How do you get natural, healthy looking hair?

[floofycroissant]

When I let my hair air dry it's got a bit of a natural wave which I like, but it looks unkempt (dull, frizz, poorly defined shape) then if I try and style it I look overdone.

I think it might be the products. Any suggestions for shampoos, styling stuff that might help?

I normally just use simple shampoo/conditioner, switched to Garnier natural blends recently which has helped with volume but still not that healthy look I'm hoping for. Is it sole a case of spending £££?

You might need to ask for this to be moved-Property/DIY not likely to get you helpful answers

Haha! How on earth have I managed that

My hair sounds similar to yours and I’m afraid the only answer I’ve found is weekly blowdrys!

We're moving this thread over to our Style & Beauty topic for the OP.

My hair is in the best condition of its life since I started doing two things.

1. Using nizoral shampoo
2. letting it air dry almost every time.

Yes there was a frizz fest going on initially but now my hair seems to have settled into its new routine and it’s actually quite nice once dry. Like you I have a bit of a wave. I need to get it properly cut for the wave though and then it will be lovely.

The only time previously I remember my hair being so lovely and healthy and shiny was when I was rinsing it with apple cider vinegar and doing a cold water blast. Might start that again and see if I can make it even nicer.

Oh and I use Alberto balsam conditioner. 95p.

Are you in a hard water area? I am and it makes such a difference, my hair always feels rough and frizzy. Went away to a different part of the UK last week and the water was obviously a lot softer, and my hair just seemed to fall into place much better and softer, healthier and less dull. We've been meaning to get a water softener for ages now but it always falls at the bottom of the list of things to do/buy!

My hair gets greasy at the roots after three days; it's thick hair and quite weighty, gentle curls. After I brush it on day two it's OK but can go quite frizzy. With the wrong products it can be frizzy straight off the bat.

All that said, I find the best finish on my hair comes from using Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Shampoo (the one with black castor oil)... but only that one! Other shampoos in the brand don't work so well for me. I use one of their conditioners at the moment but any is OK, then I use a Vidal Sassoon mousse.

I also air dry - that's interesting about water softness @Luckyelephant1. We are in a medium/hard water area.

I have found using a brush with boar bristles has helped to a degree. I'm a believer in not washing too often, not blow drying regularly, and not colouring.

I won’t lie, I’ve got good hair naturally but here is my routine which I’ve found does make it bigger and bouncier. I’ve got a lot of hair but it’s very soft.

My routine is :

Wash at night, head and shoulders, a deep conditioner (one for shine or sleek or dry hair) on the ends only, rinse till its just out, don’t wring the hair out, kind of pat out the water or it breaks the hair, leave it up in a towel till it’s semi dry, pat again with the towel without rubbing, run 2 pumps of Moroccan oil through it (mines long so I need 2, 1 is ok) and then leave. In the morning I straighten the ends on the lowest heat. I very rarely brush it, perhaps once in the morning, so I don’t get breakages.

Mine's wavy/curly and I switched to a very basic Curly Girl method. I don't use shampoo, because they contain sulphate, which is basically soap that dries your hair out. You then put conditioner on to coat it in slimy silicone which isn't good for it either.

CG can be a faff - but I just basically wash my hair in silicone free conditioner. Then I scrunch a bit of gel stuff through it and leave it to dry. It's in the best condition of its life and looks fab. I don't use any heat or styling products on it. Don't ever brush or comb it. It's very easy.

The best silicone/paraben free conditioner I've found is XHC Conditioner - I use either the Ginger or the Banana one. They are £1 in Savers. Places like B&M often do them too.

www.savers.co.uk/XHC/XHC-Anti-Dandruff-Ginger-Conditioner-400ml/p/776032

The gel I use is £6.99 in Superdrug and is the Jerome Russell one.

www.superdrug.com/Hair/Curl-Cream/Jerome-Russell-Bstyled-Curl-Jelly/p/789809?gclid=EAIaIQobChMItOfBsqbt8AIVpBkGAB3W_wm4EAQYAyABEgKJ6vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That's basically all I do. For a couple of days after hair washing I sprinkle it damply with a shower attachment and scrunch it up again and leave it alone. I only wash it every 3 days or so now.

My hair is SUPER dry. I wash it with Umberto Giannini shampoo and conditioner every few days and deep condition it once a week, wash it at night and sleep with the conditioner in, rinsing it out in the morning. I use Umberto Giannini hair dye on it as it's 100% grey and NO I don't want to have all grey hair, I look ancient enough.

I use a Mason Pearson hair brush.

I use Ghd straighteners with their heat protecting spray first if going out to make it look sleek.

I keep it shoulder length and have it trimmed every few months.

@Luckyelephant1

Are you in a hard water area? I am and it makes such a difference, my hair always feels rough and frizzy. Went away to a different part of the UK last week and the water was obviously a lot softer, and my hair just seemed to fall into place much better and softer, healthier and less dull. We've been meaning to get a water softener for ages now but it always falls at the bottom of the list of things to do/buy!

Oh my god, yes. I'd never thought of that. Moved to hard water a while ago and it's been crap since then

@SisterAgatha

I won’t lie, I’ve got good hair naturally but here is my routine which I’ve found does make it bigger and bouncier. I’ve got a lot of hair but it’s very soft.

My routine is :

Wash at night, head and shoulders, a deep conditioner (one for shine or sleek or dry hair) on the ends only, rinse till its just out, don’t wring the hair out, kind of pat out the water or it breaks the hair, leave it up in a towel till it’s semi dry, pat again with the towel without rubbing, run 2 pumps of Moroccan oil through it (mines long so I need 2, 1 is ok) and then leave. In the morning I straighten the ends on the lowest heat. I very rarely brush it, perhaps once in the morning, so I don’t get breakages.

I worked with someone who had show pony grade shiny hair and she used that H&S, I tried it and looked bloody awful

I'm wondering if I could replace my condition we which seemingly does nothing with an oil. Too many things and I look like a grease slick, but Percy and Reed no oil oil for fine hair has been good in the past

Oil based products - I use Hask shampoo, conditioner, oil and oil shine spray (I'm a hairdresser), always get comments on how soft and shiny my hair is. Don't over shampoo, protect from the elements, gently detangle from point to root. Avoid heat.

Disclaimer I hate MLM and am
Not an agent.

A friend gave me a tropic 'pebble' for my birthday and my hair has never been better. I have psoriasis and it's cleared it - 40 years of it in my hair and this shampoo has worked. I order
directly from the internet and don't use other people

I think it's just luck. I have smooth shiny hair that always look healthy, even in the 10 months between cuts in lockdown. I do absolutely nothing to it. I use any old shampoo. I swim in the sea most days so it gets crammed into a swim hat and soaked in sea water. I use any old brush I can find and blast it with a hairdryer on highest heat.

On the other hand I have hardly any other physically attractive qualities

I have the same issue. I have in between hair. Not curly or straight, not thick or thin. But needs to be styled. Either I curl it and it I get comments about have you been to the hairdresser, or it's an awful frizzy wavy mess.

The only kind of everyday neat look that I have is after I've used the dyson air wrap brush.

But what I really want is that kind of Courtney cox shiny not styled but actually styled look. Kind of like a no make up look for hair.

So offering no help really but a lot of empathy.

@freeandfierce

Oil based products - I use Hask shampoo, conditioner, oil and oil shine spray (I'm a hairdresser), always get comments on how soft and shiny my hair is. Don't over shampoo, protect from the elements, gently detangle from point to root. Avoid heat.

Ooh looks promising. I'm going to try one of the deep conditioners, just deciding between the argan, keratin or coconut.

at all the people with good hair genes.

I tried out Tressem botanique hemp+ moisture conditioner (silicone free) and it really does make my hair really shiny, it's normally shiny as I don't faff around with it but this is next level.

I use Olaplex 6 and then Davines Oi hair oil to stop the frizz.

My hair is pretty good. I take Biotin and often co-wash with silicone-free products. I sometimes put in Neal’sYard masque thing at night but only the lower half of my hair. Avoid heat as much as you can and try some of the myriad heatless curl methods - some are excellent.

like @MadMadMadamMim I've gone for the non-faff version of curly girl method. It basically involves doing as little as possible to my hair:

Wash with conditioner as infrequently as possible. Condition with the same product then a bit more on the ends as a leave-in once dry. No other products.

I wrap in a microfibre towel, then air dry, sleep on a silk pillowcase.

It never ever gets brushed. No styling other than tongs around my face if the waves are going a funny way. I dry in plaits if I want more curl. An ammonia free semi permanent colour just on grey roots as needed.

For the first time in my life it's thick and glossy and not at all dry - bit fluffy on wash day but fabulous and sleek after I've slept on it.

I use Herbal Essences silicone free shampoo and conditioner two or three times a week. Soft water area. Air dry as much as possible then straighten. My Dyson straighteners have massively improved the condition of my hair.
Eat well.
I have a good head of hair though which I think is largely hereditary.