Thick, unruly hair...crazed!!

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kataklsm originally wrote:
Help! Most everyday is a bad hair day....I have thick, coarse, dry, medium length, wavy, colored hair. It frizzes, it flies away, it poofs, it lumps and clumps even right after washing.

I would like to enhance and define the waves but every gel / hairspray I try just makes the frizzies and flyaways worse. I've tried more products than I can count and nothing seems to tame my hair into the shiny, well defined waves I want.

Any recommendations??

Thanks!

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I also have thick, coarse, dry, wavy, highlighted hair that goes way below my waist.

Here are the products I use on a rotating basis with really good results:

I always start by detangling carefully. When my ends are super dry I use a little dab of Aveda Beautifying Oil which has jojoba in it and I let it set on my ends and middle for about 15-30 minutes. It helps with dry ends.

Shampoo
I have learned that I must use a very moisturizing product or else I get frizz and super poof.

1. Aveda Shampure (Pricey but fabulous for my hair and still working after 10 years of ongoing use).
2. Edwin Paul Luxury (Very rich and moisturizing and good after 2 years).
3. ARTec Smoothing (Excellent product. I love this. ARTec has always had very strict policies against any websites selling their products to the public and have had this policy since the beginning of the Web. They enforce it which is reassuring that they care that consumers learn to use the products well).
4. Phytologie S88 (Very expensive but good for my hair and I alternate monthly).

Rinse Out Conditioner

1. ARTec Smoothing (Like pouring cream on my hair and so soothing. I can feel it working. Worth every penny it costs).
2. Aveda Curessence (Super expensive but also like turning my hair to silk).
3. Edwin Paul Deep Conditioner (I use this about 1x a week as a rinse out conditioner and the EP Remoisturizing as a deep conditioner).
4. Phytologie (they have a few that I alternate with).

I always use warm water to shampoo. Never hot. That adds to dryness. I love hot showers but never use hot water on my hair.

I finish with a cool/cold final rinse.

I carefully finger squeeze the excess water out and then use a super absorband towel to blot...not rub..the water out. I do not leave my wet hair in a turban because this adds to fuzziness.

I spray a good detangler into my hair. I alternate between:

1. Aveda Curressence Spray
2. Phytologie #7 or #9 Leave In Conditioner which is a great detangler and overall good product.
3. ARTec Kiwi spray ( a little drying so I don`t use that often on my hair).
4. Matrix
5. Edwin Paul Leave In Conditioner

I use a seamless pick or big tooth comb. I have a Goody comb that I love with big teeth. I start at the bottom and carefully detangle.

To avoid lumps and bumps I add more detangler or leave in conditioning until my hair is completely smooth.

If I am going to blow dry, which I almost never do except for photos (which I hate having my photo taken) I apply a quarter size of Edwin Paul Smoothing Lotion to my hair and make sure it is applied to the length of my hair. I have to say that this stuff is great. Not just because we sell it. It really really works on my wavy hair. I can get it bone straight.

I then blow dry my hair (not upside down which adds bulk) with the blow dryer on cool, low speed and I direct the air flow from the roots to the ends. I use a boars head paddle brush as a guide to hold the hair straight as I blow dry.

If I want my hair really straight I section it first, clip up all the sections except the one I am working on and then really focus on super straightness.

After I am done blow drying, I apply a tiny bit of Aveda Beauty Oil to the palms of my hands and carefully glide it over the middle and ends to seal and shine. I also use a fabulous ARTec product that is incredible for sealing and shine.

When I don`t want my hair straight, I roll my hair into a big fat knot, attach a large silver alligator clip to the top to hold it and let it air dry. Two hours later I have super wavy hair.

Unfortunately if your hair is damaged from the color you will probably not has as much luck with air drying. You may want to use the blow dryer to just remove the moisture and then try pinning it up in a knot.

Also, it took me a couple of years of weekly hot oil conditioning to recover from the dryness that my hair was suffering from. My hair is naturally dry but I spent a lot of years with Clairol Nice n Easy and really bad hair habits.

I also found that taking flax seed oil internally by mouth helps moisture my hair from the inside out. This makes a very big difference. I also noticed that when I stop with the Flax Seed my hair gets a little drier. So it does work.

Hope that helps. If you need some more advice please let me know and I will do my best to help.

Best wishes & happy hair.
Karen