Curly Hair Blues

A few people have advised the Brazillian blowout, but be aware that a derivative of formaldehyde (which is unbelievably toxic) was just discovered as an ingredient. You can read about it here:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/brazilian-blowout-hair...

M. P:

For the longest time I had ironing board straight hair. Got pregnant and by the end of the 5th pregnancy, my hair looked like I had a afro! It was CURLY!!!

I LOVE MY CURLS!!! I use the Pantene No-Frizz shampoo and conditioner - as Virginia gets REALLY humid in the summer. There are other No-Frizz products out there as well.

Now, when I let my hair grow out - it hits my shoulders - it's not as curly. But as soon as I get an inch cut off - it springs back!

DO NOT HATE YOUR HAIR!!! I bet it's beautiful!! But I do understand the want and desire for change!

Try the book "Curly girl". It has lots of great advice on the proper way to care for curly hair.

My friend has super curly hair and went to a salon that specializes in curly hair. I have somewhat curly hair and she has passed the tips on to me. Doing my hair takes only a couple of minutes now.

Some tips to try-
Shampoo can really dry out curly hair. If your hair is super curly and dry, stop shampooing, Just scrub your scalp with the pads of your fingers and condition it. Or you can use a sulfate-free shampoo 1-2 times a week. I have liked Burts Bees and it lasts me almost 6 months now.
The only time to brush your hair is when in the shower, comb through your hair with your fingers or a wide tooth comb while you have conditioner in it.
This will help keep your hair healthy and it will perform better.
With your hair sopping wet (try in the shower or standing on a towel), smooth hair gel onto your hair. I really like Deva AnGel, I just order it off Amazon.com), with your palm flat, push hair upwatrd toward scalp and squeeze. You can also use a tee shirt to scrunch out excess water, A tee shirt is better than a towel because the towel fibers can make your hair frizz worse. Try not to scrunch your hair too much, the more you touch it, the more frizzy it will be. Let it air dry. Good luck!

I have curly hair, it's below my shoulders. The best advice I ever got was to not wash it too much. Once a week I use shampoo, the other times I use only conditioner, rubbing it into the scalp with the pads of my fingers and rinsing well. Also, I always run a little conditioner through my hair and leave it in before I get out of the shower. Squeeze your hair into a towel, do not rub it, to towel dry.
Try not to use a hair dryer. "Plop" your hair on the top of your head with a clip and let it air dry. Don't brush your hair unless you are straightening it, use just your fingers or a wide tooth comb.

Most of the de-frizz products do work, but they work best when applied to wet hair. Also, get a good cut from someone who knows about curly hair and how to layer it properly.

I got a lot of good advice here:
http://nopoohair.blogspot.com/
but I do like to use shampoo occasionally, I just don't use a lot and only on the scalp, I don't lather up all my hair.

Oh, and because I don't use a hair dryer, I only need my hair cut twice a year, because I never get split ends with this method.

I have natural curls too. One of the best things is finding a stylist who knows what to do with them!! And they all *say* they do.....but the haircuts don't show it! Check out www.naturallycurly.com. They have salon recommendations, product recommendations, & lots of styles to look at. I recently tried Kenra Curl Defining Creme, & I love it! It helps with the frizz more than anything I have tried. I put it in & scrunch when my hair is wet & let it air dry...trying not to touch it too much. If there's a little frizz (I touched it too much!) I will put just a little bit more in to smooth it out. One of the best products I have used! I also like Paul Mitchell Round Trip, though it doesn't have much hold. It does help define my curls. If you ever get to Minneapolis, check out Moxie salon (either Uptown or St Paul). They are the best!!! I drive 3 hours to get my hair cut there! Good luck!!

I used to be in beauty school, and chemical straightening is probably the easiest (but most damaging) way to straighten hair. There are some (but not all) keratin (protein) treatments that can straighten hair naturally, but it doesn't last as long as a chemical treatment and is very expensive. The main benefit is the shine it puts back into dull hair. Maybe you could try that? Good luck!

Yeah I have heard of a Brazilian Hair straightening. I never have tried it myself but my hair is naturally curly however it is very fine as well which is usually not the case with naturally curly hair?? I understand the whole straightening bit and believe me if I had the extra dough to fork out for one of those Brazilian straightening I would do it in a heartbeat even if it lasted for say 6 weeks-it would be worth it for that break. Go to a "salon" there are tons of new products constantly coming out to help with us naturally curly headed peoples and the consultants there can really help just beware that they are there to sell a certain product so research it on the net too before you buy it-plus sometimes you can find the stuff on the net a heck of a lot cheaper! :()) Its just a matter of how much you can and are willing to spend to get it.

I have good luck with Quidad products.

I got the Brazilian Blowout and it's been great! BUT, my hair is not really very curly, but it is very frizzy and wavy...and it worked great except that it's only been 3 weeks and my frizz and wave is returning! They said expect more like 3-4 months! So for hundreds of dollars I was expecting more from it. Oh well. Good luck! Oh and the BBout doesn't damage the hair at all...it's actually very good for it...almost like having a protein mask on it for months.

Brazilian blowouts are great! Look into them!
Or find an AVEDA salon. They have great products for curly hair. Its all about finding the right products that work for your hair and curl!
Try the Smooth Infusion Shampoo and Cond. and styling products. They help with frizz and humidity!!! I love them :)

My 8 year old has Autism and spiral curls. I buy a baby spray that takes out tangles and de frizzes and that works well for us. I don't like her hair straight, she does and it takes a long time to get right. I keep her hair shoulder or just above because long hair with her is a nightmare and as you said short hair looks bad. A hair stylist cut her hair to short and she had an afro I was so mad becasue she looked horrible.

I have naturally wavy/gross hair that will be frizzy but limp if I don't use any product on it. It looks like an abused mop head hah!

I will wash my hair and after I rinse the soap/conditioner out I gently scrunch/squeeze my hair - don't run your fingers through it and don't twist or wring it. I leave it in the towel for about 5 minutes post shower, then take it down. I let it air dry a little while I am brushing my teeth, putting on make up, and getting dressed. Once it has air-dryed a little, but not enough to get frizzy, I use a little bit of mousse and just let it dry naturally. If I want to make it look all 'beachy romantic' I will use a blow dryer and diffuser on a low setting to get those soft waves, but the key is the mousse. I tried gel but it makes it look too crunchy, like stiffy crunchy early 90s hair.

Find a salon near you that does Ouidad cuts and book an appointment. This is a curly cut technique that will make you LOVE your curls. www.ouidad.com
Not only will they cut it for you in a way that will improve your hair by leaps and bounds, they will teach you how to wash,dry, style it so that your curls are a good thing and not something to hate. It will change your life. Cuts are expensive ($105) but I go once every 5 months so the cost evens out and is sooo worth it.
Also, read the Curly Girl book...http://www.amazon.com/Curly-Girl-Lorraine-Massey/dp/07611.... The curl diva products the author came up with are WONDERFUL!! And so are the Ouidad products. I swear you'll be shocked at how much you can love your curls!

Like others have mentioned, I only shampoo 1-2x per week, with a sulfate free shampoo. I condition every day. I am getting the Brazilian blowout soon, because even though I LOVE my curls, after 40 years I'm ready for something a little different!

I know several people who have recently had this done and are very pleased with the results. It is much easier to straighten hair with blow dryer and/or flattening iron, and their curls are smoother too.

I got mine on "Groupon" for $149. You may want to sign up for Groupon and see if one comes up soon in your area - there have been 2 or 3 offers for Brazilian blowouts in my area in the past 6 months or so.