Clueless straighty needs help from the curlies!

[Phalaenopsis]

I have this friend with 3b G iii hair. Very beautiful and thick hair, but her hair has gotten drier again. I once advised her to CO with Inecto and her hair got shiny. She used Nivea shampoo for curls and the hairdresser called her out on it, her hair has gotten quite dry again. I think she still wants to be able to shampoo, not only CO.

I already told her about trying to do an oil treatment (she's going to try olive oil today) and about the AO Honeysuckle rose conditioner. She said a friend also said that she could try products for African-American women, but most of them contain mineral oil and/or cones.

Can the curly people here give me some tips for her? Something I haven't thought of? What naturally but nourishing leave-ins do you use on a daily basis or right after a wash to keep the curls pretty? I was thinking about whipped cocoa butter or something

TIA :flower:

[Charybdis]

My hair's only 2b, but a heavy oiling before shampooing reduces frizz and makes my hair softer. DH is a 3a/3b, and he COs -- shampoo makes his hair turn into a ball of fuzz, but WO messes up his scalp.

[Nera]

When using shampoo, just use a tiny bit. You don't need much. And as for leave ins:
I use any regular conditioner as a leave in, or i just don't rinse all the conditioner out.

[jacqueline101]

My hair was curly from a perm and I found oilings helped and a leave in conditioner. I still have some of the perm left but the frizzy damage is minimal.

[luzakat]

Pre-wash oiling helps me. She could also try alternating CO-ing with shampooing if she doesn't want to CO exclusively.

[silverjen]

A squirt of her normal conditioner can be used as leave-in conditioner, to hold in some moisture post-washing.

[longhairedleah]

I use coconut oil as a pre-wash oil treatment and castor oil as a leave in conditioner, and then plop. I use minimal amount of shampoo, only on my scalp, and ACV rinse as a conditioner (works better than any conditioner, including LUSH!). I also do mayonnaise treatments every once in a while.

My hairdresser had told me I have dry hair too, and now my curls have never looked better, and my hair is SOOOOO soft and shiney and touchable! I will never be tempted to use mousse or any chemicals ever again!

[CurlyMopTop]

If she's been COing exclusively for a while now, the culprit could be build-up and she may need to clarify. It could also be dryer due to weather changes. As the weather changes, a lot of us curlies need to change our routines to counteract the change in the weather. I agree with the above posters to dilute the shampoo when she's using it, and a lot of curlies need to leave at least some conditioner in their hair. The more course and porous the hair, the more conditioner that needs to be left in. You also have to keep an eye on the ingredients in the conditioner. A lot of curlies can't use humectrants in the winter time because it causes the dry air to pull moisture from the hair. The opposite holds true for the summer when the humidity is higher. Have her take a look at the Wurly and Curly thread. There is a wealth of information in that thread. :D I know that this isn't much help, but without knowing all the facts, it's the best I can do. I hope that it's at least informational. :D

[Hollyfire3]

I would try to use Apple cider vinegar, it seals the cuticle and might help with the buildup from co washing. Maybe try oil shampooing?

[Georgies]

I've found any and all shampoos with sulphates to be drying. If she wants to use them, following up with a deep conditioning might help (she would need to experiment with the various recipes). I don't know the ingredients in nivea - is it SLS free? Personally, I also have to use a lightweight leave in conditioners at all times.

[fridgee]

Single best bit of advice you could give her... join LHC ;)

Other than that I second prewash oilings to help frizz and retain moisture and plopping after washing to really define the curls.

[ellisbell]

I have found much success with following the Curly Girl Method. I highly recommend using a cleansing conditioner like Deva No Poo (I find my hair loves this way more than CO washing). Since I am a wavy and use a lot of oils and such I do Lo Poo about once a week but do not use any shampoos with SLS (has been the best thing I have done for my hair).

Oil treatments do work for a lot of people, but I find as a newbie it is hard to get the oil out. Because she is new I would recommend mixing the olive oil with honey, egg or yogurt or even conditioner to make to easier to wash out. I also really like using a smaller amount of oil in my hair every day as a leave in.

It is also really important to use styling products without drying ingredients and hard to wash out silicones. I have had great success with the JessiCurl line but I know a lot of curlies love drugstore products like LA Looks Gel or some of the Frucits products that do not have silicones in them.