As promised, here is my post on my curly hair. I've already done a post on my hair but I really wanted to do a more updated and more detailed one. This post will be including many photos of when I was younger so be nice :P
I hope this post will be useful to anyone with curly hair because let's face it, curly hair is a fickle mistress and she needs a lot of attention.
Anyway, let's get started.
My Hair Story
Okay so when I was younger, I didn't actually have very curly hair, it was more wavy. But when I hit my teens, my hair was became very curly, mainly due to the fact it was very long.
Me aged 8
Me aged 14
Look at the frizz on that. Shudderful. This was the worst I would say my hair had been. I didn't know how to care or manage my curls and I had a *very* unflattering hair cut. I HATE this picture but it's very useful in understanding how my hair works when it's long.
Eventually with my hair, there is a point where my hair just won't grow any longer, about the length in the picture above. Instead my curls get tighter. I am one of the few people that get natural ringlets. Full on proper corkscrew ringlets that you can slid a pencil up...
This make the hair incredibly heavy so if you have this sort of hair, pay attention to the weight of your hair because if not, it will weigh it down into a very unflattering shape. Even now, with short hair, I always ask my hairdresser to take the weight out of my hair. I don't know how but he manages to thin it down and take the bulk out of it.
I'm very fortunate in that I've been going to the same hair dresser for years, ever since I was a kid and that is so so important that your hairdresser understands your curls. There are lots of types of curly hair and they all work in their own way.
When I was 15, I cut all my hair off to the length it is now and layers became very important. I essentially have two layers in my hair and the upkeep of them is very important in maintaining the style.
Pink arrow are highlighting where my top layer ends. What happens when my hair gets too long in this style, is the blue arrows- the top layer gets too heavy, begins to droop and the style loses its shape.
What we want for this style, is the green arrows- that there is a natural graduation of the hair, so that it doesn't look too choppy and the hair is still bouncy and full of life.
I noticed these two curls in my hair the other day and thought I would show you how my hair curls. This curl will naturally progress into a ringlet the longer it gets. My hair is a mix of this curl, tight ringlets often at the bottom and slightly wavier, more relaxed hair on the top layers.
So I cut all my hair off and that was that but the truth was that I still didn't fully now how to care for my hair- it was still fairly frizzy and I didn't use any product on it.
So here's the second part of my post..
Haircare
My hair is constantly a birds nest in the morning. I am a fidgety sleeper and my hair pays the price so I often end up washing my hair everyday or every other day. However, I do not wash my hair with shampoo everyday. There is no need. The important thing is to moisturise. Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. Curly hair is naturally dryer and more fragile than normal hair so it needs more nourishment than usual.
Even if I am not shampooing my hair, I will always run a small amount of conditioner through my hair. I'm not fussy on the brands but instead, let the conditioner sit in your hair for a few minutes. Get on with something else in the shower and then wash it out.
These are the current hair care products that I use.
Left to right: Boot's own brand Curly Hair Mousse, BedHead Foxy Curls Hi-Def Curl Spray, L'Oreal Mythic Oil and John Frieda Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Styling Spray.
After the shower, I will comb my hair through with a wide tooth comb. Never brush your hair when it's dry, especially with something like a paddle brush. It will just damage and break your hair.
The first thing I do is run a small pump of the Mythic Oil through my hair when it is wet. This is the extra nourishment curly hair needs. It does not make your hair look oily, I promise you. It just leaves your hair very very soft and nourished so it looks less frizzy.
Again, when it is still wet, I will use the Boot's Mousse. This has been an absolute staple in my hair care for years now. It is dirt cheap and does a fantastic job at bringing the curls together. I could not live without this. A small amount goes a long way. Work it into the hair and scrunch away. This will give you the definition in your curls.
If you want more definition, use the Foxy Curls Spray. This is a new purchase for me and I'm still experimenting with this. Apply when wet. I find if it's applied on dry hair, it can be a bit crunchy but nothing that doesn't brush out. So far with this product, so good. It works really well on my hair and I can not stress how divine it smells. It's like kids sweets and dolly mix. So so nice.
I use the John Freida when I'm in a lazy mood and don't want to wash my hair. Instead, I will wet it down- either with a spray bottle or my hands and apply a few spritz of this. It just wakes up the curls as it dries and again, this has been a staple for me, for a long time. Foxy Curls also works in the same way.
Another tip I use, is that tying up hair usually has a relaxing effect on my hair. I tie it up very tightly for half an hour, let it down and rearrange them a bit with my fingers and some spray. After this, my curls are a lot less tight.
I very very very rarely use heat on my hair. I do have a hairdryer and I always use a diffuser. Unless, I am in a real real hurry to be somewhere, I will not use it. I'd rather go out with slightly damp hair and let it air dry. No matter what I try, I still find it goes frizzy. If you have any tips, please tell me!
And I think that it everything...
Desperately trying to think if I have left anything out.
I'm currently in the process of growing my hair out. I've had enough of short hair but unfortunately, my hair grows very slowly and needs a lot of upkeep to keep the layers in check. Again, any tips are welcome!
So if you have any questions at all, please please ask me and I will get back to you.
I hope this has been useful!
xx
