Hello ladies!

I’ve come across this website desperately searching the internet for help with curly hair - I need help!  I’ve been straightening my hair for the past 16 years but my hair is in really bad condition (dry split ends, fine and wispy) and will no longer stay straight, it just wisps everywhere so I decided to leave my hair au natural!  Well, I hate it and I’ve no idea how to style it and make it look half-decent!  I currently shampoo and condition, then use the Moroccan Oil curl cream mixed with the Moroccan Oil treatment and this leaves my hair too soft and fluffy (not a good look!), but if I use a mousse, it makes it crispy (I can scrunch most of the crispiness out but my hair still looks wet (like an 80’s perm).  I let it air dry as I do not have a diffuser - although would like to invest in one if it would help my curls?  I need help with which products to use to get the best out of my curls.  I’m not sure on my hair type either, if I wash my hair and leave it to dry naturally it would just dry like a big ball of candy floss, soft, fluffy and messy.  I tend to section my hair and twist it so it falls into ringlets and sometimes these dry nice but sometimes (like today) they don’t dry nice at all.  The front is much curlier than the back so my hair looks ok from the front but a mess from behind.  I’m currently thinking about getting it all chopped off as I can’t do anything with it and I feel so scruffy - help!  The front of my hair is really fine and wispy and just wont grow and the back is much longer, to my shoulders, and this seems to grow fine.  Please help me girlies, I really need it!  I’m also interested in knowing was the CG system, low pooing, co-washing and all the other terms that I’ve never heard of before are exactly?  I’m totally clueless - sorry!  Lots of advice is needed before I resort to shaving my head in frustration!  I would really love someone to literally tell me how to shampoo and condition my hair, what products to use and when and how often to use them.  X Thank you so much in advance.  X

Hi kforan and welcome   I think you should have a look at this thread firstly http://www.britishcurlies.co.uk/curl_forum/viewthread/2257/ - that has a lot of information for newbies.

Thank you so much for the “Welcome” and for attaching the thread.  I really need to do some reading tonight don’t I, to get my head around the techniques and ways of looking after my hair so I don’t always look a complete scruff bag!

It would be really good to know what routines you ladies follow and the products you use and in what order and how often - can’t you tell I’m desperate!

Thank you again for your reply - it is so appreciated!

xx

hi kforan - well I can tell you my routine.  Firstly I have porous fine/medium hair not an awful lot of density.  I use Tresemme naturals as a co wash, sometimes I use Aubrey Organics GPB conditioner as a rinse out if my hair needs protein, then I use (at the moment) the Naked hair defining cream (from Boots) and top it with a gel - sometimes a high street one like Garnier or sometimes an Emporium product like Mop Top or Curl Junkie.  HTH

Hi kforan and welcome.

I just wanted to offer some words of encouragement, you may be despairing of your curls at the moment, but believe me, you will get there with the friendly help and advice given here. Wanting to encourage and care for your curls in the first place is half the battle, the rest will, with time fall into place (and usually pretty quickly too!) Once you get your products and routine going, you will have lots of fun getting to know and love your curls!

Best wishes.

Hi kforan - welcome to British Curlies!

I would say start off with a simple CG routine, using basic products, and see how your curls respond. You can then tweak your routine and try different products etc. There is a ton of info on this site and it will take time to read and absorb all of it - enjoy! 

Thank you proudcurlygirly - if I can get my head around this I’ll be a genious!  It’s very overwhelming isn’t it?!

crystaltips: I’m definately up for starting the CG routine but I don’t know where to start?!

Please could you help me with the products to use - I literally need someone to tell me what I’m doing because I’m so clueless!

I understand that I need to use a shampoo before I start the CG routine to get rid of product build up.

......then what?!?! 

I’m so sorry, I don’t think I’m getting this at all am I! I’ve tried searching routines in the forums but people use abbreviations that I don’t know what they are and then I’m not sure what order their using products in and how often - argh, I’m so confused!

xx

Hey kforan, where abouts in the country are you? Maybe some pics of yr hair could help us to help you with suggestions, then we can see yr curl pattern etc?
I’ve been CG for about 9months now and it really was the best decision, I still confused about things though, especially what is CG and what isn’t!!! I’ll tell you what I use at the moment, I co-wash (basically wash yr hair with conditioner instead of shampoo) you will need to use more conditioner than you would shampoo. I’m using Tresseme Naturals for this, wash yr hair/scalp well, should feel bit like damp seaweed (nice lol) then rinse. Then I’m putting my normal conditioner on, I’m using Garnier Fructus Repair & Shine, leaving on for 5 mins if in the shower or longer if in bath, rinse as normal, gently squeeze excess water, not too much though. I then put my hair in a turban/wrap type thing I got from Savers for £2.00 (don’t use a normal towel to dry yr hair, or rub it dry) wrapping in an old tshirt will wrk just as well. Leave in this while brush teeth etc, put on a little leave in conditioner, I’m using Beauticurls, then scrunch in Umberto Gianni Curl Friends, all over quite a bit, really scrunching as I’m doing to get the curl going/hair upside down etc. Then I either sit under my old lady dryer, leave to dry on its own or diffuse. Hair will be crunchy, DO NOT TOUCH until properly dry (which is hard I know) but this can cause frizz. Once properly dry n crunchy SOTC-scrunch out the crunch, just with yr hands, just lifting n squeezing, I do this with a teeny tiny amount of Olive Oli n Shea Butter but you can just have bare hands. I still loo-poo once a week to 10 days with Organix from Boots. All the things I use or CG, but think you should use a normal shampoo before you start, Aussie is a good one to use n you can get a trial size in Boots, then you can start on yr new haircare regime. Hope this has helped and you haven’t got too bored with my essay lol. What about getting the Lorraine Massey Book, I have this and it is helpful.

Thank you so much Cat Woman for your post - it is really helpful, literally just wanted I needed, a step by step plan!  I’m based in Manchester.  I do need to get a photo posted don’t I - desperately trying to lose weight on Weight Watchers - maybe once I’m nearer target I’ll put a pic on and my face wont be so chubby!  Thank you again x

Yr welcome, I still get bad hair days, especially this time of year, but get lots more good days than I ever did. Could you get to Matthew James in Birmingham? Think if you booked the train well in advance would be about £20? I went to him last year, cost me bout £20 on the train n think the haircut was about £50, expensive day but so worth it. 4hrs from when I walked in the salon till I left, and left feeling good , he’s just so knowledgeable about curly hair n really takes his time with you

Hi! I started CG in December last year so am also very new to it.  Just wanted to let you know to give it a go and, more importantly in my opinion, to keep going/experimenting with it. I found that I wasn’t using enough leave in so had lots of frizz. I was disheartened and so tempted to reach for my silicone products! It’s taken a while to find what works for my hair but I cannot believe the results. I have actual curls now where before I had waves and just volume/frizz.

Hope this is helpful - good luck with whatever you decide.

Silverlark

Hi
I would def suggest you get the curly girl book by Lorraine Massey as it really has all the info you need and finding yourself a good hairdresser like Matthew James will really help.
I was curly for about 7 years and so happy, then just couldn’t cope without a supportive hairdresser - just found Matthew and I’m back on track. I’m shocked at what a mess I’ve made of my hair in just a couple if years!
Really stick with it - it is worth it.
Im just investing in some new products from this site but Boots naked range and body shop rainforest are supposed to be ok high street brands. I’ve just ordered some jessiecurls and kinky curly to try. My routine will be no poo wash once a week - 10 days and a conditioner wash once a week too. Other than that I’ll spray my hair liberally with lavender water to clean and deodorise a couple of times a day and leave it alone as much as possible. Avoid alcohol, parabens and silicone in products - you can make a lot of your own quite cheaply.
I shower and wash it, do the normal conditioner thing, wash conditioner out then put a small amount back in again and rinse slightly so hair is ‘slimy’, scrunch into ringlets in shower - use kitchen roll, an old tshort or a micro fibre towel to blot it - no rubbing - need to keep those curls as they are, then add some clear gel and leave to dry or with a diffuser, the hardest but most important thing is not to touch it until its dry.
Hope some of that helps.
Kate