Best way to manage naturally curly hair?

[TigerseyeMum]

I have naturally curly hair - in my youth I looked like a poor mans Julia Sawalha and now if I cut it short more like Alex Polizzi.

Because my hormones are up shit creek right now my mid-length brown hair has got super dry and hard to style - more Saffy from Ab Fab sadly. I am having a dilemma - do I cut it back to Polizzi levels and hope it grows back a bit healthier, or keep it and try to manage it with products?

At the moment my saviour is Moroccan Oil curl creme and cokkasta shikakai oil from Curly Girls. The CG method does not work for my scalp so I use SLS free shampoo and a DG Organics or Moroccan Oil conditioner.

Anyone know any good curl booster, moisturising products? Or should I go all Polizzi on its ass???

I adore Alex Polizzi's hair when it's short.
HAve you tried coconut oil overnight?

I haven't - my skin and scalp are also suffering, would it clog my pores do you think?

Ideally you need an unrefined, virgin oil a cheaper one would be fine for hair TBH. Using once, twice or even three times a week should be fine considering how much washing out it takes.

but a cheaper one would be fine for hair TBH. What are you using on your skin?

The coccasta shikakai oil is a pure oil that you can leave in overnight so similar to the coconut oil. It smells like marzipan too.

Face, usually NYR for moisturiser and Ren for washing, depends on where I am in my cycle. Recently using dermalogica pre leaner has helped a lot and my Sonicleanse has been brilliant. So it's under control. Just the dry crazy hair now until things get a bit more sorted.

If you're doing that then I wouldn't bother with the coconut oil TBH.

Would you like it shorter?

(disclaimer: my hair is straight as a lat but does get dry. Was just bumping really)

I'm very undecided. I love my Polizzi look and it's certainly easier but longer hair is more versatile.

I went back over old photos today and the short hair is ok, the long hair is ok but the growing it out pix are dire!!!!

I'm not the most attractive woman in the world so I'm hesitant to go short again. But I am also lazy and long curly hair is high maintenance!!!!

Curly Girl method didn't work for me either but if you use a silicone, SLS or SLES shampoo or conditioner you should try to do an ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) rinse to restore the pH balance of your scalp and curly hair and rid your scalp of the build up, that silicones, SLES & SLS can cause. Just Google ACV rinse, you'll find a lot of info.

Apple Cider Vinegar only costs about £1 at Tesco.

As for sealing in moisture you could also try applying natural oils to your wet curls. Use either Camellia Kissi or Sapote Seed Oil - again just Google it.

I got a bottle of each for Mother's day back in March and it has worked wonders for my scalp & kept my tightly coiled hair well defined.

Hmm, I've tried acv before but it didn't seem to do much for me. I avoid all silicone and parabens etc, my skin reacts really badly to them.

I was born an awkward bugger and have remained so for 40 years :)

If the oil treatments don't work, I'd go for the cut. Having similar issues with mine at the moment..corkscrew curls have been replaced by a bad 80's perm. I'm having it all lopped off to teach it a lesson.

That's interesting, do you think bad curly hair is linked to the seasonal change? We've had extremes of weather lately

I'm seriously considering the chop. I call everyone darling a lot anyway so it'll just help me get more into character.

To be honest, I think mine is hormone induced too. Currently 35 weeks pregnant and don't think I've shed a single hair for 7 months. So the curls are drowning under their own weight. Cutting them off seems the kinder thing to do at the moment.

I quite like Polizzi curls anyway, unfortunately I will be more Shirley temple after the chop...but something has to be done.

I use Umberto Giannini Curl Friends smoothing balm.

Comb your hair under the shower with conditioner, then squeeze with towel to "dry" (don't toss), and apply this product. Apply it down the length of your hair, then define curls by twisting them into shape and/or crunching. It leaves hair soft but with well-defined curls. I love it.

Oh I haven't tried Umberto Gianni. I shall have a look.

Hair has had a temporary reprieve as I rang the hairdressers but no one answered the phone. Still undecided. Sigh.

My hair is naturally curly and hormonally challenged too! Although I do the curly girl method it never looked or felt right. I've tried loads of stuff over the last couple of years but my hair seemed to get used to stuff and then it stopped working.

I was completely fed up with it and came really close to having it all chopped off very,very short. One last attempt to find a magic potion came up with this Curl Keeper from the british curlies on line shop. It is indeed a magic potion for my hair. It's not cheap but it does go a long way. There are videos by the chap who created it ( Curly Hair Solutions) on how to use it properly.
I apply it to very/soaking wet hair, scrunch some Umberto Gianni gel in then leave it for 10 mins to work (v.important) then diffuse it dry. If I overdo the gel and it's crunchy I just scrunch some jojoba oil through it.

It's the only product my hair hasn't got used to. It kills almost all of the frizz and I get proper curls. Most days I like my hair although there are some days I could still happily shave it off

Thank you, I shall check that out too :)

I heard that curly hair is caused by hormones anyway, mine was poker straight until i hit puberty.

I fully expect it to revert back to glossy straightness once I reach the menopause.

In the meantime I am in a hideous hormonal maelstrom and my hair is letting me know all about it!

Tigers erm, I don't know how to tell you this, but the menopause has made my hair worse, much worse

Damn!!!!

My curls have been very dry of late, I've been putting it down to the weather.

I use my own mix of water, some serum (Frizz ease, the purple one) some conditioner and some pink curl creme from Boots. I spray it on dry hair and then gently dry it. It seems to work, my hair has looks fab today, beautiful curls and no frizz.

Re dry curls - Have you tried just a drop of argan oil?

I don't have curly hair myself, but a friend with super curly hair swears by Lush Curly Wurly shampoo, she says it transforms her hair. Quite expensive though, and she says its very difficult to rinse out, but worth the effort.

Lots of ideas, thanks :-D

Argan oil - I was using this a lot but recently it's done nothing for my hair. In fact any oil seems to just 'sit' on my dry hair managing to make it look both greasy and frizzy at the same time, which is quite a feat.

Boots pink curl creme was good for a whole then started doing the same. I just don't know what's going on with it. It's very brittle and frizzy but a recent 2 day oil treatment plus natural drying has slightly improved it.

I have used pure coconut oil for fried hair and a once a week treatment of the cheapest mayonaisse. slather it on and leave it on overnight with a shower cap on then wash it out in the morning.

Old fashioned vitapointe leave in conditioner is good for day use. This wet weather makes the curls go tighter.

I forgot to mention earlier, this is what I use when my hair is like sticks. It's a bit ££ but a pot lasts ages.