Help, very thick bushy frizzy hair.... At a loss what to do.

I have untamed hair nearly all grey now and I use straighteners to be precise GHD's yes expensive I agree but there the best at distribution of heat I won't use anything else.

Wow, good to see others have a similar problem, (sorry don't mean it like that). I'll read through all ideas, off out soon. I'm sitting here with damp hair .... I combed through oil after shower, and will now try and make it look OK. I have some ghds, haven't used them for ages. I don't like myself with dead straight hair, a smooth wave is good.
I was watching Joanna Lumley on Elvis last night,good programme, like her hair, though I think it's naturally straight. She had it long, flicked out a bit at back, sides layered a bit.
Thanks for your ideas.

Apparently, curly hair is harder to cut so you need a very skilled hairdresser.

I have thick, wavy hair. Two websites have helped me enormously, mainly because they adhere to tenets that I had begun to endorse off my own bat, before discovering them:
1) Curly Girl this recommends (amongst other things) never using products with silicone in on curly or wavy hair. It coats the hairs and builds up over time. Speaking from experience, this is what made my hair look good on the day I used such products, but impossible for me to deal with thereafter. It explained why my hair always looked good when I left the salon, but I could never recreate the look between cuts. I now use Dr Organics, Lush, Faith in Nature or Body Shop shampoos & conditioners and other hair products, because they don't have silicone in - and they work!
2) Going Grey Gracefully. I suspected my hair problems were being compounded by colouring it to hide the grey. My hair is (was!) naturally mousey brown in colour and I was bleaching it blonder. Once I stopped, I realised I had attractive white hair framing my face, the darker growth at my parting is less appealing, however! With the help of this Facebook group, I'm growing out the colour. 3 months along, my hair feels & looks healthier & is more manageable.
Regarding hairdressers, I go to one who is more mature and has her own chair, so she is not swayed by fashions in hairdressing. She listens to my ideas and cuts accordingly. I have longer layers and shoulder length hair. Hope this helps, because I know your frustration! X

From one curly-girl to another:

1) Combing or brushing curly/wavy hair is what makes it frizz. Combing and brushing is for straight hair. Use your fingers to 'comb' through, if you must, but even then, do it lightly. Or, use a seriously wide-tooth afro comb now and again before washing.

2) Let your hair dry naturally, having only blotted it. If you need to speed up drying use a hairdryer only with a diffuser.

3) Curly/wavy hair is best all one length. By and large, layers are for straight hair unless a) they're cut 'freehand' or b) they're done by a hairdresser very skilled with curly/wavy hair and who takes into account the different tensions.

My daughter is a hairdresser - I had a kerastraight treatment. It isn't cheap, but you gave a fortune on other products. I'm delighted with it and it lasts for around 5 months

Send some of your hair to me - mine is fine and flyaway, but insufficiently straight to just hang elegantly - my fringe turns upwards given half a chance. Some genuine thick bushy hair is just what I need!

Thanks so much. My hair isn't really curly.... If it was I'd certainly go with the curls. It's wavy and kinky at ends but straight nearer head.

I've tried a Bob before but some goes one way, some another. It's strong. I loved it in my 30s, it was longish layered , I could let it dry naturally. Age and grey and color have made it different now.

I'll look at the sites you suggest thanks. I have tried a few hairdressers, we are very rural and it's hard to find good ones. I do go to a Paul Mitchell salon now.

Another owner of thick, unruly hair. I've had keratin Brazilian blow dry treatment which is amazing. But v expensive and cannot be good for hair condition.
Been recommended product called Olaplex, which some hairdressers offer. Friend with similar hair has tried it and says it helps.
Am also in midst of painful process of growing colour out and embracing the grey to help the condition.
I find mine easier to deal with shoulder length and with long layers. Wash it only weekly, lots of good conditioner. Leave til 70 per cent dry, then either put in large Velcro rollers or twirl into two tight buns (a la Princess Leia) and leave for as long as possible. Looks mad when you first take them out but soon relaxes into nice waves.

I have 3 friends with the same sort of hair and for every day they pull it tightly back in a band high on their head. In fact we were all amazed when they showed us how frizzy their hair was. Now your hair is longer maybe you could try that. They do use staighteners and one I think sometimes has it professional straightened.

I fight to put a bit of a curl in my very straight hair and you are fighting to straighten yours.

I would suggest getting yourself along to a Good Quality Hairdressers, and get a Good Consultatiuon about Colour etc also a Brazilian Blowdry (Keratin Treatment) or its also called The Permanent BlowDry its a bit costly, around 150-200 quid, this treatment is a miracle worker in that it does away with that thick frizzy look. When you wash your hair in the future you can just blast it with the hair drier and no straighteners or styling is required - Well worth the money as it lasts for ages. Daniel Hersheson Salons are Really Good xx

Wow! I thought I had written this post, as I have exactly the same problem. Thick hair really is a problem, isn't it? I'm looking forward to the answers you get, as I need the advice too. I like to be able to wash my hair, stand with my head pointing down, partially dry it, run my fingers through it and then be good to go.

I too have thick wavy hair which is dark brown turning grey. Since yesterday it is bright red, but that is neither here nor there! It is just above shoulder length like yours, but layered. The only product I find of any use is Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner. Frizz-ease doesn't make any difference. I too have a cupboard full of rejected products. With a wide-toothed comb I apply a 10p sized blob of the conditioner to wet clean hair and allow to dry naturally, which will take some time. If in a hurry I use a hair dryer with diffuser. When dry it will be a bit crisp but an Afro comb softens it. If I want a smoother look I use a straightener brush which does help, but it will always kink as the day goes on, and anyway I prefer it wavy/curly.
I have linked to the Mixed Chicks products on Ebay, I see they have some samples which could be worth a try.
www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1311.R3.TR4.TRC1.A0.H0.Xmixed+chicks.TRS0&_nkw=mixed+chicks+leave+in+conditioner&_sacat=0

I can honestly say the only product I can use is the Moroccan oil it's been my saviour my hair has a mind of its own thick & course can tell the weather by it it shrinks goes long goes thick etc.
It's now available in Sally out lets or on line,it's the blue one with orange M,
Just 2 spots every day on dry hair job done.

I'm another curly-going-on-frizzy girl. I think that drying my hair very straight, or using straighteners makes me look all wrong - I was given waves for a reason! I wear my hair to the shoulders, lightly layered, and I blow-dry using a good quality, large round brush. Then I put my 20 year-old heated rollers in, just for a couple of minutes (by the time I've put the back ones in, the front ones are ready for coming off). They calm down any frizz, and give me soft waves (a bit like Joanna Lumley, but not as pretty!), and takes no time at all. Try it!!!

I have awful frizzy hair that just sticks out as though I am plugged into the electricity. However, Thank you God for GHD straighteners. Don't bother buying cheap ones as they are a waste of space. I used to iron my hair when I was young, putting brown paper between my hair and the iron.
I now use a reputable shampoo and Shwartcopf straightening blow dry cream. I dry each layer with a large brush and then straighten it layer by layer. I put hair spray on my comb and draw it though my hair and it keeps it smooth for a day or so. I have it coloured every three weeks by a mobile hairdresser. As I live in the North so it's not as expensive as say Kent. For me it is worth ever penny as I feel good if my hair is OK.

I have my hair keratin straightened every 3-4 months, it is well worth the money, and the two hours it takes. Never been so happy with my hair as I am now, in 61 years!

U agree Verol22 wish I had discovered keratin treatment years ago mine usually lasts about 4 months and is fantastic when on holiday as heat seemed to make my frizz worse

Go to a top class hairdresser so they can actually assess your hair and desires properly. Any advice here is difficult without understanding your hair properly. Vidal Sassoon is good. Wickedly expensive of course

If your hair will curl have you tried the 'Curly Girl' method - you need to use the right products and follow the method but it's very easy and gives fab results. After years of straightenin my DD swears by it!

The new trick that's been banded about and I've tried it and it works, is use conditioner on your hair first then shampoo it... yes it sounds strange but it works. Dampen hair, do not drench it then condition it, leave in for 5/10 mins then shampoo out then dry it. Don't condition after shampoo. Good luck

I tame my frizzy thick hair with first lady hair oils you can buy them on line from Elysee star they are quite cheap I also use a leave in cream conditioner for afro hair there are some videos on YouTube showing you how to wrap hair to straighten it I've been wrapping my hair for about 20 years and it works fine and lasts a few days good luck I hope you find these helpful

Maybe let it grow 'au natural', colour and frizz wize, but I would suggest - invest in a good cut that suits your face.
I have spent years and £s on colours, highlights, products etc etc but decided to let my hair be its natural colour - which I had not seen for 30 years and have had it cut from a red head shoulder length bob to short(. Its a grey/white/silver combo that takes 10 mins to dry if left naturally and I run a bit of putty through to give a bit of shape...I decided that life is too short. I hope you find a workable solution

Thanks so much for all the ideas, I'm going to try most of them!

One thing I do like is coconut oil. I apply it either overnight, or an hour or so before washing. It makes my hair softer and healthier looking, as good as much more expensive products I've tried.

I've had olaplex 1 and 2 for about last 4 times at hairdressers. Then she blow dried it, felt so silky, not like my hair! It's £10 a time, but the effect doesn't last long, so not sure I'll do it again.

I may try rollers too, if I can work put how to put them in to get right effect.... No heat damage with them.

I like having hair a bit longer, like it swishing, and to be able to tie it back when walking, it's more versatile.

I would like to blend some grey in with blond, to gradually go grey. But I hate that grey parting, may have to get that spray you all use as a temporary measure. I can't afford to keep going to hairdresser.

My hair is very thick inherited from my mum and passed onto my daughter. Mine was always straight until 5 years ago when it started to frizz. Daughter has hers Kerastraightened and talked me into having mine done. It's so much calmer now. It will never be totally straight but I find as it's jaw length if I tie it back while in bed it keeps it straighter. My hairdresser gave me a top up recently on the roots and I colour it myself to save on hairdressing bills (an ash blonde with no ammonia). I too prefer mine a bit longer so I have the option of either tying it back or leaving it down. Hope this helps.