PDA

View Full Version : Help a Curly Girl!



LorelaiAmethyst
December 25th, 2010, 08:12 PM
Hi all!

I've been having a bit of a problem trying to get away from 'cones.

This isn't the first time, and I have usually given up by now, so I thought I'd send out an SOS. Hopefully someone can help.

My normal routine is once a week wash, with Proclaim Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner. I comb the conditioner through, and just leave it in.

I've tried LUSH bars, CV bars, olive oil, coconut oil, Nightshade's Pancea,(totally still using it for the awesome smell!) etc, and nothing really seems to help my hair. Honestly, it grows bigger than ever, with hardly any curl. And my hair's usually curly with 4a curls. For my hair to be slightly wavy, and as frizzy as it would be with nothing in it, my hair isn't happy.

So, I'm asking you guys. What should I do?

Thanks! :D

EbonyCurls
December 25th, 2010, 08:36 PM
For my hair, personally, all of the things you've listed would (and have) weighed my curls down, or clogging up the shaft so that it couldn't absorb moisture properly. The way I hydrate my curls (3b) is water, deep, cone-free conditioner, and a clear alcohol free gel to seal. I find gel to work better as a sealer than oil because it still allows moisture to be added to hair even after it's been applied. It also rinses away fairly easily so there's little build-up.
The oils/waxes in the items you are using might be preventing your hair from being able to absorb "real" moisture (read: WATER), causing the structure to dry/frizz, and possibly break from the inside out.

What I would do:

1) Clarify with a cone-free shampoo (shampoos IMO should not include sealing agents as they could prevent the conditioner from doing its job properly). I use Nature's Gate Tea Tree Calming Shampoo

2) Use a deep, cone and wax-free conditioner and and let it soak under a showercap in a hot shower for at least 5 minutes--always give your hair a chance to drink until it's satisfied. I use Biolage Hydrotherapy in the tub.

3) Use a simple, gentle leave in (no cones, waxes, or tons of oil), water, and clear gel, preferably one that can be reactivated with water. (if you use oils, butters, cones, or waxes to seal, when you go to add water to moisturize, it may be blocking water out as well)

4) Wash, rinse, or add water to your hair more often than you currently are. Water is the universal moisturizer. Those other ingredients for the most part do no contribute to raising the moisture in hair. I find that my curls start to "miss" water at around the 3rd day. Water evaporates from hair and needs to be replenished.

aasiyah
December 25th, 2010, 08:43 PM
hey guys..i dont talk much but read aLOT...

Ebonycurls, I am interested to know what products you use in step 3 and 4 you listed?

Also, does the gel you use (please tell me what it is) not dry out your curls? I miss using gel.

Thanks!

LorelaiAmethyst
December 25th, 2010, 08:53 PM
Thank you! =)

I was just wondering the same thing. :)

You mentioned more water in between washings. My problem is, that as soon as my hair dries, it's just HUGE, which is why I just kept the conditioner in. :rolleyes:

EbonyCurls
December 25th, 2010, 09:18 PM
Hi Aasiyah (love your profile pic btw! pretty curls and color), for my gel I use just about any clear, cone-free medium hold gels.
A list of gels I've had good results from. I rotate from these:

- Aussie gels (Tiz no Frizz is my fave)
- Herbal Essence gels (Set me up and Totally Twisted are my faves)
- Biolage Gelee is my current fave - expensive at $16 - $20/bottle but it lasts almost 1 year for me because you need so little. This one is more like a watery glaze and feels very moisturizing on its own.

I've only had a problem with drying if the gel contains alcohol, lots of oils, cones, or waxes. Or if I use too much or don't use a leave-in conditioner. To answer your question about the leave-in I've been using Giovanni Direct leave-in (from Vitamine Shoppe) for almost 10 years now. I always apply the leave-in to wet hair first, then I apply the gel (about a nicked size to each half of my hair). Most gel dries somewhat hard (but should never be crunchy), all I do is run my hands over my hair to "crack the shell" and it softens right up.

All the gels I listed are pretty good at reactivating, so when I moisturize my hair I really just dampen it with water and scrunch to encourage clumping, and good as new.

EbonyCurls
December 25th, 2010, 09:24 PM
Thank you! =)

I was just wondering the same thing. :)

You mentioned more water in between washings. My problem is, that as soon as my hair dries, it's just HUGE, which is why I just kept the conditioner in. :rolleyes:
Do you use any type of gel or controlling products? I know that when I don't use any styling products it tends to get frizzy. Another thing that might help is to let your hair dry naturally from a sopping wet start.

This might not be appealing or practical for you especially if you have thick hair, but I have fine, thin volume, so it dries in about 2 hours. Water is a good controller and the more water you take away from your hair, the more hectic it might dry.

Conditioner is good to leave it, but I would make sure it's a leave-in that is designed for that purpose.

Copasetic
December 25th, 2010, 09:28 PM
Were cones working for you? If so, why try to get away from them?

LorelaiAmethyst
December 25th, 2010, 09:36 PM
Were cones working for you? If so, why try to get away from them?

One word: buildup.

It got waaaay out of hand about two weeks ago. It just made my scalp so unhappy. My scalp is happier, but my hair, isn't. :?

aasiyah
December 25th, 2010, 09:54 PM
Thanks Ebonycurls, I forgot I even had a pic there I had to go check it haha

Have you ladies tried glycerine? That worked well for me over the summer instead of gel but I think it only works when its humid weather.

My hair loves cones too but Ive been cone free for about 3 years now. The best advice I have for you is to drench your hair in condish when its soaking wet and leave it alone. Ussually the condish is enough for me, but I may try some of these gels listed above in the near future for some extra glossyness

Copasetic
December 25th, 2010, 09:56 PM
One word: buildup.

It got waaaay out of hand about two weeks ago. It just made my scalp so unhappy. My scalp is happier, but my hair, isn't. :?

I see. I hate when the scalp and hair want different things!

Have you tried any water-soluble cones?

LorelaiAmethyst
December 25th, 2010, 09:57 PM
@EbonyCurls

I usually, just leave the conditioner in, and leave it be.

My hair has always dried naturally, unless I straightened it. I'm not the best with hair dryers. :p

My thing was, that with all of the conditioner, it was bothering my scalp.

What are water-soluble cones, and what are some products that have them? =)

Athena's Owl
December 26th, 2010, 12:38 AM
I don't use shampoo at all. I conditioner wash with suave, a very basic cone free conditioner. I do a nice long scrubbing massage to my scalp, rinse thoroughly, massaging under the spray, then I use a thicker conditioner to help me detangle with the shower's water running down my hair. I use conditioner to leave in, applied in smaller sections on really wet hair, so it's on the hair and not necessarily the scalp. I also wet set my curls using gel - flax seed is one I haven't tried yet, but other curlies swear by it.

I'm very careful with it as it's drying. I generally drape my hair over my pillow and sleep - I don't really toss and turn so I can get away with this. when my hair is dry, I smooth my hands over the gelled curls to soften the crunch, and curls stay well formed and frizz free.

I'm also in the midst of a change - I'm experimenting with heavy coconut oilings on pre-wash days to see if it improves my hair over time. but since i've given myself six months to evaluate and I *just* started I can't say how it will turn out.

LorelaiAmethyst
December 26th, 2010, 11:59 AM
I don't use shampoo at all. I conditioner wash with suave, a very basic cone free conditioner. I do a nice long scrubbing massage to my scalp, rinse thoroughly, massaging under the spray, then I use a thicker conditioner to help me detangle with the shower's water running down my hair. I use conditioner to leave in, applied in smaller sections on really wet hair, so it's on the hair and not necessarily the scalp. I also wet set my curls using gel - flax seed is one I haven't tried yet, but other curlies swear by it.

I'm very careful with it as it's drying. I generally drape my hair over my pillow and sleep - I don't really toss and turn so I can get away with this. when my hair is dry, I smooth my hands over the gelled curls to soften the crunch, and curls stay well formed and frizz free.

I'm also in the midst of a change - I'm experimenting with heavy coconut oilings on pre-wash days to see if it improves my hair over time. but since i've given myself six months to evaluate and I *just* started I can't say how it will turn out.


I do the whole draping over the pillow too. =) I find it helps me, because I won't tie it up because I see a little frizz, and that way, my curls don't get smooshed.

flax seed....gel? o.O

3azza
December 26th, 2010, 12:19 PM
I only managed to get rid of siliconed shampoos by skipping the entire step of shampoo and using cone free conditioner. CO worked for me but not at first attempt. i tried it many times before i figured out how to get clean scalp and moisturized hair. Obviously the key was to use tons of conditioner. i buy a gallon and use as much as my hair needs to feel that it is slippery and saturated and detangles easily.
Maybe you would like to moisturize with conditioner more than once per week. My hair could not last soft and neatly curled for more than two days, and i used to wash every other day bach when i used SLS shampoo+conditioner. Now i CO every other day and don't feel guilty about it.
I still have not got rid of silicone completely as my leave-in contains them, but for some reason they don't build up, so i don't feel the need to substitute it.
You just have to keep trying and eventually you'll find the perfect routine.

LorelaiAmethyst
December 26th, 2010, 12:24 PM
I haven't tried CO, but I'm kind of scared about the buildup, and my scalp freaking out on me.

And my hair is frizzing and not curling the day I wash it. It's been drying frizzy and wavy, not curling at all. It looks like I just have braid waves. :(

kteachone
December 26th, 2010, 04:17 PM
http://www.livestrong.com/article/223013-does-flaxseed-oil-help-hair/

Here's a recipe for the gel.

jesis
December 26th, 2010, 07:41 PM
CO has helped my curls a bit, but I have only been doing it a short time. I'm a new curly girl myself (having been a slave to the flat iron for most of my life). Anyways naturallycurly.com can offer you a lot of help. That's where I went (and still go, sometimes) before I came to LHC.

When I was using coconut oil (for a very short time) after showering, I noticed I had a lot of buildup and my curls were frizzier, and also they tangled more easily. I quickly removed that from my hair routine.

I've noticed that some of the things I put in my hair that weigh it down at the scalp make the rest frizzier. I think it just might have something to do with using TOO MUCH.

You should try a more lightweight conditioner, maybe CO. Then, like others have said, try gel. From what I've seen, yes you can make your own. But also, you can put it in your hair on day 1 and then just get your curls wet for the next few days with water and not put anything in them. They will maintain their shape.

LorelaiAmethyst
December 28th, 2010, 04:07 PM
Do you ladies have any kinds of conditioner you'd recommend? Once I can get to whole foods, I'd like to try the flax seed oil gel. =)

Is it similar to the Aloe vera gel? Because that had no effect on my hair at all. :(

julierockhead
September 8th, 2011, 11:55 AM
http://www.livestrong.com/article/223013-does-flaxseed-oil-help-hair/

Here's a recipe for the gel.

Thanks for the link! The article says it can be refrigerated for up to a week. There must be a way of preserving this better (and at room temp), anybody try anything to do so?

dulce
September 8th, 2011, 11:58 AM
I have waist length curly hair and my hair loves cones!!It does not do as well with other products,if it works for you why stop? I have used them for years and it never damaged my hair only made it better.