View Full Version : Those with fine, 1c/2a hair, what do you use?
Nenwing
November 19th, 2010, 03:33 PM
Those of you who have very fine (each strand is very fine), 1c/2a (not quite wavy, but not quite straight either!) hair, what do you use for shampoo or conditioner and what do you find works best?
Do you use shampoo/conditioner with cones, or without cones and why?
What do you find helps your hair "be nice"?
I pretty much just shampoo and sometimes use conditioner. I find I have to be careful to not overload on conditioner or it makes my hair very flat/lifeless.
I am not sure, but I think cones might help make my hair a bit more straighter and shiny, though I haven't really experimented enough to know the difference.
littlenvy
November 20th, 2010, 07:14 AM
For most part my hiar looks great on cones... that is until they build up and totally dry out my hair. So I don't use them anymore.
I do know what you mean about conditioner making the hair flat and too heavy. I had that before and I do believe it had to do with cones or maybe protein and build up because I don't find that anymore. Even if I do a heavy conditoner treatment by hair is soft and bouncy.
Now I oil my hair before I wash (usually 2 hours or more before) then wash with a SLS free shampoo (or which ever method I'm experimenting with LOL) rinse with water/lime rinse or ACV.
Once my hair is half dry I usually take a very small amout of shea butter and spread it on my palms and 'sadwich' my ends between my hands and run them down my hair. That takes any wave away and makes my hair totally 1a.
lapushka
November 20th, 2010, 08:17 AM
Do you use shampoo/conditioner with cones, or without cones and why?
Shampoo without cones, definitely. Any shampoo with cones makes my hair feel greasy at the roots a day after it's been washed. It weighs it down too much too.
What do you find helps your hair "be nice"?
Conditioner, not too much, not too rich and not too close to the roots; the farther away from them, the better. Preferably one without cones, otherwise it weighs my hair down too much. I still find that it's a fine line between flyaway fluffy hair and hair that's been weighed down too much with products that are too heavy. I'd rather go for lighter products, then if my hair's still too fluffy, there's always leave-in or some cone serum, or curl cream to weigh it down slightly, but not too much. That to me is the easiest solution.
Nenwing
November 20th, 2010, 12:52 PM
I too cannot use conditioner too close to my scalp, or after it dries it still looks greasy!
I think I am liking cones, they do make my hair really smooth and soft, but I will have to be on the lookout for buildup or signs of it drying out.
Anje
November 20th, 2010, 01:18 PM
I'm pretty much CO. If I use shampoo, every baby hair decides it's going to look 3ish for the day and frizzes out. (My hairs seem to start out as 3 when they first grow, then after a few inches of growth they settle down to 1c/2aish.)
pepperminttea
November 20th, 2010, 02:18 PM
I'm a 2A and only a half-fine-y, but it's the big half, so I hope you don't mind me answering. :o
Do you use shampoo/conditioner with cones, or without cones and why?
I use one without 'cones. 'Cones weigh my hair down (not in the good way), and they really dry out my ends, as well as making my hair oily a lot faster if I use them on my scalp. I've been experimenting recently seeing if I could use a cone-y serum, just on the length, after using SMT as conditioner. It worked nicely the first time - shine, easier to detangle, dried a lot faster - but after a second time, it was dry to the point of breaking at the ends, even with the help of some coconut oil. :( I do love what 'cones do for the tangles, and I might use them when I'm maintaining my length and trimming more often, but during growing they're not worth it for me.
Incidentally, I do still use a dirt cheap sulphate shampoo - with hard water and an oily scalp, I've had to return to it, but I don't do the length (CWC).
What do you find helps your hair "be nice"?
The 'cone-y serum, sadly. Oils help a lot too; Nightblooming's Triple Moon Oil is lovely and light, I use four drops for a light oiling and it works really well (if you've less thickness/length, you probably could get away with two). I find coconut oil too heavy for a wear-down oiling, but it does nice things for me when I use it as a pre-wash. SMT is normally my holy grail hair-wise too.
Combing (with a wooden comb), not brushing - much less frizz. My silk pillowcase - less night frizz/tangles/matting, less combing in the morning... it all adds up. :) Quite an extravagance, especially when I actually prefer a cotton pillowcase comfort-wise, but given the difference it's made I won't be switching back.
Updos, not forgetting the trusty sleep braid. So much less damage!
One notable half-failure half-success - a boar bristle brush. Smoothes my roots nicely into updos, but if I use it on the length it's a recipe for frizz, tangles and breakage.
Eireann
November 20th, 2010, 03:01 PM
ACV rinse has become my new saviour!
ETA: My stats say I'm a 2b, but that was when it was shorter. Now I'm more 1c/2a, but I can't seem to edit my profile. :)
Kamama
November 20th, 2010, 05:34 PM
I started reading about avoiding conditioners with cones, and then realized I was already, since I love Suave Coconut conditioner. I also use the shampoo 2-3 times per week, since I have been stretching washes since discovering LHC and its wonderful information.
When I want to roller set, I have been using Feria Conditioner, which I am sure has tons of cones; I really like how smooth my hair looks when I combine the two. I do this maybe once weekly or less. ( I really like the tone of this forum, helpful, not hyper-critical--allowing new people to honestly share too!).
I can only stretch washes to every other day so far, and maybe at all. This is blowing my mind, since I have washed my hair daily since the 4th grade! I really think that a month of more conditioning and less washing is allowing my waves to appear.
It is great to read about what products work for people with hair similar to mine. I think I got my hair from my father, but he was not really helpful on sharing hair care tips!
rusika1
November 20th, 2010, 07:11 PM
Hah! I knew these were on here somewhere! As it turns out, it's very difficult to successfully search for '1c/2a' and 'fine' :D
Hope these help. (And this time, I'm bookmarking them!)
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=54163&highlight=1c%2F2a+fine
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=30006&highlight=1c%2F2a+fine
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=36484
Lize
November 21st, 2010, 10:20 AM
Sounds a bit like my hair. I have just now begun to understand that I have some waves in it. It's basically starightish hair that gets really frizzy. *lol* Somewhere I read that "frizz is just a curl waiting to happen" so I thought that I might have some waves. My hair is fine too.
I use LOTS of conditioner. I mostly CO and also use regular conditioner as leave in. I towel dry my hair after washing (gently squeezing), then I scrunch some conditioner or hair treatment into it as a leave in, which leaves me with nice waves at least in the front. That is instead of a frizzy thin looking mess that my layers usually are. Also I have stopped combing my hair if I plan to wear it down, it just gets fluffy if I do.
I also use some coconut oil on the length every day.
Nenwing
November 21st, 2010, 10:34 AM
I too find I can't really stretch washings too far or my scalp will look super greasy. I can pretty much only get away with every other day.
Thank you for the links rusika1 !
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