Curly dry older hair? I want to reduce the frizz and have gorgeous soft hair... What would you do?

[loveyouradvice]

I colour my just-below-shoulder-length hair using Clairol Nice n Easy every 6-8 weeks, covering greys beautifully and giving me a natural soft brown colour. I'm in my early 60s.

I've used a range of products over the years, all pitched at dry/frizzy/coloured hair and none of them have really worked for more than a few months. Apart from Schwarzkopf Bonacure Peptide Repair which is a leave in - I massage it into damp hair and love it. I dry my hair naturally, just scrunching it to keep the curls, and avoid hairdryers.

So I'm looking for a good conditioner for my weekly wash, which I'm happy to leave in for 30 mins or more if it helps - and perhaps a shampoo - as well as a deep conditioner to use once a month or so.

So yes I would love your advice and to know what works for you!! Thank you

Try non-sulphate based shampoo and conditioner eg Herbal Essences for dry hair. Minimise the shampoo and maximise the conditioner.

Elasticiser works pretty well.

Body shop banana conditioner and mask are good. Klorane products are also pretty good, I tend to go for the mango if my hair is very dry

Pantene works for me, despite everyone throwing their hands up in horror.

I've found the more natural the better.

I use the range linked. It doesn't strip or coat my hair. I wash my hair about every 5- 6 days. It feels like my own natural oils are helping my hair to be smooth and glossym meaning I also use less ‘heat’ to style.
Expensive but worth it and lasts ages.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cloj6wVIX3t/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

https://oway.com/en-gb/

Wow - Body shop still do their Banana range? I love it and was told they no longer did it when I asked a while back

What's the significance of non-sulphates?

I love the smell of Herbal essence shampoos so perhaps I get some of that and use very little.

Sounds so obvious but I had never thought of using less shampoo!! Thank you for top tip

And Dahlia I think I will splash out and buy some of those to see what difference they make - I am longing to have soft silky hair back, and now it is rather older its more difficult to achieve. Which ones do you use??

Have you tried co-washing OP? Cut shampoo out completely - it strips natural oils from hair. Use a clarifying shampoo first and only once - something such as 'head and shoulders' and from then on only use conditioner - 'Cantu Creme' is fab for this, and when you have rinsed, put in a towel and do not rub. Scrunch your hair dry with a curl product - there are loads - and you will have good results especially if your hair is naturally curly

I have similar hair to you and sadly the ringlet style curls of my youth are gone. But my hair's in reasonable condition and is quite soft.

But I don't use shampoo at all now just conditioner or co wash. I'm using a banana leave in conditioner from Poundland at the moment - probably the Bodyshop dupe - and it works well.

I really like the Only Curls products. Designed for frizzy, dry, naturally curly hair and helps to bring curls back and enhance them

Curly girl method which is essentially washing your hair with conditioner. Sounds weird but mine feels perfectly clean and stays just as clean for just as long. I had quit using any SLS shampoos probably nearly 20 years ago though. Cheap and cheerful conditioner will do to start with, doesnt have to be expensive but does have to be silicone free. The silicone stuff will stick to your hair forever unless you use shampoo. I started with thr raspberry Alberto balsam shampoo. There used to be threads on here whether there still are or not I dont know. So you wash your hair with conditioner and then also condition as normal, you can leave a bit of conditioner in. Protein conditioners are great for coloured hair. I got a Polish goats milk one lately that leaves my hair really soft and it was really cheap. Pantene have one and I'm pretty sure it says silicone free on it, cant actually remember now if it's a protein one or not. Moo Goo have a leave in protein conditioner.

Look up wavy/curly hair groups on Facebook. The best treatment depends if your hair is wavy or curly. I don't find cowashing works for me with wavy hair but use 3 wash method by Charlotte Rich on Facebook. Wash 1 sulphate, wash 2 and 3 low po. Then use gel in wet hair to minimise frizz. Depending how dry your hair is you might need curl cream as well. Only curls is a hood range for curly hair but could be too heavy if you're wavy.

Me too.
I shampoo every two or three weeks and wash with conditioner daily, usually something cheapish with coconut and then put Pantene repair and protect on while I shower the rest of me. Rinse it out and wrap in a thin towel, use a wide tooth comb and put Garnier hair food pull it through the ends and leave in, no messing, combing or anything once dry. only a blob like a 10p. of hair food or smaller.
I had no split ends and just had it cut from bra length when dry to just below the shoulders when dry. I get it coloured every 6 weeks.

Another vote for Philip Kingsley Elasticiser. I've never had swooshy hair before in my life. I've cut back on my food treats to afford it.

As a data point, I have lots of fine hair that is extremely wavy and frizzy. I used sulphate free etc for many years and no improvement. Grew tired of being told I 'was doing it wrong'.
Well no.
May hair improved dramatically when I switched back, almost like having my younger hair again. I use kerastase generally, but have ditched anything remotely connected to the twee named curly girl method. I came to the conclusion that it weighs down the hair, dulls it and is too product reliant. Leaving it the hell alone and using simple products again worked wonders. My hair even looks brighter too.

The only after wash product I use is a tiny blob of Kerastase Elixir. And I mean tiny. My hair has grown so much since I quit all of these 'methods' and looks much healthier natural. If i smooth it with a straightening brush I will use a heat protectant.

Just so you know, the CG crap is not for all of us.

And also, for god's sake, don't let anyone pester you into washing your hair only once per week. It's rank.

I’m a similar age to you.

I use Tresemme Pro Radiant Colour shampoo and conditioner. I also add protein drops to the conditioner once a month and leave it for 30 mins to soak in. Using a microfibre towell really reduces the frizzines too.

My hair is in the best condition it has ever been and my waves are improving constantly

I do a modified CG method (from the curl maven website)
Basically I shampoo and condition, but avoid silicones still. Then use a hard hold product to give me hold then scrunch until it's soft
It's so hard to recommend products because curly/wavy hair often needs protein - every so often I think I should deep condition, then regret it when my hair is limp for weeks!

Sorry that probably wasn't very helpful!

I do like the we are paradoxx range and they do a mask. Matrix biolage is a conditioner that might work, it's way too rich for my hair and you only need a tiny bit

This is mine, I tend to wash twice a week

@PawsisShady what products do you use please? Your hair is lovely!

So envious of all of you who can use any shampoo you like! I have to use medicated shampoo for scalp psoriasis and it's no doubt bursting with sulphates and God knows what. If I don't shampoo for a week my scalp scabs up horribly.

Recently I tried some Philip Kingsley body building conditioner for my fine ex-curly hair, but it hasn't made much difference.

1. Diet - check you're eating well. Consider good multi vitamin.
2. Find hairdresser that uses Colorherbe hair dye. Think you can buy yourself somewhere on line. Twenty minutes, no ammonia or other Nasties to lovely very natural looking coloured hair
3. Ouai hair oil
4. Consider abandoning GHDs and opt for L'Oréal Rowena Steampod straightener instead.

Oh wow... so many responses ... going to read thru them tomorrow!! Wonderful ideas and products and Im going to try several approaches... I've just bought the full Body Shop Banana range as that used to be fab for me and I thought I'd start simple and work my way up!!

Curly girl method here too.
It has taken a while to grown out heat damage but honestly my hair is the best that has ever been my whole life.

I like cantu products. Also Umberto Gianni gel and curl cream.

Every other week or so I use a apple cider vinegar shampoo