Newbie To Site And Needs Help

Hi everyone. I'm new to the naturallycurly site and I find it fantastic. I've been curly since I was 14 (I'm now 45) and have discovered (from your site) that I've been using the wrong products all my life. I'm Irish, of mixed culture (Irish/Jamaican) and live in Greece. Living in Greece (actually the Island of Zante) poses a big problem, there are no products for my hair here so I was ordering on line from the UK. I'm currently (2 wks now) experimenting with the Shea line products (curl & shine shampoo, restorative conditioner, deep treatment masque, curl enhancing smoothie & curling gel souffle) and I'm not really liking them. The shampoo is gorgeous, the conditioner is ok, the deep treatment masque is ok, the curling gel souffle is horrible and the curl enhancing smoothie is I think, to thick for my hair. I did a co-wash with the conditioner but this left my hair heavy and with a lot of build up. I used Soft-n-free curl activator (as a styler) all my life and loved the way it made my curls full & bouncy, not sticky and kept them separated/loose and shiny. I'm currently looking for a similar styler (with less harsh ingredients) to have the same effect. I know the best way to find the best products is by trial and error however, because I have to order them on line and have them delivered, this can prove very costly. I've seen hundreds of products on line and I'm a bit overwhelmed as I just don't know what's best for my hair. I would really really appreciate some advice with any products from washing/co-washing, conditioning to the finishing styler. Thanks in advance and it's a pleasure to be part of the naturallycurly community.ps. I'm currently growing out a Kinetics-a perm. I think I'm a 3a x.
3a Type Curls High Porosity Medium Texture
Mixed Culture Hair: Irish/Jamacian
Clarify monthly with baking soda/ACV rinse
Co-wash: SM Co-wash Conditioning Cleanser
Shampoo: SM Curl & Shine
Leave-in: SM Restorative Conditioner, As I Am
Deep Treatment: SM Deep Treatment Masque, INSIGHT Damaged Hair Mask.
Stylers: SM Curling Gel Souffle, SM Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Darcy's Botanicals Sweet Cocoa Bean Moisturising Hair Whip.
Mixed Culture Hair: Irish/Jamacian
Clarify monthly with baking soda/ACV rinse
Co-wash: SM Co-wash Conditioning Cleanser
Shampoo: SM Curl & Shine
Leave-in: SM Restorative Conditioner, As I Am
Deep Treatment: SM Deep Treatment Masque, INSIGHT Damaged Hair Mask.
Stylers: SM Curling Gel Souffle, SM Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Darcy's Botanicals Sweet Cocoa Bean Moisturising Hair Whip.
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Comments
My fine/low porosity hair couldn't use the SM products, especially the Coconut & Hibiscus line. They just sat on my hair. In the past, I've used minute amounts of really rich products (SM are heavy, if you understand the difference) and my hair absorbed them. Took a long time. Frequently, my hair was dry before the products were absorbed.
You may want to think about some of the DIY gels--flax seed and/or okra. They are pretty easy to do (okra being easier then flax seed because of the straining.) You can buy ingredients and experiment with them. There are lots of recipes on nc.com.
Good luck with your curly journey.
SE PA
HGs: Anything Sevi; Curly Kinks Satin Roots, Curlycue ReNew and Coil Jam; homemade FSG and okra gel; soap bars; UFD Curly Magic; Botanical Spirits Jellies, CJ Repair Me, Aloe Fix
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Mixed Culture Hair: Irish/Jamacian
Clarify monthly with baking soda/ACV rinse
Co-wash: SM Co-wash Conditioning Cleanser
Shampoo: SM Curl & Shine
Leave-in: SM Restorative Conditioner, As I Am
Deep Treatment: SM Deep Treatment Masque, INSIGHT Damaged Hair Mask.
Stylers: SM Curling Gel Souffle, SM Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Darcy's Botanicals Sweet Cocoa Bean Moisturising Hair Whip.
Mixed Culture Hair: Irish/Jamacian
Clarify monthly with baking soda/ACV rinse
Co-wash: SM Co-wash Conditioning Cleanser
Shampoo: SM Curl & Shine
Leave-in: SM Restorative Conditioner, As I Am
Deep Treatment: SM Deep Treatment Masque, INSIGHT Damaged Hair Mask.
Stylers: SM Curling Gel Souffle, SM Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Darcy's Botanicals Sweet Cocoa Bean Moisturising Hair Whip.
SE PA
HGs: Anything Sevi; Curly Kinks Satin Roots, Curlycue ReNew and Coil Jam; homemade FSG and okra gel; soap bars; UFD Curly Magic; Botanical Spirits Jellies, CJ Repair Me, Aloe Fix
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]