Every girl with curly hair knows what a struggle it is to make her hair look presentable. A curly haired girl can spend hours in front of the mirror and still feel like there is a rat’s nest on the top of her head. Us curly haired girls learn to live with a constant halo of frizz and we scoff at all the straight haired girls complaining of a bad hair day. I definitely do have days when I cringe at the sight of my hair, but I’ve learned different tricks over the years that have helped me tame my hair to make it more manageable, shiny, and healthy. Here are a few of my tricks and tips for beautiful curly hair:
1. Avoid using brushes and remember NEVER brush dry hair. Try using a wide toothed comb instead on damp hair after a shower. I rarely even brush my hair, using my fingers to comb through it instead. This will help the curls form while discouraging frizz.
2. Try to limit your use of heat tools. Limit your use of straighteners, curlers, and hair dryers to special occasions. If you must use a dryer, attach a diffuser at the end so curls can stay intact.
3. Be careful about the products that you use. Try to avoid products with sulfates and other harsh chemicals that will make your hair dry. When in doubt, go for brands that are more natural or organic.
4. Don’t shampoo every day to avoid stripping your hair of its natural oils. Waiting two or three days between washes is a good way to keep your hair naturally shiny.
5. Try a conditioning treatment or hair mask. I like using extra virgin olive oil or virgin coconut oil. I leave it in for about a half hour and then wash it out in the shower by shampooing twice to make sure my hair won’t dry greasy.
6. Find a good styling product that works for you. While I personally don’t use styling products in my hair on a day-to-day basis, I like to keep one on hand for special occasions. My favorite is Ouidad’s Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel. I use their rake and shake method (http://www.ouidad.com/curl_central/style-guide.asp), which also works with other styling products. Styling products can be expensive, so sometimes I just mix a little water and conditioner in the palm of my hands and rake it through my hair after I’ve washed and dried my hair.
7. Once you’ve finished styling, keep your hands off to avoid frizz from forming.
8. Find a good hairstylist that understands curly hair, so you can be sure there won’t be any surprises when you go to get it cut. While most people would probably recommend that curly haired girls keep their hair long, a good stylist will know how to cut your curly hair at any length.
9. Finally, embrace it! I used to hate my curly hair so much that I would always put it up in a braid or bun. Once I started to embrace it, I found that I really love my curly hair and now I can finally accept it just the way it is.