Products for wavy frizzy dry hair

Bald_Eagle · 03-14-2011, 01:40 AM

Hi, I am new to the site but am anxious to know some new techniques! My main problem is this: I definitely have naturally wavy hair but it is a slight wave, and very prone to dryness and frizz. It would probably not look very good if I let it air dry over night-ie: not much definition. I prefer to use the diffuser. But this has been my problem there: It won't do for me what it did for the hair dresser

. After putting strands of high lights in, she put the conditioner or (Paul Mitchell) and it was very thick and creamy. She also used the Paul Mitchell Round Trip Curl Defining Cream. Then she put a very very small amount of P.M. anti-frizz serum (2 pumps) and that was enough for all of my hair. It came out looking like it does in the picture-great well defined spiral-y waves.

This is what I use at home: My scalp feels dry/itchy so I have been using Head and Shoulders Dry Scalp Care w/ Almond Oil Dandruff Shampoo and then the conditioner on my head. Then I put Pantene Curl Conditioner on the long part of my hair. After that I put the PM Round Trip Curl Cream. Then I use the diffuser. I have also tried an old bottle of Frizz Ease Curl Spray. But it turns out looking stringy and not spiral-y, or just not wavy enough. For instance: Today I did not use the PM Curl Defining cream, I just diffused it and the waves were so undefined that I had to just brush it out. And I noticed it was really frizzy and dry at the middle/ends.

What should I do? I don't want to buy the Paul Mitchell products which are so expensive for me. And the products I'm using don't seem to be working. I'm looking for an inexpensive solution if possible.

pedaheh · 03-14-2011, 08:36 AM

Most wavies here use the modified version of the Curly Girl method. This post explains the method.
The College Curly: Laura Lee's All In One Guide to Going CG: Now Revised and Updated!
It should help a lot with dry hair, dry scalp, and frizz caused from dry hair. It made a huge difference with my hair.

IAgirl · 03-14-2011, 09:48 AM

Snoop around on the 2s board and see what people say they're using for products in their signatures.
You might also go back to the stylist and ask her how she styled your hair to get it how you liked it. That borders on revealing "trade secrets" but stylists cannot expect you to come to them every time you want good-looking hair and if your hair looks good often because she taught you how to style it, more people will ask you "who does your hair?" and you'll gladly tell them, so it seems like a win-win situation in the long run.
Learning to style hair is a skill with a steep learning curve. First, you have to understand your hair's properties -- read here: Live Curly Live Free - Curly Hair Basics
Then there's trial and error.
And lots of tips and advice here! Good luck.

Cheetara · 03-14-2011, 09:56 AM

I think you probably need some gel. A cheap gel that works for a lot of us is LA Looks Sports Gel. Gel creates a cast on your hair that holds the wave. Once your hair is dry (and probably crunchy) you can scrunch it one final time to break the cast and release some soft waves.

Bald_Eagle · 03-14-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAgirl

You might also go back to the stylist and ask her how she styled your hair to get it how you liked it. That borders on revealing "trade secrets" but stylists cannot expect you to come to them every time you want good-looking hair and if your hair looks good often because she taught you how to style it, more people will ask you "who does your hair?" and you'll gladly tell them, so it seems like a win-win situation in the long run.

I know what she did--She used Paul Mitchell products that my hair really liked-a heavy conditioner that my dry hair really loved. Then my hair was able to do its thing naturally. But I don't want to buy them (expensive).

Bald_Eagle · 03-14-2011, 12:21 PM

pedaheh- Thank you for that link. I do want to try the no-poo co-wash method.

Cheetara- I have tried Pantene curl gel, and gel alone does not help.

IAgirl · 03-14-2011, 02:10 PM

What was the Paul Mitchell Conditioner called?
Look at this Sally's search (if the link works) because they may have a "knock-off" you'd find affordable:
Sally Beauty Supply