Feb 2013 update: For an expanded version of this post check out my curly girl product guide! It’s got shampoo and vitamins and everything in between.
It wasn’t until I was 25 that I really got the hang of my hair. There are so many different types of curls! Yes, they are hard to control. And, it’s especially important to find someone who knows how to cut curly hair. Growing up we always just went to a Super Cuts, and I now know why paying the extra money for a super awesome stylist is worth it when you have tricky hair.
Everything I know about my hair I have learned from my amazing stylist, Shannon Debin.
Tips and Tricks of the Trade:
- Don’t wash your hair every day. Maybe every other, or every couple of days. Curly hair is generally super dry and washing it every day zaps the moisture.
- After conditioning, rinse hair with cold water. Yeah, it sucks to end your shower with cold water, but the colder the better.
- Wring hair out with your hands before you get out of the shower, and spray in DevaCurl’s Set it Free to set the curl.
- Skip the towel to dry your hair. I usually use an old t-shirt {ex-boyfriends’ are the best because they’re bigger}. Paper towels also work well, but are less eco-conscious. The point is that a towel will also suck all the moisture out of your hair; and moisture is key.
- I flip my head over and scrunch in the Scruncha {redundancy, much?} Gel.
- Air dry is best, but most of the time I’ll dry it part way with a diffuser.
- Finish with a couple sprays of Set it Free to ward away frizz!
I’m also trying out another product called Boing right now {also by Unite}, so far it gives a little bit more a natural look, but seems more prone to frizz. Will keep you posted!
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I had no idea towel-drying hair sucked the moisture out! I’m definitely switching to one of Glenn’s old tshirts
Thanks for the tips!
i just realized this post says “ex-boyfriend” instead of “boyfriend”. Latent issues much, Kate?!
Thanks for posting this! My hair only recently became wavy – as in, it totally changed its texture OUT OF THE BLUE – & I still have, like, no idea how to handle it.
As a wavy-haired lady, I want to say that not washing the hair every day is big for me, too. In fact, anyone except those rare wash-and-wear people (or maybe people with oily hair) probably wash their hair too much.
I love this post.
You mention that you DO wash your hair (I know a lot of girls swear by the ‘no-poo’ method.) What shampoo and conditioner do you use, and what do you do on the days you don’t shampoo?
Thanks so much for posting this! I’m going to try this out and see how it goes…I just recently heard about the t-shirt trick but haven’t done it yet. Have you tried the DevaCurl gel? I’ve been experimenting with that recently but I think it gives a more natural, frizz-prone look, so maybe the Scruncha will do the trick. (Sigh…it’s just a neverending process…)
Oh my goodness Kate- I am SO happy to see this post!
I am currently doing the Curly Girl method. I am really really trying to get over my love/hate relationship with curls.
I am hoping by going natural my hair can finally grow past its usual breaking point.
AND I just love curls- sooooo pretty and unique! Your’s are super pretty.
Thanks for the inspiration!
This was SOOO educational! As a fellow curly girl you know i need some help woman!
OMG. Help in other departments as well. Where do I begin? Yuck.
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