If you were just starting out embracing your curly / wavy hair

[NorthEastNancy]

What would you do?

I spent 30 minutes dragging my thick hair into submission with a hot brush and it's bushy and shit again already

What are your top tips? What do i need to buy? Help please!

Try using lightweight hard hold products
I use a clarifying shampoo regularly, very little conditioner (protein based one) and mousse/gel/hairspray
never cream or leave in

I use products developed for afro hair. Shea Moisture black Jamaican castor oil shampoo and conditioner. Then an olive smoothing cream, followed by some old-fashioned frizz ease. The only way i have found to keep the frizz in check.

I do not comb, brush or blowdry my hair at all.

It has taken years and years of trail and error. I still want to try the mousse and gel method.

For me - never brush when dry (mine barely even gets combed to be fair), shampoo, treatment masks often, minimal towel drying and add leave in conditioner. I sometimes give it a light diffuse then slightly loosen it when properly dry.

Often curly hair can be a bit dry so tip from my hairdresser is don't use shampoo every single time. Perhaps every other time just wet the hair, use conditioner, rinse, leave in conditioner and dry by your usual method.

Mine is 2a/2b. Looks fab when I make an effort on Day 1. My ends up as natural beachy waves but day 2 looks like I've slept in a hedge even with a silk pillowcase.

I use the body shop Ginger shampoo, pantene conditioner and Cantu Weightless and that's it!

My hair is wavy with a few curls. It’s also coarse (but not abundant ), puffy and very frizzy. I did try the Curly Girl method, but it involved far too many steps and products and my hair was just heavy and any definition was gone by the next day. So I do a very pared down version now. I use silicone free shampoo and conditioner. While my hair is still very wet, I scrunch in some curling gel. Then I either leave it to dry naturally or use a diffuser attachment on my hairdryer. I sleep on a satin pillowcase. The next morning I spray a bit of water into my hair, then let it dry and give it a scrunch. I get 3 or 4 days of decent waves out of one wash. The less I wash it, the better it behaves. If it looks crap, I tie it back.

A curl cream. One thing at a time. It's a marathon not a race.

Should you use both curl cream and gel? What’s the difference with them?

Both or either
curl cream defines and moisturises
gel defines and gives hold

so it depends what your hair needs

Thats normal. I'd probably start by doing less rather than buying loads of products straight away.

I pre-poo my hair with Cantu Shea and cocoa butter then brush it with a detangrling brush then wash with a little shampoo concentrating on the scalp, a little mask or conditioner for the ends, wash off, wrap a t shirt around my head. If I hot style it I sleep with a satin bonnet it helps keep the frizz out. 2nd or third day some anti frizz product without silicone. Repeat as needed if time permits 😅

Well - I caved and bought an Only Curls bundle because it was on sale! 🙈

Aussie curl cream is fab
I used to use Aveda be curly but recently reformulated and doesn’t work for me
My hairs thinned with age used to be mega thick probably now average but feels thinner as used to super thick .
Boots cheap as chips curl cream also ok if I don’t use much
Cantu used to give me great results again think it’s too heavy for my hair
Just bought some Only curls to try - got a microfibre towel too .
I like my curls but hate the feel
of crunchy curls
The search for the holy grail product continues

Watch the application videos on their website - technique is key!

Not had chance to use my Only Curls yet. I've been watching videos though.

I'm a bit concerned as I usually use Head and Shoulders (whixh wrecks my colour but keeps my scalp in check)

I’ve just started using bouclem hair gel. Wash hair as normal, brush with a wet brush and put the gel on and let it dry naturally then lightly comb out the hard gel with my fingers

https://www.boucleme.co.uk/products/curl-defining-gel

You could try using H and S every other wash ?

I scrunch my hair when hard dry with a t shirt to break the cast. I'd recommend giving that a try as well to protect the curls

Philip Kingsley itchy scalp is a great alternative for curly hair people BUT it is a bit pricey… Using a clarifying shampoo every couple of weeks is useful too. I use one that is chelating to remove the hard water build up and that seems to help my scalp

Used the ‘only curls’ last 3 washes .
Didn’t like the feel
of the products
Felt hair overloaded
Not great curls
Better results with Beauty pie sulphate free shampoo L’Oréal oil conditioner & Boots pink curl cream .
However after 60 plus years of curls I know they are unpredictable .
Keep searching curlies !

The holy grail for my curls was OGX’s coconut curls air dry cream but I think it’s been discontinued 😔 It’s on Amazon but it’s £15 a bottle which pisses me off, plus I don’t give Bezos my money.

Gah, I've had a go this morning and it's a disaster! Just a big frizzy mess. Admittedly I left hime with it still damp and walked from the train station but I look a clip!

I think you have wavy hair rather than curly hair, from that picture. Wavy hair advice is quite different from curly hair advice