Please rescue me from my awful hair

[badhair247]

My hair is crap. Crap 'style' and crap texture. The only thing I like about it is the colour. I feel like it's impossible to do anything with it. It's frizzy and 'floaty' - when it's down, it seems to float around and stick up everywhere. I think it's more wavy than curly but I don't really know because it has a different amount of curl to it after every wash, even though I wash it the same way. I've used a lot of different shampoos and conditioners over time but never really get any good results so I just use normal Tresamme for dry hair (forget the exact name of it). I have to let it air dry as it becomes really puffy and wild if I use a hairdryer, and it seems to be fairly resistant to straighteners as it never stays straight for more than about an hour! I feel at a loss with it, I wear it in a pony all the time so that it looks a bit neater but it never looks good. It's shoulder length atm, anything longer than that is not very flattering. I would like to have it shorter but I feel like it will just look like cotton wool on my head??

It probs doesn't help that I've not been to the hairdressers for almost 4 years now. Stopped due to Covid but they never seemed to know what to do with it either, so I've had a friend cut it and it's not perfect but it's fine as I wear it up. But I feel like my hair makes me look unprofessional and people don't take me seriously so I want to sort it out! Thank you!

It’s lovely hair! In your shoes I’d get a professional hair cut with some of the weight taken out and then try the curly girl method when washing at home.

Oooh it’s like my sister’s hair - of which I am very jealous!

Go to a really good hairdresser, ask around carefully for recommendations. And yes get a bit of weight out - not loads of layers though! And ask the hairdresser about products suitable for your hair type.

With the curly girl method you may get something a little like this

It really is a lovely colour.
When you blow dry it or straighten it do you use any products?
It looks like it's just in need of a bit more moisture. Keep letting it air dry like you are but add some leave in conditioner to it (the banana hair mask by garnier is a good gateway one as you can also use more of it and... you guessed it.. use as a hair mask.
There's other air dry creams you can get to add on top but name escapes me. Or little argan oil on the lengths would also help.

Try something with hold. A cheap gel or mousse, rake it through soaking wet hair and leave it to dry and it should go crunchy
Scrunch it until soft when it's dry
It's definitely on the wavy/curly side

This is helpful

curlmaven.ie/start-here/

I would also look at booking a curly cut/consult and see what they say
If you're NW then Hairking Callum is amazing

You need a hairdresser who is a curly hair specialist, and to find a variation on the curly girl method that fits in with you. It makes a huge difference.

Tresseme is the worst, research it, even Fairy Liquid would be better

start with a better shampoo

I think your hair looks beautiful, just very dry. Definitely try curly girl method and moisturising masks.

Keratin blowdry

You most certainly do not have horrible hair! You have wavy/ curly hair which is not being managed correctly hence your issues styling it. Get yourself on YouTube and learn how to manage curly hair. You will be amazed

It looks similar to my hair.

This is what I do:

At haircuts, ask for very gradual layers so there is no sudden 'step' up. Try and find a hairdresser who can cut curly hair.

I use either Only Curls products (they do a starter bundle which you could try), or Purology Hydrate shampoo and conditioner (the purple one). Shampoo twice, really rub it into the roots. Leave the conditioner on for a bit and massage it into the ends while the hair is quite wet to moisturise it.

Dry a little with a microfibre towel or a T-shirt. Add some kind of cream - there is one in the Only Curls set or there are lots of other curl creams out there. Lush do a nice one. Comb through and then scrunch the hair up into curls with your hands.

Dry a bit more, then add curl gel. I love the Umberto Giannini one. Use quite a bit, scrunch into the hair. Then leave alone until it's all dry.

Once dry, scrunch again which breaks up the gel and leaves you with soft defined curls.

At night, if it's long enough tie on the top of your head loosely with a scrunchie. If needed you can revive the curls with a bit more water/cream/gel.

I hope this helps!

Care to summarise why, here, since you're keen to be helpful?

From your op I was expecting thin, flyaway hair but you have thick curls/waves. Lots can be done with that. A curly/wavy bob seems easiest.

I think the cut is key as it’ll help with shape. I have curly hair and I use sulphate free shampoo and conditioner and in between washes, just conditioner.

I use a mask once a week and a leave in conditioner/gel. Sleeping on a silk pillow can help. I use a bonnet but my hair is curly rather than wavy.

Your hair is lovely. You could twist sections into waves when it’s wet with a bit of product like a curl cream.

@PickAChew

TRESemme contains a preservative called DMDM hydantoin, which creates toxic formaldehyde when it comes into contact with water. This chemical is believed to be responsible for hair loss and dryness, itching, and redness of the scalp in people who use TRESemme regularly.

It is extremely drying and honestly possibly the worst shampoo there is

no need to go super expensive, but worth reading up on

You made your hair sound so much worse it looks nowhere near as bad.
My suggestions:

1. Get some treatment at the salon like keratin or a safer alternative to tame the frizz
2. Get side swept or curtain bangs you have the face shape shape for it
3. Do not go shorter, you suit longer hair below the shoulder
4. Have your hair thinned out
5. Sleep on a silky pillow and ideally wear a silk bonnet
6. TRESEME sucks, try Aussie brand instead, their 1 minute miracle mask is good. Use it twuce a week. Shampoo your hair every other day.
7. Get the revlon big hair styler or dyson air wrap even better.

A good cut with a stylist who specialises in curly hair and use L'Oreal extraordinary oil after washing . I'd forget about straightening it,go with what you have which is really beautiful hair that isn't being managed properly...yet!

My hairdresser told me she once had a client's hair all break off due to a reaction between something in a dye and the shampoo the client used, which was Tresemme.

This one doesn't. It does contain SLS but definitely not that preservative.

This. It used to be a salon product until the ingredients changed and it became a supermarket product. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole

@MyFirstLittlePony is right, Tresemme is shit. And the bottle is a bugger if it lands on your foot in the shower.

Tresses is awful, I'd try a different shampoo. Pureology is my fave

Tresseme !