Ever put TOO much product?

adoleh · 04-12-2013, 02:43 PM

Hey curlies. So I have a problem. I do my hair every day (and by 'do' I mean wet it and apply tons of gel to it every morning). You would think I would know how to do this correctly after all these years but I don't. My problem is I put too much product. Way too much. So much so that after SOTC I usually end up having to put my head in the sink, rewash it, and start all over again! It's so time consuming and I usually still hate the end result (because, somehow, I still put too much product in the 2nd time around...sometimes 3rd).

How do you guys know how to stop applying products? I mean, our hair is usually wet while putting all the products in so we can't really 'see' it or feel the product in the hair when it's wet. So how do you know you've put in enough? Or too little? I usually put too much but some times I put too little and end up with a huge poofy hair mess. Then I basically spend the rest of the day rewetting the hair to reactivate the product or continuously applying gel to make up for the frizzy mess.

How do you know when to stop slopping on the products?

justdoingme · 04-12-2013, 02:45 PM

i dont know, mine is more of a guess. however, i apply tons of gel but i sleep on my hair overnight, so all the excess gel is crunched out, so when i wake up it is only a little crunchy in some areas

claudine19 · 04-12-2013, 02:45 PM

I've done it. It's usually pretty disgusting afterward.

I guess I try to err on the side of slightly less. About a handful of mousse works, and if I accidentally spray too much in my palm, I wash it off and start over. Better to waste product than time, I feel.

Raquel26 · 04-12-2013, 02:59 PM

You really don't know. It all depends on on hair properties. When trying new products I start with 3 dollops, quarter size, apply right, left and center. One dollop at a time of course. And wait and see what happens. Then adjust accordingly the next time I "do" my hair. It's a learning process. There is no right or wrong answer.

Jessiebanana · 04-12-2013, 03:02 PM

Just go slow. I know for conditioners I think a lot of people waste product trying to get that instant slippery feeling. If they waited a couple minutes and let the product work on their hair they would see they don't need as much.

For styling products and conditioners I just focus on even distribution. You can build the product up after each even layer, then you know when to stop. Once you get the amount right, you can do it in your sleep.

rbb · 04-12-2013, 04:29 PM

on rare occasions i've been there -- too much product. if i have time, i just wet my hair under the sink faucet, then scrunch, plop. usually much better, oftentimes perfect.
if i don't have time, it's headbands! happily, i rarely over apply.

rainboe · 04-12-2013, 05:24 PM

I rake in conditioner until I feel like I've gotten in on all the sections of my hair. Then, I kind of know the amount I'm going for with my creme and gel. Like, With my gel I put about a quarter size amount for each side of my hair, and with my creme I use three scoops. I think of it by how the products look in my hands. Also, when I apply gel I'm standing upright, so I divide my hair in half over my shoulders. That way i'm dealing with half sections instead of my whole head.

Maybe you could try putting a line of product on your pinkie or to one of the lines on your index finger (for your whole head or for each side, depending on what you think is a good start amount and if you section your hair to apply product), so you know how much you're using and can replicate it. Then, if that isn't enough product the next day you could put a line of product on your ring finger or use two pinkie fingers worth of product. That way you have a way to measure it and see where a good amount would be for you. Also, with hair gel I feel like it helps me control how much I use when I put it in a travel size container, because a big gel bottle can make me squirt out too much (I use LA Looks, so my gel bottle's big).