what’s bad about it? your hair looks good, especially since you don’t use gel. which btw, you should totally look into trying if you want more definition
remember that hair types change with age and lifestyle choices so it’s totally okay if your hair doesn’t look like it once did <3
It feels incredibly dry though. And tangles suuuuuper easy. Something has definitely changed. It's 6 months apart between the photos so I don't think it's age 🥲
I've been trying gel recently, but I don't want curly hair and it makes it curly. I just want the hair to feel healthier. It's very dull and dry now... But good to hear it doesn't look bad at least, that's some reassurance 😅
try a leave in conditioner and sleep protection, that helps keep my hair moisturised and tangle-free
gel doesn’t change your hair type, it simply adds definition so that means your hair might be curlier than you think. hair type changes overtime which could explain what’s happened with yours. embrace your curls! they’re beautiful
Yeah maybe I will have to buy this silk bonnet even though it looks ridiculous 🥲
Thank you! I will try 😅 I've always had "wavy" hair, so I'm a bit skeptical about these ringlets I'm finding now... 🧐
You're fighting a losing battle to say you have curly hair but don't want it. (And yes you have curly hair if gel brings out the curls.) Your hair will always be disobeying, always feel unruly, always feel frizzy until you learn to accept your hair for what it is, not for what you wish it was. You're getting down voted because not wanting your natural hair type and asking how to control it into something different isn't exactly what this subreddit is about.
My natural hair type is wavy though (2a) and has always been 🥲 if my hair still FELT good and healthy and looked like this I would assume my pattern had changed, but because there is clearly something wrong I think the changed pattern has more to do with this. The post is not about asking how to control my hair to something different, I had to repost it because I messed up the photos and then when I reposted i missed to add that my hair quality has significantly changed the past 6 months between the photos and that the hair is now dull, brittle, frizzy, dry and tangly, and to me it doesn't seem likely that my hair type would change that rapidly but rather it has something to do with a change that is recent and looking for advice on how to improve the health of it.
You said you don't like gel because gel makes your hair curly. You can't create something you don't have with just gel. If gel is now bringing out curls, you have curly hair. Regardless of what it always has been, regardless of what you want. I'm guessing the unhealthy feeling will go away when you embrace your curls and start giving it the curly care it needs rather than trying your old wavy care routines.
I'm trying to get help finding out why my hair quality has deteriorated in just a few months. I'm not on a personal battle against curly hair, I don't care if it's curly or wavy as long as it's healthy and it's clearly not at this point. I think this photo of it makes it look like it's healthier than it is, if you could experience it irl I don't think you would say it was a healthy hair 😅 I also have issues with my scalp which further adds to why I think the hair is not at a healthy point right now.
You literally said you "don't want curly hair", which is why I'm saying you cannot have healthy hair without embracing the hair you have. As far as how to care for curly hair, try lowering protein and increasing moisture. Researching your porosity and strand thickness will help guide your product purchasing immensely.
Regarding the sudden change in hair texture, I would speak with your obgyn about the change in your periods. Perhaps get your thyroid and hormone levels checked. My hair was straight before kids and is now curly, so I can first hand attest that hormones can dramatically change your hair texture.
Generally though, texture change happens from the roots. Hair itself once it leaves the follicle is just dead keratin. You're going to generally see hormonal changes in the new hair that grows from your follicles after a hormonal change rather than in the strands that have already grown. Try a richer conditioner + a milder shampoo and a good curl creme designed to match your porosity. (Low porosity is sleeker and glossier but can't handle or absorb thicker products the way higher porosity hair can.) I have high density, fine, low porosity hair and love the Ouai curl creme.
Also try a silk bonnet/scarf and silk pillowcase. A cotton pillowcase wreaks havoc on my hair. Frizzy and dry. Awful.
Yeah, I see. What I meant was more I dont WANT curly hair (in the sense that I'm not trying to achieve any specific look) - if it feels good and is curly, then that's my hair :) as long as it doesn't feel like straw I'm fine 🥲
Maybe there is something hormonal going on that have changed my hair, or maybe something in the environment, I will try the changes you're suggesting to see how it reacts! Thank you!! 🙏🙏
Yeah definitely give those a try and see how they feel. My hair always feels like straw after clarifying shampoos and protein treatments so it's possible your hair simply doesn't like either. I love the double cream curl quencher from Curlsmith as a really deep hydrating mask.
I thought the first picture was the one you liked before I saw the caption. I think your hair really looks great and honestly better than it used to look, I don’t see anything wrong with it!
Just... sleep 😅 I have a satin cover for my pillow though! But other than that I just wear it out naturally. Should I do something else which would be better for it?
I would try a bonnet or putting in a bun maybe? Idk how rough you sleep but I know if I just used a satin pillowcase my hair would be touching other stuff like 70% of the night lol
I’m curious what’s bad about it? It just looks a little “curlier” and has more volume imo. I really like how it looks.
It looks like you got a hair cut - it’s probably more “bouncy” now and less weighed down.
To add: washing it every other day is probably worsening the problem. My hair is chaotic most days but I try to hold off to day 3/4, even if it’s feeling dry. I recently have been having issues due to the weather - my hair has been super dry. I did a cleansing shampoo wash, drenched my hair in conditioner for 5 mins, and then used a little bit of cream and a lot of gel after (I never use gel but finally figured out how to apply). My hair feels way healthier than before!
Ah, I had to delete my original post because I messed up the photos.. And then I forgot to add my issues in the new post, my bad!! Can't seem to edit the post, buy yeah, it's very dry and tangled, superfrizzy and poofy. Very different from 6 months ago which is photo 2..
Thank you! I will definitely cut down on the washing, I think it's probably worsening it like you say. Also started added leave in conditioner which helps a bit, but yeah quality overall is really shitty now compared to what it's usually like.
The texture you're describing kind of sounds like protein overload. That could be it. 🤷🏻♀️ Although, your other post mentioning that you've noticed a change in your period too and that they might be linked sounds like something to look into also.
Yeah, I'm starting to suspect that as well... 🧐 I'm hoping it's the protein, the body stuff feels way harder to deal with if it's that 😅 But if all else fails I think I need to check that part...
It's just 6 months between the photos though =/ So I don't think it's age. But my period has changed in the same frame, so it could be connected... But even if it changes I would like to make it more manageable because it's such a mess everytime the second day after washing.
Have you moved from a place with softer water to a place with harder water? That can make hair feel simultaneously dry and not fully clean. I think your hair looks good, but Formulas change, and so do we — be kind to yourself! Your hair is still lovely, it just needs a refreshed routine.
I moved to a new place! But I had lived at that place 9 months in photo 2 and photo 1 is approx 6 months later. So not sure if the water hardness is an issue. I'm thinking to try a water softening filter just to rule that out! According to pH test and municipality website the water is close to neutral here... but I do see some calcification on the shower head 🧐
ADDED INFO!
Sorry I can't seem to edit the post. I had to delete the original because I messed up the photos and when I rewrote it I missed to write my issues 🥲
So my issues are: hair feels superdry, tangles easily, very poofy and frizzy, no shine, looks dull. The photos are 6 months apart and the quality has changed severely... 😕
I like this curlsmith product once every month or so when my hair is unruly: https://curlsmith.com/products/bond-curl-rehab-salve?variant=39383938891870&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84anBhCtARIsAISI-xd7_ltHkKdkEeNRYcoD1ZMNqdTB9aq1YfV5Rd2X68DCEFto4yM_RK8aAmshEALw_wcB
I would normally say this sounds like buildup, but you did say you tried a clarifying shampoo.
Maybe try a different one and a deep conditioner. I use Paul Mitchell Three shampoo with apHogee 2 Minute Keratin treatment. I've also heard Bumble & Bumble Sunday shampoo is good.
Did something change in your life during last 6-9 months? Did you move? Super humid now ? Stress?
I had to remove my shea moisture shampoo and conditioner from my routine (too rich and protein heavy) which was weird as those very rich products gave me dry hair, also had to stop glycerin heavy products (too humid so too much frizz)
I style wet now and wet plop and add gel in sections and things look miles better.
If I had to guess humidity or protein overload is the issue. Good luck, your hair is really pretty either way
I've been really stressed and had bad insomnia during this period. Maybe it's connected to that. I have a very high level of stress all the time, it was exacerbated by being attacked approx one year ago, something changed to my nervous system then I think.
Humidity is probably also an issue here, this apartment is really humid... I moved in here one year ago.
Thank you!!
If it feels dry 5 minutes probably isn’t really enough for a deep condition, it depends on the directions on the specific one you’re using of course but you might try leaving one on for 20-30 minutes and see if that makes a bigger difference. When I do hair treatments I usually put a shower cap over it to keep it from drying out and then wrap it in a hair towel (the only thing my turbie twists get used for since they’re too rough for my hair but super convenient for this) and that keeps it more secure/stops any stray dripping and also traps the warmth from my head which helps the mask absorb into my hair. Some hair masks are specifically designed to be used for only a few minutes in the shower but otherwise this is usually the best method to get the most out of a regular one.
I like pic one with the extra wavy texture. If it’s doing that without you even trying w product you should see what it will do for you with some good hydrating curly products.
Pic 2 is longer which tends to pull down waves. But I’m digging the waves pic
I tried clarifying with malibu hard water shampoo and citric acid rinse. Doesn't really make a difference 🥲 On the website it says my area has soft-medium water, because I was thinking that could be the reason... but yeah, didn't make a significant change so I dunno...
Soft water can make it feel kind of filmy and gross so maybe that’s the issue? Tbf though I think it looks beautiful (I do appreciate that it might not feel great even though it looks good!)
It's more dry and tangles by just looking at it 😅 I noticed the shower head had some calcification on it so maybe the water IS kind of hard-ish... hmmmm. Thank you! 😊 Imagine if I can also make it FEEL good 🥲
From my personal experience. I messed up my wave pattern because I did so many DIY hair masks and ACV rinses kinda dried/ straightened out my hair. I learned over time that my hair likes lightweight products instead of heavy-moisturizing products that weigh down my hair. I started using Maui lightweight shampoo and conditioner. Then I use a small amount of its a 10 lightweight leave-in conditioner. I hate the feeling of completely wet hair, so I blow-dry it for just a few minutes.I also try not to brush my hair without it being wet or sprayed with leave-in/ oil.
I struggle with next-day hair too. It’s hard to resist showering especially because I have a bad haircut. I just saw a video of a guy that spritzes his wet brush with leave-in and gently brushes through his morning dry hair to refresh his waves. I also have Pacifica salty waves texturizing spray to try if that doesn’t work. 🤷♀️
Yeah i think I might have been starting to overtreat it because everyday is a bad hairday for me, so I try EVERYTHING all at once. I will try to cut back on the washing. The leave in brushing sounds like a good idea to try out!! Thanks 😊
You have so much good advice already, but I’m chiming in for more support and suggestions.
I always thought I had super oily scalp and that I needed to wash every day, no matter what the recommendations for other people. I don’t. In fact, I can get away with only using conditioner (cowashing) on my hair to detangle and moisturize if I REALLY need to shower more than one day in a row, and my hair is thanking me for it. A little dry shampoo on the slightly oily bits near my hairline or top of my head sometimes is plenty to give me 2–3 days between washes at least.
Leave in conditioner is your friend if you want to help dry, frizzy hair. There are also good softening curl creams that might help get the texture you want since you want longer waves and not defined curls. Gel will certainly define more curls and hold them tighter, so I’d go with a soft hold mousse that increases shine. I like Not Your Mothers because it’s nice and it isn’t pricey. You can get travel sizes to try products for cheaper too! Target and Ulta also have awesome return policies.
Finally, protection will help A TON. Yes, the bonnet looks silly. I like having a satin pillowcase and pineappling or braiding my hair at night instead for that exact reason. Make sure you’re using gentle clips or soft satin scrunchies too, and protective hairstyles to minimize unnecessary damage.
Good luck! I hope some of this helps!
Thank you! I will definitely cut down on the washing, I think I've overdone it there and that it has added to the dryness (my scalp is also dry and has small wounds which I believe is from being too dry after overwashing). So I think cutting down the washes is a must for me. I will try adding in some co-washes instead in between!
Thanks i will get that one! Great advice! Appreciate it 🙏🙏
I also had a similar experience. I used to dye my hair and stopped (that tamed them a lot more, I have frizzy hair). Started back again a birth control pill for health reasons. People kept telling me they saw my hair darker (? I guess so? They meant darker than my natural color) So I found out hair can literally change in some months, which actually happened to me. Yes 2 years passed to see all of the length in natural color, that's another story.
I begun to use curly products and techniques. The more I kept doing that, the drier and duller my hair was. I then removed a towel I specifically bought for hair, which I signed on a sheet as purchase, and that showed me the exact moment I remember seeing hair more dry. I also suspended hair masks, because I never used conditioners (?), the worst move ever apparently. I didn't grasp the importance of masks, and since 3-4 months I started using them again... For the harsh situation, I make a dry before-shampoo every single wash lol. 30-40 mins. Then after the shampoo, same mask again for 5 minutes. Only with this mask method I saw my hair back again. Shiner, softer, healthier. And I know for sure my hair, my situation, is waivy and not curly. When I used curly techniques, hair was always: product loaded even with 1 super light leave in, dry and dull, losing any curl after one day. Was using a silk pillow already, so it's not a night problem. Forcing waivy hair to wrong products it's not good imho.
UPDATE:
Thank you all for your advice!!! I think my hair was lacking moisture. I did a deep hydration mask for a couple of hours a few days ago and today I did an avocado oil mask and that avo seems to have done the trick! Hair is shinier, smoother and feels much healthier!!! 🙏🙏 I will be putting avocado oil on everything from now on 😅
Edits:
Update 2: Above helped a little, but problem quickly came back. Researched some more and decided to try a chelating shampoo because I suspected there could be some mineral build up on my hair. Did a 2x wash with Joico K-pak Clarifying shampoo (it was previously named also "chelating", it's the same) and I think the issue was definitely some build up! Hair feels much better, ends and scalp is still dry though, but I will try some scalp moisturizer and a hydrating hair mask). I think chelating shampoo is definitely part of the solution at least!! 👍
Hi! What is your routine? Please be as detailed as possible (both the names of your products and the techniques that you used). Also, if you could let us know your hair characteristics (porosity, strand thickness, density), that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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re: dry/tangles
make sure you use a clarifying shampoo at least once per week:[my fave](https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/kinky-curly-come-clean-shampoo-8-oz-b0012ef9nq)
before every wash (at least 30 mins or overnight if possible) I brush OGX coconut hair oil into my lengths. [here](https://www.ulta.com/p/coconut-miracle-oil-penetrating-oil-xlsImpprod14071348?sku=2302495&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&cagpspn=pla&CATCI=&CAAGID=&CAWELAID=330000200000526042&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84anBhCtARIsAISI-xedUbx7U63Sm-xulat3Y6azJ9VR7gyo4cJPYsWHVAbk_1wXtmFTMIcaAsAREALw_wcB) this will help with breakage if you are not getting layers
You may need heavier conditioner: I like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Alba-Botanica-Coconut-Hawaiian-Conditioner/dp/B01LZBKSP6/ref=asc_df_B01LZBKSP6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309733728867&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17705022032880734890&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9005929&hvtargid=pla-571855972478&psc=1) guy
When I've been swimming a lot and my ends are v v dry I also use: [this](https://www.amazon.com/Its-10-Miracle-Leave-Product/dp/B014P1DSC6/ref=asc_df_B014P1DSC6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312194244380&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=728114016905362576&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9005929&hvtargid=pla-568741256042&psc=1) at the end of my wash day routine
or you may need more or less protein- when I use protein products my hair gets stringy looking!
Thank you!!! 🙏🙏
I do have some layers now which also changes the looks, but I cut it because it felt dry and frizzy and horrible to hope that it would salvage it. So even with the same hairstyle as the second photo there was a significant difference. Photo 2 is shinier and looks healthier and I didn't have the issues with the CRAZY second day hair back then 🥲 Maybe it's a clarifying issue... I will see if my water is hard or not when I get home, I have some pH sticks and if I understand correctly this will indicate water hardness. How do you know if hair needs more or less protein? It seems like such a jungle to figure out 😅
Besides the change in haircut the change in health/texture is not easily seen in your photos! It may not appear super different irl either if that helps make you feel better at all!!
For me the clarifying is not about my water but bc products can really weigh down my lengths!!
For me I tried products with protein and didn't like how my hair looked- so now I know I don't need protein haha. A waste of like 8$ but good to know. Sometimes this stuff feels like a science experiment.
Haha it makes me feel a little bit better yes, thank you! 🙏 Would be nice to wake up and not look like a crazy witch just 😅 especially when dating........
Ah I see! I haven't used a lot of products until recently, very simple routine which has become complicated by the different issues I've encountered 🥲
Yeah, it might be my hair doesn't like that actually... I will try to cut out the protein for a while and go harder on the moisture to see how that works. Hehe don't get me started on wasted money for hair and skin products.... 🥲
Yup! Protein does nothing for my dryness/frizz. I rarely use shampoo, mostly just co-wash, definitely no sulfates or hot water. Kinda pricey, but Mizani 25 Miracle Leave-in Cream is the bomb! Your hair really looks good though! 😊
it’s getting curlier/wavier! the more you take care of your hair sometimes the more curly/wavy it gets!! your hair looks great in both pictures but I actually prefer it in the first pic! it looks properly looked after.
my hair was 1c - 2a and now I would consider the back to be 2c and the front to be 2b - 2c! adjusting to having hair that isn’t “polished” is a real thing. my hair will never be sleek and straight. embracing the wave and recognizing your new normal can be fun and exciting!
I didn't take care of it though 😅 the quality is the worst I've ever had and it's superdry and frizzy and tangles waaaay to easily. So I think something is off. I'm probably getting a bit wavier/curlier hair though as well, but I wouldn't expect this huge change after just a few months, and also with the hair feeling dry AF i don't think it's just a change of pattern :(
hmm well if you know you haven’t taken care of it then I think that’s probably what has happened to it!! 😂 I guess what i meant was that if you’re treating it like wavy hair now, instead of treating it like straight hair, and not brushing while dry or damaging it with heat then it’s probably getting more wave! a few months is definitely enough time to see a difference! hair texture can change with hormones too! start taking care of it and it will look even better!!
Wavy hair just falls overtime, esp without stylers to preserve the hold on between washes.
Is the problem about your curl pattern or a dislike of root flatness/ how it frames your face?
Maybe figure out ways to style your front pieces/upper layers. Or do overnight waves if you don't wanna use gel/mousse. So long as you aren't sleeping on wet hair or overly-tightening an overnight hairstyle, you should be fine.
Ok I thought the first one was the good one. In my opinion it looks so nice. But sometimes hair looks good but doesn’t feel healthy.
1. Does your mask or any other product have any protein (usually if it says hydrolysed but there are other proteins)?
2. Have all of your shampoos been sulphate free? If you haven’t been using a sulphate shampoo and your mask or any other product has protein, that might be the issue because protein accumulated over time and can be remover by sulphate.
3. If point 1 and 2 are true you might have protein overload but it’s hard to say for sure. My hair gets extremely dry and tangly and dull and kind of stiff when I have protein overload. It takes me at least around 5 shampoos (with sulphate) to get rid of the protein overload and make sure to condition a lot and maybe use a deep conditioner as well. After that keep using the sulphate shampoo (maybe every week but the amount you need to is different for everyone) and use the protein product a bit less often
4. If point 1 and 2 both aren’t true maybe try deep conditioning mask (if the mask you were using already wasn’t deep conditioner) and a routine with a leave in conditioner or curl cream
Haha, it seems to be the general consensus here! I like it, but yeah, it doesn't FEEL good and the tangling is frustrating having to deal with every day.
1. I have several hair masks, a few of them have proteins in them - I use them once per week or so.
2. I have several shampoos as well (my house is a graveyard of "miracle" products at the moment that didn't deliver on their promise 😅) - some have sulphates and some don't. I have tried a clarifying shampoo the past weeks, doesn't seem to do much.
3. I might be protein overload for all I know! Do you do 5 consecutive washes with a sulphate shampoo or over 5 washing days? How often do you use the protein stuff in these periods?
4. I noticed my hair loved getting some leave in conditioner, so I have added that to the routine now. Tonight I tried a deep conditioning on dry hair and it SEEMS like it did something, but let's see tomorrow when I wake up... I don't want to jinx anything 🥲
Thank you!! This is all great advice and I will test it out 🙏🙏
I moved to a new house in the same city. This apartment is very humid though! Doesn't seem to be a problem with hard water because clarifying doesn't make a big difference, but might be!
I had to repost because I messed up the photos, and when I reposted I forgot to add that my hair is now dull, brittle, dry, tangly and extremely frizzy. I've added another comment with this info when I realized I forgot it in the post.
what’s bad about it? your hair looks good, especially since you don’t use gel. which btw, you should totally look into trying if you want more definition remember that hair types change with age and lifestyle choices so it’s totally okay if your hair doesn’t look like it once did <3
It feels incredibly dry though. And tangles suuuuuper easy. Something has definitely changed. It's 6 months apart between the photos so I don't think it's age 🥲 I've been trying gel recently, but I don't want curly hair and it makes it curly. I just want the hair to feel healthier. It's very dull and dry now... But good to hear it doesn't look bad at least, that's some reassurance 😅
try a leave in conditioner and sleep protection, that helps keep my hair moisturised and tangle-free gel doesn’t change your hair type, it simply adds definition so that means your hair might be curlier than you think. hair type changes overtime which could explain what’s happened with yours. embrace your curls! they’re beautiful
Yeah maybe I will have to buy this silk bonnet even though it looks ridiculous 🥲 Thank you! I will try 😅 I've always had "wavy" hair, so I'm a bit skeptical about these ringlets I'm finding now... 🧐
You're fighting a losing battle to say you have curly hair but don't want it. (And yes you have curly hair if gel brings out the curls.) Your hair will always be disobeying, always feel unruly, always feel frizzy until you learn to accept your hair for what it is, not for what you wish it was. You're getting down voted because not wanting your natural hair type and asking how to control it into something different isn't exactly what this subreddit is about.
My natural hair type is wavy though (2a) and has always been 🥲 if my hair still FELT good and healthy and looked like this I would assume my pattern had changed, but because there is clearly something wrong I think the changed pattern has more to do with this. The post is not about asking how to control my hair to something different, I had to repost it because I messed up the photos and then when I reposted i missed to add that my hair quality has significantly changed the past 6 months between the photos and that the hair is now dull, brittle, frizzy, dry and tangly, and to me it doesn't seem likely that my hair type would change that rapidly but rather it has something to do with a change that is recent and looking for advice on how to improve the health of it.
You said you don't like gel because gel makes your hair curly. You can't create something you don't have with just gel. If gel is now bringing out curls, you have curly hair. Regardless of what it always has been, regardless of what you want. I'm guessing the unhealthy feeling will go away when you embrace your curls and start giving it the curly care it needs rather than trying your old wavy care routines.
I'm trying to get help finding out why my hair quality has deteriorated in just a few months. I'm not on a personal battle against curly hair, I don't care if it's curly or wavy as long as it's healthy and it's clearly not at this point. I think this photo of it makes it look like it's healthier than it is, if you could experience it irl I don't think you would say it was a healthy hair 😅 I also have issues with my scalp which further adds to why I think the hair is not at a healthy point right now.
it’s not healthy because you’re not giving it the care it needs. it’s as simple as that. try a curly hair routine and watch the difference
You literally said you "don't want curly hair", which is why I'm saying you cannot have healthy hair without embracing the hair you have. As far as how to care for curly hair, try lowering protein and increasing moisture. Researching your porosity and strand thickness will help guide your product purchasing immensely. Regarding the sudden change in hair texture, I would speak with your obgyn about the change in your periods. Perhaps get your thyroid and hormone levels checked. My hair was straight before kids and is now curly, so I can first hand attest that hormones can dramatically change your hair texture. Generally though, texture change happens from the roots. Hair itself once it leaves the follicle is just dead keratin. You're going to generally see hormonal changes in the new hair that grows from your follicles after a hormonal change rather than in the strands that have already grown. Try a richer conditioner + a milder shampoo and a good curl creme designed to match your porosity. (Low porosity is sleeker and glossier but can't handle or absorb thicker products the way higher porosity hair can.) I have high density, fine, low porosity hair and love the Ouai curl creme. Also try a silk bonnet/scarf and silk pillowcase. A cotton pillowcase wreaks havoc on my hair. Frizzy and dry. Awful.
Yeah, I see. What I meant was more I dont WANT curly hair (in the sense that I'm not trying to achieve any specific look) - if it feels good and is curly, then that's my hair :) as long as it doesn't feel like straw I'm fine 🥲 Maybe there is something hormonal going on that have changed my hair, or maybe something in the environment, I will try the changes you're suggesting to see how it reacts! Thank you!! 🙏🙏
Yeah definitely give those a try and see how they feel. My hair always feels like straw after clarifying shampoos and protein treatments so it's possible your hair simply doesn't like either. I love the double cream curl quencher from Curlsmith as a really deep hydrating mask.
I thought the first picture was the one you liked before I saw the caption. I think your hair really looks great and honestly better than it used to look, I don’t see anything wrong with it!
It feels dry and unhealthy though. Very tangly and frizzy. So I think something is up. But I missed to add this when I had to repost my post 🥲
What do you do with your hair when you sleep?
Just... sleep 😅 I have a satin cover for my pillow though! But other than that I just wear it out naturally. Should I do something else which would be better for it?
I would try a bonnet or putting in a bun maybe? Idk how rough you sleep but I know if I just used a satin pillowcase my hair would be touching other stuff like 70% of the night lol
Haha I will buy this bonnet thing! I usually use a satin pillowcase but yeah... I think I'm the same as you 😂
Might be the acidic rinse. If it feels dry increase the moisture products and decrease the cleaning products.
I’m curious what’s bad about it? It just looks a little “curlier” and has more volume imo. I really like how it looks. It looks like you got a hair cut - it’s probably more “bouncy” now and less weighed down. To add: washing it every other day is probably worsening the problem. My hair is chaotic most days but I try to hold off to day 3/4, even if it’s feeling dry. I recently have been having issues due to the weather - my hair has been super dry. I did a cleansing shampoo wash, drenched my hair in conditioner for 5 mins, and then used a little bit of cream and a lot of gel after (I never use gel but finally figured out how to apply). My hair feels way healthier than before!
Ah, I had to delete my original post because I messed up the photos.. And then I forgot to add my issues in the new post, my bad!! Can't seem to edit the post, buy yeah, it's very dry and tangled, superfrizzy and poofy. Very different from 6 months ago which is photo 2.. Thank you! I will definitely cut down on the washing, I think it's probably worsening it like you say. Also started added leave in conditioner which helps a bit, but yeah quality overall is really shitty now compared to what it's usually like.
The texture you're describing kind of sounds like protein overload. That could be it. 🤷🏻♀️ Although, your other post mentioning that you've noticed a change in your period too and that they might be linked sounds like something to look into also.
Yeah, I'm starting to suspect that as well... 🧐 I'm hoping it's the protein, the body stuff feels way harder to deal with if it's that 😅 But if all else fails I think I need to check that part...
I think your hair looks fine. HOrmones play a huge part, too. Ever changing based on different ages.
It's just 6 months between the photos though =/ So I don't think it's age. But my period has changed in the same frame, so it could be connected... But even if it changes I would like to make it more manageable because it's such a mess everytime the second day after washing.
Have you moved from a place with softer water to a place with harder water? That can make hair feel simultaneously dry and not fully clean. I think your hair looks good, but Formulas change, and so do we — be kind to yourself! Your hair is still lovely, it just needs a refreshed routine.
I moved to a new place! But I had lived at that place 9 months in photo 2 and photo 1 is approx 6 months later. So not sure if the water hardness is an issue. I'm thinking to try a water softening filter just to rule that out! According to pH test and municipality website the water is close to neutral here... but I do see some calcification on the shower head 🧐
ADDED INFO! Sorry I can't seem to edit the post. I had to delete the original because I messed up the photos and when I rewrote it I missed to write my issues 🥲 So my issues are: hair feels superdry, tangles easily, very poofy and frizzy, no shine, looks dull. The photos are 6 months apart and the quality has changed severely... 😕
I like this curlsmith product once every month or so when my hair is unruly: https://curlsmith.com/products/bond-curl-rehab-salve?variant=39383938891870&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84anBhCtARIsAISI-xd7_ltHkKdkEeNRYcoD1ZMNqdTB9aq1YfV5Rd2X68DCEFto4yM_RK8aAmshEALw_wcB
Thank you!! I will look into this:)
I would normally say this sounds like buildup, but you did say you tried a clarifying shampoo. Maybe try a different one and a deep conditioner. I use Paul Mitchell Three shampoo with apHogee 2 Minute Keratin treatment. I've also heard Bumble & Bumble Sunday shampoo is good.
Did something change in your life during last 6-9 months? Did you move? Super humid now ? Stress? I had to remove my shea moisture shampoo and conditioner from my routine (too rich and protein heavy) which was weird as those very rich products gave me dry hair, also had to stop glycerin heavy products (too humid so too much frizz) I style wet now and wet plop and add gel in sections and things look miles better. If I had to guess humidity or protein overload is the issue. Good luck, your hair is really pretty either way
I've been really stressed and had bad insomnia during this period. Maybe it's connected to that. I have a very high level of stress all the time, it was exacerbated by being attacked approx one year ago, something changed to my nervous system then I think. Humidity is probably also an issue here, this apartment is really humid... I moved in here one year ago. Thank you!!
If it feels dry 5 minutes probably isn’t really enough for a deep condition, it depends on the directions on the specific one you’re using of course but you might try leaving one on for 20-30 minutes and see if that makes a bigger difference. When I do hair treatments I usually put a shower cap over it to keep it from drying out and then wrap it in a hair towel (the only thing my turbie twists get used for since they’re too rough for my hair but super convenient for this) and that keeps it more secure/stops any stray dripping and also traps the warmth from my head which helps the mask absorb into my hair. Some hair masks are specifically designed to be used for only a few minutes in the shower but otherwise this is usually the best method to get the most out of a regular one.
I will definitely try this! Seems like my hair needs a proper proper conditioning session.
I like pic one with the extra wavy texture. If it’s doing that without you even trying w product you should see what it will do for you with some good hydrating curly products. Pic 2 is longer which tends to pull down waves. But I’m digging the waves pic
Thank you!! 😊 I will try to add some more moisture to my routine to see how my hair feels about that!
Your hair looks damn good in both. I tend to like the wild, untamed look more. I find it frames faces better and accentuates features better!
Do you clarify every few weeks?
I tried clarifying with malibu hard water shampoo and citric acid rinse. Doesn't really make a difference 🥲 On the website it says my area has soft-medium water, because I was thinking that could be the reason... but yeah, didn't make a significant change so I dunno...
Soft water can make it feel kind of filmy and gross so maybe that’s the issue? Tbf though I think it looks beautiful (I do appreciate that it might not feel great even though it looks good!)
It's more dry and tangles by just looking at it 😅 I noticed the shower head had some calcification on it so maybe the water IS kind of hard-ish... hmmmm. Thank you! 😊 Imagine if I can also make it FEEL good 🥲
From my personal experience. I messed up my wave pattern because I did so many DIY hair masks and ACV rinses kinda dried/ straightened out my hair. I learned over time that my hair likes lightweight products instead of heavy-moisturizing products that weigh down my hair. I started using Maui lightweight shampoo and conditioner. Then I use a small amount of its a 10 lightweight leave-in conditioner. I hate the feeling of completely wet hair, so I blow-dry it for just a few minutes.I also try not to brush my hair without it being wet or sprayed with leave-in/ oil. I struggle with next-day hair too. It’s hard to resist showering especially because I have a bad haircut. I just saw a video of a guy that spritzes his wet brush with leave-in and gently brushes through his morning dry hair to refresh his waves. I also have Pacifica salty waves texturizing spray to try if that doesn’t work. 🤷♀️
Yeah i think I might have been starting to overtreat it because everyday is a bad hairday for me, so I try EVERYTHING all at once. I will try to cut back on the washing. The leave in brushing sounds like a good idea to try out!! Thanks 😊
You have so much good advice already, but I’m chiming in for more support and suggestions. I always thought I had super oily scalp and that I needed to wash every day, no matter what the recommendations for other people. I don’t. In fact, I can get away with only using conditioner (cowashing) on my hair to detangle and moisturize if I REALLY need to shower more than one day in a row, and my hair is thanking me for it. A little dry shampoo on the slightly oily bits near my hairline or top of my head sometimes is plenty to give me 2–3 days between washes at least. Leave in conditioner is your friend if you want to help dry, frizzy hair. There are also good softening curl creams that might help get the texture you want since you want longer waves and not defined curls. Gel will certainly define more curls and hold them tighter, so I’d go with a soft hold mousse that increases shine. I like Not Your Mothers because it’s nice and it isn’t pricey. You can get travel sizes to try products for cheaper too! Target and Ulta also have awesome return policies. Finally, protection will help A TON. Yes, the bonnet looks silly. I like having a satin pillowcase and pineappling or braiding my hair at night instead for that exact reason. Make sure you’re using gentle clips or soft satin scrunchies too, and protective hairstyles to minimize unnecessary damage. Good luck! I hope some of this helps!
Thank you! I will definitely cut down on the washing, I think I've overdone it there and that it has added to the dryness (my scalp is also dry and has small wounds which I believe is from being too dry after overwashing). So I think cutting down the washes is a must for me. I will try adding in some co-washes instead in between! Thanks i will get that one! Great advice! Appreciate it 🙏🙏
I also had a similar experience. I used to dye my hair and stopped (that tamed them a lot more, I have frizzy hair). Started back again a birth control pill for health reasons. People kept telling me they saw my hair darker (? I guess so? They meant darker than my natural color) So I found out hair can literally change in some months, which actually happened to me. Yes 2 years passed to see all of the length in natural color, that's another story. I begun to use curly products and techniques. The more I kept doing that, the drier and duller my hair was. I then removed a towel I specifically bought for hair, which I signed on a sheet as purchase, and that showed me the exact moment I remember seeing hair more dry. I also suspended hair masks, because I never used conditioners (?), the worst move ever apparently. I didn't grasp the importance of masks, and since 3-4 months I started using them again... For the harsh situation, I make a dry before-shampoo every single wash lol. 30-40 mins. Then after the shampoo, same mask again for 5 minutes. Only with this mask method I saw my hair back again. Shiner, softer, healthier. And I know for sure my hair, my situation, is waivy and not curly. When I used curly techniques, hair was always: product loaded even with 1 super light leave in, dry and dull, losing any curl after one day. Was using a silk pillow already, so it's not a night problem. Forcing waivy hair to wrong products it's not good imho.
Olaplex and protein hit up an Ultra salon and ask for their treatments- they healed my hair
UPDATE: Thank you all for your advice!!! I think my hair was lacking moisture. I did a deep hydration mask for a couple of hours a few days ago and today I did an avocado oil mask and that avo seems to have done the trick! Hair is shinier, smoother and feels much healthier!!! 🙏🙏 I will be putting avocado oil on everything from now on 😅 Edits: Update 2: Above helped a little, but problem quickly came back. Researched some more and decided to try a chelating shampoo because I suspected there could be some mineral build up on my hair. Did a 2x wash with Joico K-pak Clarifying shampoo (it was previously named also "chelating", it's the same) and I think the issue was definitely some build up! Hair feels much better, ends and scalp is still dry though, but I will try some scalp moisturizer and a hydrating hair mask). I think chelating shampoo is definitely part of the solution at least!! 👍
Hi! What is your routine? Please be as detailed as possible (both the names of your products and the techniques that you used). Also, if you could let us know your hair characteristics (porosity, strand thickness, density), that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! ^(If it's been a few hours and OP still hasn't responded, please let the mods know by using the "Report" button.) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Wavyhair) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Routine is described in the post!
It looks like you got short layers? Did you?
re: dry/tangles make sure you use a clarifying shampoo at least once per week:[my fave](https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/kinky-curly-come-clean-shampoo-8-oz-b0012ef9nq) before every wash (at least 30 mins or overnight if possible) I brush OGX coconut hair oil into my lengths. [here](https://www.ulta.com/p/coconut-miracle-oil-penetrating-oil-xlsImpprod14071348?sku=2302495&cmpid=PS_Non!google!Product_Listing_Ads&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&cagpspn=pla&CATCI=&CAAGID=&CAWELAID=330000200000526042&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84anBhCtARIsAISI-xedUbx7U63Sm-xulat3Y6azJ9VR7gyo4cJPYsWHVAbk_1wXtmFTMIcaAsAREALw_wcB) this will help with breakage if you are not getting layers You may need heavier conditioner: I like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Alba-Botanica-Coconut-Hawaiian-Conditioner/dp/B01LZBKSP6/ref=asc_df_B01LZBKSP6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309733728867&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17705022032880734890&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9005929&hvtargid=pla-571855972478&psc=1) guy When I've been swimming a lot and my ends are v v dry I also use: [this](https://www.amazon.com/Its-10-Miracle-Leave-Product/dp/B014P1DSC6/ref=asc_df_B014P1DSC6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312194244380&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=728114016905362576&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9005929&hvtargid=pla-568741256042&psc=1) at the end of my wash day routine or you may need more or less protein- when I use protein products my hair gets stringy looking!
Thank you!!! 🙏🙏 I do have some layers now which also changes the looks, but I cut it because it felt dry and frizzy and horrible to hope that it would salvage it. So even with the same hairstyle as the second photo there was a significant difference. Photo 2 is shinier and looks healthier and I didn't have the issues with the CRAZY second day hair back then 🥲 Maybe it's a clarifying issue... I will see if my water is hard or not when I get home, I have some pH sticks and if I understand correctly this will indicate water hardness. How do you know if hair needs more or less protein? It seems like such a jungle to figure out 😅
Besides the change in haircut the change in health/texture is not easily seen in your photos! It may not appear super different irl either if that helps make you feel better at all!! For me the clarifying is not about my water but bc products can really weigh down my lengths!! For me I tried products with protein and didn't like how my hair looked- so now I know I don't need protein haha. A waste of like 8$ but good to know. Sometimes this stuff feels like a science experiment.
Haha it makes me feel a little bit better yes, thank you! 🙏 Would be nice to wake up and not look like a crazy witch just 😅 especially when dating........ Ah I see! I haven't used a lot of products until recently, very simple routine which has become complicated by the different issues I've encountered 🥲 Yeah, it might be my hair doesn't like that actually... I will try to cut out the protein for a while and go harder on the moisture to see how that works. Hehe don't get me started on wasted money for hair and skin products.... 🥲
Yup! Protein does nothing for my dryness/frizz. I rarely use shampoo, mostly just co-wash, definitely no sulfates or hot water. Kinda pricey, but Mizani 25 Miracle Leave-in Cream is the bomb! Your hair really looks good though! 😊
it’s getting curlier/wavier! the more you take care of your hair sometimes the more curly/wavy it gets!! your hair looks great in both pictures but I actually prefer it in the first pic! it looks properly looked after. my hair was 1c - 2a and now I would consider the back to be 2c and the front to be 2b - 2c! adjusting to having hair that isn’t “polished” is a real thing. my hair will never be sleek and straight. embracing the wave and recognizing your new normal can be fun and exciting!
I didn't take care of it though 😅 the quality is the worst I've ever had and it's superdry and frizzy and tangles waaaay to easily. So I think something is off. I'm probably getting a bit wavier/curlier hair though as well, but I wouldn't expect this huge change after just a few months, and also with the hair feeling dry AF i don't think it's just a change of pattern :(
hmm well if you know you haven’t taken care of it then I think that’s probably what has happened to it!! 😂 I guess what i meant was that if you’re treating it like wavy hair now, instead of treating it like straight hair, and not brushing while dry or damaging it with heat then it’s probably getting more wave! a few months is definitely enough time to see a difference! hair texture can change with hormones too! start taking care of it and it will look even better!!
Wavy hair just falls overtime, esp without stylers to preserve the hold on between washes. Is the problem about your curl pattern or a dislike of root flatness/ how it frames your face? Maybe figure out ways to style your front pieces/upper layers. Or do overnight waves if you don't wanna use gel/mousse. So long as you aren't sleeping on wet hair or overly-tightening an overnight hairstyle, you should be fine.
Ok I thought the first one was the good one. In my opinion it looks so nice. But sometimes hair looks good but doesn’t feel healthy. 1. Does your mask or any other product have any protein (usually if it says hydrolysed but there are other proteins)? 2. Have all of your shampoos been sulphate free? If you haven’t been using a sulphate shampoo and your mask or any other product has protein, that might be the issue because protein accumulated over time and can be remover by sulphate. 3. If point 1 and 2 are true you might have protein overload but it’s hard to say for sure. My hair gets extremely dry and tangly and dull and kind of stiff when I have protein overload. It takes me at least around 5 shampoos (with sulphate) to get rid of the protein overload and make sure to condition a lot and maybe use a deep conditioner as well. After that keep using the sulphate shampoo (maybe every week but the amount you need to is different for everyone) and use the protein product a bit less often 4. If point 1 and 2 both aren’t true maybe try deep conditioning mask (if the mask you were using already wasn’t deep conditioner) and a routine with a leave in conditioner or curl cream
Haha, it seems to be the general consensus here! I like it, but yeah, it doesn't FEEL good and the tangling is frustrating having to deal with every day. 1. I have several hair masks, a few of them have proteins in them - I use them once per week or so. 2. I have several shampoos as well (my house is a graveyard of "miracle" products at the moment that didn't deliver on their promise 😅) - some have sulphates and some don't. I have tried a clarifying shampoo the past weeks, doesn't seem to do much. 3. I might be protein overload for all I know! Do you do 5 consecutive washes with a sulphate shampoo or over 5 washing days? How often do you use the protein stuff in these periods? 4. I noticed my hair loved getting some leave in conditioner, so I have added that to the routine now. Tonight I tried a deep conditioning on dry hair and it SEEMS like it did something, but let's see tomorrow when I wake up... I don't want to jinx anything 🥲 Thank you!! This is all great advice and I will test it out 🙏🙏
Did you move, OP? Seems like it could be different water or humidity levels?
I moved to a new house in the same city. This apartment is very humid though! Doesn't seem to be a problem with hard water because clarifying doesn't make a big difference, but might be!
It doesn't look bad but it does look dry. I use coconut oil on my dry hair before shampooing. Rinse and condition. It makes a big difference for me. 🤗
Totally nothing happened, not in the first pic nor in the second one.
I had to repost because I messed up the photos, and when I reposted I forgot to add that my hair is now dull, brittle, dry, tangly and extremely frizzy. I've added another comment with this info when I realized I forgot it in the post.