My two new enemies -- Dryness and Frizz...

Tray

how do I combat them?

I did my first braid out last week and it wasn't the total disaster that I'd thought it would be. Washed with [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/DevaCurl-No-Poo-p-53.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=devacurl-devacurl-nopoo]DevaCurl No Poo[/buylink], conditioned with Biolage Ultra Moisturizing deep conditioner, then piled on varying amounts of Fantasia IC (I used the clear, should I get the blue instead?), MOP Leave-In, and Garnier Soft Curl Creme.

Did about twenty four braids, then used small perm rods for my still relaxed last three or four inches of ends, and let dry for a couple days (my hair holds water like crazy!)

What I ended up with was, well, imagine an Annie wig that's not red, with smaller curls...yes, it was just that crazy looking...

...but fortunately still salvageable with my stand by save-it do -- two clips and a bunch of pins and a headband (I'll post pics as soon as I figure out the fotoki thing...)

Wearing it all out was not an option however because it was sooooo frizzy and sooooo dry -- help girls! What did I do wrong? What should I do right?

I need to seriously moisturize my situation...

GuyanaGal718

As for the fantasia...people tend to get the Blue one because as it is for colored hair it provides extra moisturizer. I have been having trouble finding it.

Personally I think you might have gone wrong with the Garnier, as it won't do much for your hair. Its not made really for ethnic hair.

jeamaria

GuyanaGal718 wrote:

As for the fantasia...people tend to get the Blue one because as it is for colored hair it provides extra moisturizer. I have been having trouble finding it.

Personally I think you might have gone wrong with the Garnier, as it won't do much for your hair. Its not made really for ethnic hair.

Plenty of the "ethnic" posters on this site use Garnier products; the Soft Curl creme is actually the most popular one, followed by the Sleek & Shine. However it is a difficult product to use and many people just cannot get it to work how they would like.

I think three products at one time is way too much, and perhaps you should try each of them individually in order to see what is causing the dryness.

Doc

You may want to limit yourself to just the leave in and one styling product either the gel or the styling creme but not both.
I know that the Garnier soft curl creme is popular; however, I tried and didn't like it; it was very sticky and made my hair feel coated and gummy.

I've used both of the Fantasia gels the clear and the blue and got good results with both of them, the blue may be slightly more moisturizing, but again I get good curl definition and frizz reduction with them both. HTH

Tray

Okay so take two, just got the [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/CURLS-Curls-Milkshake-p-884.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curls-Curls-Milkshake]Curls Milkshake[/buylink] in the mail, so I'm gonna try the same technique with less product -- just that and maybe a lil of the IC Fantasia, and see what happens -- wish me luck!

Doc

That sounds like a GREAT combination. ( I tried a sample of the [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/CURLS-Curls-Milkshake-p-884.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curls-Curls-Milkshake]Milkshake[/buylink] recently and loved it; as soon as I use up some of my products I'm planning to purchase the full size and like you, I'm going to use it as a leave in).

Good luck and I can't wait to hear about your results!

*Belle*

If your hair is very dry you may need to try olive oil + water mix or Jojoba oil + water mix as a leave-in under your product to keep your hair from being super dry once it 'dreis' or sets.

Also, try deep treatments with honey, your hair will be muuuuuch softer!

bubbles76

If your hair is dry, your Garnier and Biolgae may have sulfates, silocones, or protein in them. Sometimes too much of these ingredients may cause your hair to dry out and get frizzy. I would limit myself to the one leave in and one gel. Not too much of the gel though. I belive that it has a wheat protein, which may also dry out your hair.

HTH!

Tray

So this time I used the IC Fantasia mixed with coconut oil for a twist out and ended up with some crunchy greasy madness on my head --

I think maybe my hair just doesnt like gel... I"m going to try another braid out or twist out with just some styling product or leave in and see what happens

One thing though - I still have to put perm rods in at my ends to get them to curl, even after going crazy and doing my own BC, and getting rid of the relaxed ends. What am I doing wrong that my ends won't curl on their own?

PS -- I think the biggest frustration with product experimentation is that I have to wait and live with the results for a few days to give my hair time to rest before trying again with some other products...does anyone else find this frustrating?

Fortunately I have my reliable "two clips and some bobby pins" rescue-do to save the day

MissCurly

Tray we may be possible hair twins from what your describing. My hair gets extremely dry too. Those garnier products just make it even more dry. I have done sooooo many product experiments and nothing really works. Its odd when I straighten my hair with a flat iron and blow dyer it looks smooth pretty and very mosturized but when I decide to do my naturally curly hair it gets dry and frizzy and very huge looking once my whole hair dries. I am also still battling the relaxed ends. Its been 2 years since I had a relaxer but there is this patch of hair in the front that has almost 4 inches of relaxed ends. I dont know what it is taking forever to grow out. I'm afrain to cut it because it will look really bad with all my hair the same length then a patch of short hair in the front. Anyways I know this post is getting long, just venting.....................

Tray

Sista I feel ya -- my hair probably looks crazy with my at home chop. I say probably because my friends are all "it's cute!" but they're friends who want to spare my feelings and they can't be trusted -- lying heffas!!

So I tried the routine again and mixed Suave coconut conditioner with coconut oil in the shower, and wow, my hair was the softest! And my natural curls popped out too

But somewhere between that point and when I undid my twists the next morning, something went terribly wrong -- why can't I get my ends to curl and not be dry and frizzy?! Arrrgh!

Gonna try again without the gel, I think that may be the culprit for the dryness at least, and maybe just twist with one product only -- my Biolage curl cream is looking like a contender

Cross your fingers for me and watch this space...

Zinnia

Tray wrote:

But somewhere between that point and when I undid my twists the next morning, something went terribly wrong -- why can't I get my ends to curl and not be dry and frizzy?! Arrrgh!

Have you had your hair trimmed lately? Getting a trim could work wonders.