Help me look even more like Little Orphan Annie

March 20, 2007 5:51 PM

I'd like to find a reasonably-priced shampoo and conditioner for curly, color-treated hair.

I pay a bit to have my reddish hair punched up a few levels, and I'd like to find a shampoo/conditioner that really works against fading reds. I also style my wavy hair curly half the time, and have been told that a curling shampoo will save me time in the styling process. Trouble, is I can't seem to find both in one bottle. A coworker has her cosmetology license and can take me to stylist's stores, but I'd like to know what to look for. Right now I'm using Boots shampoo/conditioner and like the $12-or-so range. Thanks in advance!

posted by hamster to clothing, beauty, & fashion (13 comments total)

Hop on over to the black hair care section at your local drug store and pick up a shampoo/conditioner for dyed hair, like this one. Curly hair is at its best when it's moisturized. My white friends with curly hair swear by black hair care products when it comes to their own hair. Use your usual styling products (mousse, gel, etc) and you'll be rocking a gorgeous, red curly mane. HTH.
posted by whitneykitty at 6:04 PM on March 20, 2007

I really like DevaCurl No-Poo. It has no lathering agent so it'll be good for your curls and your colored hair.
posted by necessitas at 6:05 PM on March 20, 2007

i color my curly hair. i love love love Davines love shampoo and condtioner. true, it is a bit more expensive then what you are looking for, but it smells lovely and keeps my hair curly with a minimum of frizz. their curl serum is also top notch.
posted by jessica at 6:17 PM on March 20, 2007

This isn't a direct answer to your question because I've never personally found that curly hair shampoos did anything special to my curly/wavy hair. However, I like Pureology products for color-treated hair. They keep my hair color from fading so fast, but also might be a bit expensive, especially the conditioner if you're the type to put a handful of it in your hair every time.
posted by cabingirl at 6:23 PM on March 20, 2007

I am a naturally very curly redhead, and on days where I need to have ringlets, I swear by Image Shine Plus Conditioner and very small amounts of shampoo. You're going to want a shampoo that is creamy and not clear. I had great luck with my hair when I used Garnier shampoo, but ideally, you want barely enough to just clean your hair and not strip it.
To be honest, you're probably not going to find a shampoo and a conditioner in the same bottle that does what you want. Which is to say that I haven't, as of yet. But, lots of curlies forgo the shampoo part and just use conditioner only. (Naturally Curly is such a place that talks more about that.)
posted by lilithim at 6:24 PM on March 20, 2007

I'm a huge fan of infusium leave-in conditioner. I found a really good styling gel is what's best (my favorite is Texture, but depends on your kind of curls).

Bed Head Control Freak (tigi) is the only curl-specific shampoo I've liked.

For shampoo & conditioner, generally matrix biolage has usually given my hair the moisture it needs. with aussie being & infusium being the best value/cheap choices for me.
posted by ejaned8 at 6:29 PM on March 20, 2007

Any product by Devachan will be what you are looking for. I go to the Devachan salon. No one knows better how to treat curly hair. I'm addicted to their products and their stylists.
posted by sara558 at 6:58 PM on March 20, 2007

sara - have you tried the devasun dryer/diffuser? Is it any different from a regular dryer? (sorry for the derail)
posted by necessitas at 7:17 PM on March 20, 2007

You might look for a shampoo that's for color treated hair and then use Samy Instant Curl spray when you get done washing it. I use the Samy shampoo and conditioner, too, but I don't color my hair.
posted by sugarfish at 7:33 PM on March 20, 2007

I went to the Devachan salon last week--they have a diffuser that looks like a plastic hand, but it wasn't used on me. Also,they have products specifically for redheads.
posted by brujita at 8:40 PM on March 20, 2007

I second the DevaCurl site. They also make a product called "LoPoo" that has a smidge of cleanser and works wonderfully on my straight bleached-and-dyed-blue hair. Every other shampoo I've tried made my color fade out noticeably with each wash. I use 2 or 3 styling products and the LoPoo gets that out without removing too much moisture or my color.
posted by Mamapotomus at 8:40 PM on March 20, 2007

I recently read that the best way to care for curly hair (which tends to be dryer and frizzier than straight hair, especially when it's color-treated) is to stop shampooing so often... "Wash" your hair only with conditioner a few times a week (you won't work up a lather with it, just massage it into your scalp, then rinse)... It sounds weird, I know (you'd think your hair would feel greasy and disgusting), but I tried it and it works!... My curly/dry/frizzy hair is starting to become more manageable and my curls look soft and supple for the first time in ages.
posted by amyms at 9:56 PM on March 20, 2007

What everyone else has said: I second lilithium's recomendation of Naturallycurly.com, what necessitas says about the diffuser and what amyms says about shampoo. I rarely use shampoo and when I do it is KMS Curl Up shampoo. I also really like Oiudad (a bit pricey) , KMS, Paul Mitchell's Awapuhi Spray as a finishing spray to tame those last flyaways. L'oreal makes a great curl taming cream that I can not seem to find online but I can always find it in the grocery store, I also like their Pumping Curls spray, although some find L'oreal's products a bit severe. I highly recommend the book: Curly Girl
posted by goml at 2:19 PM on March 21, 2007