I have to say, Snipe, you nailed it with the Waxworks recommendation.
This is only the second product I have found that actually holds moisture in the hair without adding anything to it. Pretty much every other product I have tried, with or without alcohol (most without of course) tend to dry the hair prematurely. I get away with using pretty much anything nowadays with a drop of my serum, but it does slightly change the way the product acts in the hair. Waxworks doesn't need anything added so it retains all of its original properties which I really like.
The Waxworks gives a flexible hold and really brings out the color and highlights in the hair, whereas many styling products tend to simply "darken" the hair to one uniform shade. It also lasts a long time. You don't have to keep washing it out or adding more between washings.
The other product that I found that works wonders with processed hair is a John Frieda alcohol free gel with "encapsulated silicone". I think they renamed it so I don't have an exact name, but check it out. It's cheap and does wonders for system hair.
Waxworks is a "must have" for any hairwearer, but ESPECIALLY if you have many different tones in your hair or have highlights. I was absolutely amazed at the "depth" it gave my hair when I was wearing the piece that had highlights in it.
I was using some Fructis wax at the convention, and although I like the basic properties it gives to the hair, it tends to make the hair appear one uniform color, and I have to use a drop of serum to keep it from drying the hair.
For some reason the Waxworks still allows the color to show through on my light hair. Haven't had a chance to test it out a lot until now due to the testing I was doing with my products, but it is now officially at the top of my lineup.
I'm considering adding these few products that are tested to really work on my site so everyone can get them easily. Maybe down the road.
You might be able to find it at Fred Meyer/Kroger Folliman. They seemed to have every other Paul Mitchell product except Waxworks when I checked there. I found the big bottle at Hairmasters for $18. If people want to try it there is a smaller bottle available for $12 or something.
JRob, I'm not sure what you mean about not having to add more between washings. It washes out fully in my experience. You're sure right about waxworks giving depth to color.
Some of my observations about waxworks:
It's different than pomade type wax that's in a can. The can stuff is very dependant on emulsifying it and only using a very little. As soon as you go even a little overboard with that you know you've gone way too far and might as well wash it out lol. Unless you're looking to slick it down or are going for a spikey seperated wet look.
With the waxworks you can reapply some later in the day or next morning and still have acceptable workability that doesn't necessarily look like you're all loaded up with product.
My real hair is dry and I can't believe how well it works. I used to use stiffening gels to get a non-dry appearance and hold. After sleeping it would break up or after working your fingers through it. The flexible hold of waxworks is a much better solution. Still has movement and looks much better and not frizzy.
I said you don't have to add more between washings, not after washings. It doesn't need to be "refreshed" as often as some of the other products I have tried.
i bought the surf hair stuff from fructic garnier.. Should i even bother using it or throw it out.. I heard it drys out the piece.. I dont wanna do damage to the hair, U think i should ditch it?
I love Surf Hair, but I stopped using it for a long time because it would dry the hair. Now I use it with a drop of serum and I'm good to go. Same with most of the other products I've tried. The only two I have used that don't dry the piece more quickly are the two I mentioned.
If you use styling products the serum is a MUST, unless you use the John Frieda gel or the Waxworks.
At the Windsor convention I had actually applied a Fructis wax throughout my hair a day or two prior. I added a drop of the serum to the top of the full cap only, to demonstrate what the hair feels like with and without. Everything was so hectic I think I only showed it to a couple of people including BA, but you can ask him if there was a difference.
I'm sure there are other products out there that might perform the same function on their own, but I don't have the time or money to experiment with the 1000's of products out there....I would rather add a drop of serum into whatever I want to use and go. I still recommend trying both of these products (the John Frieda gel and Paul Mitchell Waxworks), even though you are very limited if you only have one kind of wax and one kind of gel in your repertoire.
Well I dont really care for the surf hair. It looks nice when u first apply it, then after an hour or so it drys out and it looks like you have absolutely nothing in your hair. i put it in an hour ago and my hair looks like i never did anything to it, its starting to get puffy like when u first wake up. At least with waxworks it stays in all day and looks like something.
My experience with the Surf Hair is that it doesn't last as long as Waxworks, but you should get at least a day out of it.
It is designed to give a matte look....completely the opposite of Waxworks.
If anyone else has tried any of the "beach head" type products that don't dry the hair I'd love to hear about them. I am thinking that the nature of a "flat finish might not lend itself to holding moisture in the hair....I dunno..
yeah like i said it looks good when u first put it on. i put enough, but then when it drys , it has no finish lol. its as if u put water in ur hair and styled ur hair and when the water drys what ur left with. best way i can explain it
cool ill give it a shot one day. I wonder if they have a light hold gel, Im assuming light hold gels dont make the hair as stiff and crispy as firm hold ones. but maybe im wrong. I tried the surf hair again, I put more this time, it looked nice when i first applied and for awhile it looked decent, but after time it drys out pretty badly, and u start looking really wiggy with white flakes almost like a dust on ur hair. I see the potential the product is trying to do, its not a bad idea, but i think this stuff is a lil too cheaply made. drys out too much and looks whiteish in the hair.
