Inexpensive treat to make my hair softer and shinier

[MrsD28]

Looking for some advice! My hair looks shit - it is long-ish (longer than I would like!) and curly but also very fine - sort of soft wavy ringlets. After a few months of central heating + icy cold playgrounds / walks in the park + no haircut it just looks terrible - loads of flyaways, getting drier and fluffier by the day. I would love some sort of (inexpensive) conditioning mask or treatment to make it shinier and softer - any recommendations would be much appreciated!

@Melange99

That new L'Oreal 8 minute water stuff is amazing. My hair needs a sort out, needs a cut etc. This stuff makes your hair so smooth. Annoying bottle and applicator. I thought it was a leave in, which is why I bought it, but it's a rinse out. You can use conditioner after, I don't. Really impressed.

This. It's amazing. It's 8 seconds though, not 8 minutes, which makes it even better!

I have similar hair, fine, used to be curly but definitely becoming undefined and frizzier and just difficult to style as I get older, not the luxurious tumbling curls that I would aspire to!! I have tried loads of conditioners, treatments, co washing etc etc but, although this is not a treatment it is the best product (Frizz Ease Weightless Wonder from John Freida and I don't usually even like John Freida products) that I have used on my hair. Leaves it with some body ( but still soft) and definitely less frizz without being crunchy at all. I even use it between shampoos. I might even have a go with the rest of the range...

I had a H&B advent calendar and have already rebought the Natura Siberica repair and protection hair mask as it was so good. I have wavy, over dried and over straightened hair and once a week it’s made such a difference.

Came on to say Garnier hair food but I can see people have already said it. Either coconut or papaya

@MorrisZapp

The pointy pink thing twists a bit, making a hole at the top.

Mine must be faulty because I twisted and twisted and no joy!

@Prettybubblesintheair There is a bit of foil on it. Take the lid off, take the foil off, then it should work.

Aveeno Shampoo & Conditioner.. leaves my hair like silk every day... I will never look back ❤️

[quote Melange99]@Prettybubblesintheair There is a bit of foil on it. Take the lid off, take the foil off, then it should work. [/quote]
Ohhhhhhhh...thank you!

I've found that it's not necessarily the product that makes the biggest difference but the consistency in using it. I try to do a mask of some sort once or twice a week. If I can't be bothered it'll be a dollop of hair food while I laze in the bath, if I've got a bit more time I might make my own or leave it on overnight. The condition of my hair has improved no end!

Body Shop banana hair mask

I like the hair food one too. Superdrug also do an Argan oil mask which is very similar in effect to Philip Kingsley elasticiser. I use Superdrug frequently and the other two interchangeably once a week.

Always want to try the natural ones but never do.

Lee Stafford hair masks are lovely only available in boots I think but very often on offer

Frizzy curly fine hair here too. Coconut products can be too protein heavy for my hair and leave it lank and straw-like. Mine needs moisture.

I use ogx argan oil products (as good as Moroccan oil I had before but excellent cheaper dupes) and a Garnier Blends argan deep conditioner I get for £2 a pot in Savers. Whack it on dry hair and leave it for an hour and then shampoo out.

I found Garnier Hair Food shampoo and conditioner terrible, so more sure I'd recommend the masks.

Argon oil for me. I don't even use conditioner as it make me break out, but some oil on the ends of my hair make it lovely and soft

Coconut oil. I buy it in large jars from Asian food shops for around £2.50 and it lasts for ages. You take a couple of teaspoons of it and rub it between the palms of your hands to melt it, then run it through your hair. The longer you leave it on, the better - in summer I leave it on all day. It's the best thing you can do for your hair.

Your hair might need more protein. Suoerdrug do a good single use protein hair mask called 'Hask Protein something'. It does absolute wonders for frizzy hair.

Also the Banana Hair Food for moisture. Put it on then put on a shower cap, wrap a towel turban / long sleeved T shirt over the top and leave on for as long as you like so the moisture penetrator the hair shaft. Also try to pat your hair dry with a cotton T shirt instead of a bath towel. Towels are very drying.

I also love the Garnier Hair Food - coconut or banana! I put it on the ends think of it as like moisturiser for hair.

This is a bit out there but have you come across rice water for hair? I've tried it and it was really strengthening for my hair (also dry frazzled etc)

You only need a tablespoon of rice and some water in a jar. Leave it to ferment overnight and use it on your hair in the shower. It fills in the 'gaps' in your hair, like a cheaper dupe for Olaplex.

www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk03dOjyRKxW-JKYor7sFlJZKPVgYhQ%3A1613080777081&ei=yaglYLmzBOCp1fAPpbKNwAQ&q=rice+water+for+wavy+hair&oq=rice+water+for+wavy+hair&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyAggAMgYIABAFEB4yBggAEAgQHjIFCAAQhgMyBQgAEIYDMgUIABCGAzIFCAAQhgM6BwgAELADEEM6BggAEAcQHjoICAAQCBAHEB5QnL8BWKDEAWD9ygFoAXACeACAAesCiAHYCZIBBzAuMy4yLjGYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6yAEKwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwj5u9iV6uLuAhXgVBUIHSVZA0gQ4dUDCA0&uact=5

I've never been able to get the benefit on coconut oil in my hair... Ive tried several times over the years ... and always have to wash my hair countless times to get the oiliness out 😳

I mean... Im always left with a greasy limp mess 🙄

@BlueThistles

I mean... Im always left with a greasy limp mess 🙄

Same here.

Love beauty and planet rose deep conditioner is lovely on my coloured wavy hair. It smells so nice and you can buy it in Sainsbury’s which is a bonus for me. I also use olaplex 3 once a week which isn’t cheap but the bottle lasts a long time.

@Melange99

That new L'Oreal 8 minute water stuff is amazing. My hair needs a sort out, needs a cut etc. This stuff makes your hair so smooth. Annoying bottle and applicator. I thought it was a leave in, which is why I bought it, but it's a rinse out. You can use conditioner after, I don't. Really impressed.

Agree. I've set up a subscription doodah for the Elvive one, think that's the L'Oreal? Used it last night and my hair (think Boris on a windy day with added ploomphy bits) feels like I've had a ££££££ salon treatment. £3.50 from Amazon. Incredible.

Decided i needed more products in my life. I've just done a big Superdrug delivery (including the loreal wonder water for £5)

I have some good old fashioned shine spray that does the job...

I used V 05 serum

The L’Oréal wonder water is literally a wonder, my dyed blonde hair is now shiny and glossy and looks like it’s recently been cut (it very much hasn’t )

Garnier Hair food is disastrous in my hair, I don’t know what’s in it that my hair hates but it seems to make it simultaneously greasy and dry, with really lank bits and also flyaways - honestly truly terrible, So many people love it though but there aren’t words for how bad it makes my hair look and feel.

I tried it twice in case I’d done something wrong but no. It also took ages to make it look and feel nicer again - like a good couple of weeks before it stopped feeling revolting - you know the texture you get when you’ve only half washed your shampoo and conditioner out?