Curly Haired Catastrophes?

[Sydney Loren]

Hello everyone,
I've seen pictures of a lot of the ladies around the lounge who either curl or have curly hair. For those of you with natural curls how do you deal with them? I've tried leave in product to enhance the curl, brushing it to soften it and attempt to get a wave, even twisting and pinning while it's still wet and I tend to end up with a mass of frizz.

The picture quality isn't very good but you can kind of see the wildness in the part that isn't pinned up. That's just from brushing it out and it's usually much much worse.

So I guess what I'm asking is what are your tricks in order to tame and/or work with it?

 

[StaceFace]

My curls aren't natural, but I will usually roll my hair when it's damp and sleep with foam rollers. As you can see, my hair still comes out relatively foofy:

(That was before I lopped it all off for a bob :eusa_doh: )

I make sure my hair is thoroughly dry before I take the rollers out in the morning, and then I brush the curls out with a natural bristle brush. Sometimes I put a dab of shine serum or anti-frizz cream, but you said you had no luck with this? I suppose it depends on your hair type and how processed it is.

 

[Sydney Loren]

I use an anti-frizz serum but haven't discovered the right amount yet, it's either too little and makes the frizz worse or too much and makes my hair stiff and greasy looking.

I think I will try foam rollers and see how that works out. Thank you.

 

[RitaHayworth]

Hello everyone,
I've seen pictures of a lot of the ladies around the lounge who either curl or have curly hair. For those of you with natural curls how do you deal with them? I've tried leave in product to enhance the curl, brushing it to soften it and attempt to get a wave, even twisting and pinning while it's still wet and I tend to end up with a mass of frizz.

The picture quality isn't very good but you can kind of see the wildness in the part that isn't pinned up. That's just from brushing it out and it's usually much much worse.

So I guess what I'm asking is what are your tricks in order to tame and/or work with it?

I have naturally curly hair (think a finer version of Melina Kanakaredes tight curl!) each time I have tried pin curls - all I have got is frizz.

Strangely enough, to curl my hair I have to curl it!

I have good success with smoother hair using foam rollers overnight - but better ones still from velcros!

Dont brush your curly hair out to take the curl out - you will only damage it. I only brush mine when its dry and coming out of the rollers.

 

[The Shirt]

I have pretty good luck with a big wide paddle brush as well. I also tried a smooth and shine dab about the size of a pea applied onace I brush it out just to control the frizzies. I then re-make the curls by then wrapping them around my fingers and placing them where I want.

Personally I'm a fan of hot rollers. I like the ones that have the velvet around them. Sponge curlers give me a weird pile of frizz. I haven't figured out the magic of them.

 

[Sydney Loren]

Okay, thank you very much to you both and I will try all of this out as soon as I can. I really appreciate your help.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Mine is also a natural spiral curl.

Best advice? Mason and Pearson small real bristle brush. Don't use serum when you're setting.
To get a wave I dry mine straight first (but I don't use straighteners!) and then re-curl it using loose big pin-curls.

I use a tiny bit of a creme anti-frizz (or even Lush moisturiser!) as a smoother and only when my hair is dry.

Lasty, I learned to live with it and most of my friends wish that they had curls too!

Your hair is gorgeous and I'd commit crimes for the colour!

:-D

 

[StaceFace]

I have pretty good luck with a big wide paddle brush as well. I also tried a smooth and shine dab about the size of a pea applied onace I brush it out just to control the frizzies. I then re-make the curls by then wrapping them around my fingers and placing them where I want.

Personally I'm a fan of hot rollers. I like the ones that have the velvet around them. Sponge curlers give me a weird pile of frizz. I haven't figured out the magic of them.

Hot rollers also work well for me. My hair never holds the curl with them, though

 

[Heather]

I have naturally curly hair and I've learned a lot from this site!! http://www.naturallycurly.com There's even a forum where you can post questions and get advice. HTH!

 

[BeBopBaby]

I find that rollers make my curly hair a mess. Hot rollers work best for me as well. My hair kind of goes into a natural messy fingerwave curls on its own. The hot rollers tend to neaten up the curls considerably. The trick for me is not to brush my hair too much afterwards because I have a tendancy to brush the curl out.

 

[RitaHayworth]

Hot rollers also work well for me. My hair never holds the curl with them, though

Mine either! An hour later and they'd look soo different to what they were meant to!

 

[crwritt]

I find that my naturally curly/wavy hair reacts the best if I let it drip dry with a little spray gel, when almost dry I use a blow dryer and a big round brush, wrapping the hair around the brush and holding it still as I aim the dryer at it. Unwrap each curl and make it into a big pincurl and fasten it with a clip as you work around your head. By the time you are done this process, the hair has had time to cool. lightly spray with hairspray before you take the clips out, then you can arrange it and spray it a bit more.
If my hair is completely dry or I wake up to less than desireable hair, hot rollers work very well. roll the hair, spray lightly with hairspray before removing the rollers, then again after arranging.
As hair products go, I have used so many It hard to remember which ones work, but one I keep going back to is Garnier Fructis Curl Shaping Spray Gel. I've been washing it lately with WEN cleansing conditioner, but have had good results washing with cheaper conditioners, such as Tressemme.

 

[LelaViavonie]

My hair is confused.. lol

I have naturally wavy/curly hair.. but.. when i let it naturally dry its very pretty and i can just wear it like that... but the moment i put my fingers.. or a brush through it.. FLAT straight it goes and a giant frizz i am left with :rage: :rage:

It didnt start happening till I was 20.. and I miss my old hair..,. it was really curly.. held curl well.. and wasnt such apain.. but i guess thats what happens when you grow up.. you hair changes too

THank goodness for Lotta Body.. that stuff saves my curls!

I also cant use hot curles.. I have them.. and only use them if I want some body.. but the curl falls right out after and hour.... what a bust!! lol lol

 

[The Shirt]

I think I must have Pippi Longstocking hair. Once it's done it's pretty much going to stay that way. I spray the heck out it though.

 

[RitaHayworth]

My hair is confused.. lol

I have naturally wavy/curly hair.. but.. when i let it naturally dry its very pretty and i can just wear it like that... but the moment i put my fingers.. or a brush through it.. FLAT straight it goes and a giant frizz i am left with :rage: :rage:

Golden rule of curly hair - dont touch it!!

When I am not styling it - I put a leave in conditioner through it, shake it up and dont touch it until its beginning to dry, where I massage and "lift" the roots a little bit to get a bit of volume.

 

[RitaHayworth]

As hair products go, I have used so many It hard to remember which ones work, but one I keep going back to is Garnier Fructis Curl Shaping Spray Gel. I've been washing it lately with WEN cleansing conditioner, but have had good results washing with cheaper conditioners, such as Tressemme.

I also read the boards at http://www.naturallycurly.com and its funny to see just how many people recommend cheaper products and have great success with them!

 

[Heather]

Nice to see another plug for naturallycurly.com! :eusa_clap

 

[RitaHayworth]

Nice to see another plug for naturallycurly.com! :eusa_clap

It came along when I needed it!! lol

No, in all honesty, I'd straightened and bleached the life out of mine...and it was only a random search on the net one day that I came across it and realised.....there was more of us out there who had:

1. Never had a hairdresser know how to do curly hair
2. Also thought we had to scrub the life out our hair because everyone else did
3. Had no "owners manual' to curly hair

 

[crwritt]

Thanks, rita, for mentioning naturallycurly.com. I had seen it awhile back but forgotten about it.
Its a great resource.
With all the choices of products out there, its easy to waste money trying new things. I have a cupboard full to prove it! Even some of the special curly brand products have not worked for me. I have some Ouidad products that I spent lots on and didn't like at all.

 

[PS]

I love NC.com

I did have to warn my babysitter than when she gives the kids a shower at night to not be scared of the tube of KY Jelly. It great at preventing frizz! LOL!

My favorite recs have been Aloe and Glycerine. I mix the two for a great curl enhancer. It finds little waves and turns them to spirals. A lot of the curly hair specific brands use this type of mixture, but I found a cheaper version at the drugstore by a brand called Smooth 'n Shine, Its their curl activating gel and its a perfected ratio (something that is hit or miss for my own mix). Its about 3 bucks and pretty great!



Some of the recommendations over there are great! I learned alot about my curly hair, how to take care of it, I even found my new stylist through NC.com. As long as he is alive and kicking, I will follow him.
My old hair I could only wear blown out, as it didn't look that great worn natural. My new guy showed me the difference between traditional cutting methods and his own, now my hair looks great any way curly, pin straight or set. I've never had options.

I avoid silicone *most* of the time, if I can. It pulls my curls out. But don't have a big issue with sulfates so I shampoo once or twice a week just to clarify any 'cones and clean my oily scalp.

That site can be really overwhelming but once you see some of the transformations you get sucked in.