Refreshing

Gaby.Vintimi

I haven't been able to find s refreshing method or sleeping one. I was covering my head before bed with a satin scarf. It worked with longer hair but didn't work on short hair, I tried pineapple when my hair was long it din't work and now I just can't do it.

I finally nail down a good wash day routine. I wash and condition my hair with all natural shampoo and conditioner. When in need I use a sulfate free shampoo with proteins. I plop for 5min apply coconut oil and medium hold gel, air dry (60%) and diffuse. My gel has water soluble cones which may be the reason why I can't have a second day. ( I can't find gels without cone, tried a gelatin gel but it was too much protein)
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First day. My hair is shinny, defined and soft to the touch.

Second day is my issue, I tried everything from lavender spray to completing wetting my hair. I tried lavender spray with gel and it worked a couple of times. What works best is completing wetting my hair re-applying oil and gel, air dry and diffuse.
On second day my hair looks dry and dull, lacks definition, feels stiff or crunchy and is frizzy and fluffy.
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This is day 2 after having to refresh mid-day with water and gel. In the morning I applied a mixture of water and conditioner and a bit of my gel spray and air dry. By noon it was a mess so I took water on my hands and applied the gel. The result was more definition and shine, but it looks dull, frizzy and feels sticky because of all the product.
I wash on the third day. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong or what should I change? I'm lost here, I feel like it would be easier to wash everyday.

bomega

Your second day hair picture looks pretty good for second day hair. I have non-existent second day hair. Well, sometimes I can wake up with pretty nice hair, but as soon as I hit the shower, if I pin it up, the humidity frizzes it out.

Around curltalk, I read about home made flax seed gel. Many users on the Homeade FSG thread report 2nd, 3rd, and upwards hair. Have you tried it? I just picked up some flax seeds and I'm going to experiment with it. (A big motivator for me though is how inexpensive it is.)

StephC79

I have tried everything recommended for second day hair. None of it works for me unfortunately. I have resigned myself​ to fully rewetting daily ever though it takes forever to dry 😞

naturecat

I part my hair in back with my hands before going to sleep on a silk pillowcase. Anything else messes up my hair royally. I also use a natural hairspray with super strong hold, before which I could not get multiple day hair. Now I can get 3rd day hair easily, often 4th or 5th (sometimes there is just too much frizz--otherwise it could go a week or longer). Refreshing routines never worked for me, as spraying anything on my hair just frizzes it up, and same if I try to go over it with my hands.

Guide 65

For sleeping, you might want to try a buff. If you can't get one where you're at, you could take an old turtleneck (made of t-shirt material), cut off the neck portion, then wear it like a super-wide headband.

Your second day hair looks pretty good to me. That's a whole lot better than I've ever gotten on the second day!

Gaby.Vintimi

Thank you for all your replies and advice. I'll keep trying to get second day as washing everyday is bad for my scalp.
I know it looks quite ok for second day, but feels really nasty. Today I put gel on dry hair, wet it with hands and apply some curl cream. Let it dry and then diffuse, it looks better than other times and it has more definition than the first day. So hopefully this works in the future.
Bomega: I will definitly try that flax seed gel, thanks for the recommendation.
Janiegirl: I will try making a buff, I slept with a headband and my hair didn't flatten as usual so the buff might work

Gaby.Vintimi

Thank you for all your replies and advice. I'll keep trying to get second day as washing everyday is bad for my scalp.
I know it looks quite ok for second day, but feels really nasty. Today I put gel on dry hair, wet it with hands and apply some curl cream. Let it dry and then diffuse, it looks better than other times and it has more definition than the first day. So hopefully this works in the future.
Bomega: I will definitly try that flax seed gel, thanks for the recommendation.
Janiegirl: I will try making a buff, I slept with a headband and my hair didn't flatten as usual so the buff might work

macher

I can now get 5 - 7 days without washing but I need a good refreshing in between. My hair always looks not as good as 2 day+ hair. Don't know why. I found with refreshing my hair needs conditioner but not that much. I use a water / conditioner mix in a spray bottle. My hair also needs a styler. Deva Frizz Free Volumizing Foam is almost a holy grail for me but don't need much for in between washes, I actually spray my hands with water after I pump some foam onto my palms to dilute the foam and it seems to work better doing that.

With that being said hydration for me is the most important thing. My hair needs hydration daily. My suggestion is to try different hydration techniques.

Also something really important is.. My hair is wavy not curly. It can get curly though. When I learned to accept my natural hair the way it is my routine became easier. When I tried to force my hair into something it wasn't that's when it was frustrating. For instance my hair would be prettt curly on the 1st day because of me forcing it to be that way which isn't my raw natural type. For me to maintain the un-natural I had to work it too hard which lead into trying too many products which messed up my hair even more. I suggest keep it simple. Hope this helps.

I haven't washed my hair in a week but refresh daily...

https://imgur.com/gallery/pGoA7

Gaby.Vintimi

bomega wrote: »

Your second day hair picture looks pretty good for second day hair. I have non-existent second day hair. Well, sometimes I can wake up with pretty nice hair, but as soon as I hit the shower, if I pin it up, the humidity frizzes it out.

Around curltalk, I read about home made flax seed gel. Many users on the Homeade FSG thread report 2nd, 3rd, and upwards hair. Have you tried it? I just picked up some flax seeds and I'm going to experiment with it. (A big motivator for me though is how inexpensive it is.)

I wanted to thank you for suggesting the flax seed gel, I used yesterday had great first day woke up with weird curls but extremely soft hair. I wet my hands and scrunch, to my surprise the gel was re-activated, and when it dried it gave a strong cast. I used the diffuser to break the cast and my second hair day looks way better than the first
So definitely try the flax seed gel, easy to make and cheap

bomega

Glad it worked out! I'm looking forward to trying it. (I still have to get out and buy a fine-mesh strainer. I forgot to do it when I went into town last weekend.)

Wavycat

Just an idea but if you don't have a strainer yet I tried making it with the about an ankle length of the bottom of a nylon stocking. Don't let it get too thick or it will be hard to strain. I actually have put it in a baggie and froze it to use the seeds and me more time.

Geek_Chic

Wavycat wrote: »

Just an idea but if you don't have a strainer yet I tried making it with the about an ankle length of the bottom of a nylon stocking. Don't let it get too thick or it will be hard to strain. I actually have put it in a baggie and froze it to use the seeds and me more time.

I 2nd the nylon stocking idea. I used to stretch the top of one over the mouth of a funnel, then pour the fsg through. Then put on dishwashing gloves (for some insulation), pull the stocking off the funnel, and squeeze out any remaining gel. Worked WAY better than a strainer.

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bomega

Thanks WavyCat and GeekChick for the nylon sock tip - I can probably find that somewhere.

To everyone who uses this homemade FSG, do you have to diffuse or can you airdry?

Geek_Chic

bomega wrote: »

Thanks WavyCat and GeekChick for the nylon sock tip - I can probably find that somewhere.

To everyone who uses this homemade FSG, do you have to diffuse or can you airdry?

I always plopped, then air dried. No need to diffuse. Scrunching excess water out with a flour sack towel, microfiber, or t-shirt works too.

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Gaby.Vintimi

bomega wrote: »

Thanks WavyCat and GeekChick for the nylon sock tip - I can probably find that somewhere.

To everyone who uses this homemade FSG, do you have to diffuse or can you airdry?

I air dry then diffuse just because it seems it's easier to break the cast in that way and the heat makes my hair spring up nicely. I found out that I get a stronger cast with the FSG than with my store bought one, I think I made it too strong or apply too much, I still have to figure it out.

Glamourstruckk

To add on to the straining comments, I read online that people were using French press coffee makers for similar things. Well, I don't have one but I have a tofu press. I put the gel in the press, pushed the flat surface down, and all the seeds went to the bottom while the gel squished out on top of the part that presses. From there I just poured the gel into a container with a sink strainer in case one or two seeds got away.

If you're willing to try this method the coffee presses can be found for cheap. Wouldn't recommend the tofu press unless you actually eat tofu--kind of expensive.