r/CurlyHairUK

So ive never been one to look after my hair properly im just a standard shampoo - conditioner - done kinda person. I do have curly hair. I love my hair but my hair always goes frizzy and dry ect. The reason im now wanting to do it properly and make my curls more defined ect. Is because my daughter who is 1 has that is a lot curlier hair than me. And I want to be able to look after it properly.

What products do you use and how do you use them? And what's the routine ect.

I’ve been trying to keep my hair routine more simple and gentle lately, and I’ve been seeing silicone scalp massagers come up a lot, especially the Revive Silicone Scalp Massager.

I sometimes feel like using just my fingers doesn’t fully distribute shampoo through my scalp, so I started looking into alternatives that are still pretty minimal and “natural” in approach.

I’m curious if anyone here has actually used one consistently over a longer period of time. Did it make any real difference in how your scalp feels or how clean your hair feels after wash days? Or is it more of a relaxing step that feels nice but eventually gets skipped?

Would love to hear real experiences from anyone who’s stuck with it.

I was nearing the end of my usual conditioner. The last few weeks Sainsbury's has been substituting it with the small bottle. So, I popped into the store to find no sign of any products by this brand.

I ended up having to choose something else. I based my choice on the front and walked away with Pantene pro v active nutri plex moisture recharge conditioner. Well, I don't know what it is but my hair wasn't easily brushable while wet and just feels strange... like there is a light coating on it, not more moisture.

Therefore, is there any advice on how to read the ingredients and know what to look for and what to avoid? While I appreciate the effort to suggest brands, they tend to be too expensive for me and I am generally stuck at grocery store prices and selection.

I don't know what it is, but my hair constantly feels dry, almost like straw, even when it's fully saturated with water. When I wash it, it feels horrible to touch. Even when it's clean and freshly washed and I've just gotten out the shower, I still feel that horrible dry feeling and I get wet frizz.

I never wear it without product because it's just extremely dry and frizzy. Recently I've been using these products:

• shampoo - alternating between Cantu guava scalp relief (gonna ditch this when it runs out) and Umberto Giannini curl defining
• conditioner - Garnier coconut hair food
• curl cream - alternating between Umberto Giannini curl control creme and the Noughty curl cream/ gel combo product
• gel - alternating between Curlsmith curl defining styling souffle and the Garnier method for curls flexi hold gel
• mousse - John Frieda curl revive mousse

In terms of routine I wash my hair twice a week with shampoo and conditioner (I mostly cleanse my scalp twice), when I'm out the shower I re-dampen my hair to make sure it's still wet enough, apply curl cream to my whole head of hair, then section off the crown. I scrunch gel into the bottom section, then brush style the crown and scrunch gel in. Once all of that's done I scrunch mousse into the crown of my head upside down. Then I diffuse it a little bit later.

I really like the way it makes my hair look, it defines the curls really well and gets rid of frizz, the issue is my hair just feels awful. Anyone know what the reason could be? In general I think my hair is quite high porosity and it drinks up product really easily, but recently I've also been left with a sticky feeling on my hair even when it's dry, from the products. This hasn't happened to me in the past.

Edit - thanks for the responses! I think I'm going to try clarifying my hair first and ditching the coconut hair food and see how it goes. I'll replace it with another hair mask/ deep conditioner that doesn't have any coconut oil in

Hiya!

I have curly (2C or 3A, im not quite sure) and I have always thought the maintenance of the curls to be a very tedious method. But after seeing a lot of girls embrace their natural curls, it has given me the confidence to start taking proper care of my curls.

Some background: my hair has become a bit damaged over the years from heat and stress. I have frizzy hair (which is maybe a result of always straightening it?), and I have noticed hair loss as well (I have PMOD).

Any advice on how can I take care of my hair; affordable products, meds, restorative practices, anything and everything is welcome! 🫶🏼

I’ve recently started using a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. I’ve got fine curly hair that I often used to wear in a bonnet, but with the straps on the full face mask I can’t do that anymore! I end up putting it into a top knot/pineapple to go over the top of the mask straps but I’m interested to hear what others do!

For a good few months, I gave up on styling my hair curly. I simply washed it, put some leave in in and kept my hair up. Then I decided to start adding my old favourite gel to my routine after leave in and I got the most lovely curls! I could wear them for days with a tiny water spray refresh. Then my curls gradually got worse and worse though I was doing/using nothing different. I realised I may need a stripping/cleansing/chelating shampoo so I did that and my curls came back again. Not to their former post break glory, but better. I've been keeping up with using a stronger shampoo but my curls are still just... meh. They dont want to curl, I sleep on them and they go straight but still clumped which looks awful and straggly.

What on Earth happened during that break that made my hair so nice when I got back to styling, and why has my hair just got worse since despite clarifying??

The top of my hair is straight and the bottom is curly. My best guess is it has something to do with the weight? It looks great after a shampoo, like really voluminous but otherwise my hair just looks flat. Which makes sense but the curls just look better when they're bigger.

I only use shampoo and conditioner at the moment. I used the Elements Wella Shampoo and the conditioner. I'm open to any other suggestions that I can get from Boots or get ordered in the UK.
My friend told me to try a mousse and I have the got2b flexible curl mousse. I haven't tried it yet though. I also have never worn a bonnet. I usually let my hair air dry as well. My hair is quite dry and not very thick.

I just need some advice to start out, it sounds silly but It is overwhelming trying to work out what to use. When I looked online I see a lot of people with a lot more tighter and curlier hair than mine so I don't know whether their routine is exactly going to work for me?

Absolutely not an endorsement because everyone's curls are different - but I began using these products when Jess first started and used to send hand-written notes with each order, so I am thrilled that they are available in the UK!

Rocking Ringlets was a favourite of mine.

I currently have too much stuff (anyone know how I can give once-used products away in Liverpool?) but as I get through what I have, I'm going back to Jessicurl!

When I first started trying to take care of my curls, I genuinely thought I just had “bad frizzy hair.” Turns out I was doing almost everything wrong 

A few things I REALLY wish someone told me earlier:

• You do not need 15 products. A simple routine done consistently works better than constantly switching products every week.

• Wet styling changed everything for me. Applying leave-in/styling products on soaking wet hair gave me way less frizz.

• Dry brushing curls before I understood my hair type was basically self sabotage.

• Not every curl routine online will work for your hair. Density, porosity, climate, and even water quality matter way more than I expected.

• Protein overload is real. Moisture overload is also real. Took me forever to realize my hair could actually get worse from “too much care.”

• Diffusing on high heat destroyed my definition for months because I thought faster better.

• Satin pillowcases/sleep protection actually make a noticeable difference.

• Some wash days will just be bad for absolutely no reason and that’s normal

• For reference:

• Hair type: 2C/3A

• Porosity: medium-high

• Routine: sulfate-free shampoo 1-2x weekly, lightweight conditioner, leave-in cream + mousse, air dry or diffuse on low heat.

Curious what advice everyone else wishes they knew sooner

https://preview.redd.it/01g5radysa0h1.png?width=523&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc1081064d2ad22654e7888c2fe40a887e9e8349

Hi, kids! I was converted back in 2000 when I lived in NYC and found Devachan. it was akin to finding "my people." I was already in my 40s and had spent decades with frizz. I loved that I no longer had to have the infamous “graveyard” of hair products under my basin! And I could just style wet and walk out to air dry. My sister said it's because I'm a lazy cow (she's not wrong, TBF).

I thought I’d share my recent hair journey so that you know you are not alone!

Now, I like definition and that’s harder once you have grey hair.  I spent an unseemly amount of time in California and they just love the “beach vibe” – good for them. Give me the East Coast ringlets!

So, after years away, I moved back to England. I have trying desperately NOT to buy American products (not getting into that here).  I tried Only Curls and Bouclème.  And my hair got more and more frizzy! Time for a deep dive and this is what I found:

I have curly hair 2B/2C, coarse, thick, naturally grey, thick dense, porous medium long hair, with a dry scalp. I do not need protein.  I follow the curly girl method for product. Traditionally, I have co-washed and left a small amount of conditioner in, followed by gel.  Once a week, I would use purple shampoo to de-brass.

It seems that I might have (after all these years) been applying styling products incorrectly! Who knew? Now, on soaking wet hair (yay), use “praying hands” on wet hands to distribute the product, then rake with fingers, and re-pray.  If you use mousse or crème, do this and then follow up with the same distribution system for your gel, if you use it.

I also discovered that my frizz could be caused my product build-up, so now, once every ten days or so, I detox (I hear that l’Oreal Metal Detox is great – I’m using Noughty Detox Dynamo clarifying shampoo) before Fudge Clean Blonde Damage Rewind violet-toning shampoo to get rid of the build-up.

I tried a bunch of different conditioners and – on a whim – decided to go back to what I’ve used for years, which is Cantu Shea Butter Hydrating Cream Conditioner. I rinsed it out thoroughly and then raked a tiny bit back I, and followed up with Curlsmith Strong Hold gel.  PRESTO! Definition! No frizz!

As I run out of these two products, however, I need a non-American solution, and Superdrug currently has a sale on CGM-approved Garnier stuff, so I am picking up Method for Curls conditioner and gel.

If you want to know how to find out about your own coarseness, protein, and porosity, I typed up everything (of course I did – you’re lucky I don’t have a spreadsheet and a PowerPoint presentation too!) so lmk and I can shoot you what I found.

I am not endorsing anything or claiming to be any sort of expert. I just know it can be a struggle and wanted to share! 

 

I’m new to my wavy hair journey as I realised my hair is not straight and frizzy, but wavy instead. I think my hair is 2a low porosity and maybe medium density hair. I started using the innersense I create hold mousse which I like but I doesn’t quite hold my waves. I think I need a gel to help but I don’t know which one. I’ve been researching and gotten conflicting reviews on products. I was thinking of the giovanni la natural styling gel or the curlsmith hydro style flexi jelly or the innersense I create hold styling gel or the umberto giannini curl jelly gel.