Shampoo & conditioner for curly frizzy hair - advice pleeeaassee

[moodlumthehoodlum]

I'm beginning to look like crazy hair woman.

I have long curly (aka frizzy) hair that if I don't find a remedy for soon will all be chopped off (I might do it tonight with a pair of kitchen scissors such is my desperate need)

I have thrown money at this particular problem, and already tried:

Phillip Kingsley - useless; Redken - makes my head itch; John Frieda - horrible; Waitrose organic - useless.

One of you lovely groomed MN stylistas must be able to help? Or am I getting too old for long hair anyway (I think I know what the response will be here..)

TIA

[moodlumthehoodlum]

But I love my sitting room curtains! Not a fan of that chair though.

I think you're right. Chop it straight across at the back. I think I will take a good few inches off as well.

Front shot to come when I pluck up the courage!

[fishie]

oooooh. right i am looking. you have lovely thick hair. not so sure re your curtains....

i think you should cut off the bottom scoopy bit so it goes straight across and you can have a lot of blunt ends, so not be stringy. curly does have the luxury of not needing precise lines, just get a pair of properly sharp scissors. i just pick mine up into a pony tail and chop.

where is the front shot?

[moodlumthehoodlum]

So, ladies, the wait is over, a not brilliant photo of my hair from the back, deffo looking "woffly" rather than frizzy, now on my profile for a limited time only..

I think, Bink, that you might have hit my problem on the head. I think that my hair looks less frizzy now, but possible more Michael Bolton (old style not new bald marrying Edie Brit Michael Bolton obv). And I think I need it cut off. Did your hair get frizzier after the highlights tho'?

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

I don't have a fringe either. I gave them up in my teens when a hairdresser didn't heed my warnings with regard to how much my hair sprung up when dry. It looked like it'd been cut by a 5 year-old.

Loads of grey here too.

[Bink]

Fringe - never! My hair is of the fluffy-frizzy sort (as opposed to the wiry-frizzy sort) and any attempt at fringe = instant hideous random puffs - taking about a year to grow out.

Best thing I ever did, actually, was a henna-based wash-in colour, bright copper, which I guess must have coated & weighed down my hair a bit. Then I had a neat little chin-length bob which was smoothly wavy & shiny & never frizzy. But it was 20+ years ago, pre-children, pre-grey.

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

That sounds like mine Bink. I do like it at this length actually, the curl does seem to stay spiral rather than frizz out, Do you have a fringe?

It won't straighten shine - honest - I've spent 30 plus years trying.

[Bink]

Mood - I got a cut I'm happy with a few weeks ago: previously, it was below-shoulders ageing (male) rockstar-type woffly soft mouse+grey waves (basically, horrid); now it's base-of-neck (at longest) bob, mostly one length with layers just round the ends. Length carefully measured to exactly be able to put it up, but still looks quite nice down. Would really recommend as a style.

(Did also have two colours of highlights put through, but that was on account of the grey.)

I'm really happy with it - and also, now it's much lighter & less bushy, it doesn't demand that perfect shampoo/conditioner before it looks fine.

However, for sake of interest: things I have used & like: the Aveda Sap Moss shampoo & I think their Restructuring Conditioner; also Kiehls, which is expensive like nothing but works & has lovely minimal-only smell of sandalwood (shampoo) and gorse/coconut (conditioner).

[hoxtonchick]

i love my curls, i'm not drying them straight .

we're waiting moodlum... (broken laptops are the pits, i cried about mine once ).

[shineoncrazytalula]

saggarmaker

if you use a good conditioner it is possible to blow dry it straight...honestly...i am speaking as the owner of the frizzyest hair in london!

[Saggarmakersbottomknocker]

I'm lolol at just blow dry it straight. If only.....

[shineoncrazytalula]

don't waste your money on loads of expensive products. dove shampoo/conditioner is brilliant, & then just blow dry it straight.

[moodlumthehoodlum]

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

My laptop died, DH's Mac died, we had a disastrous IT 24hours, but good news. My laptop is defragging as we speak (which I can only assume means extricating any fraggles that have got in) and we're back in business. So, promises promises, I will get a photo of my hair on my profile before the weekend is out, and will round you up when its on there so you can see what I mean..

PROMISE. A moodlum never bottles it.

[multitasker]

I've bought the last 2 tubs of the Boots curl creme today - a steal at £1.29 I think.

I've been using a charles worthington creme I get in Sainburys and its very good, must learn to distribute it more evenly though. I find a diffuser on a hot setting with my head upside down works well.

[BDGR]

I find Bumble & Bumble Gentle Shampoo and the Deeep conditioner worth really well. If you use their Leave-In conditioner afterwards and the Glisten serum it really does give you soft frizz-free hair. I used this combo for ages and then stopped in order to try 'natural' products but eventually went back to it because nothing else worked.

[fishie]

moodlum has bottled out..... well actually she has about half an hour left.

[hoxtonchick]

how lovely for you! might go & look anyway. or send a spy who lives there...

[fishie]

yes i have misled, cosmetics only it seems. there used to be a similar, but hairy, shop in folkestone. i bought many strange wella things there.

[hoxtonchick]

i couldn't find any hair products on the website...

[fishie]

gosh, well found hoxt. that is pretty much entirely what i was expecting it to be like. difficult to tell whether load of old clutter or bargain central.

[hoxtonchick]

this one?

[hoxtonchick]

oooh sounds interesting, will check it out next week.

hair looks a bit fluffy today with just jelly & curl creme, so do think it needs wax.

[fishie]

hoxtonchick it is called the south molton drug store, is at no 583. alas the link i had saved in favourites doesn't work any more, it was to a feature in the times. apparently it is very good for cut price high end stuff. not had a chance to go myself yet.

moodlum where is your pic?

[ruddynorah]

oh poor you!

first thing is a decent curly hair cut. this means layering so you don't get the triangle look. also shorter around your face so it isn't too heavy. invest in a decent salon. look for a hairdresses with curly hair...they are few and far between but worth it cos they understand you better. a european or afro hair salon may be a good option.

you don't need any fancy shampoos or conditioners, anything will do. just make sure you comb through with wide comb while conditioner is in. try to wash it less often too. just dampen it a bit with a water spray to revive it between washes.

it's the after washing bit that matters. for me, having tried all the above...the best thing in the world ever is the cheapest curl cream superdrug or boots do. put plenty on your quite wet hair. comb it through. then, while it's still quite wet you wind sections around your fingers. once done, you 'scrunch' it a bit to encourage the curls. and that's it. no hairdryer, no brush, no more combing. if it starts looking flat again during the day just dampen your hands and re scrunch it.

curly haired women's lives have changed by chucking the brush, the dryer and the rough drying

[moodlumthehoodlum]

And Frizz Ease Serum seems to condition cuticles!