Hair products for DS's very curly hair

[fiveleftfeet]

DS has thick, crazy, curly hair, that sticks out from his head. He likes it like that, but also when his hair is wet after a shower, it's a totally different style and makes it look like more "normal" hair that goes down, not up!

I don't mean when it's dripping wet, just when it's a fairly damp still.

He said he'd like to be able to make his hair stay like that sometimes and asked me how.

I expect there's some kind of product that'll do that but I don't have the first idea where to start! There seem to be a world of products to put on hair that do different things.

I've got straight hair and have never used any kind of product on it, I'm clueless!

Can anyone recommend anything? Thanks.

Easy, just plonk a load of gel on it while it's still wet and let it dry naturally.

I have curly hair and my DS2 has curly hair too. He's 6YO and already asking how he can get it straight. He just cuts it really short.

Thanks Cadburycup.

Aren't there different kinds of gels? There seem to be loads in the shop!

In case it gives you hope, DS decided he didn't like his curls when he was in reception, broke my heart to cut them all off but that's how he liked it so I didn't let him know how much I loved his old hair.

He had it short till year 6, when he started growing it out again, and the curls, which I thought had gone, came back. And he loves his curls now.

OK, so I'm currently doing a supermarket order and I've looked at the hair gels. There are 30 different kinds! How do I choose which one?

I'm clueless! I don't know my "Tuff Stuff Gel" from my "Extreme Style Matt Hair Clay" or my "Style ReWork Putty" from my "Hair Remix Pot".

I know he doesn't want "Glued Spiking Wax" and "Extreme Mega Hold" sounds wrong as he's not trying to make his hair stiff, just to fall like most other people's so he has curls falling around his face, not sticking upright.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/health-beauty/styling-247965-44

This one's called Extreme Style Surf Style Texturising Paste. I suppose the look he wants is kinda surfer-dude, but is that what this does? (What does it do?!)

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/styling-247965-44/vo5-extreme-surf-hair-paste-150ml

Dd 15 uses this gel after trying loads this is the best, we get it in Boots.cantu products are also good. Dd uses both cantu first then the gel .

Best applied on wet hair, it goes hard and then you scrunch when dry for nicely separated curls.

My son uses Cantu curling cream on his super curly hair, gives some definition but his hair stays soft (& smells nicely coconutty) A little goes a long way too.

Using hyaluronic acid on wet hair along with hair oil helps my curly frizzy hair

I'm not sure if it's de-frizzing he's looking for? Tbh I'm not sure what de-frizzing even means!

Here are a couple of pictures of random people off the internet, not DS! But his hair usually sticks up and out like slightly less extreme version of the guy with an afro.

Except, when his hair is damp, it looks more like the other picture. That's what he wants to know how to make it to look like.

Is that "de-frizzing"?

It's not an attempt to make it neater as such, nor to make his hair look wet, just to look as if it doesn't defy gravity!

Personally I wouldn't go for gel as this has the potential to go crunchy when dry or leave white residue.

I would go for options specifically made for curly hair PP mentioned cantu coconut curling cream which is good or other products from brands such as shea moisture. Finger through hair while wet and leave to air dry.

Trick is to lock in moisture & fingering in will make curls hold their shape

I'd get him some cantu products. Have him scrunch it into wet hair - the kids cantu is softer and doesn't leave your hair hard.

Tell him to ditch shampoo and focus on conditioner only when washing. Brush through with a wide comb in the shower.

Don't ever towel dry, use a T-shirt or microfiche towel to squeeze the excess water out and then use to scrunch the hair when the product is in.

He can put moose in after cantu curly cream to hold the curls - the Shea coconut frizz free curl mouse is one of the best. Scrunch it and leave to dry.

This method will def get more of a 2nd picture look.

We also use Cantu products on my 3 year old's hair. Spraying wet and refreshing each morning.

All you can really do is experiment a bit, there's a fine line between taming/defining and completely weighing down. My daughter's curls are wild, but actually the hair is very fine and there's not a huge amount of it, so most gels and creams are too heavy.

OK, I'm sold! I've ordered the Cantu cream recommended here, I'll let you know how we get on with it!

Thanks for all the tips :)