I rinse it because I sleep with my hair down and it gets flat on the back of my head and wetting it and letting it air dry helps fluff it up again. I don’t use any separate products so I wasn’t worried about washing anything out I wanted to keep in. I don’t really lose my curl hold, but it does get frizzy. You’re probably right about the products, but like I said in the other reply, I’m scared to buy something I won’t end up using. I came asking for products that work for hair like mine.
I’m mostly worried about silicones and oils because I only shampoo once a week and I don’t want things to build up. That’s the reason I’m cautious around products in general. I haven’t tried gels, but if I find one that comes as a sample size and is for hair like mine, I should probably try it. It depends on how much time it takes, too, because I hate having to get ready for a long time for anything. Water only sounds sweet, but my hair is too porous for that, and the water alone wouldn’t keep it hydrated. I think that’s my main problem now, keeping the moisture in.