Grow out or cut short?

[Hollyfire3]

So, i've been considering this for a while. My hair is naturally curly, thick and big, when it is shorter (above bsl) But, as my hair has gotten longer, the curls have dissapeared to loose waves at times. My hair is still thick so i don't have to worry there but I am worried my curls will not come back. I went over on protein treatment for months and am just now coming back with "some" wave in my hair (just got most of my thickness back from the sticky, tangly protein mess) I don't know if i should cut my hair shorter and start over, taking care not to ruin the curls or if i should continue to grow my hair, except my sometimes waves and be happy my hair is long and thick or, i am asking if anyone here has a way to define curls in long hair. I know they are there! They just don't like me.. . .

[Nadiner]

I don't have defined curly hair myself, but a girl in my class has the most beautiful waist length ringlet curls. I have picked up from other posters before that as their hair grows longer, the nature of the hair changes. Someone who thought they had poker straight hair has discovered waves etc when it gets to a certain length. I think if you are more concerned about your curls then your growth, you could just cut your hair. Or instead of doing a thick chop you could gradually cut back until your waves become defined again, and try and preserve them from there. Other options may be to change your hair care routine such as changing to CO wash, as this seems to bring out curlier hair also.

Hope I could help (: good luck.

[Hollyfire3]

I don't have defined curly hair myself, but a girl in my class has the most beautiful waist length ringlet curls. I have picked up from other posters before that as their hair grows longer, the nature of the hair changes. Someone who thought they had poker straight hair has discovered waves etc when it gets to a certain length. I think if you are more concerned about your curls then your growth, you could just cut your hair. Or instead of doing a thick chop you could gradually cut back until your waves become defined again, and try and preserve them from there. Other options may be to change your hair care routine such as changing to CO wash, as this seems to bring out curlier hair also.

Hope I could help (: good luck.


Thanks! I don't think i will be cutting my hair at all. I think the lack of curlyness is due to the protein issues i have had in the past. I am in desperte search of non-protein hair products but, all of styling products shampoo conditioners and even moisture treatments have too much protein in them. i tried CO washing once and i don't know if it was the wrong conditioner or what but it made my hair feel HORRIBLE and it went even straighter but, then again, after i had used the conditioner, i read the ingredients and even though the bottle said moisturizing, more than half of the main ingredients were protein!

[summergreen]

I dont have curls (wish I did,grr!) but Ive seen people on here recommending the Curly Girl method to define curls? The drying method worked quite well for my daughter who's also about 2b/c hair type.

[Hollyfire3]

I dont have curls (wish I did,grr!) but Ive seen people on here recommending the Curly Girl method to define curls? The drying method worked quite well for my daughter who's also about 2b/c hair type.
I don't know where to find good intructions on this method but if i find it, i'll try it. Thanks

[summergreen]

Theres a step by step instruction in wikihow (sorry don't know how to do link) I think this is the one my daughter used.

[Hollyfire3]

Theres a step by step instruction in wikihow (sorry don't know how to do link) I think this is the one my daughter used.


Thanks again I actually googled it and found that site. The only problem with the curly girl method is that i have SOOO many hair products already and doing the curly girl requires going out and shopping for sls and cone free products, not to mention the stress of figuring it all out. I wish there was an easy, magic way to just fix my hair!

[weddy]

I did the Curly Girl method on the cheap(ish). Suave condish was listed as one of the OK cowashes at the time I spent two (probably more) weeks studying the Naturally Curly site/forums. I'm now middle-aged, so I don't have problems with not using shampoos, but IIRC, the younger ladies did (maybe up to around mid 30s-40s), since they're still producing more natural oils.

I did read that some of the younger ones would do a combo wash, using shampoo only on their scalps, then cowashing their length. If you're still producing natural oils, see how that works for you. And learn how to plop - I saw a thread here that calls it sloppy scrunchie (or something like that), I think it was in the archives. Here's a nice youtube of plopping (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iEUvUzO0q0).

I plop with a microfiber towel and a scrunchie, just bending over, not doing couch gymnastics LOL. Once I release my plop, I don't touch my hair until it's dry and crunchy (from the gel). Next, I scrunch out the crunch with hair oil or coconut oil (warmed in hands till it melts). Here's a scrunching out the crunch youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHLpW3xL4cY).

The following day, I use spray in curl activater to rescrunch in the curls. By not using too much gel on wash day, I'm not crunchy on day two. I might get day three of nice curls if my weather cooperates, if not, I put my hair up until wash time again.