ARG! please help me choose one of these...

LittleMermaid23 · 07-25-2005, 10:51 AM

I've seen so many suggestions for styling products that it's left me completely confused as to what to get. I have a tight budget, which means that I need to use all of whatever I buy before I can buy something else to try. Can anyone help me choose between these products? (Or if there's another you like better, let me know).

I especially would like to know from people who have similar hair...mine is long (between my shoulders and the middle of my back), medium textured strands, medium to thick thickness, and 3a/b, always looking for more curl definition. I use shampoo every day or every other day, and I use conditioner every day. Please help!

*Herbal essences humidity gel (is this for curl defintion or just preventing frizz?)
*Biolage Gelee (or Suave knockoff)
*B&A Gel
*Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam
*AG Recoil
*Jessicurl CCSS
*Jessicurl RR
*Got2b gel
*TiGi Catwalk "Frisky" scrunching gel
*TiGi Curls Rock

Kurlee · 07-25-2005, 12:37 PM

I have only tried the Jessicurl products and the B&A gel from your list.
Jessicurl didn't give me much hold at all so they didn't work (got frizzy and undefined). I really like the B&A gel. It doesn't have much hold but quite a bit more than the Jessicurl ones.

My hair is shorter than yours though. Probably a bit less curly too.

In my pictures there is a picture of when I used the B&A gel. Maybe not the greatest day I have had though.
It is spendy but it lasts forever, which can be good and bad.

Are you looking for lots of hold?

Oh, I remember now that I tried the Biolage Gelee and it was way to much hold for me. My hair felt all hard and crunchy. Un natural feeling kinda. Didn't care for it.

Rain · 07-25-2005, 06:32 PM

My hair is long enough to trail behind me when I sit down (but still not classic length). It is fine, medium and coarse but predominantely fine. The strands are fine but there's a lot of it and I'm also a 3a/b. It's 3b when very short but looks more like 3a when long. I use styling products to stop my hair from forming a giant, shapeless puff and to hold in some moisture.

I would go for the re:coil and Rockin' Ringlets since I use those together a lot lately. If I don't use re:coil, I use Boots Curling Cream. They're both really good -- moisturizing and not crunchy, which is important when you have long hair. Long hair has more movement than short hair and a crispy coating of gel doesn't work well with it. It needs to swish freely.

Kurlee · 07-25-2005, 11:05 PM

I am getting tempted to try Re:coil now... Can it be used alone (or with a leave in only)?

Rain · 07-25-2005, 11:37 PM

Re:coil can definitely be used alone, with or without leave-in. It's not going to give you super strong hold. It's a little bit like Boots Curling Cream.

Seawave · 07-25-2005, 11:42 PM

I think it is really hard to recommend styling products because everyone has such different experiences with them. But I will let you know my experiences with the ones you have listed that I've tried. My hair is between BSL and waist when pulled straight and I am 3A mostly with some areas of 2 mixed in. I have thick hair, but it is medium texture.

*Biolage Gelee (or Suave knockoff) - I really like Biolage Gelee (or at least the old formula -- haven't tried the new formula). I didn't like the Suave knockoff -- no curl formation and lots of flaking, and to me it wasn't anything like Biloage Gelee.

*Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam - I love, love, love this mousse. Some curlies don't think it gives enough hold, but I always have some of this in my cabinet. I love how moisturizing it is and my curls always feel bouncy and nourished with this.

*AG Recoil - Hated it. Had a strange texture on my hair, like there was a film on it -- it weighed my hair down and gave little to no curl formation. Maybe if it was combined with something else you would get a different result, but I didn't like this one at all.

*TiGi Curls Rock - I liked this in the beginning, but it really builds up on the hair. I use shampoo but I found this stuff really hard to wash out of my hair. I would stop using it and it would literally take days and days of shampooing to get it out. The more it built up in my hair, the worse things got. A lot of curlies a couple of years ago complained about buildup with this too. It might best be reserved for once-in-a-while use but not on a regular basis.

Good luck with your shopping!!!

^j^

PixieCurl · 07-26-2005, 07:28 AM

kurlee - re:coil can definitely be used alone. i actually find that for me it has more hold than boots. it's easiest to distribute when you wet your hands first and rub a small amount of re:coil between them.

Kurlee · 07-26-2005, 12:05 PM

Okay, thanks Rain and Pixicurl! I'll have to order that one next time. :P