➿ 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)

I will review when eventually I've been to mine! On the plus side it gives me more time to grow the short front layers so I've more chance of getting the cut I want rather than a cut then having to grow it and cut again
I sent her the pics of my hair and pics of what I asked for and she was ""oh. Dear"

Assume you're going to a different place Queen?

@NinnyNewName yes a specialist curly hairdresser

Found the link
https://www.facebook.com/laurahairlounge983/

Keep us posted Queen.

I've clipped the front up for the gym which works well and I'll probs do that a lot.

I don't hate it. I don't feel exposed/naked which I would struggle with.

I had a good laugh with the things that your hairdresser wasn't impressed with ninny ** Did she explain why (other than the upside down - and can one not un-flatten the back with a bit of brush styling or pulling hair off scalp while styling? I do some upside down and some the right way up as my hair points in every direction if upside down only)?

Anyway, happy to hear the haircut went well. It looks lovely in the photos - but as you say, definitely more layered than before so you'll probably take a while to get used to it.

And I know exactly who you are talking about with the influencer. It's disappointing to hear that influencers promote brands they don't even believe in (but then I suppose it depends on how much you need the money and i'm starting to see that for many IGers, IG can become a real source of income). I also picked up on the sudden "this is the best towel in the world" comments.

Lol Sophie. She didn't say apart from she wouldn't want people straining their back/neck washing over the bath. I didn't ask any further. I didn't feel it was that sort of a conversation/I wasn't going to learn anything new about how to manage MY hair. Looking back it all felt a bit prescriptive, and I don't really see how people can understand your hair enough to recommend products having seen it on one day for one hour? As we know it's a delicate balancing act re products. And of course, she also sells Aveda so is going to be very pro that brand.

I am going to keep doing what I've been doing. I actually prefer NOT washing my hair in the shower. I don't feel as cold when I get out, plus I like to shower in the morning and wash my hair in the evening so it's better all round.

Completely agree re IG. I follow a woman with similar hair to me (although longer, especially now!) and she isn't an influener at all: just a regular person like us.

Oof I'm so behind (who is this mystery IGer?).

I bought the full size treluxe gel Sophie, thanks, I really like it, very shiny and it gives great root lift. It's kind of what I wanted the bounce curl gel to be. The smell is funny, I can only describe it as CK One if it were a girly cocktail I like that it gives a good cast but it barely takes any effort to get it out, so I'm not bashing it to death and getting frizz from that (did have some but I clarified and chelated as it had been a while that I did either so it was inevitable).

I've also ordered a sample of the treluxe shampoo as it looked very hydrating but I've yet to try that.

Initials are CC Bo...

My hair is growing on me and I have a sneaking suspicion that the hairdresser might be a bit of a genius.

It was a bit too full on after that first wash day I think because I used ICH, and I diffused it until almost fully dry and right up to the roots. Which really wasn't necessary with the new layers.

My Treluxe gel arrived today and I've got it on now, after a little Clump Creme.

I bought a small cotton vest for sleeping. I watched the hairdresser's IGTVs and in one she shows how she uses a vest top to sleep in. It does look like a potentially good option. My best tops were too big. I'll let you know how it goes...

Curly Caílin

Yes

Happy to hear you like the treluxe gel bo. I am washing today and will try to use less gel (used 3 small scoops last time) as it took me forever to SOTC. Also will use a couple of drops of jojoba oil to SOTC as read it's a good sealing oil.

Are you sure the IGer is CC ninny? I don't think she has severed all connections with boucleme. She just did a boucleme giveaway and the boucleme review is on her blog still....

Happy to hear you are happy with the haircut. I have ordered a bonnet for sleeping in. It's the one manes by Mel Has - will see if it works for me.

I'm not certain Sophie which is why I put just initials and in response to Bo meant yes that's who I think it was. Not necessarily that it's definitely her.

I've not really been following the giveaways. It could be that they're all free products she has been sent and she wants to get rid of? Also, I don't think she would take down previous blog posts anyway.

But I don't really know. It was just the impression I got at the time. I only mentioned her and Powerdomi. I was trying to remember how I found out about the salon. She said it's probably through PD as she often posts on her posts and has been very supportive. Then when she said "I won't say who it was..." I thought it a bit odd as I hadn't mentioned anyone else and for all she knew I only knew those two. There was sth about it. Otherwise she could have just said "I know of a blogger...".

I've noticed lately too how there are so many discount codes bandied about all the time which is fine I suppose because these people need to make a living but the conversation has made me see if for what it is.

Also I wasn't comfortable with the suicide prevention lives. That's a very dangerous road to go down imo.

Well it's interesting whoever it is. As for CC, I think she comes across as very hard work. She is always complaining about something or other and telling her followers not to do certain things she doesn't like. And clearly IG and her related curl clinics and products are an important source of income.

She does seem to be extremely knowledgable about hair and I find most of her suggestions and recommendations to be good. I also re-read her boucleme review yesterday and I thought her comments were very fair. She said what she didn't like and what didn't suit her hair. It's wasn't all "this is wonderful and you must buy".

I also don't like that she drinks a lot on her curl clinics. I think IG is legally open to 13 or 15 year olds and this just sets a bad example to them.

I agree with everything you say Sophie. And I can totally see how she is trying to position herself as the CH of hair. which is fine, of course. There's always the unfollow button.

Drinking and suicide, I'm going a bit whaaaat here...

I don't follow CC really (or any, I've sort of moved on from the information overload stage and only occasionally watch a YouTube video that comes up in my recs, and more for technique than products). I do read the CC blog occasionally when it shows up in search results. Her recommendations have been mixed for me but we don't have the same hair but my criticism is that she does often speak of it being universally good when it's just been good for her (hence the harsh Cantu/Shea Moisture hate comes across as odd). Considering this is very far from an exact science it doesn't make much sense to make the blanket statements she does.

I think the pandemic has brought out the worst in influencers in general though. There's some skincare tiktoker who has started a whole campaign against Drunk Elephant because they dropped her from the PR list, according to her because she supported BLM on her account ehm, show me an influencer who didn't, everyone who didn't got berated and called out until they did and DE did a BLM post themselves and a donation, so...

Now DE is by no means a company without flaws, things that would be clear to anyone before deciding to work with them with only a minor bit of reading, but influencers only seem to become critical when it affects their bottom line.

Speaking of Boucleme (they don't pay my bills, I promise 🤣) I saw they now sell a product so you can add coloured drops to your shampoo, conditioner, etc. to turn them into silver/blonde products. Thought that was quite innovative.

My issue re the suicide chat was that she's not a trained mental health professional and whilst obviously she's had her own struggles you can't forcefully tell people in that situation what helped you will help the etc. Its really dangerous.

My derm was saying she missed going to in person conferences. She said they get goody bags and later in the conversation she said she's got a whole cabinet full of gifted products at home.

Its such a murky world isn't it.

I'm still going whaaaat... I read it as she's mentioned the national phone number/charity or something, is she acting as a contact point herself?

I agree, mental health and social media really don't go well together, with most social media personalities I often get the feeling they're either oversharing out of a poorly maintained mental health or they're exaggerating for content and deepening the parasocial relationship with their audience. Regardless, it's a toxic dynamic in both cases.

Bo she did some stories I think on Suicide Prevention day and then did a poll to see if people wanted to hear more and of course they did so she did an IGTV or a Live or sth. Then spoke for an hour or so about her experience, what helped her, what family and friends of someone feeling that should/shouldn't say/do. I only watched minutes here and there.

Yes I had unfollowed her sometime ago Ninny as didn't like the whining and the attitude but my cousin told me recently she had something on her story that might interest me so started following her again for that. She will be back on "unfollow" soon

Did a thing today and tried micro plop before gel. I'm definitely not mad at the results!

I sometimes do that Queen.

My hair is really growing on me . It's day 3 but it looks okay to wear down despite going for an evening stroll with DH last night and it being very misty. Looked flat when we got back. Expected to have to put it up today but no, it's fine. I'm amazed as generally day 3 is either bun day or wash day.

Well I used the Treluxe shampoo the last two washes and it's nice enough but not as magical as the Rahua. Today I had the best wash day in quite some time but forgot to take pictures in daylight and then I got drizzled on , still looks decent though, just a bit of surface frizz. I used all my new favourites all together for the first time now and it gave me very thick (looking) voluminous coils and root lift with great bounce and it frames my face very nicely. So I think this is my dream combination; Rahua hydration shampoo and conditioner, followed by Bounce Curl clump cream, then plop for 20-30mins, then do the using tiny amounts of Innersense foam at the roots and treluxe hi-definition gel (I don't use an additional styler like she does and I don't see the clump cream working better in this stage with my low porosity hair, it benefits from the plop time). I had anticipated buying a lot with the Black Friday offers but I think I'll just limit it to getting the full sizes of the Rahua shampoo and conditioner, the Innersense foam and the Curlsmith hydration mask and just carry on as I am until the weather changes on me again

Where did my paragraphs go I swear they were there...