➿ 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)

[NinnyNewName]

Lately, because I've been trying to get back into running and fitness after a really lazy year in that respect, I've been washing my hair more often and also not having time for it to dry. I've been skipping gel (generally Treluxe). I've had some brilliant results from just Treluxe serum and plopping for 20 or 30 minutes then diffusing for a bit. Especially if I use the Shedid and Parrish clarifying shampoo. I get sort of strong beachy waves with some nice clumps and it feels more my hair, and what it wants to do. I do wonder if gel drues my hair out. I know Nuala Morey advises against using too strong a gel. Does anyone have a recommendation for a really lightweight hold gel or even a gel alternative please? (Not keen on mouse, I don't think). Ty.

[botemp]

My hair loss is a lot better now, Sophie, it's only really noticeable if you actively look for it and it's just that there's sort of a depression around my parting as it's less dense than the surrounding hair there but it's no longer the thinned out thing it used to be that had me cowering from too bright overhead directional lights. I can wear it in a centre part where I couldn't before and with a side parting it's difficult to see at all (but at the moment I seem to prefer a centre parting).

Amount of styling products was an issue with my curly cut too, it was one greasy clump the next morning that took forever to sort out.

Ninny, I think you've probably used it before but the innersense I create volume product Sophie mentioned is IME a good almost gel but not a gel. I don't think gels are drying but I do think the side effect of making the process of drying your hair much slower (when air drying) probably isn't great as wet hair is more vulnerable to damage. Gel and diffuser seems a good combo IME but not when leaving it to (partially) air dry. I know you said no to mousses but I do still use the Giovanni foam mostly, there's hardly anything in it just enough stickiness to keep everything put and no need to scrunch it out, it's just a light coating.

[NinnyNewName]

Thanks Bo. Yes I have used the Innersense ICV and I did really like it. I gave a bunch of half used products to my neighbour's daughter. She's had a year of cancer treatment (aged 22) and her pre-chemo straight hair has grown back curly as is often the case. I'll take another look, and I'll look at the Giovanni foam. It feels really good to have minimal products now. My problem with diffusing until fully dry is how long it takes, especially at the roots (obviously).

I thought I was having some hair loss and I asked my hairdresser if she thought the same. She said no - it's just that when you stop colouring your hair and your silvers are coming you can usually see more scalp.

Glad yours is doing better Bo. Is that the supplements do you think?

[SophieLion]

Bo, That's exactly what the curly hairdresser said about the innersense I create volume - almost a gel but not quite. That's probably why she didn't use a gel on top of it. I have a sample of it so I should try myself at home.

She used the innersense pure conditioner. I use the colour radiance. She said either ok for me. Again I've got a sample of the pure so should try.

I also exercise a lot ninny and still wash twice a week normally. (Am i dirty?!). I love a hard hold gel but it can take ages to dry in winter here.

Glad the hair loss has improved bo. Oh dear it sounds like both of you had cuts with styling disasters - better styling disaster than cut disaster though!

[NinnyNewName]

I used the bowl method for the first time yesterday (just with the Treluxe serum) and it worked really well. Can't believe I've not tried it before!

[MaybeHeIsMyCat]

I like the bowl method!
Today is
Innersense I create volume
" " I create lift
Treluxe gel

[NinnyNewName]

I got a Shark hairdryer for Christmas. I'm really impressed.

Looks lovely Cat. So long now! When was it last cut, as it's really holding a lovely shape so it must have been a good one!

[MaybeHeIsMyCat]

I had to look to see! End of May it was done

[SophieLion]

Hi everyone 👋 just wanted to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2022! 🎉 with lots of good hair days 😆😆

[botemp]

Happy New Year to you to Sophie and everyone else.

Hair is looking so long again Cat what is it in the medication you use that makes it grow like weeds, do you know.

My hair is being a bastard, I cut it mid December more of a proper cut than trim as it was getting a bit thinned out at the ends but it was acting odd ever since. I've had to even it out a few times and it's shorter than I'd like as a result. I don't know if it's down to that or something else but it's gone super curly and is acting very differently. It's a cut that's worked really well for me previously but I think with that latest cut I've ended up in a different curl pattern, either by cutting out some old damage or the refashioning it after, it encouraged it to come out more? Who knows, I find my usual routine looks great after washing and air drying but loses its mojo much quicker so for the first time ever I've come to appreciate a refresh but it all still feels a bit like going back to square one.

[MaybeHeIsMyCat]

Ha the medication I'm on actually causes hair loss!!!!
I'm taking a supplement, well one is a multivitamin and then I take this by the same company but whether it actually does anything...
https://wearefeel.com/products/feel-beauty

[SophieLion]

It must have been your new cut Bo. Have you considered a new career in curly cuts?! So many people want to get a tighter curl pattern! If your wash day isn't lasting, perhaps you could try more gel or a stronger gel? (Do you use gel? I have a feeling that perhaps you don't like it...)

I've been air drying the last couple of washes as travelling and the results are not as nice as with a diffuser (although admittedly I rarely diffuse for more than 10 minutes...).

[botemp]

Ha, no, I don't think my accidental cuts would make me a good hairdresser Sophie 😂

But, yes, probably the cut, it's just weird usually I lose definition when I go shorter. I know people aim for tighter defined curls but I don't have much hair and they all sort of clump into one another, so it's annoying me most of the time.

I'm not a big gel fan, no, you've remembered right, I'm all about the mousse/foam. I might try some gel just in the ends as a compromise. I'm also thinking maybe get the old bounce curl clump cream out, maybe something richer might help it last.

Ah, I see, cat, I must have misremembered.

[pawpaws2022]

Still growing like a weed. Having great results with aveda gel