I have naturally wavy hair. I recently cut it to about mid-neck length, which really brought out the waves.
I’d like to find a product that will help keep the curls defined, so that it looks more like this (not a pic of me) instead of a frizzy mess. But, I need something that isn’t too stiff.
I don’t do anything otherwise to my hair except shampoo/conditioner and air dry. Normally, by the end of the day, my body has produced enough oils that the curls look awesome. But I can’t wait that long all the time. And the weather is too hot not to shower in the morning
Any recommendations? Since all the hairstylists nearby have agendas, the STMB is my only hope!
I live in the most humid place on earth (hooray, Florida) and have the coarsest hair imaginable. All of those frizz serums and gels suck at keeping my hair from frizzing.
I use Beyond the Zone’s styling wax, which comes in a stick form that you either rub directly onto your hair (if it’s short) or rub on your hands then run them through your hair (if it’s long). It is heavy enough to keep my hair under control, but doesn’t make it too greasy or sticky. Plus, since it’s pliable, if I don’t wash my hair every day (which I normally don’t, it’s so dry) I can just run my fingers through my hair the next day to fix up the style. That sounds kinda gross now I think about it, but whatever.
Curl Memory Spiral Down by Texture. Works great, doesn’t make your hair crunchy, but you need to use LOTS if you have lots of hair.
Also Curl Conscious Curl Creme from Bumble & Bumble – works pretty well but the best thing about this product is that it comes with detailed instructions on optimal use.
The Alterna product is worthless, FYI, and Frizz-ease is effective but impractical, since for optimal results you have to apply it to soaking-wet hair and air dry. Who has time for that?
I have wavy hair (which I have a lot of but is VERY fine) that I turn curly with a few little tricks.
I use curl enhancing mousse so as not to weigh down my hair too much. I’ve used this one a few times with good results. (FTR, their other line “BIG SEXY HAIR” is great and I really suggest their root pump and hair spray).
Then I put a little bit of Biosilk (and I do mean a little bit-- a teeny tiny bit goes a loooooooooong way), because it makes your hair totally not frizzy. In my opinion, this stuff is heads and tails better than Frizz-ease and because you need so little, lasts much, much longer. Totally worth the price, if you ask me.
Then I flip my head over and blow dry on the lowest, slowest setting with a diffuser.
I’d definitely get a diffuser if you want curls, but the key is to scrunch and twirl with your hands and the little fingers on the diffuser, while blowing out slowly. You’ll be amazed how much your hair will curl with a diffuser. If you don’t already have one for your blow dryer, just go to Target and they have new dryers with diffusers for like $15. I used this one for four years before it broke. (Oh and it broke because I dropped it, not because it wore out or anything).
Finish everything off with a light mist of hair spray and you should be good to go. For extra volume, I lift my hair up in sections (big sections) and spray the roots with either root pump from Big Sexy Hair or just some hair spray. Let it dry for a split second, then shake it with your fingers. Everything should fluff up nicely- it’s a good alternative to teasing (which looks like crap on curly hair).
Thanks for the advice! The Sunsilk de-friz and the Beyond the Zone styling wax sound promising
More hair details, in case they make a difference:
I have lots of thick hair. It was long enough to go just past my shoulder, but that was enough weight that wearing it in a pony tail gave me headaches. It is so much lighter and enjoyable now.
I’m in the central valley of California, so it’s hellaciously hot and dry.
Any technique much more complicated than wash and go, and I won’t do it (thanks anyhow, DiosaBellissima. I admire your stamina)
It takes me about 10 minutes to blow out my hair like I described above (not to mention I’m also in the Central Valley of CA, so we’ve got the same weather to contend with). In fact, I call that my “lazy” hair because it involves less work than wearing it straight. 10 minutes, I swear.
Shampoo might help a little, but unless you blow dry with a diffuser or use some sort of product, you really aren’t going to get a curl like in the picture you linked to. Good luck though.
I second Sunsilk De-Frizz, it’s good stuff. The directions say to run it through damp hair and style like normal, or use it once your hair is dry for touch ups. I also just bought conditioner for curly/wavy hair by Garnier Fructis, I’ll try it for the first time tomorrow morning and report back.
A tip from my stylist - if you still have little frizzies after your hair is styled, twirl the frizzies back into a spiral with a little product on your fingers. Since frizzies are just separated curls, this helps redefine it.
Mine is thin but very curly, so it may not apply. My system:
Use Pantene Pro-V.
Use Dove or Pantene gel. Scrunch hair.
Never, ever bring a blow-dryer close to it. I know diffusers work fine but I don’t even like those and never blow dry my hair.
Cut/trim regularly to keep it from getting too weighed down… I have to get mine cut.
I use Bouncy Curls Defining Gel by Tresseme that seems to do good things for my curls, as well as decreases some of the frizz. It’s very inexpensive (I get mine at Walmart or Target). You have to experiment a little to figure out the right amount to use, but I’ve been fairly successful with it.
The Pantene Pro-V Restorative Frizz Control has worked wonderfully for me. I have the best “second day” hair, meaning I have to wait a day after washing it for it to feel good and act the way I want it. If I use the Pantene I don’t have to wait that extra day, it feels silky and hangs right from the get go. Sometimes I get cheap and use Suave or the kids’ shampoo and just use the Frizz Control Conditioner and it still does a good job. Great for the tangles too. I blow dry mine just because there’s so much of it but even then I don’t do more than brush out the tangles, flip my head upside down and blow it dry for a few minutes.
If it’s still frizzy you can try the Fructis smoothing milk - it comes in a pump and you just put about a dime size glob and you can put it on wet or dry hair. It’s pretty good at killing the fuzz too.
I also have very thick wavy/curly hair. The product I use to keep it more or less under control is Be Curly Curl Enhancing Lotion by Aveda. I just wash and condition my hair, work some product through it while it’s damp, let it air-dry, and voilà, no frizzies!
I don’t have curly hair but it’s pretty wavy unless I blow-dry it. I use jojoba oil every day. I almost never have frizz. Maybe if there’s a rainstorm and it gets really hot right after, you know that steamroom effect that sometimes happens? That will cause a bit of frizz. (Granted if my hair were actually curly maybe it would be worse.) I notice a HUGE difference when I don’t use jojoba oil. I only need a tiny amount; my hair is almost down to my waist and extremely thick and I split it into two sections and use about a dime-sized drop rubbed through my hands and then through my hair.
No, it does not attract dirt and doesn’t make your hair look oily. I wash my hair every 3-5 days and use the oil every day.
When you wash and go, do you comb or brush or anything it? I find that only if I leave it alone does mine clump into smooth curls. Combing it straightens it out some and tends to make it more frizzy.
I second the jojoba oil. I use a small drop, maybe about the size of a tick, rub it between my palms, then tilt my head to the side and run my palms lightly down the length of my hair, paying special attention to the ends. Tilt my head to the other side and repeat. You can use it on damp or dry hair. I add a few drops of lavender oil to my jojoba so I smell good.
I know some other people with curly hair that have had good results using coconut oil the same way.
Try DevaCurl One Condition and DevaCurl NoPoo. The shampoo is non-lathering and doesn’t contain some of the chemicals that other shampoos do. I usually only shampoo about once a week or so. I use the conditioner every day though, and the DevaCurl Angell leave-in conditioner. My hair is thick, wavy and coarse and the DevaCurl products tend to tame it while encouraging curls.
I was also going to mention NaturallyCurly.com. I learned ALOT about how to manage my wavy thick hair from that site.
The biggest thing I learned that has helped me is to NOT SHAMPOO EVERY DAY. I shampoo about once a week, on the other days I get my hair good and wet and slather on the conditioner…rinse out and style as usual. (They call it a “Conditioner Wash”) It has really reduced the frizziness and volume of my hair…I would never have believed it until I tried it.
The products I use are pretty simple:
VO5 Extra Body Conditioner - I was amazed at the difference when I started using this very inexpensive (99cents) conditioner. My hair has never been as curly and wavy as when I started using it.
Alberto VO5 Hairdressing - The old school stuff that has been around forever…really gives hair shine and body. I use it on my wet hair and apply whenever I might have some flyaways…never weighs down my hair . Also very cheap!! Less than $3.00 a tube and it lasts at least 3 months.
Suave Clarifying Shampoo - Lather and rinse only, no repeat on the days when I shampoo
Aussie Scrunchy Hair Spray - This keeps things in place and adds to the curl, plus it smells good!
Isn’t hair just the weirdest thing? I had stick straight hair until about 4 years ago. Then suddenly it started growing in wavy. Not properly curly, but really very wavy. Like very relaxed curls. I like it, but have been blow drying it straight because I can’t deal with the frizz. This thread had been totally helpful. Thank you all so much!