Help me with my curly hair

[humblemeep]

My hair is very curly on top, but goes straight underneath after a day, sometimes half a day, so that it looks like rats' tails! It's long, mid back length, was cut 3 months ago, just a trim with short layers and will be cut again in 2 weeks. I wash it twice a week. I hate using gel because then I can't comb it at all - I always use a wide toothed comb. If I don't comb it every morning it looks like I've been pulled through a hedge backwards! I always dampen it afterwards so the curls spring back but it doesn't help the layer underneath at the back!

At the moment I use leave in Childs Farm detangler, Cantu curl cream with a couple of drops of pure argan oil mixed in.

I've tried different conditioners, no difference. I've tried different wave/curl sprays, no different. It seems my hair just isn't curly underneath!

The solution at the moment is to tie it back and leave it to air dry, so it's not very curly and the straight bits don't stand out like a sore thumb all the time.

Anyone got similar hair and found a solution?

I've attached a photo.

If I need my curls to stay I put my hair in a French plait overnight, and then use my fingers to ‘comb’ the next morning, then apply John Frieda daily styling spray for curly hair. I find the spray works best watered down by about 20%

Thanks, I haven't tried that one. I tend to put it in a top knot at night, I can't French plait 🥺 but can try just plaiting it.

Follow the curly girl technique

Also if you're tying up at night use a silk scrunchie. I don't tie my hair up any more and always use a silk pillow case

Thanks, I've tried CG, it made no difference to the underneath layer. I will try a silk scrubchie though.

Silk pillowcase. Pineapple at night. On days 2 and 3 wet hair with a spray bottle (mine is slightly pressurised), running fingers through to reactivate previous product, and then comb when wet. Add a bit more curl cream to the ends and scrunch. I know lots of people like layers, and hairdressers like doing them, but I think they can mess up your curls. Also your hair may be slightly too long. If hair is fine then the weight can cause the curls to drop. It is very beautiful though, and so shiny!

Thank you 😊 I do sort of pineapple at night. I'm loath to have it shorter, but could maybe lose a couple of inches at the most. Do you think no layers then? Just one length?

Which silk pillowcase do you recommend?

Cantu curl cream is quite heavy product on its own, let alone alongside at gan oil and leave in conditioner. Try somthing a little lighter.

Ok, thanks 😊 anything you'd particularly recommend?

I think you’re missing a gel - shea moisture do a nice one, or boucleme is also nice (though more spendy), it holds the curl. Try putting on still wet hair (particularly on the bits at the back which straighten out) after curl creme and then scrunch out the crunch once dry.

I think gel and not combing is the answer. Also, Google 'curl training' and 'Denman brush curls' for YouTube videos on how to deal with sections that won't curl properly.

I just haven't got the patience to sit and twirl bits of hair into curls 😂 I let it air dry, always.

Don't you find it's horrendously knotty if you use gel and don't comb it? How do you get the knots out?

I never bother with anything other than raking the gel through and then scrunching it when still wet. As the gel goes on to wet hair which as been combed in the shower there aren’t any knots :)

Hmm .. I'll try it, but have always ended up knotty in the past! 🫣

It’s so much trial and error with curly hair isn’t it 🙈 Once it’s dry if you give it a good scrunch to get the cast off then they should hold better - hopefully it works for you!

I comb through leave in conditioner when it's wet then scrunch in gel. So it's knot free when I start. It might well be knotty by day 2 or 3 but I'm not trying to brush it or comb it so it doesn't matter! Once it's dry, I try to avoid touching it or doing much to it. My curls go flat and frizzy if I mess with them.

But you have to comb it when you wash it, isn't it impossible to get through the knots then?

No it's fine because I'm combing it through with a wide tooth comb and loads of conditioner. No problem with knots at all.

i know it would be nice if all the curls were even throughout but the reality is it's rarely that way.
i've got all sorts, some tight curls, one section just frizzy and two sections (either side of my face) that tend to be near poker straight. i have found that a good cut helps the side bits as it takes very little weight to weigh that section down.
i like the length of hair your sporting but if you want to see how the curls can be enhanced i'd suggest a cut and a thinning with someone knowledgeable in curly hair (in my case i search out italian or portugese stylists).

Sadly I'm on a tight budget and also live in a small town, but the person who cuts my hair has curly hair herself, although much shorter.

I've an appointment in two weeks, unsure what to ask for now 🤔

go with a photo.

for me this is what i went with, sorry it's a video
and NO i did not want or need this much fuss, no plopping for me.

but it was the length and shape i was looking for

Mine does the same thing so I just have the underneath layer cut shorter. I call it my neck fringe.

Oh I hadn't thought about that! How long is your hair?

Good idea! I'll look for a photo.

Your hair is beautiful. Looks really healthy. Maybe the underside is very damaged. This happens to me when I don’t have a blunt cut. When you tie it up etc the shorter parts aren’t under strain in the same way.

I can’t tell from the pic but your hair isn’t Afro at all is it? Cantu is me at for Afro hair types and really isn’t considered very good anyway. If your hair isn’t Afro it’s probably not the best thing to use.