➿ 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)

Yes I think so Sophie.

We're about to have aircon installed in our bedrooms and home office. Our house is a one off 3 year old new build. It's very well insulated and really retains the heat. We all like a cool bedroom of around 18 degrees. We will only use it in spring/summer. Sometimes it's gets to 30+ inside: last year we had a few nights of 35.

@SophieLion do you have aircon? Wondering what it's likely to do to my hair .

I'd get a little bedside humidifier for my skin alone Ninny, it's really quite dehydrating. For hair, a silk cap is probably the best protection. Depends on where it's placed though, in hotels they're often directed at the bed and it's shit.

Thanks Bo. It won't be directed at the bed. We have quite a big bedroom with a vaulted ceiling and the entrance is tucked away: can't see the door from our bed. It will be placed near the door.

It's a toss up between being a bit dehydrated and tossing and turning and being sleep deprived lol.

Good tip re the mini humidifier. I can't get on with my silk bonnet. I want one of those Bambonns. I think they look more comfortable and would move less.

To be honest ninny, I've never thought about the effects of AC on my hair. We try to avoid it unless a heatwave in the summer and really can't sleep as so hot. I would say it probably doesn't do much if not directed at your hair and not blasting you all day and night every day.

Thanks Sophie. Yes, we will only use it as and when needed. But it's been on the wishlist for a long time.

DH said there's an option to tone down the dehumidifying effects and he doesn't think it will be too bad.

When we lived in Singapore we had it on 24/7. We were in a smallish condo and it would have been 30 degrees inside otherwise. We're just not built for those kind of temps!!

@QueenPaws I've sent you a DM because I have a once-used Orange Marmlade gel here if you want it (although I don't went to derail you from using up the rest of your stash...).

@NinnyNewName replied :)

Well. I finally got through to the salon today. Got the next available appointment: 2nd August!!

Does anyone know of a good product to smooth over surface frizz on second/third days? I am a happy with my first day results, but the next day the frizz is back (I do sleep on my silk pillowcase or with a buff).

My hair goes so dry if I low-poo or co-wash it too much. Any of refresh techniques I have tried brought increased the frizz. Any refreshing with water is out, I think.

I used to Bed Head After Party but that's definitely not CGM-friendly! I don't know what to try now.

I like this Umberto Giannini cream - cheap and lasts ages, and although it's badged as for 'weather proofing' a bit rubbed over your palms and smoothed over works pretty well.

@TheMerrickBoy

I like this Umberto Giannini cream - cheap and lasts ages, and although it's badged as for 'weather proofing' a bit rubbed over your palms and smoothed over works pretty well.

That sounds perfect, thanks!

A lot of UG isn't CGM though, so I'd check the INCI if that's important to you (I don't think it should be but I know everyone feels different about it).

I have heard good things about Pretty Curly Girl - Bye Bye Frizz Serum but I think that's the one that's very similar to lube made for people who don't want to knowingly use lube. Since Queen is the only one owning up to using actual lube in hair, she'll know better than me if it's any good for increased frizz.

Ah, yes, you're right @botemp, it's got dimethicone as the second ingredient for a start.

I tried the lube at the start of going CGM-ish and I had the same results as with the Giovanni LA gel, so I have stuck with the gel. So far I haven't been able to refresh successfully with gel as I'm 2a and have really fine hair I think it's just too much product.

I saw on a FB group for wavies the suggestion of brushing out their hair and then refreshing to get rid of frizz. The thought of brushing my dry hair freaks me out, but I might give it a go just before my next wash day!

Yes, lately I've been brushing my hair on the night of day 2/3 and beyond, it helps disperse your natural oils and keeps things smooth-ish. I use a boar bristle paddle brush and then I braid it on two sides and then pin it to the front of my head like one of those braided band type hairstyles iykwim so it's easy to sleep with. Then silk bonnet on the top and I get looser waves from the braids the next morning. I'll see if I can find a pic, it's different than my curlier days after washing but I like it as well.

Dimethicone is water soluble though so if you're not build up prone it may be ok.

Pic of post brushing, I sometimes use a bit of my leave in (the Rahua uv barrier thing) and scrunch in a bit in the ends, it does say you can use it on dry hair and I wouldn't use it daily.

Good point about CG friendly if that's a concern - a lot of the curly accouts I follow seem quite keen on UG, and I like their jelly for refreshes, but worth knowing!

Hello someonelockthefridgealready** I have learnt that refreshing with water doesn't work for my hair. Tends to make it stiffer (drier?) and increases frizz.

I use either a bit treluxe serum or bounce curl clump cream (teeny tiny amount) on a few individual curls to refresh. I think anything that has this consistency works quite well for me. Better than gels. Sometimes I emulsify the clump cream with a tiny bit of water. I have tried lube and it works too (and think I have owned up to this!!).

Have also seen someone who had great results using the innersense foam for a dry refresh. Not tried it myself.

Generally I don't like spending ages refreshing and certainly don't want to start getting a diffuser out. It's almost a year since I started following a modified CGM and I've been finding recently that I don't have to refresh at all on day 2 which is great and very welcome.

Perhaps you need to figure out what is causing you the frizz lockthefridge? Do you think your hair needs more hydration for example? Or could it be dry frizz from too much protein?

@someonelockthefridgealready I have used lube and it works well!
The other product I like is the XHC serum which is CG safe and cheap (places like savers have it)
https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/xhc-anti-frizz-serum-60ml-351259

Thanks for the ideas, will have a look at what I can order and experiment some more (does anyone else spend a lot more in hair product).

@botemp thanks, I am fine with less curls and more wavy (often my hair gets curlier overnight - I dread to think why, just more frizzy), as long I keep enough wave to disguise the fact that my homemade haircut is not exactly even Yours looks lovely like that and possibly quite similar to mine.

@SophieLion if I do the stretch tests, it doesn't seem to suggest too much moisture or too much protein, but I know that won't necessarily show it. I honestly think that I move around in my sleep so much it's a lot to do with that (to quote DH, I "thrash around all night long"). Any plaits, bonnets, buffs, pineapple etc. will have come out by the morning. If I feel like I slept well, that's usually when my hair comes out alright.

@QueenPaws cheap is very good news! I feel guilty about all the products I've bought and given away because they didn't work out (Cantu, I'm looking at you).

I think I need to learn how to cut my own hair.

Had a cut a couple of weeks ago with a new hairdresser (as old one left country) and specifically said not to make top layers too short and watch out top layer will spring up a lot and the underneath longer layer will be too thin and .... of course ...... he did exactly what I asked him not to do . I already trimmed 2cm off the bottom all the way round to see if it helped. I'm not sure if it did or not....

Marissa curls managed to do a great DIY cut and she has a video on you tube. I might have a go in a few weeks when my hair has "settled" a bit.

@SophieLion, I cut my own hair with a plastic guide thing that I bought online and a proper pair of hairdressing scissors. I was so sick of hairdressers cutting my hair too short when wet and then going, ooh, it's got a lot of wave in it as it sprung straight up when they dried it.

Just take it gradually - I usually do a bit, then wait til the next wash day and do a bit more etc. And I do it dry so I can see where the curls end. I often get compliments when I do so I think it looks alright.

Someone, what is this plastic guide you speak of? It sounds very intriguing. I'm okay with trimming my hair and even cutting in a fringe and doing layers around my face but the back is looking a little neglected shape wise but it feels a bit daunting as I lose sense of direction with mirrors and I don't want to that unicorn haircut. Also, a large section seems to have gone straight and just peeps out underneath everything like this sad little strand

I did look at that video from the YouTuber you mentioned Sophie. It's not really the cut I want though, otherwise it would probably be useful, except she cuts her curls bluntly, and from what I understand that makes them more prone to damage than when you cut in at an angle but I'm guessing that wouldn't deliver as much of a rounded feel as the ends would taper, my best guess anyhow.

Yes I also noticed she blunt cut the curls bo. To be honest I'm so confused with haircuts that not really sure what I want/need anymore for my hair type and face.

I've got proper hairdressing scissors someone but never heard of this plastic thing. Can you share a link to it please? It sounds like you're doing a good job.

The plastic thing is this one. Sorry I couldn't really think how to describe it!

Actually, it's this one (which is also much cheaper).