Curly hair woes :'(

[JuneBug123]

Hello! So I have super curly hair. I get all kinds of wonderful comments on it and I wouldn't trade it for anything but I could use some help from some of you who also suffer under the curly-curse.

For a long time now I wake up and my hair is in literal knots. They are a huge pain to unmess and I normally just look like I have a dred or two in my hair and while I don't mind so much I would so love to have nice, elegant hair for once in my freaking life.

Does anyone know any product, styler, etc. that can help knock out kinks and knots? I have some garnier fructice detangling spray that I try to use but seriously, these knots can be as big as my knuckle.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/455829a13fc257c86ea6b1598d7892ab/tumblr_mers0cWn4K1rd59gqo1_500.jpg

And any other curly advice is appreciated to boot. Thank yoou ^_^

[Medusa]

I mostly just let them free dry and then dont touch until next washing
Or today mostly wear it greasy  and tied with clamp like this (and just at evening unplait with hand)

[JuneBug123]

I'm so bad at not touching my hair. Maybe that's my problem. I play with it ALL the time @_@
It's just so soft and curly :3

If I can't stop smoking then not touching my hair is going to be impossible >< lol

But I'll try, and thanks for the clip idea! Mucho appreciations ^_^

[Penny Gurl]

Ok, so I have some hair that can be truly unruly and it is normally naturally curly.  So this is what I do and it's kinda worked to tame it down, soften it up and relax it slightly, very slightly.  I very rarely was it daily, but as long as you're not sweating a lot during the day your fine, curly hair is always hungry for all kinds of mosture and honestly your scalp provides some of the best, I do manage to comb, NOT brush it out at least once a day.  Make sure to use a wide tooth comb because small tooth combs and brushes can do more damage then good to your curly locks.  Now when I wash it out I only use actual shampoo once a week, all the other times I shower in the week I rinse my hair out very well, then condition and let it set for a few min then with a very wide tooth comb ( I think it may even be called a shower comb) I comb out my hair in the shower and make sure that all those evil knots are gone before I rinse out the conditioner.  Once I'm out of the shower I towel dry my hair, then take some morracan argon oil and put a small amount in my hair ( a little bit goes a long way so don't go crazy with it) after oiling my hair I take my shower comb again and run it though my hair and un tangle the knots that snuck back in, if I want it to stay curly I'll let it air dry or if I want it straighter I'll blow dry with a diffuser.  Hope that helps! Let me know how it all goes.  I know it sounds like a lot of steps but once you have the routine it's really not bad at all and the benefit is not ripping out your hair every time you run your fingers through it.

[Kgirl]

Ok, so I have some hair that can be truly unruly and it is normally naturally curly.  So this is what I do and it's kinda worked to tame it down, soften it up and relax it slightly, very slightly.  I very rarely was it daily, but as long as you're not sweating a lot during the day your fine, curly hair is always hungry for all kinds of mosture and honestly your scalp provides some of the best, I do manage to comb, NOT brush it out at least once a day.  Make sure to use a wide tooth comb because small tooth combs and brushes can do more damage then good to your curly locks.  Now when I wash it out I only use actual shampoo once a week, all the other times I shower in the week I rinse my hair out very well, then condition and let it set for a few min then with a very wide tooth comb ( I think it may even be called a shower comb) I comb out my hair in the shower and make sure that all those evil knots are gone before I rinse out the conditioner.  Once I'm out of the shower I towel dry my hair, then take some morracan argon oil and put a small amount in my hair ( a little bit goes a long way so don't go crazy with it) after oiling my hair I take my shower comb again and run it though my hair and un tangle the knots that snuck back in, if I want it to stay curly I'll let it air dry or if I want it straighter I'll blow dry with a diffuser.  Hope that helps! Let me know how it all goes.  I know it sounds like a lot of steps but once you have the routine it's really not bad at all and the benefit is not ripping out your hair every time you run your fingers through it.

This is very similar to the "curly girl method" and apparently it gives great results. I'm planning on using it once my hair is long enough.

http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair

http://www.andreasteed.com/node/1296  <---- one girl's before/after using this method. Her results seem to be normal, and that's a good thing!

[Miharu Barbie]

My hair is to my waist, and if left to its own devices it would resemble a rat nest.  Find a nice smelling detangling leave in conditioner that you like.  I happen to like Miracle 7 Shine Spray, but there are lots of nice detangling conditioners on the market.  The one thing I completely swear by...... SWEAR BY..... is my Tangle Teaser hairbrush.  I adore my Tangle Teaser hairbrush!  It doesn't seem to matter how tangled my hair gets (and as a competitive pool player, walking around and bending over a pool table for hours at a time without a thought for my hair, it can get extremely tangled at times), my Tangle Teaser never ceases to make short work of getting the tangles out without struggle or undue breakage.  I've tried a lot of hair brushes and combs, and this one is the sh*t.  I've even had a few friends try my brush out, and they were so impressed that they ran out and bought one for themselves.

Tangle Teasers (which come from Great Britain) can be a little tough to find.  I got mine at Sally's Beauty Supply.  I got one for my spouse from Amazon.com.

Go to You Tube and search for "Tangle Teaser" to see people demonstrating it.  For 10 bucks, it's worth a try. 

Good luck with it.

Miharu

[Penny Gurl]

@Kgirl

I may have to convert totally to that curly girl method since I'm already doing about 90% of the steps already!  Thanks for putting up those thinks.

[DanicaCarin]

I got the curse!   Try using satin pillow cases. For some reason they cause less tangling. If your hair is long enough wrap it in a bun and pin/fix it on top of your head. Even tying short curly hair into a pony tail will help with tangling.

As far as other curly hair tips.....  CONDITION, CONDITION, & more CONDITIONING. Curly hair dries out easily, so use conditioners that moisturize. Don't shampoo too often. Even the mild shampoos will strip the oils from your hair. Generally, I find that by just rinsing my hair and then using a conditioner is enough to keep it clean. I only shampoo when I get a build up of residue from leave in conditioners and other styling products. Don't towel dry your hair. Just squeeze the excess moister out of your hair and and then apply leave in conditioner/product. Blow drying, curling irons, and flat irons all "fry" curly hair, so just let it dry naturally. If you have to blow it dry, use a diffuser and a low heat setting. Avoid harsh chemicals(relaxers, color, ect).

Here are some of the products that I use......

Conditioner:
Organix coconut milk conditioning mask.
Organix Argan oil conditioning mask.
Shea Butter Restorative conditioning mask
(I switch between these three)

Leave in conditioner:
Shea Butter restorative conditioner(Small amount for leave in use).
Body Shop Banana & Honey conditioner(As a leave in it gives my hair volume, shine, & softness).
Aveno nourishing(Moisture) leave in conditioner.

Styling products:
Body Shop Brazil Nut curl define/no frizz
Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco(Has olive oil, Argan oil, & shea butter) Just a tiny bit to ad shine/softness.

I've found the longer curly hair is, the better it behaves, so I'm growing mine out as long as I can get it. Also, try finding a hair stylist who has experience with curly hair, cutting it dry, ect.

[Penny Gurl]

"...I've found the longer curly hair is, the better it behaves... "

That is totally true, when my hair was shorter it was like having a tangled rats nest.. Now that it's past my shoulders the weight of it just helps keep everything in control.