My hair is stupid.

corinniePop

Okay, so I have 2C/3A mixed hair...but only in the front. The front of my hair on either side has VERY inconsistent curls, but they are there. Sometimes it's all s-waves, and sometimes I get small spirals. However, no matter what I do, the back is almost completely straight. I hate it so much. I've tried everything - products, diffusing, even trying to make pin curls back there. Nothing works. It just stays all limp and horrible. Is there anything I can do? Or am I just stuck with it?

chupie

Do you have any layering there?

corinniePop

I still haven't found anyone who knows how to cut curly hair, so sort of. There's just kinda one slightly shorter layer.

chupie

That makes a big difference. Have you checked the Deva site and curly artists list?

AngelaE8654

corinniePop wrote: »

Okay, so I have 2C/3A mixed hair...but only in the front. The front of my hair on either side has VERY inconsistent curls, but they are there. Sometimes it's all s-waves, and sometimes I get small spirals. However, no matter what I do, the back is almost completely straight. I hate it so much. I've tried everything - products, diffusing, even trying to make pin curls back there. Nothing works. It just stays all limp and horrible. Is there anything I can do? Or am I just stuck with it?

I'm pretty sure everyone has some struggles with their hair. My right side underneath is much more curly than the left side underneath. When I wear my hair up, the right looks perfect; absolutely perfect. The left? Not so much. However, the top layer of the right side doesn't look very curly at all until it begins to dry. Last time I got a haircut, my hairdresser scrunched and scrunched and scrunched and finally gave up in frustration, saying that side "wasn't bouncy". It's fine once it begins to dry, however. Every head of hair has its eccentricities; I firmly believe this.

corinniePop

What/where is the curly artist list?

chupie

http://www.loveyourcurls.ca/blog/international-members-of-curly-hair-artistry-cha

Leley

corinniePop wrote: »

Okay, so I have 2C/3A mixed hair...but only in the front. The front of my hair on either side has VERY inconsistent curls, but they are there. Sometimes it's all s-waves, and sometimes I get small spirals. However, no matter what I do, the back is almost completely straight. I hate it so much. I've tried everything - products, diffusing, even trying to make pin curls back there. Nothing works. It just stays all limp and horrible. Is there anything I can do? Or am I just stuck with it?

I think your hair is beautiful, I've just started embracing my natural hair I'm dealing with heat damage. I had a pretty good hair day yesterday I think curls/wavys have a mind of their own sometimes....
L x

SereneCurls

Do you know how your hair feels about protein? A pt helps give some people's hair some more bounce. If you're unsure, you could just treat a small section of hair underneath as a test.

sixelamy

Girl, I hear ya! My hair acts the same exact way. For me, the major problem is using humectants in non-appropriate dew points (ie. low dews and high dews). Also, if your hair is shorter in back (don't know if you have it stacked or shorter layers back there?) it may not curl as much. If you have longer layers I agree with chupie about maybe some shorter layers. Protein can definitely help, and so can a good chelating treatment if you have hard water.

Today is one of those days that I read your topic title and said MINE TOO! I WANT TO CHOP MY HAIR OFF! But I won't, because tomorrow after I wash it I'll be in love again lol.

BotticelliBrit

Have you tried finger curling the back?

corinniePop

Yes, but I don't know how well it worked.

corinniePop

I don't know! What are some good products for that?

theknowledge02

One more suggestion is try washing your hair upside down the next few times you shower. It could be the water pressure doing it if your hair underneath is still curly in the back. The right side of my hair is super flat and underneath is always curler then the top. Everyone is different.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using CurlTalk App

sabbia

Your hair sounds very similar to mine--even from your profile pic my hair looks very similar in density and texture. I too have a few spirals intermingled with S waves in the front and sides with much less of anything going on in the back.

I just started the CG method 2 weeks ago so am in the midst of intense experimentation with products and techniques. Although I've been getting more waves/curls out of my front and sides, the back still looks scraggly because of the straightness (still not totally satisfied with the sides but, as you said, at least there seems to be more to work with).

BUT....I did get some noticeable improvement today merely by leaning my head backwards instead of upside down or sideways while shaking the roots/scrunching the hair in the back. I did this b/c I noticed that my hair in the back was separated and had formed a rough part after attending to my hair while head was forward/upside down then flipping my head completely upright. Just that little bit of shaking then scrunching in a backward position gave me a bit more of a wave today. Still not as nice looking as I'd like but an improvement.

Next wash I am going to try applying styling products specifically to the back of my head and scrunching while leaning backwards to be absolutely certain enough product is being distributed in the back for curl enhancement before allowing it to dry. I think my hair in the back is so fine with weak curl/wave pattern that it needs even more attention then the rest of head.

BotticelliBrit

corinniePop wrote: »

I don't know! What are some good products for that?

If you're talking about finger curling, just whatever products you normally use. It's always good to have a styler though (like gel, or whatever you prefer) to make sure it stays in place.

You can finger twirl big clumps and then separate them once the hair is dry for more volume, or just finger curl little clumps to begin with. It depends on what you can be bothered to do really!

bookgirl

My underside is straighter than the rest of my hair, and because I part my hair on the side, it looks like one side is a lot curlier than the other. I take special pains to "improve" the straighter part - the only things that work are the following products and scrunching the hell out of it, more so than the other side (and I always, always diffuse). I don't know if you've tried any of these, but they may be worth a shot:

Jessicurl Rockin' Ringlets
Jessicurl Awe Inspiraling Spray
Got2be Kinkier spray gel

Plus some finger curling here and there. For what it's worth, other people cannot tell, even when I point it out and show it to them.

corinniePop

Are you me? Seriously, that is the exact description of how my hair behaves. I've never tried any of those products, are they expensive? Where did you get them?

AngelaE8654

Based on this thread and others, I realize that there are two sets of "type 2c curlies": Curlies who have a straighter TOP layer with a ringlety underlayer and curlies who have a straighter underlayer with better curls on the top. I don't think the "straighter part" has anything to do with UV/environmental damage (people often say this because on some people the straighter part is on top, but what about those who have a curlier top layer and straighter under layer?); I think it's a particular type of "2C curls".

SpiralHam

One thing I know for sure about my straight layers at the nape of my neck - I haven't yet found a miracle product that makes them curly.

As for the loose waves around my ears, I can certainly think of some products that don't help them at all (in fact the take the wave right out of them). Some products help encourage and hold the waves I do have there. But nothing really changes them at all.

Only the right haircut helps me to manage them in their natural state. My $0.02 - don't depend on a single product to magically change the nature of your hair. Technique and the right cut (or style) is the key. If I really want the stuff around my ears to match anything else, I have to curl it manually with rollers or something. Most of the time I just tuck it back behind my ears and call it a day (sigh). I have at least 4 distinct patterns to work with.

russianprncss

I am so sorry you're frustrated! We are all frustrated about something. My hair is also 2C to 3A and just like you there are days when something magically works and I get ringlets and then other days where people are like, "I love your beachy waves!" And I'm like, "It's curlier than that!"

Anyway, my life changed when I got a Ouidad cut. If you have a ton of hair like me, it really helped find the curl. Once you have the cut than finding products is a lot easier. You might still have some problem areas (my underlayer is straight-ish and annoying) but it'll be a lot better.

Corrina777

AngelaE8654 wrote: »

Based on this thread and others, I realize that there are two sets of "type 2c curlies": Curlies who have a straighter TOP layer with a ringlety underlayer and curlies who have a straighter underlayer with better curls on the top. I don't think the "straighter part" has anything to do with UV/environmental damage (people often say this because on some people the straighter part is on top, but what about those who have a curlier top layer and straighter under layer?); I think it's a particular type of "2C curls".

I have straighter under layers, especially around the nape of my neck, but I think a lot of that is from plopping, which I consider a necessary evil.

AngelaE8654

Possibly, but I am not convinced. The stuff on my neck is 3b to 3c type ringlets and no amount of plopping is going to straighten them. I worked in Food Service for 20 years (think ponytails every day) and that did not straighten those ringlets. I personally think that's just how many people's hair is: Some have a straighter canopy and some a straighter underlayer.