Aussie Girl new to CG methods and where to start.

azlpeterson

Hi Ladies,
I had heard about Curly Girl awhile back but never wanted to invest the time. I had just had a baby and had no time for personal appearances.... she is going on 4 now, so its about time I step up and get myself together again!

Hair.jpg


So the first thing I really want to start with is here is a picture of my hair 3 years ago, you can see the curl was a lot more ringlet-like back then, but the rings were mostly at the bottom which I assume is due to the weight of my hair pulling it out/down? Now my hair is shorter and it should really be bouncing right back up into a curly stance like it usually does when its been curly but as you can see its barely wavy!
I had a very bad hair cut a few years ago, but the stylist I am seeing now seems to believe she can cut curly hair properly to bring it back. I can't attest one way or another. The 2 cuts I've had from her have seemed to bring the wave back but not the ringlets I used to have.

My next problem. I have defined myself at this stage as a Type 2 B-ish. But back in 2010 would you say I was closer to a Type 2 C/ Type 3 A? I had a look at livecurlylivefree, and I had a really hard time figuring out if my hair is thick or thin, porous or not. I don't have anything to really compare against to say either way. When I slide my fingers up my hair its not rough so I can rule that out, but I can't tell if its just right, or TOO slick. As for thickness, I mean if I compare my strands to my 4 year olds, mine are a bit thicker, and my husband's hair would be even thicker, so does that mean I'm in the middle? LOL. Also elasticity, how do you measure that?!

With that being said I did extensive reading last night about co-washing, sulphate free shampoos, clarifying shampoos, masks, etc.
I just had my hair done in the colours you see a few days ago, so I would be right to assume my hair would probably be fairly dry at the moment.
So my plan was to start this routine:
1. Do a cleanse with Redwin Shampoo as my clarifying shampoo. (http://www.priceline.com.au/hair/hair-care/shampoo-and-conditioner/redwin-shampoo-with-tea-tree-250.0-ml )
3. Have this as my once a week shampoo (if needed): (http://www.priceline.com.au/index.php/hair/hair-care/shampoo-and-conditioner/hair-expertise-everstrong-hydrate-shampoo-250.0-ml )
2. I then had a look at my conditioners:
Here are a few options I found that I thought would work. Any feedback about them would be great (good for co-wash, good to leave a bit in after a rinse, etc).
a. Yes to Carrots Pampering Conditioner ( http://www.priceline.com.au/hair/hair-care/shampoo-and-conditioner/yes-to-carrots-pampering-conditioner-500.0-ml )
b. Tresemme Naturals Radiant Care Conditioner (http://www.priceline.com.au/index.php/hair/hair-care/shampoo-and-conditioner/naturals-conditioner-radiant-care-750.0-ml )
c. Mane N Tail Conditioner ( http://manentail.com/products/original-mane-n-tail-conditioner/ )

Lastly for styling...I am more confused about what I should really use to get my curls back to where they are supposed to be. I know its all about hydration without thick build up, so what I can find so far consists of:

Boots Essentials Curling Cream ( recommended by this site)
Boots Essentials Curling Cream - NaturallyCurly.com

Curlisto Control Gel ( recommended by this site)
Curlisto Control I Gel - NaturallyCurly.com

Sebastion No. 9 (recommended by this site)
Sebastian Potion 9 - NaturallyCurly.com

AG Hair Cosmetics Fast Food
AG Hair Cosmetics Fast Food - NaturallyCurly.com


I am open to any other suggestions on styling products that are going to really define my curls. I probably don't have "heaps" of frizz to worry about and we have pretty mild temperatures/humidity where I live.

I am keen to be able to just co-wash my hair daily or every other day. Apply some product out of the shower still sopping wet. T-shirt dry/scrunch and go. Then if I can on day 2 apply SOMETHING to get me to a reasonable place without having to wash if I don't want to.

Then my next and final question at this point is about masks for your hair. I've seen some great masks homemade like avacado, honey & olive oil. When do you do these, before a shower, after a shower, before a wash, after a wash (co-wash/or sulfate free shampoo wash), how often do you do them, etc.

I really love the hair style I am rocking at the moment. I have never *NEVER* in my life gotten so many compliments about the color and my waves and its just brought out so much confidence in me that I really want to embrace it and make the best out of it.

In saying that I do live in Australia, so if there are any Aussie girls on here who can recommend some great products for the Type 2b-3a that are local I would appreciate it. I can get the other products online, but if I can be frugal, I'd rather be.

I'm happy for any feedback including links to information to put me on the right path! Thank you so much for creating this website, a huge wealth of information (overwhelming amount, I don't know where to really start the process! LOL)


*edit* okay I did the "water" test and most of my hair floats but some of that is from the end of the hair is sinking very quickly. I also found a density article and although I show some scalp when my hair is down, that is just where my natural part is showing. When I brush my hair and put it back up in a ponytail, I show no scalp so does that mean I am medium-high density? And I believe my hair is of a medium texture because I looked at my husbands hair (LOL boy he thought I was weird) and realized his hair is WAY thinner than mine, but he has HIGH density.

Firefox7275

Welcome! Sounds like you are starting in the right place: products and ingredients should be chosen on your hair properties and dew points/ humidity. See the 'Curls on the Go' app or the Frizz Forecast on the main NC site.

The porosity tests are not reliable, it's better to consider how your hair behaves. Since it is permanently coloured it may be porous, especially any parts that have been dyed more than once. Beneficial ingredients for colour treated hair include coconut oil, hydrolysed protein, ceramides and panthenol. Protein is particularly good for finer hair and can boost curl and treatments (gelatin for DIY, egg is too large to penetrate) are usually done on clean damp hair; coconut oil treatments should be done on dry hair before washing, ideally overnight.
THE NATURAL HAVEN: Junk Science - Hair Porosity Tests / Float or Sink

There are many reasons your hair can lose curl - hormonal changes, build up, wrong product choices/ protein-moisture balance is off, damage, hair is too short for the full curl pattern to show - you need enough length for a couple of 'pattern repeats'. You look to be a 2a/ 2b at present, previously a 2b/ 2c, IMO not a 3a since you did not have curl right to the roots. Another ingredient that can boost curl is magnesium sulphate (epsom salts) but this can be drying so do not overuse it - Jessicurl Rockin Ringlets contains magnesium sulphate or you can DIY your own flaxseed gel and add it.
http://www.naturallycurly.com/hair-types

Not everyone needs straight up hydration (= water), those who have porous damaged hair may need less water (causes hygral fatigue) but increased elasticity or strength, others need more conditioning agents so that their hair holds the right amount of water. Again this comes down to properties, if you really are not sure you might consider a hair analysis from Komaza Care or Live Curly Live Free.
The Curl Whisperer on Porosity | Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Natural Hair Care
Porosity and Curly Hair
THE NATURAL HAVEN: Part 1 of 2: Porosity - Definition and Causes
Live Curly, Live Free: Hair Elasticity and Density
Elasticity and Healthy Hair

Several of those stylers contains silicones (suffix -cone, -conol, -xane), are you intending on being modified CG?

azlpeterson

Hi Firefox,
Thank you for responding!! I feel like an idiot because I just assumed without actually looking. So it looks like if I want to do CG there is only one actual product I can use, and that is Boots Essential Curling Cream?

So when I did the water test, half of my hair did sink, the lower half which has been dyed twice or three times now. And the top half of my hair floated. So I would say some extra treatment couldn't hurt. I know in the shower when I use the cones-conditioners I have to squeeze heaps of that stuff into my hand to feel like I'm really getting anywhere. Is that a sign of my hair being dry, or it just being a really **** conditioner? LOL

"There are many reasons your hair can lose curl - hormonal changes, build up, wrong product choices/ protein-moisture balance is off, damage, hair is too short for the full curl pattern to show -"

So essentially would something like taking a new birth control be something that could cause it? I started implanon in 2010 right before that picture was taken on our honeymoon lol. I definitely am going to try the clarifying shampoo and cone free conditioner and see how that goes. But my next question would be how do you know if your hair does need protein, is that solely based off the porosity and if so how often do you leave it on, and how often do you need to do it? Would you say my hair is going to be too short at this stage to get back my bouncier curls?

Again, thank you for your wealth of knowledge, I'm going to pull those up and see if I can answer some of my questions now
Cheers!

Firefox7275

No need to feel like an idiot, this website is not affiliated to the Curly Girl method, they also carry and review products for people following no particular method or the Tightly Curly method say. More people on the forum seem to follow CG, or describe themselves as modified CG if they don't follow all the 'rules', I think of myself as strict CG because I don't use any shampoo nor any silicones - I believe the latest version of the book permits sulphate free shampoo and water soluble silicones if desired.

I can't tell you specifically what Implanon can do to hair but puberty, pregnancy and hormonal health problems can certainly affect curl pattern, as can some medical treatments (eg. chemotherapy).

If you have chemical treated hair, fine hair, porous hair or damaged hair it's a safe bet you would benefit from some hydrolysed protein, if you have coarse hair you probably would not do well with protein even if you fit into one of the earlier categories. There are various ways to use it from a weak concentration in a rinse off conditioner, to a hardcore treatment spray that dries rock hard, to the DIY gelatin treatment, to a deep conditioner containing protein.

Curlies generally need a lot of conditioner, both rinse off and leave in, and more is needed for those who have thick or porous or long hair. You should be detangling in the shower with your head slathered in conditioner and not rinsing all that out. Then applying perhaps three to five blobs to different parts of your very wet head as a leave in, and squishing your hair so that it feels 'seaweedy'. Some wavies/ curlies find they need less conditioner as time goes on and their hair gets healthier, or they need to switch to a lighter product. Those with fine hair often can't use as much leave in conditioner as those with medium or coarse hair.

Watch for other ingredients that can build up if you hope to conditioner only wash - some polyquats, mineral oil/ petrolatum, waxes including cetyl esters (I had a bad experience with this), butters, not just silicones.

azlpeterson

Wow, thank you for the wealth of information. I have been in Melbourne for the last few days and couldn't respond. I am finding that I love Yes to Cucumbers as a co-wash & leave in and I was using a bit of Marc Daniels Go Curly and my hair was just looking awesome! So we'll see. Still not sure if that product has anything harmful or build-up-y but its looking great right now.