Coarse, curly, wild, crazy hair - what do you use to make it behave?

[Lottapianos]

I'm in need of some product inspiration people! I'm also in need of a haircut - it's been 3 months and hair is looking extra wild, so am booked in at hairdresser on Saturday.

My hair is armpit length, curls beautifully when wet or otherwise well-moisturised but I find it almost impossible to keep it like this when it dries. The curls pull out and turn into waves whenever I tie it up, and I often get a halo of frizz all over. The ends get knotted very easily. At the moment, I shampoo 2-3 times a week with Body Shop Rainforest shampoo (brilliant), then use Body Shop Rainforest Butter as a leave-in, then a bit of Boots Curl Creme on top , then Umberto Giannini gel. I 'plop' it in an old t-shirt, then air dry for ten bloody hours. It looks lovely when its dry, but has turned to a state again by the next day.

I would love to cut down on drying time but have had no success at all with diffusing, I also don't reallly have the time so would just like it to air dry faster, especially coming into autumn/winter. All advice gratefully received (no silicone though, thanks!)

Thanks Jet.

I use Body Shop Rainforest shampoo. I can't get on with co washing though.

What goes wrong when you co-wash Imlike?

If it makes your hair too greasy, try Tresemme. I find it quite thin and not overly rich, so it doesn't weigh down my hair. It just cleans my hair and scalp allowing me to comb my fingers through my hair. The combing action gets rid of any loose hairs which led to tangles.

If co-washing makes your hair too fly away, make sure you are plopping and try a leave-in conditioner.

What goes wrong when you co-wash Imlike?

If it makes your hair too greasy, try Tresemme. I find it quite thin and not overly rich, so it doesn't weigh down my hair. It just cleans my hair and scalp allowing me to comb my fingers through my hair. The combing action gets rid of any loose hairs which led to tangles.

If co-washing makes your hair too fly away, make sure you are plopping and try a leave-in conditioner.

Marking my place with interest....I have hair that takes on a different personality each day, it seems! Sometimes it's quite straight, sometimes wavy and then other times mad curls! I like it curly, but I do need to put products in it to encourage the curls and stop the frizz......and what works one day isn't guaranteed to work the next!

Jet, when I tried co washing, my hair looked wet, it was so greasy.

TwoNoisyBoys try plopping (as link to up thread) as a way of encouraging curls without loads of products.

Imlike if I were you, I would try co-washing everyday with a thin, silicone free conditioner. I would plop after and not apply any more products. This might help with the greasy looking hair.

Wash with appropriate shampoo and conditioner once a week.

In the beginning it is a whole lot of fiddling about until you find what works for you.

But it is worth it in the end.

TwoNoisyBoys try plopping (as link to up thread) as a way of encouraging curls without loads of products.

Imlike if I were you, I would try co-washing everyday with a thin, silicone free conditioner. I would plop after and not apply any more products. This might help with the greasy looking hair.

Wash with appropriate shampoo and conditioner once a week.

In the beginning it is a whole lot of fiddling about until you find what works for you.

But it is worth it in the end.

Why always twice????

Why always twice????

Have you tried hennaing to condition rather than colour ? Lush do some good ones. I do once a month and it's the best treatment I've found yet- keeps everything soft and less prone to frizz.

when I tried co washing, my hair looked wet, it was so greasy

I think this might be a matter of still needing to find the right product, and making sure you use enough of it and give your hair and scalp a good scrub! I use coconut oil as an overnight deep treatment once a week, and I have no problem getting that out the next morning with co-washing (using either Tresemme Naturals or Garnier Ultimate Blends (the dark brown or the light brown one, the other ones have silicon in them)). I am sure that, even if you do have greasy hair, your head doesn't produce as much grease as the coconut oil slick I manage to wash out! :D

It's possible I didn't rinse enough.

I've just washed my hair and plopped it. For the first time.

I decided to try the Body Shop Rainforest shampoo and conditioner and my hair feels really soft. I also bought the hair butter and the Brazil Nut Define and No Frizz cream. (I love their offers - 40% off)

I tried glycerine in my spray this morning but don't know if it made a difference as I decided to walk into town and got soaked! I'll report back on that one!

Also be warned about Tresemme Naturals- it used to be a CG holy grail product, but they reformulated at the beginning of the year, and lots of people have fallen out of love with it.

KERASTASE oleo curl creme, amazing! Abit pricey but it lasts, smells great and keeps me tame all day. It's def my wonder product!

Well my hair feels very soft this morning but is totally wild.

Soft is good. Was it also greasy this time?

My hair is always totally wild if I go to bed and it is still damp. Could that account for some of the wildness?

I always go out with wet, freshly plopped hair in the mornings. Sat in a draft on the bus this morning, near an open window. Result = bird's nest. At least I have volume, I guess! I nonchalantly sauntered into the Body Shop and scooped up a fingerful of Rainforest hair butter, then nonchalantly sauntered out and scrunched it in. Slightly improved, but will need a wash. That's the thing with curly hair: I know some of you ladies manage to revive it miraculously with sprays, but with mine, if it's rubbish when it's dry, I can't do anything with it until I next soak it.

No, not greasy, but I did wash with Rainforest shampoo. It has stayed wild though- it wasn't damp when I went to bed (I think, will keep an eye on that next times).

And I've come away with no coconut oil for 3 days

I think if it is wild you should look to introduce boots curl cream or some silicone free gel. Just to calm it.

Or, maybe some coconut oil or leave-in conditioner.

I get out the shower, put in coconut oil and leave-in conditioner. I get my parting sorted and then plop for ages (while I dress and do my make-up).

Then I take off the micro-fibre towel, clip my fringe (to straighten it a bit without having to blow dry). At this point I try not to touch my hair much.

I head off to work with it dampish and by the time I get in, its dry and when I unclip my fringe it is straight(ish).

I repeat daily!

I admit if looks a little intense when written down but it is easy once you get into the routine.

Thanks for plopping suggestion Jet I'll take a look at the link

Quick question, can I plop using a towel instead of a tshirt or cloth?

Also I want to make sure that it dries quite flat on top, so could I tie it back after plopping til it's dry?