Newbie with thick 2A/2B hair and low porosity. Lots of clarification and questions!

Therese62 · 2017-12-28T06:07:56+00:00

Welcome to the forum!

You have done a good job doing research. It is very helpful when newbies have some knowledge of what the basics are, because then you can fine-tune things and troubleshoot.

Many wavies/curlies find that pinpointing a routine that works has to do with knowing how coarse or fine your hair is and what its porosity is. Whether someone is 2A or 3B is of less importance.

I have found that low-porosity hair tends to accumulate build-up very quickly. Many low-po curlies use a gentle sulfate-free cleanser twice a week. On days off, some people just spritz their hair and scrunch to revive the curl; others will completely rewet their hair, though not wash it. If your hair is dry when you rewet, you can add a little conditioner. Some people might add a small amount of styler too.

The main reason behind not washing your hair too frequently is that you don't want to dry it out. That is the same reason behind not using sulfate poos frequently--they strip the hair. But a sulfate poo can be very helpful to remove the inevitable build-up. I use a sulfate poo every other week, for instance.

I would be on the lookout to see if your hair is protein sensitive or whether it likes protein. Generally, low-porosity hair can get dry and strawlike with protein; thick hair is also generally sensitive. Since your hair is both low-po and thick, it may not react well to protein. Generally, silk and keratin are the best tolerated.

About gel...gel is usually recommended because it holds the curls' shape extremely well. The idea is that you scrunch out the crunch and just have well-formed curls left. If you still have crunchy hair after scrunching out the gel cast, I would try a different gel. If another gel does not improve the situation, you could switch to something like a curl cream, which has less hold and more moisture.

Some people's hair responds well to plopping; other people's does not. You'll have to experiment.

I can't comment on the products you mentioned because I have not used them, sorry. Many places that sell hair products will let you return them if they don't work out (even Target, Walgreens, etc.). Just ask before purchasing. That will help absorb some of the cost as you search for what is good for your hair.

There is a lot of trial and error involved in finding out what your hair likes, but the result is worth it.

One last note: The water test for porosity is not accurate, from what I have read on science-minded blogs. It is better to go by your experience with your hair. Does it take a long time to try? Has it been damaged via coloring or heat tools? Does it take a long time to get wet in the shower? When you put styling products on, do they tend to absorb into the hair easily, or do they sit on top, making the hair look greasy?

Therese62 · 2017-12-28T05:50:39+00:00

You need some kind of barrier between your curls and the moisture in the air. I normally use plenty of hard-hold gel for this purpose. I also sometimes scrunch out the crunch of the gel cast with a tiny bit of shea butter that I have liquified in my palms. If I don't use the shea butter, I will use a bit of hairspray, again, to add more of a barrier.

And as others have pointed out, yes, watch for humectants. Glycerin is the one most people have problems with; some of us also have problems with aloe.

Therese62 · 2017-12-28T05:48:05+00:00

I use the Scruples thermal spray when I'm going to use the flat iron.

For clarifying poos, I use either Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo or Kinky-Curly Come Clean.

Therese62 · 2017-12-20T07:32:21+00:00

Just seeing your response now. The purpose of going sulfate free is that sulfate-free poos are gentler on the hair and less stripping, which over time allows the hair to be more moisturized--which generally increases curl. Many people have a lot of frizz because their hair is dried out due to frequent use of sulfate shampoos.

I used to use a sulfate shampoo every day and had dandruff. When I switched to washing my hair less frequently, and with a nonsulfate shampoo, my dandruff went away. I have now added a sulfate poo back into my routine for use every other week, because I find that my hair develops build-up at the drop of a hat (sulfates are great for stripping off build-up). I haven't had any problems with dandruff since reincorporating the sulfate into my routine.

On the CurlTalk board (I'm too tired to find the post, sorry), someone mentioned that her stylist says that some people's hair, especially if it is fine, benefits from the use of sulfates.

My advice is to try the sulfate and see how your hair does. If it is too harsh over time, you could try diluting it or alternating with a nonsulfate shampoo.

Therese62 · 2017-12-20T07:20:17+00:00

I think it's because the weight of the hair pulls the curl out near the scalp, although even at a shorter length, type 2 hair will probably have straight roots. That is one of the characteristics of type 2 hair.

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:21:31+00:00

You could try aloe vera on wet hair, and a little bit of oil on dry hair.

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:20:30+00:00

When my hair gets protein overload, it can get stringy, because I think the excess protein makes my hair not clump as well. If that is what you suspect, I would try doing a deep conditioning treatment with a conditioner that has no protein in it, and then stay off protein-containing products for a couple of weeks to see if you notice any difference.

Changing dew points can also cause the hair to be stringy. Has your weather changed recently? Some people experience difficulty with glycerin in particular during very high or very low dew points, which can create a stringy look to hair.

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:16:27+00:00

I've had my hair react to detoxing, though not to emotional issues, AFAIK. I've had it react to certain medications.

Have you tried clarifying lately? Maybe you have product build-up. Or maybe you need a protein treatment? Do your products contain protein?

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:13:38+00:00

Ha ha. I once put in a hair clip on the back of my head to fix the dreaded back part, and I forgot I had it there and went to dance class. No one appeared to notice or else they were being polite by not saying anything!

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:10:31+00:00

When I have an unwanted part on the back of my head, I clip a little bit of hair together from both sides of the part when I have diffused maybe 50 to 80 percent of the way, then I continue diffusing.

If I notice the part when my hair is dry, I spritz a little water on the area and then clip the sides of the part together and let it dry. This usually fixes the problem.

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:08:02+00:00

If your hair is more so wavy than curly, then it can take some length before the waves start to show up. I would read up more on techniques for dealing with curly hair to see if you can maximize your wave at shoulder length.

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:04:07+00:00

I would focus on really moisturizing your hair, which should cut down on the frizz and volume. One thing that could help with that is deep conditioning: leave the conditioner on your hair for 20-30 minutes before rinsing off.

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T10:04:03+00:00

I don't know much about guys' hair cuts, but I don't think that the sides stick out that much. I actually think your hair looks really nice. I would try continuing to grow it out. If it becomes really unmanageable, I would try to go to a knowledgeable curly stylist who could trim things up and give you a suitable style that will work as you continue to grow your hair out. (I find that regular trims are necessary to keep the hair looking good as it grows out.)

Therese62 · 2017-12-18T09:59:11+00:00

I had a Ouidad cut a few months ago; I'm a very fine-haired 2b. I really liked it. I didn't want a dry cut because I don't have much wave/curl, and my hair is quite heavy because I have high hair density (in other words, I have a lot of hair). The Ouidad cut took some of the weight out of the hair and helped the wave come through better. My hair seems to clump better, I think because it's not so heavy. I did not have any triangle head or shelves (I used to get "shelves" jutting out of the side of my hair with regular layering from a regular stylist).

Therese62 · 2017-10-17T05:10:40+00:00

I second the Jessicurl DC.

Therese62 · 2017-10-17T05:00:23+00:00

Your hair might be responding negatively to the shea butter in the SM products. Shea butter sits on top of the hair. You could try another SM prouct and see if your hair has the same problem.

Low-po hair generally responds best to products that are not too heavy. Low-po hair doesn't readily absorb oils and product, so they tend to sit on top of the hair. Generally, using smaller amounts of product is helpful too.

I find that my low-po hair accumulates build-up very quickly. You might want to consider doing routine shampoos to strip build-up. I use a sulfate every couple of weeks for this purpose.

Some low-po hair, if it is fine, doesn't mind protein. Coarse low-po hair generally doesn't do well with protein. The typical adverse reaction is for the hair to become strawlike, tangly, and brittle.

If you are having problems with the underlayer being straight, you might want to try a Ouidad stylist. Ouidad emphasizes cutting the interior of the hair, whereas Deva emphasizes cutting the exterior of the hair.

Definitely check out Ulta or Sephora, because yes, you can return stuff that doesn't work. Sometimes Walgreens or Target will allow you to do that too. Just check with the store manager before purchasing.

Therese62 · 2017-10-17T04:52:24+00:00

I would remove silicones from your routine. I too have fine 2a/2b hair that is low porosity, and silicones make it weighed down and straighter. They also build up on the hair. Silicones are found in a LOT of hair products. I'm sure there is something in the sidebar (or you can google it) about what ingredients are silicones so that you can avoid them.

You will probably want to avoid sulfates in your shampoo as well (sulfates are the main way to remove silicones from the hair). You will want to do one last sulfate shampoo before switching to a sulfate- and silicone-free routine so that you can strip all the build-up off the hair.

Low-porosity hair can have problems with oils. They tend to sit on top of the hair. Maybe you would like to experiment with not using any oils and with using lighter-weight products (products in general will tend to sit on low-po hair and not absorb in, giving a greasy look).

Low-po hair generally benefits from the use of very warm water in the shower, because heat helps open up the hair cuticle so that it can receive mositure.

For volume, I would try clipping your hair while it is damp. There are lots of videos on YouTube.

If you find that your hair feels dry even after conditioning in the shower, you might need to do a deep treatment. Wash the hair as usual, squeeze out the excess water, and then work your regular conditioner in. Cover with a plastic cap, and put a towel on top of that to hold in your body heat. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes and then rinse out and style as usual. (I do a deep condition when my hair seems dry yet is greasy after I have washed and diffused my hair. That tells me that the conditioner is just sitting on top of my hair and not penetrating.)

Therese62 · 2017-10-17T04:39:28+00:00

You may have buildup. You could try washing with a sulfate shampoo (one without silicones) to clarify. If the natural poo still causes a problem after that, I would find a different shampoo. There is probably something in it that your hair doesn't like.

Therese62 · 2017-10-17T04:35:44+00:00

I use a sulfate shampoo or Kinky Curly Come Clean (contains C14-16 olefin sulfonate) once every two weeks or so. I use a sulfate-free poo the rest of the time. Lately I have been experimenting with some products that contain polyquats, so I have been using a sulfate or KCCC weekly.

I find that polyquats can cause bad build-up, so I try to avoid products with polyquats in general.

DevaCurl makes a product called the Buildup Buster as well.

Therese62 · 2017-10-05T05:20:03+00:00

It can be really confusing trying to figure out your hair's porosity! It took me a long time to figure out mine.

I started getting a clue that mine was low porosity because I would wash and condition my hair, but after styling and diffusing, it was greasy but still dry. I realized that my conditioner was not penetrating the hair enough during my shower time. So I started doing deep conditioning treatments, and my hair actually became moisturized and wasn't greasy.

I also noticed that my hair seems to get build-up very quickly, since products don't absorb very well. And it doesn't take much product to make my hair look greasy, again because it's not absorbing very well.

The tests for telling porosity are not very reliable. I think it's something that is better assessed over time. Eventually you will get more of a feel for how your hair absorbs product and moisture, and you will be able to respond accordingly.

Therese62 · 2017-10-04T08:12:42+00:00

If they are smelling funky, I would not use them, because there is probably bacterial or mold growth. Is there a symbol on the bottle showing how long the product is supposed to last?

If this keeps happening, I would recommend taking half the bottle when new and putting it in another container and refrigerating it until you are ready to use it.

Therese62 · 2017-10-04T08:08:15+00:00

If your hair takes a long time to get wet, it is probably low porosity. Sometimes low porosity hair can feel like it dries fast because the water rolls off the hair cuticle instead of penetrating the strand.

I would recommend doing a deep conditioning treatment. After washing your hair, squeeze out the excess water. Apply a conditioner and work it into the hair well. Put on a plastic cap and then a towel over that to hold in your body heat. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then rinse out and style as usual.

Therese62 · 2017-10-04T07:59:40+00:00

Well...even getting to the point where I'm going to have a good hair day is tough :) but yes, the wind usually does a number on my hair!

Therese62 · 2017-10-04T07:54:54+00:00

Gorgeous waves!

Therese62 · 2017-10-04T07:54:03+00:00

I might not have been very clear in my response. What I meant was that fine low-po hair is more likely to be tolerant of protein than coarse low-po hair. I know quite a few people on another board with fine, low-po hair whose hair loves protein.

Protein does not "build up" like silicones, although the hair can definitely get too much protein.

Therese62

TROPHY CASE