➿ 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

Opps forgot to finish sentence: was saying doing steam as a refresh and then applying product would be different

Thanks quirky, I had only looked at the local Amazon, didn't realise the UK one had it.

Yeah, I've looked into those steamers but it does look like your face gets a fair bit too and steam and my facial skin don't go well together. I'm not sure, it seems like another thing that's probably a little excessive...

I came across a Diva blow-dryer in Tkmaxx but I'm on the fence, it's a more premium model than the one I'd been eyeing on Amazon for less money but it's a compact model. I'm not sure how well that would work with a diffuser on it, I'm thinking there might be a weird centre of gravity issue? Anyone have any experience with similar (shorter nozzle basically, not a travel size type of compact)? I know the Dyson is small but the motor is in a different place so probably not the best comparison.

There was also a more expensive Babyliss which had intelligent heat settings and could do really low temps efficiently (like the Dyson although apparently that claim from Dyson is untrue), I still need to Google that one.

Tried a new method for styling today so will see what it looks like in the morning
Basically - leave in as usual
Raked flaxseed gel through (this gives me lovely results but not enough hold)
Smoothed over orange marmalade then flipped right way up and scrunched all the back
Plopped then diffused until half dry
Added mousse

That was a tough cast to break! Less volume but no frizz and really nice definition

@Pupsiecola

It was weird Sophie. It was fine when I left. It wasn't humid or windy out. But as the say wore on it felt dry and a bit chalky and looked a bit tatty. I definitely have a good feel for when it feels good and when it doesn't and it was the latter. I wonder if I used too much product.

Today I went for a run and then clarified and deep conditioned. I reduced the amount of product. I used the usual LICs and then the avo clump cream which I love, and the Innersense gel.

I'm gonna start washing it late pm and sleeping in the cast. Just cos I think it will fit better withy life. Who else does this?

I do the previous day wash thing. Usually late afternoon so it's mostly dry by bed. If I leave the cast in, it's usually OK the next morning, just needing a bit of a shake out, unless it's had one of those washes where it was never going to look OK. In that case, straight into a ponytail!

In today's dew point diaries (still haven't done anything to my hair), my hair is back to its normal curl pattern again. We've been sleeping with the windows (well technically balcony doors) open the previous nights but not this one, I wonder if that's been affecting it so strongly?

I'm going to attempt a rice rinse. Either today or tomorrow, haven't made my mind up yet, the rice is soaking anyhow.

So, I used the Malibu un-doo-goo this morning for chelating (I had been using neutrogena anti-residue, but find it a bit drying). Nice clear shampoo, anything yellowy can mean discolouration, smells grapefruit and made my hair feel squeaky clean. I used the Grey Pepper shampoo after as it's protein/moisturising and I always do clarify + purple/grey colour correcting shampoo, innersense hydrating cream conditioner, Cantu leave in, twisted sista gel and some extra boots hair creme after I came in for a walk, as I was a bit windblown. So far, my scalp doesn't feel too dry and the curls are nice and bouncy. I did diffuse a bit and then air dry this morning.

I think the steamer would just be too hard for me. It would take up lots of space and potentially be a hazard with dd2.

QueenCT it looks good. Lots of definition.

Curls looked bountiful whilst hair was still in a pineapple this mornng after washing last night (same routine, but plopped AFTER the avo curl cream, then gel post-plopping).

But when I took it down it's not quite sitting right. More frizz. I diffused it in a different way and I don't think that worked (up and down with head upright with not so much scooping it into the diffuser with my hair upside or parallel to the ground. This was from a video Powerdomi did). Also, I think I prefer leaving it loose and scooping it all above my head on the pillow. Seemed to get a better result. I don't think I'll bother with the silk turban again. It affects my sleep and there was more tossing and turning. I'll probably put it on eBay.

Also, when styling it last night I didn't make sure I had a definite parting and the top looks a bit odd today. No matter. All part of the learning curve.

Do those hood hairdryers that salons used to have still exist? I wouldn't mind a giant diffuser just to cover my head instead of the faffing about with a hair dryer. Just add some trashy magazines and questionable bonbons...

I tried the rice rinse this morning. I dunno, it was a lot of effort as also had to deep condition afterwards and the results are not that different I did chelate/clarify too and that usually results in frizzier hair so there's that, but it's not earth shattering amazing. Hair does seem to have a weird film on it which I'm not keen about at all. Slightly tighter curl pattern which I read is normal but I'm assuming will drop soon enough. Is the hype just over the curl pattern? I know I'm the weirdo that would rather go down a cult pattern than up, but I'm trying to understand the love.

To show I'm not making it up, I compared it to my previous washes (top is frankenhair, if only I can remember what madness that exactly was, it was far from perfect but it did something different), middle is the full Innersense line up that have been my last few washes, I trimmed my hair that day but I think that pic was taken before so the shape looks a bit more together in the third pic but that's down to cut rather than products/methods. Did use different products as I was unsure if it would be too much protein after the rice rinse so it's a little on the moisture heavy side.

They do still exist Bo. I thought about getting one lol.

I tried the olaplex this morning. This is after a walk in the muggy weather and my hair was too dry when I put in LIC. The main thing I noticed was that I lost way less hair after the olaplex. The last two washes a lot of long hairs have come out, but I'm not sure if it was because I had had my hair up, so all the shedding happened in the shower. I will see.

I think I might go back and read up about sun protection, as I can see the beginning of yellowing on some ends. I forgot to wear a sunhat a few times in the last few days.

I've been plopping for much less time, mainly to see if keeping products off my scalp helps (it does) and my roots were going in weird directions with the weight of my hair at this length.

Hi, back in Athens. It's very hot and feeling very lethargic. Lots of nice hair photos.

I found the rice to be more of a long term thing rather than seeing an immediate difference with hair Bo. I noticed my hair started holding its curl for longer and I could go for more days without washing/refreshing. The three photos are interesting because they are all slightly different so I guess it depends which look you like really (although in pic 2, your hair looks curlier (and shorter) on one side).

Interesting about hair loss and olaplex Quirky. Must pay attention to that next time I do olaplex. I wasn't losing any hair at all and the last couple of washes, lost more - wondering if it's the time of year and the heat.

Hi, back in Athens. It's very hot and feeling very lethargic. Lots of nice hair photos.

I found the rice to be more of a long term thing rather than seeing an immediate difference with hair Bo. I noticed my hair started holding its curl for longer and I could go for more days without washing/refreshing. The three photos are interesting because they are all slightly different so I guess it depends which look you like really (although in pic 2, your hair looks curlier (and shorter) on one side).

Interesting about hair loss and olaplex Quirky. Must pay attention to that next time I do olaplex. I wasn't losing any hair at all and the last couple of washes, lost more - wondering if it's the time of year and the heat.

This article made for interesting reading. I'm not sure how on board I am with it, to me there's an acceptable expected amount of frizz in textured hair and there's an abundance of it that suggests unhealthy hair (or an unfortunate encounter with a brush), and like skin it is a reflection of internal health and we all want to appear healthy.

I definitely think 'no frizz' marketing isn't helpful, but 'anti frizz' to me just suggests limiting rather than eliminating. I suppose it's easier for me as I've never experienced any sort of issue for having 'messy' hair even in a professional setting, so to me it's always been a choice so I can definitely see where the argument is coming from for those who haven't had that but tbh some of the company's promo images really aren't selling it to me (the appeal of low effort and ease is but that message seems to be underserved), or at least not selling to me why I should buy into that brand when any random poorly chosen hair products will have my hair looking like that, I don't see the point of actively seeking it out

Sophie, you're right, the curl pattern seems to maintain longer with the rice rinse (although I find Innersense good at this as well). I think I'll be brave and try a bit of inositol powder (I take this for PCOS) mixed in with my deep conditioner next time I need it. I've calculated how much approximately went into my hair as the literature keeps praising that ingredient specifically (although I think it really is just down to rice amino acids which is in a lot of Innersense products).

Ahem Pupsie, do we need to hide your credit cards

I can't get my hair right at all at the minute but suspect it's because it needs a cut. It's happened before where I've been despairing at it, it's been cut and then fine
Used curl keeper original and orange marmalade and got a v v solid cast

Got some new products to try out today, a gel called eco styler which seems to be curly girl approved and two locally made products one by a company called marini naturals which seems similar to the Cantu masque with a mix of protein and moisture and then a protein mask which was very very cheap and I'm not convinced by but decided to try anyway.

Ha Bo. No you don't. Like you it was a very brief musing around wondering if you can buy them for use at home as then you could multitask and not have to diffuse etc. but I would not buy one.

I was out yesterday afternoon and evening at a small socially distanced hen do. Hair looked good. Usual routine. But it was quite muggy weather wise. Also I had gone for a walk beforehand whilst it the cast was forming and it was warmer out than I thought. Then for the last couple of hours last night the host put her outdoor heaters on as it was a bit chilly. I tried to avoid being close to them but that wasn't easy as it was a semi enclosed patio area with 6 of us around a table.

Woke up to hair looking flat with very little curl and not 'feeing' good. We're out with friends later so I've just washed it again. I've used the avo clump cream but decided not to use any gel at all. Just leaving it to dry naturally. It'll be beachy waves but I quite like that.

I feel there are two challenges at the moment. One is to get it looking how I want it to look, consistently, which hasn't been an issue on lockdown as I've obviouly mostly been at home anyway so the unsuccessful days haven't mattered. The second is even if the wash/styling has been a success, getting that to last for the duration.

I guess I'm comparing it to the days when I dried it straight. I knew how to achieve the same result every time, and I also knew it would stay looking good all day long.

I read the article Bo. Unless I'm reading it wrong, I read it as "frizz is ok" and a bit confused with what you said as I don't think they're using anti-frizz to market the brand.

Also a fan of this "Heim wanted to challenge the idea of wash day being a laborious, extended task, distilling the routine into three simple products,"!!

What is inositol? It rings a bell. It is the ingredient in rice that isn't actual Protein?

I think your curls look lovely Queen. And good
Luck with the new products Outtheforest .

Oh Missed your posts Pupsie. Will
Read those later.

Yes, Sophie they're very pro frizz and disapproving of anti frizz messaging, where to me it isn't that black and white. Everyone will have a different level of acceptable frizz and depending on where you live a limited amount of influence on it with products. I think the less is more attitude is great but obviously that's usually going to lead to more frizz. I thought the article was odd as it presented this as something novel with specific products for it, where the simple messaging of less laborious washday should be the selling point. It's a bit like lingerie brands using models with armpit hair or visible stretch marks, the whole conversation becomes centred around that instead of the things being sold.

Inositol is a sugar alcohol, it's abundant in rice and all the rice water information seems to wax poetically about its benefits without really stating what they are beyond that it's able to penetrate the hair shaft where I assume it hydrates as sugar alcohols are humectants (at least in skincare they are), causing hair to swell and appear thicker, my best guess, potentially that helps with curl pattern too as you basically get deep penetrating hydration from root to ends? Using it in isolation could potentially give some insight.

Pupsie, I spotted a Babyliss compact hood for home/mobile needs. It's not crazy expensive so I'm intrigued but I have no idea if it's actually any good for curly hair, I worry for flat roots and droopy hair. No idea how heat protective it is either compared to a traditional diffuser.

Hi Pupsie, do you like the bounce curl clump
Cream? Was looking at it but I'm thinking of focus more on gels for definition and styling plus I have rockin ringlets still.

Also I found protein treatments have really helped my hair to last longer between wash days. I've been quite regimented about doing rice treatments once a week (with aphogee) and that has really helped.

Perhaps there was too much humidity yesterday for your hair. I suppose this is where all the dew point and glycerin discussion becomes relevant. Luckily it always seems to be optimal dew point here as I find the whole thing confusing and just one more thing I need to consider....

I hope you enjoyed the hen party though!

Yes you're right Bo, they do present as those the frizz issue was a new thing. Will wait for results of the inositol experiment!

Re the hooded dryer, I can't see what benefit it has other than drying hair quicker than air drying. I don't think it would give any of the other diffusing benefits. Am I missing something?