My longest, most torturous, yet most rewarding relationship ever: me and my curls. I can’t even begin to describe the headaches they have caused me, all while making me feel like my best self when they look good. I think I have tried everything in the book and while some tips have worked, with time I have noticed that my hair is very cyclical. It can’t fall into the same routine because it gets stuck and loses its “essence”, so every once in a while I see myself switching my products and techniques, until I land on something that works. For now, I’ll stick to talking about things I’ve done consistently that continue to work, and maybe some that I wouldn’t spend money or time on. It’s important to note that while curl patterns may be similar, everyone’s curls will be different and what has worked for me may not be good for someone else.
curling techniques
Finger coiling, using a brush, scrunch-and-shake, finger raking… I’ve tried them all. And while most of them work, they all give different results and these haven’t always been what I like. For one, I don’t think coil-like curls look on me, which is why I don’t use finger coiling or brush coiling as my go-to techniques. I used to wear my curls like this all the time as a kid, but as I’ve grown I’ve gained a lot of volume in my hair and am not the biggest fan of the tube-like look I get from doing this. I’ve turned to finger raking several times, and while I really like the result with this, the only times I think it genuinely looks good is when I go to the hair salon and get it styled there. I’ve tried it on my own several times, but there are certain angles that I can’t reach without my arms getting tired, and honestly, it’s a very long process that doesn’t always turn out as expected. Plus, to get the best results, my hair has to be soaking wet and completely detangled, two things that are rarely the case.Â
For some time I turned to using the Denman Brush. Styling with a curly brush is a whole other playing field that requires particular techniques in order to keep a healthy head of hair. I tried brush coiling, but I didn’t like the unnatural look it resulted in. Usually, if I use the Denman Brush, I end up doing the under-and-outward brushing technique. However, much like every other hair styling technique, it can take a very long time that I don’t always have. Because of this, for a long time now I’ve been relying on the scrunch-and-shake technique. I start by applying curl cream to sections of my hair, using praying hands, then slowly scrunching it out. Then, I apply hair gel using the same technique and slightly shake out that section from the roots. Once my hair air-dries (I never use a diffuser – it’s too much effort), using some hair oil, and scrunch out the crunch created by the gel. Using this technique helps slightly reduce frizz, maintain a “steady” curl structure and visible pattern, and avoid that stiff look one usually gets from the gel.Â
general hair care
There are two practices I started doing some time ago and ever since, the difference has been huge. The first is not drying my hair with a cotton towel. I’m not 100% sure what the explanation behind this is, but I think that it helps avoid hair breakage. I started using a microfiber towel and that worked out great, but I then saw a video recommending to use a cotton t-shirt and doing a weird-looking hair wrap with it, and once I tried it, I fell in love. It helps the curls dry out in a more natural way, and once I take it out, or “plop” it, the curl definition is unmatched.Â
The second practice I’ve applied is protecting my curls in my sleep. For a long time, my biggest frustration was that right before bed, my curls looked their best, and when I woke up, I’d have to style them and figure something out all over again. I discovered a well-known practice that is wearing a silk scarf and/or using a silk pillowcase to prevent hair damage and breakage during the night. I used a scarf for a very long time (and looked crazy while doing so) but I later explored the option of using a silk bonnet, and have not looked back since. Even though the scarf provides the necessary protection, in order for it to stay on during the night I’d have to tie it really tight, practically smashing my curls and losing all the work I’d done before. The bonnet lets curls fall in their natural way while keeping them all in place, which is something that has done wonders for my hair. Sleeping techniques that deserve honorable mentions are: sleeping with my hair like a unicorn (a ponytail practically on my forehead) and attempting a “pineapple” on top of my head. Neither worked, but I had fun trying.Â
My last, and probably biggest, curl care practice is that I rarely (if ever) play with my hair if it’s dry. It just means chaos if I try to do something with my hair completely dry. It grows in size 3x, it’s impossible to detangle, and it’s just very uncomfortable, which is why I never let anyone touch my hair, even if the curls are so bouncy and irresistible to play with.Â
After many treatments, some keratins and curl relaxers, I continue to embrace and love my curls every day. It has been an interesting journey where my patience has been tested many times, but knowing how important my curls are to me, I really wouldn’t have it any other way.