Hi ladies,

I’m testing out curl queen at the mo – don’t know if it’s just me but it’s so hard to get the right quantity ! Too much and it’s a big stringy mess, too little and it’s fluffy. I’m aiming for soft defined clumped curls. Maybe I need to lower my expectations !

I think it might need a leave in under it to cut down on the slight frizz once it’s dry. My hair can get weighed down though. I’ve discovered it loves protein (using AO GPB). Not sure whether to try Curl Fix, but as a leave in, or the Beauticurls leave in….......

Can anyone tell me what CQ plays well with for them ?

I have used the Beauticurls leave in with it, and I also have used it with most of my normal rinse-outs being used as leave-ins.  I do, however, normally pair it with CCCC, so that might have more of a bearing on what it ‘mixes’ with than anything else (I cannot generally use gels alone). I’d use any of your current ROs as a leave-in and see what happens to start with.

Hi oddityof wings.

Thanks for the post ! I’m with you on the not being able to use gel without a leave in. Curl Queen just isn’t playing ball on its own, it looks a bit limp and crispy. It did leave me with a nice shiny curl today though, once I’d SOTC - there was a definite 1980’s wet look going on yesterday when I went a bit mad and tried loads !!

Martha at curl junkie - so lovely by the way - emailed and recommended I try the curl fix as a leave in. I’m intrigued to see if it works !!

Lots of curlies seem to love the coco curl creme and lite version. It’s top of my mental wish list !

Meant to say - definitely going to try the RO’s as a leave in first though. Do you just use a tiny, tiny amount ? I tried it once with a 10p blob of the Garnier Fructis conditioner as a leave in and it ended badly. Didn’t think it was possible to have crunchy and gloopy hair at the same time !

It depends greatly on what your hair can deal with and what the conditioner is.  Personally, I wouldn’t use the Garnier as a leave-in because it’s so oily - it’d weigh me down big time.  I usually use about a 20p blob of whatever I use, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the product and the state of my hair.  The lighter the conditioner, the more I can get away with leaving in.  If you find it’s too much (you’ll want your hair coated but not covered, if that makes sense), you can always rinse a little away in the shower. I’d start with a little bit (say 5p sized), and then add bit by bit if needed.  It should sort of soak right in, and leave you feeling seaweedy and slick but shouldn’t really come off on your hands or anything.

Just chipping in with my minireview of CJCQ.

I’ve used this a couple of times now, but I am seriously divided about it.  I’ve been using it on top of Beauticurls leave-in, and I think the combination works well.

The good bits:
- the smell of CQ is heavenly, absolutely delicious - I wish it lasted longer!
- my hair is lovely and soft and shiny
- not too much crunch, and scrunches out very easily
- no loss of hold when SOTCing, something I struggle with with other products but CQ will hold the curl shape all day with very little puffiness and none of that producty feeling
- it gives my hair a nice even wave/curl pattern
- very little fuzziness (although that could be down to the Beauticurls too)

BUT:
- I don’t get good clumping; some, yes, but not as good as I can get with other products
- although I do get nice even, non-fuzzy waves and curls, the curl is nowhere near as strong or as well defined as with other stuff.

So I’m torn - my hair does look nice and feel really good using the CQ/Beauticurls combo but I wish I could get my curls that bit stronger (FSG and UG scrunching gel give me great shape curls but with a lot of crunch and fuzz).  Do I need to try something underneath the CQ to really get the curls to pop, or do I just accept that my hair will be very good, just not outstandingly curly?  Or is there something out there that will give me all the good bits of CQ with just a bit more curl emphasis, iyswim?

I’ve come back to this because I think I owe Curl Queen an apology! 

Today I tried the UG gel over Beauticurls, and no CQ at all.  What a fluffy day!  So I think it must be Beauticurls that’s making my hair so soft and actually Curl Queen is good at taming it…it feels so nice though!

The question abot getting better curls still stands though.  Maybe I should try some FSG uner CQ and see what happens.