How
To Survive Curly Hair: curly hair tips, tricks, & advice
I have
naturally curly hair, and I mean tight corkscrews.Throughout the years I have fought with it, played with it,
straightened it, despaired of it, and blown it dry within an inch of its
life.I have spent more hours than I care to think of in front of a
mirror with a blow dryer in one hand and a brush in the other.That’s certainly helped. However, since I have no control over
the weather my hair continued to look freakishly bad whenever it got damp.
However,
I still insisted on wearing it straight. My metamorphosis came about 2 years ago
during yet another period when I didn't know what to do with my hair. My stylist talked me into letting my hair grow and wearing it curly.I fought him all the way.(At
that time my hair was very, very short so I had a long time to fight with
him.) I explained to him that wearing my hair “natural” made me look
like Little Orphan Annie on a bad hair day.At first I would only agree to the growing part, but one day when
nothing I did with my blow dryer and straightening iron looked right, I
tried it curly.I used some of
the styling products he had suggested and after fooling around with it I
realized that my curly style didn’t look half bad.Then I began experimenting with different styling techniques and
began trying different products made to be used specifically for curly
hair.Now I wouldn’t wear it
any other way.Along the
way, I learned a few things too:
First,
and perhaps most importantly, find
a stylist who really knows how to cut curly hair and build a rapport
with him or her.(For advice on finding a good stylist, you may want to check
out my
tips on both how to Find
A Curly Hair Salon Near You and
How
To Choose A Colorist and Stylist.)
Curls
come in all shapes, sizes, and textures. Recognize
your hair type and use products that are right for you.For
instance, even though I have very tight curls I also have very fine
hair.It took a long time
to finally figure out that I also needed to address the “fine hair
issue.”I now use a
spray to give my hair extra body.
Don't
wash your hair every day.
I used to faithfully wash my hair every morning until a number of
stylists advised me against it. Now, I wash my hair twice a week
and condition it daily. They were right, my hair is much shinier
and in better condition.
Don't
"towel dry" your hair
(i.e. rub it with a towel). Rather, gently squeeze the water out
with a towel. My stylist actually recommends throwing your head
forward and blotting your hair with paper towels.
If
you have your hair colored in any way, use
shampoos and conditioners that are “color safe.”Numerous
brands make them.
Experiment
with hair ornaments.
I haven't had all that much luck with combs and clips (my hair is
fine) but I realized that with longer hair I could wear
headbands. Great on a "bad hair day," in the summer,
or when you want to show off a fabulous pair of earrings.
CURLY
HAIR PRODUCTS
Apparently, lots of other folks have learned to love their curls and the
hair care industry has taken notice. There are loads and loads of
products and brands aimed at us curly heads in all price ranges.The complete list is of products is too numerous to mention and
there is not a "best" (remember what may work on coarse curls
may not work on fine). However with that in mind, the
following are some products that I’ve been hearing about:
Bumble
and Bumble Curls Conscious Products available at StrawberryNET.com
Curlfriends
- developed by a curly hair stylist, these products are
available at drugstore.com.
DevaCurl
products (this is the line I'm currently using -- as are a lot of other
people). Developed by a huge curly hair advocate and stylist, these
products are available at CosmeticMall.com.
Goldwell
Kerasilk- Ultra Rich Care Treatment.
This great conditioner helped my curls get back into shape when my
hair became very dry. It's a regular in my routine now.
There
are also a number of new dryers and diffusers on the market. I'd
like to talk about two.
The first is not new. Called "The
Curly Top," this 1600 watt dryer is round in shape and dries
hair with a gentle air flow which encourages curls and discourages
frizz. It is currently on sale for $39.95 at Folica.com.
The
second is the new BaByliss Radiant Heat dryer. This dryer
features the type of radiant heat technology that my salon uses to
style my hair. Also round in shape and with a low air flow, the
radiant heat allows the hair to dry quickly without frizz.
It also comes with a stand so that you can take advantage of hands
free drying. Folica.com
will be selling it for $79.95 and is currently taking pre-sale
orders. I recently purchased this dryer elsewhere for a lot more
money -- it wasn't even up on Folica.com's
website at that point. But I have to say, even at the more
expensive price, I just love it!
And
these are just a few of the brands and products available. If there
are some that you have tried, please let us know what you think by rating
them.
CURLY
HAIR GUIDES
Also,
there are a number of books out there dedicated to curly hair. One
that I came across that helped me to understand the ins and outs of curly
hair was Lorraine Massey's "Curly Girl." Massey, the
creator of the DevaCurl line of products, gives helpful hints along with
"recipes" to make all sorts of homemade hair products.
So, experiment and have
fun showing off your glorious curls!!!
Carol
Everyone's hair and hair
needs are different. The data is for informational purposes
only. If you have any questions in regard to which products are
appropriate for your hair, we recommend that you contact your
dermatologist or other health care professional.
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