Burning questions about CG routine

psycurlogist

Hi, I'm a 3b with fine hair that has a tendency to frizz. I've been trying to find a CG routine that works for me with some success. Good hair days usual follow when I co-wash w/ Suave Naturals milk and honey then condition w/ [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Elucence-Moisture-Balancing-Conditioner-p-39.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=elucence-elucence-moisture-balancing-conditioner]Elucence Moisture Balancing[/buylink] Condish. However, I haven't been able to achieve the same frizz-free curls on days that I don't do both steps. Yesterday, I just applied the Elucence condish w/ NO co-wash and ended up with semi-frizzy hair...is it a no-no to condish w/out co-washing first? If so, should I simply wet my hair in shower and follow my usual routine (just finger-combing Herbal Essence HDG through hair while wet) after I get out? I'm confused about what I do on days I don't co-wash and condish...PLEASE HELP!:tongue3:

Laura Lee

psycurlogist wrote: »

Hi, I'm a 3b with fine hair that has a tendency to frizz. I've been trying to find a CG routine that works for me with some success. Good hair days usual follow when I co-wash w/ Suave Naturals milk and honey then condition w/ [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Elucence-Moisture-Balancing-Conditioner-p-39.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=elucence-elucence-moisture-balancing-conditioner]Elucence Moisture Balancing[/buylink] Condish. However, I haven't been able to achieve the same frizz-free curls on days that I don't do both steps. Yesterday, I just applied the Elucence condish w/ NO co-wash and ended up with semi-frizzy hair...is it a no-no to condish w/out co-washing first? If so, should I simply wet my hair in shower and follow my usual routine (just finger-combing Herbal Essence HDG through hair while wet) after I get out? I'm confused about what I do on days I don't co-wash and condish...PLEASE HELP!:tongue3:

It's fine to conditioner your hair on in between cowash days. A lot of people do this actually. It's called water washing. I don't do it myself, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you can either just wet your hair, or you can wet and condition the length, then you basically do your styling routine over for the day (so you apply products like you would after a cowash).

psycurlogist

Thanks for your help. I'm also wondering whether I should try a different co-wash condish. I think the Suave I'm using is something like "milk protein." Maybe it's creating a little build-up that makes my hair frizzy when I condish w/out co-washing. I might give a VO5 condish a whirl and see what happens. Any thoughts on differences bewteen Suave and VO5...also, any thoughts about different "flavors" of Suave and which might fit best w/ fine 3b frizz-prone hair? Keep the replies coming gals...greatly appreciated!!

Laura Lee

psycurlogist wrote: »

Thanks for your help. I'm also wondering whether I should try a different co-wash condish. I think the Suave I'm using is something like "milk protein." Maybe it's creating a little build-up that makes my hair frizzy when I condish w/out co-washing. I might give a VO5 condish a whirl and see what happens. Any thoughts on differences bewteen Suave and VO5...also, any thoughts about different "flavors" of Suave and which might fit best w/ fine 3b frizz-prone hair? Keep the replies coming gals...greatly appreciated!!

The frizz probably isn't due to protein. Protein doesn't really build up; it only causes a problem if you're sensitive to it (and trust me, you'd know instantly if you were so I don't think you are).

What kind of climate are you in? If it's cold and dry, the frizz is most likely just your hair crying out for moisutre. It doesn't sound like you're really using any styling products. If you're confident in your cowashing, now is the time to start experimenting with styling products. Most of us wish we could just cowash, condition, and go, but it just isn't the case. Check out the general discussion board and read people's signatures for product ideas (there's an acronym thread on the general discussion board since I know most of our signatures look like alphabet soup)

In the meantime, while you're figuring out what stylers might work for you, getting moisture into your hair is key. Do searches for moisturizing products and things like that. There's a whole world of other conditioners and products out there that can do wonderful things

Boomygrrl

Actually, protein can build up...everyone's experience is different in how fast that can happen.
I get protein build-up easily.
I like VO5 condishes and Suave condishes. I have limited experience with Suave...what I like about VO5 is that it is thinner than Suave (which to me is great for COwashing). My favorite Vo5 condishes are Kiwi Lime, Chamomile, VanillaMint.
Yes, you can water wash, in which you only use conditioner to condition your hair...whereas you use water to "wash" your hair. That only seems to work with me if I don't use styling products prior to the wash. It doesn't seem to wash out styling products very well. If I washed my hair the day before and didn't use styling products, then the next day I can water wash.
Again, everyone's experience is different. I'm sure some people have success water washing and using styling products...probably depends on what they're using.

Boomygrrl

Frizz can happen from too much protein, but that frizz is usually a very dry frizz.

psycurlogist

Hmmmm...it sounds like it might be worth it to try VO5 and see if it works better than Suave. Incidentally, I do use a styling product which is Herbal Essences Humidity Defying Gel (sorry to keep writing out long names but I don't know all the abbreviated lingo:confused4:). It seems to agree with my hair relatively well. I did purchase some aloe vera gel yesterday which I plan to apply under the HE gel to create some more moisture. Would that be the correct usage of the aloe vera?