Please help me with curly hair products!

[MarilynValentine]

A long time ago I had boingy natural ringlets - but now, I have curly-ish wavy-ish hair and I’m kind of despairing about how to handle it. If I use a lot of conditioner and curl cream it gets weighed down - if I don’t, it looks dry and frizzy.

What products can I use to create the most curl? Is mousse a thing again? Or a particular wonder curl cream?

I tried a few things with not much luck but I think I’m either not using enough or missing some essential stage…

Any advice much appreciated!

I just found a gorgeous spray. www.boots.com/andrew-fitzsimons-curl-defining-spray-for-natural-bounce-with-castor-oil-150ml-10308330

I also use pantene miracle oil serum...I think that's the right name.

Both really light.

I use a strawberry and mint shampoo as it contains no silicones or sulphates. It's normally available in Wilko. Sorry I can't remember the brand.

Then I apply cantu curl cream also from Wilko

I use The Curl Company hair mousse which you can buy from Tesco and Boots. Gives good soft definition without the heaviness. Also using/trialing Curl Power by Lush hair cream.

I use Cantu leave in conditioner, which is very light, and then scrunch a small blob of Cantu gel - leave to dry naturally then scrunch out the crunchy bits. Gives me defined, conditioned curls every time.

Frizz Ease conditioner and L’Oréal hair oil.
Wide tooth comb, brush when wet then leave to dry naturally.

Another Cantu fan. I use their shampoo and conditioner, plus curl custard. Also use Imbue spray for quick, dry tidy up. My hair curls beautifully this way.

I've had a big improvement with Boucleme - the styling products seem to give definition without weighing down my hair.

I use It's a 10 leave-in conditioner followed by Aveda Be Curly cream, both on soaking wet hair.

Wella serum, from my hairdresser

Weird...I find it really heavy!

I found the curl creme really heavy but the leave in conditioner much lighter - curly hair has a mind of it’s own!

OP if your hair is getting weighed down by creamy products it may be that you need something a little dryer like a gel to prevent it being over moisturized. My hair is the same. I get good results by, on squeezed wet hair, using 5-10 drops of oil then a 50p sized bit of gel like eg Umberto Giannini, brushing with a wide denman, wrapping in muslin to soak the excess and five minutes later diffuser drying. That gets my curls to come to life and then I use small amounts of cream rubbed between my palms to smooth them a little with a final bit of Umberto Giannini spray to set them.

Ime there's two types of curl products - roughly, moisturising and protein/clarifying. You need to find the balance that's right for your hair. So add moisture with the cream, add protein with the gel. Start with a little of one type, see how your hair responds and build from that.

If you have porous fragile curls like most white heritage people do, too much moisture isn't always good news. Ofc use a moisturising conditioner but rinse it out and be sparing with moisture products in terms of styling - ime they're better for finishing when you've already established texture. As well as weighing your hair down cream etc can make it too soft to hold defined curls .

I like Beached Urban Waves and have to use v little. And I make sure my hair is in really good condition. I find wellaplex no 3 as a twice a week 10 min treatment works well for my curls. I have fine coloured hair though so what works for me might not work for you.

Cantu curl cream and next day curls to bring them back to life. Seasalt spray for a more relaxed look for the weekend.

curl defining soufflé I love this stuff

After years of experimenting for me it's Aveda Be Curly Co Wash, Davines Curl Conditioner, a micro fibre hair towel and then Cocunat Curl Booster Gel (online only I think). Manes By Mel on you tube is great for curl tips

Flaxseed gel works wonders for me: and I just found a very nice salt spray (I won't give the brand as I live overseas)
Curlsmith is a good brand. I liked the Yes to range when I lived in the UK