What Works, and What Doesn't
My hair is crazy. There's no other way to say it. Long, thick, dry and curly, if left to its own devices it puffs up and frizzes out around my head, making me look like a tumbleweed on a stick. Needless to say, I've tried a bunch of different products and finally found a couple that really work. All of these were bought at drugstores, grocery or discount stores; I can't afford expensive salon products. Here's what I've tried lately, and what worked.
Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse
This product smells really good and does cut the frizz and hold your curls fairly well. Unfortunately, it does it by kind of gluing big chunks of your hair together into wire-like spirals. If your hair is super-thick it's hard to get the mousse worked through all of it so you end up with hunks of your un-moussed hair separated by these hard, crunchy strands.
FX SpecialEffects Extreme Shine
This spray does tone down frizz and add shine to your hair, but it leaves it feeling greasy, almost slimy, and it has a really strange, almost noxious smell.
Got 2b curl-vacious curled-up spray
This worked all right; it makes your hair feel sticky until it dries, and leaves it feeling dry and a little bit crunchy. It does hold down the frizz and define your curls, and it has a nice scent. It doesn't last very long though, so you may have to spray your hair a few times through the day to keep it looking nice.
L'Oreal Studioline Pumping Curls
This spray works pretty well. Like the Got 2b product, it makes your hair feel slightly dry and crunchy, but it lasts longer. I just found out that Studioline has come out with new versions of their products; the new product that replaces Pumping Curls is called Tightly Wound. I haven't had a chance to try it but if it is an improvement over Pumping Curls, it should work pretty well.
John Frieda Frizz-Ease Serum
This product works great. It doesn't make the hair feel dry, crunchy or sticky and tames frizz for a long time. The only drawback is, it's fairly pricey for a small bottle of it and if your hair is really thick like mine, you'll go through the bottle pretty quickly.
Sunsilk De-Frizz 24/7 Creme
This is a pretty good product. It doesn't make your hair feel greasy or weighed down like some creams do and it defines the curls well, although it does make it a little bit crunchy. You may need to reapply it once during the day to keep your hair looking good, but it smells great and doesn't take a whole lot of the product to tame your hair.
Sunsilk Anti-Poof 24/7 Creme
If your hair gets big and puffy like mine does, you'll love this product. Apply some to your hair after you towel it dry and it will keep the volume down as it dries while still staying soft and keeping the curl. You can use it on dry hair as well.
Hollywood Beauty Carrot Oil
I love, love, love this stuff. It only takes a little bit to make your curls look and feel soft, smooth and shiny. Just pour a little bit into your palm, rub your hands together and smooth it through your damp or dry hair. It lasts a long time which is another great thing about it. Look for it in the "ethnic haircare" section of your drugstore. I used a different type of carrot oil once, and it wasn't as good-it wasn't as effective and had an odd smell.
Zero Frizz Curl Rescue Perfecting Spray
This is my favorite product, tied with the carrot oil. It gives you exactly what it says it will: soft, silky, frizz-free curls. It has a great, light scent and one bottle lasts me and my super-thick hair at least a couple weeks. It kept my hair looking good right through a 3-hour visit to the park yesterday; it was warm out and very windy, I did a lot of running, sliding and chasing kids, and my hair didn't get frizzy or poofy at all.
A couple more curly hair tips
If your hair is dry, don't wash it every day. Shampoo strips the natural oils that keep your hair moisturized. Use conditioner, and don't blow-dry. Use a product like the Sunsilk Anti-Poof or Zero Frizz Curl Rescue and let your hair air dry. If you have bangs and they get all weird and curly use a ceramic straightening iron to straighten just that part of your hair. I sometimes put my hair in a loose, low ponytail while I sleep and it helps keep it from getting frizzy overnight. If your hair is getting out of control and you don't have any of your favorite product at hand, rub a little lotion or conditioner into your hair. It will soften your hair and tone down the frizz.
