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View Full Version : Styling products...fess up!



Katze
June 2nd, 2010, 06:41 AM
Ok, how many of you here use styling products?

I have mixed texture, mixed-waviness hair. Baby fine mostly straight hair on top, fine wavy in the middle, and M texture, almost curly hair at my nape. I have always struggled with making it look neat, but after having a baby and losing half or more of my hair, the new growth is almost unmanageable!

Even before the shed, aloe or other more 'natural' styling tricks did nothing to tame my hair.

Recently I cut back to 'solid' BSL (I have a thick hemline at BSL instead of just a few hairs reaching that length) and got bangs in order to try to disguise some of the new growth.

After washing, I put gel or mousse mixed with some leave-in (Fox's or Goth Rosary conditioner) onto airdried hair. Then between washes, I style with just water and leave-in.

This does not seem to be harming my hair. Unlike pre-LHC, I am not heat-styling or forcing my hair to be straight - just doing my best to make it look tidy. This helps blend the various hairtypes and lengths better and makes me feel like my hair looks good, since I am mostly wearing it down (I do not have time to redo updos several times a day to try to hide the sticking-out bits).

Are there other regular users of styling products here? What is your hairtype? How do you use product, or how often?

jane53
June 2nd, 2010, 06:56 AM
I use hair spray.

Just a light misting of VO5 hair spray. (Pantene is evil!)

My hair is fly-away, even at its length, so updos and backdos can look pretty sloppy without that light mist.

Lianna
June 2nd, 2010, 07:03 AM
Leave-in products don't have any effect on me, but I'm a bit frizzy so I use a little grapeseed oil after washing because it's light.

freckles
June 2nd, 2010, 07:10 AM
I don't use product regularly, but I have some body building mousse that I break out on special occasions (~ once every month or two). I scrunch it into damp hair and it makes my fine, straight hair look a teeny bit thicker. It looks even better if I blowdry it with mouse in, but I'm on a break from my blowdryer.

It doesn't seem to damage my hair, so I might start doing it more regularly :) It's this one: http://www.nakedbodycare.co.uk/More%20Volume%20-%20body%20building%20mousse-pid8005.html :)

Altocumulus
June 2nd, 2010, 07:17 AM
I use Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Milk leave-in conditioner. I don't think there are many wurlies and curlies who don't use something, unless we want to take "before" pics for the bad hair thread!

Katze
June 2nd, 2010, 07:36 AM
sorry, clarification, I was NOT talking about leave-in conditioners or moisture treatments but STYLING products like gel, mousse, hairspray, wax, etc etc. This often seems like it is a no-no here which is why I asked - I can't stand my hair without it. :D

ravenreed
June 2nd, 2010, 08:22 AM
When I have a dance performance, I use hairspray. Other than that, I haven't used a lot of styling agents since the big hair days of the 80's. I kind of miss those days as my hair was made to be big, even without help. The main reason I am not using them more is because I CO and I worry about build up. If I can avoid having to clarify, I would like to.

spidermom
June 2nd, 2010, 08:39 AM
I do! Right now I have some Giovanni styling gel. I'm on the look-out for another tin of Natures Gate Styling Putty; it worked best for making my fly-aways lay down and behave.

Belisarius
June 2nd, 2010, 08:42 AM
I recently discovered a leave-in, nivea leave in flexible curls and i like it, i just can't find it anymore.

BattahZ
June 2nd, 2010, 08:48 AM
But of course! IMO it's very, very hard to get curly hair to look good without styling products, and there's no problem at all with using them, provided you use the right ones. The stuff I use isn't damaging at all - if anything, it provides more moisture that my hair needs and keeps it in better shape than without.

I use Kinky Curly Curling Custard, applied liberally when I wear my hair curly, and applied sparingly when I wear it up. Can't live without it.

jel
June 2nd, 2010, 08:53 AM
I tried Boots Curl Creme - made my hair appear straighter. :(

I used LUSH hair gels a couple of times and they worked well for enhancing the wave. However, the next day, my hair would be so, so tangled! It would take me hours to detangle, loads of hairs would be shed, and every time I swore never again... :o

Gel users, how do you do it? Do you brush it out every night and sleep in a braid? Then refresh the next morning with water?

BattahZ
June 2nd, 2010, 09:07 AM
If you're using gel for your curls, don't brush!!!!! Once your hair has dried, consider your brush Kryptonite for your curls!

At night, you can pineapple (ponytail with a scrunchie at the top of your head) or wear a sleep cap or something. I don't know as much about wavy hair, but with curly hair if you're trying to get 2nd day hair out of it, that works for a lot of people.

Also, when curl tangles your hair, it's best to just detangle when it's wet and full of conditioner, otherwise you'll probably get a lot of breakage.

Lianna
June 2nd, 2010, 09:16 AM
sorry, clarification, I was NOT talking about leave-in conditioners or moisture treatments but STYLING products like gel, mousse, hairspray, wax, etc etc. This often seems like it is a no-no here which is why I asked - I can't stand my hair without it. :D

None of these work on my hair, although I haven't tried wax. My hair..erm.."eats" it all, I guess.

LeaM07
June 2nd, 2010, 09:25 AM
Hairspray, unfortunately. I know it's not great for my hair, but I don't brush through it once it's glued down, at least. I'd actually prefer a more natural look, but rather than "casually tousled" my flyaways end up looking "just rolled out of bed".

jane53
June 2nd, 2010, 09:28 AM
Have you tried VO5 hair spray, Lea?

I had been using Pantene and once I changed to VO5, it became clear to me just how bad the Pantene was for my hair.

VO5 is gentle, effective, inexpensive, and you don't have to tear through it once you want to brush through your hair (at the end of the day or whenever).

I have the flyaway problem, and it doesn't look appealing or tousled. Just looks a mess. God forbid there's a breeze.

GRU
June 2nd, 2010, 09:32 AM
I figure it's not worth wasting product for no reason -- it's not like my hair will let the product actually do its job anyway.

Leave-in conditioner (which in my case is actually not meant to be a leave-in: Suave Tropical Coconut Conditioner) is all that I bother with anymore.

LeaM07
June 2nd, 2010, 09:35 AM
Have you tried VO5 hair spray, Lea?

I had been using Pantene and once I changed to VO5, it became clear to me just how bad the Pantene was for my hair.

VO5 is gentle, effective, inexpensive, and you don't have to tear through it once you want to brush through your hair (at the end of the day or whenever).I've been using Finesse, but I may give VO5 a shot next time I buy some. I usually just pull out my hairstick (or whatever) and hop straight into the shower without brushing through or anything. If I'm not going anywhere important, sometimes I'll try to get by with just aloe gel, but it's not quite enough for a long-term style.

Thanks for the tip! :)

spidermom
June 2nd, 2010, 09:53 AM
Gel users, how do you do it? Do you brush it out every night and sleep in a braid? Then refresh the next morning with water?

Whether or not I use gel, I comb out my hair every evening and sleep in a top-of-head braid. Since I work out nearly every day, I end up at least rinsing, if not washing, my hair most days. Then I need a bit more gel.

heidihug
June 2nd, 2010, 09:59 AM
I use hairspray three or four times a week - VO5 is good, and I've also used Aveda, which is light and doesn't seem to coat up my hair. I never hair spray the length, just around my face to keep everything "in place" and tidy - my hair is very floaty otherwise, and later in the day (if my fringe is down) it starts to cling to my greasy forehead - ugh!

Mystical9
June 2nd, 2010, 10:00 AM
I have to use mousse cause my hair is so fine. I am also guilty of using shine spray. ;)

jel
June 2nd, 2010, 11:24 AM
Whether or not I use gel, I comb out my hair every evening and sleep in a top-of-head braid.

This is what I do normally, which is to say when I don't use gel. I tend to only use products when going out at night, so when I come home I'm too tired to deal with my hair. It's a huge job already to remove my contact lenses and wipe off the make up...

I'm probably too lazy for products! :p

Danelliia
June 2nd, 2010, 12:03 PM
I use aloe vera gel mostly, but not really for styling.

zenobia
June 2nd, 2010, 12:15 PM
I use gel or sometimes mousse to bring out my waves. I just got the Herbal Essences Totally Twisted gel and I like it a lot.

Miss Misha
June 2nd, 2010, 12:18 PM
Forgive me, LHC, for I have sinned by using the following:

-- hair spray because I'm growing out my bangs and they're at "drive me crazy" length
-- mousse for special occasions (1-2 times a week)
-- smoothing creme so my braids and buns don't have flyaways and curlies at my nape

I do my penance daily by living under this unruly, baby fine hair.:D

BrightEyes
June 2nd, 2010, 03:49 PM
Oh yes, I use styling products. Without some kind of styling product, my hair is limp, flat and fly away. If I am letting my hair go wavy I use a light gel or mousse. And if I blow dry I use a root lifter and a mousse. I also use serum and hairspray regularly. I don't think there's anything wrong with using styling producst as long as you are washing them out or clarifying occasionally.

LoversLullaby
June 2nd, 2010, 03:54 PM
I use Herbal Essence Totally Twisted gel because if I don't use some kind of cone free gel, my hair looks awful down (I wear it down once every 3 days).

spidermom
June 2nd, 2010, 05:45 PM
Oh - forgot to mention - I also use CHI Silk Infusion. It makes my hair easier to comb and adds shine, so how could I go wrong.

anniemae
June 2nd, 2010, 06:34 PM
Lately, I love Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves Spray. It helps to reduce frizz and also refreshes my waves/curls during the day. Plus, it smells great!!

IcarusBride
June 2nd, 2010, 07:55 PM
I don't. I HAVE some products, but haven't used most of them in months.
I don't think they are OMGSATAN! and going to destroy your hair, though. I just don't really need them, my hair is all pretty much 1 length and not very long or very short.

Athena's Owl
June 2nd, 2010, 08:59 PM
when i get out I use a lot of leave-in conditioner, boots curl creme, and totally twisted gel, plop for a bit in a turbie, and then either clip my roots and "blow-dry" or drape my hair ovre the head of the bed and "blow-dry" while I sleep.

(I use a fan on low speed pointed at my hair from a couple feet away)

dainaleeo2
June 2nd, 2010, 09:33 PM
Well, when i used to wear my hair straight...no true styling products other than a leave in & serum after i straighten...well, that & a heat protectant.

now that i'm trying to abandon heat for the sake of my hair, i've been wearing my insanely frizzy/no true rhythm hair wavy. So i've been using Herbal Essences tousle me softly mousse. but...i'm wondering if that is actually drying my hair out more. it doesn't make my hair feel any softer/more moisturized, but then again my hair is dry as it is.

are those styling products bad? i think it might contain alcohol, & not the good kind. shoot DX
any products anyone would suggest for waves/curly-ish that wouldn't further dry hair?

Kaijah
June 2nd, 2010, 09:50 PM
I use about 8 pounds of leave in/various oils every day. :P In addition to that, when I wear my hair down I'll usually use some gel as well to help combat fluffiness - either homemade flaxseed gel or Herbal Essences gel (the green one, I think Set Me Up or the orange one, Body Envy). I've found those are the only gels I like, that I can easily "scrunch the crunch out" with.

I wash my hair everyday, so second day hair isn't an issue for me. These gels are also some of the only ones that don't give me extra dry/tangly hair (I had issues finding a good cheap gel with no proteins), so it's not too hard for me to just finger detangle and then braid for the night. Sometimes I'll wet my hands a bit, smooth some water over my hair, and then detangle with my hands covered in coconut oil if my hair is feeling particularly dry or tangly after a whole day being down.

teela1978
June 2nd, 2010, 09:58 PM
Oh - forgot to mention - I also use CHI Silk Infusion. It makes my hair easier to comb and adds shine, so how could I go wrong.
I use this too. Lately almost every time I wash, because it makes my hair look really pretty.

HintOfMint
June 2nd, 2010, 11:20 PM
I wasn't aware that conventional hair products were inherently BAD. I figured it had more to do with individual ingredients, and how they mesh with your lifestyle. For example, one avoids cones if one does not want to use an SLS shampoo or does not want to wash her length. I personally avoid drying alcohol for the obvious reason that it really wrecked my hair in the past. But that just rules out products with alcohol, mainly hairspray.


I use Tigi Bedhead Manipulator (waxy, sticky pomade that smells like really synthetic coconut candy which I love), and Giovanni Hairstyling Foam (a texturizing mousse). I am, however, still very much against using products with the drying kind of alcohol in them. The tigi stuff has a little, but it is very low on the list of ingredients.
It's even worse for my bangs. John Frieda frizz ease serum and straightening cream... for the flat iron/blowdrier. Meh, I'm not growing out my bangs anytime soon ;)

A side question for this thread: for those who feel sheepish about using mainstream products, is it because they are bad for your hair, because of environmental issues, because you don't want to feed a morally suspect industry, or for another reason?

yvsa
June 3rd, 2010, 03:16 AM
After I have washed my hair I use some mousse. And sometimes a little bit of hairspray if my bangs are unruly.

Deborah
June 3rd, 2010, 11:03 AM
Katze,

Cut yourself some slack! :flower: You're a new mum! :cheer: I think it's great that you haven't given in to the new mum tendency to just whack that long hair off.

You are doing great! I promise that you are not going to Long Hair Hell for the use of styling products. Relax, enjoy your long hair and kiss that baby!

spidermom
June 3rd, 2010, 11:28 AM
I use this too. Lately almost every time I wash, because it makes my hair look really pretty.

I use it once a week, more or less. The effect seems to last through at least one washing. I love this product!

Capybara
June 3rd, 2010, 01:23 PM
I sometimes use de-tangling spray. If I'm curling my hair for a function, I'll use hairspray.

I used to use heat protectant spray, even when I wasn't blow drying, because it smelled so good! I also used to use a straightening balm, and a frizz serum on humid days. But the balm jusat sat on my hair like glue, and the serum only tamed the frizz for a little while.

I'm currently happily almost product free, other than cleansing/conditioning products :)

Danelliia
June 3rd, 2010, 11:05 PM
A side question for this thread: for those who feel sheepish about using mainstream products, is it because they are bad for your hair, because of environmental issues, because you don't want to feed a morally suspect industry, or for another reason?

For me it's all of the above and more :D

Katze
June 4th, 2010, 02:39 AM
Gel users, how do you do it? Do you brush it out every night and sleep in a braid? Then refresh the next morning with water?

No, I just leave it alone. Braids give me bumps and kinks which are enhanced with gel. unfortunately. When I wake up I usually comb/style my hair (first seeing if I can wear it down). If it is a 'dirty day' like today (day 3 after washing) I sometimes use more product and water to slick it down enough for an updo or a braid.



I use gel or sometimes mousse to bring out my waves. I just got the Herbal Essences Totally Twisted gel and I like it a lot.

Heh, I like that 'bring out my waves' . Yes, I *am* a wavy (I just have gel holding them in place). :D Without gel my hair can be frizzy and bumpy and wispy - with gel I get sexy spiral waves.


Forgive me, LHC, for I have sinned by using the following:

-- hair spray because I'm growing out my bangs and they're at "drive me crazy" length
-- mousse for special occasions (1-2 times a week)
-- smoothing creme so my braids and buns don't have flyaways and curlies at my nape

I do my penance daily by living under this unruly, baby fine hair.:D

Me too, and interesting to see how many 'unruly baby fine hair' people use product. I seriously thought this belonged to the major LHC sins/ nonos (and I personally never use hairspray, except for my wedding, to 'bring out the waves' :D


Well, when i used to wear my hair straight...no true styling products other than a leave in & serum after i straighten...well, that & a heat protectant.

now that i'm trying to abandon heat for the sake of my hair, i've been wearing my insanely frizzy/no true rhythm hair wavy. So i've been using Herbal Essences tousle me softly mousse. but...i'm wondering if that is actually drying my hair out more. it doesn't make my hair feel any softer/more moisturized, but then again my hair is dry as it is.

are those styling products bad? i think it might contain alcohol, & not the good kind. shoot DX
any products anyone would suggest for waves/curly-ish that wouldn't further dry hair?

I never really heat-straightened my hair - the irons were not widely available back in the day, though I did use a curling iron to straighten - then more product.

Are you using leave-in with the mousse? I swear that works wonders for me - I have had to really pick and choose and try a lot of things to find what works for my unruly hair.

I think if your hair gets enough moisture - oilings, deep treatments, leave-ins, misting...then you can combat any adverse effects styling products may use. Heat actually COOKS your hair (you have seen the horror pictures, I assume?) - and I don't think anything you put ON your hair can be as bad as the heat or chemical treatments many of us were used to doing.


Katze,

Cut yourself some slack! :flower: You're a new mum! :cheer: I think it's great that you haven't given in to the new mum tendency to just whack that long hair off.

You are doing great! I promise that you are not going to Long Hair Hell for the use of styling products. Relax, enjoy your long hair and kiss that baby!

Thanks! :)

No way would I whack my hair off - I would just look uglier than I do! But I was really, really tired of the dumpy, messy, matronly bun look as well as my stringy tapered ends so I cut off about 4 inches and got bangs, and now am really enjoying wearing my hair down.

I really thought that product was a LHC no-no, and am pleasantly surprised to see so many other wavy, frizzy, messy, curly-hairs who feel they need to use it too! :D

Denebi
June 4th, 2010, 03:15 AM
I recommend Garnier Fructis mousse with bamboo. I use it without blow drying. And my hair isn't sticky (I hate it when that happens, I want hair that feels natural).

EtherealOde
June 4th, 2010, 03:19 PM
I use Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Aside from that, nothing else that could be called a styling product. I have been thinking lately of trying to find a decent spray for holding updos in smooth shape if I am at something formal, but no purchase so far.

spidermom
June 4th, 2010, 03:59 PM
There are a lot of LHC no-nos and yes-yeses that I violate. Evil doer that I am!