Frizzy Hair - Recommended hair products

Mimojo

Hi!

I have naturally very curly hair, and I regularly straighten it (which takes AGES!). The problem is if I leave it to dry naturally, at the start it looks great, lovely and curly, but as it dried it gets frizzier and frizzier, and its a total disaster. I have tried tonnes of products over the years, mainly stuff that you leave in, none of which have worked, and its so frustrating as the amount of time I spend straightening it is crazy!

Can anyone recommend what I should be doing, and what product I should try? I would love to be able to wash it, pop in a product and leave it down for the day, without it looking like I have been electrocuted!! My hair is very very thick, and a bit longer than shoulder length, and with summer coming and holidays planned a solution to the frizz would be great appreciated!!

Ah_Yeah

What shampoo and conditioner are you using? You should be using one designed for curly hair, free from sulphates and parabens if possible.

Comb your hair through when you put the conditioner in, then rinse out. DO NOT comb/brush your hair after it's been washed.

Don't rub your hair dry with the towel, it breaks the hair. Wrap it in the towel to take most of the moisture out, then squeeze or scrunch dry it to get the remainder.

I use the Argan or Keratin serum from Penneys (comes in a small tube and only costs a few euro iirc), just a dollop of that from root to tip while it's still wet, making sure you work it through all of your hair (I have thick hair so I separate it into sections).

I avoid using mousse where I can, instead I use creme (like Boots curl creme or Frizz Ease finishing creme) or a Jelly (like Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly). But the best I've ever found is just using regular conditioner, as it not only calms frizz and controls the curls, but it also treats it in the process. You don't need to use an expensive one, I use Alberto Balsam that only cost me a few euro.

I used to let my hair dry naturally but I found I didn't have control over the shape of it as it dried, so now I use a hair dryer (I don't use a diffuser as I find it takes away from my natural curl) on a low heat and low blast. I dry the underneath of my hair upside down to add volume, then I scrunch dry the rest of my hair, holding the dryer to it. That way I can control the shape, body and tightness of my curls.

Try to use a mask (again the ones from Penneys are great and inexpensive) in your hair every 1-2 weeks,.and I cannot stress the importance of a good cut at least every 6 weeks. Curly hair must be managed correctly, lack of care or proper cuts can affect how your curls look and fall.

Get rid of the straighteners - it's a huge factor in why your hair is so frizzy, it's likely heat damaged. If you must straighten, make sure to use heat protectant, but my opinion is to not straighten as you will lose your natural curl over time and it will damage your hair.

Mimojo

Ah_Yeah wrote: »

What shampoo and conditioner are you using? You should be using one designed for curly hair, free from sulphates and parabens if possible.

Comb your hair through when you put the conditioner in, then rinse out. DO NOT comb/brush your hair after it's been washed.

Don't rub your hair dry with the towel, it breaks the hair. Wrap it in the towel to take most of the moisture out, then squeeze or scrunch dry it to get the remainder.

I use the Argan or Keratin serum from Penneys (comes in a small tube and only costs a few euro iirc), just a dollop of that from root to tip while it's still wet, making sure you work it through all of your hair (I have thick hair so I separate it into sections).

I avoid using mousse where I can, instead I use creme (like Boots curl creme or Frizz Ease finishing creme) or a Jelly (like Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly). But the best I've ever found is just using regular conditioner, as it not only calms frizz and controls the curls, but it also treats it in the process. You don't need to use an expensive one, I use Alberto Balsam that only cost me a few euro.

I used to let my hair dry naturally but I found I didn't have control over the shape of it as it dried, so now I use a hair dryer (I don't use a diffuser as I find it takes away from my natural curl) on a low heat and low blast. I dry the underneath of my hair upside down to add volume, then I scrunch dry the rest of my hair, holding the dryer to it. That way I can control the shape, body and tightness of my curls.

Try to use a mask (again the ones from Penneys are great and inexpensive) in your hair every 1-2 weeks,.and I cannot stress the importance of a good cut at least every 6 weeks. Curly hair must be managed correctly, lack of care or proper cuts can affect how your curls look and fall.

Get rid of the straighteners - it's a huge factor in why your hair is so frizzy, it's likely heat damaged. If you must straighten, make sure to use heat protectant, but my opinion is to not straighten as you will lose your natural curl over time and it will damage your hair.

Thanks for the detailed reply!

At the moment I am using the new Garnier Ultimate Bend Coconut Oi & Cocoa Butter shampoo. I have to admit I am not very picky about shampoo, I generally just but in the supermarket, generally herbal essence or pantene, and I generally don’t go for the curly hair version, which in thinking about it now is a bad move!! I admit I never look for products free from sulphates and parabens, can you recommend a good one please?
I would always towel dry my hair and brush it after, so I can stop doing that from now.
I will have a look for Argan or Keratin serums in Penneys, thanks for the tip. I find there are SO many products out there, serum, gel, mouse, crème, spray, at this stage I don’t know which is which so thanks for the recommendation!!
I have the frizz ease finishing crème which I would use once I am finished straightened, I have tried so many products at this stage that is one I have found to be good. When you say use regular conditioner, do you mean pop in conditioner and just leave it in your hair?
Thanks for the tips also on the hairdryer, at the moment I would blast my hair on the highest setting just t get it dry and then straighten it, which really cant be good.
I will also stock up on the masks, again something I don’t do at the moment. I am trying to grow my hair at the moment as I feel that if it was longer the weight might actually mean that it will pull it down a bit, but could prob do with a decent hair cut. Prob is so far I always get a cut to suit a straight look so I prob need to specify I want it cut to suit a curley style now.
I used to let my hair dry naturally but I found I didn't have control over the shape of it as it dried, so
At this stage I have been straightening for YEARS, at least every second day, if not every day, and my hair is in good condition, but I don’t use the heat protector stuff so in the long run it must be damaged. I would LOVE to get away from having to straighten altogether, if I could just figure out the right curl products!!

Ah_Yeah

The thing to remember is that the product can only do so much - good routine is key to having good healthy curls, and I admit it's a pain sometimes, I am notorious for just tying it up, which causes split ends!

I am trialling Ultimate Blends myself at the moment, I've heard good things about it. I usually use the Loreal Sulphate Free Range, I use the one for coloured hair, but there's also ones for frizzy and damaged hair. They are pricey but I've always found them to be worth it. I also like Umberto Giannini's curly hair products, I recently tried the pink shampoo, conditioner and curl jelly and loved them all.

You'll find what works for you only by trialling (Boots is useful for buying travel sizes of products you want to try) or asking people with similiar hair to you, but if you look for products designed for curly hair and free from sulphates where possible, you're on the right track.

Try to stick to 'less is more' - too much product weighs your hair down and denies it it's natural bounce. Don't put more than one product on dry hair - that's my cardinal rule. If I've put curl creme in, I dont put serum in too. Only exception is hairspray, which I use to set my hair if I'm just using conditioner.

Yes, just pop a €2 coin sized amount of conditioner into your hair, I find it works best on dry or nearly dry hair, it seals the cuticles in that way. The only products I put on damp hair are the moroccan/argan oil or heat protectant.

Getting your hair trimmed often keeps it healthy - I actually have layers in my hair so that my curls frame my face, and it gives them plenty bounce! They are very long layers though, too short and you'll look like a poodle!

Hope that helps! I had much of the same questions as you, a few lovely boardsies put me on the right track and now I've found my own routine. Embrace your curls!

Pippy1976

Oh lordy! No wonder you've got frizzy hair. You're doing nothing to help it whatsoever.

Stop blow drying on a high heat, that'd be my first recommendation.

Second recommendation, start paying attention to the products you buy. I have hair similar to yours and since I've started reading ingredients and being "mindful" of what I use on my hair it's improved so much.

Thirdly, here's my tuppence worth:

- stop using shampoo with SLS (it's in everything from soap to washing up powder!),
- use a good 'cone free conditioner. I use Inecto Coconut Conditioner, bought in Dunnes, lasts a lifetime and is great for curly hair,
- buy a few muslin cloths or use an old t-shirt to wrap your hair in after washing and leave until it's almost dry,
- work product (only a small blob the size of a walnut) like gels, creams, butters through lengths of hair concentrating on the ends,
- leave to DRY NATURALLY.

Products I recommend are Desert Essence Coconut Curl Creme, Boots Curl Creme (huge pink tub) and Organix Curl something-or-other that I picked up in Tesco a few weeks ago.

The less product the better the curl, curls don't like to be overloaded and they'll get oily and heavy with too much 'stuff'! Treat them well, look after them and the more moisture on them the better.

And again, PLEASE STOP BLOW DRYING YOUR CURLS.

Mimojo wrote: »

Thanks for the detailed reply!

At the moment I am using the new Garnier Ultimate Bend Coconut Oi & Cocoa Butter shampoo. I have to admit I am not very picky about shampoo, I generally just but in the supermarket, generally herbal essence or pantene, and I generally don’t go for the curly hair version, which in thinking about it now is a bad move!! I admit I never look for products free from sulphates and parabens, can you recommend a good one please?
I would always towel dry my hair and brush it after, so I can stop doing that from now.
I will have a look for Argan or Keratin serums in Penneys, thanks for the tip. I find there are SO many products out there, serum, gel, mouse, crème, spray, at this stage I don’t know which is which so thanks for the recommendation!!
I have the frizz ease finishing crème which I would use once I am finished straightened, I have tried so many products at this stage that is one I have found to be good. When you say use regular conditioner, do you mean pop in conditioner and just leave it in your hair?
Thanks for the tips also on the hairdryer, at the moment I would blast my hair on the highest setting just t get it dry and then straighten it, which really cant be good.
I will also stock up on the masks, again something I don’t do at the moment. I am trying to grow my hair at the moment as I feel that if it was longer the weight might actually mean that it will pull it down a bit, but could prob do with a decent hair cut. Prob is so far I always get a cut to suit a straight look so I prob need to specify I want it cut to suit a curley style now.
I used to let my hair dry naturally but I found I didn't have control over the shape of it as it dried, so
At this stage I have been straightening for YEARS, at least every second day, if not every day, and my hair is in good condition, but I don’t use the heat protector stuff so in the long run it must be damaged. I would LOVE to get away from having to straighten altogether, if I could just figure out the right curl products!!

miss-p

I would be quite similar to you I think. A couple of years ago I decided to stop straightening my hair/getting straight haircuts and try go down the curly hair route. It definitely took a while for me to get used to my curls.
One of the things I can not recommend enough is to get your hair cut for a curly style, and get them to dry it curly (although the first time I did this, I did not like it at all and got them to straighten it). One of the good things about this is they can give you ideas on how to let your hair dry. It took me a while to get used to seeing my hair curly and realising that curly didn't mean frizzy.

At the minute, I just wash my hair with any shampoo (I know there's lots of recommendations about using special shampoos and stuff) and then brush conditioner through the ends while I'm in the shower and then rinse.
I use a head towel turban thing to dry it for a little while and then while it's still wet/damp put some of this into it and let it air dry, shaking/scrunching my curls a bit to get some volume into them.

My hair isn't always perfect, but most of the time it works

chinacup

Don't know if this has been mentioned already but don't have time to read all the comments. A couple of tips I've picked up are to dry your hair with a t shirt, only comb your hair with conditioner in the shower and not anytime after while its drying. Also sleep with a silk cap or pillow case to prevent frizz overnight. I also sometimes plait my hair while its drying, in maybe 4 plaits, which helps keep it in one place. You could try leaving overnight curlers in if you want to leave it natural. As for the straightening sorry I'm not so sure, trying to get out of the habit of straightening for mine if at all possible!

Mimojo

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Oh lordy! No wonder you've got frizzy hair. You're doing nothing to help it whatsoever.

Stop blow drying on a high heat, that'd be my first recommendation.

Second recommendation, start paying attention to the products you buy. I have hair similar to yours and since I've started reading ingredients and being "mindful" of what I use on my hair it's improved so much.

Thirdly, here's my tuppence worth:

- stop using shampoo with SLS (it's in everything from soap to washing up powder!),
- use a good 'cone free conditioner. I use Inecto Coconut Conditioner, bought in Dunnes, lasts a lifetime and is great for curly hair,
- buy a few muslin cloths or use an old t-shirt to wrap your hair in after washing and leave until it's almost dry,
- work product (only a small blob the size of a walnut) like gels, creams, butters through lengths of hair concentrating on the ends,
- leave to DRY NATURALLY.

Products I recommend are Desert Essence Coconut Curl Creme, Boots Curl Creme (huge pink tub) and Organix Curl something-or-other that I picked up in Tesco a few weeks ago.

The less product the better the curl, curls don't like to be overloaded and they'll get oily and heavy with too much 'stuff'! Treat them well, look after them and the more moisture on them the better.

And again, PLEASE STOP BLOW DRYING YOUR CURLS.

Thanks for the advise, sounds like the blow dyer and straightener really have to go! Great product recommendations, as I said I am not sure where to start so will try out some of these. I would always towel dry my hair before blow drying, no wonder it is so crazy! Will be on a mission this weekend to seek out muslin clothes which sound like the way to go.

miss-p wrote: »

I would be quite similar to you I think. A couple of years ago I decided to stop straightening my hair/getting straight haircuts and try go down the curly hair route. It definitely took a while for me to get used to my curls.
One of the things I can not recommend enough is to get your hair cut for a curly style, and get them to dry it curly (although the first time I did this, I did not like it at all and got them to straighten it). One of the good things about this is they can give you ideas on how to let your hair dry. It took me a while to get used to seeing my hair curly and realising that curly didn't mean frizzy.

At the minute, I just wash my hair with any shampoo (I know there's lots of recommendations about using special shampoos and stuff) and then brush conditioner through the ends while I'm in the shower and then rinse.
I use a head towel turban thing to dry it for a little while and then while it's still wet/damp put some of this into it and let it air dry, shaking/scrunching my curls a bit to get some volume into them.

My hair isn't always perfect, but most of the time it works

Thanks for the advise, I have been straightened for that long and I always mean to go down the curly route, now its time! I always get a straight hair cut so sounds like I need to take the plunge and get something more suitable to a curly look. If I could get the product sorted and felt that I had something that was working for me the haircut is the next step! Do you find it takes a lot less time to get your hair ready now?

arf91 wrote: »

Don't know if this has been mentioned already but don't have time to read all the comments. A couple of tips I've picked up are to dry your hair with a t shirt, only comb your hair with conditioner in the shower and not anytime after while its drying. Also sleep with a silk cap or pillow case to prevent frizz overnight. I also sometimes plait my hair while its drying, in maybe 4 plaits, which helps keep it in one place. You could try leaving overnight curlers in if you want to leave it natural. As for the straightening sorry I'm not so sure, trying to get out of the habit of straightening for mine if at all possible!

Some more great tips, will have to try these out too, many thanks

miss-p

Really it takes as long as my hair takes to air dry...so I spend a few minutes preping my hair with cream or whatever, making sure its going to sit right and then just let it dry. So styling takes no time, just drying which I suppose depends on how thick your hair is...

verywell

I swear by Redken Anti Snap Leave in Conditioner. I use this religously and when my hair started to become really dry and breaking due to dying it, I lashed this on every time I washed my hair. I have used it for years and have always gotten compliments on my hair