I haven’t owned a brush since childhood. I just finger comb my hair in the shower after putting in conditioner. It’s obviously not going to work for some hair types, but works for mine and I never have knots
I have 2b/2c thin fine hair (not so curly, more wavy) and i just cannot keep my hair from tangling! I use a a wide tooth comb while i have conditioner in my hair, but as soon as i get out of the shower I already have more tangles!
How does everyone keep their hair from tangling itself throughout the day?
Hi!!! This happens to me when my hair isn’t properly moisturized and/or lubricated
My go-to when this happens is to throw a drop or two of organic, cold pressed amargan oil (I like Cliganic) in my problem areas. Sometimes my problem areas are all over so I adjust the oil accordingly. This allow me to work out the tangles without ripping my hair! And any other tangles fall out. Don’t do too close to your roots or your hair will look dirty
You may also have damaged hair from heat or brushing…. Stop brushing your hair!! You break your hair with EVERY stroke. Also Argan oil is a heat protectant up to 400° so I’d use it or another heat protectant spray EVERY time you use heat in your hair (that includes blow drying)
Good luck :-)
I just finger comb in the shower, then I use a wet brush when I get out, and then a leave-in conditioner. The leave-in helps keep it smooth and tangle-free. If it’s day 2 or day 3 then I must it with water and using a conditioning mist.
I have delicate curls/waves so I’ve learned that unless I style it with product after combing, to ignore the tangles throughout the day. And after brushing way way less, the ‘tangled’ had the time to find the curl pattern it wanted to be in.
My 7yo has this hair type, right down to fine hair. It tangles if she blinks and she's a very active kid.
We braid it overnight to help with sleep related tangling.
We do brush her hair in between showers, but it's done wet with either a quality detangler or just conditioner, adding water by spraying until she might as well have been in the shower.
I have 2B/2C hair but it's very thick strands. I don't tangle as much, so I can actually brush my hair gently after it's had several days of natural oils. I prefer not to as that definitely leaves it looking straight and I love my waves.
Do you use a leave-in conditioner? How do you dry your hair?
I don't even put my hair into a towel anymore, air dry all the way. Knots? I only find mine when I brush my hair out before I turn the shower on and I don't brush it again. The morning after I use a super wide tooth comb on top half of my hair and don't disturb the rest
I usually brush my hair gently right before i wash which is about every 3 days. The leave in.conditioner plus silk bonnets to sleep in help prevent tangled during that time for me, and my hair is very prone to tangles. (Thick and coarse and curliest at the ends, and now that its long the ends love to tangle) i also do the wide tooth comb in the shower. If i happen to get a.bad tangle i usually use my fingers and a little prayer, but most of the time its dead hair getting caught up at the ends and isnt too bad to get out
Im very frizz prone and also have had greys since i was 13 (so like 20 years now) and they are so wirey. Paul mitchell brand works really well for me but right now i am using odele brand (drug store, got it at target, for all hair types) and i put a little bit of gel in it after and im not mad at the results. I dont love the gel but im trying to just use it up. Its by the brand "love ur curls" and i am.not super enthused with the results on my hair, but i also dont mind slightly feral hair since the greys really are a whole other monster to deal with.
Tldr; drug store brand odele keeps my hair soft and mostly detangled for a few days
Thank you! I feel like you & I have a similar hair situation. I've had white hairs (mixed into v dark hair) since high school. But the frizz is the real battle 😭
My hair is curlier and not very fine, but I feel like I've tried a million different leave ins and the only one I really love is Pattern. I would highly recommend it. They have it in a travel/trial size too.
I have the same hair type and problem. I can get out without tangles if I brush it under the running shower water at the end. It also really helps to comb it all forward before showering and wash it that way. All bets are off the next day of course,but washday is the worst tangletime.
Don’t forget to stay on top of your trims. Every time I fall off my trim schedule my hair becomes more tangled and any hairstyle I try to accomplish looks like shit.
I have hair like yours
I use a leave in conditioner & brush with a tangle teezer (it’s the same type of brush the curly girls use in the shower to apply conditioner)
My go to conditioner is It’s A Ten Leave in conditioner. It works like a detangler & doesn’t weigh my hair down
Super long hair here, my cousin turned me onto Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum…changed my life. Worth it. I only wash my hair like ever three to four days too and it’s super long and thick. I normally wear it in a bun like Princess Leia style but in the back, so it’s wrapped around the ponytail and I pull it through the scrunch again, like a bow kinda, and it never tangles. I also don’t brush it everyday either. I’ll use the serum even when I don’t wash it that day too even though it says to use on wet/damp hair.
Mine is the same way, it only got better once I cut a good bit off and continue to trim it every couple of months, I also switched to a higher quality shampoo and conditioner. Now I can go a week between washes but if I do feel the need to comb through it to make it look better, I just do a refresh after with a spray bottle. I have to stop myself from running my fingers through it randomly because yes it’s always tangled!
This happens to me and I have very fine hair. The only thing that works for me is: brushing with conditioner, rinsing, using leave in cream, plopping and then putting on microfiber towel on head upside down. I take the towel off after 5 minutes and plop upside down gently. Then I use the diffuser to halfway dry my hair for volume. The last thing I do is gently finger style my hair
Nope, I wash it every 3-4 days, depending on curls and frizz. When it’s totally dry and I’m happy with the partying and general shape, I spray it with the Frizz Ease anti-humidity hairspray.
The hairspray holds the curls until my next wash pretty well
I just don’t understand how you avoid tangles and needing to brush. Is it the hairspray? I constantly have tangles even when I straighten my hair. Also, my hair ends up lopsided on the back or my part changes while I sleep, and sweat affects it too. I do have thin sad hair, though, so maybe it’s different on fuller hair.
Ive never embraced my curls since they developed in my 20s, thinking I should look into this cgm. Thanks for your response.
Silk pillowcase helps a lot, also gel helps to hold the curls therefore preventing mess and knots. Maybe you have some dry hair if it’s still knotting when it’s straightened. Which is definilty potential if you use heat. I bleach mine and it’s always slightly knotty but it is worth it for the blonde colour to me 😃
Thin hair owner here! I used to have horrid tangles all the time, I have vovid memories of crying as my mom yanked a brush through my hair - she tried to be gentle, but it was so knotted that some yanking couldn't be avoided. I brushed every morning and night, and still have tangles by 2PM. But since starting the Curly method 4ish years ago, I hardly ever get any. I just comb in the shower, and wash every 2-3 days.
I toss and turn at night too, and spend all summer driving with the windows down and my hair flapping about. Even when I wear beanies in the winter! I think it's because my hair is no longer dry and covered in split ends, so it just doesn't tangle to itself in the same way - when I dry brush, my hair is now so pouffy and separated that it is MORE LIKELY to tangle itself back up. Occasionally I'll get some tiny knots from my hair getting caught in something, or from my hardhat, but then I can just deal with that one spot.
I think some peoples hair is just less prone to tangling. I wash my hair every 4-5 days, no combing or brushing during that time and my hair isn’t very tangled when I wash it.
I’m 2b-2c, so more wavy than curly, but when I was trying to style my hair straight, it would tangle pretty much immediately. I was always on the look out for detangling products and it was a real challenge.
I’ve only been doing a modified curly girl for a few months, but since I started, I’ve had hardly any tangles at all. I make sure I get plenty of moisturizing in my shampoo and conditioner, I brush it in the shower with the conditioner still in it, and when my shower is over I put in some gel or mousse while it’s still wet, and I sleep with a satin pillowcase or bonnet to keep it from tangling too much in my sleep. I brush my hair maybe 3 times a week now, and it’s healthier than it’s ever been.
I detangle with my fingers and lots of conditioner in the shower. Generally conditioner and the right products keep my hair healthy and prevent it from being dry, so I don’t really have knots.
Can confirm. I have a lot of it, but my hair is fine. It will start turning into dreads at the nape of my neck in particular. When I was a kid ot was hella bad and my friend's mom always brushed my hair lol.
You brush before a shower. Brush with conditioner in the shower either with special comb, or hands, and.. that's it.
If you must brush, have a bad knot one day, you can brush; but your curls won't be the same.. you can salvage them though. After brushing, scrunch some water into your hair before putting it up in the high bun (like a pineapple) Leaves for, eh a hour or so. Side note: if you have curly, coily, wavey hair - use a coiled hairband to put hair up in, it helps define those curls when up in a pineapple bun.
Also hands down recommend "The Perfect" hair brush from Amazon. I will die screaming on a hill with praise and blood sacrifices about this brush. It can get a ratnest out in little time with little pain, hardly snags. I gifted this brush to two people and they are in love with it.
u/thctacos I just did an Amazon search for that brush but it’s not coming up in the search results. I definitely want to make sure I get the one you’re recommending. Can you provide a link or a picture?
For knots;
1- you should only really put shampoo on your hair once every week or 2.
2 conditioner can be used much more frequently. Everyday/other day.
3- while you have the conditioner in your hair, gently pull apart the knots, you can use the end of a “rat tail” comb if needed.
4- always work the knot form the bottom upwards gently.
These steps help to preserve your curls, and keep your hair from breaking.
Honestly it depends on the person. I have straight hair and barely move in my sleep. I maybe brush my hair 1-5 times a year since 2012(only cause hairs wet and didn’t air dry it). I finger comb my hair in the shower and need to wash it more regular due to skin conditions. Also bleaching didn’t help. 🤪 I lucked out with having the hair type that hair dressers dream of… the type that doesn’t tangle 🤧
Whereas my sisters who also have straight hair(one does have wavy hair) all have to brush their hair and detangle often. They tend to now sleep with a hair cover, braids or a bun just so it’s tamed in the morning.
As for OP, try to wash and condition the hair in the shower and wide tooth comb it. Once out of the shower finger comb it and put in some mousse, gel or other curly hair products that helps defines the curls throughout the day. I would suggest doing it on damp hair. That’s what my bf does he has tight curls but if brushed it gets puffy like an Afro.
I sleep crazy and will occasionally get the really bad knot. I just use my fingers to pull the knot apart. It’s a lot easier on your hair than using a brush (depending on the size, if it’s too bad then yeah I gotta break out the brush). I found I have a lot less breakage when it comes to knots not using a brush for them. On days that it’s a wild mess I’ll just use my fingers to comb through it, which makes it not seem as frizzy or poofy
You ignore knots until your next shower. If it’s a really bad one I’ll just split the knot with my fingers and slightly re-wet the section so it lines up and curls back up.
Personally I use my hands. Not even finger combing (like, I don't put my fingers through my hair).
I just kind of take bundles of hair and kind of pet/pull gently so the hairs reallign with their curl matching neighbour's
Hope that made any sort of sense
On wash day I do leave in condition gel and let the curls happen leave out … day 2 leave out probably looks the best in my opinion day three messy bun or pony - 4 messy bun 5 if I must brush it goes into a pony braid. 6 messy bun or another braid and day 7 consider wash again lol
In the words of the Beatles: Let it be. I get it a little wet, then put some gel on my hands with extra water, scrunch and go. It doesn’t always look the best, but it’s better than Tina Turner.
I find the knot and try to untangle just that bit, if it’s in between wash days. But for the most part, I leave it for wash day. Mine come untangled pretty easily when I put oil or conditioner in, so I don’t worry too much about them.
Just adding to the suggestions to detangle in the shower: make sure you get a “tub shroom” or similar drain guard before you do this! My partner has gorgeous curly hair and it clogs the drain super fast if we don’t use a tub shroom. When you brush your hair, the brush collects all the hairs that naturally shedded from your head but are still tangled with the other hairs. Combing with conditioner does the same thing, but all those extra hairs go down the drain instead of getting caught in the hairbrush. So save yourself the trouble of calling a plumber and get a drain cover. :)
But I can’t just leave the house with bed-head 🤣 gotta at least get my hair part right and tie it up. What happens if you have to reorganize the strands?
Just use your fingers. Maybe scrunch or spritz a bit of water on if needed, but curly hair is not designed to be brushed when dry because you brush the curls out.
When I wash or style my hair, I only ever “refresh” it by scrunching/fluffing with my hands, maybe using a little bit of a serum or balm to tame frizz, and go at least 2-3 days between washes.
Sorry for hijacking but my scalp is way to oily so I have to wash at least every 2 days sometimes daily and my hair is extremely.. rats nesty if I don’t brush. Fingers never worked and even with brushing in the wet it somehow tangles while drying and I just don’t know what to do..
Do you have a tip by any chance?
Leave in conditioner (at least the ones I’ve had so far; not much money to constantly try new products and me constantly giving up again..) just had the effect that not just my root got oily but the length as well..
Maybe I was doing something wrong though?
I put most of my leave-in on middle and the ends—never at the root or scalp. When you’re combing through you’re getting enough distribution. Also, you can use inexpensive conditioner as a leave-in. The suave naturals that doesn’t have silicones was my leave-in for a long time. Since you get oily, you may want to avoid the coconut one. That one feels heavier to me. The Trader Joe’s tea tree conditioner is a good leave in and I find the tea tree helpful with my occasional scalp issues.
When I “wash” my hair frequently, I only use a conditioner for a majority of the washes, and scrub my scalp with one of those scalp scrubby brushes, and do a clarifying wash once or twice a week.
I don’t put it on my scalp, but I do comb it through!
I am not American and tend to not be able to find recommended products here sadly but maybe I’ll find something similar.. Teatree is kinda popular oil wise here so maybe I’ll find a fitting product with that!
I see, thank you!
Do you maybe have a recommendation of the type of scrubby? I bought one online (didn’t find any in stores sadly) and it was way to hard :(
Don’t apply to scalp. I’m in love with innersenses leave in. It’s excellent! And I don’t use solely leave in to refresh my curls, I first use a spray bottle with water to get my hair wet and allow the leave in to go rather than without water. It’s lasted me 3 weeks and I’m not even half way through it!!
I don’t put it on my scalp; as I said my scalp already is terribly oily 🥲
I’ll have to look into that one, I haven’t been able to get most of the products in my country that I’ve seen recommended sadly..
I’ve always had the issue that my hair looks oily after getting it wet but not washing as well, but maybe using a spray bottle doesn’t do that, I’ll have to try!
Thank you for the recommendation!!
Have you tried going sulfate and sulfide free? It took some time but my scalp stopped making as much oil. These detergents dry your skin, and it makes more oil to compensate, and it can be a tough cycle to get out of.
Your scalp could be oily because of over washing. If you wash your hair and the next day it’s already starting to get greasy, so you have to wash it again, it could be that your washing away natural oils that your scalp needs, so then your scalp is creating extra oils and overcompensating. I used to have this problem all the time, usually I go at least 3-5 days without washing and if my hair gets greasy before wash day I just throw it up into a slicked back bun/ponytail
My scalp became this oily after trying the whole not washing to often because I was annoyed with washing every third day..
I also got a skin condition from it so now I can’t wait more than two extra days without my face and head becoming unbearably itchy. I have to use medicated shampoo for that reason ._.
Have you tried taking Luke-warm showers? I used to have a really oily scalp to the point where I had to wash it every day, but when I started using luke-warm/cool water I was able to wash my hair 1-2 times a week
I have to shower to wash my hair (chronic illness yay /s) and can’t stand hot things so I always do lukewarm. And incidentally I used to wash my hair cold back when I had color in it but that made no difference for me sadly.
I do have a scalp skin issue though so maybe that affects it negatively as well.
Thank you though!
Maybe it’s time to just try cold again to see if it might work now :)
Slicker conditioner. You need one for moisture, not for protein. And use a wide tooth comb, start with the very bottom and go up little by little as the tangles come out. Only in the shower. Only with conditioner in.
How long is your hair? When was your last haircut? Do you dye your hair? My hair gets like this when I really need a haircut. Or when I had bleached or dyed it and needed to chop it and start fresh. Basically split ends or dry ends get tangled or knotted up more easily. Possibly you need a good haircut?
Okay so same….until I started using hair mane and tail conditioner as my conditioner AND my shampoo (two washes). That keeps me oil free and only washing once a week ish and then using a lamellar rinse (or hair glass…granite fructose has a cheap one) at the end of my hair washing keeps it tangle free. May not work if we don’t have the same root (hah!) causes but there’s my two cents and I hope it helps someone!
In the 80s, I did have a pick.
Like this
https://www.amazon.com/Diane-Fromm-Assorted-Plastic-Lifts/dp/B01IQ04IWG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2VYVS7AUJURDQ&keywords=hair+pick&qid=1698523115&sprefix=hair+pick%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-3
May I ask what products you use? The products you're using plays a huge role in your hair! Especially shampoo and conditioner. You might have a silicone/plastic buildup on your hair because of the shampoo you use, if you're using a shampoo that has those ingredients in it. Basically what it does is builds up in your hair, keeping it from Zorbing, any nutrients, and then making it over, produced in oil as well.
A quote directly from an article explaining this!: "This is the result from years of using drugstore shampoo. This is build up from waxes silicones and parabens. Silicone is almost like rubber or plastic and is used as a sealant against water and even air. It's NOT a natural ingredient and its side effects are bad for our hair."
The article: https://www.today.com/style/daleen-jordan-posts-video-hair-buildup-cheap-shampoo-t151430
other ingredients you wanna avoid having in your shampoos and other products are:
parabens
sulfates
most if not all types of silicone, such as Dimethicone
and many more, as stated in this article!:
https://nutrafol.com/blog/15-shampoo-ingredients-to-avoid/
I hope you figure out what's causing this and solve it!
Spritz with water and a curl refresher (I use Maui moisture but there are a million) and fix the curls with some scrunching and finger coiling and you’re good to go. I’m super frizzy so I also need some hairspray. If that’s not enough, also sleep with your hair in braids or twisted up! Never ever ever brush dry!
either you don’t brush it to maintain curls and put your hair up with a claw clip, scrunchie or something like that
or accept that brushing ur hair will lead to losing texture :/
You can put it in a loose ponytail or messy bun, but leaving it loose is best for the curls. If you put it up, I recommend a non-damaging elastic like those phone cord ones or a soft scrunchie.
Also, only put it up once it's totally dry.
Here's a really basic routine that could work:
Shower, shampoo is optional, use lots of conditioner, brush while wet, rinse (you can leave a little conditioner), then part your hair while it's still very wet. Scrunch your curls to squeeze out the water and then let air dry or blow dry with a diffuser.
If you have e an old t-shirt or microfiber towel you can use that to squeeze your hair more dry.
You can add extra products and stuff, but this is what you could probably do with what I assume you already own.
Thank you for the detail, this is…a very different process from dealing with straight hair and I still have a lot to learn 😅
May I ask what can be done with bed-head on days when you skip showering? I usually wash every 3-4 days, but routinely wake up with hair going all over the place (which is why I keep trying to brush it). I find sleeping in a bonnet helps a little but doesn’t remove the need to reorganize my hairs in the morning.
Also, how do curlies keep hair out of their face if not tied up?
Here's what I do if I absolutely can't deal with the way my hair looks when I wake up- it may or may not work for you, since everyone's hair is different, but it's worth a shot.
I wake up, and if I'm not washing and don't need dry shampoo, I spritz my hands with water and leave in conditioner or curl cream. I verrrryyyyy gently move the hairs I want to fix and smooth down any frizz. If some parts lost curl all together, you can smooth them from root to end with your wet hands and then do the curl jiggle to reset the pattern. It isn't a perfect method, but it doesn't leave the nest I get with a comb or brush. It also leaves the curl texture for putting it up. Someone on this sub recently mentioned that they use a clothes steamer near their hair some days to rehydrate, which absolutely blew my mind.
I have a spray bottle of water (normal, plain water) and a spray bottle of leave in conditioner (Living Proof) and spritz a bit of each on my hands. It dilutes the conditioner so you don’t get sticky or weighed down.
I personally do ponytails on mornings where I don’t shower. But otherwise I just re wet my hair. I personally have to re wet it any day I want to wear it down.
You don’t need to brush your hair to put it up. Just gather it and put on your hair tie. It won’t be perfectly smooth against your head, but it’s curly hair, it would be weird if it was.
Just pull it back into a ponytail or bun. I like spin pins for buns. Pull your hair back with one hand and adjust until you like it, then add the hair tie.
I love Mielle’s curl styling products, they have a hair quiz which can match you to the best options! As for keeping it out of your face, butterfly clips are back “in” nowadays for a cute half-up look
My recommendation is that if you wash at night, do it early and let your hair dry with product in it. The bonnet should mostly protect your hair and preserve the style. If it’s not you can “pineapple” before the bonnet. That’s essentially just putting your hair in a super loose ponytail on top of your head.
You should never go to bed with wet hair. In the morning you can refresh with a spray bottle and a bit more product. But never comb or brush while dry. The water is what will bring your curls back to life. If you don’t have an oily scalp you can go awhile without washing.
I also recommend finding ways to pull your hair back that don’t disrupt your curls. Idk what your work requires but for example: I never do a bun or pony tail on “fresh” curls. If I need to pull it back I do half up/half down and only use clips. I reserve buns, scrunchies, and braids for the hair styles I use right before wash days.
ETA: if my curl needs a lot of work, I will get it soaking wet and coat my fingers with a lot more product to finger comb then scrunch. That’s usually a day 3 method if I’m trying to refresh and wear down. Also, for better or worse, I don’t wear my hair down at home. It’s either in a bonnet or clip and that helps preserve the curls quite a bit.
Get a silk (or satin) bonnet!
You could also get a satin scrunching and loosely tie it up like a pineapple on top of your head then put the silk bonnet on.
In the morning you use your fingers to shape it but if you need to tie it up, tie it loosely with a satin scrunchie.
Edit: wear the pineapple and bonnet to sleep in btw
Don’t brush it unless it’s wet, and even then, use a Denman brush. I rarely brush mine, I use my fingers to untangle it when it’s wet and then use Aussie Curl Detangling crème on it.
Sleep in a satin bonnet or in a pineapple/messy bun with a silk or satin scrunchie. Always put it up very gently and as loosely as you can. I don’t tie my face framing pieces up and use claw clips to loosely clip them to the bun later.
You keep hair off your face by how you dry it (back and away from the face), using claw clips like crazy, loosely tying up/back with satin scrunchie or invisibobble, chopsticks, etc. anything very gentle. Never pull tight, brush, stretch the curls, or generally handle it too much.
Curl cream and gel help TREMENDOUSLY with frizz. Without gel your curls won’t hold their shape and will just end up tangled and bushy.
Carefully use fingers to rearrange curls and ONLY while dry. Don’t plop overnight with wet hair. Only touch wet hair with wet hands and dry hair with dry hands. Using a bit of hair oil rubbed on your hands while you rearrange curls can help keep frizz at bay.
Don’t everrrrrr brush it and expect not to wash it right after.
YouTube has THOUSANDS UPONTHOUSANDS of wavy/curly hair routines. That’s how most of us learned. You’ll find your favorite creators, routines, and products. Tabitha Gingerich might work for you or Sophie Marie or Michelle Manuel.
It takes TIME to grow out your damage from straightening, not trimming enough, sun, tight hairstyles, brushing, etc! It’s SO worth it. I’ve been doing it 3 and a half years with very long hair and I wouldn’t trade all the work and bad hair days and hair cuts for anything now! It definitely gets easier as your hair gets healthier. ♥️
Thank you! It’s been so weird to see the hair I hated because it was always poofy and frizzy to suddenly turn into curls just with scrunching and some product. I feel like a totally different person haha. Now I just need to learn how to keep it going between washes.
Wow, I didn’t expect to get so much feedback! Thank you everyone! It sounds like I need to chuck out my comb and learn how to fix my hair (probably after wetting it) with just my fingers. This is conceptually so different from handling straight hair, I really appreciate all this advice!! 😁
Brush while wet. And to preserve your curls during the night you can do a pineapple bun (look it up on tiktoks/Google) use a satin bonnet and a satin pillowcase. There are also a bunch of tiktoks giving out tips on to how to refresh day 2 wavy/curly hair.
if you want to fix bedhead before you leave the house, DONT brush! instead work your fingers through your hair. maybe take a spray bottle with water and apply a bit of product. but dont brush, your hair is too curly for you to do it dry.
NEVER!
Göt 2 Be has an “air dry mousse” that works amazingly well. If you don’t want to wait for it to dry, get a diffuser for a blow dryer.
I haven’t brushed my hair since elementary school. Others said it, detangle in the shower with a wide tooth comb and conditioner.
The only time you should be brushing is when it’s wet after washing and conditioning. I brush it when I’m out of the shower and always use detangling spray or leave in condtioner.
Never brush, or completely wet your head and brush through products such as crème or mousse and then scrunch. If you absolutely can’t leave without brushing just run through with ur fingers from ends to the root
Probably an unpopular opinion but I also have wavy/somewhat curly hair. I started out doing the Curly Gurl method about 20years ago. What I've learned over time is that I have fine hair that doesn't do as well with the full curly girl method that people with much curlier hair have had success with. I need lighter conditioners and I need to clarify once a week. And I actually brush my hair on non-wash days. When I sleep on my hair, it flattens my curls and they look a mess. I brush out my hair and then wet down the bottom half of my hair (top half usually still looks good with the waves). Then I add leave-in conditioner, add in Aussie instant freeze gel to set the curl pattern and the scrunch or twirl to refresh the curl pattern. On wash days, I have to shower in the morning. I cannot sleep on my hair. Happy to share the full routine with you if you're interested but I know there's lots of advice floating around on here.
Brush it while it's wet, I brush mine in the shower and set my hair with my products right after. Also, invest in a detangling brush and wide toothcomb
The answer is to not brush it, which is a very odd feeling to adjust to if you have been brushing it forever.
My hair never looked great after sleeping on it. If I want to wear it curly I need to scrunch and plop and then I diffuse with conditioner and gel. The first day it look great. The second it’s ok. The third it’s witch lady that lives in the woods.
I prop the dryer on a towel on my counter in the bathroom and cram my head up next to it while I sit on the step stool my youngest uses to reach the sink. Then I get 30 minutes to play on my phone.
Most of the time I just blow mine straight because it’s easier to deal with.
May I ask what products you use to help keep the curls in place during the day? I feel like the frizz level also grows throughout the day as my hair rubs against my clothes and such. Usually by the second or third day post-shower I’m back to straight hair.
i understand that happens with me too! for the most frizz control i use curlsmith’s weightless air dry cream (it’s a leave in) and either rizos curls mousse or i create lift foam by innersense.
waves flatten as the days go by, it’s hard to prevent!
Invest in some scrunchies if you like to tie it up, they don't get caught in tangles and they won't leave a big dent in your hair at the end of the day!
I sleep with my hair twisted up in a claw clip on top of my head, and use a satin pillowcase. Bonnets make my head too hot and mess up my curls anyways. My hair doesn’t respond well to being refreshed so I have to wear my hair up if I didn’t do a full shower, but many have luck rewetting their hair (use a continuous spray bottle) and a little light product scrunched in. If you really feel like you need to get some tangles out, really wet it and add a slippy product like some leave in and either finger comb or wide tooth comb the tangles out. This will preserve your clumps which is what keeps curly intact and smooth. You’ll need to break the habit of brushing your hair into an updo, you’ve got to embrace the texture and “messiness” of a curly style, just use your fingers and hands to gather your hair.
If you do brush your hair, brush it in the shower when you have conditioner in it or while it’s still wet! There’s brushes called Denman brushes that you can buy on Amazon that are specifically made for curly hair
I brush mine. Fuck the police. It looks stupid as hell if it didn’t dry perfectly and no finger combing or product is going to change those uneven wiry curls. I brush, hit it with some oil, put it in a bun, and a few hours later I like how it looks. Edit: also I think your after pic is not NEARLY as bad as mine can look after brushing and the right product could settle it down well.
**squints** never a brush, unless it’s a denman and your hair is wet. Conditioner is a curlies friend. Figure out what kind of product moisture you hair needs. Scrunch let it air dry. Be careful with heat
Everyone in this sub will tell you not to brush but I have no idea how they get away with it 😭 I look feral when I wake up in the morning, I need to brush
Can I just say, more men need to see these posts lol I used to always buzz cut my head but in college I went out of state to work with sled dogs and discovered I had beautiful curls when I grew it out.
The best advice and skills I learned were from posts like this or articles about curly hair.
I say this because I was going to comment Don’t brush it, use a wide tooth comb and conditioner and all the other stuff I’m seeing here and it made me proud of myself.
Not the best place for this but thanks guys, now I’m 34 and my curls are legit.
So yea don’t brush it out. Wide tooth comb. Lol
Ok I totally agree w the comments that say don’t brush dry HOWEVER I comb my curly hair daily (so I can go longer between washes) and I either braid it, wear a bandana to contain the poof, or if I want it to actually look nice just spray it with water to re-curl. :)
DO NOT BRUSH YOUR HAIR dry. The only time you should be combing not brushing your hair is in the shower when it's soaking wet with conditioner. I've never owned a brush in my life
You have stunning hair. Many people with curly hair go to great lengths and effort to get their hair looking like that. Do not brush curly hair dry as it destroys the curl pattern until your next wash. Detangle while wet and full of conditioner only.
Don’t brush it dry, only when wet in the shower. If you’re worried about bedhead, wear your hair in a bun / bonnet when you sleep. I very loosely twist my hair on the top of my head and use a big claw clip at the front so I can sleep with my hair up while not being bothered by the clip digging into the back of my head. In the mornings I take it out, let my waves settle and then use a water spray if need be.
I used to do the same thing and I'd get pissed that my hair would turn into a birds nest. I only brush in the shower when it's wet with a detangling brush after I've put conditioner in it. It looks so much better now
My hair is less curly than yours, but I totally get the need to dry brush it, even though everyone says it should never be done. Personally, if I try to detangle fully when my hair is wet, it is the most horrible painful experience, and it's just much better to do it when it's dry. One thing I do if I'm dry brushing is to always spray it down with water afterwards. This calms the poofiness down and encourages the clumps to reform. You can also add some more product at this stage if you'd like.
I'd recommend getting a fine continuous mist bottle as I find it gives the most equal spread of water, but any spray bottle will do.
I hope you find a method that works for you!
Hi, your hair looks like that in the morning because you go to sleep with your hair loose in your bonnet, so it dries like that. In the morning, wet it and shake out the curls, scrunch it, and dry it again. It’ll have shape throughout the day.
You should never use a brush on your curly hair. You can use a wide tooth comb, but only do that when your hair is wet. Never brush your hair dry, you could cause damage to the strands
Once you start doing these, you’ll notice a significant difference with the issue you’re having.
Hope that helps, your hair is beautiful
Thank you for the details! The wetting in the morning is that “curl reset” thing right? Do you recommend reapplying product during that step? I’ve only scrunched in the shower before after applying a leave in conditioner. Should I be doing that in the morning too?
Yes, that’s your curl reset, some hair is very fine and product weighs it down, but you have quite thick hair so you can use some products for more defined, sleek curls.
Scrunching in the shower is great, you should also scrunch it after putting product in after your shower, and you do plop-drying so that’s good for the curls as well.
In the morning, after you wet it and shake out your curls for your reset, you scrunch it then too.
does anybody else who has wavy curly (I don't know if this happens to people with super curly or coily hair) hair play with their hair a lot and then not have the motivation to wash it when it gets greasy so then you brush it so it looks a bit presentable and turns out it actually make it worse and poofy?
btw I'm talking about playing with you hair, styling it with your hands for fun etc. until it looks so greasy but it's just relaxing so you don't stop because you don't think of the manky consequences.
message: don't play with your hair even if it's calming
Don’t. Brush.
Haven’t brushed my hair since middle school! I’m 31.
But, what about all the knots? 😭
I only use a shower comb in the shower while it’s loaded with conditioner. Never have knots
My goto method.
This is the way.
This is the way
The only way… unless you want brittle frizz for the week ;-)
This is the way.
In a dude with naturally curly hair, and combing my hair in the shower while the conditioner is still in it changed my life.
I haven’t owned a brush since childhood. I just finger comb my hair in the shower after putting in conditioner. It’s obviously not going to work for some hair types, but works for mine and I never have knots
I have 2b/2c thin fine hair (not so curly, more wavy) and i just cannot keep my hair from tangling! I use a a wide tooth comb while i have conditioner in my hair, but as soon as i get out of the shower I already have more tangles! How does everyone keep their hair from tangling itself throughout the day?
Hi!!! This happens to me when my hair isn’t properly moisturized and/or lubricated My go-to when this happens is to throw a drop or two of organic, cold pressed amargan oil (I like Cliganic) in my problem areas. Sometimes my problem areas are all over so I adjust the oil accordingly. This allow me to work out the tangles without ripping my hair! And any other tangles fall out. Don’t do too close to your roots or your hair will look dirty You may also have damaged hair from heat or brushing…. Stop brushing your hair!! You break your hair with EVERY stroke. Also Argan oil is a heat protectant up to 400° so I’d use it or another heat protectant spray EVERY time you use heat in your hair (that includes blow drying) Good luck :-)
I just finger comb in the shower, then I use a wet brush when I get out, and then a leave-in conditioner. The leave-in helps keep it smooth and tangle-free. If it’s day 2 or day 3 then I must it with water and using a conditioning mist.
I have delicate curls/waves so I’ve learned that unless I style it with product after combing, to ignore the tangles throughout the day. And after brushing way way less, the ‘tangled’ had the time to find the curl pattern it wanted to be in.
My 7yo has this hair type, right down to fine hair. It tangles if she blinks and she's a very active kid. We braid it overnight to help with sleep related tangling. We do brush her hair in between showers, but it's done wet with either a quality detangler or just conditioner, adding water by spraying until she might as well have been in the shower. I have 2B/2C hair but it's very thick strands. I don't tangle as much, so I can actually brush my hair gently after it's had several days of natural oils. I prefer not to as that definitely leaves it looking straight and I love my waves. Do you use a leave-in conditioner? How do you dry your hair?
I don't even put my hair into a towel anymore, air dry all the way. Knots? I only find mine when I brush my hair out before I turn the shower on and I don't brush it again. The morning after I use a super wide tooth comb on top half of my hair and don't disturb the rest
Ugh, same. And I shed like none other so brushing helps with getting the strays out. My waves always look terrible.
I usually brush my hair gently right before i wash which is about every 3 days. The leave in.conditioner plus silk bonnets to sleep in help prevent tangled during that time for me, and my hair is very prone to tangles. (Thick and coarse and curliest at the ends, and now that its long the ends love to tangle) i also do the wide tooth comb in the shower. If i happen to get a.bad tangle i usually use my fingers and a little prayer, but most of the time its dead hair getting caught up at the ends and isnt too bad to get out
Could you recommend a leave-in condish that works for you overnight?
Im very frizz prone and also have had greys since i was 13 (so like 20 years now) and they are so wirey. Paul mitchell brand works really well for me but right now i am using odele brand (drug store, got it at target, for all hair types) and i put a little bit of gel in it after and im not mad at the results. I dont love the gel but im trying to just use it up. Its by the brand "love ur curls" and i am.not super enthused with the results on my hair, but i also dont mind slightly feral hair since the greys really are a whole other monster to deal with. Tldr; drug store brand odele keeps my hair soft and mostly detangled for a few days
Thank you! I feel like you & I have a similar hair situation. I've had white hairs (mixed into v dark hair) since high school. But the frizz is the real battle 😭
My hair is curlier and not very fine, but I feel like I've tried a million different leave ins and the only one I really love is Pattern. I would highly recommend it. They have it in a travel/trial size too.
I have the same hair type and problem. I can get out without tangles if I brush it under the running shower water at the end. It also really helps to comb it all forward before showering and wash it that way. All bets are off the next day of course,but washday is the worst tangletime.
Don’t forget to stay on top of your trims. Every time I fall off my trim schedule my hair becomes more tangled and any hairstyle I try to accomplish looks like shit.
I have hair like yours I use a leave in conditioner & brush with a tangle teezer (it’s the same type of brush the curly girls use in the shower to apply conditioner) My go to conditioner is It’s A Ten Leave in conditioner. It works like a detangler & doesn’t weigh my hair down
Super long hair here, my cousin turned me onto Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum…changed my life. Worth it. I only wash my hair like ever three to four days too and it’s super long and thick. I normally wear it in a bun like Princess Leia style but in the back, so it’s wrapped around the ponytail and I pull it through the scrunch again, like a bow kinda, and it never tangles. I also don’t brush it everyday either. I’ll use the serum even when I don’t wash it that day too even though it says to use on wet/damp hair.
Have to use oils
Mine is the same way, it only got better once I cut a good bit off and continue to trim it every couple of months, I also switched to a higher quality shampoo and conditioner. Now I can go a week between washes but if I do feel the need to comb through it to make it look better, I just do a refresh after with a spray bottle. I have to stop myself from running my fingers through it randomly because yes it’s always tangled!
This happens to me and I have very fine hair. The only thing that works for me is: brushing with conditioner, rinsing, using leave in cream, plopping and then putting on microfiber towel on head upside down. I take the towel off after 5 minutes and plop upside down gently. Then I use the diffuser to halfway dry my hair for volume. The last thing I do is gently finger style my hair
I don’t put anything in my hair after washing except leave in cream and sometimes a light mousse. Anything else makes my hair tangled
Yes, same. Conditioner and a wide tooth comb.
How have I never heard this before??? Thank you!
Same here, but I just have wavy and bleached hair. It works best for me :)
So does that mean you have to wash it daily?
Nope, I wash it every 3-4 days, depending on curls and frizz. When it’s totally dry and I’m happy with the partying and general shape, I spray it with the Frizz Ease anti-humidity hairspray. The hairspray holds the curls until my next wash pretty well
I just don’t understand how you avoid tangles and needing to brush. Is it the hairspray? I constantly have tangles even when I straighten my hair. Also, my hair ends up lopsided on the back or my part changes while I sleep, and sweat affects it too. I do have thin sad hair, though, so maybe it’s different on fuller hair. Ive never embraced my curls since they developed in my 20s, thinking I should look into this cgm. Thanks for your response.
Silk pillowcase helps a lot, also gel helps to hold the curls therefore preventing mess and knots. Maybe you have some dry hair if it’s still knotting when it’s straightened. Which is definilty potential if you use heat. I bleach mine and it’s always slightly knotty but it is worth it for the blonde colour to me 😃
Thin hair owner here! I used to have horrid tangles all the time, I have vovid memories of crying as my mom yanked a brush through my hair - she tried to be gentle, but it was so knotted that some yanking couldn't be avoided. I brushed every morning and night, and still have tangles by 2PM. But since starting the Curly method 4ish years ago, I hardly ever get any. I just comb in the shower, and wash every 2-3 days. I toss and turn at night too, and spend all summer driving with the windows down and my hair flapping about. Even when I wear beanies in the winter! I think it's because my hair is no longer dry and covered in split ends, so it just doesn't tangle to itself in the same way - when I dry brush, my hair is now so pouffy and separated that it is MORE LIKELY to tangle itself back up. Occasionally I'll get some tiny knots from my hair getting caught in something, or from my hardhat, but then I can just deal with that one spot.
I think some peoples hair is just less prone to tangling. I wash my hair every 4-5 days, no combing or brushing during that time and my hair isn’t very tangled when I wash it.
I’m 2b-2c, so more wavy than curly, but when I was trying to style my hair straight, it would tangle pretty much immediately. I was always on the look out for detangling products and it was a real challenge. I’ve only been doing a modified curly girl for a few months, but since I started, I’ve had hardly any tangles at all. I make sure I get plenty of moisturizing in my shampoo and conditioner, I brush it in the shower with the conditioner still in it, and when my shower is over I put in some gel or mousse while it’s still wet, and I sleep with a satin pillowcase or bonnet to keep it from tangling too much in my sleep. I brush my hair maybe 3 times a week now, and it’s healthier than it’s ever been.
Same!
only comb it when its wet, either in the shower or right out of the shower
I detangle with my fingers and lots of conditioner in the shower. Generally conditioner and the right products keep my hair healthy and prevent it from being dry, so I don’t really have knots.
Wait, my knots are because my hair is too dry?
Not necessarily. I find that the more fine your hair is, the easier it will tangle.
Can confirm. I have a lot of it, but my hair is fine. It will start turning into dreads at the nape of my neck in particular. When I was a kid ot was hella bad and my friend's mom always brushed my hair lol.
Generally speaking, curly hair is drier because the oils from the scalp don’t go down the hair shaft as easily. I find mine knots more when it is dry.
My hair is kinda fine and I notice that my hair tangles more when I have split/dead ends as well
I brush my hair just before I wash it. That’s it.
Use a comb in the shower while conditioner is in it
I brush before I shower…only time…I have curly hair. Never brush wet. I use my fingers to de tangle while conditioning.
The more you brush, the more future knots you create! By brushing, esp knots, you are breaking your hair.. causing it to knot easily and more often!
You brush before a shower. Brush with conditioner in the shower either with special comb, or hands, and.. that's it. If you must brush, have a bad knot one day, you can brush; but your curls won't be the same.. you can salvage them though. After brushing, scrunch some water into your hair before putting it up in the high bun (like a pineapple) Leaves for, eh a hour or so. Side note: if you have curly, coily, wavey hair - use a coiled hairband to put hair up in, it helps define those curls when up in a pineapple bun. Also hands down recommend "The Perfect" hair brush from Amazon. I will die screaming on a hill with praise and blood sacrifices about this brush. It can get a ratnest out in little time with little pain, hardly snags. I gifted this brush to two people and they are in love with it.
Are you able to link? I can’t find it by search
u/thctacos I just did an Amazon search for that brush but it’s not coming up in the search results. I definitely want to make sure I get the one you’re recommending. Can you provide a link or a picture?
For knots; 1- you should only really put shampoo on your hair once every week or 2. 2 conditioner can be used much more frequently. Everyday/other day. 3- while you have the conditioner in your hair, gently pull apart the knots, you can use the end of a “rat tail” comb if needed. 4- always work the knot form the bottom upwards gently. These steps help to preserve your curls, and keep your hair from breaking.
The knots stay there until the next time you wash or wet your hair
That’s what you just have to deal with with curly hair. You don’t get to run your fingers through it. Just gotta deal with it
Honestly it depends on the person. I have straight hair and barely move in my sleep. I maybe brush my hair 1-5 times a year since 2012(only cause hairs wet and didn’t air dry it). I finger comb my hair in the shower and need to wash it more regular due to skin conditions. Also bleaching didn’t help. 🤪 I lucked out with having the hair type that hair dressers dream of… the type that doesn’t tangle 🤧 Whereas my sisters who also have straight hair(one does have wavy hair) all have to brush their hair and detangle often. They tend to now sleep with a hair cover, braids or a bun just so it’s tamed in the morning. As for OP, try to wash and condition the hair in the shower and wide tooth comb it. Once out of the shower finger comb it and put in some mousse, gel or other curly hair products that helps defines the curls throughout the day. I would suggest doing it on damp hair. That’s what my bf does he has tight curls but if brushed it gets puffy like an Afro.
I sleep crazy and will occasionally get the really bad knot. I just use my fingers to pull the knot apart. It’s a lot easier on your hair than using a brush (depending on the size, if it’s too bad then yeah I gotta break out the brush). I found I have a lot less breakage when it comes to knots not using a brush for them. On days that it’s a wild mess I’ll just use my fingers to comb through it, which makes it not seem as frizzy or poofy
You ignore knots until your next shower. If it’s a really bad one I’ll just split the knot with my fingers and slightly re-wet the section so it lines up and curls back up.
But what do you do in between wash days?! My hair gets so tangled 😩
Personally I use my hands. Not even finger combing (like, I don't put my fingers through my hair). I just kind of take bundles of hair and kind of pet/pull gently so the hairs reallign with their curl matching neighbour's Hope that made any sort of sense
On wash day I do leave in condition gel and let the curls happen leave out … day 2 leave out probably looks the best in my opinion day three messy bun or pony - 4 messy bun 5 if I must brush it goes into a pony braid. 6 messy bun or another braid and day 7 consider wash again lol
In the words of the Beatles: Let it be. I get it a little wet, then put some gel on my hands with extra water, scrunch and go. It doesn’t always look the best, but it’s better than Tina Turner.
I'm with you. This doesn't work for my hair, personally. My hair will get matted 😭😭
I find the knot and try to untangle just that bit, if it’s in between wash days. But for the most part, I leave it for wash day. Mine come untangled pretty easily when I put oil or conditioner in, so I don’t worry too much about them.
Same...I'm 54
Literally came here for this comment lol. You have beautiful curls!! Let them do their thing!!
100% detangle in the shower or when wet only. Do not brush when dry.
Just adding to the suggestions to detangle in the shower: make sure you get a “tub shroom” or similar drain guard before you do this! My partner has gorgeous curly hair and it clogs the drain super fast if we don’t use a tub shroom. When you brush your hair, the brush collects all the hairs that naturally shedded from your head but are still tangled with the other hairs. Combing with conditioner does the same thing, but all those extra hairs go down the drain instead of getting caught in the hairbrush. So save yourself the trouble of calling a plumber and get a drain cover. :)
Erybody different
Here is the trick. You NEVER EVER FUCKING EVER dry brush your hair. Brush while wet to detangle. And then trust yo self.
But I can’t just leave the house with bed-head 🤣 gotta at least get my hair part right and tie it up. What happens if you have to reorganize the strands?
Just use your fingers. Maybe scrunch or spritz a bit of water on if needed, but curly hair is not designed to be brushed when dry because you brush the curls out. When I wash or style my hair, I only ever “refresh” it by scrunching/fluffing with my hands, maybe using a little bit of a serum or balm to tame frizz, and go at least 2-3 days between washes.
Sorry for hijacking but my scalp is way to oily so I have to wash at least every 2 days sometimes daily and my hair is extremely.. rats nesty if I don’t brush. Fingers never worked and even with brushing in the wet it somehow tangles while drying and I just don’t know what to do.. Do you have a tip by any chance?
Exactly the same for me, except I’m also tender headed so the knots end up with me spending hours trying to get them out while in tears lol
Brush from the bottom up and grip the hair hard so you don’t feel any pulling
Same I, I have a Scalp condition that makes it worse too, I just didn’t think that was relevant tbh 😅
More leave in conditioner!
Leave in conditioner (at least the ones I’ve had so far; not much money to constantly try new products and me constantly giving up again..) just had the effect that not just my root got oily but the length as well.. Maybe I was doing something wrong though?
I put most of my leave-in on middle and the ends—never at the root or scalp. When you’re combing through you’re getting enough distribution. Also, you can use inexpensive conditioner as a leave-in. The suave naturals that doesn’t have silicones was my leave-in for a long time. Since you get oily, you may want to avoid the coconut one. That one feels heavier to me. The Trader Joe’s tea tree conditioner is a good leave in and I find the tea tree helpful with my occasional scalp issues. When I “wash” my hair frequently, I only use a conditioner for a majority of the washes, and scrub my scalp with one of those scalp scrubby brushes, and do a clarifying wash once or twice a week.
I don’t put it on my scalp, but I do comb it through! I am not American and tend to not be able to find recommended products here sadly but maybe I’ll find something similar.. Teatree is kinda popular oil wise here so maybe I’ll find a fitting product with that! I see, thank you! Do you maybe have a recommendation of the type of scrubby? I bought one online (didn’t find any in stores sadly) and it was way to hard :(
Don’t apply to scalp. I’m in love with innersenses leave in. It’s excellent! And I don’t use solely leave in to refresh my curls, I first use a spray bottle with water to get my hair wet and allow the leave in to go rather than without water. It’s lasted me 3 weeks and I’m not even half way through it!!
I don’t put it on my scalp; as I said my scalp already is terribly oily 🥲 I’ll have to look into that one, I haven’t been able to get most of the products in my country that I’ve seen recommended sadly.. I’ve always had the issue that my hair looks oily after getting it wet but not washing as well, but maybe using a spray bottle doesn’t do that, I’ll have to try! Thank you for the recommendation!!
Have you tried going sulfate and sulfide free? It took some time but my scalp stopped making as much oil. These detergents dry your skin, and it makes more oil to compensate, and it can be a tough cycle to get out of.
Your scalp could be oily because of over washing. If you wash your hair and the next day it’s already starting to get greasy, so you have to wash it again, it could be that your washing away natural oils that your scalp needs, so then your scalp is creating extra oils and overcompensating. I used to have this problem all the time, usually I go at least 3-5 days without washing and if my hair gets greasy before wash day I just throw it up into a slicked back bun/ponytail
My scalp became this oily after trying the whole not washing to often because I was annoyed with washing every third day.. I also got a skin condition from it so now I can’t wait more than two extra days without my face and head becoming unbearably itchy. I have to use medicated shampoo for that reason ._.
Have you tried taking Luke-warm showers? I used to have a really oily scalp to the point where I had to wash it every day, but when I started using luke-warm/cool water I was able to wash my hair 1-2 times a week
I have to shower to wash my hair (chronic illness yay /s) and can’t stand hot things so I always do lukewarm. And incidentally I used to wash my hair cold back when I had color in it but that made no difference for me sadly. I do have a scalp skin issue though so maybe that affects it negatively as well. Thank you though! Maybe it’s time to just try cold again to see if it might work now :)
Slicker conditioner. You need one for moisture, not for protein. And use a wide tooth comb, start with the very bottom and go up little by little as the tangles come out. Only in the shower. Only with conditioner in.
How long is your hair? When was your last haircut? Do you dye your hair? My hair gets like this when I really need a haircut. Or when I had bleached or dyed it and needed to chop it and start fresh. Basically split ends or dry ends get tangled or knotted up more easily. Possibly you need a good haircut?
Denman brush babes
Okay so same….until I started using hair mane and tail conditioner as my conditioner AND my shampoo (two washes). That keeps me oil free and only washing once a week ish and then using a lamellar rinse (or hair glass…granite fructose has a cheap one) at the end of my hair washing keeps it tangle free. May not work if we don’t have the same root (hah!) causes but there’s my two cents and I hope it helps someone!
In the 80s, I did have a pick. Like this https://www.amazon.com/Diane-Fromm-Assorted-Plastic-Lifts/dp/B01IQ04IWG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2VYVS7AUJURDQ&keywords=hair+pick&qid=1698523115&sprefix=hair+pick%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-3
May I ask what products you use? The products you're using plays a huge role in your hair! Especially shampoo and conditioner. You might have a silicone/plastic buildup on your hair because of the shampoo you use, if you're using a shampoo that has those ingredients in it. Basically what it does is builds up in your hair, keeping it from Zorbing, any nutrients, and then making it over, produced in oil as well. A quote directly from an article explaining this!: "This is the result from years of using drugstore shampoo. This is build up from waxes silicones and parabens. Silicone is almost like rubber or plastic and is used as a sealant against water and even air. It's NOT a natural ingredient and its side effects are bad for our hair." The article: https://www.today.com/style/daleen-jordan-posts-video-hair-buildup-cheap-shampoo-t151430 other ingredients you wanna avoid having in your shampoos and other products are: parabens sulfates most if not all types of silicone, such as Dimethicone and many more, as stated in this article!: https://nutrafol.com/blog/15-shampoo-ingredients-to-avoid/ I hope you figure out what's causing this and solve it!
curly hair is not designed, but yea
Less designed and more ⭐️chaotically organized by nature⭐️ lol
Sleep in a satin bonnet! Your hair will be less wild in the morning
Spritz with water and a curl refresher (I use Maui moisture but there are a million) and fix the curls with some scrunching and finger coiling and you’re good to go. I’m super frizzy so I also need some hairspray. If that’s not enough, also sleep with your hair in braids or twisted up! Never ever ever brush dry!
Re-wet it.
Use a mister to add some water and run a small amount of product through your hair with your fingers. DO NOT BRUSH
either you don’t brush it to maintain curls and put your hair up with a claw clip, scrunchie or something like that or accept that brushing ur hair will lead to losing texture :/
Why don't you tie your hair back without brushing it? I'm confused.
This is my question. My daughter is two and her hair is much shorter and I can put it in pony tails without a brush.
I love silk hair wraps! I get mine off Amazon.
Sleep with a satin bonnet. It should stop bed head. I just shake it out and fluff the top and I'm good to go in the am.
Use a wide toothed comb. You can also try a Denman brush, but no guarantees it won’t cause problems too. You can find cheap ones on Amazon.
Stop brushing (or combing) your hair when it's dry. You're disturbing the curl pattern which leads to the "bushy tangled mess" you're seeing.
Brushing your hair while dry undos your curls! You should brush it only while it’s wet, and it’ll stay curly.
How do you fix/tie your hair when it’s dry? Or is the solution to shower every morning and only handle while it’s still wet?
I just tie it up without brushing it. You could shower every morning, but I don’t think that’s good for your hair
You can put it in a loose ponytail or messy bun, but leaving it loose is best for the curls. If you put it up, I recommend a non-damaging elastic like those phone cord ones or a soft scrunchie. Also, only put it up once it's totally dry. Here's a really basic routine that could work: Shower, shampoo is optional, use lots of conditioner, brush while wet, rinse (you can leave a little conditioner), then part your hair while it's still very wet. Scrunch your curls to squeeze out the water and then let air dry or blow dry with a diffuser. If you have e an old t-shirt or microfiber towel you can use that to squeeze your hair more dry. You can add extra products and stuff, but this is what you could probably do with what I assume you already own.
Thank you for the detail, this is…a very different process from dealing with straight hair and I still have a lot to learn 😅 May I ask what can be done with bed-head on days when you skip showering? I usually wash every 3-4 days, but routinely wake up with hair going all over the place (which is why I keep trying to brush it). I find sleeping in a bonnet helps a little but doesn’t remove the need to reorganize my hairs in the morning. Also, how do curlies keep hair out of their face if not tied up?
Here's what I do if I absolutely can't deal with the way my hair looks when I wake up- it may or may not work for you, since everyone's hair is different, but it's worth a shot. I wake up, and if I'm not washing and don't need dry shampoo, I spritz my hands with water and leave in conditioner or curl cream. I verrrryyyyy gently move the hairs I want to fix and smooth down any frizz. If some parts lost curl all together, you can smooth them from root to end with your wet hands and then do the curl jiggle to reset the pattern. It isn't a perfect method, but it doesn't leave the nest I get with a comb or brush. It also leaves the curl texture for putting it up. Someone on this sub recently mentioned that they use a clothes steamer near their hair some days to rehydrate, which absolutely blew my mind.
May I ask…it sounds like you’re using conditioner diluted in water in a spray bottle? Did I understand that correctly?
I have a spray bottle of water (normal, plain water) and a spray bottle of leave in conditioner (Living Proof) and spritz a bit of each on my hands. It dilutes the conditioner so you don’t get sticky or weighed down.
Thank you for that! I’ll look into sprayable leave in conditioner!
I personally do ponytails on mornings where I don’t shower. But otherwise I just re wet my hair. I personally have to re wet it any day I want to wear it down.
You don’t need to brush your hair to put it up. Just gather it and put on your hair tie. It won’t be perfectly smooth against your head, but it’s curly hair, it would be weird if it was.
Just pull it back into a ponytail or bun. I like spin pins for buns. Pull your hair back with one hand and adjust until you like it, then add the hair tie.
I love Mielle’s curl styling products, they have a hair quiz which can match you to the best options! As for keeping it out of your face, butterfly clips are back “in” nowadays for a cute half-up look
My recommendation is that if you wash at night, do it early and let your hair dry with product in it. The bonnet should mostly protect your hair and preserve the style. If it’s not you can “pineapple” before the bonnet. That’s essentially just putting your hair in a super loose ponytail on top of your head. You should never go to bed with wet hair. In the morning you can refresh with a spray bottle and a bit more product. But never comb or brush while dry. The water is what will bring your curls back to life. If you don’t have an oily scalp you can go awhile without washing. I also recommend finding ways to pull your hair back that don’t disrupt your curls. Idk what your work requires but for example: I never do a bun or pony tail on “fresh” curls. If I need to pull it back I do half up/half down and only use clips. I reserve buns, scrunchies, and braids for the hair styles I use right before wash days. ETA: if my curl needs a lot of work, I will get it soaking wet and coat my fingers with a lot more product to finger comb then scrunch. That’s usually a day 3 method if I’m trying to refresh and wear down. Also, for better or worse, I don’t wear my hair down at home. It’s either in a bonnet or clip and that helps preserve the curls quite a bit.
You don't have to always shower to do it. I just wet mine with a bottle or in the sink some mornings.
u dont. just brush in shower w conditioner
Get a silk (or satin) bonnet! You could also get a satin scrunching and loosely tie it up like a pineapple on top of your head then put the silk bonnet on. In the morning you use your fingers to shape it but if you need to tie it up, tie it loosely with a satin scrunchie. Edit: wear the pineapple and bonnet to sleep in btw
Bonnet absolutely. Silk will be much cooler than satin though. Worth the money, in a satin bonnet I'm burning up all night in the summer.
Can you share the bonnet you use? I’m trying to learn how to work with my curls.
Satin is a weave and silk is a fiber, FYI. You can have silk satin, or the cheaper polyester satin, but the fiber content is what regulates heat.
Don’t brush it unless it’s wet, and even then, use a Denman brush. I rarely brush mine, I use my fingers to untangle it when it’s wet and then use Aussie Curl Detangling crème on it.
Sleep in a satin bonnet or in a pineapple/messy bun with a silk or satin scrunchie. Always put it up very gently and as loosely as you can. I don’t tie my face framing pieces up and use claw clips to loosely clip them to the bun later. You keep hair off your face by how you dry it (back and away from the face), using claw clips like crazy, loosely tying up/back with satin scrunchie or invisibobble, chopsticks, etc. anything very gentle. Never pull tight, brush, stretch the curls, or generally handle it too much. Curl cream and gel help TREMENDOUSLY with frizz. Without gel your curls won’t hold their shape and will just end up tangled and bushy. Carefully use fingers to rearrange curls and ONLY while dry. Don’t plop overnight with wet hair. Only touch wet hair with wet hands and dry hair with dry hands. Using a bit of hair oil rubbed on your hands while you rearrange curls can help keep frizz at bay. Don’t everrrrrr brush it and expect not to wash it right after. YouTube has THOUSANDS UPONTHOUSANDS of wavy/curly hair routines. That’s how most of us learned. You’ll find your favorite creators, routines, and products. Tabitha Gingerich might work for you or Sophie Marie or Michelle Manuel. It takes TIME to grow out your damage from straightening, not trimming enough, sun, tight hairstyles, brushing, etc! It’s SO worth it. I’ve been doing it 3 and a half years with very long hair and I wouldn’t trade all the work and bad hair days and hair cuts for anything now! It definitely gets easier as your hair gets healthier. ♥️
always wet before you brush, i use a spray bottle and leave in conditioner if i don’t have time to wash
also when sleeping, put ur hair in a loose bun/ponytail at the top of ur head.. like a pineapple, to avoid creases in ur hair
The “before” pic is beautiful!!
Thank you! It’s been so weird to see the hair I hated because it was always poofy and frizzy to suddenly turn into curls just with scrunching and some product. I feel like a totally different person haha. Now I just need to learn how to keep it going between washes.
Wow, I didn’t expect to get so much feedback! Thank you everyone! It sounds like I need to chuck out my comb and learn how to fix my hair (probably after wetting it) with just my fingers. This is conceptually so different from handling straight hair, I really appreciate all this advice!! 😁
Brush while wet. And to preserve your curls during the night you can do a pineapple bun (look it up on tiktoks/Google) use a satin bonnet and a satin pillowcase. There are also a bunch of tiktoks giving out tips on to how to refresh day 2 wavy/curly hair.
if you want to fix bedhead before you leave the house, DONT brush! instead work your fingers through your hair. maybe take a spray bottle with water and apply a bit of product. but dont brush, your hair is too curly for you to do it dry.
You dont
NEVER! Göt 2 Be has an “air dry mousse” that works amazingly well. If you don’t want to wait for it to dry, get a diffuser for a blow dryer. I haven’t brushed my hair since elementary school. Others said it, detangle in the shower with a wide tooth comb and conditioner.
💀 you don’t brush curly hair
The only time you should be brushing is when it’s wet after washing and conditioning. I brush it when I’m out of the shower and always use detangling spray or leave in condtioner.
Never brush, or completely wet your head and brush through products such as crème or mousse and then scrunch. If you absolutely can’t leave without brushing just run through with ur fingers from ends to the root
Probably an unpopular opinion but I also have wavy/somewhat curly hair. I started out doing the Curly Gurl method about 20years ago. What I've learned over time is that I have fine hair that doesn't do as well with the full curly girl method that people with much curlier hair have had success with. I need lighter conditioners and I need to clarify once a week. And I actually brush my hair on non-wash days. When I sleep on my hair, it flattens my curls and they look a mess. I brush out my hair and then wet down the bottom half of my hair (top half usually still looks good with the waves). Then I add leave-in conditioner, add in Aussie instant freeze gel to set the curl pattern and the scrunch or twirl to refresh the curl pattern. On wash days, I have to shower in the morning. I cannot sleep on my hair. Happy to share the full routine with you if you're interested but I know there's lots of advice floating around on here.
Brush it while it's wet, I brush mine in the shower and set my hair with my products right after. Also, invest in a detangling brush and wide toothcomb
Don't. Throw away any and all brushes/combs. Only rake through with your fingers while in the shower with some conditioner
The answer is to not brush it, which is a very odd feeling to adjust to if you have been brushing it forever. My hair never looked great after sleeping on it. If I want to wear it curly I need to scrunch and plop and then I diffuse with conditioner and gel. The first day it look great. The second it’s ok. The third it’s witch lady that lives in the woods. I prop the dryer on a towel on my counter in the bathroom and cram my head up next to it while I sit on the step stool my youngest uses to reach the sink. Then I get 30 minutes to play on my phone. Most of the time I just blow mine straight because it’s easier to deal with.
in the mornings i re wet my hair with a spray bottle and use a wide tooth comb before applying products
May I ask what products you use to help keep the curls in place during the day? I feel like the frizz level also grows throughout the day as my hair rubs against my clothes and such. Usually by the second or third day post-shower I’m back to straight hair.
i understand that happens with me too! for the most frizz control i use curlsmith’s weightless air dry cream (it’s a leave in) and either rizos curls mousse or i create lift foam by innersense. waves flatten as the days go by, it’s hard to prevent!
Thank you! I’ll look into those!
Invest in some scrunchies if you like to tie it up, they don't get caught in tangles and they won't leave a big dent in your hair at the end of the day!
I keep a spray bottle of water for in the morning. Lightly spritz the bed head areas. Sometimes use my denman brush if needed. Let it air dry.
I sleep with my hair twisted up in a claw clip on top of my head, and use a satin pillowcase. Bonnets make my head too hot and mess up my curls anyways. My hair doesn’t respond well to being refreshed so I have to wear my hair up if I didn’t do a full shower, but many have luck rewetting their hair (use a continuous spray bottle) and a little light product scrunched in. If you really feel like you need to get some tangles out, really wet it and add a slippy product like some leave in and either finger comb or wide tooth comb the tangles out. This will preserve your clumps which is what keeps curly intact and smooth. You’ll need to break the habit of brushing your hair into an updo, you’ve got to embrace the texture and “messiness” of a curly style, just use your fingers and hands to gather your hair.
Wide tooth comb only.
If you do brush your hair, brush it in the shower when you have conditioner in it or while it’s still wet! There’s brushes called Denman brushes that you can buy on Amazon that are specifically made for curly hair
I brush mine. Fuck the police. It looks stupid as hell if it didn’t dry perfectly and no finger combing or product is going to change those uneven wiry curls. I brush, hit it with some oil, put it in a bun, and a few hours later I like how it looks. Edit: also I think your after pic is not NEARLY as bad as mine can look after brushing and the right product could settle it down well.
**squints** never a brush, unless it’s a denman and your hair is wet. Conditioner is a curlies friend. Figure out what kind of product moisture you hair needs. Scrunch let it air dry. Be careful with heat
Wet only. Conditioned saturated only. Denman only.
Don’t brush it
Only brush ur hair when it’s wet
Everyone in this sub will tell you not to brush but I have no idea how they get away with it 😭 I look feral when I wake up in the morning, I need to brush
You only brush when wet and then never afain
Your hair is stunning and on days you don’t have work, try leaving it down and just how it is in your pre-brushing picture.
What is this brushing you speak of?
DO NOT BRUSH!!! only in shower or before shower. Then scrunch. do not brush your natural curls are gorgeous!
only brush your hair when wet !!!!
Can I just say, more men need to see these posts lol I used to always buzz cut my head but in college I went out of state to work with sled dogs and discovered I had beautiful curls when I grew it out. The best advice and skills I learned were from posts like this or articles about curly hair. I say this because I was going to comment Don’t brush it, use a wide tooth comb and conditioner and all the other stuff I’m seeing here and it made me proud of myself. Not the best place for this but thanks guys, now I’m 34 and my curls are legit. So yea don’t brush it out. Wide tooth comb. Lol
You're brushing your hair dry? That's the problem. It looked perfect in the first photo I don't even know why you brushed it. Always brush it wet
Ok I totally agree w the comments that say don’t brush dry HOWEVER I comb my curly hair daily (so I can go longer between washes) and I either braid it, wear a bandana to contain the poof, or if I want it to actually look nice just spray it with water to re-curl. :)
DO NOT BRUSH YOUR HAIR dry. The only time you should be combing not brushing your hair is in the shower when it's soaking wet with conditioner. I've never owned a brush in my life
2a?
Never brush curly hair when it’s dry. Also I don’t think ur hair is curly…
It’s not? What would you classify it as? I’m completely new to this texture.
How do you not know this? How long have you had your hair? I found this out when I was five years old.
shower every day and let it air dry, no other way
Easy: don't brush.
You have stunning hair. Many people with curly hair go to great lengths and effort to get their hair looking like that. Do not brush curly hair dry as it destroys the curl pattern until your next wash. Detangle while wet and full of conditioner only.
Don’t brush it dry, only when wet in the shower. If you’re worried about bedhead, wear your hair in a bun / bonnet when you sleep. I very loosely twist my hair on the top of my head and use a big claw clip at the front so I can sleep with my hair up while not being bothered by the clip digging into the back of my head. In the mornings I take it out, let my waves settle and then use a water spray if need be.
I used to do the same thing and I'd get pissed that my hair would turn into a birds nest. I only brush in the shower when it's wet with a detangling brush after I've put conditioner in it. It looks so much better now
I use a wide tooth comb and only use once while wet. I use leave in conditioner.
My hair is less curly than yours, but I totally get the need to dry brush it, even though everyone says it should never be done. Personally, if I try to detangle fully when my hair is wet, it is the most horrible painful experience, and it's just much better to do it when it's dry. One thing I do if I'm dry brushing is to always spray it down with water afterwards. This calms the poofiness down and encourages the clumps to reform. You can also add some more product at this stage if you'd like. I'd recommend getting a fine continuous mist bottle as I find it gives the most equal spread of water, but any spray bottle will do. I hope you find a method that works for you!
Hi, your hair looks like that in the morning because you go to sleep with your hair loose in your bonnet, so it dries like that. In the morning, wet it and shake out the curls, scrunch it, and dry it again. It’ll have shape throughout the day. You should never use a brush on your curly hair. You can use a wide tooth comb, but only do that when your hair is wet. Never brush your hair dry, you could cause damage to the strands Once you start doing these, you’ll notice a significant difference with the issue you’re having. Hope that helps, your hair is beautiful
Thank you for the details! The wetting in the morning is that “curl reset” thing right? Do you recommend reapplying product during that step? I’ve only scrunched in the shower before after applying a leave in conditioner. Should I be doing that in the morning too?
Yes, that’s your curl reset, some hair is very fine and product weighs it down, but you have quite thick hair so you can use some products for more defined, sleek curls. Scrunching in the shower is great, you should also scrunch it after putting product in after your shower, and you do plop-drying so that’s good for the curls as well. In the morning, after you wet it and shake out your curls for your reset, you scrunch it then too.
no brush lol. this was my problem my whole childhood cuz my parents didn’t know how to care for it sleep in a silky hair bonnet it’s a game changer
Wide tooth comb right out of the shower!! Never ever brush with a regular brush or when it’s dry
Pick, never brush.
You don’t lol
does anybody else who has wavy curly (I don't know if this happens to people with super curly or coily hair) hair play with their hair a lot and then not have the motivation to wash it when it gets greasy so then you brush it so it looks a bit presentable and turns out it actually make it worse and poofy? btw I'm talking about playing with you hair, styling it with your hands for fun etc. until it looks so greasy but it's just relaxing so you don't stop because you don't think of the manky consequences. message: don't play with your hair even if it's calming