Help! My naturally curly hair has gone a bit Kate Bush-like

[sallycinnamum]

I've always had naturally curly hair but usually wear it up as I can't blow dry it and it takes ages to air dry.

During both my pregnancies, my hair was lovely but afterwards I had alot of hair loss and the condition this time around is awful. I'm using a sulphate-free shampoo and then use mousse and leave in conditioner to shape the curls but the next day my hair looks like a terrible, frizzy mess.

I've always had really lovely defined curls post-wash but this time round, unless I wash my hair every day it looks a total mess.

Any ideas or product recommendations curly haired MNers?

[bishboschone]

Me too, my hair is now wavy as opposed to curly.. No miracle cure here

[dexter73]

I just wash my hair every day. Pita but easier than trying to tame the frizz.

[OwlCat]

I have to wash and do mine every day. It has been looking rubbish lately but I've just discovered Naked Curl Taming Cream (sorry can't link on my phone), which is working better than anything else that I've tried - and I've tried a lot!

[bishboschone]

I have body shop shampoo and products and actually find my hair is less curly with them . If I use a curl shampoo with silicone then it curls better albeit with some frizz . Not sure that's helpful but thought id share.

[CreatureRetorts]

Can you wash it in the morning?

[sallycinnamum]

I do wash it in the morning but I commute into London and it looks a bit unprofessional turning up at work with wet hair.

Someone needs to invent a drying system for curly hair!

[dragonslipperss]

Use a diffuser on your hair dryer. They are perfect for drying curly hair.

Google 'curly girl method' or the naturally curly website

[Llareggub]

Yes! Use a diffuser.

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

boots curl cream is meant to be good.

[MotherBluestocking]

I think my hair is very similar to yours, so you have my sympathy. I am currently having snow success with the following method:
After shampooing and conditioning, comb through a good dollop of Miroccanoil. Follow with bumble and bumble leave in conditioner. Then a curl boosting product. Divide into about 8 sections and twist. Dry naturally or diffuse. Run fingers through hair to achieve desired separation.
Weep and reach for straighteners.

• I mean, revel in your enviably soft and frizz-free curls.

N

[sallycinnamum]

I've tried a diffuser and it just makes the frizz worse.

On a good day, it's a bit Sarah Jessica Parker. On a bad day it's like a bad 80s power perm.

I have bought every curly hair product invented (or feel likes it), have it straightened (disaster), blow dried several times by over enthusiastic hairdressers who foolishly thought they could tame it and had it short and long (come to the conclusion the longer, the better as it weighs the curl down).

I did read on Naturally Curly that hooded driers are thebest way of drying curly hair. Can't see me installing one of those in my house!!

[CreatureRetorts]

Do you do the "low poo" method? Ie when you do wash your hair, use very small amounts of shampoo and use your fingers to really scrub the dirt out as opposed to relying on loads of shampoo. Use conditioner instead of shampoo most days.

My dd has incredibly curly/frizzy hair. The best it ever looked was when we went camping and wasn't washed for 5 days!

[sallycinnamum]

If I don't wash it, it looks awful but ill try reducing the amount if shampoo I use.

And I'll try the diffuser tomorrow. It's fine in the summer because my hair dries on the way to work but I just can't do this in the winter.

[CreatureRetorts]

It takes a while to get used to low shampooing. Worth googling the "curly girl hair method" - there was a big MN thread too.

[OwlCat]

I can't diffuse my hair to completely dry, otherwise it gets frizzy but find that it helps if I diffuse it for about 5 minutes, so it is still damp, then leave to air dry.

Some people do something that they call "plopping" to dry curly hair, where an old t-shirt or microfibre towel is used to wrap hair in a particular way. I read about it years ago on naturallycurly.com and couldn't get it to work for me but have seen it recommended on here recently. I think it may be on youtube too.

[agirlcalledsandoz]

Have you tried not washing it every morning ? I have curly hair and I wash every 4/5 days and the other mornings just rinse in the shower then style - leave in conditioner then gel spray - mine always looks fluffy and less curly the first day after washing but calms down after that. I don't wash it in the morning either, just at night and leave to dry naturally then wet and style in the morning.

[hedgehogy]

I've always had to wash mine every morning for the curls to look their best. I always leave it to dry naturally. It takes hours but even diffusers make my hair a frizzy mess (the hairdresser tried it once and never again!).

I sometimes wash my hair at night if I know I won't have time in the morning but then the curls don't look as good and my hair is still wet in the morning anyway (as I have to tie it back)!

I've tried not washing it and using refreshing spritzes etc but it still looks frizzy and the curls a funny shape; by the time I've messed around I might as well have washed my hair.

I used mousses as a teenager but the more nourishing curl creams are much better on my curly hair (ie boots curl cream). I also like umberto giannini curl gel.

[IvanaCake]

Its a nightmare isn't it? I use a few drops of argan oil whilst my hair is soaking wet, then wrap in a microfiber towel for 10 mins whilst I get dressed etc. Then I add a shit load of boots curl creme and leave to dry naturally (which takes hours!!)

The next 2 days I wet it down a bit and stick a bit more curl creme on.

Yy to a curly drying method. I hate having to go out with wet hair. Its really thick and the amount of product means it takes literally hours to dry. It makes me feel really conspicuous on the school run!

[Lottapianos]

Curly hair is a PITA, it's true. I've had the same issue with diffusers - big fluffy mess at the end. I conditioner-wash mine every 2-3 days with Tresemme Natural conditioner (no silicone), then add loads of Boots curl creme while it's still soaking wet, and some Boots gel (purple one) as well. Then air dry for at least 10 hours

I've also started using coconut oil once a week - wet hair, then work coconut oil through hair strand by strand. Pin/tie it up and leave for as long as you can, I usually manage about 2 hours, shampoo out, some people find they need to shampoo twice. Style as usual. It's in better condition and less frizzy since I started doing this.

[honeyis11]

Don't wash your hair with normal conditioner use a co wash specifically for curly hair. I'm having some success with this one.

[Zebracat]

I put mine up in a pineapple at night and sleep on silk. When I wash it,I comb the conditioner thru and leave as long as possible, rinse and then run a good dollop of leave in conditioner through. Currently Cantu. I squeeze and pat water out, never rough it up with a towel.Days 2 ,3 ,4, I either totally soak it through, reactivating the product and then add curl cream, gel or mousse. Or I use a high pressure water mister(about £5.00, Amazon) all over, and then run some ( any) oil through it. It’s never looked better. I can now sometimes use heat. But the amount of product I use is insane, friends say they would look as if they had dipped their head in a chip pan if they used that much.
Also, a hairdresser once told me that curly hair is a gift, particularly as we age, because it has so much vitality, and I cling to that. You can learn to care for yours.