Curl Keeper

sixelamy

So I read awesome reviews on this stuff, and then not so great reviews. It seems when it works for someone, it works really well. Figured I'd give it a shot.

I absolutely HATE this stuff!!!! There's not many products that I hate. I can't even describe the feeling it left in my hair... it just made my hair really frizzy when wet and just not feel good or pliable. Tried adding more water and it seemed to just make it worse. It kind of felt like I put antiperspirant in my hair. I used it on cowashed hair, used it on clarified hair, hated it all! This is one product that I am going to throw in the garbage and will be happy doing so. The 2 times I actually left it in my hair, it did nothing for me. The last time I used it I shampooed it out. I used it as directed.

curly_kc

CK only works for me with their gel. I use the Batia and Aleeza Bio Herbal gel instead of CK, because it doesn't contain glycerin, like CK, and my hair likes the wheat protein in it.

Starmie

I hated it too - or my hair did at any rate! It was all the rage when I first came to nc, I was so excited to try it and it was just foul, I was so disappointed. I got a sample a while ago and tried it again, still as bad. Awful stuff.

Lauraimes

Amy, I have no experience with Curl Keeper because it's not available here, but when I read that you get frizz when wet, I immediately thought of polyquats. I checked it and bingo! Curl Keeper has polyquaternium-10, which is one of the biggest culprits for me. Polyquats may build-up and may cause frizz when wet. I should add that this is a large ingredient group and that each number has its own properties, but my hair cannot handle any polyquats at all. I get massive build-up and it acts all weird. Maybe this is why you don't like Curl Keeper.

sixelamy

Lauraimes wrote: »

Amy, I have no experience with Curl Keeper because it's not available here, but when I read that you get frizz when wet, I immediately thought of polyquats. I checked it and bingo! Curl Keeper has polyquaternium-10, which is one of the biggest culprits for me. Polyquats may build-up and may cause frizz when wet. I should add that this is a large ingredient group and that each number has its own properties, but my hair cannot handle any polyquats at all. I get massive build-up and it acts all weird. Maybe this is why you don't like Curl Keeper.

Great observation! I don't know how to pinpoint ingredients like this, so this is super helpful! Thank you so much!

ETA: I found the thread on here about polyquats. Very interesting.

Lauraimes

sixelamy wrote: »

Lauraimes wrote: »

Amy, I have no experience with Curl Keeper because it's not available here, but when I read that you get frizz when wet, I immediately thought of polyquats. I checked it and bingo! Curl Keeper has polyquaternium-10, which is one of the biggest culprits for me. Polyquats may build-up and may cause frizz when wet. I should add that this is a large ingredient group and that each number has its own properties, but my hair cannot handle any polyquats at all. I get massive build-up and it acts all weird. Maybe this is why you don't like Curl Keeper.

Great observation! I don't know how to pinpoint ingredients like this, so this is super helpful! Thank you so much!

Just continue posting and reading here, and you'll get the hang of it. I'm still learning new things all the time myself. It takes time and some trial and error

sixelamy

I see a lot of the "polyquats can build up" posts everywhere on here, but nobody ever says how to identify it. I'm a visual learner, so this is great! I have a product that doesn't work, it does this to my hair, and this is the ingredient that does it.

Definitely trial and error. I've learned so much already, but I feel like you've just given me an aha moment. :toothy7:

Lauraimes

Happy to help!

CurlyInTheFog

Yeah, CK was a big bomb for me, too. It's not the polyquats because I use other products with polyquats, so I dunno what does it, but it gives me stringy, weird hair and definitely doesn't control frizz at all. Plus it takes freaking forever to dry, and my hair takes long enough as it is. I've tried multiple times in multiple ways, and it just sucks. :thumbdown: No more CK for me!

bringingcurliesback?

I second the evil polyquats. They have a very unique feel...
Its like they form a liquidy shellac. I haven't tried curl junkie ciab but I hear that is a similiar product. Idk if there are polyquats in that one...
Might wanna check it out and share your thoughts?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using CurlTalk App

bringingcurliesback?

Maybe it will work better on longer hair? Idk why but it kinda sense
.. idk in general I do well with gels, jelly type products over leave ins etc. Rather than weird top coaty stuff.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using CurlTalk App

sixelamy

I've been wondering why my Deva low poo wasn't doing a very good job. My hair always felt coated and slimey after using it - pq-7 AND 10! I already bought a different low poo thankfully so I think I will switch up my products for a while and see. After clarifying last night the As I Am jelly is working pretty awesome - it didn't really do anything for me before.

mcrachel

I like it, I find it works well for me, but I think my hair just really likes glycerin. Every single one of the L'oreal gels that I've loved in the past (and they've sadly discontinued) had glycerin in the first 3 ingredients. I just don't use it by itself because it doesn't hold that well.

greencup13

Starmie wrote: »

I hated it too - or my hair did at any rate! It was all the rage when I first came to nc, I was so excited to try it and it was just foul, I was so disappointed. I got a sample a while ago and tried it again, still as bad. Awful stuff.

Worst-ever!!!!! When you try a staple product on NC that EVERYONE loved and your hair SHOULD love....and it's a disaster!

Ondulee

just have to chime in to say that CK is the one product I can't do without! Other products come and go but CK is here to stay for me.

I guess my hair loves whatever is in it because it just drinks it up. so sorry it doesn't work for you ladies.

kathymack

CK did nothing for my hair and made my scalp itch. Originally, I thought it was the Propylene Glycol, but have used it in other products without an issue.

The polyquats that give me issues are 4, 7 and 10. Have to do several shampoos with a stronger surfactant to get them out. My issue that identifies the problem is frizz when wet.

Jury is still out about 11. I usually don't buy products that contain them. However, I bought JC Wrap & Roll because the ingredients looked really good. However, they weren't the ingredients (a whole different issue) and it has polyquat 11 in it. I've only used it a few times and haven't had the frizz when wet, so it might not "build up" on me.

Morgan_Adcock

I have to say that CK is one of my HG products. I've never had the slightest problem with any buildup issues, despite almost always co-washing (with one of the Suave Naturals or VO5 Herbal Escapes or Moisture Milks Conditioners). My hair has never felt at all odd when I used it. It does help to have a good bit of conditioner in your hair before using it in low dew points, but other than that I've found it to play very nicely with others, including a wide variety of stylers.

asianrunner

I hated CK. I tried it once and it made my scalp itch like crazy. I think it's the only time I had to jump back into the shower to wash it out!

Curlsnswirls

Ondulee wrote: »

just have to chime in to say that CK is the one product I can't do without! Other products come and go but CK is here to stay for me.

I guess my hair loves whatever is in it because it just drinks it up. so sorry it doesn't work for you ladies.

A couple questions..How do you like to use it, alone or with other products? You use it all year round?

I use CK on and off and always get great results. I'm just curious how others use it.

Ondulee

yes, I always use with other products as it has no hold for me. In summer I use it with AG recoil and maybe a little CHS gel.

This winter I'm experimenting with OneC and recoil together under CK and I like it. My hair seems to really like whatever is in it.

I also have used it with Deva Frizz free foam, which I can't get on the ground here so ran out of.

I'm eager to see if It will work well with any of the Jessicurl stylers, I still need to get those tho.

How do you use it?

Weathercurl

Tried it. Did nothing good for me. My hair was flat and and limp. If the polyquats don't bother you and you need to seriously de-puff your hair, this may be your dream product. I just want something that gives me a bit of clumping and hold so this turned out to be a product I just don't need.

jsuzkelley

My hair didn't like CK either, but it tends to dislike PVP, polyquats and glycerin, so this was sort of a recipe for disaster with my hair, lol! Someone mentioned Curl Junkie CIAB as an alternative; it also has the ingredients I mentioned above, but for some reason I have less of a problem with this product - maybe because those items are further down the ingredient list. I still can't use it regularly, but once in a while its okay. It's sad because I'd really like to have a serum type product to help control frizz and add shine, but its hard to find a silicone free serum that is also free of those other ingredients.