What do you do when your hair is soaking wet

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Ok so I have a few questions here...

Curlies...what do you do when you get out of the shower and your hair is sopping wet? I usually comb in the shower and wet some more then smooth in my products when I get out and don't comb again, this usually gives me most clumps. But lately I have been getting strings on top and I think it might be from my routine. I don't comb it again after I get out of the shower so I think just touching it to put in product can cause disruption leading to the strings (that I can't stand) So I was wondering who has success combing after thier shower when the hair is still wet.

And everyone...if you've read my other posts you know I have a huge moisture problem that I am trying to fix. I was thinking of trying SMT but I think I did it once before and doesn't the conditioner make little white balls when mixed with aloe?

[Quixii]

Last night I brushed my hair after the shower, then I put in product, then I plopped, and I was rather pleased with the results.
Usually I just comb in the shower, though.

As for the SMT thing, I think it depends on the conditioner. In the thread, there are certain conditioners that are listed as not working, primarily because they give that result. When I did it (I've only done it once) I had no little white balls.

[missjessiecakes]

I get the tangles out in the shower and then comb through it with a wide tooth comb, insert product and then leave it.

[Dars]

I use a wide toothed comb in the shower with my hair covered in conditioner. After I rinse that out I don't touch my hair anymore. I shake my head sideways a bit to get the excess drips out and get dressed. If I'm going to be sitting somewhere where my hair will touch the back of the chair/seat I bring my hair forward (i.e driving with wet hair).

[manderly]

I use my denman knockoff to comb through product, flip and scrunch and then either just sit in my terry bathrobe and let that absorb, or I lightly scrunch with my turbie towel.

For me it's important to scrunch upside down, otherwise I get no curl at the root, and I have an odd plastered look with curls starting around my ears.

Also the denman is nice, it helps remove a little excess water, but it makes my hair smooth and sheet-like so it re-clumps really nicely, all while distributing product. I don't get as good clumps with a comb.

[girlcat36]

When I'm in the shower, I add my heavy conditioner, rinse with water, then ACV rinse(left in); after this I comb through a lighter conditioner as a leave-in. While still in the shower, I comb my curl cream through with a fine tooth comb, then apply a little more curl cream while I rake and shake.

Then I get out of the shower, hair still dripping, get dressed and get in the car and go somewhere because the heat from the car vents will dry my hair the rest of the way. :D

Rinsing upside down or plopping contributes to canopy frizz for me.

[redneckprincess]

what "product" are you curly ladies using? my DD12 has curly hair and I would like to get her curls to look all uniform and stuff insted of a big frizz ball

[girlcat36]

I have very thin fine hair. I use Potion 9 by Sebastion. It is available at CVS, and Sally's has a generic. Gels, mousses, and most other curl creams leave my hair dry and coated.
Make sure your DD's hair is clarified so that it can accept the moisture of her conditioner.
For my heavy conditioner I use the Sally knock-off of Biolage Conditioning Balm, and my lightweight conditioner is VO5 FreeMeFreesia.

[manderly]

what "product" are you curly ladies using? my DD12 has curly hair and I would like to get her curls to look all uniform and stuff insted of a big frizz ball

There's quite an array. I personally use Giovanni Direct Leave In, some Chi Silk Infusion, and LA Sport hair gel scrunched and left completely alone until dry. The crunchiness from the gel is the scrunched out and I fluff myself up a little to avoid the "wet look"

You should really take some time in the Wurly and Curly (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=369) thread for your daughter.

I would have been very happy if I had a better handle on my hair when I was younger. Save me a lot of grief.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Thanks for the info guys...

I guess I may have to comb more ( hate it cause it takes so long) I usually just finger comb and/or gently separate any tangles but I guess that isn't cutting it for the top canopy layer which I think is finer. I may have another "hair" weekend, where I wash, clarify and let thick heavy conditioner sit on it for a few hours under a shower cap...then maybe oil a bit.

I have just got to get this moisture thing balanced out, I know that is what is causing the tangle issue!!

[manderly]

Do you use conditioner? Combing should be pretty darn easy when your hair is slathered in it. Plus it'll help with your moisture issue.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Do you use conditioner? Combing should be pretty darn easy when your hair is slathered in it. Plus it'll help with your moisture issue.

Oh yeah...lot's of conditioner...I have a TON of hair and is very curly and thick. My issue is getting the conditioner all over. Like if I want it in a certain section...it is difficult to separate in the shower in order to get the conditioner there. It takes a lot to make it slippery. I use GF Triple Nutrition and sometimes I find that I still need to occasionally use cones to get it slippy enough to comb from root to tip. The most tangly part is the canopy and that is the driest part and it may take me months of really really good and over moisturizing treatments to get it normal. Even the parts around the sides in the front that are finer and hand quite a bit straighter than the rest, they tend to tangle quite a bit too!

[manderly]

Wow that's a lot of hair :D

Have you tried Biolage conditioning balm? I keep it in my shower and use that to detangle. I actually just washed yesterday after leaving my hair in the same bun (seriously, I didn't touch it) since Sunday. I wet, put a gob in, smooshed it until I was satisfied and then started combing with my denman knockoff from the bottom. Oh I also love that denman in the shower because it gets rid of all my sheds in big gobs. Helps cut down on the regular daily shedding when I work most of it out in the shower.

Do you think your problem may be cones and buildup? I don't know what you've tried so sorry if I'm just repeating things.

[bumblebums]

I don't comb until the second day after a wash, and sometimes not even then. When I get out of the shower, I (gently!) pat dry the hair with a microfiber towel. I either plop or wrap my hair in the towel for about 20 minutes to absorb extra water, and then put some oil and maybe aloe vera juice on the last few inches. That's all. It usually air-dries to a nice, non-frizzy curl, especially if I can keep myself from playing with it. I will fluff it up at the roots occasionally just to make sure it doesn't dry flat.

I experimented with leave-ins for a few years. The best product was Nexxus leave-in humectant conditioner, although I've had trouble finding it since. They might have discontinued it. VO5's leave-in worked okay, though the cheap smell bothered me. The last product I used before I went all-natural was Mop leave-in. I don't know if it was the leave-in or my shampoo/conditioner combo that did it, but my hair got so dry that I gave up commercial products altogether.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Wow that's a lot of hair :D

Have you tried Biolage conditioning balm? I keep it in my shower and use that to detangle. I actually just washed yesterday after leaving my hair in the same bun (seriously, I didn't touch it) since Sunday. I wet, put a gob in, smooshed it until I was satisfied and then started combing with my denman knockoff from the bottom. Oh I also love that denman in the shower because it gets rid of all my sheds in big gobs. Helps cut down on the regular daily shedding when I work most of it out in the shower.

Do you think your problem may be cones and buildup? I don't know what you've tried so sorry if I'm just repeating things.

No prob, I don't think it was suggested before. But I don't think that is it, I only (like within the past 4-5 months) started using Aussie Moist (cones) again, I have had this tangle issue since I've been wearing it curly again. It's so thick and curly that it is hard to distribute moisture throughout. I've never tried the Biolage stuff...is it pricey? Where do you get it from? Could I find it at Walmart...I'll be heading there on Saturday.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I wish I could do things like 2nd day hair...LOL!! (my curls laugh) I think I did it once ( not good) it had all just about melded into one huge curl!!lol...I mean I could go to twirl one curl and all of my hair came with that one piece!! Nope I must wet and detangle every day.

[manderly]

Walmart may have it. I believe Target does, as do places like Supercuts and stuff. If you have a Sally's nearby they supposedly have an excellent knockoff version.

I think I spent around $24 for a large tub, so it's a little pricey. The knockoff is about half IIRC.

Also if you're not averse to using cones, I find the CHI silk infusion does wonders for tangles in wet or dry hair. I would rather cone my hair up than have it be a tangly mess, causing more damage.

That can also be found at Target. I don't think I saw it at Walmart. Again, expensive, but it comes in a ginormous bottle and since it's a cone serum you only use a tiny dime-like dab so it's bound to last forever. :)

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I try to not have to use cones every day, although I would rather use cones that do damage with tangles too! I have a little lucky with Aussie Moist I wonder if I should try the shampoo too. I got a coupon for a dollar or something off Aussie and something for Herbal Essences I think I may try some of there finishing products. I have also heard good things about GF Triple Nutrition Deep Treament, I've never used that one but I think maybe I will. Maybe it'll help some with restoring the moisture balance of my hair so that I don't have so many tangles.

[manderly]

I use the CHI on top of my leave in, in the theory the cones will help seal in the moisture.....which it actually does. I used to have to wash my hair because the ends got all Barbie-like. Since scrunching the CHI in after my leave in I haven't had to worry since. I don't use it every day, only after I wash, and sometimes I skip that too.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Or what about Loreal EverStrong...I have a coupn for that too...how is that stuff?

[Dars]

what "product" are you curly ladies using? my DD12 has curly hair and I would like to get her curls to look all uniform and stuff insted of a big frizz ball
Curls often have a mind of their own but it is possible to reduce frizz. The "product" I use is cone free CO washes.

[manderly]

Or what about Loreal EverStrong...I have a coupn for that too...how is that stuff?

Never heard of it/used it. Maybe come and ask the Wurly & Curly thread :)

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Never heard of it/used it. Maybe come and ask the Wurly & Curly thread :)

Yeah, I will have to look around...according to the coupn they have sulphate free poo too!! I am having pretty good luck with Hollywood Beauty Olive Oil Cream, I think I may need to use that in addition to oiling regularly to get some moisture back in. It seems to be more moisturizing than just the oil.

[Belisarius]

I wish I could do things like 2nd day hair...LOL!! (my curls laugh) I think I did it once ( not good) it had all just about melded into one huge curl!!lol...I mean I could go to twirl one curl and all of my hair came with that one piece!! Nope I must wet and detangle every day.
I must do that too. I sometimes don't do that when I oversleep and the results are horrible. I oil with olive oil after I get out of the shower, that helps with my frizz. You haven't mentioned oiling so perhaps that would be an idea? For most people olive, coconut or jojoba oil works well.

I can still recommend an smt. Use a good coney free conditioner and leave it in for as long as you can stand it. After about three hours i get good results.

[lapushka]

Maybe you could try CWC with cone conditoners? Might help fix the moisture issue. It helped me when my ends were particularly tangly (couldn't get a comb through). I don't always use cones, I prefer not to, but sometimes they do help esp. when I don't have a good moisturizing conditioner. After it's washed, my hair goes into the towel for a few minutes, only to get the wettest (dripping) bits out, then it's combed, and then it's time for styling products.

As far as clumping goes, this is a video from tightlycurly.com showing you how to separate (define) the curls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5vlcFgt0h0

[elina333]

I usually comb my hair in the shower, while I have conditioner or treatment in it. After I get out of the shower, I just put whatever products I use in it and then let it dry... Maybe fix the parting but thats it. If I touch it Im done... So I try not to :)

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I must do that too. I sometimes don't do that when I oversleep and the results are horrible. I oil with olive oil after I get out of the shower, that helps with my frizz. You haven't mentioned oiling so perhaps that would be an idea? For most people olive, coconut or jojoba oil works well.

I can still recommend an smt. Use a good coney free conditioner and leave it in for as long as you can stand it. After about three hours i get good results.

I have been oiling lately but the Hollywood Beauty olive oil cream seems more moisturizing. For some reason olive oil still leaves it feeling kinds crunchy.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Thanks for the suggestions, tonight I did manage to comb it and so far no strings. I had to separate it into 3 sections and generously condition each section, let it sit while I did everything else and then try and comb. Rinsing the conditioner left it slippy enough to get it pretty detangled but I still needed to put in some more conditioner on the canopy before I could get the comb all the way through. I put in some VO5 as leave-in, and used some of my olive oil cream. It's not dry yet but so far so good.

I also didn't know that other GF conditioners were cone free, I thought Triple Nutrition was the only one. So I may get some Sleek and Shine conditioner tomorrow maybe also another coney conditioner.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

Ok...so I splurged a little today...I got Loreal EverPure Sulphate free poo...never use a sulphate free poo before. I got a huge bottle of GF Sleek & Shine, some more GF Triple Nutrition and a little more Aussie Moist!lol So After breakfast I may oil some...wash with the sulphate free stuff. Condition quite a lot, maybe even let some Aussie Moist sit on there for a while, then when I get out oil the canopy some more. I am determined to get that part fixed!!!

[klcqtee]

I'm a wurly, but I can coax my hair into curls if I comb before my shower, CO with a cone free shampoo, then either turbie it (for waves), or just go to bed with my hair wet, it curls into ringlets. Sometimes I scrunch some conditioner into it while it's dripping wet still. This helps with the dryness or frizzyness I get, without hurting my wurls. The only time I get stringy-ness is when I plop. My hair doesn't plop well.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I'm a wurly, but I can coax my hair into curls if I comb before my shower, CO with a cone free shampoo, then either turbie it (for waves), or just go to bed with my hair wet, it curls into ringlets. Sometimes I scrunch some conditioner into it while it's dripping wet still. This helps with the dryness or frizzyness I get, without hurting my wurls. The only time I get stringy-ness is when I plop. My hair doesn't plop well.

Man...I wish my hair was wavy! Or maybe just looser curls. Something more manageable. Maybe with length I can pull out a little of the curl. *Sigh*

[Speckla]

I don't do too much to my hair when it's wet. I let it dry and then work my fingers through with some oil and then gel. It's all the shed hairs that are wrapped around my curls that makes all the tangles. My hair gets tangled whether it's dry, wet, oiled, straight curly or whatever...I find my hair is easier to detangle dry than soaking wet even with conditioner. I get a lot of breakage if wet. I just (water bottle) spritz sections and add oil and comb through the ends and work my way up. I'd get better results and less tangles if I did this more often.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I detangle pretty weel when it's dry too, before I get in the shower. But that doesn't last. Just now I soaked it with some GF Sleek & Shine (which worked pretty well for me) I worked it through with my fingers and left it in for a bit, rinsed it out and got pretty good slip but still not enough to comb from root to tip without the hot water running out.lol So I loaded up on some coney Aussie Moist...worked that through real good with my fingers, in fact I worked it so much that it lathered some. When I rinsed it felt nice and silky and I was finally able to comb all the way through. So I combed it and then put in some more Sleek & Shine and combed it through again. I'm leaving that in for now just as a DT, although it was really nice to get out of the shower and still be able to comb it from root to tip and not get frizz....so we'll see if I can actually use this stuff as a leave in and have it not make me too dull or flat. Also I washed with some of that EverPure sulphate free stuff...so we'll see. I usually get breakage and tangles up front around my hair line...it tangles like crazy up there and to avoid greasies I usually don't condition up there. Well beings I used the shampoo, I figured I should apply some of the GF all over...to that part to so it wouldn't tangle too badly...so I guess we'll see what happens. I'll keep y'all posted.

[LadyJennifer]

I'm a wurly, but I can coax my hair into curls if I comb before my shower, CO with a cone free shampoo, then either turbie it (for waves), or just go to bed with my hair wet, it curls into ringlets. Sometimes I scrunch some conditioner into it while it's dripping wet still. This helps with the dryness or frizzyness I get, without hurting my wurls. The only time I get stringy-ness is when I plop. My hair doesn't plop well.

Mine doesn't either, I found out this weekend. It's curlier if it dries on it's on without any product.

eta: I guess I just wasn't plopping right, because I did it today with an old cotton t-shirt and it worked great

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I think I just realized what was causing the strings. I usually comb my hair straight back...no part, I have these pieces towards the front of my hair that are finer with a much looser curl pattern, well without a part all of the front part ended up combed back and when I put product on it was too much on these pieces. So tonight I parted it on the side and the finer pieces are where bangs would be, I combed conditioner into sopping wet hair, but not on those fine parts...it's almost dry now...and no strings!!!lol YAY!!!

[honeybrown1976]

I comb in the shower (big difference than out of the shower) with conditioner. I rinse it out, leave the shower, and place a leave-in conditioner, along with coconut oil, while air drying.

[DARKMARTIAN]

Very simple routine I have. I give it a nice brush to relieve any tangles. Then I either put it in braid or a plain ponytail to let it air dry ...:)

[RocketDog]

I got a new job and I need to have my hair totally out of the way at work, so I have been showering and drying the bits in front with the blow-drier and leaving the back damp so that it buns easier. I don't like the way my fringe develops wonky lumpy sections if it falls out of a neatly slicked-back updo while it's drying, so using the blow-drier ensures that it will at least look decent when it falls out of the updo. I dry using the cool setting and use my fingers to coax the hair to straighten, and usually go until the hair is about 80% dry. Anything drier and it frizzes out and totally ruins the clean, tidy look I'm going for.

When I used to air-dry with my hair down I'd basically ignore it while it was damp to avoid frizzies, but since starting to do buns every day to protect my hair at work (and ignore the slowww growth) I prefer the slicker look I get when I damp-style it. I love my natural texture, but it is impossible to get a nice, tidy updo with crazy curls sticking out every-which-way and all my baby hairs frizzing out into a giant orange halo...

[Magelet33]

I comb with a wide tooth comb when wet (98% WO), and then either plop, scrunch, or fold a towel against the ends. I can't stand the feeling of the wet ends dripping against me. I don't normally use product, though I'm considering trying flax-seed gel.

though like a pp, I have to have my hair totally up/back for work. So occasionally I put it straight into a braid. However, since it takes so long to dry, and straight out of wet, before sleeping on it is the only time I feel it looks totally perfect, I usually wash/wet only before sometime that I'm not working. If I'm going to work, unless it needs a wash, I usually leave it dry.