Help my hair look/function like it does in the rain!

May 23, 2017 10:08 AM

So, i have hair that tends to get either frizzy or limp really easily. I've used many different types of products (gel, mousse, cream) and they tend to make my hair either really sticky or stiff, or both.

The thing that everyone agrees on is that my hair looks great in the rain. It's soft and manageable and tousleable and has weight and is smooth without being sticky. I'm looking for a product that can replicate this as closely as possible. I usually don't use any product at all, so this would have to be better than that.

My haircare regimen is to only use conditioner, which can make my hair soft but flat.

Help!

posted by softlord to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

You might try a bit of argan oil (also known as Moroccan oil) or a hair lotion to add a bit of weight and "slipperiness" to your hair.
posted by neushoorn at 10:15 AM on May 23, 2017

Hair can be so frustrating! The fact that it looks good in the rain makes me think you might need a product with humectants in it. You want to look for ingredients like propylene glycol, glycerin, etc.

I have frizzy curly/wavy hair and I actually use two products: a gel I put in when it's wet and hairspray after I've blow dried it. It's totally eliminated my problems with frizziness. My hair can get a little stiff after the hairspray if I've put too much on, but you just need to give it a good scrunch once it's dry to get rid of it. I use drug store Pantene gel for curly hair and Tresemme hairspray (whichever one is on sale). Using just one product has never worked for me.
posted by marfa, texas at 10:23 AM on May 23, 2017 [4 favorites]

This sounds idiotic, but if the factor that works is really 'rain', carry a little spray bottle of water and mist yourself occasionally during the day? If your hair looks good when slightly damp, you can make it slightly damp.
posted by LizardBreath at 10:25 AM on May 23, 2017 [2 favorites]

Do you have hard water where you live? The difference might be that rainwater is soft (ie fewer minerals). You could try rinsing your hair in distilled or filtered water after washing, for a similar effect.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:30 AM on May 23, 2017 [2 favorites]

You may want to try Ampro's curl enhancer. It is a clear gel that doesn't set hard. I love the stuff. It doesn't leave smears on my collar or linens nor does it get crispy.
Here's the Amazon link: Ampro Curl Enhancer Extra Dry https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017GAKX7G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Fehjzb9YWQW18
I use it with a diffuser most of the time but have used it air dried and it's been fine.
posted by Tchad at 10:33 AM on May 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Hey, I posted something really similar at one point. I've had pretty good luck with a couple of hair care products designed for moisturizing natural Black or mixed hair; I'm white, but they do a good job of giving me that damp-hair (or two-days-after-showering) look without being greasy or crunchy at all. This is the one in my bathroom right now. For the hair length you have, a blob just bigger than a pea amount after a shower will probably be enough and a container will last you a really long time.
posted by tchemgrrl at 11:06 AM on May 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Hello fellow shorthair. I gave up on specifically-for-hair products ages ago. Now I tend to just use a bit of lotion--plain ol' shea butter works great for me. There aren't sticky binders in most basic lotions, so you avoid the glued-to-the-head look that a lot of products seem to encourage.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:09 AM on May 23, 2017 [3 favorites]

I have similar hair, but long. I have had a lot of success with sea salt spray, or other sprays with key words like 'texturizing' and 'beach waves'. It's super easy (spray on when dry, run fingers through) and it seems to help my hair stay non-frizzy but without feeling like there is any product in my hair.
posted by tryniti at 12:44 PM on May 23, 2017

My go-to when I had long curly hair was a blueberry-sized amount of Aveda's Be Curly with a pump of Phomollient, mixed together with a finger in my palm and distributed across damp hair. I would use significantly less on your hair, obviously. Phomollient is the best non-sticky non-stiff styling product I've ever found and the curl cream brings out curls rather than frizz. It made my hair basically like you described. If you have an Aveda store nearby, maybe you could get a sample to see if it works on your hair.
posted by quiet coyote at 1:37 PM on May 23, 2017

Response by poster: @hurdy gurdy girl: This has been regardless of where i've lived (lived in nyc and also in atlanta).

These are great suggestions. Thanks, everyone! Looks like a trip to CVS is in order.
posted by softlord at 2:05 PM on May 23, 2017

Response by poster: Just to be clear, the frizz isn't as much of a problem once i went no-poo (or really switched to a shampoo bar rather than liquid) but still when i condition it just sits there and if i dont do anything it tends to be kinda blah and without body.
posted by softlord at 2:09 PM on May 23, 2017

Are you going grey? Grey hair is just wiry on a lot of people, that's how it is unfortunately. Softening stuff like coconut oil or hair cream for black hair is the best on coarse grey hair because it's rends to be similar in texture and dryness even if it's not similar in curliness, imho.
posted by fshgrl at 9:05 PM on May 23, 2017