Curlfriend, your curls are over-served…you’ve followed the advice to
“hydrate, hydrate, hydrate”, layered every product in sight, and yet something still feels off. Soft? Yes. Manageable? Usually.

But where’s the bounce, the definition, the shape you expected?

Here’s the truth: it’s not them. It’s overmoisturisation.

The chemistry of curls 

Your hair is a tiny chemistry lab.
Protein = structure.
Moisture = flexibility.
When the ratio’s right, curls thrive. When it’s not, things get weird.

Here’s what happens: overload your hair with moisture, and hydrogen bonds get disrupted, cuticles swell, and elasticity shoots up. Sounds good, except now, your curls have no backbone.
Hair stretches more easily, but doesn't snap back, making your curls look shapeless. It’s like overwatering a plant. It looks fine for a bit, then just droops.

How did we get here? 

Because we were told to keep hydrating. Layering moisture-heavy conditioner, leave-in, cream, gel. But here’s the twist: overhydrated hair loses shape for the same reason undernourished hair does: imbalance. Curls don’t want constant attention, they want chemistry that makes sense.

Curl roulette: finding your match 

There’s no universal formula, but there are patterns.

• The easygoing friend: Shampoo, then leave-in or curl cream. That’s it. Works best if your hair is on the wavier side and doesn't need intense detangling or definition.
• The steady companion: Shampoo, then conditioner, then gel. For those who want softness and definition without overcomplicating things. Classic, reliable, balanced.
• The careful planner: Conditioner, then either leave-in or curl cream, then gel.
  Great for structured curls that need both hydration and control/hold/definition

My 2C curls thrive on the steady routine. Yours might prefer another. That’s the fun (and frustration) of curl chemistry, it’s personal. Your curls, your rules, Curlfriend.

Porosity Matters 

Porosity = how easily your hair absorbs and retains moisture.
Think of it as your curl’s personality type.

• Low Porosity (Reserved):
  Tight cuticles make it harder for moisture to get in. Apply the product after towel-drying a bit, so it can actually penetrate instead of sitting on top.
• High Porosity (Quick Absorber):
  Cuticles are more open, so moisture rushes in and out. Apply product on soaking wet hair to lock it in before it escapes.

Tying it all together:

Curls don’t need more, they need better balance.
They’ll tell you when they’re overwhelmed, limp, frizzy, or dull.
The trick is to listen, not layer.
Because at the end of the day, it’s chemistry, not chaos.
And if anyone tells you otherwise, curlfriend, they are lying.