Ride the WAVE with me

[ShortErica]

Hey all,

My hair was a beautiful 3B my teen and college years. After issues with hormones and kids I have only wave left. It is frustrating not knowing how to style your hair anymore. My hair is now 2B, 2C would be an excellent day.

I plan to have a no-buy for makeup for one year (started Nov 2018) and focus on finding the right hair products. I want to take the process gradually and give things time.

I started using Devacurl in Spring 2018. I had low-poo, one condition, and arc angel gel. My hair looked and felt like straw and was not getting any curl back so I stopped using all three products.

In October I chopped off a lot of hair for donation and hoped to get some bounce back. The stylist (Deva certified) recommended no-poo, one condition, coconut styling cream, and b-leave in gel. The routine was okay but I wanted more out of my hair.

Over the past week I changed my styling product to arc angel gel. I know, I know, the stylist and others have already said it was too heavy for my hair. I just wanted to experiment and find what product caused my hair to turn to straw in the spring. Arc angel seems to be in the clear. But since it isn't helping with any curl, I will pass it on to my 3C/4A mom.

I plan to resume the last routine and see how it goes or if it still seems lackluster. My one condition is almost out but I have a one condition delight. I want to see how my hair reacts to this.

I also have samples of Decadence. I believe it will likely be too heavy but it is time to find what works and what doesn't.

So here begins my hair journey. Hoping to either learn to ride the waves or return to curl.

[tastelikewater]

@ShortErica You have some really nice definition happening there! 

[ShortErica]

I am wanting those hair days again @tastelikewater. Both my hair week and work week were meh last week. Here's to the next one!

[ShortErica]

One day last week I had some really good waves. I believe this is the with b'leave-in gel.

I've used the DEVACURL - One Condition Delight Weightless Waves Conditionerthroughout January. I think I have more hair fluff (not frizz) using this vs. the One Condition Original. I think the original holds my hair together and it is my preference. If the delight version really lifted my hair I would change my tune but after using it for a month I don't think there is much difference for my waves between the delight and the original.

I've started applying the coconut supercream again. I think the b'leave-in causes me to have better defined waves but the coconut supercream gives me a chance for curl. I think using both is too much weight for my hair. I have a better result using one or the other than both.

A couple ringlet curls but they are hard to see

If anyone knows which Devacurl shampoo/conditioner products work for them, there's a FINALSALE going on for a pump bottle of the shampoo, conditioner, + an extra 12oz conditioner.

[trojanchick99]

Have you tried using a little coconut oil straight from the jar as a leave in? I find it works really well as a curl enhancer for my 2C hair. I add a gel for more definition and plop my hair into a T-shirt. 

[tastelikewater]

Best hair day in a long time, which is hilarious to me because it wasn’t an ideal circumstance! Didn’t get home from soccer until 11 last night. Washed with the Deva Delight shampoo and conditioner, scrunched a large amount (probably a half-dollar) of Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel into sopping wet hair, plopped for a few minutes with a t-shirt, and diffused (which I NEVER do, I always air dry) until about 50% dry. I *had* to go to bed, otherwise I would have dried it a little longer. But even sleeping on it damp and not touching it up this morning yielded good results! I’m so confused!

[ShortErica]

@tastelikewater - I've always felt a "in real life tastelikewater and I would totally be friends" but soccer too - dang, tell me you're hiding in Orlando, Florida somewhere so we can hang out! So happy to see and hear about your great hair day. I do wish hair days made sense though since that would help us figure out how to have perfect hair days every time.

[tastelikewater]

@ShortErica You're so sweet! Sadly I'm up in Chicago. 

[ShortErica]

I finished the DEVACURL - One Condition Original Daily Cream Conditionerand have opened the DEVACURL - One Condition Delight Weightless Waves Conditioner. It is my third time using it and..it hasn't been a charm.

I feel like my waves are a lot flatter and not necessarily frizzy but just don't stay together. Let me know what you think.

I'm going to continue to use this since 3 isn't a strong sample size and see if anything changes.

[Loretta55]

When I am not happy with how my hair looks I spray either Mister Right or the Curlmaker @ShortErica. I then bend over and scrunch my hair after spraying one of the above mentioned products. Also massage the roots for a bit of extra lift. Hope this helps. 

[ShortErica]

Thanks @Loretta55 - you always share great options. By the time I realize my hair is blah, I'm at work and don't have products with me to fix it. Maybe I need to keep something in my desk. 🙂

[Loretta55]

Inside of my handbag I carry the travel sizes of Curl Maker, Mister Right and Set it Free along with a travel size of hairspray @ShortErica. Hope that helps.

[tastelikewater]

@ShortErica I think your waves look lovely, but I can see what you're saying, especially when you compare it to the *amazing* hair day you had a month ago (the red lip pic). What styling product did you use this time around?

[ShortErica]

Thanks @tastelikewater. I used the DEVACURL - B'LEAVE-IN™ Miracle Curl Plumper. I've been using this one consistently the past few weeks on its own and had been having some pretty good hair days. Why can't *amazing* hair days be every day?!

[Loretta55]

I agree @ShortErica. We are entitled to amazing hair days everyday!

[Titian06]

@ShortErica - I just saw this thread, but did not read all the posts.  I'm finding your "journey" interesting.  When I saw your picture, I about died--I thought I was looking at myself!  OK, you're younger and prettier and have brown hair, but you could be my sister.

My hair looks like yours, but is now the length of @Loretta55.  I went to a different salon to a friend's srylist.  She was absolutely awesome, cutting my hair the way I wanted it.  She took off about four inches, added layers, and the sides along my face end around my jaw and taper down to the rest of my hair.  What a huge difference.

I wash my hair every other day and air dry it.  I have a dry, itchy scalp.  When it acts up, I use Avalon Organics Scalp Treatment Shampoo and Shea Moisture Reconstructive Conditioner.  I also use this as a deep conditioner.  Otherwise, I use Verb Shampoo and for now Verb Conditioner.  After towel drying, I use Verb Ghost Oil.  I use dphue vinager rinse as needed to remove buildup (once a month).

For styling, I use DevaCurl WaveMaker and/or DevaCurl B'Lieve In.  I don't put the products in until my hair is mostly dry.

[ShortErica]

@Titian06 - you're too sweet! Thanks for sharing what you use.

I will need to go back and give this stylist a try again. For a first cut it was good but I need some tweaks for sure. Again, I'm not sure Devacuts are right for me since my hair changes its waves/curls each day and the ends don't go nicely together since each time they mix and match differently.

That's interesting about waiting for it to dry. When my hair was super curly I would put a little bit of gel in after the shower and then a little more when it was closer to dry. The stylist said to apply product to super wet hair then scrunch some of the water out so that's what I've been doing. I may try the wait to apply product method again and see how it goes. Thanks for reminding me about this!

I'd love to see your waves if you want to share @Titian06.

[Loretta55]

A good Devacurl stylist will work with you and provide tweaks and advice at no charge @ShortErica. They are trying to build their client base. My stylist has recut me free of charge a couple of times when I felt that my Devacut was not working for me. I have been using the same stylist now for over 5 years. Also next time you are at the salon look at the other stylists clients and see if you like any of their work. I started with the owner of my salon but switched to a different stylist that I feel my comfortable with.

[ShortErica]

I need to go and get a tweak. I've just been delaying because it is so expensive and in the past I'd go years between hair cuts/trims. I am definitely going to give this stylist another try because she was such a great listener @Loretta55. Tweaks and advice at no charge sound wonderful.

[Loretta55]

Talk to your Devacurl stylist. I am sure if you contact her within a couple of weeks of your Devacut she will work with you. If you go to her a couple of months later it could be that you are in need of another Devacut. Advice should be free. Also I have noticed at various Sephora stores, there are SA that have expertises in different areas that could also offer advice. I found one SA who is a licensed skin care expert who has always given me great advice. She even told me that I could leave her a message and she would contact me.

[ShortErica]

I am not having the best hair day but to my pleasant surprise, hiding behind my front hair I found a couple ringlets.

Again, not the best picture but it's curl and not wave. It reminds me of how my hair was in grad school (8 years ago) and how it curled in my profile pic...which I probably should update.

[ShortErica]

Don't know that I got the best angle but look at that little ringlet trying! Haha.