Q: I have naturally curly hair (spiral curls”> which falls past my shoulders. I have purchased so many hair products for curly or frizzy hair which then leave a build up in my hair (and yes I am making sure to rinse out all of the product”>. Yet if I choose something that does not leave a buildup, the conditioner does not go through my hair. I seem to have a reaction to most products on the market. Is there a daily conditioner and aftercare product that you would recommend that would not leave this kind of buildup in my hair but would still work through my hair? Thanks so much. Rachel
Ouidad: I’m a strong believer in water-soluble products. I don’t believe you have to weigh your hair down to control it. I believe you have to feed it so it may have its own internal weight and manageability. If you have not tried my products, I would recommend the Curl Quencher Shampoo and Conditioner and the Cur Quencher Moisture Gel lotion. But before you use them I would recommend seeing a dermatologist to see what is causing the reaction.
Q: I live in San Diego and have long, fine 3c hair – a ton of it. I’m 32 and still can’t wear my hair down. I have tried so many different stylists without much success and a lot of heartache. I follow all of your styling tips as best I can. But the only time I ever like my hair and can wear it down is after I put tons (one treatment worth”> of Deep Treatment on it. I won’t wash it out for four to five days because it’s the only time the hair has enough ‘weight’ to not look like a triangle head. I love what the Deep Treatment does to my hair (defines curls, gives them weight”>. But as soon as it’s washed out, it’s back to my normal, dry, huge hair. Unfortunately, I really can’t afford using the Deep Treatment as a daily leave-in. Any suggestions on getting more weight into my hair? The Climate Control, Curl Quencher, etc. don’t do enough for me. Help! :”> Alana
Ouidad: I think you like the feel and performance of the proteins in the Deep Treatment on your hair. When you are doing the Deep Treatment use heat to bond the molecules together. Try using the Balancing Rinse as a leave in conditioner. After you leave the Balancing Rinse in your hair, add some Climate Control Gel to style. This will give you the same results as the treatment has been giving you. Please let me know how this works out for you.
Q: I have had dreadlocks for the past five to six years and I’m ready to cut them. I have about an inch – in some places more – of growth. Every time I wash my hair, my curls show. I would really like to get my curly hair back. What can I do to help grow my hair so it isn’t too short when I get it cut? Eniola
Ouidad: I think proper feeding for the hair — Deep Treatment every 3 weeks — and patience is the only thing I could recommend. The Deep Treatments will help to strengthen your hair and that will relieve some of the stress from the dreadlocks. Good luck!
Q: I have naturally curly hair and am extremely frustrated with it. The most frustrating part is the bang area of my hair. My hair is shoulder length with layers. I recently had a long bang cut in, which is to my cheekbone when wet. I would like a little lift in my bang area, but if I use a brush it frizzes. And when I scrunch it with my fingers, it seems flat and looks like I just woke up and walked out of the house. I would like to style it to keep it out of my eyes and to look neat and like I meant to style it that way. I hope you can help. I’ve gone from hairdresser to hairdresser and tried product after product and I still can’t get it right. Please help. Stephanie
Ouidad: As you are styling and gelling your hair, take your bangs with the top section of your hair, gel it and position it together. Use a duckbill clip to hold it in place as your diffuse it or dry it naturally. After its dry, use a light – not a stiff spray – on it to hold it in place. One good thing about curly hair is that you can puzzle it together, and when your bangs get a little longer you’ll find it easier to work with. Ouidad.
Q: My 14-year-old daughter has really tight curls and her hair has pretty much been the same length for years — shoulder length. She is trying to grow it longer to help control the curl. But instead of her hair getting longer, it gets bushier and the curls are really frizzy. We have gone to hairdressers only to have disastrous results! I have begun trimming it myself to spare her the agony, but again her hair won’t hold the spiral curl and it turns to frizz. When her hair is wet, it looks great as faras the spiraling of the curl and the length of her hair. She currently uses a gel on her hair in an attempt to hold the curl. But it doesn’t seem to help and then, when her hair dries, the length completely shrinks up. Help!! I don’t know what to do and am at a loss of how to help her. Sheis in high school now, so her hair has become a big issue. What do you recommend to help her situation? Thanks so much! Candy<
br class=”webkit-block-placeholder” />Ouidad: I understand all too well. High school is one of the reasons why I chose this profession. Now I’m assuming besides your daughters hair being tight, it’s also fine, which make it susceptible to dehydration. The only way to combat this is by doing the Deep Treatment every two weeks. That will hydrate the hair and strengthen the molecular layer which will extend the length.The hair has to be healthy in order for it to grow. And when it’s healthy and the molecular layer is connected, the hair will have it’s own internal weight and will not shrink as much when it dries. By leaving a little conditioner in the hair after shampooing and applying a lotion like the Curl Quencher Moisture Gel, you’ll find that your daughter will have better manageability and success with her hair. Good luck!
Q: I just started swimming about three times a week and I don’t want the chlorine to damage my hair or affect my curls. What should I do and what kind of shampoo do you recommend for post-swim? (I have somewhere between the 3a and 3b hair type”> Thanks a lot! Lea
Ouidad: My clients who swim use the Ouidad Water Works Shampoo. And with that I recommend that they rinse their hair out right away after they come out of the water and put a conditioner in it. Another tip is to wear a swim cap. Put conditioner on your hair while it’s dry, then put on your swim cap. This tip also helps protect your hair from absorbing chlorine in the firstplace. Most important, remember to Deep Treat.