➿ Fantastic Haircare: Making Sense and Science of the Curly Girl Method (thread 2)

[botemp]

Offshoot thread 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 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 on the golden triangle of healthy hair
Science-y Hair Blog
The Mestiza Muse
The Beauty Brains (podcast/blog)

Understanding ingredients:

Commonly found ingredients in haircare

Useful information about cosmetic chemistry

Porosity:

(video)

Removing build up:

Shampoos which remove product build up

Cationic compounds (of interest to those with buildup prone and/or fine hair):

Cationic compounds found in cosmetics

Polyquats (of interest to those with buildup prone and/or fine hair):

Polyquat buildup

To polyquats or not

Silicones, polyquats and soap

Another cosmetic ingredient to be afraid of?

Protein/Moisture balance:

(video)

Extract and proteins in CGM, a biochemist explains

(video)

Hygral Fatigue

SPF protection of your hair:

UV protectant ingredients

UV damage of hair (pubmed)

Summers sun and your hair

Rice water rinses:

Rice Water Rinse

Elasticity:

Is it too late to improve your elasticity

Managing elasticity and porosity in hair

Hard and soft water:

(video)

Hard water and your hair

Olaplex:

How does Olaplex hair treatment work

Frizz:

Hair frizz science

What's your frizz type

How to tame your hair based on frizz type

Flash Drying:

Flash Drying

Next level nerdery:

Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair (cosmetic chemists' textbook)

Which salon is it ninny? I wouldn't mind Reading their advice too.

Think you are lucky to be going for a proper curly cut. The cut I wanted (which the hairdresser gave me) is now giving me straggly ends at the back because of the way my hair is curling. I had this problem before she did my previous cut and then I asked her to get rid of it and the back looked better. Now it's come back again with this latest cut.... seems to be a fine lie between bouncy layers at the top and a straggly bottom for me. can't be bothered to go to hairdresser so a friend says she will trim the back for me.

Hope your cut goes well - let us know! Yes, always tricky telling a hairdresser you've gone elsewhere. Must admit that I usually fudge it and say I can't remember if they ask or say a friend did me a favour etc etc

It's Nuala Morey Sophie.

Sorry, I keep forgetting to catch up here and I've not been doing much different with my hair other than now applying gel after plopping instead of before 🤷

I do need to switch up things but I'm not sure the best way to go about it. It definitely needs hydration plus a bit more heavier products but not too heavy. I'm thinking I should probably purchase the BC clump cream as that did work well for me, but I need to figure out a conditioner but then worried it won't be hydrating enough. I tried the Jessicurl and Innersense that I have and they're too heavy. Sigh. Pick mentioned ditching glycerine and I'm wondering if that would be a good idea for this time of year but don't have enough products in to really try it with. I've basically been procrastinating...

I basically have been doing the same thing until the doctor says I can stop with the medicated shampoo (weds). So, using it where it needs it and then trying to compensate with gallinee serum and then the scalp and hair mask - which I really like. Then Curlsmith Weightless Air Dry Cream and then gel. I need some kind of plan for when I come off the medicated shampoo, but I ought to wait until I've spoken to the doctor. On the plus side, it's all healing nicely. I really need a trim, too, but I might do a small trim myself and then book an appointment later.

I always apply gel after plopping Bo.

@SophieLion

I read the mestiza muse blog and she gave exact amounts of ACV to use in a measured amount of water according the the pH you want Bo. I will definitely try it again as been researching how to hydrate my hair and it always seems to be included in the list of things that help.

And yes annoying I wasn't warned about hair losses. Doctor only warned me about hot flashes and those were not pleasant at all.

How is your scalp quirky? I'm not sure if you are on Instagram but BrittCurls recently posted about a scalp irritation issue she had due to a product and she wrote what she did to sort it out. I can have a look for you.

Those are big ringlets pickachew! What do you mean by the water jug? Instead of the shower?

I wash my hair over the bath and don't like it to keep running while I faff on, so while conditioning and styling, I keep a jug of water to hand. I came up with the idea of trying it while styling after realising tat one of the big problems I had was flash drying. Being able to instantly wet a hand or comb has alleviated that. I can also finger coil with the water there when I couldn't before, which is how I got the big ringlets, though with very little effort - I could squeeze more water out of them than I put in.

I'm still having sporadic issues with hold, though, even with the aussie gel. Doesn't help that we've had rain or drizzle every day this month. I'm happy with in frizz curls, at the moment 🤪

And as you can see, I've realised I need to plop after gel. It's a low porosity coarse hair thing for me, I think. I have to force product into it or else it just sits there being sticky and stiff and adding to the already considerable bulk.

It never uses to work for me to apply gel post plop as I struggled to get it to clump well but with the Denman brush I can get it to work, cuts down a lot on drying time. Definitely also had the idea that plopping with gel was a low porosity thing, I really need to find an in between (potentially watering down the surface with a spray bottle post plop?) as atm it can sometimes be a struggle to get all the gel scrunched out, not a bad thing in wetter weather but not ideal. Sophie, you mentioned struggling with the Innersense, yes, they say on their website (but not bottle ) to water it down. It's why I always liked it, as I used it on soaking wet and then plopped, now I have to remember to water it down.

Have you used the air dry cream without gel quirky? I still need to trim, really overdue now but washing hair at night means either doing it right before bed or first thing in the morning which seems like a terrible idea and then I forget during the day.

bo, I think the air dry cream and no gel would leave me with no defined curls - like the man with thistledown hair from Jonathan Strange. The damp weather really hasn't helped either and my hair is getting dry from heating, medicated shampoo and needing a trim. I have been plopping for a short time, with a kind of twisted up ponytail as it's so long now, and then adding gel and scrunching gently. I've been trying not to get too much product on my scalp, really. I'm not sure it makes any difference if I plop then gel or gel then plop.

I spray my hair with water post-plopping, as I apply gel and I always add a splash of water to the Innersense gel. I especially spray the water at the back, underneath, as this helps with it getting all stuck up.

Desperate to wash my hair today but trying to hold off until tomorrow as I am going into the office on Thursday. Had an unsuccessful wash day on Sunday and it feels grim so it's in a ponytail, but that gives me a headache. Might just wash it later and not put any products in. Then run tomorrow and wash tomorrow late pm.

Ninny I found with the Curlsmith Air Dry LIC it doesn't hold my hair together like the (too} heavy Cantu did, so I need to put gel on really wet hair. If it's dried too much much, I add more before the gel.

I trimmed a small it off my ends and a good half to an inch of some of the side pieces, as it was getting wispy and annoying. My hair feels much better for it. I will have to wait till my scalp is all healed before I try the hairdressers, I think.

I followed Pick's no glycerin idea yesterday and used ecoslay orange marmalade (still had a bit) as that's glycerin free and it's so much better, no weird dryness or frizz. Harumph, so now I need to find a glycerin free gel I like as orange marmalade is a pain to remove.

Definitely getting the bounce curl clump cream now as that's glycerin free. Wish I could buy the kinky curly knot today as that's also glycerin free but still oos everywhere contemplating (sample) maybe the kinky curly custard, didn't you use that at some point queen, is it any good? And I suppose some glycerin free gel samples, sigh, although I think the Aveda flaxseed is possibly glycerin free and I did not hate that. I could also make my own flaxseed gel, if I can be bothered...

I tried the kinky curly but wasn't keen and I can't remember why!

Thanks off the list it goes. So far, possibilities I have of which I can get a sample:

Treluxe hi-definition gel (Sophie have you started using yours yet?)

Giovanni la hold gel (I know quite a few use it on here and like it)

Scrunch it poppin' curls

My Curly Way, Curl my World strong hold gel

Ecoslay jello shot (didn't you try this too, Queen?)

Curls blueberry bliss curl control jelly (although that has sorbitol which can act like glycerin)

DIY Flaxseed Gel

Aveda had polyquats, alcohol den. and silicones so probably not a good idea with my dehydrated build up prone hair in the long term.

I don't want to try ALL the gels though 😱

Yeah the Jell-O shot is a v thick gel, I need to try it again, I didn't hate it!

Hmm thick does not sound appealing. I've just read you shouldn't brush gel through otherwise you'll struggle to get if off. I can't remember if I do this or not I'll try without doing this intentionally and the orange marmalade next time, as aside from the difficulty getting it off I don't have complaints about it.

It's probably the thickest gel I've tried, I guess that's why the tub packaging as it probably wouldn't work in a tube or pump

Haircut for me next month, to see if she can stop me looking like I have a mullet. I mean I wanted an inverted bob but I'm setting my standards low

I'm hoping today's was a good wash day. Funnily enough I used the Ecoslay Orange Marmalade for the first time. I've had it for about 2 months but they sent it without the pump action top so I've not used it, and it's taken this long (and plenty of nagging) for them to actually send it. In a moment of insanity I used 2 other new products too - the Bounce Curl shampoo and Innersense conditioner.

I've been trying to be more gentle during styling. I have a tendency towards heavy handedness. I picked up a tip last week around imaging you're scrunching the water INTO your hair vs OUT and that did feel different to my usually, probably slightly manic, multiple squishing.

Will see how it looks tomorrow. Colour touch up on Tuesday, 3 weeks to curly cut, all being well re lockdown.

Thanks Ninny. Will try to look them up and see their advice.

I also do gel after wet plopping* and micro plopping Bo.* I think it's good for my hair - wet and damp styling. And that's why not keen on innersense gel: I'm microplopping so hair isn't weighed down with water when I apply gel but innersense gel just won't apply properly without lots of water....

Actually just tried my treluxe gel for the first time Bo! I've had to air dry as we're away and nozzle on stupid hotel hairdryer won't come off (very strange) and so I can't get my diffuser on. Asked for another one about 50 mins ago but so far it has not appeared But.... I really like the treluxe gel so far. Waaaay better than the innersense. Was easy to apply and I've got a great cast. Will have to see what happens when SOTC. It's got a different consistency to "normal" gel. It's a bit jelly like/slimy but fine to use. The innersense one was really thick and sticky.

How is your scalp Ninny? Lots of people seem to be using curlsmith at the moment. I guess it's a good brand. Do you like it?

Thanks pickachew. Get what you mean now. I have a spray bottle for that and keep wetting hair down between product application.

Have been having issues with my hair recently. Had a very good wash day a couple of weeks ago and really thick bouncy (but not clumpy) curls and then Decided I was over-moisturised. Still not entirely sure why I thought that. So have now overdone it on protein treatments (gelatine one weekend followed by aphogee the following weekend) and now hair is very frizzy. So annoying. Have discussed routine and products at length with cousin (who seems to have nailed her hair) and will now stick to a set of products for a while to get some hydration back and hopefully reduce frizz.

Not sure why bold is all funny in previous post.

Forgot to add that I pre-pooed with coconut oil before my good wash day so perhaps that helped seal in more hydration/moisture (still get confused between the two no matter how many times I read what the difference is!)

Thanks Sophie, treluxe can stay for now (then), just one question, how strong is the smell? It's a weird thing about the Innersense because the sample size I had was much less stiff and easier to use 🤷

I finally cut my hair, can't really call it a trim as I cut off loads at the front but the layers were so long so it was needed and apparently early Sunday morning when you're not really fully awake is the time to do just do it... Really happy with it though as it has much more movement and volume in it again. Forgot it's annoying with exercise though as the shortest layer always escapes if I don't clip it down.

Yeah prepooing helps with hydration as it seals in water and less gets lost when washing. I still need to experiment with that more, I've been using up the Innersense LIC for it as it's otherwise useless but always forget to actually do it.

My Saturday wash day was rubbish and hair felt icky so I washed it again Sunday morning (we were going to see friends late afternoon for a roast).

My waves seems to drop out after an hour or two. I don't know if it's a protein/moisture balance thing or if my hair is just too long and heavy. Hey ho.

SophieLion, was that to ninny or to me? I've been using the Curlsmith Weightless Air Dry Cream (lic), it was recommended on a curly fb group as less heavy. I have come off the medicated shampoo (yay - turns out doctors were covering their backs for seborrhoeic dermatitis, but couldn't see any evidence of it) and I'm just winding down the steroids.

My hair does not like the drizzle, I was wondering if I need to change gels too.

Roots done. She said my hair is in really good condition which was good to hear.

I think I'm going to try the Pantene mousse later (will wash and deep condition first). Never tried a mousse before. Any suggestions for where it goes in the routine? LIC, mousse or do I need a gel too?

TIA