Curly hair that looks shiny, beautiful and polished (not scruffy!)

[LoveEatYoga]

Partly inspired by another thread, I just feel like my curly hair looks untidy, frizzy, dry. No matter what I do it seems to look like this as it either starts of that way or I sleep on it and it gets messed up.

It definitely needs something for shine, moisture and frizz, as a starting point/

Start with a really good hairdresser, who understands cutting curly hair. Then Daniel Hersheson Almost Everything cream and/or Kerastase oil serum scrunched through soaking wet hair. No touching. No blow drying.

I’m not quite there yet but improving. Most of my setup is from The Body Shop, I use the Shea shampoo, conditioner and then the mask every couple of weeks, I also have their bamboo brush and comb to prevent static. I sleep with one of those claw style hair clips, so the curls don’t get too squashed overnight - though I suppose they’re not good if you sleep on your back. I use Lush’s R&B cream after washing and in the morning to revive the curls and smooth over the frizz. I wash my hair every 3 days and don’t blow dry unless I’m straightening it, which I don’t do often.

I’ll keep an eye for any more tips too, if you don’t mind me following.

I've tried different things over the years but here's what I do.

Lots of people are swearing by co-washing, which is basically washing your hair with no shampoo just conditioner, but my hair is too think and this gives me dandruff. So I use Head and Shoulders, shampoo and conditioner, but just a bit of shampoo at the roots. Loads of conditioner. I put it a good few drops of Argan oil.

I add a scrunching gel called Curl Jelly in a pink bottle. Then I use a muslin cloth (not a cotton loop towel) to scrunch my hair and try and get as much water out. I usually blowdry with a diffuser but if I'm not in a rush I leave it to dry.

And also between shampoos I sleep with a very elegant (!!) silk cap. Or some people use a silk pillowcase. It does make a real difference as now I only need to wash my hair 2-3 times a week and my curls look lovely. If flat in the morning I use a water spray to liven it up.

Daniel Hersheson Almost Everything cream and/or Kerastase oil serum scrunched through soaking wet hair. No touching. No blow drying.

I haven't tried either of those but I do blow dry my hair a lot more these days (dyson dryer sounds wonder whether that could be drying my hair out)

I sleep with one of those claw style hair clips, so the curls don’t get too squashed overnight - though I suppose they’re not good if you sleep on your back. I use Lush’s R&B cream after washing and in the morning

I bought some satin bonnets but stopped using them so will try those again though I have satin pillowcases.

I will look into that Lush product as I wanted to put an order in for some bath stuff.

I add a scrunching gel called Curl Jelly in a pink bottle. Then I use a muslin cloth (not a cotton loop towel) to scrunch my hair and try and get as much water out. I usually blowdry with a diffuser but if I'm not in a rush I leave it to dry.

Where is this curl jelly from? It's not the Boots one is it?

I agree that a satin / silk cap works better than a pillow. The pillow isn't doing much for me.

I don't do co washing or any of that. I do tend to use sulphate free shampoo but I do also like the body shop banana shampoo and conditioner.

I like the TIGI styling products like the curl gel and after party plus the eco gel from boots is good but I really need more shine and maybe pulling out the satin caps will help

It's this one: www.boots.com/umberto-giannini-curl-jelly-scrunching-jelly-200ml-10222389?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--PLAs_HeroCompare--Umberto+Giannini-_-Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Beauty+-+Desktop&gclid=CjwKCAjw2dD7BRASEiwAWCtCb124zy4STQpM0yyQxFE4docXCYpFnm6Uc4DueWqw4nPBhchEfZJ2kxoCuL0QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The boots curling cream used to be good but they changed the formula a couple of years ago and now it just dries my hair and make sit more frizzy

You need a conditioner with no silicones or sulphates and you need an intensive conditioner to use once a week (also with no silicones or sulphates). You need a hair gel or mousse that doesn't have drying alcohol in it. Google curly girl approved conditioners/products for some ideas. Even if you don't want to follow the curly girl method ( I do and it's done wonders for my hair!) this will make a big difference.

Not drying my hair these days is making the difference...

Yes it's not easy getting thick hair dry at night. But it makes all the difference.

I use this as does my daughter. OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls Frizz Defying Curl Styling Milk

shampoo and conditioner wise I usually buy an Aussie moisture shampoo and I think at the moment we are using a coconut conditioner which is a white tube with a brown lid. can't remember the make though. got it in tesco.

I let it dry naturally.

in between washes I use a watered down leave in conditioner (only a tiny bit of the leave in conditioner mixed with water to avoid it getting too heavy) in the morning to make it bounce up again.

I will look at these products and try not drying it as much. It's because I wash my hair at night and sometimes I don't have time to let it dry. It's definitely worse if I go to bed with it wet!

I will try my silk bonnet as well and I really want to try a proper curly haircut, which I've never had

I have finally found a haordresser who has the curls I like herself. So I can trust her.
Complete change in routine for me.
No shampoo being doing that for years anyway
Garnier ultimate blends coconut conditioner
Followed by Garnier ultimate blends 3 in 1 leave in while still wet (white pot with a brown lid coconut)
Lastly 3 or 4 squirts of L’Oréal Professionnel | Serie Expert | Absolut Repair Nourishing Hair Serum for Damaged Hair. Pulled through the ends. I no longer have the huge fluffy head as the day wears on.

you don't aim for polished with curls. Curls rock but they are not polished.

You need to find a routine that works for you but that is trial and error. No silicone and sulphate free shampoo.

Can you post a pic of your curls? Might be easier to give advice as curl patterns vary so much.

And get a good cut by someone who understands curls (best dry cut). The right cut can make sure a difference for curls.

and don't go to bed with wet hair. This is the death of my curls.

I go to Trepadora In Maidenhead and they sell products online. Their stuff is lovely

I do CGM but it alone doesn't make my hair shiny. It goes really shiny and soft when I use Cantu products - the Curl Activator and Custard in that order. You can get it from Boots, Superdrug and Amazon

I recommended this on the other thread - it is really good.

This is my hair, if you can see it

Will see if I can find a better pic

And on a slightly more fluffy day

(but still not the worst my hair gets)

No amout of products or haircuts or cowashing is going to help slept on curly hair OP! You need to spray some water on it and scrunch it up to revive the curl every morning!

I was once told that my (then very long hair in ringlet type curls) was working class and common. That was by an alleged friend!

I cut my hair up to my shoulders at the start of lockdown and dyed it blonde (midlife crisis!). However the curls are now madder than ever. I don't ever blow dry it and try not to touch it when drying as that makes it frizz. I also am a big fan of the Umberto Giannini curl jelly as mentioned above.

Can I ask about not shampooing please? I normally wash my hair with shampoo daily, mainly because I exercise 4-5 times a week and my hair is a sweaty mess after...how do you avoid washing it after exercise?

Teenager DD has curly hair and it looks amazing if she goes to bed with it in a microfibre turban.

Sulphate free shampoo, silicone free conditioner. Co-washing made so much of my hair fall out! I switched to faith in nature shampoo/conditioner. The shampoo has sulphates in but they’re gentler ones (not SLS/SLES) because I struggled to find a sulphate free shampoo that worked for me and was affordable. A good leave-in conditioner and gel or mousse, regular deep conditioning. Today I washed with faith in nature, deep conditioned with a Giovanni nutrafix, used a dr paw paw leave in spray and Camille rose curl maker gel, partially blow dried but had to air dry the rest because I didn’t have time to finish before the school run!

I don't think no shampooing is for me but I do try to buy sulphate free. I have been using the Kirkland (Costco) one for a while and it's ok but I need a deep conditioner I think.

I've been using the Aveda repair remedy for some protein but I'm not sure what my hair needs.

It might help me to just let it dry properly and naturally.

Does anyone watch Manes by Mel? I was using her method of using a denman brush for a bit but prefer the more traditional method partly as it's easier.

Not the best photo as it’s quite dark but you can see that it’s still quite shiny even after being out in the rain and it’s very soft! Actually the best wash day I’ve had in a while

Agree about using a sulphate free conditioner. You need to keep your scalp healthy.

I originally picked the body shop shampoo and conditioner I use out of a curly girl approved list. I quite liked the aveda be curly line but it’s too pricey for me - though now that I chopped my hair chin length, it might be ok...