curly/wavy hair girls, i need product help!

[fauve01]

so i finally thought what the heck, and i got a LOT of hair cut off on Sat. it used to be all one length and to the bottom of my shoulder blades and now it's barely touching my shoulders and layered all over. the idea was that all those minor waves i had before are much more noticeable, and all i'll have to do is get it wet and put goop on it and go (being the insanely LAZY hair styler that i am).

so what do all you girls with curls do with them? i have to go get some mousse or gel or something so these nice waves will stay, but i have no idea what to get. any suggestions?? I'd like to avoid that wet and crunchy look.

thanks in advance!

anne

[bubbaray]

I like Paul Mitchell Soft Spray Gel. I also like Pantene styling cream for curly hair.

HTH

Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[npace19147]

this is hands down the best stuff I have found:

www.jessicurl.com

it is all natural which I really like, and it doesn't leave a film or residue on your hair the way a lot of products do. It is a little more money upfront but you don't use much so it lasts for a long time.

[tarabenet]

I like TIGI Curls Rock. I use the cream stuff every day. When I want a little more frizz control and such, I also use Hard to Get and/or sometimes the curl enhancer pump it up stuff. (I'm out right now. Can't remember the exact name, can't look at it -- but it comes in blue aluminum can.)

[ellies mom]

For my daughter, I use Aveda's Be Curly. It does a good job of keeping her ringlets together so they don't look frizzy.

As for the wet crunchy look, once your hair dries, you can kind scrunch up your hair with your hands a bit and that will break up the crunchy look without messing the curls too much. It is kind of hard to explain but basically you carefully squeeze a section of hair at a time.

[smzapalac]

Honestly, I think you are going to have to buy a few of the products PP have listed and give them a try and see if they work with your style and texture of hair. Some of these products may/may not work for you. I personally use Aveda Humectant Polmade on my wet hair and comb it through. I diffuse my hair with a Chi hairdryer/diffuser. Because you have layers now, you want to make sure you dry your hair no more than 75% dry. Curly hair needs some air drying. Once my hair is dryer, I spray Pantene Curly hair spray gel to get all the fly aways. Good luck in your quest for hair products.

[KHF]

I use a product called Fixative by Image...have used it for years. I've tried a lot of them, and it's the only one that gives me pretty curls without the crunch. I'm lazy and don't blow dry or diffuse my hair ever. I just put the fixative in, comb it through, scrunch a little and let it air dry. Pretty curls every time!

Here's a link to it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Image-Fixative-Natural-Styler-33-8/dp/B000EM79YO

It comes in 9 oz containers too so you can try it out if you want. I found a killer deal for it on Amazon. Got two of the big bottles for like $20. I shared the buy with a friend at work who I got addicted to the stuff.

Kirsten

[fauve01]

Thanks for all the recommendations. i'm going to check them out and see what works.

thanks again.

anne

[almostmom]

I love Redken Fresh Curls. I hate having my hair feel crunchy or sticky, and this is the product I love these days. I comb it through wet hair, and scrunch it a bit, and head out the door.

I agree that you'll probably have to try a few things and see what is right for you - I'm sure we all have bottles of unused stuff in our cupboards that we thought we'd love, but hate...

[hardysmom]

There is a lot of trial and error... Products you love when you are blow-drying straight may feel totally different when you are air-drying w/o heat.

My hair is more curly than just wavy... I like to use a dollop of a leave-in conditioner like Paul Mitchell "The Conditioner" mixed with sillicone anti-frizz drops of some sort. That weights it down enough that it isn't fly-away or crispy, but doesn't feel dirty.

If you want to minimize frizz and maximize curl, NEVER comb out your hair when wet. Finger comb it out in the shower when you have conditioner in it then gently blot/scrunch with a towel. The less you mess with it, the more the curl/wave holds together. That is probably the biggest single lesson.

99% of the time, I just let my hair air-dry. If I want more curl, I use a diffuser. Getting it right takes practice, but not a lot of daily effort.

Stephanie

[daisymommy]

www.naturallycurly.com is an awesome website! As is the book "Curly Girl" Both have been very helpful for me and my curly hair :)

[bubbaray]

Can you tell me which product(s) you use?? I've seen the line, but they have a few & it confuses me!

http://www.redken.ca/_en/_ca/products/range.aspx?CatCode=AXE_HAIR^F1_Haircare^F2_Fresh_C urls&TopCat=F2_Fresh_Curls

TIA!

Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[BeachBaby]

I will second this! I must have heard about it on naturallycurly.com? I use the Hair Cleansing Cream (1x or 2x/wk), the Too Shea conditioner (every day, rinse out), and the Aloeba Conditioner (every day, leave in) on my daughter's very fine but very curly hair.

But I will also agree with the pp who said not to comb it while it's wet. So true, just use your fingers. Also, I've discovered that a microfiber towel is better than a regular terry towel for cutting down frizz. I have no idea why it works but it does.

[almostmom]

The curl refiner is the one I use. They keep changing the bottles and the names slightly - it drives me crazy! But that is the one I am currently using and loving.

[fauve01]

Amy, i found this site the other day! wow, what a lot of info for curly people! geeze, i hope i can figure it all out.

i wish i had real curls and not just wimpy waves. sigh. :-)

i have the CG book on order. thanks!

anne

[american_mama]

Not sure if this will help the original poster, but in case it helps others with very very very curly hair, we use a product called "Shea Butter Oil Moisturizer" by Fantasia on our daughters' hair (see http://www.fantasiahaircare.com/SheaButter.html). You can buy it at CVS in the hair aisle (maybe in the ethnic hair care section) and it's a bottle about the size and shape of a shampoo bottle, costs about $4 or $5. It smells like oranges to me, like cookies to my sister.

DD2 has tightly coiled curly, curly, curly ringlets. We use this by the handful in her hair, and it works as well, if not a little better, than some Blended Beauty products DH just special ordered over the internet for $15 a bottle. We usually spray her hair with water, finger comb this through her hair in medium-sized sections, and let it air dry. DH uses gobs, I use less. It defines the curl, adds shine without looking wet (once it air dries), and is only the tiniest bit crunchy. Since using the product, we get tons of compliments on her hair.

The product works ok, but not great, on DD1's hair, which is thicker, puffier, longer, and has a little less curl. Her hair is prone to frizz and needs to be weighed down, and this doesn't quite handle either task. Still working on a good solution for her.