➿ Fantastic Haircare: Making Sense and Science of the Curly Girl Method

[botemp]

Offshoot from the Fantastic Skincare threads to document the trials and tribulations in order to make sense and science of the curly girl method. We don't necessarily follow it to the letter and are even critical of it in places. Nor are we especially knowledgeable at this point but we're learning as we go. Feel free to join in (especially if you have superior knowledge) as we attempt to approach this with an interest in ingredients and try to not buy everything that promises us magical things…

Useful blogs:

Curly Cailín
Science-y Hair Blog

I love Puff Cuffs but find they only work for a high ponytail on top of my head. I get much less damage/hair loss than when I use a hair bobble.

How is it now it's dry Bo?

Slight bit of frizz but overall quite pleased with the results. Pic is of it nearly dry, right side is dry, left still slightly damp, both sides looked like the right side when fully dry (it's still in a braid ATM so no idea what it looks like now). I had worried it caused too much shrinkage as initially I had above the shoulder length hair again with a tighter curl pattern but it stretched out to my longer waves with drying.

I'll see how it stays the next few days, next few wash days are now planned out as I'm curious which Bounce Curl product does what.

Next wash day I'll try the curls blueberry bliss LIC followed by bounce curl clump cream and then the ecoslay gel.

Wash day after that, I'll do LIC of choice, usual curl cream and the bounce curl gel

If it turns out to be the combination of the two products that give the results I like, wash day after that: repeat the wash day from yesterday but finish it off with the Innersense foam in an attempt to contain the frizz.

Good plan Bo. I am going to try a different application technique. Been using roping but i don't think it works particularly well as I've said before my underneath hair has very little cast.

Feedme yes I can see that I'll really like the PuffCuff. What size do you have and how does it fit?

Hair wash day tomorrow
I'm going for flora and curl conditioner, leave in and gel with some mousse
Still on a using it up mission! My stash is decreasing nicely

These arrived today. powerdomi uses the Giovanni for frizz. Rocking Ringlets sample. Going to come up with a plan to use different combos.

Just been for a run so needs a wash.

Pupsie I’ve got the mini size and it is slightly on the big side. It is very secure though. I have very curly hair so I have more of a puff than a ponytail.

I'm excited for my curlee box! Can't believe I forgot to skip the subscription but never mind

Today vs 2 weeks ago.

The Diva XXL Diffuser is excellent. Pretty much dried my hair to 80% in about 30 minutes. And with my new Samsung Galaxy earbuds I could still listen to my audiobook.

Used the Boucleme conditioner instead of the Biolage but didn't like it so much. Took a lot to detangle it with a comb during and some broke. Although it was particularly knotted as day 3 and is been for a run then not washed it for about 6 hours as been out to meet a friend. Glad it's a travel size and won't RP.

Managed to keep the cast through drying as I realised I was using hands to scoop hair into smaller diffuser last time. Didn't use hands at all this time and didn't need to with the size of the thing!!

Not too much frizz today too.

Probably do a conditioning mask next wash. Only a month to go until a trim. It badly needs it!

Been doing curly girl for about a month now. Initially hair looked v good but now a bit dull and matted. I have it tied up everyday for work and aim for a wash once a week. My scalp is in really good condition. I used to suffer from dry scalp so really pleased with the scalp. I have wavy hair more than curly and it tends to go out. I was thinking of trying cantu products as they might weight it down more. Any suggestions?

You have some lovely shaped waves Bo. Did you say you used the bounce curl clump cream for that wash too? How did you find it?

big difference in 2 weeks Pupsie. I wonder how curly you will end up. I will be interested what you make of applying Rockin Ringlets too and how liquidy it is. Will try it again today (I have a full size bottle though as wasn't worth me paying any delivery costs to greece just for small sample sizes).

I have the biolage conditioner too Pupsie.it is extremely moisturising and I've used it as a deep conditioner too. Good news re the diva diffuser. I guess that's why everyone says the bigger the diffuser, the better.

What is a curlee* Box Client?*

Hi Emcla, I have a styling/curling creme from cantu. It smells lovely. I like coconut though. They do say cantu is better for thicker, coarser hair. How thick are your individual Strands?

Going to do a chelating wash followed by rice treatment today. My weekend Wash days with deep conditioning seem to have turned into a major operation now but I really want to do weekly deep conditioning until I'm happy with the protein moisture balance in my hair. Will be doing colour on Tuesday and got olaplex 3 lined up for afterwards.

Your hair looks healthier too now Pupsie. In the first photo it looks a little dry.

Yes I used the clump cream too Sophie, it's very thick but not claggy iykwim. It absorbs easily and it doesn't seem to weigh it down, you have to use only a little bit. I used about a generous pea sized amount and it easily spread throughout my hair. I am really impressed with both bounce curl products, I think it's really the type of products that will make your curl definition really stand out without compromising on volume which I've not come across elsewhere (Devacurl came close to results but that was softer, less springy). Touch of frizz but I think that can be tackled but it's not really detracting either. I can understand why it's so popular, especially if you have the more traditional curly cuts, it will really play well with that.

Emcla, if you're wavy you probably should do a clarifying/chelating wash once or twice a month which should help with the matted appearance. With wavy hair (depending on how coarse you are) you're usually more in need of deep hydration than heavy occlusives. That's assuming hair is fine/medium as opposed to coarse. Cantu is as Sophie has already said best suited for coarse/high density.

Forgot to mention, I got caught out in a drizzle yesterday and assumed my hair would go poof with frizz but instead there's hardly any extra. The scent of the clump cream re-emerged while it was drying again so I'm guessing that reactivates with water, I know some stylers do that. It didn't necessarily look better but not a whole lot worse.

I wondered about what would happen if one got caught in a bit of rain Bo. I didn't know that about the reactivation of some products.

Is it worth me trying some clump cream do you think? I would say my hair is wavy but then again the under layers have ringlets and also curls. I don't really know how to progress it further although I'm not unhappy with it. Will carry on developing further and do I need to be doing anything more to it? I guess I'm between a 2c and 3a: would you agree?

Sophie your upcoming hair plans sound bliss! I have to say that I'm finding this new way of hair care/styling a form of self care. I really enjoy every aspect of it. Forgot to say that yesterday I was even able to listen to my audiobook using my Samsung earbuds which diffusing. Diffusing took longer than drying but only one hand required and not so physically demanding on the shoulders.

Welcome Emcla. I'm not sure I could wash only once per week as I get quite an itchy scalp. Great that your scalp feeling so good. How often did you wash it before and how long is your hair out of interest? I guess like me it needs a cut taking into account that you're now wearing it wavy.

Pupsie, I think if you can get hold of a sample it's worth trying the clump cream. I have the same as you that the bottom layer clumps too well and the top struggles, this gave me all over even clumping even though it didn't look like it would until it was mostly dry, a diffuser would probably make a better job of it than air drying. But if you don't like it it's a big jar that will last a really long time as you use so little. I'm still not sure what did what though, I suspect the gel really helped with the springing bounce aspect of it and the clump cream to clump but it may be down to the combination of the two. They do make a nice combo as one is moisture heavy and the other protein heavy.

I find the texture typing difficult, you definitely have the wave pattern, I don't really see much 2a in your hair, I'd put you at 2b-2c from what I can see but no idea what's lurking beneath. For lack of a better word the pattern is still wide and drops down straight, I don't know if that's a pattern thing or if you're really in the camp of a wave is just a curl waiting to happen. I'm not sure it matters, you definitely look to have dense coarser hair so that will be much more leading to product choice than hair type IME.

Since the drizzle did make my hair a tad greasy at the roots (another reason why sulphate free shampoos and I don't get along) I'll probably wash my hair tomorrow (with gentle sulphates ). Client what was the caution you were dispensing about using ecoslay orange marmalade for the first time again?

Thanks Bo. I like the idea of a good balance between moisture and protein in products because I feel I've got quite a good balance at the moment anyway, so I don't want to tip one way or the other (especially after my modified rice water rinse experience).

The Curly Cailín blog post on Bounce Curl is a helpful read, she goes into the protein moisturie balance of the products too. I do think it's a choice of aesthetics though, you can definitely see it's even a touch frizzy on her. For me the pronounced yet weightless definition made that less of an issue and I can definitely see that some people may not like this very defined look, it suits my hair pattern but I think on some it would feel a bit much, especially since it has the tendency to creep up.

@botemp basically don't slather it on, it gives me a really, really solid cast. The first time I used it I tried to scrunch it out and my hair bounced back and practically laughed at me

Oooooo I really want the bounce clump cream now!!!! But I MUST NOT BUY ANYTHING ELSE!!!!! (Yes I am shouting at myself ). Must persist with rockin ringlets as I chose it for a reason and people do rave about it.

Plans not exactly bliss or going to plan at the moment Pupsie: am outside supervising DCs and friends who are swimming whilst pushing rice through the sieve. Everything is coagulating because I should have washed my hair earlier and I'm so hungry that I've eaten most of the rice too

Oh dear Sophie.

Does anyone want my Boucleme Curl Conditioner? I've only used it twice. It's travel sized. Free to a good home.

Does it have protein in it Pupsie?

No it doesn't Sophie.