Help my hair! :(

[hairhair]

I have always had very thick, slightly wavy hair. I always used to blow dry or straighten it for it to be manageable. Since my 20s it has got progressively wavier and curly in places. Although some bits stay resolutely straight!! I have no idea how to cope with curly hair. I have two kids so no time to style it!
I don't want to go too short, have had this before. Mid length it can go very puffy. I keep hoping if I grow it longer the weight will drag it down but it never works 😂
I've never properly tried the curly girl method as don't know if it's curly enough. I tried some leave in conditioner and curl cream but it went horrendously greasy. It just about looks okay if I put in mousse and let it dry naturally, but it's so thick I can only do this when it is really quite warm or it takes most of the day to dry. And it then looks terrible the next day. I usually wash it twice a week, when it gets greasy at the roots.
I want to get it cut soon, does anyone have any recommendations for a cut which might make it more manageable? I'd love to wash and go but think that is just a pipe dream...
Thanks!
Have attached pics, the last one showing weird straight bits at the front when the rest is wavy!! 🤬

Weird straight bits!

Do you like it curly? I'd be tempted to use a waving wand to get more defined curls, it takes literally 5 mins to do. My hair is the same as yours, thick and prone to puff, I'm going more curly these days as washing, blow drying then straightening takes ages and is so damaging to my over-dyed hair.

Yes I do like it curly, it looks a bit lifeless if I straighten it and takes forever as I have to do it in tiny sections!! Maybe I could try a curling wand... what do you have?

It sounds like the natural texture of your hair is what you’re struggling with, so there isn’t really an easy/wash-and-go hair cut as you’ll still have to contend with your natural texture.

As far as a cut, I would recommend getting some length taken off from the back layers for a more modern bob shape. Your hair looks to have a bit of a gradient to it when laying naturally, would look nicer if it was all one length with some slight layers to thin it out a tiny bit.

Then style it with a sea salt spray, which will define your waves a bit more, to hopefully give you a beach/tousled wave with minimal effort when it air dries. Buy some serum too, for your frizzy/puffy days.

I have this exact same hair.
Even to the straight bits!

You have my sincere sympathies.

I have given up trying to style it.

I just wash it, put hair oil on the bottom half which keeps it non frizzy and get it trimmed when it gets too long.
I might put a clip in or tie it up if I'm making an effort 😂

I'm pretty sure its a Tresseme one, its pink and was less than £20. It has 3 different heat settings so works well on thick hair. Its worth a try!! I blast my hair off with a hairdyer until its all dry then take quite big sections to give a nice beachy curl effect.

Just checked and its Tresemme perfecty undone waving wand, its on offer now in Argos for £17ish.

I have the exact same hair but a bit longer. Someone will probably come along and tell you about the curly girl method but I really don't think it works when you have straight bits too. I curl mine quickly with straighteners every morning which makes it look half decent and use argon oil to smooth the frizz.

Thanks for the tips guys! Sorry for slow response.
Went to hairdresser yesterday. Even she was baffled by my weird straight front bits 😂 we've cut it all one length with it thinner and chopped into to take the length out. I've also tried a keratin blow dry so let's see if that helps!! I don't hold out much hope tbh...
I have sea salt spray but it doesn't work as well as mousse. Will give some serums a go! And that curling wand. Thanks!

If you have had a keratin treatment you may need sulphate free shampoo/conditioner to maintain it!

Ooooh let’s see it after the keratin blow dry?

Well, this is really easy. It's not wash and go — I don't wash it (fades the colour) — it's .... GO.

Just a thought

Yes I went straight out and bought some sulphate free shampoo!
At the moment it looks way different because they have to straighten it to seal the keratin in, so until I wash it and let it dry naturally/attempt to style it curly, we won't see the true results! I will try to remember to post a pic :)
I have ordered the undone curling thing to try also!

Nicelegs that looks amazing but I am definitely not brave enough, and I have a big moon face

Probably wise. It doesn't go down well in every work place either Although ..... I am a chartered accountant and my current employer can live with it

I hated my keratin treatments as they made my hair look really fine and weighed down, but I can imagine it being really suitable for you as you have thick hair!

You have my hair! I'm growing mine longer so it weighs itself down. Quite fancy trying a curling wand though.

Browsings to be honest it does look quite lank and weighed down at the moment but I'm expecting it to bush up again when I wash it tomorrow or Sunday!

Ivegotbills I have been trying that tactic but it got about as long as I could bear and still didn't weigh itself down 😂

So a question for those in the know... I know I had to use sulphate free shampoo. Does this go for styling products too?? I just had a new curling spray delivered but realised it's got sulphates in it 🙈

Yep, the first few days before you can wash your hair are torture!

Unfortunately the sulphates in the styling product will fade the keratin treatment out of your hair faster, so it depends on how long you want the treatment to last as you have spent the money on it! I wouldn’t use it.

NiceLegs - bloody love your hair and the fact you are an accountant. Nobody can accuse you of being dull ;-).

@userxx

Thank you. I do this for my hairdresser as well as for me. She loves a morning with the paint brush

Just an up date, the keratin blow dry has made no difference to my hair 😂

Hairhair, looks like you have an oval shaped face. I think you’d look great with a fringe. Also, an inch or two shorter in length and lots of layers put in to lighten it up. You could straighten the fringe maybe. I use Treseme heat defence spray to get the curl / puff problem under control. You need a good stylist who understands how to cut your hair.