Curly girl. What works?

[FesteringCarbuncle]

I've been doing curly girl for the last few weeks. I'm in a budget so some of the recommended products are too expensive
Has anyone got any good, budget recommendations?
My hair looks good on the first day but the top layer frizzes on the second day. I get an itchy scalp too
I'm using an organic shampoo and the superdrug extracts conditioner. Palmers leave in conditioner and an organic get it the cantu gel. I'm not sure the cantu stuff suits my hair
Before I got organic conditioner I was using tresemme and I think the result was possibly better. I'm reluctant to go back to sulphates etc now

I do CG and Tresemmé Perfectly Undone conditioner is my hero product. It's getting harder to find though which is worrying - when I do find it I literally clear the shelf. Tresemmé Botanique works too but I prefer the PU. Other than that a surprisingly good option is Waitrose own brand aloe vera conditioner; it's thinner in texture than Tresemmé but works well, smells gorgeous and costs 79p!

I use Cantu curl cream with mixed with some CG gel, the combination works well and the hair does not dry out.

I wash with with As I Am cleansing conditioner or Giovanni triple tea tree shampoo, followed by yes to carrots pampering conditioner and finally shockwaves gel (the power 5 rated one). I find cantu too heavy for my hair and have to avoid using products with things like cocoa or Shea butter.

Tresemme Perfectly Undone was my ideal conditioner but it has been discontinued now.
I have found this Tesco 90p conditioner to be very good for my hair

You aren't supposed to use shampoo either. I have found the curly girls facebook page very informative and helpful. They have albums showing suitable products too.

I'm still experimenting a year on!
Wash - as I am co wash or moogoo conditioner
Condition - Shea moisture low porosity conditioner
Products - cantu custard usually and lube
Oil to scrunch out the cast

Actually just tried mousse and gel on mine for a change tonight

I like Cantu Products. Also Boots pink curl Creme, v cheap. I recently bought some pure Argan oil in Morocco and it's made my hair v soft. You can probably buy some on Amazon?

Do you all stick ridgly to the sulphate/alcohol free?
Is the boots pink curl creme natural
Because the tresemme conditioner I used wasn't their natural one I did wonder if sulphate free doesn't work for me. Or it could be I haven't given it a go for long enough
Has your hair and curls continued to improve

What do you mean by 'natural' OP? No hair product is, really, unless you just use oils.

I'm just using it as a quicker way to say no silicone, sulphates or alcohol

Apparently the Boots creme used to be CG-friendly but not anymore. Not sure why. Umberto Giannini's curl scrunching jelly is good though, and CG-friendly.

The Boots one has a drying alcohol in it

.

Wilko own brand gel and mousse are cheap and cg friendly

Unfortunately CG is largely a matter of trial and error - so many variables affect what works well on some and not on others, eg hair porosity not just curl pattern. For reducing second day frizz i like cantu hold and shine mist, but i dilute it in a different spray bottle as it’s quite rich and the bottle it comes in sprays a stream rather than a mist Iyswim. You could also consider introducing a sealing oil into your routine for after your leave in conditioner - pure jojoba or castor oil are good for this and not that expensive on amazon - also you don’t need much.

I like the cantu conditioner but it is a bit more than the extracts one. Superdrug often have offers on though, just keep an eye on the website. Finally, check and double check ingredients - the whole cantu range is talked of as being cg friendly but a couple of things (the leave in conditioner is the only one i can remember) have silicones in.

Following! I have had some success with Pantene 5 mousse. But I really struggle from day 2 tbh

Also - what do you do with your hair when you sleep? Silk pillowcases can reduce frizz and fluffiness, if you can’t stretch to one you can often come by silk scarves in charity shops for not v much. Putting one of those across your pillow, or sleeping with it on your hair can help reduce fluff. Buffband type headbands too.

I came across this blog earlier: www.curlsandbeautydiary.com/start-here-curly-hair/

It is COMPREHENSIVE

I have been doing cg for years and there was stuff I don’t know on there - today was hairwash day and i left the crunch on till it was bone dry as per the advice on this blog, and omg the difference it made 😮 HAIR DREAMS

I have a similar problem but think I've sorted the worst out. I need to wash my hair every other day but only use shampoo on my scalp then I condition all over I found a Fructis frizz ease conditioner in Poundland which really defines my curls. I also have a spray in and leave conditioner which I use if I need it .

gel doesn't work for my hair. I use the boots curl cream instead. huge pink pot for £1.99. yes, it contains alcohol but no silicones and is not drying and curly friendly.

I use various silicone free conditioners and often only wash with conditioner. I use (sulphate free) shampoo only ever 4-5 washes .

you say you are using an organic shampoo. but is it sulphate free? I use Palmer's coconut shampoo. it's fab, cheap and without sulphates

has anyone successfully revived super over heated, lank, stretched out hair? i'm starting to think I'm going to have to have a big chop

merry, there are some YouTube videos about it but I still think you will have to chop the worse bits off.

I used to use Cantu conditioner and Umberto Gianni curl jelly.
I have relapsed now but don’t want to do sulphates. I now alternate Lush Honey shampoo or the coconut one and either American Dream conditioner from Lush or Cantu conditioner with Umberto Gianni Curl Jelly again.

I tried some of the tips in the blog @MissVanjie mentioned and am quite happy with the results!

lordy Queen you have some gorgeous hair

That blog tho - isn't it? I lost myself down an internet rabbit hole reading it - normally I find the CG internet a bit erm dull - all that 'my hair is a 2c at the back and a 3a at the front and then I have some 3b strands behind my ears' and so forth

but that blog is mesmerising idk why

QueenOfTheAndals
Can I ask what products you use and do you get more than one day out of your curls?
I can get one good day then my curls drop and my scalp itches
Your hair looks amazing

I co-wash with a Gro Gorgeous conditioner that I stocked up on at TK Maxx last year and then conditioned with a conditioner by Kind Natured, which I also got from TKM but is available at Boots.

I then flipped my hair upside down and scrunched through some leave in curl creme by RPR (Australian brand, another TKM purchase and I've never seen it in there again), followed by Umberto Giannini scrunching jelly.

Left it to air dry for s couple of hours while using clips around the parting to give a bit more volume. Then diffused it and once dry scrunched out the gel crunch.

I pineappled overnight and slept on a silk pillowcase and this is what it looks like now, before I've done anything to it.

Later I'll revive it with a bit of conditioner and Bumble & Bumble grooming cream and use a powder by Schwarzkopf to give more volume at the roots. Once a week I use a deep conditioner by Clynol.

My curls look best on the day I wash it, although I can usually get good second day hair too. After that it gets a bit lank and straggly as I exercise a lot so have to tie it up. Also, my hair has a mind of its own so I may do the same thing tomorrow and it'll look shite!