I have always envied other girls’ hair, wondering why mine didn’t dry straight like theirs, or why it wasn’t as smooth or shiny as theirs. It took me 17 years to realize my hair is not straight and it is not meant to be straight. I just realized that I have curly hair. Here are some bits of my journey and some additional tips and tricks I have learned along the way.
Like I previously said, specifically in middle and high school, I would always get frustrated with my hair because it never looked “good”. “Good” meaning I wanted it shiny, straight, and not frizzy. I could never get it to look exactly how I wanted it to be. During my junior year of high school, I started watching videos online and seeing creators embracing their natural hair. I started watching girls who turned the same frizzy brushed out hair that I had into into beautiful curls. I wanted that.
I started out with the basics:
- Not brushing my hair unless it was soaking wet and has plenty of conditioner in it.
- Add curl cream and some gel.
The first time I used these I thought it was a disaster, but that is okay. Managing curly hair is a process of learning and figuring out what works and doesn’t. I have very thick and long hair, so through trial and error I figured out that curl cream wasn’t necessary for my hair because it was already so heavy. Additionally, I needed to use a mouse for some volume at the roots. I also needed gel because my hair would get extremely frizzy as it dried.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
If you are just now starting this journey, here are some helpful tips and tricks I have learned that are a good place to start.
- It is a working progress: Don’t worry if your hair does not look perfect the first time. It will take trial and error to figure out what works best for your hair.
- Do not be afraid to try something new: As I said, figuring out what works best for your hair isn’t easy. It sometime takes trying a new method or product to figure out what you like. Don’t be afraid to try something you see online- it just might work out.
- It’s all about what works best for you: Just because a certain method or product works best for someone else, does not mean it will necessarily work best for you. Everyone has different hair, different thickness, different curl patterns, and different textures, so no two routines are going to be the same.
- Expensive does not equal better: When looking to buy products, a larger price tag does not mean it is better than another less expensive version. When starting out it is important to try out different products to figure out which ones work best, so you do not need to spend a huge amount on each product.
- Dealing with frizz and definition: Gel and water are the two best products that help frizz. Gel might seem weird at first, but it truly doesn’t help keep frizz down and define each curl. The gel dries crunchy, but if you scrunch it out with oil, it will make your hair smooth and shiny! Something to keep in mind is if your hair is frizzy wet, it is going to dry frizzy.