hard hair no matter what i use or do :(

krispy · 12-26-2006, 08:19 AM

Hi, hope everyone had a nice holiday! Hair's

my dilemma !! Whether I use gel (Herbal Essence Set me up)or cream (Regis), my hair is not really touchable. My husband said it felt nicer with the cream, but I'm not 100 % happy with it. I've tried soft hold gels, but still my hair is kinda hard with crunchy spots no matter how much scrunching i do. If I use less product, my hair is not as defined.
any thoughts?

medusahair · 12-26-2006, 09:04 AM

If the crunch won't scrunch out with softer hold getls you might need more conditioner or have buildup in that area, or you might not be leaving enough water in your hair before you put the gel in.

If I squeeze out too much water and then add gel it will be super crispy in my dryer spots. Or if I don't leave in enough conditioner. Or if I have protein buildup from a product.
If I leave in a good conditioner a lot of times I get no crunch at all. I try to leave in enough to have a little crunch that is easily scrunched out. You have to play around and see how much that is for your hair.

Personally I don't mind if my hair isn't touchable as long as it looks fabulous and isn't real crisp. Hairspray that I used to use made my hair untouchable anyway so it's much more touchable now

embudini · 12-26-2006, 09:42 AM

Have you tried going product free? I thought it wouldn't work, but I have soft, touchable defined curls; my hair is better product free than with any product I have tried.

Kaia · 12-26-2006, 10:41 AM

I would try a moisturizing leave-in under your gel. Also have you tried the HE Totally Twisted gel? I get no crunch from it at all. If you still get a lot of crunch, I would think you have build-up and should maybe try clarifying.

pinksugar · 12-26-2006, 10:42 AM

I use gel on my hair. After it dries it is crunchy and wet looking. I just run about a dime size of got2b pomade over my hair (as if putting in a ponytail) and it takes the crunch out. My curls are still defined, no frizz, but it doesn't look wet or crunchy anymore. And it feels soft. HTH

Darby · 12-26-2006, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by medusahair

If the crunch won't scrunch out with softer hold getls you might need more conditioner or have buildup in that area, or you might not be leaving enough water in your hair before you put the gel in.

If I squeeze out too much water and then add gel it will be super crispy in my dryer spots.

The part of leaving enough water in hair before adding gel to it. My stylist insists that I put my gel into soaking wet hair. When I tried it at home, I get oily looking hair - more clumpy looking. I have fine, thin hair so when I get clumpy curls, I look bald. I need to get fluffy type curls.
But sometimes I get frizzy hair. I don't know where I'm going with this... I was just wondering if maybe putting the gel on when it's not soaking wet but quite wet would help getting not clumpy curls??
Sorry, I butted in on this post

teela1978 · 12-26-2006, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darby

Quote:

Originally Posted by medusahair

If the crunch won't scrunch out with softer hold getls you might need more conditioner or have buildup in that area, or you might not be leaving enough water in your hair before you put the gel in.

If I squeeze out too much water and then add gel it will be super crispy in my dryer spots.

The part of leaving enough water in hair before adding gel to it. My stylist insists that I put my gel into soaking wet hair. When I tried it at home, I get oily looking hair - more clumpy looking. I have fine, thin hair so when I get clumpy curls, I look bald. I need to get fluffy type curls.
But sometimes I get frizzy hair. I don't know where I'm going with this... I was just wondering if maybe putting the gel on when it's not soaking wet but quite wet would help getting not clumpy curls??
Sorry, I butted in on this post

Just to continue the guano.... I have rather fine, thin hair as well and I have the same problem if I use too much gel. I have to use a lot less product than most of the folks on here, but I do shove it onto soaking wet hair. I just scrunch and fluff out any clumps to make it look fuller after its dry. HTH!

medusahair · 12-26-2006, 12:42 PM

Darby- I don't have fine hair but I have thin hair. I finger comb my products in in very wet hair. I don't leave the water literally running off but it is def dripping off. Usually since I'm upside down I have to spray more water on teh underside closest to my neck since it's already run off there. I smooth the gel in sections like I was going to make several pony tails then rake (sometimes I comb if my hair feels a little tangly from tipping upside down) then I scrunch to get the hair clumped but it's always in smaller clumps this way.
I used to leave the clumps real big but I get better volume if I rake the product through so it breaks up the biggest clumps. Using a gooey gel that coats helps with the illusion of more hair too. Arc Angel helps me with that, Dep sports gel, gels with those consistency.
I was getting frizz from turning upside down since I didn't wash that way but just rinsed the conditioner that way so I comb my conditioner in upside down before I rinse. I happen to have some tangly hair at my nape. I think I under condition it accidentally. Tangly hair will make for frizz for me.

Oh and careful how much you handle it as the gel starts to dry on the hair , that will give a lot of frizz too.