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View Full Version : Curlies, how do you use a BBB?



MoonLover
July 29th, 2012, 09:10 AM
....besides smoothing while bunning and such?

I'm thinking if I detangle and oil heavily that a BBB might be good for spreading the oil since my hands never seem to do the job well. But I do get a lot of breakage with brushes normally (even my beloved tangle teaser) and so I'm a bit nervous.

So if you have curly hair and use a BBB, how do you do it?

JuliaDancer
July 29th, 2012, 09:43 AM
I'm not a curly, but I would think the general rule for curlies is DON'T USE A BBB! I think it could lead to breakage and a big poof of hair...

Alvrodul
July 29th, 2012, 09:46 AM
I rather think they don't.
As I understand it, the best way to handle curls, is to load the hair up with conditioner in the shower, carefully detangle with a wide toot comb, rinse out some, and let the hair dry without touching it, and with a lot of conditioner still in the hair - and any brushing or combing while dry will only disrupt the curl pattern.

Suze2012
July 29th, 2012, 09:50 AM
I'm a curly and haven't used a brush for over 20 years as I still remember what a brush did to it! Yikes!

I don't know what BBB means but if it involves brushing I wouldn't do it.

DarkCurls
July 29th, 2012, 10:00 AM
Hm... Curious about this. I can't imagine using any kind of brush and having a result other than messed-up curls. :p

MoonLover
July 29th, 2012, 11:48 AM
I guess I was thinking of using a BBB more as a pre-wash treatment with oil and it wouldn't matter if curls were messed up because it's right before a wash.

Nobody has done this before? I guess I'll have to experiment before my next wash.

CurlyCurves
July 29th, 2012, 12:43 PM
I rather think they don't.
As I understand it, the best way to handle curls, is to load the hair up with conditioner in the shower, carefully detangle with a wide toot comb, rinse out some, and let the hair dry without touching it, and with a lot of conditioner still in the hair - and any brushing or combing while dry will only disrupt the curl pattern.

This is also my method, but I don't leave any CO in my hair. My hair hates anything being left in it.

To the OP, I'm interested too! I'd think it should be fine, to be honest. Just simply make sure your hair is detangled, load up on oil and brush?

KwaveT
July 29th, 2012, 03:59 PM
I am not a curly per se. My hair ranges from S waves in the front to loose coils in the back. The coils is where I have same problems with brushes and combs that you curlies do. It frizzes and seperates them. I do all my detangling and deshedding while before I even wash my hair. That way once my hair is wet then the coils will clump back together and form proper curls. Leave it alone to airdry once I am finished washing/wetting.

Shepherdess
July 29th, 2012, 04:14 PM
I am a curly (3a) and I use a boar bristle brush every day after I detangle with a wide tooth comb (I only use the bbb on my hair when it is dry, or when I am oiling it though). I really never leave my hair out loose to curl very often though, so it is not a big deal to me since I usually braid it or bun it when I'm done brushing it through. If I do want to let my hair curl though, I get my hair all wet and only use a comb.
I think the bbb is nice for distributing the oils throughout my hair and that is why I use it. I have never had trouble with breakage using the boar bristle brush that I bought.

CurlyCap
July 29th, 2012, 04:18 PM
I adore a using a BBB, but it's a pain because it's so much work. I just posted about this in the Kinky 4's thread. I'm just going to cut and paste that post over here.

********
More picspam. Sorry. Just finished the impossible and thought the peeps over here would understand!

I've been wanting to brush my hair for a few weeks now. I love the scalp stimulation and the boar bristles give my hair a nice softness. BUT IT TAKES FOREVER so I kept putting it off. I have to take tiny sections and detangle with a denman and then go over those sections again with my club brush (boar bristle). I start with the stiff side and then move to the soft side.

After about 2 hours of work, I get this:
http://i.imgur.com/hI8SD.jpg?1http://i.imgur.com/VsNBo.jpg
I'm really happy that the ends still curl even with all this brushing. I used to get my ends trimmed every 6 months and so have been looking in askance at my untrimmed hair, wondering if it was damaged. Question answered because my hair doesn't hold a curl when brushed if it's damaged or about to split. That means I can go my whole planned year without a trim. Makes me feel like a superhero.

Then I got a surprise! I haven't even tried to braid my hair in years because I haven't got the length, but I figured I should just go for it since it's as stretched as I can get without heat. I could braid it! A whole 3 bumps. :D And the braid is pretty tight too, so stopping the layering of my hair is actually letting the thickness come back in. I thought it was all in my head.

http://i.imgur.com/EzW4E.jpg

Now I'm tired and am off to sleep. Happy hair adventures everyone!

MoonLover
July 29th, 2012, 04:20 PM
I am a curly (3a) and I use a boar bristle brush every day after I detangle with a wide tooth comb (I only use the bbb on my hair when it is dry, or when I am oiling it though). I really never leave my hair out loose to curl very often though, so it is not a big deal to me since I usually braid it or bun it when I'm done brushing it through. If I do want to let my hair curl though, I get my hair all wet and only use a comb.
I think the bbb is nice for distributing the oils throughout my hair and that is why I use it. I have never had trouble with breakage using the boar bristle brush that I bought.

Thanks for replying Shepherdess! I feel the same as you- since I've been wearing my hair up a lot lately, I don't care if the curl pattern is disrupted.

So you detangle every day? Do you use oil/a spray/conditioner to detangle? It's good to hear you have no breakage, maybe I should try this tonight!

Madora
July 29th, 2012, 04:21 PM
I am a curly (3a) and I use a boar bristle brush every day after I detangle with a wide tooth comb (I only use the bbb on my hair when it is dry, or when I am oiling it though). I really never leave my hair out loose to curl very often though, so it is not a big deal to me since I usually braid it or bun it when I'm done brushing it through. If I do want to let my hair curl though, I get my hair all wet and only use a comb.
I think the bbb is nice for distributing the oils throughout my hair and that is why I use it. I have never had trouble with breakage using the boar bristle brush that I bought.

Yes, you can use a bbb on curly hair. But it takes an infinite amount of patience and gentleness..and the correct bbb! That said, I admire curly long hair devotees because I wouldn't have the patience to deal with curly hair. Just combing through gentle curls is enough to drive me nuts.

Windflower
July 29th, 2012, 04:21 PM
I have waves and curls. I tried the Boar Bristle Brush for a week and stopped. It did go all poofy on me and I looked really weird. I ended up with really straight hair over top of really frizzy poofy hair. I was trying to distribute oils more evenly. It didn't do a thing for my hair or the oil so I stopped. It also made my hair feel weird- not oily and not dry but like there was something on it and I could hardly wait until the next wash day. I didn't notice any damage to my hair, but I certainly didn't like the results and it wasn't doing what I expected.

MoonLover
July 29th, 2012, 04:23 PM
Waaaaah CurlyCap you have an envious mane!

Thanks for sharing your pictures!

CurlyCap
July 29th, 2012, 04:48 PM
Waaaaah CurlyCap you have an envious mane!

Thanks for sharing your pictures!

No problem. I just know what it's like trying to translate general haircare advice onto curly hair. I'm happy to help anyway I can.

For me, BBB has to be done on dry hair because my hair couldn't hold up to that type of handling wet. It's much more involved and "rough" than fingercombing while my hair is wet and soaked with conditioner. However, because it's dry it takes an age to do all the detangling and brushing. Ugh.

Basically, the take home message is don't think that using a BBB will give you any net increase in smoothness or shinyness. Each lock of hair will be shiny/smooth/buff after you BBB it, but in the end your hair will look a right fright because you've broken every curl. The net effect will not be shiny because curly hair tends to lose its shininess en masse because the hair each hair spins/turns to make a curl. (Well, except for CurlyCurves hair because she hit the genetic curly jackpot! :D) It'll just feel nicer and as a curly you'll know the difference.

I always co-wash and redo my hair after a BBB. The effect is just TOO BIG to go anywhere with. So all that work and then you just wash your hair anyway. lol.

I think about using a BBB the same way I do about oil polishing a wood table. It's not necessary everyday, but it's good for the health of the wood to do occasionally and adds to the longevity of the furniture. :p

Windflower
July 29th, 2012, 04:59 PM
I think about using a BBB the same way I do about oil polishing a wood table. It's not necessary everyday, but it's good for the health of the wood to do occasionally and adds to the longevity of the furniture. :p

Nice analogy!

MoonLover
July 29th, 2012, 05:28 PM
I always co-wash and redo my hair after a BBB. The effect is just TOO BIG to go anywhere with. So all that work and then you just wash your hair anyway. lol.

Too big for you maybe. I would so rock hair that big :p

But seriously, thanks for sharing your method and thoughts:)

Shepherdess
July 29th, 2012, 06:40 PM
Thanks for replying Shepherdess! I feel the same as you- since I've been wearing my hair up a lot lately, I don't care if the curl pattern is disrupted.

So you detangle every day? Do you use oil/a spray/conditioner to detangle? It's good to hear you have no breakage, maybe I should try this tonight!

Nice!
Yes, I try to detangle my hair every day. Sometimes I will use an olive/jojoba oil mixture I make to help me detangle. But when I keep it braided, it usually doesn't get tangled very easily, so there isn't much to detangle when I unbraid my hair. I don't think i have any breakage from using the bbb. I haven't really trimmed my hair since September 2011 (although I did do one dust trim a few months ago), and it still is doing pretty well, so I don't think the bbb has harmed it any. I use this type of bbb that I found at wal-mart
http://www.price2watch.com/walmart/health-beauty/hair-brushes-styling-accessories/wav-enforcer-fade-brush-1-ct/p/5515263
It is 100% boar bristles and it seems to work well. :)

Yes, you can use a bbb on curly hair. But it takes an infinite amount of patience and gentleness..and the correct bbb! That said, I admire curly long hair devotees because I wouldn't have the patience to deal with curly hair. Just combing through gentle curls is enough to drive me nuts.
I use this type of bbb and it seems to work well on my hair http://www.price2watch.com/walmart/health-beauty/hair-brushes-styling-accessories/wav-enforcer-fade-brush-1-ct/p/5515263
Aw, I have had curly hair my whole life, so I have never thought of it as hard to keep up with.




@ CurlyCap, you have gorgeous hair! Thanks for sharing! :) Also, yay for being able to do a braid! :cheer:

DancingQueen
August 3rd, 2012, 09:31 AM
I'm not a curly, but I would think the general rule for curlies is DON'T USE A BBB! I think it could lead to breakage and a big poof of hair...

I completely agree with this! I bought one because of good reviews.. Waste of money. It will rip and break your hair. BBB is just not for curlies. :)

MissCoco
August 4th, 2012, 09:56 AM
Hi, another 3a here, coming in to say that it is possible to use a BBB brush even as a curly. If you don't care about straightening your curls, then detangle your hair gently with a wide tooth comb and use a BBB with slow, gentle strokes. If you don't like using the brush on dry hair, then do it on (heavily) oiled hair. Works great, gives a lot of shine, glossiness (is that even a word?) and softness. Personally, I still get great curls after washing and have very little damage overall (which probably comes from other factors as well).

MissCoco
August 4th, 2012, 09:58 AM
By the way, I just love your hair, CurlyCap! :D

heidi w.
August 4th, 2012, 10:51 AM
....besides smoothing while bunning and such?

I'm thinking if I detangle and oil heavily that a BBB might be good for spreading the oil since my hands never seem to do the job well. But I do get a lot of breakage with brushes normally (even my beloved tangle teaser) and so I'm a bit nervous.

So if you have curly hair and use a BBB, how do you do it?

Put your oil on while your hair is still damp or wet, and spritz it on. I suspect you won't have a good time with the BBB, actually. And if you put on all that oil you'll just have streaky, oily hair. That's what my experience has shown me, anyway....

heidi w.

MoonLover
August 5th, 2012, 04:42 AM
I forgot to post when I actually tried it.

I detangles with fingers, then a comb, oiled and then used the BBB. It worked fairly well except for the last few inches of my hair, which just just fluffy in a bad way. But that's where I have all my splits and they tend to be MUCH drier than the rest of my hair.

So thanks for your tips and experiences everyone! I think I will do it again put next time use shea butter on my ends to see if that's better. I'll update when I try and all of you should tell us if you try something different!

Oh and another question: Curlies, have you noticed that when you detangle or brush that your curls will flatten out for a little bit but if you leave your hair out the curls will magically clump and spring back into curls (instead of waves)? No water is necessary and this happens with or without oil on my hair.

MoonLover
August 5th, 2012, 04:44 AM
And MissCoco, you have such beautiful long curls! Such an inspiration:)

CurlyCap
August 5th, 2012, 06:08 PM
Oh and another question: Curlies, have you noticed that when you detangle or brush that your curls will flatten out for a little bit but if you leave your hair out the curls will magically clump and spring back into curls (instead of waves)? No water is necessary and this happens with or without oil on my hair.

Yes! They are never the sleek curls of fresh after washing, but curls can not be defeated. If you look at my piccie, you'll notice that there are little curls at the end. They formed after brushing, as BBB itself just forms a giant poof initially.

CurlyCap
August 5th, 2012, 06:09 PM
By the way, I just love your hair, CurlyCap! :D


Thank you! Maybe one day, if I am very patient, I can have a siggy pic like yours. :grouphug:

KrissyKitty
August 5th, 2012, 08:36 PM
I'm wavy/curly. I can use a bbb if I take each curl/wurl individually and brush the curl, then wrap around my finger to sorta reform.... whew getting tired just thinking about it.

So just combing in the shower for me.

spirals
August 5th, 2012, 09:26 PM
Oh and another question: Curlies, have you noticed that when you detangle or brush that your curls will flatten out for a little bit but if you leave your hair out the curls will magically clump and spring back into curls (instead of waves)? No water is necessary and this happens with or without oil on my hair.
Mine will only come back if the weather is humid. I detangled today and it was all right angles because it's releltively dry weather. I misted with curl spray and they were still wonky. So I put it up. It only looks good on wash day.

Shepherdess
August 5th, 2012, 09:33 PM
Oh and another question: Curlies, have you noticed that when you detangle or brush that your curls will flatten out for a little bit but if you leave your hair out the curls will magically clump and spring back into curls (instead of waves)? No water is necessary and this happens with or without oil on my hair.

Yes! I have noticed this many times! ! :D
Also, even if I have left my hair in a bun or braided all day long, if I let it loose, it will still slowly curl all over the way it wants to (although not as strongly).

MissCoco
August 7th, 2012, 05:21 PM
Oh and another question: Curlies, have you noticed that when you detangle or brush that your curls will flatten out for a little bit but if you leave your hair out the curls will magically clump and spring back into curls (instead of waves)? No water is necessary and this happens with or without oil on my hair.


And MissCoco, you have such beautiful long curls! Such an inspiration:)

Thank you so much for your kind compliment! I'm excited that my hair can be an inspiration for someone :o :D

As for your other post, yes, I've definitely tried to flatten/straighten my curls (to check the full length without having to use a straightener) only to get a fluffy, wurly result in the end, haha :rolleyes:


Thank you! Maybe one day, if I am very patient, I can have a siggy pic like yours. :grouphug:

You're welcome! I'm very touched by your comment :) Have patience, and you'll have such stunning hair! Curls like yours are rare to see at a long length (i.e. past midback), but it gives such a beautiful result :flower:

goldloli
August 10th, 2012, 06:39 AM
I love my bbb <3

I use it pre shower to detangle (starting from the bottom and being gentle obvi) and I also use it post shower on damp hair. Every curly tells me not to, but I find it's the most amazing at detangling and spreading product like leave ins. I rarely use a comb because by the time im done with one section, the other is retangled.

It also helps me manipulate my curls, I will brush my damp hair and then make 4 twists on my head so it dries in a more controlled curl pattern. Also when used on damp/wet hair then left alone, it loosens up the curls and they dry a level or 2 lower.

http://hairstyles.thehairstyler.com/hairstyles/images/11009/icon/AnnaLynne-McCord.jpg

This is my hair type if i don't manipulate it, it has a tendency to dreadlock itself about 4 times a day due to the mix texture waves/curls. As a protective method while growing, I prefer to brush and manipulate the curls to prevent dreading. Combing takes farrrr too long for this. I find I can brush my curls and then spritz with water/leavein/creme and they reclump just fine. Someone mentioned brushing each curl separately and this too works for me, at first any kind of brushing makes it poofy but it does die down.


Have patience, and you'll have such stunning hair! Curls like yours are rare to see at a long length (i.e. past midback), but it gives such a beautiful result :flower:
This is so true smiley curlycap, i hope one day you get there, it would be lovely to see curls like yours at that length.