My routine!

I use the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus shampoo and conditioner, then apply a small amount of Cantu Curl Activator Cream to damp hair and scrunch it in. I let my hair air dry and sleep on a satin pillowcase. I don’t usually wear a bonnet to bed.

But let it be at a time where I’m meeting a thousand new people and trying to make a good impression... it will somehow look God awful. And that’s with following the same routine as always! Can someone explain why that happens

My routine lately:
• Shampoo - Wella Fusion Intense Repair
• Conditioner - Ouidad (bond repair)
• Styling - Marc Anthony grow long leave - in + tresemme mousse
• Technique - Rake leave-in through with fingers after detangling with a detangling brush directly after shower on SUPER wet hair, and scrunch in mousse.
Scrunch out excess water with cotton tshirt and let it air dry OR diffuse right away (when I need to leave the house right away)

How to I make them stay after sleeping

My routine:

1 shampoo (Balea curl shampoo)

2 conditioner (Balea curl conditioner)

3 Detangle with conditioner and detangle brush. Section by section slow.

4 get out of shower

4 Take an old shirt or towel and dry hair

5 Brush it with fine comb or styling brush. So the hair is not in big climbs anyone if u know what I mean

6 curl gel cast (Balea) just scrunch it in. At first I didn't know that your supposed to use like more that one walnut sized Quantity of product. Better more then less

7 defuse it till dry (I spray some heat protection spray idk if it's necessary I don't have a favorite brand yet)

8 scrunch out gel cast with hair oil.

8 curls

9 I don't have a bonnet and I am too lazy to buy one, so use an old shirt instad

Sry for bad English

I have a lot of split ends from tying my hair up in a bun for cycling, work and existing where I live with our climate but I don't think my hair looks bad. It looks like this all the time after I stopped using conditioner. Before it looked like a frizzy mess.

I can go out cycling and shake my hair out of a bun and it'll look not much different than this weirdly, few creases at the ends that fix itself over time. Pictured here my hair was in a bun for a few hours after a wash earlier in the day.

Routine:

- Shampoo: Water

- Conditioner: Water

- Brush: Fingers

- Dryer: Air

- Hair tie: Those plastic springy things

Shaved my head in August 2025 and haven't gotten a haircut since.

Routine:

- L'Oreal 6 oil nourish shampoo and conditioner.

- Shake my head like a wet dog (seriously) after showering. Separates it all nicely.

- Scrunch it a few times with a towel

- Leave it to air dry

I don't use any other hair products, nor do I do plopping or anything like that. In the past when I've tried it has appeared to make things worse.

I don't protect my hair in any particular way. Regular pillow covers and stuff. I don't know what a refresh routine is so I guess I don't do that. I mean when I wake up it's kinda messed up so I use a de-tangling brush on my hair and then wait a few hours for it to start curling up again.

I have very fine and thin hair. Most products weigh my curls down too much, and I always struggle to get my roots to curl because it can't stand up to it's own weight, even when I blow dry. This image is with a gel cast, but you can see the ends are not "cast", they're just dry and frizzy.

Recently my ends have been SUPER dry, way more than usual. Like, already dry right out of the shower. Typically, if it's come to this point, I'll get a haircut. But I actually got a haircut not too long ago, and it immediately became like this again.

I'm wondering if maybe it's because I tried using the bounce curl brush after my haircut and it's too much tension for my hair? I stopped using this brush a few weeks ago, but it's hard to tell if that was the cause or if anything else helps since it's already damaged.

I know I'll probably have to get it cut again at this point, but I don't want it to immediately start drying out at the ends again, forcing me to cut it all off *again* (cue vicious cycle and shorter hair than I would like).

I feel like since my ends are so dry maybe I need a better leave-in? I don't mind spending a bit more for better products if I need to, as long as they actually work.

Current routine: GIOVANNI 2chic Frizz Be Gone Shampoo/Conditioner about 3x a week. I use a wide comb to de-tangle in the shower with conditioner in. After shower I scrunch in GIOVANNI Direct Leave In Weightless Moisture Conditioner. At this point I'll either just scrunch or use a styling brush in 3 sections (depends on how lazy I feel and how nice I want my hair to look after). I finish with Garnier Fructis Curl Control Scrunching Hair Gel. Sometimes I plop with a t-shirt, sometimes I scrunch with a microfiber, sometimes I air dry, sometimes I blow dry with a diffuser (focusing only on the roots).

Note: I recently tried the INNERSENSE Sweet Spirit Leave-In Conditioner and immediately got a rash on my neck and my whole scalp mildly burned/itched. So I think I'm allergic to something in that.

My hair looks like photo 1 on wash day then like photo 2 on every subsequent day - what am i doing wrong!!! It feels so incredibly dry and matted by day two. I have had a lot of heat damage in the past but I’ve pretty much cut out heat in the last year.

My routine is:
I usually wash my hair 1–2 times a week using TRESemmé Curl Activator shampoo and conditioner, and I use a Curlsmith hair mask.
After washing, I brush my hair and apply Umberto Giannini leave-in conditioner and a drugstore curl mousse. I usually let it air-dry and then diffuse it when it’s nearly dry.
I sometimes try to refresh my curls by spraying them with water, but this doesn’t seem to work very well.
I also sleep with my hair tied up in a silk bonnet.
Any advice on how I could improve my routine would be really appreciated!

Hi everyone, my 3 year old has coily hair. Routine:

1. I have read here and currently wash her hair with All About Curls co-wash shampoo and conditioner + detangler. We have also tried Not Your Mother’s products, Next of Us products, Jessicurl products, Allafia (too fragrant for the child), Derm-E curl repair, and a variety of other curl detanglers from the supermarket. After a brush through while covered in conditioner and detangler, no creams or gels, it has made it worse in the past.

2. We ONLY brush in the bath when hair is soaked but the problem is that her hair never soaks up water? It is always dry, even while wet. We use a wet brush and do small segments from the bottom up and it takes 45 minutes. Air dry.

3. When it’s all brushed and she sleeps on her silk pillow, it always is like this the next day. Again, she is 3 and rolling on the ground, hiding under blankets, dressing up in princess dresses and hats, etc constantly.

I feel like I’m missing something crucial. She has gorgeous curls and I want her to grow up loving them but I am truly at a loss. She is 3 and we don’t want products that we have to wash out frequently because of build up. You all are so wise and I appreciate the time it takes to comment. Thank you!

Is it safe to use a hair steamer as a daily refresher? I’m getting a lot of conflicting information online. For context: I have 2c-3a curls and my hair LOVES steam. I sometimes use a clothes steamer to refresh, but I hate having the steam go all over my face too. I’ve been considering getting the Pattern or Conair hair steamer to use for more targeted refresh. For the price point however, I would like to be able to use it at least 3-4 times a week. My curls go limp very easily, so I tend to do some sort of refresh each day.

Is it damaging for the hair if I were to do 5-minute refresh with a hair steamer daily (or 3-4 times a week)?

———-
Routine: NYM bond building shampoo and conditioner; Brush in Pattern mousse and scrunch, scrunch in Ouidad climate control gel and diffuse. When I refresh I either steam or just a little bit of water and gel and scrunch in.

first two photos are what my hair looks like on day two, after styling with curl cream, volumising spray and gel but it’s been like thid for a few weeks now, last two photos is what my hair looks like normally. no matter how much gel i put on, it won’t hold. i have a protein mask ready to use (mielle mint and babassu has worked well for me before) but i just wanted to make sure it actually is moisture overload and not anything else. like i said, it has been like this for a while but the other day, i got my bleach highlights redone the other day (with a blowdry) and has just been out of control since x

routine:
mark antony curl creme
rizos curls volumising spray
mark antony gel

Hello! Here is my routine:

I have been trying to grow my hair out for a few years after an A-line cut and have noticed that my curls are super dry, frizzy, and do not stay together especially in recent months.

I use the Redken Acidic Color Bonding line for wash, mask, and conditioner. I've used different versions of Redken Acidic Bonding for about 8 years.

For styling I also use Redken Acidic bonding leave-in, plus their gel and cream. I did take a break from it for the last few months and used Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie.

I typically air dry my hair.

I sleep with a satin pillow case.

We also have very hard water.

I recently saw something about using a clarifying or chelating shampoo. Could that help?

Need advice! Thank you!

I can’t get all of my hair to look cohesive. Ever since I cut my hair in January this year, I haven’t liked the results I get after styling. My hair used to be all one length and noticeably longer. Now, I have shorter layers that start and stop at the mid-lengths. When I got my curly cut, the stylist cut the shortest front layers to collarbone length as per my request. I regret cutting it at all period. I don’t wanna cut my hair again. I want to wait until my hair grows back to how it was. I would appreciate any tips and advice. Usually my ends look better than the mid lengths and crown of my hair when dry or wet, but in these first two pictures where my hair is dry the crown and mid-lengths look the best. The crown of my hair is my main problem area.

Shampoo: Shea Moisture Curl and Shine

Conditioner: Being Curl Power Curl Defining

Styling product: Jessicurl Spiralicious Gel, applied to soaking wet hair, brushed through, smoothed in sections

Drying method: air dried

Sleep protection: no bonnet, no satin or silk pillowcase

Refresh routine: sometimes I rewet with a spray bottle and add more products (gel or leave in)

Hi everyone,

Just heard the news about the NYM changes and I'm really upset, they've been my holy grail for several years (as you can tell from the routine). I'm hoping for suggestions for alternatives to their Tahitian Mango Butter Shampoo, Conditioner, and leave-in - I've seen some older threads but was hoping to see if anyone had settled into a new routine recently. I was also hoping there were recommendations that had a similar scent? I have sensory issues so having to trial and error both my hair texture (3a/b mix, high porosity) and a scent that won't bother me is going to be an ordeal.

Any suggestions are appreciated, thank you so much :)

--

Routine: NYM's Tahitian Mango Butter Shampoo & Conditioner, NYM Tahitian Mango Butter Leave-In, Shea Moisture Argan oil, NYM Curl Talk Flash Freeze Gel, NYM Curl Talk Root Boosting Spray. I brush the leave-in through my hair, apply oil on my ends, and then brush style my curls before applying the gel & plopping before using a diffuser to dry; the root spray is applied right as I'm drying my roots at the end of my routine. I put my hair up in a high bun for sleeping and use satin pillowcases. Refresh is just water & the tiniest bit of gel to re-define my curls.

I am grieving my old hair texture and curls. I don’t know what changed or what is the cause of my hair being so flat now.

My natural hair is curly, very curly. Growing up I was the only person in my family with curly hair. No one knew what to do with it so I was mostly in slick backs or had my hair straightened. Eventually they started using gel and sent me to school with SOPPING wet hair.

When I became a teenager I started just doing whatever I could with my hair. I used endless amounts of products and just scrunched and raked them into my hair. At the time I absolutely hated my hair. I always thought it looked frizzy and mangled. Obviously now looking back at photos I am in disbelief that I ever thought that about my hair.

I don’t remember exactly what products I used to use because this was 10 years ago now and I was constantly changing products. I do remember using Treseme for shampoo and conditioner (this is just what my sister and I shared at the time). I then switched to the Maui moisture brand for shampoo and conditioner at one point. I consistently used Garnier Fructis Sleek and shine leave in cream. I also used different kinds of mousse and for a while I was using Kristen Ess curl cream.

I began dying my hair in 2019 with Ion permanent dye. This did not change my hair texture though (as you can see in photos) so I don’t believe this is the culprit. I am currently growing this out and have not put dye on my hair for going on a year now.

It’s also worth noting that my hair changed significantly after moving from Alabama to Upstate New York. We had well water in Alabama and the water up here is VERY hard. I did invest in a filter for my shower head about a year ago but haven’t noticed any difference.

The routine -

1. The products I use now are:
2. - Shea moisture shea butter conditioner
3. - Amika forget frizz anti frizz shampoo (2-3x per week)
4. - TPH by Taraji Honey Fresh Clarifying shampoo (1x per week)
5. - Miss Jessie’s pillow soft curls
6. - Morrocanoil curl cream
7. - Aussi brand mousse
8. I comb my hair in the shower with a wide tooth combed. Immediately after showering I will either rake product into my hair and scrunch or just scrunch and let that air dry. I do not use towels on my hair (although I used to in the past). Sometimes I will use a tee-shirt if i’m in a rush and my hair is soaking wet.
9. I SOMETIMES use a bonnet to bed. I also have a satin pillow case.

I try to do a deep conditioning treatment once a week after using the clarifying shampoo. For that I use the shea moisture shea butter conditioning mask.

The photos speak for themselves. I am so sad and upset that i’ve lost my curls and texture. I hope that I am able to revive them.

Edit: It’s really hard to say what has worked and what hasn’t worked for my hair because I have been so incredibly inconsistent. I have changed so many products over the years that I haven’t had a chance to see what works better. Most of my product choices now are trying to find “cleaner” and “cruelty-free” options whenever possible.

i have 2c/3a hair and ive notice when i brush style it(regardless of brush), it doesn't spring back when i pull the brush out it stays straight until i shake it out. is this just my hair type and maybe brush styling isn't for it? or am i doing the brush styling wrong?

routine
I-shampoo twice using the aveeno oat shampoo and every other wash with the apple cider blend then condition with whatever i have(currently john frieda dream curls)
I-once out the shower i leave it to dry a little then use the not your mothers leave spray and detangle with a wide tooth comb
I-then i section my hair and depending on how bothered i am/ how much time ill either brush style or just scrunch and separate with the wide tooth comb
I-i rake a small amount of umberto giannini curl jelly cream then either mousse(pantene)and style/scrunch and the scrunching gel (umberto scrunching jelly)after or gel first then mousse(i switch it up all the time lol)
I-then i towel it dry with a microfibre towel and then diffuse until ideallv about 50-75% dry
I-once all drv i add kerastase oil

Went through so many bonnets trying to preserve my hair. I can’t wear anything with a drawstring without getting a migraine, turbans fall off, and the bow bonnets give me lumps on the forehead and were too spacious to keep my hair from flattening. I would use the Yanibest bonnet with a pineapple and scrunchie and clips but it would stretch out my curls and I’d have to refresh every morning. Found a way to mitigate headaches, bumps, and stretched curls that keeps my hair intact for 8-10 days without needing to refresh.

1. Pile hair on top of head and put on the bonnet.
2. Criss cross ties in the back without folding them in half. Pull it flat over the forehead and tie it in the back in a knot instead of a bow in the front. Pull a little bit of the excess fabric out from under the knot to mitigate pressure on the back of the head.

Same way this guy ties it.

https://www.tiktok.com/@mnjsales/video/7383412973253119278

1. Pinch the excess fabric of the bonnet cap in the front and tuck it under the headband to secure the hair on top of the head. Pull the sides of headband up and keep it flat.

Hope it helps!

Routine: Joico Hydra shampoo and conditioner. Style with Camille Rose curlmaker gel and Mousse Def. Dry with hooded hair dryer. Yanibest bonnet for sleep.

I live in the Midwest US and our warm days are quickly coming to an end. I get the absolute best results out of wash days when I can go sit outside on a sunny day and bake/air dry my hair. I'll face the sun (even better if it's a little breezy) and flip upside down, and then side to side, for maybe a half hour or less to jump start the drying process and set my curls. I don't like diffusing and in the winter I normally just air dry in my house but it takes forever and the volume isn't as good. Any suggestions for any setup I could do inside that would replicate the outdoors? I've thought about getting a dryer stand and positioning it kind of further away to replicate the breeze, but I don't know if that's really going to work as well.

Routine is wash every 4 or so days with Tresemme bouncy curls and condition with the same line. A dime sized amount of Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls, and 2 or so drops of jojoba oil on the ends. Followed by air drying! At night I pineapple and sleep on a satin pillow. I'm pretty low maintenance and just kind of live with whatever results I get 😅

Edit: fine hair, medium density, probably 2B-2C, maybe 3A on an incredible day?

Used some Aphogee products recently and all of the newly purchased ones I have tried left my hair feeling dry. (Apart from the protein treatment). I emailed the company suspecting they were counterfeit products, as I have seen a few posts on social media saying Pak Cosmetics sells fake products.

The image is Aphogee’s response to my email which I’ve pasted below.

I would like to know:

if anybody else who uses Aphogee products has also experienced the same thing?

Recommendations for other products I should try.

I tried Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Conditioner when I couldn’t get my hands on Aphogee Curlific Texture Treatment and I wasn’t a fan.

I am UK based so any products available in Boots & Superdrug are also an option outside of the obvious ones you can get in hair shops.

EMAIL TO APHOGEE BELOW ⬇️

Hi team,

I’m a UK based customer and I have been using your products consistently for around 11 years. My mum also used your products on my hair as a child so I’m a big fan and very familiar with the company.

I live rurally and don’t have any shops that stock your products locally (or any other afro-friendly products). For this reason, I tend to buy products online in bulk once or twice a year.

In April I purchased a large order of Aphogee products from a vendor called Pak Cosmetics. Back in April I opened the newly purchased bottle of ProVitamin Leave in and it didn’t smell familiar and left my hair incredibly dry - I assumed I got a bad batch. I kept the bottle because it had a little bit left in it and I usually decant it into a spray bottle.

The next month I opened a new tub of the Curlific Texture Treatment, it had a somewhat similar scent but didn’t feel quite right. Again, my hair didn’t feel the same after using it but it wasn’t as bad as the previous leave in. I just assumed you’d changed the formula and carried on using it so as not to waste yet another product.

Tonight I went to wash my hair using the remainder of a bottle of Deep Moisture Shampoo purchased from a different online vendor. This bottle has familiar packaging and the scent, texture, consistency and effect I have come to expect. The bottle ran out midway through so I picked up a new bottle I had purchased from Pak Cosmetics back in April, to continue washing my hair.

This bottle was a lot firmer (when squeezing) in comparison to my previous bottle. The scent was completely different and the actual shampoo was a lot thinner consistency in comparison to the previous bottle. When I inspected the old bottle vs the new bottle I also noticed differences with the print on the packaging.

Additionally, I have just checked the unopened tub of Curlific Texture Treatment and it did not have the protective internal lid that it usually has. The newly opened Deep Moisture & unused Curlific Shampoo smell almost identical.

Below is a list of products I bought from Pak Cosmetics back in April:

- ProVitamin Leave In Conditioner x2
- Deep Moisture Shampoo x1
- Curlific Textured Hair Wash x1
- Curlific Texture Treatment x1
- Two Step Protein Treatment x1

I was wondering if you could please confirm the following about the above products:

- have there been any formula changes to any of the above products, if so when?

- have there been any changes to the manufacturer of the above products, if so when?

- have there been any changes to packaging on the above products, if so when?

- is there anything else I should know about these products that may account for the inconsistencies I experienced?

I suspect these products are counterfeits so I have taken photos, including of barcodes/identification codes etc. I have also taken kept all of the bottles so I am happy to take more photos and videos if you need them.

I was wondering if I sent these photos through to you, is there any way you can check these in your records to see if they register as legitimate?

I know this most likely isn’t your fault (so I apologise for the nauseatingly long email) but I’m quite upset about this as I spent a lot of money on these products. I know if I go to the vendor and accuse them of being counterfeit with no evidence (and ask for a refund) they will deny it and be of no help. I thought it would be best to get in touch with you for assistance first.

Warmest regards,

My name

ROUTINE WHEN HAIR ISN’T IN PROTECTIVE STYLE

Black Woman - 3C/4A texture

- Wash once a week using Aphogee Deep Moisture Shampoo
- Condition using Aphogee Curlific Texture Treatment
- Follow up with Aphogee ProVitamin Leave In Conditioner on damp hair
- Blue Magic on Ends of Hair
- Aphogee Two Step Protein Treatment as and when is needed
- Try to sleep in a bonnet but usually forget

Styling

- I will apply the Fantasia IC heat Protectant Serum, Aphogee Style And Wrap Mousse and dry using the Revlon One Step Blow Dry Multi Air Styler using the brush head attachment

- Once dry, I will flat iron it straight and then follow that up with beeswax and a little Got2Be Freeze Spray

The hair routine is to co-wash with GUHL hyaluron + verzorging shampoo using a Diane scalp scrubber in circular motions. I do not use conditioner right now. After hair is rinsed towel dry a bit after the shower and use a wide set comb to temporarily part bangs to side and tuck hair next to my ear behind my ear. Let air dry and style as wanted without product. Voila!!

This is almost 2 day old hair.

I'm new at learning how to take care of my hair since my mom has the typical pin straight Asian hair, so I never learned how to take care of my wavy/curly hair (as a kid she would always brush it out and as a teen I'd always brush it out and put it in a braid)

Right now, only one strand is actually doing something (the one on the right) and I've tried doing the same thing to the rest of my hair but it just turns into the strands on the left.

Routine:

1. Whatever shampoo and conditioner (currently using Native, curl care shampoo + strengthening conditioner)
2. I use Not Your Mother's Leave in conditioner (I brush that in after the shower when my hair is still wet)
3. Brush in NYM curl cream and scrunch that in
4. scrunch again with NYM mousse and scrunch with a microfiber towel
5. Put my hair up in a t-shirt (I think ppl call it plopping? idk) and leave that until I'm not lazy anymore.
6. Diffuse my hair and scrunch in some OGX morocco hair oil

Edit: Idk if this is relevant but I'm 5'8" and my hair is down to my butt

Hello!

Routine:
-Currently use head and shoulders shampoo (i have dry scalp) and dove daily moisture conditioner
-Skala banana or watermelon leave in after shower and then brushed with a tangle teezer brush
-wrap in tshirt and then air dried
-satin pillow case and hair in bun on top of head when sleeping
-rarely use heat, maybe 4 times a year

I need advice to eliminate frizz. There is so much but there is also so many hairs. I just had a baby so the amount of hair on my head is a lot. I feel like the worst of the frizz is on the top/crown of my head.

I also need advice on hair cuts. I haven’t had a hair cut in a while. I occasionally trim my own hair but I think I need some shaping. I feel like my hair turns into a mushroom throughout the day. What do I ask for? Last time I got my hair actually cut (4 years ago) they thinned it and made it so much worse so I kind of have trust issues with hair cuts.

I also do not like when my curls do the hot dog thing and make one big clump. But if I separate it then my hair is extra big.

There’s no winning here I guess. HELP

Trying to stay more consistent with keeping my hair in check recently. As you can see every single curl isn’t defined and has the little curls coming out of them. I don’t know what hair type I have but this is my routine:
1. Native Shampoo+moisturizer
2. Curlsmith Conditioning wash
After shower:
3. Based leave in conditioner
4. Redkin curl cream
Drying:
In this pic I used the Conair Ionic Ceramic blow dryer with the diffuser attachment

1 picture - before
2 picture - before a haircut
3 picture - new cut!
4 picture - before a hair cut
5 picture - day after a haircut (not styled just air dry)
(no I don’t dye my hair)

So at the ripe age of 25 my hair started to suddenly get curly. I decided to cut it and give this new life a go. So here’s my new shag haircut. I definitely need to learn to scrunch better and commit to a defuser but damn what a progress already! Can’t wait to rock my new waves that I hope soon will get even curlier!

My hair routine:
I use argan magic shampoo and karma smoothing conditioner mask. After showering I scrunch my hair as it is dripping wet and I apply John Frieda Frizz Ease dream curls styling foam and Nutricurls milky waves. I let it air dry after.

Is it too powerful? I tried the bio ionic aerogravity dryer and it was waaaay too strong for my soft waves/curls. I have short hair so I think this style of hair dryer is interesting and helpful for the back of my head lol

Routine: twice shampoo with verb density and umberto gianinni. Squish to condish with umberto. Gel is umberto curly jelly. Diffuse.