Hair Gel/Scrunching

I have thick hair and when it air dries it gets big and frizzy! It also has a natural wave to it. Usually I get out the straightening iron and it solves the problem. However, my hair dresser noticed that I have some breakage and it might be a good idea to cut down on the straightening when I can. She reccomended trying putting a little gel in it and seeing how it dries. Does anyone here have similar hair that could reccomend a product or technique? I was also thinking about the scrunching technique but I don't know what to use or how to get it to work properly. Any tips would be helpful!

I really like the Frizz Ease product line... I have really thick and curly hair and have issues with frizz and these products help ease them. I've also found that the less you touch your hair as you are drying the less frizzy it will be... comb thru once.. add styling products then blow dry on a low setting.. do not run fingers thru hair or in any way touch it as it dries... Good luck

I saw the thread title and I couldn't resist...

I have ginormous hair that is unruly, frizzy, curly, heavy. I've probably tried everything.

I don't have the patience to straighten my hair every morning anymore like I did in college (thank god my fiance likes it curly...)

I love the frizz-ease line. I'll switch to the cream products or mousse during the winter months.

During the summer I tend to do gel, instead of creams and mousse. Something with the humidity and the weather here that gels work better. I also like the tresemme line of products -- it's slightly cheaper, too. I find that some gels tend to flake when they dry or if you touch it too much during the day. But, tresemme doesn't flake and look like I have dandruff.

Right now, I've been trying the new Herbal Essences line for the past two months. It's in a bright blue bottle and it says for curly/wavy hair. There's also a matching gel for it. It smells great and I notice that my hair doesn't get frizzy and huge. The waves are really manageable but sometimes they get a little crunch if I don't pay attention how much I put in.

Sometimes, I'll put it in with my hands and then comb it through and style with my fingers. Then, I just blow dry on low with a diffuser. It works pretty well. I also recommend getting trims every few weeks to get rid of the breakage from the heat of dryers and straighteners.

Oh, hair problems...I love to hate 'em...

I don't have anything to add. I just found this thread funny because my hair is so thin, fine, and totally flat that I have to put sunscreen on my scalp or wear a hat to prevent sunburn on my head. I often wish it was thicker and had more body but I'd probably hate it if it did.

I have hair thats not exactly curly, but wavy.

I have used any kind of product out there for wavy, frizzy hair. I have a lot of natural oils, so Frizz Ease didn't work for me, making my hair oily. I don't use gels anymore, because I've found that the alcohol in them causes my hair to become very dry by the end of the day, no matter how humid it is. Mousse has worked better for me, but lately, the shape of my hair and the way its cut, it just isn't working out.

I am now using Bed Head by Tigi- Uptight. It is a spray and comes in a yellow bottle. Its expensive, but it has really worked out well. Its soothed out my curls. Its heat activated, so I suggest getting a Defuser to put on the end of your hair drier and just let your hair fall into it and bring it close to your head to create "scrunching". I read in one of my magazines a while back that scrunching isn't good for hair, so I've quit.

Thats what I have found to work the best for my unruly hair!

Your hair sounds exactly like mine was pre-chemo. At that time, two products were my saving grace: Lazartique's Shea Butter for deep conditioning once every other week (very expensive but a real miracle worker) and BioSilk (you can find it at drugstore.com if your local store doesn't have it). When I didn't use them, I used Frizz Ease serum.

I have found L'Oreal Studio line and Avon products to be effective. I choose those that actually enhance curl or wave in ny hair. They tend to leave me with the wet look, but, I like it. And yes, the less you touch your hair as it dries, the less frizz you will have. Then again, there is always a ponytail????

Biosilk's products work really well, too. I've found them at my local grocery stores and Walgreens. You may also want to try Ulta or Sephora since they carry an array of hair products and lines.

Ah, a topic close to my own head....um, heart! :mickey:

I have very, very, very, very thick hair and lots of it! I've literally had hair dressers cringe when they see me coming. It is normally shoulder length or longer as the shorter it is, the further out it goes - wearing it longer helps weigh it down some.

At the ripe old age of 37, I've finally learned some truths about my hair - first, I can't wash it every day. Even with conditioning, it kills my hair - it just dries it out and makes the frizziness worse. So, 3 times a week, sometimes 4, but not every day - I know it sounds odd, but it's so much better for my hair. I also straighten my hair, which is the only thing that calms it down but I don't do it more than twice a week - and because I straighten it, I never, ever blow dry it anymore. I either wear it in a small ponytail or knot until it's dry (can take up to 24 hours to dry on it's own! :blush: ) or for as long as I can stand it - my hair is so thick and so heavy I get headaches when I wear it up.

I love the frizz-ease line and they just came out with a thermal protection one for hair that is heat styled - I love it! It works very, very well. I also sometimes just a product my hairdresser gave me called "smooth" that is like a balm to protect my hair, but I'm not sure who makes it. I normally use the smooth and sleek like by Pantene.

Now, the summer is different - I'm in the pool a lot, so I have to wash my hair more often. For the summer I use a shampoo and conditioner by Dove called Moisture Rich that's specifically for color treated hair - it is awesome and has done wonders since I'm washing it just about every day now.

I don't bother with the straightening in the summer because I'd have to do it every day - so, after I get out of the shower, I use the frizz ease and then a mousse by Garnier Fructis called "curl construction boost". I add that to my hair and scrunch it up (literally just scrunching up sections, then letting it go), then leave it alone - as long as I leave it, I will get loose curls/waves with out the frizz or the really "big" hair.

Deep conditioning is also very important when you have thick hair and heat style it - at least once a week I'll use some type of deep conditioner and it helps too.

Good luck!!!

I just got about 6 inches cut off of my hair this weekend and discovered that it is curly when short!!
My hairdresser uses the Bed Head line and I love it, it gives the curl definition but doesn't make it too stiff and it smells GREAT!
I also use Garnier Fructis, it is a curl shaper that comes in a little pot and you scoop some out and apply with your fingers.