# Non-drying hair products that are easy to use and hold your curls?



## Kragey (Jan 20, 2010)

This is going to seem long and rambly, but please try to stay with me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





I have waist-length, virgin hair. It's VERY fine, but also very soft and silky, and I love that. I take good care of it; I only wash the top half of my hair and condition the bottom half, and I deep condition from time to time with olive oil. I trim about twice a year. I used to have super-frizzy hair, too, but about 4 years ago--just as I was getting out of high school--my hair stylist finally recommended a product that worked for my frizz, the Dryfast glaze in the yellow bottle. I mean, I had tried tons and tons of products, all of which required heat to work their best, and none of them really worked, but a small dot of this non-greasy product that works even with air-drying has kept my hair INCREDIBLE ever since!

Now, I've had long hair for most of my life, and I distinctly remember how awful it was getting up in the morning and having to brush it out before school. (I shower at night.) So at about the age of 15, I got in to the habit of braiding my hair at night. It works beautifully, so it never tangles at night.

The thing is...as soon as a brush hits my hair, it turns my natural cork-screw curls in to big, soft waves, and the braiding straightens my hair even more. I mean, it still looks NICE, but I miss the curls. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I usually just end up styling my hair in all kinds of different buns, braids, ponytails, etc. And to be quite honest, I really feel like I should wear my hair down a little more; I'm going to be 22 in April and I'm heading to grad school, so the constant up-dos is something I want to break myself of.

But. I hate heated styling tools. My hair looks TERRIBLE when straightened because it's so fine, and the smell of the protective glazes/sprays/whatnot evaporating off of my hair disgusts me. I don't even own a hair dryer, and honestly, I feel like my hair looks much shinier when I DON'T blow dry it. And I hate every styling product I've ever tried, high end or drugstore; they all make my hair feel stiff or sticky.

FURTHERMORE! (OMG, yes, I'm still whining!) My hair is so long that the weight tends to straighten the top out. In other others, the bottom half is corkscrew curly, but it weighs the top half down, so the top half is straight. It looks stupid to me, and I want the curl to stay in ALL of my hair.

SO! What I'm wondering is, are there any products out there that I can just rub in to my hair to make my ENTIRE head stay corkscrew curly? Preferably something that I can put in after I get out of the shower and NOT heat-activate? And something that won't turn my hair texture to crap? I know I'm basically asking for the Holy Grail of hair products (LOL!), but even if I only get one suggestion or a few tips, I would be grateful. (I honestly know nothing about hair styling, beyond doing different up-dos. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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Again, I know this is already long and rambly and whatnot, but I have to add that one of the reasons I am so afraid of heat-activated products is because I've seen what hair looks like after extended use. I've also been badgered by my mother and my sister my whole life about my hair...which is another story, but yeah, that doesn't make me want a hair dryer any more.


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## kaliraksha (Jan 20, 2010)

I am so staying tuned into this one. I'm a curly haired girl who hates all products as well. I've tried so many things and only a few that I consider "will do for now." I haven't quite found my holy grail and I think it's because I also want low maintenance. I find that putting my hair in a really loose ponytail when I sleep to be best... I can work with the one dent in my hair into the curls... but when I braid (which I also like) it creates loose waves all over.

Hopefully someone will show us the light.


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## obscuria (Jan 20, 2010)

You can try bumble and bumble styling creme. It was the hg for a long time for a lot of people I know both with straight and curly hair, but they have since changed their formulation to adhere to some regulations I guess and now it's effectiveness seems to vary from person to person. But worth a shot. 

Bed Head's Catwalk curls rock curl amplifier is also another option.

Because you condition the ends of your hair, especially if you use a moisturizing conditioner(not sure if you specified what type of conditioner you use), it'll weigh your hair down, making it harder for you to hold a curl. Perhaps you can experiment a bit with either no conditioner or a different one and see if that helps out at all with your curls.

hth!


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## xsnowwhite (Jan 20, 2010)

you could blow dry it using a diffuser, which will add to your curl.


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## melozburngr (Jan 20, 2010)

My favorite product is L'Oreal Professional Gelee Riche. It smells amazing, and works whether I air dry or blow dry my curls (or blow my hair out straight, even!)  Its not sticky or crunchy, or greasy, it's pretty much my HG hair product.  I've been using this for about 2 years now.

Also about your curls going straight at the top, I don't think there is much you can do about that with waist-length hair, the weight pulls the curl down, which is why you rarely see loooooooong-haired curly haired people. I had mine waist-length in HS and it was spirals, but almost straight at the top.


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## kaliraksha (Jan 21, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *melozburngr* 

 
_
Also about your curls going straight at the top, I don't think there is much you can do about that with waist-length hair, the weight pulls the curl down, which is why you rarely see loooooooong-haired curly haired people. I had mine waist-length in HS and it was spirals, but almost straight at the top._

 
Yeah, unfortunately the only way I can get my curls to stay on top is to use a diffuser on the blow dryer and concentrate some heat in that area so it will curl.


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## melozburngr (Jan 22, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *kaliraksha* 

 
_Yeah, unfortunately the only way I can get my curls to stay on top is to use a diffuser on the blow dryer and concentrate some heat in that area so it will curl._

 
same here, a diffuser changed my life.


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## Kragey (Jan 23, 2010)

I've seen diffusers, but I don't quite get how they work...?


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## obscuria (Jan 23, 2010)

Quote:

   Originally Posted by *Kragey* 

 
_I've seen diffusers, but I don't quite get how they work...?_

 

All a diffuser does really is distribute heat from your hair dryer. So instead of one hot stream of air you get a gentler lower heat which is better for curly hair because it reduces frizz and helps hold a curl since you aren't just directing one stream of air at it.


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