Curl help please

[annah]

Apparently my hair is curlier than I thought. I totally didn't realize it in the dried out frizz puff that used to be my hair. I did the hair typing process, and realized that I have actual stinkin' SPIRAL curls in my hair! (I'm really excited about that, just shocked) I always thought my hair was just wavy/frizzy.

Anyway, my problem is that if I don't comb my hair, I have the nice (verrry stretched out) spiral curls. As soon as I comb it, it's like each individual hair goes in different directions, and it goes *poof*!

What is the trick for making curls stay together to look nice? Or is my hair just being defective?

TIA!

[lapushka]

You only comb it while it's wet and full of conditioner. After that, don't touch it with a comb and certainly not a brush, preferably to the next wash.

[CurlyCap]

Yep. When you comb it, you break up the "clumps" of hair that work together to make spirals.

That's why a lot of curly posts will talk about their "clumping" or "promoting clumping". I second the only detangling when the hair is wet and full of conditioner. Also, try using the widest-tooth comb you can get away with to help promote clumping.

Hint: Your hand is a great 5-prong widetooth comb. :)

[PinkyCat]

Apparently my hair is curlier than I thought. I totally didn't realize it in the dried out frizz puff that used to be my hair. I did the hair typing process, and realized that I have actual stinkin' SPIRAL curls in my hair! (I'm really excited about that, just shocked) I always thought my hair was just wavy/frizzy.

Anyway, my problem is that if I don't comb my hair, I have the nice (verrry stretched out) spiral curls. As soon as I comb it, it's like each individual hair goes in different directions, and it goes *poof*!

What is the trick for making curls stay together to look nice? Or is my hair just being defective?

TIA!

It takes a while for the curls to adjust to your acceptance of their curliness, my lovely. As a curly, you really should not comb your hair while dry - you'll pull apart all the curls and they'll be angry frizz. Just don't touch - and comb (with wide tooth) only while wet. NO COMBING WHILE DRY.

What exactly is your routine? Perhaps we curlies can shed some light on "Yay" or "Nays" of how you handle the curls.

[annah]

I stopped using brushes several months ago. I've been using a wide tooth horn comb. Um (and oops), I comb my hair several times a day, mostly when dry. My hair doesn't really tangle easily, but it looks uncombed and wild really quickly. I comb in the morning, then put it up in a bun. I usually end up with my hair down again mid day, comb, and put it up again. Comb again before bed.

I've been doing a CO wash every other day, and a longer oiling once a week. Since I started this, my hair has gone from insane frizz, to fairly normal looking, but wild.

I showed my mother in law my spirals today (we had come from the pool at the ymca, and my hair was down to dry) She said "duh, I knew your hair was curly, straight hair normally doesn't frizz so badly". Doh!

[SerinaDaith]

I have learned the same since I started here :D welcome to being a curly girl now unless you are styling for a sleeker look leave the brush/comb whatever at home wherever you wash your tresses!

[Quixii]

If you're just going to put it in a bun/updo, it's fine to comb it (just know that it will separate the curls and cause poofiness/frizz), but if you want to keep your spirals, try scrunching a little aloe vera gel or shea butter or something in right after your shower, and then just don't touch it.

[Lostsoule77]

I use conditioner as a leave in to keep my hair looking nice. That's only if I'm wearing it down though. If I'm putting it up I just detangle and put it up. Don't worry about it being wild if you're just putting it up anyway.

[Crybb]

Newbie here, (been lurking a while) I just did the hair typing and decided I'm 2a. I always thought I had straight hair with an onry twist in it, but after air drying, I had real waves. Anyhow, my question relates to Annah's how to keep the waves going. I shampoo once a week and oil lightly and have nice waves that first day. But inevitably I bun because it's hot or my hair itches my face or I'm going outside ... And I lose the waves. How do I get them back? Thanks

[annah]

I keep my hair up for several reasons- because it's hot, because I have small kids, and I don't want my hair to end up in a poopy diaper, or clenched in a sticky hand, etc. I used to keep it up because my hair was everywhere, but it seems to be long enough to stay where it's put now. (yay!) But the major reason is because my hair looks bad down. I would like to wear my hair down at least on a semi regular basis, so I get a chance to enjoy the length.

I washed and air dried before bed, it looked good then. This morning all the curls are gone , and it is back to mostly looking like waves. Much nicer waves than usual though, I didn't touch it with a comb at all. It looks universally wavy though, rather than frizz wavy. I'm guessing that means that if I plan to leave it down, I will need to rewet my hair that morning.. I'll definitely try to put something in it to see if I can get the curls to stay.

[Iolanthe13]

Maybe it's worth trying a French braid or French rope braid? Someone here has had success with the French rope braid, and regular braid waves are good at keeping naturally wavy hair smooth in my experience.

Another thing you could try is dividing your hair into three sections, vertically - so one section is the front/canopy, another section is the middle hair, and the last section is the bottom layer/nape hair. Twist each section as though you were going to add it to a rope braid, but instead of making the braid, pin each section up against your head in a way that encourages the curl (rather than stretching it). You want the spirals to remain round, as opposed to thin and stretched out, if that makes sense. This can result in one big spiral, but I get better results from pinning the sections more or less at random over each other. It looks artful and gives lovely spiral wurls from about ear length down, on me at least - I always do this updo when I have a date, as it keeps everything under control all day and invariably looks good when it comes down.

[bunzfan]

I'm not a curly just a wavy but here is something that is happening i have more spirals forming now i have given up on combing and brushing i only comb in the shower with a wide tooth comb but if i brush the waves disappear and it goes straight but the longer i am only finger combing the more wavy its getting signature pic from second day hair finger combed. So keep with it oil scrunched into it while wet is great. Oh just remember it could take a while before you really see your true curls have you read this yet http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=curly+girl+book&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1360&bih=653&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=11291272068559887151&sa=X&ei=k0P0T_XqDvOM0wX5g9H9Bg&ved=0CFYQ8wIwAA

[afu]

I would definitly recommend the CO method for curly/wavy hair, its brilliant :)

I CO, add some conditoner as a leave in, add some sweet almond oil, use a tangle teezer on damp hair to detangle and ditribute the conditioner/oil through the lengths, scrunch to re-clump then air dry.

If you naturally have waves the best night time method of keeping them is a french or dutch braid, if you have spirals a french rope braid will be brilliant (thats what i use). I also find that if my curls have dropped or frizzed a bit a couple of days after a wash I just use a bit more normal conditoner scrunched in to revive them

[CurlyCurves]

Don't touch it when it's drying! Try to let those curls 'clump' together and form their own natural pattern. And don't rub it with the towel (causes breakage, AND frizz). Aaaaaand try to leave it as wet as you can stand after you wash your CO out.

I'll show you why;

Here is an example of my hair when I've messed with it while drying;

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/185142_4218684865801_439656825_n.jpg

And without touching it. Can you see how the curls have 'clumped'? That's what CurlyCap is referring to :)

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/166065_4283978978113_1717217395_n.jpg

See? Big difference :D It took me a long time to 'get' this, and (almost) perfect it. If you want any tips, feel free to write on my profile :)

[annah]

Thanks for the advice everyone! (and the pictures, that makes for a very good visual reference!). I haven't read the book, I'll try poking around online and see if I can find it somewhere cheap.

My braid experience is almost nil, so I'll be visiting youtube in a bit.

This hairtyping thing is hard, by the way. From the description, I would think I should be a 3a, but Googling shows me 3as that have much tighter and bigger spirals. Another wash last night again gave me spirals. Most definately spirals, all around. Just much longer and more stretched out that the pictures show. (like maybe an inch and a half between the spirals vertically) I'm not sure if that's because of the weight of my hair, or that it is just now developing curls because my hair is getting enough moisture finally, or what.

[torrilin]

If you're getting spirals, start watching how they form. Some curl types will stretch out as the hairs get longer, so the ends may spiral a lot more than near the scalp. Instead, some sections of the scalp may appear to have a tight or almost crimped wave pattern.

Some 3a spirals are just giant, like sidewalk chalk size. These tend to pull out really easily. But 3a can go smaller for spirals. I've seen 3b described as Sharpie marker sized. 3c is tighter yet, and to me the difference between 3c and 4a and 4b is most noticeable in terms of curl shrinkage. A 4a or 4b might look like she has shoulder length hair when dry and curly. That means when wet, it's somewhere in the BSL to waist range.

[Crybb]

Maybe it's worth trying a French braid or French rope braid? Someone here has had success with the French rope braid, and regular braid waves are good at keeping naturally wavy hair smooth in my experience.

Another thing you could try is dividing your hair into three sections, vertically - so one section is the front/canopy, another section is the middle hair, and the last section is the bottom layer/nape hair. Twist each section as though you were going to add it to a rope braid, but instead of making the braid, pin each section up against your head in a way that encourages the curl (rather than stretching it). You want the spirals to remain round, as opposed to thin and stretched out, if that makes sense. This can result in one big spiral, but I get better results from pinning the sections more or less at random over each other. It looks artful and gives lovely spiral wurls from about ear length down, on me at least - I always do this updo when I have a date, as it keeps everything under control all day and invariably looks good when it comes down.
When you pin your hair up in spirals, what do you pin it with? Bobbie pins ?