Diffusing...??

evanescence · 03-09-2009, 01:04 PM

Hmm, I like to think that I'm intelligent and yet I'm stumped by a hair dryer. I'm having a problem diffusing, my hair tends to be 2a - 2c (curls in the very front wavy in back) I've cut shampoo completely and I'm using HE BE gel. I twirl some curls lightly to give them some shape but if I just leave it to dry on it's own it gets poofy and plopping kind of helps but sometimes it's not fast enough. Anyway, diffusing my hair just makes it frizzy and doesn't really affect my curls. Does it help you?? How long do you do it?? Just curious....

Jess the Mess · 03-09-2009, 01:10 PM

How are you diffusing? Are you letting your hair fly all around? The key to diffusing is to not let your hair fly. A lot of us use the pixiecurl method or a monified version of it. I always have a hard time explaining it. Ladies?

kathymack · 03-09-2009, 01:15 PM

First of all, twos are supposed to poo once a week in the CG routine--not go nopoo. The gel may not be enough styler for your hair--most of us use several products. I never used stylers until a year ago. I started out as a winter wavy and a summer 3a curly. With products and technique--my hair looks like my signature picture. You may want to rethink products--it may not just be your diffusing.

For diffusing, most of us only use the low fan setting of the dryer (you'll get mixed temperature usage. I use high because I only diffuse for about 5 minutes.) I now use a bowl type diffuser and use it to scrunch my hair to my head. I do this upside down, concentrating on my crown and top of my head. I don't have a lot of hair, so I do about five minutes and let it air dry the rest of the way. HTH.

Laura Lee · 03-09-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jess the Mess

How are you diffusing? Are you letting your hair fly all around? The key to diffusing is to not let your hair fly. A lot of us use the pixiecurl method or a monified version of it. I always have a hard time explaining it. Ladies?

I'll give it a go!

The pixiecurl method is essentially to minimize how much your hair is blown around, like she said. You position the diffuser (it should be bowl shaped) at your scalp so that your hair is sort of scrunched into the bowl to encourage curl formation (many like to do various combinations of diffusing upside down, or leaning to the side, to begin the drying process) and THEN turn it on with a medium or high heat at a low speed. You leave the diffuser there for a couple of minutes. Then, turn off the dryer, reposition the diffuser in a new section, and turn it on again when it's in position, and dry that section for a few minutes.

I normally use the pixiecurl method upside down to start, and then once i'm about half dry, I'll do it leaning to the side. I'll then just leave the dryer on, but on a cool setting, and do it quickly all over (still using a scrunching positioning) with the cool air to "set" the curls. HTH

xcptnl · 03-09-2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathymack

First of all, twos are supposed to poo once a week in the CG routine--not go nopoo. The gel may not be enough styler for your hair--most of us use several products. I never used stylers until a year ago. I started out as a winter wavy and a summer 3a curly. With products and technique--my hair looks like my signature picture. You may want to rethink products--it may not just be your diffusing.

For diffusing, most of us only use the low fan setting of the dryer (you'll get mixed temperature usage. I use high because I only diffuse for about 5 minutes.) I now use a bowl type diffuser and use it to scrunch my hair to my head. I do this upside down, concentrating on my crown and top of my head. I don't have a lot of hair, so I do about five minutes and let it air dry the rest of the way. HTH.

That is my method as well. But I do flip upright and do a bit while upright but I focus on the back of my head and crown area when upright. I try to do the shut off/turn on method but it annoys me so I typically do not shut my dryer off...I just reposition. I also use high heat/low fan because I might diffuse 10 minutes at the most...I have little patience for drying my hair.

WurlyLox · 03-09-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcptnl

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathymack

First of all, twos are supposed to poo once a week in the CG routine--not go nopoo. The gel may not be enough styler for your hair--most of us use several products. I never used stylers until a year ago. I started out as a winter wavy and a summer 3a curly. With products and technique--my hair looks like my signature picture. You may want to rethink products--it may not just be your diffusing.

For diffusing, most of us only use the low fan setting of the dryer (you'll get mixed temperature usage. I use high because I only diffuse for about 5 minutes.) I now use a bowl type diffuser and use it to scrunch my hair to my head. I do this upside down, concentrating on my crown and top of my head. I don't have a lot of hair, so I do about five minutes and let it air dry the rest of the way. HTH.

That is my method as well. But I do flip upright and do a bit while upright but I focus on the back of my head and crown area when upright. I try to do the shut off/turn on method but it annoys me so I typically do not shut my dryer off...I just reposition. I also use high heat/low fan because I might diffuse 10 minutes at the most...I have little patience for drying my hair.

Pretty much exactly as Xcptnl says for me, too! I seldom have the patience to truly pixie diffuse it. I never diffuse until dry, at most about 75% dry. Yet I nearly always diffuse at least a little just to get the curls going.

shery · 03-09-2009, 03:28 PM

I have not used any shampoo on my hair since Jan 2008 and I'm mostly a 2C; I think curl type is less important than hair type, I have extremely coarse, thick hair which is dry.

First I plop my hair, I leave it up for about twenty minutes. I then diffuse my hair on low fan/ med heat; I also dry it it upside down except for the few minutes I do my scalp(I use the Devafuser). Total time with diffusing is about 7-10 minutes, my hair is about 50% dry when I finish.

Jess the Mess · 03-09-2009, 07:27 PM

I don't use a poo either and I am a 2c. But I do use a shampoo bar about once a week and before that I was using baking soda once a week to get rid of any build-up.

j-jill. · 03-09-2009, 07:54 PM

I remember last time I tried diffusing, my hair went POOOOF!
I was probably doing something wrong, but ever since then I've never touched another one again.

Misses_Jai · 03-09-2009, 08:18 PM

i do the pixiecurl method of diffusing too. i plop for about 5-10 minutes then diffuse until my hair's about 80%. once my hair is 100% dry, i SOTC....

KarenRB53 · 05-06-2009, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kathymack

First of all, twos are supposed to poo once a week in the CG routine--not go nopoo. The gel may not be enough styler for your hair--most of us use several products. I never used stylers until a year ago. I started out as a winter wavy and a summer 3a curly. With products and technique--my hair looks like my signature picture. You may want to rethink products--it may not just be your diffusing.

For diffusing, most of us only use the low fan setting of the dryer (you'll get mixed temperature usage. I use high because I only diffuse for about 5 minutes.) I now use a bowl type diffuser and use it to scrunch my hair to my head. I do this upside down, concentrating on my crown and top of my head. I don't have a lot of hair, so I do about five minutes and let it air dry the rest of the way. HTH.

Any special kind of diffuser best? You mention cup style but is any brand better?

WurlyLox · 05-06-2009, 09:00 AM

Just a basic diffuser attachment, like Conair's for about $10, is good unless you need to buy a dryer anyway. If that's the case, there are many that come with them nowadays, although I haven't particularly cared for any of those myself - the "fingers" were longer than the depth of the bowl so that too much heat and air escaped when cupping the hair to my head. Most also had such big holes that they let too much air thru at once and blew it around too much for my taste.

There's also the DevaFuser, available at Ulta or on-line, which is handshaped. At first no one much seemed to much care for them, but they've since grown on a lot of us, myself included, especially to get up "inside" the hair and dry it more quickly. Most seem to still at least start with a bowl diffuser, though.

rockthecurlz · 05-06-2009, 09:22 AM

I have never tried the pixiecurl method. However for me, I only diffuse until my hair is 60%-75% dry. I have noticed if I use anything besides low heat at low speed, the frizz starts forming. I also like mixing products. Just using gel alone isn't enough for my hair. I am also one of the people that the devafuser has grown on. It takes practice though.

burgundy_locks · 05-06-2009, 09:54 AM

YESSSSS, i think i'l finally be able to diffuse!!! i was doing it all wrong before. plus my hair was long so it got caught in the fan at the other end of the dryer!!! and while i would try to get the hair out, the diffuser blew my hair every and i was left with a puff! AND the back was meshed, so i dont know HOW my hair got into the fan! but my hair is short now so this should b a success!

curlygirl18 · 05-06-2009, 03:34 PM

I am sort of late to this thread, but I do things a TAD different than you ladies. I do pixiecurl (love it) and on high heat/low fan for only 10 minutes. HOWEVER, I do NOT do it upside down AT ALL. It cause me to frizz on my crown big time and is not good. I just tip my head to whatever side I am pixiecurling on and voila! Perfect results.

loewin · 05-06-2009, 04:08 PM

I never considered blow drying before because my hair gets damaged pretty easily. However after hearing all the raving about it I might give it a try. I just found this website.
http://store.tenderheaded.com/sleepac.html

The diffusers seem pretty cheap.

Apparently they also sell other items that would be good for us curlies.

WurlyLox · 05-11-2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loewin

I never considered blow drying before because my hair gets damaged pretty easily. However after hearing all the raving about it I might give it a try. I just found this website.
http://store.tenderheaded.com/sleepac.html

The diffusers seem pretty cheap.

Apparently they also sell other items that would be good for us curlies.

Their diffuser prices are pretty good, but you can find the same ones locally with no shipping. FYI, I only like the Hot Sock when traveling. I much prefer a bowl diffuser. For that reason, I don't think I'd like the inflatable one either. Either of the plastic bowl ones would be OK, but you can get them at Sally's, Wal-Mart, Target, drugstores, etc. The Conair I referred to is as much as $10 at Ulta, but I think I paid $5.99 for my last one at K-Mart. It's the brand I usually see, but I also have/have had similar ones by Revlon, Helen of Troy, etc. for about the same price.

Try it, I think you'll like it. Even if you only use it for a couple of minutes, you'll probably get better curl formation. Using a dryer doesn't have to be damaging as long as you don't use too hot a setting and keep it moving, not concentrating on one spot for too long.

That70sHeidi · 05-11-2009, 01:11 PM

The alternating Hot and Cool worked wonders for me with both controlling frizz and curl formation.

I also bought a new dryer that had more options than my last and that may help too (old dryer - $80; new dryer - $20!!!).

Usually I give up my patience when trying the pixiecurl method but this morning I stuck with it and between the off/on and the high heat/low air and the hot/cool shots, my hair looked really decent. Of course, then it was humid both inside and out and I got some canopy frizz, but whatevs, it still looks good, darnit.

Maybe try clipping your back up with big claw clips after you're done blowing it and letting it air dry a little, to avoid getting waves. I did just the ends today like that and it helped, but tomorrow I'm doing the whole back like that.

I too am a 2A/B with curls up front and waves in the back. It's a new discovery every day.

rudeechick · 05-11-2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curlygirl18

I am sort of late to this thread, but I do things a TAD different than you ladies. I do pixiecurl (love it) and on high heat/low fan for only 10 minutes. HOWEVER, I do NOT do it upside down AT ALL. It cause me to frizz on my crown big time and is not good. I just tip my head to whatever side I am pixiecurling on and voila! Perfect results.

Same here as far as hanging my head to the side. My hair is WAY to thick to dry it upside down.

I go area by area repeatedly til its dry. Then I give each area a blast of cold if I'm not lazy. I have found I get the same result by letting my hair cool off completely before touching it.

loewin · 05-11-2009, 02:09 PM

I only looked on line because I've had the worst luck trying to find just a diffuser. I have the dryer, but I refuse to spend 40 bucks for a diffuser that comes with the dryer. I have looked at walmart, kmart, sallys, walgreens, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by auntnett

Quote:

Originally Posted by loewin

I never considered blow drying before because my hair gets damaged pretty easily. However after hearing all the raving about it I might give it a try. I just found this website.
http://store.tenderheaded.com/sleepac.html

The diffusers seem pretty cheap.

Apparently they also sell other items that would be good for us curlies.

Their diffuser prices are pretty good, but you can find the same ones locally with no shipping. FYI, I only like the Hot Sock when traveling. I much prefer a bowl diffuser. For that reason, I don't think I'd like the inflatable one either. Either of the plastic bowl ones would be OK, but you can get them at Sally's, Wal-Mart, Target, drugstores, etc. The Conair I referred to is as much as $10 at Ulta, but I think I paid $5.99 for my last one at K-Mart. It's the brand I usually see, but I also have/have had similar ones by Revlon, Helen of Troy, etc. for about the same price.

Try it, I think you'll like it. Even if you only use it for a couple of minutes, you'll probably get better curl formation. Using a dryer doesn't have to be damaging as long as you don't use too hot a setting and keep it moving, not concentrating on one spot for too long.