Curly & Wurly girls, I need support :-(

[MoonLover]

So I've been taking pretty good care of my hair since joining the lhc. Even before then I'd been avoiding regular hair products, shampoo/conditioner, most heat, etc.

But still, my hair had never been "neat." It continues to look as if it's always traveling through different states of disarray if I leave it down for more than 15 minutes. It looks okay in double braids or a cinnabun but I'm getting tired of those looks. I want to leave my hair down once in awhile and look nice.

My current routine is to soak my roots and ends in a pot of tea, then CO/detangle and then put on argan or coconut/jbco. I've tried moisturizing cremes by themselves and with oils on the ends. I've made my own flax gel (that was okay but not great), I've tried putting nothing in my hair, I've tried honey masks, deep oilings, deep conditioning packets. I also sleep on satin and almost never use hair elastics anymore except on the ends of braids. Oh and I henna every month and henna gloss a couple of times each month. Al of these things have improved the health of my hair somewhat but I've never had really beautiful hair.

My hair looks very pretty when it's about 75% dry but after that it's just a mess. I've been considering doing a brazilian blowout treatment or japanese straightening. I've researching these treatments and know they may really damage my hair but there is a possibility that I will have really beautiful frizz-free hair.

How many of you curlies or wurlies have done these things and regretted it? How many of you have loved it? And how many of you believe I should suck it up and stay natural?

[whitestiletto]

Did you see hte post about using filtered water only and the difference it makes?
Seems like youve tried a lot of things.

I would avoid doing a treatment like that if it was me... Because you will have to maintain it, and you'll just get more frustrated with the grow-out that's different. Same as people get frustrated with roots and slowly go insane.

[Kaijah]

Let me just say, I've felt that pain. Especially in the super humid summer when the frizz monster is lurking about. :grouphug:

I know the brazilian/keratin type treatments seem tempting, but don't forget it's just a lot of damage. Your hair might look okay for awhile, but it will start to show as splits and breakage eventually. Your scalp can get burned during this type of chemical treatment, too, and cause bald spots or overall hair loss. You can get formaldehyde poisoning. And it's not like your hair will stop growing in curly, so you'd have to redo it regularly. Try looking for actual, real life people that have done those treatments to see how it affected them long term - any place trying to sell them to you is just full of glossed over facts and Photoshop.

So, basically, I'm saying it's probably best to suck it up and stay natural, and figure out what works for your hair in the long run. :pinktongue:

Your washing routine sounds fine to me, but I'm curious - how much stuff do you leave in? That makes far and away the biggest difference on my hair. Leave in conditioner. ACTUAL conditioner, don't worry about buying a special paltry leave in product, and leave in lots. Tablespoons. Really. As much as your hair can take. Then put a little oil on over that to seal in moisture, and see how your hair looks.

If you find you still need more definition/hold, start looking at gels. I see you tried FSG, but have you tried aloe gel? Have you tried combining both of them together? If fsg/aloe is too light a hold, start looking at commercial gels - Biotera gel is nice, it doesn't damage hair and the ingredients wash out with cowashing.

I find putting on lots of leave in (I use Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose), then some oil (I use coconut), then the gel is the best process.

Lots of curlies need more than just a little oil! Have you ever spent time looking around on Curl Talk (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/)? They're much more conventional product oriented than here, but the info is invaluable.

And don't forget, it's a process to rehydrate parched curls. I'd say it took AT LEAST 6 months of consistent, hardcore conditioning and good treatment for my hair to look nice on a regular basis. I still have off days, but it's gotten a lot better.

[virgo75]

I sooo understand your frustrations. :grouphug:

2nd Kaijah's recs especially using a leave-in.

Also, I almost never let my hair air dry and curl up how it does naturally. My hair is so fine that it won't even hold it's own natural curl pattern. :rolleyes:

So I use a leave-in and put it into several braids and leave it alone until it's 100% dry. I might take it down to let a little more air to it and help it to dry faster, but if I leave it out to dry it fluffs up and frizzes. I always re-braid and keep it braided until dry. But once it's 100% dry it looks ok.

About the treatments: since your hair is F/M it's possible that even with the treatment your hair will still be a bit frizzy and fly away. I used to get my hair straightened but because it's so fine it still looked fluffy and frizzy. Finally, summer is a really bad time to make a permanent hair decision about curly hair. Our hair can be more difficult at this time than any other time of the year. I would wait it out and see if you hair does better during the other seasons before making a decision.

[spidermom]

It really-really-really helps to define the texture and keep it from floofing out into frizz if you use something like aloe vera gel, styling gel (look for a moisturizing formula), or curl-enhancing cream. Except for the AVG, yes - those products don't really fit in with your all-natural routine. BUT neither does Brazilian blow-out (which uses formaldehyde) or Japanese straightening. Work with your curls; the long-term results will be better. As mentioned, your hair is going to keep growing in curly, and straight, fried ends on curly hair isn't very attractive.

[GRU]

Have you ever evaluated what "curly hair" really looks like? Are you okay with curly hair on other people, or do you hate the way it looks on everyone?

I find we're much harder on ourselves than everyone else.... we just see our hair differently when it's on our own head.

Without seeing pics of what you're dealing with, it's hard for me to give much advice. But have you tried a combination of gel mixed with oil as a leave-in? Have you tried full-on conditioner as a leave-in? And are you leaving your hair completely alone as it dries?

Another idea for different styles -- do you do half-ups? I find that half-ups are a great way to "tame" the front part of my hair (the part I see when I look in the mirror) while still allowing my curls to be free down my back.

[MoonLover]

Thank you all for replying!

Since I have yet to figure out multi-quoting I guess I'll have to go old school-

whitestiletto: I did read the filtered water post and it is an interesting idea but I can't do that with my showerhead since we have a double headed one. I wonder if I got one of those brita pitchers and used that as a last rinse it would be good?

Kaijah: thanks for the hug :-) I will definitely try leaving in actual conditioner instead of my moisturizing creme afterwards. And thanks for reminding me about the damage, I need to keep hearing it because when I see those photoshopped pictures logic starts to fail me.

virgo75: I think we have similar hair because the finer part of my hair looses curl as soon as it dries and just fluffs up! And you're totally right about the summer being the worst time to make such a big decision. I think I'm just feeling frustrated with the frizzies. I've done the drying in braids thing but I guess I get impatient and let them out before they're 100% dry. Then I'm back to that undefined "curl" fluffiness I hate. I will be more patient this time :-)

spidermom: You're right about those chemicals not fitting in with my natural routine and I think it's crazy too. I won't even use shampoo but I was willing to do that? Maybe I should submit to regular gel. It can't be that bad.

GRU: I hope this isn't creepy but I've admired your hair for months now! I do love curly hair but my curly hair has never been well formed and frizz free. I will try gel and oil as a leave in and full on conditioner as everyone suggested. I try not to touch it as it dries and I usually even tie a satin scarf on like a cape so my hair only touches that as it dries. But it only makes a small difference. Also, half up half down doesn't work well for me. The down part is the part that gets terrible tangles when I leave my hair down.


Tonight I will try my flax gel with oil and braid into four braids and not touch until the morning when they are dry. Next wash I will try to leave my conditioner on and see how that goes. Thanks for the support!

[Tigermama]

Perhaps letting your hair dry in twists could give you some frizz free definition. Sounds like you are definitely on the right track with using natural methods! Every time I try chemicals I do regret it. Have you ever used a pomade? If you can get a cone free, all natural one, it moisturizes and holds. I like to take a tiny bit and coat very small sections from the crown to end. Literally 1/20 the size of a pea can do the whole head. I do about 50 small sections every time I wash, I gives me ringlets. You could try it in addition to leaving conditioner in. I splurged on the long hair lover's brand a while back. One tin should last years! After lightly coating the strands, I put all my hair into two twists and let it dry. This replaces my need for a hairdryer to get nice curls.

[sycamoreboutiqu]

Moonlover

Read the Oil Shampoo thread, might be something that works for you.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=65063&highlight=movie+star+method

I too have wavy hair that is thick and can be very annoying when it frizzes and tangles (I am just beyond waist now). There were days where I wasn't sure I was going to continue growing it because the tangling issue was so bad. You can see in some of the earlier pics in my album that it is rather rough looking.

I like the waves, but when they don't have smoothness and definition I hate them.

But - that all changed (permanently I believe) when I tried the MOM (Movie Star Method) of adding coconut oil to shampoo. For me the results were much better than using oils before or after shampooing - and I believe the theory behind this method is sound - it is working for me, in spades.

My hair now has actual slip and movement, whereas it used to just move in one big mass. It also now has "drape", where it actually flows when I swish it around, AND doesn't tangle.

I am in heaven.

You have to try it and see.

[Vani1902]

I understand your frustration. I used to feel that way. After a while, I just learned that curly, or kinky, hair has a mind of its own. She is rebellious. Maybe its just a matter of accepting that rebellion. From your album, I can tell that you have very beautiful hair. It could also be that you are being too hard on yourself. Growing up with curly hair you are taught that the ideal is straight (at least I was taught that way). We are also taught that in order for hair to be considered "healthy" or "desirable" it has to look like the hair in a Pantene commercial, which is not true.
I have done straightening treatments and regretted it ALWAYS. Those treatments are damaging to not only your hair but your body. And, they are a pain to maintain. And, they cost money. I agree with some of the posts. Your hair will grow out curly anyways. Just work with it.
Your hair is beautiful, don't worry so much about it. :)

[MoonLover]

So yesterday when I woke up and unbraided my hair it looked pretty good. It stayed nice through most of the day but then towards the end it started t fall apart. Fluffy bits started to separate from their curls and it became messy again. It didn't tangle which is great but I'd still like it to look well formed.

Tigermama: I do have some natural pomade and I will try twists. The few times I used it made my hair oily looking and it didn't hold like I thought pomade should. I will try again though with much much less!

sycamoreboutiqu: I've been thinking about ktani's oil shampoo method but I haven't convinced myself to go back to shampooing yet. I do have some old aubrey organics shampoo that I wouldn't mind using so maybe I should give it a shot. Which shampoo do you use with it?

I too have gotten that feeling of wanting to chop it all off because of tangles- and I have in the past. My brother just found a video he took of me in hs chopping off my ponytail because I couldn't take detangling anymore. That wasn't the last time that happened either! But not that I'm armed with better hair care techniques and my dearly beloved tangle teezer, I won't be doing that again.

Vani1902: Thank you for the sweet compliments! I actually did not grow up thinking that straight was the ideal. In spite of battles with my mother over brushing my rat's nest of hair, she always made me feel that curly was great. My grandmother made my mother feel that her straight, flat hair was terrible and so my Mom made sure that I didn't feel bad about my hair.

I guess I'm just hard on myself because I do see women with beautiful, neat, luscious curly hair and I don't know why mine can't be that way. I know it's possible so why isn't it happening? But you're right, I would rather have this crazy mess than regretting chemical treatments. At least that's what I keep telling myself :p

[chahuahuas]

If all else fails, maybe you could try embracing your messy, non-neat hair. Natural hair textures are VERY in right now.

I did a quick google search for frizzy street style, and this is what I got:

http://www.realbeauty.com/cm/realbeauty/images/LH/rby-street-style-beauty-IMG_9764-de.jpg
^^^This woman's curls are nowhere near neat, and she has little frizzies coming from everywhere. I think she looks very stylish and pretty with her messy hair!

http://cdn.static.telepixtv.com/photos/essencegallery2/system/images/gallery/000/755/903/full/sslwb-269.jpg
^^^This woman's hair is wild, and she just rolls with it. Her's looks fun!

http://cdn.static.telepixtv.com/photos/essencegallery2/system/images/gallery/000/755/573/full/ssaag-73.jpg
^^^I think this woman found a nice mix between sophisticated and playful with her hair.

http://files.clubplanet.com/SiteFiles/ArticleImages/3014/Paulina%20Rubio.jpg
^^^This woman's hair is wild and sexy!

[chahuahuas]

I forgot to add, I think embracing longer curls is easier with layered styles. Layers help your hair to curl evenly all over, so it isn't flat on top and frizzy on bottom.

At least as long as the layers are put in by a stylist experienced with curls! I've had an inexperienced stylist give me a mullet from the layers (the short sections curled up a ton, and the long section stayed flat and straight, it was terrible :()

[MoonLover]

My hair is closest to the first picture but a bit more flyaway/frizzy. I really wish I had the second link's hair! I want a mane ;)

I do have layers and they've helped with the flow of the hair. Last year was the only year I didn't have layers in my hair, I think almost ever. Once when I was very young a hair dresser told my Mom that layers would make less tangles- so then she always had my hair cut in layers. Luckily I've never had a mullet. I think I would cry and then chop off the long ones myself LoL What did you do about it?

[chahuahuas]

I was pretty young, I don't remember what I did about to it to be honest! It's like that in my freshman year of high school yearbook picture :p. I probably wore it up all the time, since I didn't know what to do with it at the time.

[Lollipop]

Thank you all for replying!

spidermom: You're right about those chemicals not fitting in with my natural routine and I think it's crazy too. I won't even use shampoo but I was willing to do that? Maybe I should submit to regular gel. It can't be that bad.




If you want to keep using only natural products, you can experiment with aloe vera gel or try making your own flaxseed gel

[Copasetic]

There's no reason that you should avoid "regular" products. If your hair is not reacting well on your current routine, that's a sign that you need to change it up! I would definitely suggest a traditional gel to help control your hair. Giovanni direct leave in is also great to define and control hair when it is dry.

[Bellona]

I seem to always have dullness and lots of frizz no matter what I do. Straightening irons seem to amplify the dullness while getting rid of frizz, and blow drying just turns me into a poufy head. Oiling helps a bit, but I haven't found an oil my hair really likes yet. The best thing I've found, honestly, is CO-ing and then using some garnier fructis curl cream or regular body lotion. I don't know what it is about lotion, but it seems much lighter than gel and oil and doesn't make my hair crunchy or greasy (unless I go overboard, but it still is much, much harder to do than with oil). My brother has extremely bouncy, beautiful curly dark hair, and I got this in the middle frizz fest, of course, but he's the one that started using lotion to tame his curls. His hair looked so good that I started using his trick. I'm still more wurly than curly, but it seems to work!

[dulce]

Those treatments can damage your hair so much you may have to cut it all off in the future as some people on this forum discovered.Use the long hair forum principles-check the curly hair threads here and get "the curly hair hand book" which is sold at bookstores.Work with your hair,accept, it instead of fighting it.I have curly layered waist hair prone to frizz if I don't treat it right so I feel your pain.All my life I fought the frizz and curls[wanted straight hair!],till the last two years I learned to like my curls and work with them.By keeping my hair really moisturized I have lost a lot of frizz..It's so much healthier,cheaper and less time consuming to work with the hair you have instead of a daily battle to change it to something it's not. Too bad it took me almost 40 years to discover that.

[lacefrost]

So yesterday when I woke up and unbraided my hair it looked pretty good. It stayed nice through most of the day but then towards the end it started t fall apart. Fluffy bits started to separate from their curls and it became messy again. It didn't tangle which is great but I'd still like it to look well formed.

It sounds like your hair is responding to the humidity. If you're using any humectants (honey, glycerine) they will make your hair respond to humidity more. Are you certain your hair isn't dry? That's when mine fluffs up the most.

If you want super defined hair, the Tightly Curly method may work for you. It's a bit time consuming, but you can't say her hair ain't defined: http://www.tightlycurly.com/technique/curlyprimer

[MoonLover]

If you want to keep using only natural products, you can experiment with aloe vera gel or try making your own flaxseed gel

Flaxseed was okay but it didn't hold beyond the first day. I should try an aloe/flax mix one day maybe.



The best thing I've found, honestly, is CO-ing and then using some garnier fructis curl cream or regular body lotion. I don't know what it is about lotion, but it seems much lighter than gel and oil and doesn't make my hair crunchy or greasy (unless I go overboard, but it still is much, much harder to do than with oil).

You're right about lotion. I still have one I have to use up but afterwards I will the garnier fructis one. I've always wanted to try their products but I've been on this minimalist natural kick for so long it's like I've forgotten what's out there.


Work with your hair,accept, it instead of fighting it.

This is very true. I'm definitely not going to chemically straighten my hair. I just have to try new things. I've seen the curly handbook but didn't have enough time to read it in the bookstore. I will try again if I can find a bookstore. All the Borders Bookstores around my are closing :-(


It sounds like your hair is responding to the humidity. If you're using any humectants (honey, glycerine) they will make your hair respond to humidity more. Are you certain your hair isn't dry? That's when mine fluffs up the most.

If you want super defined hair, the Tightly Curly method may work for you. It's a bit time consuming, but you can't say her hair ain't defined: http://www.tightlycurly.com/technique/curlyprimer

I went through most of her site after I saw your post and yes, that is a lot of work! Maybe I'll try it for a special occasion but it's too much for daily wear.

Have you tried leaving conditioner in your hair? How does that actually work? I feel like my hair would never dry if that happened and I'd be super-drippy for hours.

Also, I love your hair! I wish I had that much volume!

[MoonLover]

There's no reason that you should avoid "regular" products. If your hair is not reacting well on your current routine, that's a sign that you need to change it up! I would definitely suggest a traditional gel to help control your hair. Giovanni direct leave in is also great to define and control hair when it is dry.


And so I finally gave in- I'm using regular gel now, for the first time since high school :p

It's been pretty good. After washing, I put in a moisturizing lotion, then gel, then more moisture and oil on then ends. Then either air dry or into braids.


My hair has been looking better than it has in a looooong time so thank you ALL for your suggestions:hifive:

[DarkSky]

Moonlover great to hear! What are the product names. I am where you were back when you first posted this thread. I've been trying to embrace my natural hair. So far it's kind of working. I have good days and really bad days. LOL! The good days are what makes me keep going. BTW one thing I am finding that works somewhat consistently is to use tons of condish, rinse with cold water then add more condish. Towel my hair (with a special curly girl hair towel) when its in a loose bun to get rid of excess water but at the same time keeping my individual hair strands together. I keep the towel on while I get dressed . I then gently brush out my hair, organize my part and twist the top layers of my hair around my finger. This makes drop curls that dry nicely and somewhat organized. My hair has layers and a mix of wurls and curls... so it has a great potential to look wild and crazy LOL.

[MoonLover]

@DarkSky: I use some Argan moisturizing lotion but I don't think it's a particularly great one. The gel I use is the cheapest one I could find in Rite Aid, which happened to be Queen Helen.

What kind of towel is for curly girls?

I've been using an old t-shirt and sometimes I put a microfiber tower on top of that if I want it to dry faster (which I usually don't because if it starts to dry with no products in it, it will definitely be frizzy.)

I find that cold rinses help somewhat too as do beer rinses!

[carmenvanessa]

I have always had rebellious hair, and I hated it for a long time due to my incorrect perception of 'beautiful hair'. I have started to embrace my texture and love my curly wurls thanks to LHC. Using all natural shampoo and conditioner followed by an ACV rinse helps keep my hair soft and frizz free. I use a tshirt to 'scrunch' excess water and then keep a tshirt on my back to let my hair drip dry. Be patient and don't try to force your hair to dry, that causes frizz and breaks apart curls. I keep a small spray bottle with me that has a mix of water, rose water, and AVG to refresh my hair during the day. Most people I know with straight hair say they wish their hair had more texture and looked different everyday... so love your crazy hair because it's truly beautiful!!!

[Oksana]

I've done the brazilian blowout route and my only advise is.... DO NOT GO THERE!

I have had to cut off a collective 5 inches of hair in the last 8 months because it literally fried my hair. It made it poker straight which i thought was fantastic for a few weeks until the damage started. Plus.. 8 months on i still haven't got my natural curl pattern back. :(

[DarkSky]

@DarkSky: I use some Argan moisturizing lotion but I don't think it's a particularly great one. The gel I use is the cheapest one I could find in Rite Aid, which happened to be Queen Helen.

What kind of towel is for curly girls?

I've been using an old t-shirt and sometimes I put a microfiber tower on top of that if I want it to dry faster (which I usually don't because if it starts to dry with no products in it, it will definitely be frizzy.)

I find that cold rinses help somewhat too as do beer rinses!

THis is the towel.. I found it!!! It was years since I bought it and completely forgot the name till I did a google search. http://www.curlease.com/

BTW about beer rinses. Does any beer work? Do you do it as a final rinse step? Im just imagining hair that smells like beer :) LOL. I know beer works though because I have a Lush shampoo called Cynthia Stout and it is amazing at controlling the frizzies.

[MoonLover]

... so love your crazy hair because it's truly beautiful!!!

yes yes yes!


I've done the brazilian blowout route and my only advise is.... DO NOT GO THERE!

I have had to cut off a collective 5 inches of hair in the last 8 months because it literally fried my hair. It made it poker straight which i thought was fantastic for a few weeks until the damage started. Plus.. 8 months on i still haven't got my natural curl pattern back. :(

That's so much! Five inches takes a long time for us curlies- or it takes longer to show. I'm sorry that happened and thank for telling me. It's better that I learn from your experience than to have to go through it myself.



THis is the towel.. I found it!!! It was years since I bought it and completely forgot the name till I did a google search. http://www.curlease.com/

BTW about beer rinses. Does any beer work? Do you do it as a final rinse step? Im just imagining hair that smells like beer :) LOL. I know beer works though because I have a Lush shampoo called Cynthia Stout and it is amazing at controlling the frizzies.

I've done a few different types of beers but noticed that lagers and stouts work best. After I condition, I pour the flat beer through my hair, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse well with cool-ish water. I never smell like beer afterwards and my hair has never been sticky either. Juts softer and nicer.

[princessp]

CWC, leave ins, and oil have all helped my hair. But another thing is to braid your hair directly after washing. I find when I take my hair out of the braids it is tamer and has a more consistent braid wave rather than corkscrew crazy + frizz. If I let it do its thing it is a bit overwhelming at times.

One last thing. It has taken me 38 years to learn that my hair is a little "different". It won't ever behave like those straight shiny heads of hair that I so adore. So while learning about methods that work are very important it is also important to love your natural hair and have some compassion towards its crazy lawless ways. :)

[longcurlygirl<3]

I recommend a leave in [I <3 Kinky-curly knot today, it is expensive[$12] at target, but a little goes a long way even in my mbl curls, it moisturizes and keeps knots out for 2 days :)] A moisturizing conditioner like GVP biolage condtioner the knock-off at sally's for $6. Try a trim, my hair was like that for months til I got a two inch trim and my curls went pretty again. You say you do flaxseed gel so do I, but can you tell me your recipe? Because that helps define mine greatly. My hair is better with a CG gel, I am loving Nutra curl so far. Check my experimenting album to see the routine and how my curls came out if you wish.

I say keep natural, it is hard to find the "right routine" but keep trying because straighting/kertain stuff seems pretty at first, but the damage it terrible after, and you may miss your curls [trust me I know]. We all are here to support you if you ever need it :).

[GRU]

One last thing. It has taken me 38 years to learn that my hair is a little "different". It won't ever behave like those straight shiny heads of hair that I so adore. So while learning about methods that work are very important it is also important to love your natural hair and have some compassion towards its crazy lawless ways. :)

You're a skosh brighter than I am.... took me 40+ years to learn that!

[MoonLover]

CWC, leave ins, and oil have all helped my hair. But another thing is to braid your hair directly after washing. I find when I take my hair out of the braids it is tamer and has a more consistent braid wave rather than corkscrew crazy + frizz. If I let it do its thing it is a bit overwhelming at times.

One last thing. It has taken me 38 years to learn that my hair is a little "different". It won't ever behave like those straight shiny heads of hair that I so adore. So while learning about methods that work are very important it is also important to love your natural hair and have some compassion towards its crazy lawless ways. :)

A few days ago I dutch braided it right out of the shower for an interview and left it in until the next morning. When I took it out it was soooooo pretty! I thought it would be weird because I smoothed down the top and sides severely with a bbb and gel but it didn't look bad at all. I think I will always do this from now on. I used to do two braids but it didn't have the same effect.

And yes, lawless hair it so true!


I recommend a leave in [I <3 Kinky-curly knot today, it is expensive[$12] at target, but a little goes a long way even in my mbl curls, it moisturizes and keeps knots out for 2 days :)] A moisturizing conditioner like GVP biolage condtioner the knock-off at sally's for $6. Try a trim, my hair was like that for months til I got a two inch trim and my curls went pretty again. You say you do flaxseed gel so do I, but can you tell me your recipe? Because that helps define mine greatly. My hair is better with a CG gel, I am loving Nutra curl so far. Check my experimenting album to see the routine and how my curls came out if you wish.

I say keep natural, it is hard to find the "right routine" but keep trying because straighting/kertain stuff seems pretty at first, but the damage it terrible after, and you may miss your curls [trust me I know]. We all are here to support you if you ever need it :).

I just saw that in Target yesterday and I wasn't sure if I should buy it. When I'm done with what I have now, that's on the top of my list as well as or instead of KCCC. Have you tried it? If so which is makes a bigger difference?

I peeked in your album and hair hair is so thick and pretty! I want it :)

[curlsgalore]

I recommend a leave in at target, but a little goes a long way even in my mbl curls, it moisturizes and keeps knots out for 2 days :)] A moisturizing conditioner like GVP biolage condtioner the knock-off at sally's for $6. Try a trim, my hair was like that for months til I got a two inch trim and my curls went pretty again. You say you do flaxseed gel so do I, but can you tell me your recipe? Because that helps define mine greatly. My hair is better with a CG gel, I am loving [I]Nutra curl so far. Check my experimenting album to see the routine and how my curls came out if you wish.

I say keep natural, it is hard to find the "right routine" but keep trying because straighting/kertain stuff seems pretty at first, but the damage it terrible after, and you may miss your curls [trust me I know]. We all are here to support you if you ever need it :).
Where do you find the Nutra curl gel?

[patienceneeded]

I found a gel at Whole Foods called Beautiful Curls Shea Butter Moisturizing Gel and it's made by Alaffia. Alaffia products are fair trade, vegan, biodegradable, handmade. I've used this gel a few times now and I LOVE it. It doesn't get crunchy either, I only use about a quarter-sized amount. It was a little spendy ($11-12) but it's a decent amount and will last a long time. Plus, I don't mind the cost when it is to support this kind of company.

http://www.alaffia.com/

Like many other people here, I do leave some of my conditioner from the shower in my hair. I also apply a little bit of oil (Argan) right after showering. I add the gel and let it dry! This is what I do when I'm planning on wearing it down and want to make my curls more stand-out and defined. I braid my hair to calm it down for straighter days or if I shower at night. Oh, I CO wash, no shampoo unless it is diluted and my hair needs it. No sulfates or cones. My hair has never been happier!

[GRU]

I found a gel at Whole Foods called Beautiful Curls Shea Butter Moisturizing Gel and it's made by Alaffia. Alaffia products are fair trade, vegan, biodegradable, handmade. I've used this gel a few times now and I LOVE it. It doesn't get crunchy either, I only use about a quarter-sized amount. It was a little spendy ($11-12) but it's a decent amount and will last a long time. Plus, I don't mind the cost when it is to support this kind of company.

http://www.alaffia.com/


Oooooooh, they have online sales now!!! The last time I was on the site, they had info about their product but no online purchase method. Hmmmmmm .... :eyebrows: