Slight problem....second day hair is better than first!

wavynwild16

I've been loving my second day hair lately, but not so much first day hair. I get volume, tighter curls, and more bounce on the second day. There IS more frizz, but I don't mind it all that much. My question is, does anyone have this problem and how on earth do I go about fixing it? I know I am lucky to get good second day hair, as I see lots of people saying they have to wash their hair every day because next day hair is impossible, but I'm just not happy with my first day hair at all. It's flatter, less curly, and just kind of...blah. I skip around with techniques and methods all the time, but this is the one I stick to most often for freshly-washed hair.

I scrunch all the water out of my hair that I can get, and I scrunch in my FSG and my regular gel. I plop for a while and then air dry. Sometimes I diffuse, sometimes I just let it be. But I always scrunch in some more gel when I take out my plop, whether I blow dry or not.

Second day hair is so much easier and it gets a lot curlier.

I spray my hair until it's damp with a water and conditioner mixture. I scrunch until I see waves forming, and then I scrunch in less than a dime-sized amount of gel. I diffuse until it's 95% dry and I'm done.

Anybody have any suggestions? I'm so frustrated with first day hair!!! angry9:

plunkybug

Maybe try Del's Spritz and Condish method? Maybe less water will help. I don't really know.

pedaheh

If you want volume in 1st day hair, put your fingers against your scalp and shake (after dry and scrunched out). Try not to disturb the top layer. If you happen to have the first addition of the CG book lying around, there are pics and a better description in it of this method. It might mess with your clumps a bit and give you some frizz, but it should give you volume.

wavynwild16

plunkybug wrote: »

Maybe try Del's Spritz and Condish method? Maybe less water will help. I don't really know.

Thanks, Plunky, I'm thinking that will help. Since my hair's really thick and somewhat porous, I think all the water (and gravity, too!) helps pull my curls down (and out). I have to find a way to suck as much water out of it as possible without ruining my clumps....yay, more experiments! :thumbleft:

pedaheh wrote: »

If you want volume in 1st day hair, put your fingers against your scalp and shake (after dry and scrunched out). Try not to disturb the top layer. If you happen to have the first addition of the CG book lying around, there are pics and a better description in it of this method. It might mess with your clumps a bit and give you some frizz, but it should give you volume.

Thanks, Ped -- I did read that in the CG book when I got it from the library. I'll try that. My main issue is ruining all my clumps, like you said, but it's worth a shot! I think I might also try clipping -- that is, as soon as I'm able to go out to the store to get some duckbill clips!

AmongTheButterflies

Do you wash your hair at might or morning?

wavynwild16

AngelLovesCordyLovesAngel wrote: »

Do you wash your hair at might or morning?

I wash my hair in the morning. I've tried doing it at night so mornings wouldn't be so busy trying to shower and get ready for school, but I gave up on it! I'm a morning person. :blob4:

justajesuschick

I also have better hair the day after I wash. NOT jump out of bed and go, but spritz and diffuse. MUCH better than first day. ALWAYS.

As an example, I used a new lowpoo and condish yesterday. As the day wore on, all I could smell was patchouli. No offense to those who love it (my daughter who is like a patchouli poster child), I HATE the smell of patchouli.

I knew that I needed to wash it again to sleep well. Crazy, huh? Well, my top was flat and my hair looked greasy, although it was not-again. Went to bed with it dry.

Today, I just spritzed with lavender distilled water and diffused. Added no extra product and my hair looks FANTASTIC!

In the beginning of going CG, I washed at night so that I could ensure good product distribution and amount of product. I had good hair days much more then than I have had since switching back to starting from scratch every morning.

Sbudsky

I also have 2cish hair and have exactly the same issue. Like you suggest, I think our hair ends up curlier on the second day because it's gradually getting wet and thus doesn't have the chance to get weighed down. The frizz I get on the second day, though, does bother me and I started this thread about how to get the smoothness of the first day and the curls of the second day. Folks also suggested that I try spritz and condish. I honestly didn't really try it because it sounded very complicated and it wasn't clear to me how it would help prevent me from getting weighed down, but maybe it's worth a shot...

Another thing I've tried, with decent results, is to shower and minimally style my hair the night before and let it dry before bed. In the morning, I do my second day routine. This works pretty well, as long as my hair isn't still damp in the morning. Also, it makes it harder to get actual second day hair...

wavynwild16 wrote: »

I've been loving my second day hair lately, but not so much first day hair. I get volume, tighter curls, and more bounce on the second day. There IS more frizz, but I don't mind it all that much. My question is, does anyone have this problem and how on earth do I go about fixing it? I know I am lucky to get good second day hair, as I see lots of people saying they have to wash their hair every day because next day hair is impossible, but I'm just not happy with my first day hair at all. It's flatter, less curly, and just kind of...blah. I skip around with techniques and methods all the time, but this is the one I stick to most often for freshly-washed hair.

I scrunch all the water out of my hair that I can get, and I scrunch in my FSG and my regular gel. I plop for a while and then air dry. Sometimes I diffuse, sometimes I just let it be. But I always scrunch in some more gel when I take out my plop, whether I blow dry or not.

Second day hair is so much easier and it gets a lot curlier.

I spray my hair until it's damp with a water and conditioner mixture. I scrunch until I see waves forming, and then I scrunch in less than a dime-sized amount of gel. I diffuse until it's 95% dry and I'm done.

Anybody have any suggestions? I'm so frustrated with first day hair!!! angry9:

wavynwild16

Thanks, justajesuschick and sbudsky! I will try washing my hair at night again. I really think my whole problem is because of all the water weighing down first day hair (like you said, sbudsky). Thank you for all of your help! (And I love your new avatar, JaJC!)

stefflynh

I always wash\wet @ night & definetly much better hair the next day! I usually just make sure just not to scrunch out the crunch all the way, so I have a bit more hold through the night. I don't pineapple the first night, but will the nights to follow (however long I can get away without wash\cowash or low pooing). I also sleep on satin pillowcase, which helps too.

wavynwild16

Thanks! I have another question that is totally unrelated to the topic going around here. Do any of you CO-washers find that your hair is greasier the first day than the second? I think all the grease gets absorbed by the time the second day rolls around. I don't know. Can anybody attest to this? Thanks, and sorry about all the questions!

wavysue

Folks also suggested that I try spritz and condish. I honestly didn't really try it because it sounded very complicated and it wasn't clear to me how it would help prevent me from getting weighed down, but maybe it's worth a shot...

really? what's so complicated about spraying your hair with water and adding conditioner afterwards? from what I gathered the conditioner sort of forms a barrier so you don't absorb as much water. much like sealing with oil does, you should just try it don't over think it, I've done it on occasion when my hair feels dry but can't do it all the time or I get OC'd.

DEL2C

I was having the same problem, Day 1 too soft and not as defined as I prefer. My solution was wash at night like SteffyNH leaving it crunchy. Then in the am I do a generous spritz of lavender water add some KCCC mixed with CHI, plop and I'm done. I also have found that when my layers are longer S&C works better for me and my waves hold better when I do this. I really like my hair when I do S&C method on Day 1 it's the only time it's not too soft. I don't think it's complicated either I just spritz with water, add condish work it through, get in the shower wet it some more add shampoo to scalp and rinse. If my hair isn't as slippery as I want it I add a small amt of conditioner and rinse some more. Whether you do it upside down is up to you, I like the clumping I get from upside down rinsing. S&C does seem to keep your hair from absorbing too much water, which I feel is part of the problem with my hair being too soft on Day 1.

wavynwild16

Thanks! The Spritz & Condish sounds like a winner. I will try it sometime. And, I will try to wash at night when I can.