Merwave, Curlsmith or Only Curls?

[MooMinCow]

Which do you recommend please? I’m being bombarded by FB and IG ads for all 3!

I have fine shoulder length coloured hair that has decided it’s now frizzy and wavy/curly (thanks perimenopause 🙄) and I’m trying to figure out what products to try.

I currently use sulphate/silicone free shampoo/conditioner and have had some success with JVN air dry cream and serum scrunched into soaking wet hair then air drying (pic below was on Monday when I used diffuser to speed up drying).

Those with similar hair - what works for you?

I've just bought merwave and am not having much success. I have fine, but a lot of it, wavy/curly hair similar to yours but can get lots of frizz
Only curls was good but I got an itchy head. I'm going to give it another go as I can be sensitive sometimes and it can go
I have curlsmith gel still but the other products didn't really do anything for me
What has worked the best do far for me is asiam cowash, Alberto balsam conditioner, pantene no 5 mousse and the curl company curl jelly
I use a silicone scrubber to wash my scalp
I keep getting drawn in yo buy expensive sets but then go back to my usual, all cheap!
I've been many years on the CG game 😅

It really seems to be trial and error doesn’t it? Will have to go into Boots and have a look but I get so confused by the variety of products there! Is it necessary to use both a mousse and gel? I’m not keen on my hair feeling too product-y but acknowledge that to keep the frizz at bay I now need to use something!

I sometimes only use one of them and I don't like when my hair feels stringy but I have found that if I find the right products it doesn't feel like there is product on my hair if that makes sense
Don't use much for fine hair. When I started out i put far too much on

Your hair looks lovely!My hair has also changed texture since the menopause and I'm now using Merwave. I really like it as the products are very light textured and don't weigh my hair down. There was a similar thread to this a while ago and a poster on that thread made the excellent point that it's as much about application as it is the product. Key things I've learned are to keep product well away from my roots or my hair just goes mad . Also when scrunching to bring the waves out I just scrunch a very few strands at a time. If I try and grab bigger handfuls then my hair goes clumpy. I also try really hard not to mess with my hair as it's drying as that makes it clump as well. It's still a bit of a gamble as to whether I'm going to have a good hair day but when I do I love it!

I don't often shampoo, use any conditioner to "wash" (I use the Splosh one for environmental reasons but will happily use an Aldi cheapie.)

I love the Only Curls hydrating curl creme - which you put on clean hair while it is wet - with their gel, but actually the alberto balsam tube of gel diluted a bit also works well.

So the only essential branded product for me is the hydrating curl creme, with any conditioner and gel.

Gives me lovely wavy curls.

Your hair is really like mine op, so following with interest. I can get reasonable curls the day I wash my hair but they become frizzier and less defined overnight. Do any products help with this?

Thanks! Yes that is a very good point - there’s a temptation to use too much product and then constantly fiddle with it haha.

My birthday is coming up so am tempted to ask for the Merwave kit (with the mask) and go from there!

I have very similar hair but curlier. Curly and fine and dry is THE WORST.

I think it’s trial and error, what works for me:

Recent discovery: A hair Botox treatment when I get my hair cut (daft name, it’s a deep conditioning treatment that clings to your hair and lasts about 6 weeks, it reduces frizz and relaxes my curls).

Cut every 10-12 weeks

Philip Kingsley elasticiser once a week

Bumble and Bumble invisible oils shampoo and conditioner.

(A few drops of Aveda hair oil on the ends - but only needed when getting a bit straggly coming up for a cut)

Half and half bumble and bumble styling crème (for definition) and Percy Reed volume mouse (to relax the curls and for volume).

Percy and Reed volume spray on day 2.

Larry King a social life for your hair to smooth any frizz

I think the hair Botox, Philip Kingsley treatment and bumble and bumble invisible oil are all unusually good products for my kind of hair, the rest I am sure could be any of many.

I’ve tried a mix of these 2 and they seem to work (with 1-2 drops of the oil when scrunching out) and that seems to keep frizz at bay. But the JVN stuff is £££ (those are the travel sized ones I got from Space NK).

A good styling crème and enough conditioning treatment will help, possibly with the addition of dampening hair and/or a bit of anti frizz crème in the morning (see example products above)

If that doesn’t cut it, wrapping your hair in a silk scarf / wearing a silk cap, or using silk pillowcase can really help. I think it’s been standard amongst the black community for generations but only recently for Caucasian curls. Try the pillowcase first obvs, as less hassle.

Agree! Fine and wavy/curly is a tangled nightmare sometimes. When I brush/de tangle so much hair comes out on my brush it’s scary.

I used to use PK elasticiser regularly years ago, then switched to Olaplex (didn’t get the hype tbh) so maybe worth a revisit.

I have real issues with sensitivity to products and so I've minimised what I do. I use Grüum Nourishing shampoo bar and conditioner bar, my scalp loves it and my waves are happy. Funnily enough my hair doesn't seem to have got curlier with age (I'm 52 but not through the menopause yet) although I got very tight curls with each pregnancy.

I’ve got 2a-3a hair. Bought only curls which is more than I’d pay…. Have ditched it and gone to Aldi conditioner, boots curl cream and the curl company’s curl cream with gel…. Fantastic they are.

Slightly less wavy than you but these results I've had are from cantu, closely followed by Noughty. I don't use curling creams as I can't get them to work.

Mine is fine and wavy

I use
Bounce curl shampoo
Aldi volume conditioner (has protein)

Then a mix between
Flora and curl foam
Aveda gel
Jessicurl spiralicious

I never deep condition and clarify every 3-4 weeks

I've tried Merwave and Curlsmith. I prefer Merwave for my hair which is fine, (but lots of it), wavy and shoulder length.

I can't not brush my hair though so I don't think I'll ever win at this! I just use it as normal shampoo and it's ok. I've probably had equally good results with some normal shampoo.

I have to wash mine every 10 days or so (also fine and peri). Use Faith in nature shampoo.
Application method is key - check out Youtube - Manes by Mel or a few ribbon curling vs tangle teaser videos to get some ideas - as the best method to use can depend on what you want your curls to do.
I found though that iron tablets (120mg a day) did wonders for condition and hair loss. I had started having really heavy periods (now more under control thanks to HRT) and it made me borderline anaemic. Now I have topped my iron levels up my hairloss is much less.

I ordered lots of only curls products. I really like the mousse, creme , gels and the cowash but I didn’t get on with the shampoo and conditioner (itchy scalp). I’ve gone back to my trusty fave Redken all soft and my hair is much less frizzy (yes it has silicones but I’m washing them out with the shampoo so I don’t see the problem). My hair needs a refresh with a bit of water each day and then I put a small amount of extra product through. I also use L’Oréal hair oil and a bit of hairspray to tame frizz at the roots.