Transforming frizzy mess into curls help.....

[Verybadhairday]

Basically I am on a mission at the moment to transform my frizz into curls (I know they are there!) I've always brushed through my curls and never really seen them, and got into a routine of flat ironing my hair.

My hair is reallllllllllllllllllly thick and a bit damaged but I've been working on the texture of it and using moisture treatments and it seems softer and feels better already.

I want to hear peoples stories on how they embraced their curls and brought them out and how to go about it and just how to manage them?
Are there any products that bring out curls and minimise the frizz and keep curls in place etc and things like that?


I would really like to hear your routines from when you wash your hair to how you sleep with curls to keep them in, brushing them etc anything will help me right now:)

Thanksss
if you need to ask any questions, go ahead :)

I'd say that my hair is 2c/3a from glimpses ive caught of the curls

[minkstole]

http://livecurlylivefree.com/home%20remedies.htm
Some good advice there.
Good luck!

[Cholera]

I'm no curly myself, but I have a close friend with very curly hair, so I read up on it a lot. I've heard of curlies only combing their hair in the shower while slathered in conditioner. Also, I've heard of them using a bit of aloe gel or oil to tame frizz and help the curls stay together.

[Brat]

Mine's a little curly, and a lot frizzy if I mess with it. I brush it only while it's dripping wet, spray some spray gel on it, run my fingers through it once, scrunch and then LEAVE IT ALONE! Or I'll put it in a braid when it's almost dry and sleep like that. If there is any messing with it, it becomes frizzy because it makes individual hairs separate from the bunch and it looks like frizz. Easiest thing to do is brush it only dripping wet and leave it be.

[spidermom]

Comb gel mixed with a drop or two of oil through, then twirl strands around your fingers as it dries. That always brings out lovely curls for me.

[princessp]

I have very little frizz now that I am CO and cone free.

[suicides_eve]

Hair diffuser- best thing i ever got for my curly hair~> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dyBWEyam48

-I use a old tee shirt to wrap my hair in, cuts back on the frizz towels can cause.
- in the morning I use a spray bottle mister to revamp fallen curls.
- in high humidity- unfortunately silicone products are the only thing i found that works for me.

[AmericanWoman]

I pretty much comb it through once after Coing, then leave it be until dry.. No patting, running my fingers through it, ect. It's curlier the first day, I let it be wavy the other days. I've found out I can wear it either way. I let it have it's way. lol The hair in my sig is 3rd day hair, brushed with a BBB.

[Meagan]

I do this right after I wash my hair, I have to make sure my hair is wet for this to work because it frizzes up if I do this damp. And I dont scrunch while applying my products, I just run it down my hair.
This is what works for me...

1- volumizing moussee on just my roots
2- coconut oil on just my ends
3- serum for shine and to tame frizz all over
4- Garnier Fructis Cream-Gel for curls, extra hold- all over <<<<<<<<<<<<<<LOVE THIS STUFF.

And thats it!...my curls are tamed and defined.

I put my hair in a high pony tail for when I sleep, I dont brush my curls, maybe just run my fingers through it.

[Kaijah]

Hmm.... I would say moisture, moisture, and more moisture. Did I mention moisture? ;)

First, I'd say quit using any shampoo you have with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in it - it generally contributes to the dryness problems curlies already have. If you need to use a shampoo, just use it on your roots, and try to find something sulfate free. You might also want to try and quite using things with silicones. Here's a nice all in one article covering the basics of "going CG (http://dormroomcurly.blogspot.com/2008/12/style-definitions-table.html) (Curly Girl)."

And use *lots* of conditioner in the shower. Slather it on, coat your hair so it feels super slick and seaweedy, and let it soak in for a few minutes. And when you get out of the shower, use some kind of conditioner as a leave in - that helps my curls more than anything else. I also like to leave coconut oil in my hair to help retain moisture, which makes for happy curls.

My general rule for combatting frizzy poof is just to remember "if there's frizz when it's wet, there will be frizz when it's dry." I use about half a tablespoon of heavy conditioner (I like Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose for this) as a leave in, along with some coconut oil, with no greasiness. You could need more or less - it's all a big experiment with hair.

You can use a gel of some sort for extra hold, of course. And don't brush your hair once you're out of the shower - just let it form into the shape it wants to be, and don't touch it until it dries!

[manderly]

I second everything Kaijah has said. Also, please visit our Wurly and Curly thread here :)

[christine1989]

The #1 trick to minimize frizz and help curls look nice is CO-washing! Whenever I use shampoo my hair is a frizzy mess. You could also try a small amount of coconut oil on damp hair.

[julliams]

1. Wash hair as normal and use plenty of conditioner
2. Use a towel to blot out all of the water (no rubbing - just squeeze). Comb through with a wide tooth comb if you need to or just rake your hands through.
3. Add either a leave in or clear gel (or both)
4. Use the same towel or t-shirt to scrunch your curls. Squeeze up and hold for a moment or two, then let go. Repeat all the way around.
5. Now DO NOT TOUCH - this is the key. Don't touch your hair or run your hands through at all as hard as this might be. It may not look all that curly to start with, but as it dries, the curls come to life and will be at their most curly when dry.

This is the method I got my hair to be as it is in my siggy. It's normally more of a wave and sometimes almost straight.

[GoddesJourney]

The #1 trick to minimize frizz and help curls look nice is CO-washing! Whenever I use shampoo my hair is a frizzy mess. You could also try a small amount of coconut oil on damp hair.

This took my husband's wavy curly hair from nice to amazing! Also, it took mine, which has every texture from straight to stray kinkies and wavies and made the frizz just go away. I though frizzies were just a way of life until I finally gave in to the CO... No seriously, it's amazing.:D

[Verybadhairday]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions :)
I shall try different combinations over my next few washes and see how it goes
One last question, what kind of brush/comb do you use when in the shower?
thanks

[manderly]

I use a denman knockoff and only when my hair is full of conditioner :) Good luck.

[GoddesJourney]

My husband just combs it when he gets out of the shower with my wide tooth horn comb while it's still sopping wet and straight. It dries into the most beautiful pattern of waves and curls all on it's own. Combing or brushing after that completely ruins it.

[Verybadhairday]

Thanks

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/_en/_gb/catalog/list.aspx?CategoryCode=C_Hair_Accessories&ParentCatCode=C_Hair

Would any of these be any good to try?
I'm in need of a new brush and/or comb anyway

[Dars]

Thanks

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/_en/_gb/catalog/list.aspx?CategoryCode=C_Hair_Accessories&ParentCatCode=C_Hair

Would any of these be any good to try?
I'm in need of a new brush and/or comb anyway
The detangling comb would be perfect.

[Verybadhairday]

Ok thanks
thats handy, i'll pop in and get one, there's a store down my road :)

[BattahZ]

I'm a bit late here, but here are my holy grail tips:
- Always conditioner-wash - use a light conditioner, something cheap, as your scalp scrub, and use something more moisturizing on your ends. Lately I've been using a little scalp massager brush, and that really seems to get my scalp clean. Once a month if you need it, clarify.
- Always leave in either a bit of conditioner, or a few drops of oil, after washing your hair. Gotta have moisture on your ends.
- Though it's tempting to load up on products, as your hair gets more moisturized, you'll need less product. Now I only use a bit of oil on my ends, and one styling product, then I'm good to go.
- Using a Denman on soaking wet hair with product already applied will help smooth the product through and clump your curls together. If you want clump, try it, if not, it may not be for you.
- Twirling your hair will help shape your curls. To style after showering, I always separate my hair into 8 sections while bent over at the waist (parted down the middle, then separated into bunches - nape, back crown, front crown, and bang area), and I twirl each big clump together while soaking wet, then scrunch and plop into a towel. I sleep like that, and wake up with huge spirals. Then I coat my fingers with product (re-coating as needed), pick up one big twirl at a time, and pull off a clump of curls at a time, smoothing product all the way to the end. It sounds complicated but it only takes a minute. That gives me perfect spirals that are a bit looser than my natural curl pattern, and that hold for days. I have a pic in my album of my hair styled that way after 3 days, and after I'd French braided it and combed through it - the spirals still came together.
- Most importantly, once you've styled your hair and used the products you want, don't touch it til it dries!!! If you need to keep it out of your face, clip it back loosely with little jaw clips or something. Lately I've used a Ficcare to do a very loose half-up while my hair is damp (after plopping), and that allows my hair to dry back out of my face without disturbing the curl pattern.

Overall, the most important thing is to keep your hair well-moisturized. I've learned the hard way, chemical processes that may not seem too damaging on straight hair will damage curly hair much more visibly - even if you don't get split ends or anything, your curl pattern gets messed up when your hair gets damaged. Even permanent color can give you major frizz, so be kind to your hair.

Good luck!

[Verybadhairday]

Thanks, nothings ever too late to add in :)
Unfourtunatley I have heat damage and dye in my hair but with a bit of tlc hopefully i'll find a nice routine from all the suggestions on this thread to make my hair nice again :)
If my hair becomes respectable...i'll post a picture :)

[BattahZ]

I have crazy dye damage too! It's salvageable, you just have to baby it a lot. I had relaxer/heat styling damage, too, but most of that has been cut off at this point (I think). I use loads of oil every day and that has helped immensely.