➿ 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

Yes I'd found that Rene Furterer one too but it's KPF50, keratin protection factor which is just something I think they made up 🤷 but there probably isn't a standard measurement for hair SPF.

It is weird about the Apivita not being labelled SPF 30, I suspect that's why the other ones are hair and body, and the SPF can relate to the body.

I tried the Clarins, and whilst it's light and even gets rid of a few frizzies I really dislike the smell and it just comes and goes as your hair moves around. I was willing to ignore the alcohol (the topical medication I use for hairloss is also in alcohol and it's not really bothered me) and the silicone is the sunscreen so I don't think it's quite the same as a CG no silicone thing.

The Apivita only has Avobenzone in it, which just covers UVA rays and I really would prefer something broad spectrum (UVA just protects colour, UVB damage and protein loss). With the exception of Ultrasun they all have fragrance, but ultrasun is UVB only and loads of other silicones. Sigh.

I found one from Bioderma (broad spectrum, silicones and fragrance), Korff (Italian but I saw a lot of Greek pharmacies online selling it, broad spectrum, alcohol -but an aerosol so probably negligible as it evaporatea, silicones and fragrance), Decleor (but seems to be discontinued, or only available in Scandinavia ), and an alpha h one that looked interesting but not seen it for sale outside Australia. My local version of Superdrug also had something but the reviews were not encouraging.

My hair is in drastic need of a cut but as I'm still shielding it will have to wait a little while
I'm on the waiting list at the hairdresser but it will be another 4 weeks before I can go

Oh dear, it's not looking good for hair SPF Bo..... I might get the apivita one on the basis at least it provides UVA and easy to get here. And then keep searching for another one.

There are a lot of bioderma products here but didn't see a hair spf. Will keep an eye out. Not even heard of Korff. Perhaps korres has something. Will have a search online in a bit.

Well there is a korres one. Seems to be UVA only again (according to bottle) plus has alcohol.

Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Aloe Barbandensis Leaf Juice, Ppg-26-buteth-26, Alcohol, Alpha-isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Isoamyl P-methoxycinnamate, Lecithin, Limonene, Linalool, Oleyl Oleate, Panthenol, Parfum (Fragrance), Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquartenium-10, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Stearamine, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract.

Today's wash, upping the protein a bit: with Acure Clarifying conditioner, Jean Paul Myne Grey Pepper low poo (protein) Innersense Hydrating cream conditioner (protein) Cantu leave in and Twisted Sista gel. Mostly air dried and I've been for a walk and am slightly windblown. More protein has certainly made the curls less wispy and the curl circumference is larger. So far, so good.

Been really lazy this last week with no styling, no gel, no diffuser. Just leave in and leave.

Best wash day results so far I think. Also got the Denman paddle brush and used that for brushing through conditioner and leave in. Wow. Wide toothed comb now in bin. Plopped for 10 minutes before applying gel. Diffused for around 30 minutes. T-4 days to cut and colour.

Looks good, Pupsie. I haven't tried the paddle brush, I'm trying to do one thing at a time.

Everyone's hair looking good again

I may just have to try a Denman brush, just to know. Is the paddle brush a different wider one, or just the one all the curlies use?

I washed my hair last night (Clarins spf fragrance was torturing me). Went with another entire Innersense routine (except shampoo and conditioner) this time using the LIC as well and skipped the bounce curl clump cream. Then dared a Queen move and wrapped it up almost dry in a silk scarf and SOTC this morning. Nice volume, bit less definition in trade off but I feel it's a good balance. I've become a bit confused to what exactly I seem to want from my hair 🤷 I do like the body and volume, that feels more important to me than super defined but it's making the length a bit short and I prefer my hair longer. Just call me the princess and the pea already...

Sophie, the Korres also has a lot of water in it as the first ingredient, I also wonder if that would undo all styling efforts and result in frizz. I do have a Vichy SPF spray for the body that's really light, I could just experiment 😬 I applied the Clarins (as suggested by the counter lady) by spraying into hands and then applying which did seem a lot more idiot proof than randomly spritsing.

That looks lovely Bo.

I think must curlies use the Denman brush that you can remove every row of teeth from. I've not got that one. I followed Curly Cailin's advice and bought the paddle brush. Far less torturous on my knotty ends than my comb.

I can't find Innersense I Create Hold or I Create Volume anywhere.

Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil in the 1 litre sold out everywhere too.

The trial size or the full size Pupsie? Cult Beauty has the latter but they still haven't responded to the allegations so they're still on my shitlist. I think the trial sizes are always sold out in the UK. They're in stock here without issue, I can check if there's any that ship to the UK for not crazy money.

@Pupsiecola not sure which has cheaper shipping

https://www.cocooncenter.co.uk/bioderma-atoderm-shower-oil-1-liter/25492.html

https://www.easyparapharmacie.co.uk/bioderma-atoderm-shower-oil-bottle-1l.html?queryID=b93889047f7812eb8c0edad7c48c4636&objectID=45281&indexName=magentoenproducts

Quick Google found a Dutch shop that ships for €9.95 to the UK here but also came across this shop in Brighton that sells it online and has the travel sizes in stock www.gloworganicbrighton.co.uk/products/innersense-i-create-lift-volumising-foam?pr_prod_strat=copurchase&pr_rec_pid=1360312959057&pr_ref_pid=1360312172625&pr_seq=uniform&variant=22566628393041here.

Link fail, second link:

here

I create volume here (there's a sample size too)

https://www.naturalisticproducts.co.uk/products/innersense-i-create-volume-10oz?pos=27&sid=3e0cc6426&_ss=r

Hold and volume here

https://www.kiyobeauty.com/products/innersense-i-create-hold-10oz?variant=20022281470048

Thanks guys. All ordered :-)

A mix of curly and kind gel and orange marmalade. The definition and softness is crazy!

I'm so glad I've kept a photo album of progress. I started 6 weeks ago. This is the first photo Vs yesterday.

I can't imagine SPF for the hair btw. I guess it's like for the face, in that you have to like the one you use. But with such little choice that seems unlikely.

It looks so soft and full of life queen. Have you ever had to address a protein / moisture imbalance? I feel your hair is quite simple but maybe that's because you're so used to to what it wants?

I defo think mine tends more to moisture. When I squish it feels so swollen and chunky. I do like that first leave Giovanni leave in I use as it has some protein.

@Pupsiecola hahahaha it is the most ANNOYING hair. My curls drop SO fast it's ridiculous. And yes, I had to do a load of gelatine treatments, then realised my hair never wants moisture at all. So I have to make sure protein is constantly in there while using enough conditioner for how tangled it gets

Haven't changed anything up recently but my hair is looking the best it has in a long time. Actually getting curlier also which I didn't expect at all. I've been using a shampoo with sulfate every other week and it seems to do no harm, no silicone gas definitely been the answer for me. I'd now like to experiment with stronger hold mousse or gel and maybe see how it responds to protein

I did a Pupsie and looked back to January and wow, I hadn't realised my hair length had grown that much but considering it's been 6 months that would make sense 🤦

The photos aren't the best as it was winter and I always washed in the evening. But I just got nostalgic for my love of Devacurl Wavemaker, it did everything without me having to even try. This was when I still used my blow dryer without a diffuser This was before fluffing it out the next morning and it would be voluminous with hold and just the right amount of definition. Sigh.

I'm itching a bit just to give it a go again but still too frightened after the last round of sudden hair loss. Comparatively though, the all innersense routine does come close. Now I'm wondering about that AG product though, as that's meant to be similar to DC wavemaker, should I just blindly buy that 😬

Sorry, out and queen hair looking really good. Was that curly and kind gel you photographed previously. It kind of worried me as it looked a little cottage industry with no preservatives. Was it a flax seed gel? I tried a homemade version a few times but it was a stupid amount of effort that I just couldn't commit to, even if the results were encouraging.

It's good to look back and compare Bo! What have your repurchased out of interest? Maybe we should do a monthly round up like we used to on the skincare thread (the snailies?).

Since November/December (I purchased first CG styling products in a black Friday sale but I don't remember when it actually got here) I haven't repurchased anything. Bought the DC wavemaker in December I think and some Aveda products. Think I started experimenting around the Christmas holidays.

Then semi-recently bought all the samples. I've not repurchased anything. Aside from my shampoo (also bought in the Black Friday sale) nothing is even close to running out. When I say I prefer products where a little goes a long way, it's very true, usually I buy shampoo and conditioner once a year. This latest shampoo has been one that needs more product than others I've used from the same brand but I think there's still a good third left.

Haven't changed anything up recently but my hair is looking the best it has in a long time. Actually getting curlier also which I didn't expect at all. I've been using a shampoo with sulfate every other week and it seems to do no harm, no silicone gas definitely been the answer for me. I'd now like to experiment with stronger hold mousse or gel and maybe see how it responds to protein