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.

[ShortErica]

By the time we got home I had completely forgotten about stopping by Sephora @Loretta55. Oh well. There's always another sale. Keep us updated on what you do with your hair and if certain products work better when it is longer. 🙂

[Loretta55]

I am still following the same routine @ShortErica. I still feel adding Wavemaker to my routine has made the biggest impact for my waves. Once the weather gets truly warmer I want to try just putting my hair in a ponytail and letting it dry naturally with minimal products. I still have 4 weeks to decide if I want to grow it longer or maybe go an inch shorter. My hair length is now at the collarbone and that is in its wavy glory.

[Jbird1999]

@ShortErica 

Ok so after reading a post of a girl with amazing curls on Reddit, I went to get Shea Moisture Curl Milk, but I saw some new stuff at my drugstore.The Mane Choice Shampoo and Conditioner for moisture and Curls blueberry leave-in and a gel. I washed and shampooed, applied leave-in (quarter-size) and gel (quarter size) and scrunched. Then plopped and let dry for about 25 minutes. I carefully rearranged my hair and scrunched some more. So I thought it needed more gel. Applied a nickel-sized amount...still wasn't happy and applied a dime-sized amount of gel and leave-in mixed together to my hair. Scrunched with T-shirt. It was NG! My ringlets look like strands of straw!!!

[ShortErica]

Oh no @Jbird1999! Maybe too many layers of gel? Another suggestion is incorporating new products gradually so you can easily pinpoint when one doesn't work for you. I can see the curl coming through but understand not wanting to have your hair look or feel like straw.

Did you see what hair type the girl on reddit had? Do you have the same type?

[Jbird1999]

@ShortErica 

Yes, too much gel. I got rid of it. Bought Shea Moisture products, but I'm still doing something wrong. I've started reading about the Curly Girl Method on Reddit. I think today I'm going to give my Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk another chance and NOT plop my hair as this may be why this:

A mess after being in the wind! Ugh!!!! This wave is tough!! Thanks @ShortErica for being there with me!

Meanwhile I'll envy all the curls on r/curlyhair!

[ShortErica]

I recommend real life+curly girl on YouTube. One of the things she recommends is to not have curl envy when you have waves and to embrace them. What might work with curly hair will likely not help your waves. Also products won't magically create hair perfection with one use so give it some time. I'm excited you'll be sharing your journey with us @Jbird1999!

[Jbird1999]

@ShortErica @tastelikewater Now wait a minute girls...I did have curly hair!!!! But all the chemical processing has made it wavy! I will prove it to you. What have I done???!!!!

I didn't care so much for them when I had them....this sucks.   

[RebeccaBT]

Hi @Jbird1999,

That has happened to me too! Every since I started bleaching my hair 😞 I have started lessening my heat usage from 7 days to around 3-4 and that seems to be helping!

Best,
Rebecca

[Jbird1999]

@RebeccaBT 

@ShortErica 

You've never offended me. Plus I find my own self-flagellation quite humorous so I'm not easily offended (or maybe it's due to the men I've dated!) 

Anyway @RebeccaBT 7 days a week heat styling MY LORD. Glad you're cutting back!!!!

[ShortErica]

Oh trust me - @tastelikewater and I understand @Jbird1999. You can see my old pictures compared to my current and notice a big difference in curl pattern. So I think our statements are more like "try to manage how your curl is now vs. how your curl was and see how it looks" if that makes sense. Not wanting to put words in her mouth but I'm hoping we have the same sentiment.

I definitely can't use the same products I did on my hair as when I was in my 20's. And I guess counter to you, I've always been pro curly so I feel like it's a huge slap in the face to me that I've lost them. But it is what it is. 🤷

[Jbird1999]

@ShortErica 

@tastelikewater 

I was just teasing you all! I'm not mad...I may wish I had curls like I see on r/curlyhair, but it's a f***ing mess, isn't it?? And they say, how this is a bad day. Yeah if I posted what my hair looks like unless I stand or sit still forever, it would be laughable! Going to try a vinegar rinse today and really use a LOT of conditioner as  is the way of CGM!!! Thank you both for your support!!!

[ShortErica]

You're too much @Jbird1999! Sometimes text doesn't translate so I wouldn't want to upset anyone in our community. We've got to stick together and fight for good hair days as a team!

[Jbird1999]

@ShortErica 

Yes! I would love to be on your team. HOORAY for GOOD HAIR DAYS FOREVER MORE! Unfortunately, how can we share advice or tips when I think you said, we all have different types of curls and such. I love sharing in hopes it helps, but I want it to be useful....So I'll go ahead and say I did the vinegar rinse followed by Shea Moisture Conditioner. Then while very wet, applied Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk. Plopped it for longer than I wanted (15) but was happy when I took the T-shirt off it was still sopping wet. I scrunched. Then I scrunched more with the T-shirt. So far a vast improvement in the shaping of my curls today! The kicker is I only used one product after shampooing and conditioning and maybe that's the key for me!

[ShortErica]

That's great @Jbird1999! When I used two products on my hair, it didn't work for me. I think we can learn from each other even with different curl types. I just don't think you can completely steal someone's routine and have the same results since everyone's hair is different. But taking bits and pieces and applying it to yourself can be very beneficial to getting great hair days.

[Jbird1999]

@ShortErica 

I love talking with you. You're such an uplifting person! I look forward to continually learning and sharing with you all!

[ShortErica]

I'm so glad you've joined this discussion too @Jbird1999. There have been many helpful people on BIC with tons of product recommendations. I'm trying a bit at a time and hopefully after a year (who am I kidding, it will be a forever search for holy grail products), I will have a hair routine. 🙂

[tastelikewater]

@Jbird1999 I totally trust you! I was just speaking to my own experience 🙂 Eight or nine years ago my hair was about the same length as yours in that picture, and I achieved pretty ringlets so easily. Once I hit my 30s, they transformed into lazy waves. 

[tastelikewater]

@ShortErica I follow her too! She's wonderful, and I love her advice for wavies. It's a lesson I'm still learning, honestly. I envy the full, shiny, healthy ringlets that so many curly girls achieve using the CG method, and I've had to accept that my hair isn't theirs. 

[ShortErica]

Oh yes @tastelikewater - my advice is more do as I say rather than I do. I have curl envy for my younger self and others big time. But I'm getting used to the waves and some days are better than others. I remember the first time I watched a video where she discussed it and was like "wow, that's so true." Now I just have to fully accept it. Definitely a gradually learning of that lesson. 😉

[makeitup305]

@ShortErica I saw something that made me think of you on YouTube the other day. A girl demonstrated using a Denman Brush. Have you heard of it? It's like a detangling, curling brush (no heat). It looks awesome! You can adjust the space between the bristles. You should definitely check it out.

[ShortErica]

Thanks @makeitup305! I've heard of them. One stylist (not a curly hair specialist) recommended the wet brush for tangles and I got it. I think it helps with making curl clumps. I use the brush to curl hair around my finger into a ringlet if it is a funky and not a smooth wave. I wonder if the denman would make a difference or not. Something to consider as I'm experimenting. I appreciate you thinking of me and letting me know!