➿ 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)

Hmmm. Doesn't look as short as it feels. Also still not happy with shape. Finding I'm tucking it behind ears a lot due to sheer volume. Next wash day I'll try zero diffusing.

Also. It looks wonky. This is what I don't like about traditional wet cuts.

Yeah, the balance does seem odd. Does she cut it symmetrically even though you wear your parting off centre?

I need to decide whether to go to the hairdressers or trim again myself. I'm inclined for the latter as we're in a high risk area now and with my hydration focus my hair is looking shorter so I really don't want much off atm.

I went very minimal in my last wash day -shamp, cond, curl cream and then diffuse. It didn't look bad at all, obviously a bit less definition but far more than I expected. The ends struggle to stay together so that reminded me of why I bother with gel, fixed it by wetting ends and using Christophe Robin hair moisturiser (always used to use it for that as it works really well for that specific purpose). It took just as long to dry my hair as with gel so there wasn't much to gain, I suppose this is just what well hydrated equates with me.

She cuts it symmetrically and I asked for centre parting this time. Last time she cut it forslightly left parting.

TBH as it was so long I wish I could have gone to the curly salon. But again there didn't look to be a lot of hair on the floor. It will grow in 2 months. But I do think maybe a dry curly cut would be best??

I was trying to weigh up whether to trim mine or have it cut too. Dd2 is only just back 4 days to school, so I haven't booked anything yet.

I do think less is more works at least when the weather is still warm and dry. Central heating, drizzly days and wind might be another thing!

Not much to report here hair-wise. Currently doing a rice treatment and sporting my Thomas Cromwell (aka thermal cap) look. I need to go for a cut and colour. Have shown my hairdresser photos of the IGer Charlotte as I really like her cut and her curls and hair aren't too dissimilar too mine (although way nicer and what I aspire too). I want to avoid that triangle look that quite a few curlies have.

Lol at the triangle look, SophieLion! If I don't have layers that's me.

Now it's rainy here, I've just been putting my hair up in a plait and wearing a cap.

I have little to report too, hydration focus is working well for me except in my last wash day that feeling of 'oops I forgot to do something and I can't do it now and I don't want to undo everything' happened but it wasn't all bad. A little 'poofier' than normal, somewhat triangle shaped actually but it's not horrific on me so am curious what this Charlotte looks like.

I'm still debating on seeing the hairdresser or not but just had a medical appointment that required close contact and there was a covid outbreak under staff in another specialty so that should probably absolve me from making a decision about it for another next ten days (masks etc all in place so I'm not worried).

Hope you're okay Bo re medical appointment.

Yes I agree. I need to see a photo of this Charlotte!

Wash day for me. I am still on the hunt for:

1. a clarifier so that I don't have to use the Sunday every 7-10 days (would rather use once a month). My Phyto has almost run out and I'm not sure I'll repurchase/they've changed it I think too

2. An every day light weight conditioner

Just an annual check up Ninny so nothing worrisome.

By every day conditioner do you mean every 'wash day' or for refreshing daily? I really liked the kinky curly knot today LIC/conditioner but it's been impossible to get hold of. I've lost all hope tbh, hence why I'm looking at the ecoslay rice pudding as it's quite similar ingredients but no idea when that will be available here.

Clarifier, I'm not sure, the Cantu does the job but I'll probably buy living proof triple detox next (I'll try the travel size first), it's sulphate free but is clarifying, cationic buildup clearing and chelating. Reviews were a bit mixed but I think those are always hard to go on when it's not a CG brand as there's often people with super greasy hair looking for something really stripping coming out disappointed.

I never refresh Bo. I'm too lazy and don't like the idea of more and more products. I want to use the Biolage less often, maybe every 2-3 washes. So I want sth more light weight.

I was wondering about the Bounce Curl shampoos but they don't seem to do travel sizes.

I don't refresh. It rarely gives good results and needs wet hair to make a difference for me. If it's behaving well already, the spray in the shower perks it up. If it's not, I tie it back before I even get in the shower. If it's not behaving, it's also not receptive to more products.

I tried the Giovanni tea tree triple treat, last week and it was a weird experience. I'll not try it again, as it really did strip my hair - I might have an oily scalp but my actual hair needs far more tlc. The weirdest bit was the conditioner. I got loads of lather from it. In fact, everything I used for about a week after lathered up, including my gel! I had the most amazing cast from my cantu - jessicurl - aussie combo, on Monday - lots of spirals. They weren't particularly clumpy, though, and the curl just fell out, the next day.

It's not gone to waste, though, as it has almost completely eradicated ds1's scalp flakes. He'd been leaving piles of them wherever he sat 🤢

I know what you mean Bo. I feel like I have to be so focussed during the wash routine otherwise I end up wondering if I missed something, applied the wrong amount or didn't apply it properly etc etc. Hope everything works out ok with the potential COVID exposure. It seems to be everywhere now.

Will try to post a photo of Charlotte. She's Dutch too and comes across on IG as a very sweet person. I messaged her with some queries I had and she was very helpful. Anyway I love her curls and haircut. I just can't really tell
How the other side of her hair is as she always shows the "good" side!

Ninny, I will let you know what I think of the BC clarifying shampoo when it arrived. I've heard very good things so hope it lives up to expectations. The Sunday shampoo is quite harsh to be using so often - you are right.

I don't like refreshing much either but then I find people's idea of refreshing varies a lot. Some do almost a full wash and diffuse routine - just without the shampoo. For me, a refresh is a spritz of water or applying a bit more product - like some LIC or gel depending on how I feel. It's very random!!! I exercise a lot and dance so often have my hair up anyway.

Forgot to say that I like the treluxe conditioner too - it can be used as a LIC as well so I've used it in combination with the biolage.

I love the shape of her hair Sophie. That what I want from my curly cut: mine is too blocky.

There's am IGer I've found with, I think, similar hair and she's responded to a couple of DMs too.

Best wash day for months last night. Blueberry Bliss LIC (I think my hair likes the protein in this: used a tiny amount though as trying to identify what exacerbates build up). Then I Create Volume applied upside down and the more the right way up. Pixie diffused for 10 minutes as was 8pm. But the biggest difference I think was reverting to what I did a few weeks back: left my hair loose and just scooped it above my head on the pillow. When I pineapple it gives me an odd shape and I'm never happy with it.

One from the back. Also clarified with Phyto and used the Curlsmith treatment (travel size but it's the second time I've used it and I like it so far).

I think manes by Mel has a similar cut to Charlotte but obviously her hair is much curlier.

Your curls are looking nice and healthy ninny - I think you have less frizz? If you feel it is "blocky" then perhaps you could have some more layers cut into the back?

Lovely hair, Ninny.

I like Charlotte's hair, but they all have those shorter layers over their face. I wonder how it looks in rl.

My refreshing is usually a spritz of water and some Boots curl creme, maybe some gel if it needs it. My hair usually loses its definition by the end of the day, so needs it put back the next day iyswim.

I don't mind some shorter layers around my face quirky because I have small features/small face (that sounds a bit odd but I'm fairly normal looking!) and shorter layers frame my face better*.
*
I'm just thinking that Charlotte generally shows one side of her hair only and rarely a full On front view ...

Thanks guys. Yes, definitely less frizz today! Has lasted well too and lots importantly it feels good.

Colour looks odd in the second photo. The first photo is more accurate colour wise.

SophieLion, I meant that some of the curly "influencers" seem to have shorter layers that flop over their face. I do have shorter layers around my face, too, but I have a parting so they lie flatter. I have quite a round face and find it more flattering.

Do you mean that thing where they flap all their hose over to one side quirky? I think they do do "special" styles for the camera to make their curls appear better (which works!) I'm sure they can't be walking around all day with hair over their faces - highly impractical !

It's funny how lighting makes such a difference to hair colour ninny

Hose??!!! "hair"....

Flap all their hose ... .

Yeah, I should take pictures in the same room. We don't actually have many bare walls. Not because of art work but just house design. Also, our house is surrounded by trees so it's not the best for light (I love the trees though).

I needed a new glasses prescription a few weeks ago. I usually have green rimmed glasses. I like them a lot. But this time I kept those and had a reading prescription put in, and then because I thought with all my wavy hair now I wanted less cluttered glasses if that makes sense, I went for some rimless ones for my all day verifocals. Regretting that a bit. They seem to get so much grubbier.

Also, my sunglasses were 2 prescriptions out so chose some new frames (silly not to ) and had verifocals put in there too. OMFG. The price. I'm too ashamed to share.