I'm in a rut with my curly hair products. I am currently finishing up a bottle of deva curl cream and a bottle of gel, but honestly not impressed at all with either, esp for the price.
I just got a sample redken spray and really liked that when I was on vacation for touch-ups at end of day.
I'm game for drugstore or salon. I honestly think I prefer drugstore stuff mostly. I wear my hair curly pretty much daily.
I use Garnier fructis curl cream. I prefer curl cream. I also have used ouidad climate control gel and liked it but it's expensive and I don't think it's any better than Garnier.
I've been using Redkin's curl cream (previously called ringlets) for years.
A good haircut makes the most difference with my hair. It's long and has long layers, so I don't cut it very often. I also only comb it with a very wide toothed comb right before I shower and I dry it with a t-shirt instead of a towel.
buffaloeggs.blogspot.com 2016 Races: Hop Hop Half Marathon 2:05:09 Pac Crest Half Ironman 7:13:40 9/10 Aluminum Man Oly Tri 11/27 Space Coast Half Marathon
I swear by Not Your Mother's, which you can get at Target. I love their Kinky curl cream and their Beach Babe saltwater spray. About $4 each at my Target.
Are you using the deva in conjunction with the curly girl method? Otherwise it's useless. You need sulfate and silicone free across the board. Only microfiber towels and never terry cloth. Took me a couple months to get the hang of it but my curls have never looked better.
Here's a cropped photo although I will note I didn't need professional hair styling for the wedding. That's my normal hair
I don't know if it was pregnancy and BFing, but I had to stop sulfate free. My hair was so dry and frizzy. It was baaad.
I may have to look into curly girl again, but I can't sleep on my hair and then have it curly in the morning. I'm rarely able to do 2nd day curly hair.
I have more "wavy" hair than "curly" hair. I use the Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Shampoo and Conditioner. I wash my hair at night after working out. Then I use one Turbie to squeeze the water out of my hair (using it almost as a towel - not actually putting it up inside the turbie). Then I take a handful of Deva Curl Ultra Defining Gel and scrunch it through my hair while it's upside down. Then I kind of "plop" my hair inside of another turbie. I keep it in there for an hour - anything less and it's not good.
Then I take my hair out of the turbie and arrange my part. And I sleep on it wet most of the time. So the next morning it looks like crap when I wake up.
When I wake up, I have a bottle that is a mix of water & conditioner (it has silicones - I am using Suave Natural Infusion Macademia & Orchid). It's about 1 part conditioner to 3 or 4 parts water. I spray that on my hair (not a ton, but my hair is damp after) & scrunch to reactivate the gel from the night before. I no longer have bed head and my curls/waves look pretty darn good for having slept on them wet the night before.
I also have to get my bangs wet & blow dry them at this point.
Then I put on my make-up and do everything else to get ready while my hair dries. Once it's time to do my hair, I use a flat iron to fix my bangs, and then put a bit of the Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade throughout my hair. Then I spray it all with TIGI Masterpiece hair spray.
I can usually wash only every other day by doing the "reactivating" method in the morning, although I usually work out 5 or 6 days a week, so it's rare that I do the second day hair (because I get really sweaty and gross when I work out).
I have really fine hair and not a lot of it, so it gets weighed down and buildup easily and I've found that I really like Bumble and Bumble's curl creme. I also like Aveda's curl enhancer, but Bumble's has a little more holding power for me since I tend to frizz. Though often I mix them in my hand to use both.
I have 3B curly hair. I like Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves curl cream. Doesn't leave your hair greasy, and I like the smell. I also like their sulfate free shampoo.
I also really like Kinky Curly Curling Custard.
I just tried some Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls, and I think it leaves my hair kind of greasy. I won't buy it again.
All three of those brands can be bought at the drug/grocery store.