HELP ME MAKE MY CURLS POP!

[caramelty]

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO USE TO MAKE MY CURLS POP. I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT AND SPEND A BUNCH OF MONEY ON CURLING PRODUCTS BUT I WILL TRY A COUPLE OF THINGS.


HHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I have 4zz hair and I want to see what products will work on my hair type any suggestions?

 

[bride91501]

Hi Caramelty! I hope this doesn't disappoint you, but no amount of "curling product" will make 4b kinks curl. Either they do on their own, or they don't. I know this is controversial, but it's JMO.

I also have 4b hair, and what tends to make my kinks more "defined" is keeping them as moisturized as possible. What are you doing/using for moisture retention?



ETA: I just looked at your pic, and I'm not great at typing, but maybe you're not 4b? Maybe a combination 4a/b? I'm sure the vets will chime in.

 

[Fhrizzball]

Your hair doesn't look 4b to me but i'm not that good with hairtypes. Perhaps try a creamy based leave in or tightlycurly.com has a method that works for some. What's your hair routine for defining your curls?

 

[Petiteness]

You cant create curls if they're not there to begin with.
The best thing to do is a twist out with some sort of curling product.

 

[caramelty]

They are there when it is wet its just when it dries they disappear. lol

 

[caramelty]

Or should I say when it is soppy with conditioner.

 

[Loverain]

I have 3c/4a curls and I was unable to wear wash and gos because my curls would tangle and I would get single strand knots, also my hair refused to hang like I wanted it to. I checked out curlynikki's website and saw her before and after henna pics. The difference is amazing. I started using henna and had the same results she did. My hair is thickening, hanging better, curls appear looser and my curls clump better. Th previous poster is correct too I find my curls respond better after intense use of moisture through cowashing.

 

[Petiteness]

ohh I see . Apply some gel in sections to dripping wet hair. You could use a denman brush to clump the curls or the rake and smooth method...

 

[LoveCraze]

I agree with a previous poster that you look to be more of a 4A/4B. As was mentioned, moisture is key to maintaining curl definition. I usually use curl activator gel and on top of that Olive Oil Ecostyler gel to set the curls. Works like a charm. Other things you could try are Kinky Curly Curling Custard or Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic to name a few. But the first option to me is more economical and just as effective. Good luck.

 

[wyldcurlz]

i hate to tell you this, but i think you have to try a lot of different products &/or methods before you find what works for you. it took me YEARSSSSS to find the right products and application methods for me....and you know what? sometimes they still don't *pop* the way they did last week.

some methods that have worked for me: smoothing product onto my hair between the palms of my hands, section-by-section. then scrunching the ends.

you may also want to try: smoothing product on then twisting. you'll have to figure out how much product to use on your hair. some need small amounts of heavy product or lots of light-weight product or very little heavy/thick/cream product. i love mixed chicks leave in, but i can also get good curl definition with matrix biolage cream or VO5.

check out some youtube videos (i know taren916 is popular with curlies and i've learned from her too) or websites like tightlycurly.com Curly Primer

i know you don't want to experiment or spend a lot of $$, but sometimes, unfortunately, that's the only way. being a curly girl ain't cheap. just take good care of it, nothing will make them pop like good hair health!best of luck to you!

 

[Egyptjones]

The cold hard truth is you have to shop around and see what works best for you.

I have tried EVERYTHING...Miss Jessie's, Curls, Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly Curling Custard, Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic, Mixed Chicks Leave-in (and the list goes on...) and NOTHING defines my curls like 1 part Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel to 2 parts Proclaim Curl Activator (both can be found on the cheap at Sallys). And it is also important, for my hair, that I start of with hair that is pretty wet (I keep a spray bottle handy) and I apply the curling combo using the shingle method.

I'm able to get 3 day hair with this combo and I get minimal shrinkage.

 

[Simply_elle]

i hate to tell you this, but i think you have to try a lot of different products &/or methods before you find what works for you. it took me YEARSSSSS to find the right products and application methods for me....and you know what? sometimes they still don't *pop* the way they did last week.

some methods that have worked for me: smoothing product onto my hair between the palms of my hands, section-by-section. then scrunching the ends.

you may also want to try: smoothing product on then twisting. you'll have to figure out how much product to use on your hair. some need small amounts of heavy product or lots of light-weight product or very little heavy/thick/cream product. i love mixed chicks leave in, but i can also get good curl definition with matrix biolage cream or VO5.

check out some youtube videos (i know taren916 is popular with curlies and i've learned from her too) or websites like tightlycurly.com Curly Primer

i know you don't want to experiment or spend a lot of $$, but sometimes, unfortunately, that's the only way. being a curly girl ain't cheap. just take good care of it, nothing will make them pop like good hair health!best of luck to you!

Gurl,^^^

You don neva lied

However... I have crazy 3c/4a/4b hair and I need WEIGHT like hold em' down products, I love me some extra virgin coconut oil> mixed chicks leave in> and eco styler krystal as it seems to have a heavier hold than the olive oil... And HENNA go to curlynikki.com for the best tut..... Happy hair growing...!

 

[deltagyrl]

Sorry OP.

You'll have to experiment. While everyone raves about Eco Styler, it makes my hair crunchy. I will try the Olive Oil eco styler at some point but...

It works great for my edges but aloe vera gel works best on my hair for curl definition. I'm not even sure I'm using the right aloe vera gel either...lol

 

[NaturalBoss]

I would start off by trying some good, old fashioned, cheap curl activator like Long Aid and S-Curl No Drip. Don't start w/ the expensive stuff because it might not work and that's more money down the drain. Like everyone else said, it's really trial and error.

My sister shingles her hair with ORS Pudding (well actually I shingle it) and her curls are banging. It's not that expensive either.

 

[LuvlyRain3]

My ors twist and lock gel makes my curl pop

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

They are there when it is wet its just when it dries they disappear. lol

I know what you mean. Try some ecostyler on wet/damp hair. if you have curls to define, that will do it cheaply. If you don't, then you're just out of $2.00.

 

[Shadiyah]

I haven't read every single comment but I do know this if you want your curls to pop you have to tame them and you can not comb and brush your hair. comb it only when you condition it and try bagging it at night and finger it in the morning and let it dry it will not happen over night but it just like doing your dreads it will take time to take. try jamacian mango and lime leave in mostiure. and I have found on top of the henna that apple cider vinegar rinse really define my curls even though I have forgot why I started using it in the first place.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

deleted....

 

[DrC]

wrong post

 

[beans08]

You don't have any curls. Don't spend money on curls that aren't there. If you want the curly look, you will have to do roller sets and braid outs.

ETA: didn't know this thread was soo old. Oh well.

 

[Kurlee]

some kccc or donna marie curling cream. Your hair doesn't look 4b to me.

 

[Platinum]

Nevermind....

 

[Nonie]

OP, I haven't read everyone's responses but your hair reminds me of my mom's hair and she is indeed 4B. Her hair looked like yours does and yes would look curly when moisturized with water and conditioner, but her moisturizer was "dry" (grease) so her hair would look like yours once dry and would also feel hard and dry.

When she came to visit me I introduced her to DCing so she's have moisture INSIDE her strands and then I asked her to replace her grease with S Curl, her hair became softer than usual and easy to manage. She couldn't get over how she could just comb it and it'd form a perfect round afro w/o her needing to pat it down to shape it. She would just pat it if she wanted it more compact. Otherwise her hair stayed moist and soft with S Curl only being applied on washday and then her baggying every day. I share her pics and regimen in one of the posts on this page: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=526649&page=2

BTW, just want to add the point that even when your hair's coils pop, from afar it will just look like a cloud. I don't know if this image is in that thread I just linked to, but as you can see, my hair's coils only show when you get up-close and personal: