though, which is why I'm looking for ideas too!

[Pixna]

Thanks, Pepperedmoth and GlamFanatic! Darkwaves, I am aware of the threads you mentioned (thank you) -- but they are SOOO long (and I don't have the patience to wade through that many pages), as I am just seeking some basic tips (and it seems that others who posted in this thread are seeking some too).

[Margeaux]

Hi! I hope to be of help - my hair is a lot happier (glossier, softer, more manageable) since I've taken a few basic rules to heart.

Does anyone wet their hair with water (in a spray bottle) between washings? If so, do you re-scrunch? If not, what do you do on non-wash days to maintain your wurls/curls?
My hair is just curly enough that I don't have to "re-scrunch" - the curls stay in shape from day 1 until the next shower, and I don't apply any hair products/mists during this period, either. What I do do is to take (cone-free, cheap as sin) CO showers in between washings for an extra moisture kick. Water-only showers make my hair look a little greasy.

How OFTEN do you wash your hair?
Every 3.5 days, twice a week :) Depending on whether I'm home and how much time I have I CO on the other nights.

When you do wash your hair (regardless of what you wash with), do you let your hair dry in front of your shoulders, behind your shoulders, or part of it in front and part of it in back? I'm wondering if you find that one way or another affects the curl/wurl pattern.
Ooh, interesting question. I comb it through when it's soaking wet, let it fall down into its natural shape (= middle parting, probably half behind my shoulders and half in front of them), squeeze in some cone-y anti-frizz serum and leave it to dry without further fussing; I'll sometimes tuck it behind my ears as it dries if it gets in the way, which doesn't seem to influence the curl pattern.

Good luck, let me know what your findings are! ;)

[Calista]

I am a bit confused by the use of the term "wurls/wurly". AFAIK wurly hair is hair that has both curly and wavy components. Is that what your hair is like, or are you asking about truly wavy hair?

[Pixna]

I am a bit confused by the use of the term "wurls/wurly". AFAIK wurly hair is hair that has both curly and wavy components. Is that what your hair is like, or are you asking about truly wavy hair?

Yes, wurly hair has both curly and wavy components (hence, "wurly"). It doesn't fit neatly into either category, and is usually in the 2b to 3a range. So my question is really for wurlies who want to bring out more of their curls, and true curlies (who are in the 3a to 4c range).

[bumblebums]

Another 2c here.

I "wash" once a week. I wet my hair mid-week and rinse with something acidic, like tea or diluted lemon juice or rosemary water+white vinegar+EOs.

I wear my hair down on the day after I wet it, and the curls stay pretty bouncy for the day. Then I sleep on it and they turn to loose waves. This happens even if braid my hair overnight, which I usually do.

I plop-dry my hair with a microfiber towel; this helps the waves form and keeps the frizz down. It takes a lot of discipline for me not to touch my hair as it's drying, but that also helps with the frizz.

I never spritz it with water or re-wet it except on my wash and rinse days. If I am not happy with how it looks down, I just wear it up.

[Calista]

Thank you for making that clear, Pixna. :flowers: I noticed some people who answered had 2a hair like me, so I wasn´t sure if I had understood the question correctly.

[Pixna]

Margeaux and bumblebums, thank you so much for your responses. They are very helpful!!

[blueroses79]

For the last couple of days, I've been refreshing my waves with a spritz of water and a little bit of aloe gel and coconut oil gel mixed up in a spray bottle. Then I re-scrunch. I think it's working....

[renarok]

I am having a real problem with my hair not behaving. I just cut it to 33 inches which got rid of some of my layers and now My hair seems much heavier and less able to curl or wurl like it used to. I definitely have frizz going on, and a lot of volume. But.....I'd like to have more of a separation of individual curls, I am afraid it is too long for that. I am not a great fan of products. I oil lightly with coconut, and I use Kimberlily's defrizz spray, which I scent with BPAL so it is absolutely yummy. I would like some hints from someone with a similar length as myself.