Since I was a little girl, I’ve always struggled with loving my naturally curly hair. Finally, after 18 years, I learned how to embrace it. You can too!
The Journey
Learning to love my naturally curly hair did not happen overnight. Since a very young age, I started to compare myself to the girls with long, pin straight hair, wishing I could wake up and have my hair look the same way. I remember distinctly in my eighth grade year, as I woke up an hour before I needed to, just to straighten my entire head of hair. Every. Single. Day. Now, by no means am I saying straight hair isn’t beautiful, I just had to learn how to see the beauty in all types of hair without hating my own (and damaging it…) So, wherever you are in your curly hair journey, I hope this guide can help you embrace your natural curls. You are beautiful!
- Determine your Curl Pattern
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Determining what curl pattern you have is essential to implementing every other tip on this list! Your curl pattern will guide you to which products and brands to use for your curls to look magnificent. When I started my curly hair journey, it was so difficult to truly love my hair because I always thought: “My curls just don’t look, well, good.” The reason for this was I wasn’t using the right hair care products for my curl type! I urge you to take a quiz to determine your curl pattern!
Here are some links to do that:
https://www.allure.com/gallery/curl-hair-type-guide
- Decide which products are right for you
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After determining your curl pattern, it is important to find out which products are best for your curly hair type. It is important to keep your curl pattern in mind when searching for products, but also remember that everyone’s hair is unique! You may have the same curl pattern as someone else, but your hair porosity, thickness, damage, and other factors are unique to you. Therefore, finding the perfect routine can take some trial and error, but do not get discouraged! Personally, when I was experimenting with products for my hair, I started out by buying the smaller, travel versions of each product. By doing this, I saved a lot of money and prevented wasting product if a certain brand didn’t work for my hair–sort of like a trial run before buying the full size. After all of my experimenting, my favorite two brands are Shea Moisture and Ms. Jessie’s. I use Shea Moisture for my shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner, and Ms. Jessie’s “Pillow Soft Curls” curl cream!
- Book that hair appointment
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Curly hair is notoriously hard to cut, but when it’s done right, it can totally change the game! There is so much inspiration for cuts specifically for curly hair. Depending on your curl type and texture, a new haircut from a hairdresser who knows how to cut curly hair can make your hair easier to style. It can also compliment your facial features! Pinterest, Tik Tok, and Instagram have so much information for curly hair cuts you can ask your stylist for. One of my personal favorites right now is the curly “wolf cut,” which accentuates layers and gives you some cute curtain bangs! So, if you feel a bit stuck on your curly hair journey, or just want to switch up your usual style, I suggest getting a chop–or even a touch up!
- Find Some Hair Inspo!
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Personally, one thing that helped me love my curly hair was finding different, fun ways to style it. I think fun hairstyles always look amazing with curly hair because it makes your normal high-ponytail or braids more unique! I suggest going on social media, and finding influencers or celebrities that have the same hair type as you. That way, when you see them on your feed, you can feel confident knowing someone else shares your beautiful hair type, and gain some inspo for how to style it! I have an entire Pinterest folder dedicated to different hairstyles I want to try with my hair, and I suggest you do the same! Searching: “Curly Hairstyles” on any social media platform will yield so much inspiration. So, have fun with it! I challenge you to pick a hairstyle that looks a little difficult, or something you wouldn’t usually wear, and go ahead and try it. The world is your curly oyster!
Final thoughts
Learning to love your naturally curly hair, in my opinion, can be a journey that is hard to understand for others! It took me almost my entire life to truly embrace my natural curls, and not feel ashamed or pressured to wear my hair another way. So, I urge you to follow these tips and start your journey today! I will be rooting for you the entire time. Always remember: you are so beautiful! Be patient with yourself, try new things, and I promise it will all be worth it.