Is crunchy, curly hair an absolute no no??

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I have naturally wavy ish, thick hair with a slight curl in it. In the summer I hate using the hair dryer so I leave it au natural and I use a curling mousse or cream to get it less frizzy and try to get it to form some sort of curl.... however it normally ends up looking like something out of a cartoon rather than the luscious curls I dream of.

I have found a cream product that really helps it curl nicely but it is a tad crunchy. Is that a massive no no? I must say I'm not a fan of the crunchy touch but it's so much nicer to look at than the random tousled look I normally get with the mousses.

I'm a curly hair novice- I'm much better in the winter when I just blow dry it and it straightens itself!
Thanks in advance!

I use a product that makes my curls "crunchy". I put it on when my hair is wet and then once it's dry I use my fingers to break it up a bit - that or sleeping on it usually reduces the "crunch".

I am finding the crunch has lessened through the day.... it's making me feel better about the whole thing.

Which cream product do you use?

As of today- and because of a post on mumsnet- I am using catwalk tigi curls. I have previously tried the bumble and bumble curl cream and John Frieda curl mousse..

what I do is let it dry 50:50 and then blow dry straight the top t-bar area. My hair is so thick that it takes AGES to blow dry it straight so just doing the top bit is quick and gives it a styled look.

You'd think it would look really odd to straighten the top and not the bottom but it doesn't!

Just put your thumbs together and push them back across the top of your head to section off about an inch of hair across the top and then straighten it. When you've done that you can push it all back and just section off a front area (the hair that would be your fringe hair even if you don't have a fringe). It takes about 3 minutes instead of 45 and your curly hair will look lovely.

I use lopoo now. l'oreal lopoo.

OP, have a look at Facebook, search for the Curly Girls! page. Has lots of info including Scrunch Out The Crunch.

Thanks everyone! I'll check out fb. X

Mine goes crunchy, I just scrunch the crunch out by rubbing a tiny bit of (curly girl approved!) silicone free hair milk or oil in my palms and then scrunching and ruffling the roots

Definitely scrunch out the crunch, the curl will stay but the crunch will disappear. I do it with a t-shirt, or with my hands if I'm not at home. Make sure hair is completely dry though, or it will frizz.

Google Curly Girl method, or find the Facebook group. You need this in your life!

I have found boots curl cream is cheap and effective and not so crunchy. I also am now a convert to aunt jackies not crunchy at all. Wash the night before and then just top up with water in a spray and a bit of product.

Nice tips!! Thanks. I have been scrunching away the crunch through the day and it did go - so now I just need to do it more and it will go earlier! I may try the oil trick as well.

One more question- while I've got you here.

Do you brush your hair before or after you wash it??

I don't brush at all, just detangle with fingers when my conditioner is in

Curly girl routine had literally changed my life, you have to check it out and your curls will be amazing!