I have a weird dilemma...

zcurlygirl

I have strict guidelines from my mother about hair products. She is very concerned about carcinogens and other chemicals affecting my health. I want to buy new hair products, but their ingredients must be up to par with my mom's standards (no parabens, no PVP, etc.).

Can anyone help? This is a picture of my hair:

http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac314/zcurlygirl/IMG_5570-1.jpg?t=1262116804

My hair routine is as follows:

- Co-wash with TJ's Nourish Condish
- Condish with 1/2 TJ's Nourish and 1/2 AOHR
- Rake blob of GDLI
- Scrunch homemade FSG

Some fellow curlies have suggested:

-Boots Curl Cream (no, because of PVP)
-Lustrasilk Cholestral Leave-in
-LA Looks (definite no)
-Ecostyler Gel (also a no, because of PVP)
-[buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curly-Hair-Solutions-Curl-Keeper-p-28.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=curly-hair-solutions-curl-keeper]Curl Keeper[/buylink] (has PVP)

I'm stuck. It seems as though every product I find, she doesn't approve of. I'm looking to control the frizz better, and have more clumps.

Help, please?!

Froggilore

Homemade flax seed gel has worked really well this winter for me for clumps and Frizz control. I use the recipe on the flax seed gel thread here on Naturally Curly.

whatsercurl

I'm not the best at discerning all the chemical names but I don't think most of the Curl Junkie products have parabens or PVP.

If you go to the Curl Mart section of this site, you can select paraben free products as one of the options after you select the product type. Once you have that list you could look at the ingredients of the products that remain.

I think that most gels do have PVP in them.

Oh and I agree with Froggilore. FSG is a good option and super easy to make with many potential add-ins for more oomph.

zcurlygirl

So I showed my mom the ingredients in the Curl Junkie products, and she likes those a lot better. I also showed her [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/AG-Recoil-p-24.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=ag-hair-cosmetics-recoil-curl-activator]Re:coil[/buylink] and she said she would think about it (progress ). :cheers:

Which Curl Junkie products would you recommend for me based on my hair?

Thanks again!

whatsercurl

Other than curl type what are your hair's other properties? If you know those, you can actually go to the Curl Junkie website and there is a matrix that says which products work best.

The ones I use are listed in my siggie as are my hair properties.

zcurlygirl

I just bought StruttsWife's Live Curly Live Free E-book, which helped a lot in determining my hair properties. So from my hair "experiments," my hair properties are:

- normal porosity
- fine texture
- normal elasticity
- medium density (normally, but I went through a period of hair loss following a bout of pneumonia, so it's just now growing in)

So I was thinking that the [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Leave-in-Conditioner-p-936.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Leave-In-Conditioner]Curl Assurance Leave-in Conditioner[/buylink] and the Gelee look right for me.

What do you think?

whatsercurl

Same hair characteristics as me.

I use the Gelee and just last night tried the Curl Fix as a leave in. It has a whack of protein so my curls are nice and bouncy today. It's meant to be a Protein Treatment left on your hair while under a dryer or a hot towel. But it also says on the bottle that it can be used as a leave in and styler too. I'll be trying it as a multi-day styler this week.

Some others are really liking it also.

Curl Fix as a Leave In

I've heard others really like the Curl Assurance though. And honestly, I haven't tried a CJ product that I didn't like in some way, shape or form.

zcurlygirl

Haha, I didn't even realize that!

By the curl fix I assume you mean the [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Aloe-Fix-Hair-Styling-Gel-p-941.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Aloe-Fix-Hair-Styling-Gel]Curl Assurance Aloe Fix Hair Styling Gel[/buylink]?

Is the Gelee like a gel? I was looking for a harder gel over the FSG for more hold. Or maybe the [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Aloe-Fix-Hair-Styling-Gel-p-941.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Aloe-Fix-Hair-Styling-Gel]Curl Assurance Aloe Fix Hair Styling Gel[/buylink] will work for that purpose?

I'm going to go ahead and order the Curl Assurance Leave-in, esp. since it's half-off!

whatsercurl

No there's a new product called Curl Fix - Intense Hair Treatment.

Link: Curl Fix

And the gelee is more like a cream. It's sticky enough for me to use alone but it depends on how strong your curls are.

I really like the [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Aloe-Fix-Hair-Styling-Gel-p-941.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curl-Junkie-Curl-Assurance-Aloe-Fix-Hair-Styling-Gel]Aloe Fix[/buylink] Gel but I have to use a hard hold gel over top of it. It has very little hold. It was designed for much curlier hair like type 4.

There's a sale at the Curl Junkie site where I like the Curl Fix from you might want to check out also. "Happy Holidays! This is the perfect time to celebrate the holiday season and end of the year! Starting on Christmas, Dec. 25th, 2009 through Dec. 31st, 2009 (11:59pm EST), we are offering 20% off your order of $50 or more! Just type in the code "HAPPY1" at checkout! Enjoy

zcurlygirl

What hard hold gel do you use on top of it? Do you know of any that my mother might possibly approve of?

Thanks for all of your help! I'm looking forward to trying these new products.

whatsercurl

Unfortunately probably none of them would be mom approved. I'm currently using LA Looks, but I've used BRHG, HESMU.

Also I've made my own FSG in the past and added Agave nectar to it for hold. I think some have trouble with it this time of year but if your mom has agave (I keep it in the house for a sweetener) it might be worth a try. I only add about 1 tsp to a batch.

There's a HUGE thread on FSG that might give you some ideas. Or Botticellibabe makes it and sells it on Etsy and will make it your specifications.

zcurlygirl

Oh well...

I'm going to try the agave added to the FSG.

Thanks again!

Heather0kay

There are PVP's in almost everything! Try AOMM for the "cleanest" gel. Curl's or [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Curly-Qs-Curly-Q-Gel-lesc-p-944.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Curly-Q-Curl-Gel-Les-C]Curly-Q Gel-les'c[/buylink] has no PVP or parabens. I rotate products so I am not using the same chemicals over and over.

jrad20

You can try [buylink=http://www.curlmart.com/Max-Green-Alchemy-Scalp-Rescue-Texture-Paste-p-969.html?utm_source=naturallycurly.com&utm_medium=text-link&utm_content=curltalk-post-text&utm_campaign=Max-Green-Alchemy-Scalp-Rescue-Texture-Paste]Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Texture Paste[/buylink] which has more of a light but concentrated cream consistency. I believe the ingredients would appeal to you and your mom plus its 40% off through curlmart!

zcurlygirl

Yes, from my searches I've found PVPs in a LOT of products. Thanks for the product suggestions! I have yet to order the leave-in, but I will today. High school is very demanding...

Thanks again!