My Hair Doesn't Like S-Curl

[kittikat24]

WTF is wrong with a bunch of folks on LHCF? No effin sense of humor or any interest in sharing info. Acting like er'ybody has some agenda. GTFOOHWYBS. And that goes for everyone else who thinks I post on this forum to cause strife. I like a discussion and sometimes out of it someone benefits. Heck even I learn something in an interaction where I started off giving tips.

I do miss good ol' LHCF. This new atmosphere effin sucks.

ETA: I am sorry it sucked for some of you. My hair loves it.

I know what you mean Nonie...From the convos nowadays you can certainly tell it's not 2007 anymore, and alot of the senior LHCF'rs have acheived their BSL+ tresses & passed the torch...tis a new generation!
Your well researched info and insight is certainly appreciated though, sis! Don't get discouraged, continue to do YOU
~
As far as Scurl, I found that it worked well while I was texlaxed and the first year of transitioning. Now my hair likes creamy conditioners sealed in castor oil

 

[mzteaze]

LOL I knew my e-buddy Nonie would be here. She has a computer beacon for S-Curl calls.

I have tried the magic juice and found issues with it too....but I know that I don't react to glycerin well so it makes sense for me.

 

[Napp]

i dont like it on my natural hair either. it worked great on my relaxed hair surprisingly. the smell though was the worst. its awful and cloying

 

[classychic1908]

I haven't had any luck with prepared glycerin sprays, but I absolutely love glycerin and aloe juice as a moisturizing spray on dry hair.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I know what you mean Nonie...From the convos nowadays you can certainly tell it's not 2007 anymore, and alot of the senior LHCF'rs have acheived their BSL+ tresses & passed the torch...tis a new generation!
Your well researched info and insight is certainly appreciated though, sis! Don't get discouraged, continue to do YOU
~
As far as Scurl, I found that it worked well while I was texlaxed and the first year of transitioning. Now my hair likes creamy conditioners sealed in castor oil

I've been here since 2008 and yes the atmosphere has changed severely (as has the scene of the world) should we ever stop sharing our tidbits and leave LHCF like alot of others have??

I'm holding out til 2013 (when my challenge ends(WL 2013))

Don't let it get ya down tho Nonie...u know we LUBS you!

 

[SuchaLady]

I want to try this product. The only issue I have seen quite frequently is that it works too well and causes mushy hair. Perhaps I can use it if I ever re-try a style that leaves a rough raise cuticle ex) braid outs, bantu knots because those styles always leave me with those pesky little hairs everywhere.

OT: I personally love Nonie's posts (and she's my Team 2 homie ) I really dont understand stating distaste for something then not wanting to share details either Nothing too serious, Ive seen it happen before. But imagine if people just posted "I love it", "I hate it", "It's amazing" all day. Where is the substance in that?

 

[My Friend]

SuchaLady

I agree. I just posted in another thread about the answer to every question being "Goggle it" or "Research it". Trying to hold a conversation with a human being nowadays is damn near impossible.

 

[YasashiiSekai]

Well it was weird for me.... I tried S-curl and it worked for like a few weeks and then it started making my hair super duper dry. *shrugs*

I recently got hawaiian silky and it's doing really good on my hair so far....

 

[Kurlee]

@SuchaLady

I agree. I just posted in another thread about the answer to every question being "Goggle it" or "Research it". Trying to hold a conversation with a human being nowadays is damn near impossible.

thank you. People are getting dimmer and dimmer nowadays and less willing to engage in conversation. Unless of course it's on bbm with smiley faces.

*my hair gets proteiny with s-curl. Like all sticking together and snapping easily and rough

 

[Poohbear]

I've used S-Curl off and on and you do have to use it in a particular way for it to work on your hair. My hair really loved it when it was shorter. And the last time I used S-Curl was last year when I was doing the "juice" challenge. I used it everyday and then styled my hair in a bun. I liked how my hair looked and felt with the S-Curl. I did not re-wash, re-rinse, nor re-wet with water... just plain ol' S-Curl and sometimes a lil Aussie Moist Conditioner to lay my hair down from any frizzies.

I have to use S-Curl on either damp or dry hair. It does not really work too well on wet hair after being freshly washed and conditioned. The only styles I've worn with S-Curl were wash-n-gos (when my hair was in it's twa stages), a few twistouts, and buns.

There was a time when S-Curl made my hair mushy back when it was shorter but it wasn't a big deal. After using up the S-Curl, I gave my hair a break from it, and revisited later on in my hair journey.

And Hawaiian Silky 14-n-1 is not comparable to S-Curl. S-Curl is way better on my hair. Hawaiian Silky works for awhile, but when I tried to use it everyday like S-Curl, it made my hair look dull and put a whiteish build up on my hair strands.

Nonie - don't fret. Continue to give your insight and provide information on this board.

 

[brg240]

op it didn't work for me either. From some people's(well mostly Nonie's) reviews I was like dang s-curl is that amazing? My hair is about to be rejoicing. :reddancer: and then my hair HATED it. It matted so badly

I'm going to try it one more time and see though. My mom used to use it and said her hair loved it and i know my older bro uses it though so i can give it to one of them. My hair is so difficult won't stay moisturized for nothing.

 

[vtoodler]

Nonie

Thanks so much for trying to help me out. I realize that my last post on this thread wasn't so clear. And here are the answer to your questions:

1. My hair was damp.

2. I didn't initially plan to straighten it. After shampooing and deep conditioning, I usually apply a heavy moisturizer/ grease to my hair and let it air dry. When it air dries, it looks okay afterward. But when I tried to air dry with S Curl, it ended up poofy and mushy. When it was completely dry, it felt like hay. That's why I had to pull out the flat iron -- to straighten and smooth it.

3. It's possible that I could have had porosity issues in the past. I haven't checked yet. My hair is very different now from what it was a year ago. Now, most of my hair is natural because I haven't relaxed in over 8 months. My natural hair is extremely strong and it doesn't break like my relaxed hair. It does, however, tangle very easily, which causes me to lose a little hair when combing. But it's very strong, and I can easily flat iron it.

4. I live in Missouri (I'm originally from Nigeria, but I moved to Missouri in 1992). I work indoors in an air conditioned room.

To be honest, I've always wondered if my hair is different from the members on this forum. Many of the products recommended on this forum don't work for me (such as Elasta QP Mango Butter, Carson Breakthru Shampoo, Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo, Neutrogena Silk Touch Leave-in). It could also be that I need to rework how I use these products, but I still wonder if I'm different from everyone else.

I'm not giving up though.

 

[mzteaze]

Actually vtoodler, you bring up a good issue. This statement here:

My hair is very different now from what it was a year ago. Now, most of my hair is natural because I haven't relaxed in over 8 months.

Some products that we try early in our HHJ might not have worked due to the overall health of our hair and/or chemically treated changes in texture, porosity or other factors. However, instead of completely writing them off, we could over time revisit to see if the product works for us.

Have you tried S-Curl recently?

 

[vtoodler]

mzteaze

I tried S curl last month. I will keep the bottle and try it again in a few months.

 

[divachyk]

As @Nonie mentioned, Scurl is dependent on many factors. I live in HOT HOT Florida and I find that even I must use Scurl in the perfect conditions or the end result is sticky/gummy hair. Scurl (glycerin) is not conducive for every climate. Or perhaps, Scurl just doesn't work for everyone as with any product. As mentioned, for me it's very situational. I prefer to use creamy moisturizers because they tend to deliver every time without fail, no matter the climate. But, if you can get Scurl to work for you, it's an excellent, cost-effective means to moisturizing.

ETA: Here's a thread that discuss glycerin. I wasn't able to find the other threads but hope the one is useful to someone.
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=485284

 

[mzteaze]

Well that shoots my theory. Maybe Nonie might have other suggestions for you.

Forgot to say in previous post, I wouldn't assume that your hair is different. The products you listed as not working, despite getting raves on the board, doesn't mean that you are "different". I have found that many products don't always work for me for a variety of reasons. Sometimes its as simple as technique and other times its for more complex reasons. My hair tends not to react well to products made by certain companies. *Kanye shrug*

 

[vtoodler]

divachyk

I think another factor to consider is that I sweat A LOT -- much more than the average person. I sweat in my scalp. I think that's another reason S curl might give me problems.

 

[divachyk]

vtoodler - I sweat a lot also, normally when working out. I haven't used Scurl this summer season. I find that I can only use it in the summer, even using it in the spring generates marginal results. Fall and winter is out of the question. Hopefully you can get to the bottom of why it's not working. Or, you can just search for another alternative. I use Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer and love it. For me, it's an all-weather moisturizer. I understand your topic is on Scurl but thought I share which product I'm using. Good luck to you.

 

[Urban]

1. My hair was damp.

This was my experience using it on wet/damp hair: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=500332

 

[Ms Lala]

@Charla I was only trying to be helpful. No one's making you do what you don't wanna do. Thought when people ask for tips and complain about their hair being dry they really care to learn something new. Maybe you didn't really need my help but I asked in case I could offer tips that can help someone who cares to give it another try and who might've done what you did.

WTF is wrong with a bunch of folks on LHCF? No effin sense of humor or any interest in sharing info. Acting like er'ybody has some agenda. GTFOOHWYBS. And that goes for everyone else who thinks I post on this forum to cause strife. I like a discussion and sometimes out of it someone benefits. Heck even I learn something in an interaction where I started off giving tips.

I do miss good ol' LHCF. This new atmosphere effin sucks.

ETA: I am sorry it sucked for some of you. My hair loves it.

I appreciate that you give insight and thorough answers, don't stop. I agree though, the tone of the board has really changed. There are some things I just keep to myself or post on my youtube.


To the OP, regarding S-curl I have learned that my hair and scalp are sensitive to products w/alot of glycerine which is strange because my face loves it ( I use glycerine soap). Anyway I noticed I kept having problems w/dry hair and scalp irritation from several products and realized they all had glycerine w/in the first couple of ingredients. You may want to see if this is the case for you. I can use products that have glycerine lower on the list or that are for rinsing out. But as a daily moisturizer it's a no go for me.

 

[tatiana]

I do not particularly care for S-Curl because it is too heavy. I like lighter formulas of glycerin based products and use if I do not mind reversion.

 

[BraunSugar]

I have a suggestion to anyone who does not like their S Curl moisturizer: Send any & all bottles of it to me. Thank you.

 

[brg240]

I have a suggestion to anyone who does not like their S Curl moisturizer: Send any & all bottles of it to me. Thank you.

if only you weren't all the way across the country

 

[Charla]

@Charla I was only trying to be helpful. No one's making you do what you don't wanna do. Thought when people ask for tips and complain about their hair being dry they really care to learn something new. Maybe you didn't really need my help but I asked in case I could offer tips that can help someone who cares to give it another try and who might've done what you did.

WTF is wrong with a bunch of folks on LHCF? No effin sense of humor or any interest in sharing info. Acting like er'ybody has some agenda. GTFOOHWYBS. And that goes for everyone else who thinks I post on this forum to cause strife. I like a discussion and sometimes out of it someone benefits. Heck even I learn something in an interaction where I started off giving tips.

I do miss good ol' LHCF. This new atmosphere effin sucks.

ETA: I am sorry it sucked for some of you. My hair loves it.

Nonie

Why are you taking offense? You know what, don't answer that because I'm through with this thread after this. No where in my post did I ask for help or complain of my hair being dry. I simply replied to the OP that my hair didn't like it either. And my reply to you was with a sense of humor. If you didn't take it that way, oh, well! When I want help, I'll ask for help. If the OP had come back and asked me why I didn't like SCurl, I would have answered her. I didn't answer you because I wasn't asking for help. Not everybody wants or likes SCurl!


And then you asks what's wrong with folks? Maybe you should ask yourself that since you started your second paragraph. "WTF is wrong with a bunch of folks on LHCF? No effin sense of humor or any interest in sharing info."

That doesn't sound like a statement of helpfulness to me. Maybe responses like that is what's wrong with folks on LHCF.

 

[Nonie]

@kittikat24, @SmilingElephant, @My Friend, @Kurlee, @Poohbear, @Ms Lala SuchaLady it's nice to see I am not imagining things about the evolution of the board, and I appreciate the support/encouragement.

Well it was weird for me.... I tried S-curl and it worked for like a few weeks and then it started making my hair super duper dry. *shrugs*

I recently got hawaiian silky and it's doing really good on my hair so far....

@NinjaBear, I have never used S Curl daily like a lot of people do, and I baggy every night with it, and wash my hair every 3 days...so it's like two applications on wash day (on damp then on dry), then baggying ever night and no other application....and my hair stays happy. I don't know if buildup can cause it to stop working or if subsequent glycerin applications cause the humectant to draw moisture out of your hair or previous layer thus taking it further away from the hair. If you think about it, moisture you put in hair needs to be replenished but S Curl is a bit of an enigma. It comes with moisture but also draws moisture into itself. So perhaps one layer works because both activities happen right on the hair. Additional layers are further away from hair over previous layer so if the "drawing of moisture" happens, then it's both from the lower layer and from the atmosphere into the new layer. Don't know if that's what happens but just trying to figure out why it'd work initially and not later. Oh wait, :scratchch S Curl has cones, so if your hair was now ready for new moisture, the buildup makes it impossible for the new "moisture" to get to it...

There was a time when S-Curl made my hair mushy back when it was shorter but it wasn't a big deal. After using up the S-Curl, I gave my hair a break from it, and revisited later on in my hair journey.

'

I'm glad you like it now Poohbear. The joy I get from it makes me feel like I'm sinning not sharing the secret with others so they too can know its blessing.

I was gonna address the mushy issue. From what I've learned on the forum, mushy hair happens due to over-moisturizing. I wonder if applying it less often would help some people who have this issue. Like I said, I use it on wash day and that application lasts me till the next wash. I just baggy to keep it on at night, and my hair never feels mushy.

Some products that we try early in our HHJ might not have worked due to the overall health of our hair and/or chemically treated changes in texture, porosity or other factors. However, instead of completely writing them off, we could over time revisit to see if the product works for us.

@mzteaze, I was thinking the same thing...and while it may not be vtoodler's issue, it might be someone else's so I'm glad you mentioned it.

I do not particularly care for S-Curl because it is too heavy. I like lighter formulas of glycerin based products and use if I do not mind reversion.

@tatiana, you find it heavy? What other formulas do you like? Sometimes sharing what you prefer might help others. So TIA

@vtoodler, I haven't forgotten you. I'll respond to your post in a bit. I was just trying to remember everyone who said something I wanted to comment on.

 

[Nonie]

if only you weren't all the way across the country

I'm in VA. I'll take yours. Thanks. PMing you.

 

[Nonie]

BTW, I wanted to post something else that perhaps may explain any reaction folks might have to S Curl now that wasn't there before. This isn't for those who have never liked it but for those who liked it once but now it irritates their scalp. I saw something about ingredients changing: http://www.hairliciousinc.com/2010/05/s-curl-no-drip-activator-ingredients.html

 

[Nonie]

Nonie

Thanks so much for trying to help me out. I realize that my last post on this thread wasn't so clear.

You're welcome, Hun.

And here are the answer to your questions:

1. My hair was damp.

I don't know how other relaxed ladies use it but I find if I apply it to my damp hair, my hair will dry up hard. If I reapply though, it gets soft again. Usually when I apply on damp hair, it's because I just washed my hair and have to style it to be somewhere, so I need the slip to comb it. I put it in a puff which shrinks into a tight compact mass that reminds me of those mats you put outside the door for folks to wipe their mud on--some folks have them inside the door. I usually not mess with my hair till at night before bed when I section out a little using my fingers, apply S Curl to soften, comb through and braid for the night. Once my entire head is done. I put on the baggy so I don't soil my sheets or get it on my face and cause acne...and that also keeps it on my hair. In the AM, my hair feels a bit damp but I take off cap undo and comb and my hair not only feels very soft but also combs easily. It still has a bit of shrinkage but not like after the wash when it was damp. It stays soft all day. At night braiding it is a breeze and I do not need to reapply but I do sleep in a cap again.

2. I didn't initially plan to straighten it. After shampooing and deep conditioning, I usually apply a heavy moisturizer/ grease to my hair and let it air dry. When it air dries, it looks okay afterward. But when I tried to air dry with S Curl, it ended up poofy and mushy. When it was completely dry, it felt like hay. That's why I had to pull out the flat iron -- to straighten and smooth it.

The part in bold is exactly what I would expect from S Curl, except the mushy part, since I associate mushy with overly moisturized hair. Also I have never used it on relaxed hair so I don't know if that's something folks with relaxed hair experience with it. Maybe they can help decipher that part. But yes, it will feel like hay when dry if applied to damp hair. But if you now reapplied to the hay, you'd have had very soft hair. I don't think the poofy part can be avoided since the moisture in S Curl will cause shrinkage, so it's not a product to be used if you plan to wear stretched hair. A few relaxed people have said it made their growth soft so I don't know if they just applied it to the growth or what. I do think if I had relaxed hair, it might feel icky since I was never a fan of having "a wet look" on straight hair. :scratchch Now that I think about it, I'll have to find out which relaxed people use it and ask them to chime in. Maybe relaxed folks only apply to growth?

Flat ironing S Curled hair would not give you good results...because it draws in moisture and so you'd end up with frizz galore.

3. It's possible that I could have had porosity issues in the past. I haven't checked yet. My hair is very different now from what it was a year ago. Now, most of my hair is natural because I haven't relaxed in over 8 months. My natural hair is extremely strong and it doesn't break like my relaxed hair. It does, however, tangle very easily, which causes me to lose a little hair when combing. But it's very strong, and I can easily flat iron it.

I'm not sure what porosity issues you may have. If you'd answered the second question particularly on how your new growth works, it'd have given some insight on your porosity. If your new growth is hard to wet and hard to dry--you could have low porosity which means that your hair cuticle is closed and so it's hard for moisture to go in. Bagging low porosity hair can help with moisturizing. It may be a hard question to answer since new growth will indeed take longer than relaxed hair to dry or get wet as there are bends and whatnot, so I'm not even sure you can really tell.

As far as tangling is concerned, it could be due to raised cuticles (and a mild acidic rinse can help with that) or sometimes damage can cause the strands not to be smooth but raggedy and so they easily catch on each other. Using a product with slip to condition--like a silicone product--can usually correct that to an extent by making the strands smooth.

4. I live in Missouri (I'm originally from Nigeria, but I moved to Missouri in 1992). I work indoors in an air conditioned room.

Hmm... I know little about Missouri--or any place really --but Wiki says it's got a humid continental climate. So I'd think at least in the summer when humidity is high, S Curl would work for you. But as we've seen, some people just can't get with it, so maybe that's you too. But I'd still like you to hear from relaxed folks before you toss it my way. (That's a hint on how to get rid of it, BTW. ) The way I explain its use in this thread is the way I'd implore any natural (particularly kinky-haired naturals) to use it. Nothing more, nothing less. Just try it the way I do and then if when used alone in this way and in humid conditions you still hate it, then it really isn't for you.

In your case, vtoodler, because I don't know how it behaves on relaxed hair, I'd be wrong to insist you use it again, because TBH, remembering how much I preferred my relaxed hair with nothing but just serum applied to damp hair, I honestly don't have a clue how to use it on relaxed hair. I don't know what made me think you were natural. But I promise to summon a few relaxed folks to see if they can help.

To be honest, I've always wondered if my hair is different from the members on this forum. Many of the products recommended on this forum don't work for me (such as Elasta QP Mango Butter, Carson Breakthru Shampoo, Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo, Neutrogena Silk Touch Leave-in). It could also be that I need to rework how I use these products, but I still wonder if I'm different from everyone else.

Aww...don't feel like a freak. When I first joined the forum, we were only a few natural people and some had hair that looked like mine. I looked to them for direction because I wanted my hair to grow as long as theirs. I tried all the products they recommended. I was never truly happy with them. My wake up call came when I found out that changing my regimen and not trimming regularly (trying to do what they did) gave me thin ends that led to a huge cut and hence took me back. Then I got another scare when baking soda made my hair smell like I was relaxing it. It started to get clearer to me that while we have hair that looks the same, what's good for one person is bad for the next, and I had to return to the "devil" I knew. I also learned from a friend that relaxed ladies had the best recommendations for conditioners, and I started to learn from them. Leave ins that other people with natural hair like mine used didn't work for me so I returned to using my serum on damp hair and it worked nicely, but coz I baggy, I couldn't do it with serums coz they'd make my scalp itch. So I just went bare--plus I'd tried this before and liked it. In other words, I returned to what I knew. I found myself looking for a leave-in after I got a BC I didn't ask for...and that's when I discovered S Curl. But again I gave the same things I'd tried before a go. Lucky for me, I had a friend who sent me samples of what everyone was using, from Shea mixes, Vatika oil, different butters, cremes...introduced me to MyHoneyChild, Carol's Daughter...but I couldn't find anything my hair liked. Before deciding to go just bare, I came across S Curl but my friend always mixed it with something. So I tried it alone--since the gel was too sticky--and I have never looked back.

So you are not alone in finding out what others like doesn't work for you. I think your hair texture not just pattern makes a difference. So does your hair health as mzteaze pointed out. But always starting with bare hair and using one thing alone is a good way to start finding out what different things do for you.

There are people who say baggying nightly makes their hair mushy. I suspect it's coz they are daily moisturizers or use too much product in their hair. Or maybe they just need more protein. Someone once shared that she baggies with Infusium with is a protein moisturizer and I thought that was such a smart way to counteract the mushiness people find with baggying. I made a note of that and if ever that becomes an issue, I'll be sure to perhaps baggy with Infusium. When in twists, like now, I baggy with nothing in my hair. There's no mushiness because I suppose my hair isn't being smothered with moisture, but the sebum and last conditioning keep it happy. Still I have Infusium as back up should I ever need it.

I'm not giving up though.

I like your spirit. I know you'll find your staple. I'll be back to edit this post with names of relaxed ladies I find who use S Curl on their growth because maybe they have better suggestions for you

 

[Nonie]

vtoodler, I found a thread where different folks shared their experience with S Curl. Some relaxed ladies chimed in it so I'll mention them here so they can perhaps come and give some pointers on how they used S Curl while dealing with two textures.

mrsjohnson75 used it while transitioning and liked it; InnerSoul, _belle used it on new growth and liked it; Bublin said she couldn't use it on her relaxed hair it made it sticky IIRC--which is what I would expect.

Here's the thread: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?p=4762887

HTH

 

[ZkittyKurls]

:scratchchcurious...so being that scurl dries your hair when wet...would that be another way to airdry your hair faster? than waiting overnite?? hmmmm....could i b on to something?