My hair is fine, 2b/c, High porosity hair. It doesn’t curl for the first couple inches, but idk if that’s because of genetics or something I’m doing wrong. Either way, I have symptoms of not having enough of either protein or moisture. It’s dry and frizzy, and sometimes feels like hay, but also breaks easily and is stringy when it’s wet. All I do is shampoo and condition with shea moistures light blue hydrate and repair. I scrunch it damp and then diffuse on cool for a little but not fully dry. I need ideas for products, and I’m open for deep conditioners or hair masks or something, but I like to get out the door and try not to spend long styling it.
I think the Shea Moisture is maybe not right for your hair. It may be building up and causing issues.Are you in the US? Sally Beauty GVP conditioning balm is like an allergy diet for hair. Conditioner without oil or silicone or much protein just smoothing.
My kid with bleached hair loves AG Sleeek as a leave in, it does have some silicone. She also does sometimes Olaplex.
The one with fine but nonporous hair loves the Innersense Hydrating Hairbath. You might be good with that shampoo, a little conditioner left in, and something for hold, I would say a light gel rather than mousse as even I find mousse drying. Kinky Curly Custard or (again Sally Beauty) Biotera “alcohol free gel with bamboo” quite a mouthful of a name but it’s cheap as heck and very good. Or Garnier Fructis gel cream, that one is light hold and moisturizing.
Editing to add, since you rinse it every morning, have you considered doing a water only routine? What happens if you just don’t wash it at the end of the week? I’ve known 2 people in real life who do that, both had very fine hair around 3a in curl type.
I’m mostly worried about silicones and oils because I only shampoo once a week and I don’t want things to build up. That’s the reason I’m cautious around products in general. I haven’t tried gels, but if I find one that comes as a sample size and is for hair like mine, I should probably try it. It depends on how much time it takes, too, because I hate having to get ready for a long time for anything. Water only sounds sweet, but my hair is too porous for that, and the water alone wouldn’t keep it hydrated. I think that’s my main problem now, keeping the moisture in.
What is your budget like? Not specifically but do you need around Shea Moisture price or can get salon stuff?
My hair is very different but does tend to dryness from being coarse & low porosity - the Innersense Hydrating Cream Conditioner is the only conditioner I’ve used that lasts for days in my hair even if I refresh with water. Their stuff is pricey but concentrated and ‘clean’ & most products are available in liters, that helps. They have travel sizes too.
Styling time, I don’t think gel would increase your styling time much - if you don’t have super thick hair you can literally just scrunch it in in the shower before you dry off.
Shoot, forgot to say, I shampoo and condition once a week and rinse it every morning
Why do you rinse your hair every morning? If it gets oily and itchy I guess it can’t be helped but if it is just frizzy, you need emollients in your hair. If you wet your hair you should add conditioner to it especially if you are doing any detangling. I think you need at least a leave-in conditioner or cream. That could be the reason why it is so dry and frizzy. A deep conditioner doesn’t hurt but I don’t expect hair without a styler to last long at all, it would get frizzy fast. I use a leave in conditioner for moisture and gel for hold (stays frizz free longer) in my hair.
I rinse it because I sleep with my hair down and it gets flat on the back of my head and wetting it and letting it air dry helps fluff it up again. I don’t use any separate products so I wasn’t worried about washing anything out I wanted to keep in. I don’t really lose my curl hold, but it does get frizzy. You’re probably right about the products, but like I said in the other reply, I’m scared to buy something I won’t end up using. I came asking for products that work for hair like mine.
We have very, very similar hair, and I’ve always struggled with this problem. I’m gonna tell you what I’m working on. Maybe it will work for you. Shea Moisture was always way too heavy for me. Yes, you might need moisture, but it’s not great for fine hair. I use a gentle clarifying shampoo that does include sulfates, and right now, I’m shampooing twice a week, three times if something gets funky and I need a refresh. I know that Curly Girl acolytes go sulfate free, but my fine, thin hair needs the cleanser. Before I shampoo, almost every time unless I’m coming back from a run or just don’t have time, I coat my hair in quality extra virgin olive oil. I leave it on for about an hour. Sometimes I’ll coat my hair and then go for a walk or a run, even. I shampoo, then I use a deep conditioner that I leave on for several minutes in the shower. I rinse with lukewarm water, towel dry, then follow with a leave-in conditioner on the ends only, finger coil and gently scrunch, then air dry, unless I need to go out, then I gently diffuse. Sometimes I will root clip if I feel like it. I do this about two times a week, like I said.
If my hair is getting limp in between washes, I will rinse with only water in the shower and follow with the leave-in conditioner again on the ends. I tend to root clip after a water-only wash to help the roots from lying flat.
Now, I’m starting a new routine with my Sunday wash. I’m doing an egg mask. I followed this woman’s video (besides the extra products she uses like The Ordinary hair serum) the first time, and I ended up with really hydrated, defined curls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LhfHaxi4p0
I’m going to try doing this once a week through the fall and winter and see what kind of results I get.
Because my hair is so fine and prone to breakage and being weighed down, I’m hoping that the oil and egg will add some much-needed moisture, protein, and general nutrition.
Also I just watched this guy’s video and maybe I’m a little persuaded now. Anyway, good luck! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXiZAQwZQjc
Do you use leave-in conditioner or cream? That can really help with keeping your hair moisturized. I think not having enough moisture is why your hair feels dry/frizzy/hay-like. You can try adding in a deep conditioner, Shea Moisture has a manuka honey deep hydration masque you could try. If that doesn’t help, there might be too much protein in your products (your hair might feel stiff, tangly, sticky, and brittle if this is the case). Too much protein is fixed by clarifying to get rid of the protein buildup and then using different products with less protein or a different protein in them or no protein if your hair doesn’t need it. Fine and high porosity hair generally can benefit from some protein, you don’t need it in every product when you’re first starting.
How is your hair’s elasticity? You can test this by when you stretch it, does it bounce back (normal), doesn’t stretch / snaps (need more moisture), does not bounce back when stretched (need more protein). Also how long is your hair? If it is long, your hair might be weighed down by the weight so that’s why it doesn’t curl the first few inches, this can happen with fine hair. Stringiness while wet sounds normal.
My hair is layered, and goes just past my collarbone when curly but goes down about 3 or 4 inches when you pull it out of the curl, not stretching. It snaps and doesn’t stretch so you’re probably right about the moisture. I have used cream and mousse, separately, but I mean it was a year or two ago and I didn’t read if it was right for me, and it turned out to be too heavy and weighed down my hair and made it look greasy. I looked at the product list on reddit but they don’t really tell you anything about porosity or thin/thick hair so I’m not sure what to try. I also wanted to ask if there was any place to buy products that are smaller containers so I don’t sink a bunch of money into stuff that doesn’t work for me.
Alright so I would go with products that say they are lightweight since your hair gets weighed down easily. If it doesn’t mention being lightweight or gives volume, you can probably skip it.
Companies that offer sample sizes (some you have to go online to their store to get them) would be: Curlsmith (weightless air dry cream), Moptop, Jessicurl (has lightweight versions of their products also available without fragrance), Ouidad, Shea Moisture, Aveda, and Not Your Mother’s (target and ulta). This is not an exhaustive list but is what I could come up with.
I agree I wish the list also had the person’s hair type listed, it really depends on the formula and not just individual ingredients to determine if it is light weight or not.
I guess I’ll just go with trial and error then, huh? I’m pretty sure ulta has a good return policy, too. I’ve got one close enough to me
Use a leave-in conditioner. This helps to provide extra hydration and moisture benefits to your strands making it easier to brush or comb through without causing breakage. I use this one garnier
Extra tips. When I use my products. My hair is soaking wet before applying it, I feel this creates less frizz rather than damp
Use a satin bonnet or a satin pillowcase to sleep both will help you to maintain your hair healthy, hydrated, and moist and preserve your waves for the next day. I like and use this brand. Great satin quality satin bonnet and satin pillowcase
I like to use gel because this helps to hold the curls so that they don’t fall flat through the day The gel helps retain moisture better and less frizzy hair. I like this one kinky curly
I hope this helps.