Why am I losing my curl throughout the day?

BGChristie

Hello! I am just starting the Curly Girl Method and I'm absolutely loving it! My hair has so much more body and curl too it but by the end of the day, my curls turn more into loose waves. I used to straighten my hair so much that I'm not sure what my natural curl pattern/type is! Are my curls falling because of heat damage from straightening? Does anyone know why or have any advice?

(Morning, right after styling)

(Late Afternoon-same day)

Thank you!

ellaj

Hi, @BGChristie, welcome to NC. I like your hair in both of the photos.

Here is a very good article for you to read. I am thinking that you are in "2s" by looking at your pretty waves.  

https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy/here-are-the-top-5-mistakes-wavies-make-when-starting-the-curly-girl-method

Savagegirl

@BGChristie the only ones that have worked for me are Kinky Curly's Curling Custard and Innersense Organic's I Create Hold. Serious hold power. Innersense actually has loads of protein in it too. 

WavyKfromNJ

If you do have heat damage, protein may help.

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/protein-101-lots-of-basic-information.html

ellaj

WavyKfromNJ said:

If you do have heat damage, protein may help.

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/protein-101-lots-of-basic-information.html

Lots of good info here, @WavyKfromNJ. Thanks for the link. 

bomega

HI @BGChristie, 

Welcome to nc.com. Good for you for embracing your natural hair texture. However, to really know what is going on with your hair, it would be helpful to know your hair properties, as those can really help identify what types of products and techniques will work best with your hair. Try the nc.com Texture Quiz: https://www.naturallycurly.com/quiz. This article may also help (especially for porosity, which can be elusive to identify): http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-hair-analysis.html. Also, what products are you using in those pictures above?

Savagegirl

Gel. Finish off with a nice hard hold gel and scrunch it when dry. I've tried everything to avoid that step but that's the ticket to multi day hold for me. 

kay-kay334

Add more protein and curl holds your curls without it crunching

bomega

ellaj said:

WavyKfromNJ said:

If you do have heat damage, protein may help.

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/protein-101-lots-of-basic-information.html

Lots of good info here, @WavyKfromNJ. Thanks for the link. 

@ellaj, 

The entire Sciency Hair Blog is excellent. It is worth reading every article. 

BTW, I really liked that article by Real Life+Curly Girl too. I was also really glad to see her as a contributor to nc.com. She has some great videos for fine low porosity wavies.

BGChristie

@ellaj @bomega @WavyKfromNJ
Oh Goodness, thank you so much! I’m weary to Type my hair because it was significantly curlier before I started my constant straightening and I’m hoping it’ll spring back! But I will definitely do the Porositypart! I actually just bought the DevaCurl Deep Sea Repair Treatment that have some proteins in it, so I will use that next wash day!

@Savagegirl I actually use a gel right now, DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel. Am I using it wrong? How should I be applying it?

bomega

BGChristie said:

@ellaj @bomega @WavyKfromNJ
Oh Goodness, thank you so much! I’m weary to Type my hair because it was significantly curlier before I started my constant straightening and I’m hoping it’ll spring back! But I will definitely do the Porositypart! I actually just bought the DevaCurl Deep Sea Repair Treatment that have some proteins in it, so I will use that next wash day!

@Savagegirl I actually use a gel right now, DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel. Am I using it wrong? How should I be applying it?

Yeah, the constant straightening did have an effect on your hair. But usually, following the CG Method helps it to come back in large part because of the essential moisturizing effects of the CG Method. But figuring out your hair properties, especially the porosity and the hair width will help refine the method to using products and techniques best suited to your hair as it is right now. For example, fine high porosity hair really benefits from protein everyday all the time time but coarse high porosity hair needs protein, but can get protein overload really easily so you have to be careful here. 

From what I understand, heat damage tends to do best well with moisture treatments, and this might be a better way to start, especially if you don't want to focus on your hair properties. I would recommend starting out with protein-free moisturizing deep treatments, and then working with protein after that. It is easier to recover from over moisture than over protein. If you are liking the Devacurl products you are using, they make a moisturizing DT called Melt Into Moisture. 

You might want to check out Rockyn Curls' blog. She started out with the Curly Girl Method to recover from heat damage, and got great results pretty quickly. She has some great technique videos too and does a good job of discussing alternatives for different hair types.

As for why your hair is falling in the end of the day, it would help to know at least what products you used in those photos. 

BGChristie

bomega said:

BGChristie said:

@ellaj @bomega @WavyKfromNJ
Oh Goodness, thank you so much! I’m weary to Type my hair because it was significantly curlier before I started my constant straightening and I’m hoping it’ll spring back! But I will definitely do the Porositypart! I actually just bought the DevaCurl Deep Sea Repair Treatment that have some proteins in it, so I will use that next wash day!

@Savagegirl I actually use a gel right now, DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel. Am I using it wrong? How should I be applying it?

Yeah, the constant straightening did have an effect on your hair. But usually, following the CG Method helps it to come back in large part because of the essential moisturizing effects of the CG Method. But figuring out your hair properties, especially the porosity and the hair width will help refine the method to using products and techniques best suited to your hair as it is right now. For example, fine high porosity hair really benefits from protein everyday all the time time but coarse high porosity hair needs protein, but can get protein overload really easily so you have to be careful here. 

From what I understand, heat damage tends to do best well with moisture treatments, and this might be a better way to start, especially if you don't want to focus on your hair properties. I would recommend starting out with protein-free moisturizing deep treatments, and then working with protein after that. It is easier to recover from over moisture than over protein. If you are liking the Devacurl products you are using, they make a moisturizing DT called Melt Into Moisture. 

You might want to check out Rockyn Curls' blog. She started out with the Curly Girl Method to recover from heat damage, and got great results pretty quickly. She has some great technique videos too and does a good job of discussing alternatives for different hair types.

As for why your hair is falling in the end of the day, it would help to know at least what products you used in those photos. 

Wow! Thank you so much! In these photos I either used DevaCurl Wave Maker or B’leave in with the Ultra Defining gel over it. I always scrunch to apply my products.
I’m not opposed to discovering my hair properties, I’m just hoping that my waves will turn back into curls like they were when I was younger! 

ellaj

BGChristie said:

@ellaj @bomega @WavyKfromNJ
Oh Goodness, thank you so much! I’m weary to Type my hair because it was significantly curlier before I started my constant straightening and I’m hoping it’ll spring back! But I will definitely do the Porositypart! I actually just bought the DevaCurl Deep Sea Repair Treatment that have some proteins in it, so I will use that next wash day!

@Savagegirl I actually use a gel right now, DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel. Am I using it wrong? How should I be applying it?

You are very welcome, @BGChristie. 

ellaj

bomega said:

ellaj said:

WavyKfromNJ said:

If you do have heat damage, protein may help.

http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/protein-101-lots-of-basic-information.html

Lots of good info here, @WavyKfromNJ. Thanks for the link. 

@ellaj, 

The entire Sciency Hair Blog is excellent. It is worth reading every article. 

BTW, I really liked that article by Real Life+Curly Girl too. I was also really glad to see her as a contributor to nc.com. She has some great videos for fine low porosity wavies.

I agree @bomega, it IS an excellent blog.  

BGChristie

@bomega @ellaj @WavyKfromNJ
I bit the bullet and took the Texture Quiz, with the help of Google to make sure I was doing it right! I have 2b/2c waves with low porosity and both medium thickness & density!