Hello, my curly girls! The warm weather is here, and I don’t know about you, but I know that makes me want to let my curly locks loose! However, my mane is so wild that this can be dangerous to our own saftey and that of those around us! Here are some tips to keep the lion in check when humidity comes out to play:
1. Condition, condition, and… CONDITION!!
This is the most important tip in having curly hair. Curly hair is just naturally more dry than other hair types; this is part of why we are so prone to frizziness. SO, its very important we keep our locks nice and moisturized. First, only use shampoo on your scalp. Using it on the length of your hair will only dry it out. When you rinse the shampoo out, it travels down the length and takes care of any dirt in that area. For its counterpart, you only use conditioner on the bottom half of your hair. Otherwise, it tends to get too greasy and heavy on top, causing your already heavy locks to be weighed down even more. Also, the ends of our hair are the driest part, so we need to give them some extra TLC. Another great tip for conditioning is to condition throughout the day. I use some oil mists and even water! This helps tame frizz that may have started to come out and revitalizes curls after a long day. I personally love to use coconut oil in my hair. You can use other oils such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Macadamia oil–whatever floats your boat. But at least once a week, maybe more if you feel so inclined, you should be slathering your gorgeous strands in some nice thick oil and letting it sit for ideally an hour. Lastly, when you get out of the shower, you immediately should be using some form of leave-in conditioner. I like to use Argan/Moroccan oil, but cream leave-in conditioners or some other serum work amazing as well!
2. To Brush, Or Not To Brush….
That is the question! The answer? DO NOT BRUSH. Unless you’re in the shower with some of the beautiful aforementioned conditioner in your hair, you should not be brushing that crazy mane. But when you do, use a wide tooth comb and gently go at the knots (because we all know there are going to be plenty of them). Brushing your hair without anything in it, even when you get out of the shower, destroys the curls that have already started to form and ruffles up the hair cuticle. For curly girls, this is a big no-no. And, I’m sure I don’t have to say it, (but I will just in case someone hasn’t figured it out for themselves already) you never, under any circumstances, brush your hair when its dry. Unless, of course, you like looking like you stuck your finger in an electrical socket!
3. Styling
Now, there are so many different ways to style curly hair. There’s not really too many tips for this one other than experiment! Try as many different ways of styling it as you can. Try diffusing, plopping, air drying, twisting, anything! Try it overnight, try it in the morning– you just need to find what works best for your unique brand of gorgeous. This is the real struggle of having curly hair. Yes, it’s beautiful if you can figure out how to freaking style it! Also, experiment with a bunch of different products. Once you find one that you love, it’s good to stick to it. However, do keep in mind that you can get some gnarly product build-up, and your hair will not be happy. Its good to switch it up once in awhile and try something that maybe you’ve never seen before. Or, find a good cleansing shampoo and strip all that gunk away. Just remember, condition!!!
4. The “F” Word.
Frizz. What did you think it was? The all-dreaded frizz. As mentioned before, condition!! (Have I said it enough yet?) That’s really one of the only ways to avoid/lessen the fizz-o-meter. Sometimes, there’s just no avoiding it–especially in the summer. However, there are ways to hide it! Updo’s are great for hiding frizz. They also help keep our heavy, wool-like hair off of our neck! Putting your hair up is a great way to escape heat and frizz. More specifically, you can use the beloved messy bun. Frizz works towards creating a great messy bun! It’s great for a messy anything, for that matter. Another example would be the newly popular bohemian hairstyle. People tend to tease their hair to get the desired look. Amateurs! We don’t need that, we’re natural teases! Other than that, the only advice I can give is to let your frizz flag fly and wear your mane proudly. Nobody can criticize your frizz if they’re too distracted by your dazzling smile!
Those are the basic tips for today, my curly-q darlings! The biggest takeaway from this would be condition, experiment, and just love your hair in all its crazy glory. I know, sometimes its hard, but once you begin to love your mess of a head, it starts to love you back! Want more specific advice? A review on a product? Don’t be shy to let us know! We curly girls got to stick together. Stay glamorous, stay fabulous, and most of all, stay curly.