Help! Curls went flat after trip to AZ

mellowvelo · 03-17-2012, 12:51 PM

Hi,
It's my first time here after finding nc.com when I googled my problem. I live in MI and my hair is curly-ish (I've self-diagnosed as a 2C). Anyway, I just went to AZ and the curls were fine for the first day and by day 4 my entire top layer was FLAT! I've been home since Wed. night (it's now Saturday) and it's still flat and the rest seems to be suffering too. I don't even know how to style my hair like this! What can I do!? Is it from the dry AZ weather? I normally use Loreal Sulphate-free shampoo & conditioner, tresemme curling mousse, and john frieda frizz-ease styling cream. Normally that produces good results. I'm totally lost now and panicked!!!

JRock · 03-17-2012, 01:03 PM

I'm a Phoenix native, now living in Dallas, so I had the opposite problem. My hair went from awesome to puff ball city! I've gone from 3a-3b to 2c on a good day. I would suggest doing a deep treatment with a thicker conditioner. The dry climate might have sucked the moisture from your hair and you just need to add it back. If your hair can take oils, try adding 1/2 tsp oil into your DT. You may also add some honey to your conditioner. It will draw the moisture from the steam in the shower into your hair. I hope that helps!

Fat Thumbs + iPhone = Errors 

mellowvelo · 03-17-2012, 01:12 PM

Thank you SO much! I'm off to find some products now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRock

I'm a Phoenix native, now living in Dallas, so I had the opposite problem. My hair went from awesome to puff ball city! I've gone from 3a-3b to 2c on a good day. I would suggest doing a deep treatment with a thicker conditioner. The dry climate might have sucked the moisture from your hair and you just need to add it back. If your hair can take oils, try adding 1/2 tsp oil into your DT. You may also add some honey to your conditioner. It will draw the moisture from the steam in the shower into your hair. I hope that helps!

Fat Thumbs + iPhone = Errors 

SaraNoH · 03-17-2012, 01:18 PM

haha, welcome to my life. living in AZ with curls isn't the most wonderful thing, let me tell you.

A good DT ought to do the trick: you know, humectants like glycerin, honey, maybe some oil... slap some on your hair and cover it with a shower cap/plastic bag and blow warm air onto it for awhile.

Sorry the AZ air sucks so badly! xD

mellowvelo · 03-17-2012, 05:31 PM

Thanks for your advice, SaraNoH and JRock. I did a deep treatment of half-honey/half-coconut oil and left it on for maybe 40 minutes (shot it with the blow dryer near the end). I washed that out with sulphate-free shampoo and conditioned with sulphate-free conditioner and added honey to that. I invested in some new products (Deva Curl Arc AnGel and Set it Free). My curls look fantastic and despite the few pieces that are still suffering from being Arizona'd, things are looking up. Phew!!! Thanks so much.

JRock · 03-17-2012, 08:36 PM

Oh I'm happy for your curls Mellowvelo! I hope you liked your visit to AZ. I'm going in May to see my family & can't wait!

Fat Thumbs + iPhone = Errors 

beeduh · 03-17-2012, 09:40 PM

You might want to check your styling products. The L'oreal shampoo might not be getting all of the silicones out of your hair. This could cause flat and limp hair as well from product build up.

raindear · 03-18-2012, 10:30 AM

I believe that AZ has the same hard water we have in NV, so that might have a part in the problem. You might want to try an ACV rinse to help with that, or choose the shampoo you use with that in mind.

briana.colleen · 03-18-2012, 10:47 AM

Oh, I live in AZ and I've never thought of the deep treatment with honey and coconut oil. What is the ratio of each that you use? I have a hooded dryer so that would be awesome to use in conjunction with that DT and maybe less expensive than my current DT.