Welcome to longlocks.

I'm afraid I don't really have anything helpful to offer other than suggesting perhaps to do a clarifying rinse of vinegar (either white or apple cider) to remove any buildup from the thickening products and other stuff you style with.

Flat irons and blow dryers damage your hair and dry it out, you may want to see if you can find a lighter conditioner and use it more often-well moisturized hair hangs better

I'm sorry you're not happy with your natural hair texture.  Mine is totally different from yours so I don't have any experience from which to help.

Good luck, hope to see you around the boards!

Hi Lareinamejor!

Nice to meet you, sounds like maybe we have similar type hair.  Mine is BSL, mainly straight with the slightest wave, on on the thin side.  I understand what you mean when you say that it's straight enough to tempt you to make it silky straight, I used to do the same thing.  I had a flat iron that I used, which did the job nicely, but man did it ever damage my hair, I'll never use one again!  I also know what you mean about too much conditioning making the hair limp and lifeless, I feel that conditioning is an ultra important step in keeping healthy hair, so I just had to figure out a way that worked for my hair.  Sometimes just using a combined s+c is enough, sometimes it's that plus extra condish just on the ends, and days like today my hair was crying out for total conditioning.  I rarely use the same products day to day, I go by what my hair seems to be "asking" for.

I've also learned to embrace the wave, by working a little bit of totally harmless aloe gel into the body of the hair and scrunching it as it dries I can get fantastic volume and body.  Your hair cut is important, too, with my hair being as it is, I find it's best to keep some long layers which makes all the difference when it comes to body and texture.

One way to straighten that I used to do, that seemed the least harmful, was using the long fingered diffuser on my hairdryer, using mostly just the cool setting with a little warmth here and there.  I would just keep combing it up and through my hair as it dried, it left it really shiny, and because I pulled up when I did it my roots had volume too.  Still not totally good for the locks, I don't do it anymore, but far less damaging than the flat iron!

They're just some suggestions, I hope some might apply to and help you!

maggie