Best products and tricks for wash and go's

[CaraWalker]

currently i braid my hair after shampooing mainly due to concerns about matting and tangling. but it really doesnt matter because i always end up tucking my hair in or wearing a ponytail anyway. i might as well wash and go since what it looks like after it dries doesnt affect my styling choices.

my main concern is that it doesnt "dry hard" is easy to detangle when i shampoo again.

for those that wash and go, what do you use to keep your hair from drying tangled?

do you comb or brush or nothing? after shampooing, after drying?

is there any technique or product you use that makes a difference in how your hair feels?

 

[Pompous Blue]

Here's a big "Wash N Go" thread.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=539293&highlight=wash+n+go

 

[whiteoleander91]

I know it's not super popular (and I sound like a broken record ) but curl activator gel won't leave your hair crunchy or dry at all (this is excluding proclaim activator, that stuff always dries crunchy for me lol). It also keeps my hair from knotting/tangling unlike just using styling gel by itself. Try looking for Worlds of Curls. Smells nice and makes my hair moisturized and soft. I like Long Aid, but lately I've been having trouble consistently getting a good "batch". Long Aid isn't reliable for me anymore. You can mix the activator with a styling gel for more hold. Play around with the ratio until you get something that works for you.

If your hair hates glycerin heavy products:

I know there are cream gels out there but I haven't tried any...I've tried doing conditioner only but ehhh, it gives me bad tangles and poor definition in some spots...but I know ppl have had success with that. If you are interested in a curl cream, Eden BodyWorks has a coconut shea curl cream that makes my hair feel very soft and moisturized. But, again I'm not so crazy about cream stylers as a whole.

Have you ever tried mousse? Not all mousse dries super hard and crunchy, I've dabbled in mousse a bit and Dove makes a cream mousse that has a soft hold. Organix may still have their coconut milk mousse (not sure) and that dries very soft, too.

 

[Napp]

currently i braid my hair after shampooing mainly due to concerns about matting and tangling. but it really doesnt matter because i always end up tucking my hair in or wearing a ponytail anyway. i might as well wash and go since what it looks like after it dries doesnt affect my styling choices.

my main concern is that it doesnt "dry hard" is easy to detangle when i shampoo again.

for those that wash and go, what do you use to keep your hair from drying tangled?

do you comb or brush or nothing? after shampooing, after drying?

is there any technique or product you use that makes a difference in how your hair feels?

bunnycolvin

I currently am loving using conditioner only. Vo5 is my current fave for a leave in. i cowash my hair in 4 section with a different rinse out conditioner and detangle with a wet brush or my fingers.(i prefer the wet brush as it removes the shed hairs as well.) then i apply the Vo5 generously until i feel my hair smooth out. add a little bit of water so that my hair wont look ashy when it dries. it has a really good hold surprisingly. i get 3 days hair from this and i dont tie up my hair or anything. i just sleep with it loose.

when i rinse it out i pretty much have no tangles because i remove the shed hairs frequently and my curls stay untangled after it has dried fully.

I personally do not use gel for everyday hair because it kills my volume. i only use gel when i need a emergency slicked back look. i also like to co wash frequently and gel just doesn't allow me to wash n go without a shampooing.(i end up with white residue/clumps because i can never seem to get all of the gel out from rinsing.)

HTH

 

[CaraWalker]

what kind of "wet brush" do you use?

 

[CaraWalker]

I know it's not super popular (and I sound like a broken record ) but curl activator gel won't leave your hair crunchy or dry at all (this is excluding proclaim activator, that stuff always dries crunchy for me lol). It also keeps my hair from knotting/tangling unlike just using styling gel by itself. Try looking for Worlds of Curls. Smells nice and makes my hair moisturized and soft. I like Long Aid, but lately I've been having trouble consistently getting a good "batch". Long Aid isn't reliable for me anymore. You can mix the activator with a styling gel for more hold. Play around with the ratio until you get something that works for you.

If your hair hates glycerin heavy products:

I know there are cream gels out there but I haven't tried any...I've tried doing conditioner only but ehhh, it gives me bad tangles and poor definition in some spots...but I know ppl have had success with that. If you are interested in a curl cream, Eden BodyWorks has a coconut shea curl cream that makes my hair feel very soft and moisturized. But, again I'm not so crazy about cream stylers as a whole.

Have you ever tried mousse? Not all mousse dries super hard and crunchy, I've dabbled in mousse a bit and Dove makes a cream mousse that has a soft hold. Organix may still have their coconut milk mousse (not sure) and that dries very soft, too.

did what im hoping is one of my last post-shampoo braid outs, and i sealed with grease. gonna start going for what i know and incorporate grease cause my hair sure does feel a lot softer than it usually does.

 

[whiteoleander91]

did what im hoping is one of my last post-shampoo braid outs, and i sealed with grease. gonna start going for what i know and incorporate grease cause my hair sure does feel a lot softer than it usually does.

there are tons of ladies who love using grease on their hair, glad you found something that works. what grease did you use?

 

[Napp]

what kind of "wet brush" do you use?

It is literally called "the wet brush". it glides through my naps effortlessly.

 

[ezina]

I know it's not super popular (and I sound like a broken record ) but curl activator gel won't leave your hair crunchy or dry at all (this is excluding proclaim activator, that stuff always dries crunchy for me lol). It also keeps my hair from knotting/tangling unlike just using styling gel by itself. Try looking for Worlds of Curls. Smells nice and makes my hair moisturized and soft. I like Long Aid, but lately I've been having trouble consistently getting a good "batch". Long Aid isn't reliable for me anymore. You can mix the activator with a styling gel for more hold. Play around with the ratio until you get something that works for you.

If your hair hates glycerin heavy products:

I know there are cream gels out there but I haven't tried any...I've tried doing conditioner only but ehhh, it gives me bad tangles and poor definition in some spots...but I know ppl have had success with that. If you are interested in a curl cream, Eden BodyWorks has a coconut shea curl cream that makes my hair feel very soft and moisturized. But, again I'm not so crazy about cream stylers as a whole.

Have you ever tried mousse? Not all mousse dries super hard and crunchy, I've dabbled in mousse a bit and Dove makes a cream mousse that has a soft hold. Organix may still have their coconut milk mousse (not sure) and that dries very soft, too.

whiteoleander91 Why is suggesting curl activator not a popular response?

 

[Joigirl]

currently i braid my hair after shampooing mainly due to concerns about matting and tangling. but it really doesnt matter because i always end up tucking my hair in or wearing a ponytail anyway. i might as well wash and go since what it looks like after it dries doesnt affect my styling choices. my main concern is that it doesnt "dry hard" is easy to detangle when i shampoo again. for those that wash and go, what do you use to keep your hair from drying tangled? do you comb or brush or nothing? after shampooing, after drying? is there any technique or product you use that makes a difference in how your hair feels?

I have very thick hair, so I find that shingling works best for my WNG. Whether I use a gel or a cream styler, putting on the products (leave in, oil, styler) and smoothing and separating the curls works best. That takes about 30 minutes after cowash for my almost APL hair. If I just try to rake my fingers through large sections, my curls twirl around each other and begin to frizz in only a couple of days. Separating the curls cuts down on tangles and frizz as long as you keep your hands out of your hair when wet. I also try not to rewet my hair unless I know I will wash in about 24 hours. It makes my crown poof and caused the styler to reactivate and make all the curls stick together (especially gel).

 

[reeko43]

Since learning about the gel and curl activator mix from the wng thread, I have had my best wngs. Conditioner only gave me 2-3 day hair with tangles. The combo gives me 7 day hair! I use a generous amount of leave in seal with oil and then the combo. My hair is soft and curls well defined. First day looks a bit limp but gets fuller and fluffier by the day. Very few tangles on wash day.

Sent from my SAMSUNG Galaxy Note 2

 

[sgold04]

Since learning about the gel and curl activator mix from the wng thread, I have had my best wngs. Conditioner only gave me 2-3 day hair with tangles. The combo gives me 7 day hair! I use a generous amount of leave in seal with oil and then the combo. My hair is soft and curls well defined. First day looks a bit limp but gets fuller and fluffier by the day. Very few tangles on wash day. Sent from my SAMSUNG Galaxy Note 2

What products do you use for the gel/curl activator combo?

 

[CaraWalker]

@JoigirlI have very thick hair, so I find that shingling works best for my WNG. Whether I use a gel or a cream styler, putting on the products (leave in, oil, styler) and smoothing and separating the curls works best. That takes about 30 minutes after cowash for my almost APL hair. If I just try to rake my fingers through large sections, my curls twirl around each other and begin to frizz in only a couple of days. Separating the curls cuts down on tangles and frizz as long as you keep your hands out of your hair when wet. I also try not to rewet my hair unless I know I will wash in about 24 hours. It makes my crown poof and caused the styler to reactivate and make all the curls stick together (especially gel).

i saw your wngs in the thread linked above and they were absolutely GORGEOUS. i was going to ask you what you did to make your curls so big. what is shingling?

yesterday i did a true "wash and go" where i just ran some leave in through my hair and waited to see what it would look like. unfortunately i didnt have time to let it dry bc i had to leave but i knew i wasnt going to like how it ended up anyway. the curls were too separated. i dont want a bunch of strands in a group, i want big clumps of curls together, like in a braidout.

the second pic is from a different day, but basically what my hair looks like when it dries completely. the bottom two are from today with my hair still being wet and tossed in a high bun.

i am pretty sure that my hair doesnt like gels, oils, and other clear thin liquidy products, except aloe vera gel. it seems to do better with thick, creamy products. i also dont think "whipping" my head after did the curls any good, if anything it pulled the clumped ones apart. im not even sure what kind of products i need for styling except i knew after i bought it that im not a fan of KCKT.

 

[CaraWalker]

there are tons of ladies who love using grease on their hair, glad you found something that works. what grease did you use?

just regular blue or green grease.

 

[curlycrocheter]

Not touching your hair as it dries is VERY important for me in achieving a defined, tangle free wng.

I like using leave-in, gel, then sealing with an oil based cream.

I can usually get up to 3 day hair. My hair is just doesn't like being left to it's own devices for too long.

 

[whiteoleander91]

whiteoleander91 Why is suggesting curl activator not a popular response?

ezina just from my observations, it seems that not many people like curl activator gels or glycerin period. I think ppl are turned off because they can be greasy or sticky if you don't apply them properly, plus for some, their hair just does not like glycerin (makes their hair feel like straw, etc). I love them so much and they have helped me so much that I like to recommend them when I can, but I know that it won't work for everyone.

 

[Joigirl]

i saw your wngs in the thread linked above and they were absolutely GORGEOUS. i was going to ask you what you did to make your curls so big. what is shingling? yesterday i did a true "wash and go" where i just ran some leave in through my hair and waited to see what it would look like. unfortunately i didnt have time to let it dry bc i had to leave but i knew i wasnt going to like how it ended up anyway. the curls were too separated. i dont want a bunch of strands in a group, i want big clumps of curls together, like in a braidout. the second pic is from a different day, but basically what my hair looks like when it dries completely. the bottom two are from today with my hair still being wet and tossed in a high bun. i am pretty sure that my hair doesnt like gels, oils, and other clear thin liquidy products, except aloe vera gel. it seems to do better with thick, creamy products. i also dont think "whipping" my head after did the curls any good, if anything it pulled the clumped ones apart. im not even sure what kind of products i need for styling except i knew after i bought it that im not a fan of KCKT.

Thank you. You have very pretty curls! I don't use grease for my WNG, but shingling helps my curls last for at least 4 days or longer. After a shampoo or cowash, I section my hair and smooth my leave in, oil and styler in a smaller portion of the section. I shake the section (while holding the ends) to get the curls to clump. I hold the smaller section in one hand and smooth the products down each curl individually to remove frizz and saturate the curls with product with the other hand.

Once done, I place any bobby pins and gel for my edges that I want for my finished look. I don't touch my hair again until dry. I diffuse my hair with my head down on "cool" so the I have more volume on top. I stop diffusing when my hair is about 50-60% dry. Once totally dry, I scrunch out any crunch with an oil on my hands. I have soft and touchable hair with movement. I sleep in a modified pineapple with my hair piled on top of my hair with a long satin scarf. I just shake, fluff and go in the morning.

My WNG is 4 days old in the pic below but I plan to cowash and DC tomorrow. This one was styled with gel. Cream based stylers last no more than 3-4 days on my hair.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

My best results are when i rake and smooth products into my hair with my fingers while it is soaking wet and allow it to air dry.

Applying products to my damp hair?...nope dries crunchy frizzy and looks horrible.


Ive currently been getting awesome results from using a few pumps of wen cleansing conditioner and aussie moist split end hair insurance leave in cream.

I get mediocre/unpredictable results when i use oil and gel so i dont bother with those.

If i want volume ill wait until my hair is 100% dry (i do not touch my hair while it is drying) and either toussle the roots with my fingers, shake, or blow dry my hair very quickly while my head is upside down. A good shape and healthy ends matter the most IMO. I usually go 3 or 4 days without washing.

 

[CaraWalker]

Thank you. You have very pretty curls! I don't use grease for my WNG, but shingling helps my curls last for at least 4 days or longer. After a shampoo or cowash, I section my hair and smooth my leave in, oil and styler in a smaller portion of the section. I shake the section (while holding the ends) to get the curls to clump. I hold the smaller section in one hand and smooth the products down each curl individually to remove frizz and saturate the curls with product with the other hand.

Once done, I place any bobby pins and gel for my edges that I want for my finished look. I don't touch my hair again until dry. I diffuse my hair with my head down on "cool" so the I have more volume on top. I stop diffusing when my hair is about 50-60% dry. Once totally dry, I scrunch out any crunch with an oil on my hands. I have soft and touchable hair with movement. I sleep in a modified pineapple with my hair piled on top of my hair with a long satin scarf. I just shake, fluff and go in the morning.

My WNG is 4 days old in the pic below but I plan to cowash and DC tomorrow. This one was styled with gel. Cream based stylers last no more than 3-4 days on my hair.

thanks for the tip. i dont want to be dense but this process sounds confusing to me i would need a video erplexed

 

[CaraWalker]

My best results are when i rake and smooth products into my hair with my fingers while it is soaking wet and allow it to air dry.

Applying products to my damp hair?...nope dries crunchy frizzy and looks horrible.


Ive currently been getting awesome results from using a few pumps of wen cleansing conditioner and aussie moist split end hair insurance leave in cream.

I get mediocre/unpredictable results when i use oil and gel so i dont bother with those.

If i want volume ill wait until my hair is 100% dry (i do not touch my hair while it is drying) and either toussle the roots with my fingers, shake, or blow dry my hair very quickly while my head is upside down. A good shape and healthy ends matter the most IMO. I usually go 3 or 4 days without washing.

my problem is clearly somewhere between what to do before allowing the curls to set and which products would be best. i generally use a tresemme conditioner for cowashing, or after shampooing (i have tried a few of the more expensive lines and have never really been as happy with the softness as i am with those conditioners so in the meantime i just stick with it) but i was considering using some of those cremes specifically for curl defining.

 

[Joigirl]

thanks for the tip. i dont want to be dense but this process sounds confusing to me i would need a video erplexed

Too funny... There are lots of shingling videos on YouTube.

 

[reeko43]

Ceemarie82, I am currently using Long Aid and Eco Styler for color treated hair. I also use Worlds of Curls activator. I shingle wet hair straight out of the shower.

 

[PatTodd]

You said upthread that you want clumps of curls, like a braid out. My hair is very defined in big clumps (of individual curls) and here is what I do. After co-washing I (usually) rinse all comditioner out. Then I wrap my hair in a t shirt for about 10 mins, then apply my stylers (I use a finger tip full of Devacurl Heaven in Hair and then aome DevaCurl One Condition). I take off the t shirt and spread the Heaven in Hair around my head, along with some good old fashioned hair grease and some one condition.

Now here's the magic part. I flip my head upside down and I SMOOTH my hair with praying hands. Flip had right side up and SMOOTH some more in the direction I want my hair to lay. If I need to I wet my hands to reactivate the product but I smooth till I get those clumps. Then I scrunch my hair into the shape i want (only because my hair is short now, if I wanted more elongated curls I wouldn't scrunch). On succeeding days I let my hair get damp during my shower and smooth with a bit of conditioner to restyle. No gel ever, anymore! My hair lasts a week I tell ya and the curls are super separated and chunky. The deva product makes a difference, but the smoothing is the truth! I got the technique from a blog, Honey brown Sugar which is now sadly defunct

P.S. A major reason why my hair is so defined is that since I had my Devacut, I no longer (or super rarely) use combs. By not destroying my definition and then trying to rebuild it, my hair does better!

 

[southerncitygirl]

bunnycolvin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLTcCBJsOUE&list=PLOVknCBsjsvdRj2YUZHCO_fAkzZASSTzL

 

[PatTodd]

bunnycolvin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLTcCBJsOUE&list=PLOVknCBsjsvdRj2YUZHCO_fAkzZASSTzL

Now this is the way I USED to do it, when my hair was a similar length...now I believe that the hair only needs to not be dripping, not bone dry, so using the t shirt then diffusing will save 30 minutes ( seems like she spent about 45 minutes total drying time). More praying hands smoothing (which she does do) before drying will give more definition.

Also, not using the comb gives me definition from the root, which I always wanted and could never figure out how to get! It's a process of trial and error....!

 

[CaraWalker]

ok i did a few wngs this week. ironically, i was worried about how my hair would feel and not how it looked, and it turned out the other way around. i love the way my hair feels. it feels fuller and is soft, not tangling on itself at all. but the lack of curl definition IS a problem

basically braiding after shampooing, i would always wear a braid out and my hair would maintain that pattern until i washed again, not looking like an afro. now my hair turns into an afro once it dries this isnt that big a deal to me because it's actually kind of making better ponytails. but i would probably prefer some curl definition.

i need new products.

it 100% does not look like it but my hair feels really nice i wng'd tuesday or wednesday.