Decent smoothing product for frizzy, pouffy hair which doesn't require heat?

[WhoisitnowRalph]

Has anyone found any variety of smoothing cream or balm, or leave-in conditioner, that you can put on towel dried, voluminous frizzy hair to smooth and flatten it a bit before letting it air dry? It is very "strong" and resistant to any kind of styling, although I already have the holy grail of heat-activated smoothing perfection in the Colour WOW Dreamcoat stuff - it's amazing but expensive, and despite the rigid and rough cuticle my hair breaks easily so I don't always want to be dragging a brush through it under 230 degrees of hot air.

I've tried dozens of products over the years - serums and oils (too heavy), Dream Lengths (sticky), leave-in conditioners (dulled my hair and made it knotty), detanglers (great for making it silky soft but no de-frizzing effect).

At the moment I have a cheap Palmers coconut leave-in spray which is great for detangling and softening, but i don't care for the smell and it still leaves my hair gigantic and pouffy which even GHDs struggle with.

Any recommendations, is there anything out there for me barnet? I've just had 4 inches cut off, it was unmanageable.

Boots Curl Creme (the pink one)?

Even if I'm aiming for more straight than curly? It is curly but the curls aren't "nice" curls, they're shit. Yes I have tried curly girl method! Looked like Worzel for 8 months before abandoning it.

Klorane Mango leavebin conditioner.

It so much depends on your particular hair type, but this is a leave in product that has made my air-dried wavy, porous, coarse hair unusually glossy and un-pouffy without stickiness or stiffness.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07F8FJJG2/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8
Just use a very little though.

I have a similar hair situation and find TIGI Afterparty an absolute godsend.

TIGI Bed Head After Party Smoothing Cream for Shiny Frizz Free Hair, 100 ml www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WJ0WEEE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_a.v-DbPA8AJVK?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I like Bumble and Bumble Don’t Blow It for thick hair.

Couple of good suggestions there, thank you - in the Amazon basket for trial purposes! I wondered about the gold Pantene range.

I do have the after party Tom, it is lovely - but only works on already dried hair I thought? I can put it on my dry, huge and pouffy hair and then beat it to death with straighteners alright, but to my knowledge it doesn't work on damp hair as prep...

Never heard of that Expressed - looked it up and it's the first one that actually says it "de-puffs" the hair! Great, thanks!

Following with great interest.

It’s not cheap but it’s definitely the best one I’ve found for my almost untameable hair!

It's a bit pricey but definitely worth a try. Even £180 keratin treatments don't tame mine for long, it's incredibly strong (it can push grips and clips straight out, and it's not that thick really - just plentiful and rough).

Allhalekale, I'll report back!

Yes definitely use it on damp hair OP - if you just use a pump or two (depending on length etc) then it’s a total game changer as the hair dries; it’s so much more tame, conditioned and soft.

Usually put in when out of shower then a tiny bit more if needed when dry and I Cavan honestly say I now wouldn’t like to wash my hair without that around to go on afterwards.

Cavan? I’m not sure what autocorrect means by implying this new word is more likely than ‘can’

Silk and bubble is lovely! It's a hair mask, easy to use.

Vitapointe. Very old fashioned but has even been known to tame a dodgy perm, and a little goes a long way.

I've used this all my life.

Amazing stuff.

Sorry, I specifically meant this.

Pink.

My hair is curly but not nice curly, ie can be unpredictable and won't maintain a good shape. I find it easier to look after if I partially straighten it.

I use a very small amount of light serum or Moroccan Oil on wet hair, air dry till mostly dry but with some residual dampness, then use the straighteners on 180 degrees in one hand and a hairbrush in the other as though I was blow drying. I find this avoids over straightening and gives my hair some body and slight curl. It will last between washes without any further faffing, unless it gets wet and then I do a quick straighten of the frizzy bits.

My hair is in really good condition and I think it's down to washing it no more than twice a week and having a light hand with the straighteners.

I have this type of hair and I've been following this steps with great success: only use sulfate free shampoo, a little Moroccan oil on wet hair, a leave in conditioner. A microfibre towel (I never use a normal one) when damp I put it in a pony tail, twist it and tuck the ends into the elastic. I do this at night and in the morning my hair is almost straight with curly ends. I also sleep on a satin pillow case (Amazon).

Oribe supershine moisturising cream

Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine- it’s expensive but you really don’t need much. I have rubbish curls too - flat on top then wavy but in different directions each side, curly girl made me look like a disheveled spaniel.

I swear by Moroccan oil light
I have been using this for 2 years and I use a small amount on mid lengths to ends on damp hair and I do the same again when my hair is dry.
It’s not cheap but it lasts forever ... you can get it in a smaller travel size bottle , which is what I did initially , and I was sold !

Ok I ordered the Bumble & Bumble and Pantene products first - tried the B & B Don't Blow It cream last night, and so far my hair feels knotty and rough, so that was a bit disappointing. I did squrge a bit too much out of the tube, maybe I used too much?

Will try Pantene next.

I have used Moroccan oil before actually, I'd forgotten - it was good stuff, just so expensive. Have also looked at the Lusters Pink range as suggested by another PP - will work my way through and try a few more.

In the meantime, having had half the length cut off due to excessive breakage, I foolishly rejected the idea of layers as with curly hair they can be a bit unmanageable. I also asked for enough length to he left at the back for me to be able to still put it up.

So it's all one length, and now I resemble Darth Vader. I think I better go get some layers.