You might have curly hair — you just don’t know it yet.
At least, that’s what I told myself growing up. When I was around eight or nine, I hated my pin-straight hair. Only, it wasn’t pin-straight. In reality, it was more like a frizzy, uncontrollable mess. I was envious of models with curly hair. Their natural waves and curls had a bounce to them, an extra level of “oomph,” that I just didn’t see in my hair when I looked in the mirror.
I craved that oomph. I wanted to be able to say, “Oh yeah, I did just come from the beach, and my hair is just naturally this curly and luscious and beautiful.” But, when it came to caring for my curls, I had no idea what I was doing and felt constantly disappointed.
First, I tried my sister’s expired Instant Wave Spray, which did absolutely nothing but made my hair smell like the inside of my grandma’s closet (no offense, Grandma). She told me after that she had made that spray herself years ago, and that it was a concoction of 3-in-1 shampoo, perfume, and water. No thanks.
Next, I tried curling my hair with a curling iron, but I ended up with a burned pinky and still-straight hair that now had a massive kink in the middle. One time, I was so desperate that I drenched my hair in eggs after seeing something on Pinterest about it — let’s just say that the result was also very unsuccessful.
Then came the influx of TikTok “curly-hair routine” videos that started popping up on my For You page. They truly were for me, because I began learning that I might have something to work with under all the frizz and kinks in my hair. Over the course of a few years, I’ve started picking up the products and steps that produced successful results. Below are some of the things I’ve learned along the way:
1. Use a cotton T-shirt or a microfiber towel after showering.
It helps prevent breakage and is less harsh on your hair than on a towel. Here’s one microfiber hair towel I like.
2. Leave-in conditioner is your new best friend.
It acts as a detangler to smooth your hair and eliminate any frizz. You can spray it or add it to your hair for an easier time when brushing. This Shea Moisture leave-in conditioner is highly rated and works wonders.
3. Incorporate a curl cream.
Curl cream helps reduce frizz and adds hold onto the wave/curl of your hair. I am still finding which one I like best, but I currently use Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Defining Cream.
4. SCRUNCH!!!
I saw Zendaya do this with her hair once, so I know it’s gotta be tried and true. Flip your hair upside down, then grab and squeeze it toward your scalp. Keep doing this until you’ve scrunched all your hair from the tips to the scalp.
5. Air dry or use a diffuser.
So far, air drying has worked for me (as long as I DON’T touch it), and it leaves my hair curly and voluminous.
6. Sleep with a silk pillowcase.
This will help prevent frizz, and is the most gentle on your hair!
No matter what type of hair you have, finding what hairstyle works best for you is the most important. I wish my younger self had known that straight, wavy, or curly hair was all beautiful, and so are you!