Hair help! 2C super dryyyyyyy and frizzy

gracefullycurly

I am in need of some HELP!
Ok, so I really started doing the CG method 2 years ago or more(?) and before that was straightening my hair like 2 a week and washing it only 2 a week. I got a hair cut from the same woman I had been going to for the last 8 years and she BUTCHERED MY HAIR! I have bust length hair with such short layers it's like an animal is hiding on top of my head. I've tried finger curling with after my products, diffusing, air drying, gah! Then I started straightening my hair again (really didn't know what else to do..) and it's been about 6 months and I can definitely tell I have heat damage. I'm tired and about to chop it off.. But I'd really like to try and salvage what I have. Suggestions?? I have no curl definition and when I do it's just massively covered up by frizz - even with soaking wet hair!!!!!!

Current routine:
devacurl one condition (not all the way rinsed out)
Kinky curly leave in conditioner or as I am leave in conditioner
Devacurl ultra defining gel
Air dry or diffuse ... Soft curls but so much frizz.

Tried a coconut/deep co from Shea moisture for 30 min. Soft hair... But still frizz. And I did an oil rinse and washed it out with Shea moisture shampoo for dry and damaged hair.

I know I have heat damage and its if repairable but how do I hydrate this mane?????


Sincerely,
NotSoGracefullycurly

Ps: if I put oils in my hair during my routine my hair gets really piecey. It doesn't stay clumped.

MorrisonFan91

hi .

i can kinda relate what your experiencing as i let myself get pressured/shamed into sacrificing my curls. and am having to grow back from that.

you mentioned- that oil treatments seemed not to help? do you think maybe alternating deep condition with protein treat. would?

my hair is very low porosity so i can't do butters/oils in products. also have a ton of allergies including aloe and glycerin.

Mei

Always, always rinse out One Condition completely. It is not meant to be used as a leave in conditioner (the Styling Cream or B'Leave-In is for that purpose) despite a ton of wanna-be youtube stylists suggesting it be used as such. A Devachan Stylist told me to never use One Condition as a leave in because it is not meant for that and will not give you proper results. It is a rinse out only. It also often causes white flecks when used with the LDG/UDG on lopo hair.

Your hair may not like the leave-in glycerin, either, from what I'm reading, it seems that your frizz problem is in part due to the fact that you're leaving in the One Condition which has a boat load of glycerin in it, and glycerin can and often, in many climates, cause extreme flyaways/frizz for some people. That coupled with heat damage may be "the perfect storm" for frizz and lack of definition in your curls/waves. I have a full massive bottle of One Condition under my sink that I can really only use 2 months out of the year because of the climate here. I just wish I'd known I was glycerin sensitive due to my climate with leave-in products before spending $200 on the full line...

I'd suggest a protein treatment in the form of a conditioner every couple of days and see how that fairs. Protein really tames my frizz especially when I had heat damage from straightening when I first transitioned years ago but I had to do it regularly. Even my lopo hair likes a protein treatment in the form of a rinse out conditioner at least once a week. I use Giovanni 2Chic Brazilian Keratin and Argan Oil or Giovanni 2Chic Blackberry and Coconut Milk. The second one is repairing and really thick and has a bit less protein than the first. Both around $13/bottle. I don't think your frizz is going to go away with just one try. Mine didn't and I still deal with it.

As for the haircut, It might be worth it to just trim up the longer length a tiny bit so it doesn't look as dramatic, and then leave it to grow. That's really the only thing you can do at this point. Though if you want it to grow, I'd stay away from chemicals and heat styling - They just encourage more breakage and don't do anything for encouraging hair health, and healthy hair means good growth because then the length isn't splitting and breaking. I did have a really drastic layer once and I loved it - But the longest length was just touching my shoulders so it looked well-put together in a neat little wavy layered bob. I miss it, since no one was ever able to replicate it.

I also think you might try a different (cheaper and less glycerin/polyquat free) gel and air dry to 100% before scrunching the crunch out. UDG has polyquat 7 and I found it makes my hair frizzy. When I was using gel, I preferred Garnier's PureClean gel because despite the glycerin (3rd on the list) there is no polyquats in it. And it isn't $25+ a bottle... It's like $3 a bottle and still CG.

WavyKfromNJ

Protein treatment - I use the colorful neutral protein filler. And, even though my hair is fine Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter. I woke up one morning realized there was no way to do second day hair, so I soaked my hair raked in the butter, put my hair in a bun. That night I had the best hair I had in months.

gracefullycurly

I haven't tried a protein treatment yet. I'll give that a try. Not sure if I'm protein sensitive or not thought. Guess it's a good time to check!! Thanks

MorrisonFan91 wrote: »

hi .

i can kinda relate what your experiencing as i let myself get pressured/shamed into sacrificing my curls. and am having to grow back from that.

you mentioned- that oil treatments seemed not to help? do you think maybe alternating deep condition with protein treat. would?

my hair is very low porosity so i can't do butters/oils in products. also have a ton of allergies including aloe and glycerin.

gracefullycurly

Wow! So much info and I am so grateful. I had NO idea that I had to rinse it out all the way. Most of my conditioners I use as a leave in too kinda. Yikes!!! Well I'll try to rinse it out and see what happens.

I know that one protein treatment won't cure it all, and it will take time, but I deathly want to try to salvage all that I have. I definitely won't be using any heat on my hair. I used a diffuser a couple of times to see how my hair came out, but on the cool setting. It took a lot longer for my hair to dry, but it's worth it because I won't get more damage.

I think you're right though, that maybe evening out the longer layer and creating more of a bob might be the only choice really.

Thank you so much for your recommendations!!!!