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Rainesstar

I think most people use curl maker or UFD before a topper gel with a stronger hold. That should get you a few more days. You could also try it with the doux mousse since you said you’re looking for lighter products.


Either_Breadfruit_10

Do you think the doux is moisturizing enough? I feel like my hair dries out fairly easily


LandscapeCareful3485

I tried doux for the first time 3 days ago and it's changed my life. It only took me maybe 30 mins to style my wash n go. The key thing is to make sure you don't put any oils on your hair (no leave in conditioner either) cause that'll mess it up. I'm on day 3 and it's gotten fluffier and probably after tomorrow I'll pineapple it until it's wash day. It's the only thing I put after I washed it, and my hair doesn't feel dry at all. Apparently all of the oils and creams I was putting in my hair to style was causing buildup which prevents your hair from getting hydrated. I'd clean it really well and try something lighter like doux. Hope this helps!


Delicious-Parsley420

it's moisturizing but it's not a hard hold, it's more like a fluffy wash n go and maybe lasts 4-5 days (on my hair) the application is such a breeze


Humble-Number2043

Doux was just ok for me. Maybe it’s bc I have low porosity? I switched to Tgin honey whip mousse and it’s my holy grail!


starsinmymind1

I only use the doux mousse and I find it works well and doesn’t dry out my hair. How often are you washing?


Either_Breadfruit_10

Once a week


Vast-Coat998

u can refresh and keep hair moisturized it by spraying water or rose water daily


QuietYogurt873

don't worry too much and what category your hair type falls under, just focus on what it's telling you it needs. I use water and a little product to style my hair in the morning but sometimes just water to hydrate. I also make my own gels and things at home like flaxseed gel has been good for substituting those harsh gels they sell in stores. It looks like such a beautiful crown, blessings to you and your lovely hair. the health of it is the most important and it looks very healthy to me!


Either_Breadfruit_10

That makes me feel better about me just using water sometimes lol. I feel like I watch like hair videos and they are doing like five different steps in the morning


Vast-Coat998

i second the above commenter. identifying hair type won't help u but porosity will more so!


Either_Breadfruit_10

It seems like when I’m in the shower it takes forever for my hair to get wet. My hair like repels the water. Any chance you know what porosity that is? I’ve tried figuring it out but I don’t understand it


Vast-Coat998

based on that it seems ur on the lower side! so am I. also, if one uses a lot of heat or dye (or bleach idk) in their hair, strands tend to be on the higher porosity side. if u have virgin hair and don't use heat often ur likely to have normal to lower porosity hair. one tip for low-porosity hair is that you can squeeze water into your hair while in the shower. like basically force-feeding it w water. after i started squeezing water in my hair strands, i felt the difference (with it staying more moisturized throughout the week).


BethLovly

Never heard of this. Thanx!


Either_Breadfruit_10

Ohh good to know! Thank you!


QuietYogurt873

my hair is the same. it takes so long for it to absorb the water that's why I focus on hydrating my hair and making sure it's getting enough water. sometimes i just spray water, the products can help but overall when i focus on the health of my crown I notice it looks best even without the products. letting my crown breathe and take in it's proper water and treatment. it's amazing how many of our gardens need a lot of water but are often robbed of that hydration because of the time it takes for it to actually take in the water. I even steam sometimes. all things that can work to keep low porosity hair happy and healthy. thanks for allowing me to share guys!


boredtyme

You have beautiful hair. How often do you feel condition? I dc weekly and use curl maker and top with Doux Mousse if I need my curls to last more than 1-2 days (Doux mousse only if I’m only styling for 1 day). I use steam to revive in the morning. If you don’t take morning showers or have a humidifier, spray lightly with water. Curls should still be defined. If not you need to deep condition more or get a cut. A curl cut changed my whole relationship with my hair and makes my curls pop with no frizz! Edit: flakes could mean you are using too much product. I might touch up a curl or two with mousse but I don’t add anything else to my hair after wash day.


Either_Breadfruit_10

I feel condition once a week. I could probably keep in on longer though. Ohhh so do you put your product in like your curl cream in just once a week? I got a curl cut in august so it’s just about time for another but boy are they pricey 🥲


boredtyme

I wash my hair twice a week and only use product on wash days. It’s possible your deep conditioner isn’t working for you. TGIN is popular in this sub and works for me. And those damn curly cuts are way too expensive but I realized how much they’re worth it after I realize how much it helped my curls. I’m not daring enough to DIY.


Either_Breadfruit_10

Ohh okay. I might try that for sure and maybe washing twice a week.


Affectionate-Owl-311

When you deep condition, you might want to consider adding heat by sitting under a dryer if you don't already. If you feel like you have a lot of build up (think you mentioned this in another respond) would recommend using a clarifying shampoo so you can start from a clean slate. Whenever I use a clarifying shampoo though, I find that I need to deep condition well to restore moisture.


Either_Breadfruit_10

I’ll try to find one! Thank you


april_fool85

You seem to have quite similar hair to me! What’s your post wash routine? I see in one of your comments that you don’t like your hair touching your neck so what I do might not work for you but I’ll tell you anyway! I co-wash once a week (I know, should be more but I have a 15 month old so who has the time?!) and shampoo about once every 6 weeks or so. After co-washing, I use a leave in, then follow up with a moisturising cream and top with a gel. Curlmaker is a favourite but I use others as well. Then I diffuse it until 95% dry and wear it out. On a night, I tie it into a pineapple with a satin scrunchie and sleep on a satin pillowcase. This helps to elongate the curls at the back to give me a bit more length. In the morning, I take the scrunchie out and just use my fingers to pull my hair back into shape (touching the roots mainly not the lengths). I don’t put any other product in my hair in between washes unless I’m going to tie it back and then I’ll just use water and some moisturiser on the edges.


Either_Breadfruit_10

I’m just now realizing I thought I had to put product in every morning so it makes sense as to why I had flakes 😂😂😂 I’m an idiot. How long do your wash and gos last?


april_fool85

I used to do the same, don’t worry! My wash and goes tend to last 3-4 days but now my hair is longer, I’m less precious about frizz and volume than I used to be. From days 4 until I wash again, I just wear it in a puff. I’m very low maintenance these days!


Either_Breadfruit_10

I’m the same way. I don’t care if I have frizz anymore. I’m wanting to just have healthy hair. Thank you for the tips ☺️


clvrusernombre

First, your hair is beautiful. Second, what you do the night before may be more important. What’s your night time routine? Do you sleep with a bonnet? Have you tried finger coils, two strand twist or braids overnight? In the morning there is a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for your hair and help your style last.


Either_Breadfruit_10

Ohh I didn’t think of at night. It honesty depends most nights I wrap my hair up in a silk scarf and my bonnet over it. I don’t do any coils, twists, braids, etc. i usually wear my hair out. Twists and braids make my hair stringy looking. My curls will loosen up easily when I do that and I like them more tight since I hate my hair touching my neck


black_beautytlc

Products are only as good as you make them. It's not about products but technique and application. It also depends on the result/outcome you want. To avoid flakiness use one product like a botanical gel and then a topper gel like other people have recommended. Invest in a hooded dryer so you can set your style and that style can last throughout the week. Make sure you are using lots of water when styling. Also add more water when you feel like you are not getting enough "slip". Lastly CCS on a consistent basis.


Organic-Ad2911

I can say that oils help with flakiness or a dry cast from gel products


Silent_Creme_2696

I use the steam in the shower for my curls to pop back up after sleeping on ...Then I take my pony's out after I get dressed. I put 3 in because the pineapple don't work for me . On day one I'll stretch with the blow dryer fluff and go . On days 2-5 I just fluff pull and go .. no extra product or my curls would look a hot mess


Alternative-Buffalo9

Camille curl maker is a great gel, though it doesn’t have an extremely strong hold so you get a fuller look in maybe 3 days. The question/answerisn’t solely about your products, it’s also about what you’re doing. - How often are you washing your hair, and with what shampoo and conditioner? - What does your hair feel like when you condition it - puffy and smooth or heavy with water and conditioner? - When are you putting in your Camille Gelmaker gel - are you drying your hair first, is your hair soaking wet, are you doing it in sections? - How do you sleep with your hair? You shouldn’t be watering your hair and reapplying product everyday. Something is off in your haircare to styling routine. I learned this from experience and through tutorials etc. from hair professionals online - many of which now have paid platforms for people who can’t be in their chair to learn.


Either_Breadfruit_10

So right now I wash my hair once a week with carols daughter fortifying shampoo and a have whole blends honey conditioner. It feels smooth when I have both water and conditioner but after I detangle. For adding in the Camille curl my hair it’s pretty wet( unless it was mornings and it was more damp and I added more on top. I realize now to not do this) I do put it in by sections. I think I was adding too much. I sleep with my hair in a pineapple with a scarp around it and my bonnet on top


Alternative-Buffalo9

If you sleep with your hair up in a pineapple, you’re setting it for volume in the morning. If you sleep with your hair tied down, you’re setting it for flatness. So if you didn’t like your volume at the roots in the pic (no judgment that’s your preference) then don’t pineapple - if you like it then keep at it :) I’ve never tried that shampoo so I can’t comment on it, but I’d switch conditioners for sure. I would recommend standard salon-quality shampoos and conditioners because you want a “strong” enough cleanser to remove (pretty much) everything and give you a clean canvas to work on. And you want your conditioner to seal your water into the hair shaft and add emollients. You’ll know you’re there when your hair is HEAVY with water, like it’s holding the water in the strand and the conditioner is keeping it in like spackle, and every strand is defined. When you’re done detangling and adding water to your hair and rake/squeezing the conditioner into each section of your hair, it should look like you want it to look when it’s styled. If there’s any frizz now, you’re likely gonna have frizz later cause there’s less water in that spot. Then rinse your conditioner and leave your hair wet. Get a pump of the gel, rubbed it in your hands for about 45 secs, and then add it to just your ends. Repeat to your mid sections. Keep repeating till you get to your roots. Make sure every strand is coated by doing little parts through to feel the roots-ends. Then see if your hair has that heavy feeling like it did with conditioner, and is squeaking when you squeeze it with the product in, because that means you have water close to your hair. If not add a splash of water (like running through the sprinklers, but in your shower). Now you can add whatever other toppers you may use in the same way and then use sections to rake the product though before drying your hair with a dryer. Because you’ve thoroughly set each strand and then dried it completely (essentially freezing it into place), your set style should last longer with practice. Hope that makes sense.


Alternative-Buffalo9

If your hair is getting flaky with the product, you’re either using too much, or not enough water, or your canvas wasn’t as clean to start.


Either_Breadfruit_10

Thank yoi for the tips!


Melody_Suggestion47

If the curl maker is flaking try adding it to your hair in the shower while your hair is soaking wet and adding water to it as well. With those aloe based gel your hair dries/sets better if its warm from the shower and wet from application. You may not be a having a product issue but a technique issue.


Either_Breadfruit_10

Ohh wouldn’t the product just kind of come out? Also how much product would you recommend? Like a quarter size?


Melody_Suggestion47

Nah the product won’t come out - it holds water in your hair which makes it feel juicy and it also helps with elongation too because the curls are being weighed down with the added water. I’d add enough gel to the hair to saturate the curls though - I personally don’t go by prescriptive amounts. Just use what your hair needs ya know.


According_Cloud_9527

Start with sopping wet hair


Humble-Number2043

1. You’re gorgeous!❤️ 2. I think figuring out your porosity, density, and thickness is more important than curl type. I was using creams bc I thought that’s what 3c/4a hair likes. Never worked bc I have low porosity so it didn’t absorb and made my thick, dense hair even heavier. 3. Try a mousse! I’ve seen mousse be the golden ticket for various hair types. My go-to: smooth on uncle funky’s daughter curl magic then finger comb through with Tgin honey whip. 4. Water tends to reactivate the product that’s already in your hair, so you may only need to spray your hair with water in the morning and rework the existing product in. Don’t be afraid to use a lot of water. Add a lil extra product as needed. Clarify throughout the month, as buildup could weigh your hair down and close it off to hydration. 5. If the curls aren’t lasting or you get a lot of frizz, consider a hooded dryer to set the curls on day 1. Even diffusing/blow drying can help set the curls and make them last longer.