Styling Issues! Frizzy W&G's

Hi CN community! I'm new here.

Background Info:

I have been completely natural for 19 months (BC'ed May 29th, 2009 after 4 months of transitioning) and I am around APL right now. I don't really know the type of my hair, but there are all different types (3's and 4's mostly). I have curly and kinky hair. At the very front edges and side edges my hair is coarse and tightly coiled. Everywhere else is curly, some looser than others and some pinches of wavy/straight hairs in the mix. None is heat damage, this is just how it grows.

Anyways, my hair has grown nicely and it is very healthy right now. I focused mostly on the health of my hair this past year and a 1/2, but now I want to style it more since I have more length. I have been trying twist out's and braid out's and wash and go's and I am going to try bantu knots soon and other styles.

(Start here for the main question..well a little lower. lol)

Most of my styles don't come out right because they are usually flat in the back mid-section and it looks flat and not so much cute. I know that these styles take practice so I will work on them, but my wash and go's seem like they will NEVER work. My wash and go's do fine when I just wash, shake, and spray some leave-in. My curls are naturally popping and undisturbed, but whenever I want to add anything manually to my hair it frizzes up! Not cute!

I tried doing the shingling method with a creamy moisturizer and aloe vera gel and coconut oil and it frizzed up. Whenever I touch my hair when it is remotely wet, it will mess up since my curls are being disturbed. My curls cannot be touched at all when wet. Does anyone have this issue?? How am I ever supposed to rock an "ill" wash an go if I can never put any product (aside from a spray) in my hair? Does anyone have any suggestions because this is so frustrating. I have tried a wash and go style multiple times with gel. I love doing the regular wash and go's I do or a puff, but there come's a time in a natural's life when she wants to spice it up! My hair has the potential to look fierce, but I never see it because I can't even put some gel in my hair when wet. I haven't tried like eco-styler really, but I feel like it is going to be the same issue. When it is wet and I touch the curls, it frizzes up. Sometimes I think it's because of the random wavy/straight stray hairs that are in the mix that make my hair frizzy since there are all different textures? idk. What styling options do I have, am I just not going to be able to do this style?

Please help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This is the first time where I am totally frustrated with my hair or with my styling "talent." I see all of you ladies with beautiful hairstyles and mine just never work out. But anyways thanks for reading this and have a great holiday weekend.

Love & Light
Jennifer

Girl I sympathize....I have alot of frizz too. I do find that the only thing that works 100% of the time is Kinky Curly Curling Custard so you may want to give it a try....they also make a spray gel. Now I do get some crunch which usually goes away by day 2. Good Luck!

I had this issue in the beginning. I think you may be using too much moisture. I know that sounds crazy. But if your'e using an activator gel it already has glycerin and aloe vera. I would only layer it over a leave in. Otherwise ur hair will smoosh or frizz. I also heard that glycerin products in the winter may affect curl definition. As far as not touching it, thats just the name of the game. No hands!! Even if it takes all day to dry you just can't touch it:(

Also, I layer my gel and leave in on my hair first. Then once it's even distributed I re wet and shake. From this point on I do not touch it. So if you shingle, you wet it when youre done and shake it crazy and don't touch it again. That second soaking will reform curls that were disturbed by your product layering. And with a heavy gel like ecostyler you will get less crunch because you re wet after applying it. Try it and maybe that will help.

Thanks so much for the quick responses ladies! I will definitely try your suggestions. It is kind of difficult to explain, but when I even apply a leave in or anything to my hair when it is wet at all it frizzes. It is like right when the air mixes with my wet hair and ANY manipulation, it is frizzy. My curls just like to be left alone until they dry, but it limits how I can enhance and style them. Maybe it is the products? Idk. But I can't even apply a creamy leave in on my hair after a shower unless I am twisting or braiding it. So that's why when I do a W&G I just spray a leave-in. My hair has me paranoid to touch it..ever..lol..oh boy. Hopefully I figure it out because styling is limited. I feel so alone with this. So many of you ladies be rocking some fierce styles! I'll just keep trying though. Thanks again!! I will definitely look into everything you both said! Happy Holidays.