which low poos ~ no poos ~ cowashes for fine haired curlies?

sheilacurl · 09-04-2012, 06:08 AM

Hi Ladies!

I have been low pooing with Elucence Moisture Benefits and Mop C but they are not helping with my frizz factor or build up. I've tried CJ Daily Fix but that seemed to give me a greasy slick look and Deva no poo was even worse. Cowashing with Suave Coconut and a vo5 condish (I forget which one) lead to an extremely itchy and oily scalp. I use CG friendly conditioners, gels and mousses but I always seem to get white gunk under my fingernails even with the low poos that I'm currently using. I have a naturally oily complexion as well. Oh and I've tried the baking soda and condish thing quite a few times but ended up with a tangly frizzy oily mess, lol.

I would love your feedback especially if you have fine hair that is easily weighed down! I see some Daily fix on the swap board and I'm tempted to give it a try again. But I would love to know what works for you girls!

Please Help,
Sheila

oh.hi.its.steph · 09-04-2012, 06:18 AM

If you have fine hair that's prone to getting oily, you just might not be able to co-wash or no-poo. You might need stronger low-poos instead -- I've been hearing good things about the CHS Treatment shampoo, it's supposed to be gentle yet strong enough to remove build-up. It also contains protein, maybe that would be a good option for you

Many fine-haired curlies simply can't co-wash, and if they can, they still need to rotate in a low-poo as well. It seems for fine hair, conditioner only might be adding too much moisture to the hair and isn't strong enough to remove its own build-up, while on coarse/dry hair this isn't as big of a deal.

kimmidawn · 09-04-2012, 07:17 AM

I agree with Steph, you may just not be able to cowash. There are a lot of us who have to use a low poo or something similar because our hair ends up weighed down. For instance, I don't really have hair that gets weighed down, but I get the best hair when I use CHS Treatment Shampoo (that specific shampoo isn't CG, but most people who use it find that it's more gentle than a lot of low poos). I would try out a few low poos, and see how your hair does with those.

sheilacurl · 09-04-2012, 04:24 PM

Thanks Steph and kimmi, your timing is impeccable, I got some of that shampoo on the swap board this morning! I think I will stay clear of the cj daily fix though.

It is nice to know that I'm not the only one who can't be purely sulfate free, one thing doesn't work for everyone, right?

Maybe I just never gave myself enough transition time for my scalp to stop producing so much sebum? Oh well, life is a journey, our hair might as well be too.

Corrina777 · 09-04-2012, 06:01 PM

I agree with Kimmi and Steph- CG isn't so much about following a set of hard and fast rules as much as it's about learning how to make your hair look and feel its best. I'm also a very huge fan of the CHS Treatment Shampoo. While I can co-wash without issues, I keep this shampoo in my rotation because I like what it does for my hair.

Also, I know you mentioned trying CJ Daily Fix. Have you Tried DevaCurl No-Poo? I found it to be a bit less moisturizing than Daily Fix, which could be helpful. I also suffered with very oily roots for a long time and I unknowingly went CG over two years ago when a stylist recommended the DevaCurl line to me. I went from daily sulfate washes to daily No-Poo and didn't notice any transitioning issues.

sheilacurl · 09-05-2012, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corrina777

Also, I know you mentioned trying CJ Daily Fix. Have you Tried DevaCurl No-Poo? I found it to be a bit less moisturizing than Daily Fix, which could be helpful. I also suffered with very oily roots for a long time and I unknowingly went CG over two years ago when a stylist recommended the DevaCurl line to me. I went from daily sulfate washes to daily No-Poo and didn't notice any transitioning issues.

Yes, I tried Devacurl No-Poo and I ended up greasier than with Daily fix. Plus I couldn't stand the smell of it, lol. I wish no poos would work for me though! I am tempted to try the L'oreal cleansing creme but I fear the same greasy root situation. I guess I could always swap it or even return it

You are lucky you didn't have any transition issues. Even with the low poos I am using my hair is really greasy by day 2, I can see the oil on my fingers if I rub my scalp and my head gets itchy. I can't wait to get my new shampoo!

Thanks for your help!

Corrina777 · 09-05-2012, 06:50 AM

If you still have any of the no-poos on hand (Deva or CJ), have you tried changing your technique? I know that made a huge difference for me. I spent months believing I couldn't co-wash but once I changed my technique it made all the difference in the world (I use the same technique for no-poo/cleansing conditioners that I use for straight conditioner co-washing). In addition to lots of scalp massaging when I apply co-wash (good 2 or 3 minutes), I also continue to massage my scalp as I rinse. This was a night and day difference.

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sheilacurl · 09-14-2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corrina777

If you still have any of the no-poos on hand (Deva or CJ), have you tried changing your technique? I know that made a huge difference for me. I spent months believing I couldn't co-wash but once I changed my technique it made all the difference in the world (I use the same technique for no-poo/cleansing conditioners that I use for straight conditioner co-washing). In addition to lots of scalp massaging when I apply co-wash (good 2 or 3 minutes), I also continue to massage my scalp as I rinse. This was a night and day difference.

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I don't have any more no poos on hand, they all got swapped but I have some suave condish that I use for shaving my legs. I tried using that as a cowash and my hair looked like an oil slick, lol. I have been using the CHS treatment shampoo and I can't believe how silky my hair feels while I'm rinsing it out. This stuff is amazing!

I guess I'm really lazy with the scalp messaging, my hands are pretty arthritic from driving and shoeing horses in the past so my hands get really sore really quickly. I've tried using my finger tips but then as soon as I ran my fingernail on my scalp the white gunk would be there. So I do scrub my head with my fingernails and find that it helps a bit with with scalp buildup.

I'll revisit cowashing next time and try using your technique. Do you skip the rinse out conditioner when you cowash?

Thanks in advance.

yossarian · 09-15-2012, 09:07 AM

Co-washing was an epic fail for me too! I tried every product that people with similar hair types used (Suave, VO5 etc), with disastrous results. DevaCurl was ok, but nothing special, and CJ Daily Fix left my waves limp and flat. Everyone raves about it, so I tried it in combination with a variety of products, to no avail. I had high hopes for Jessicurl, but my hair HATED everything I tried (HCC, RR, CC, TS).

DermOrganics was fantastic, but after a few weeks started getting this scab-like buildup on my scalp (ugh!), so I can only use it once a week. YTC was ok in small doses, but too heavy to use regularly. Same for Renpure Argan.

I finally found a couple of sulfate-free poos that work well: AG re:coil and CJ Gentle Cleansing. I've been using the AG daily for 3 months, and have had no issues with buildup or stripping. It also helps that I found stylers that are compatible with my hair type (As I Am Curling Jelly & Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly).

Lots of trial and error, but you'll find your HG in the end!

Morgan_Adcock · 09-16-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

CG isn't so much about following a set of hard and fast rules as much as it's about learning how to make your hair look and feel its best.

Learning what works best for your hair may not be about following a set of rules, but CG is. CG stands for Curly Girl: The Handbook, which gives us a set of rules for curly hair care. Follow it or don't follow it, whichever works for you, but if you're not following it, you're doing something else, not CG.

FWIW, in reference to another poster, I have hair with the substance of cobwebs, and CGing does work for me. I agree with you that it may be a matter of technique.