Curly Hair How To's*

It has taken me years to tame my mane. This post is for those of you who are still in the heat of the struggle. I have separated each step of my hair care into four parts:

1.Washing 

2.Style Prepping 

3.Drying 

4.Must Read How To's

You can skip around to what you need.

 Maybe you don't have curly hair, but feel free to read on. If more girls like you read this, you'll see what us curly haired girls have to go through and won't be so jealous anymore.

FYI: My hair texture is as follows: I tend to have greasy roots and really dry ends. My curl is more kinky than wavy.

1. Washing

Brushes

I do not brush my hair dry. Ever. I only brush my hair when I shower. This type of brush, with holes behind the bristles is the best for brushing wet hair because the water has a place to go. It was introduced to me by a hairdresser friend of mine. I got this one from Wal-mart; they are available nearly everywhere.

Price: $

Price: $

This is a comb you use after let the conditioner sit in your hair for a minute (while you wash your body, shave your legs, etc.) Any one will do. Ouidad is a rather expensive, curly hair salon. There's only two in the U.S. one in Los Angeles and the other in New York. If you feel hopelessly lost when it comes to your hair, a single visit to Ouidad is a great jumping point. More on Ouidad in Styling.

Shampoos and Conditioners

 I condition every other day and shampoo once a week. Ew, you might think to yourself, but I saw "Ew" to super dry hair. I have never been super picky about my shampoos and conditioners-I'll use anything-but Pantene has never let me down.

Price: $

Now, conditioning is not as simple as rubbing it in your hair. When the conditioner is in your palm, mix in some water with it. Your hair needs all the moisture it can get! I learned this trick from my hair dresser at The Curly Hair Salon in Sugarhouse, Utah. I never apply conditioner to my roots, I only focus on the ends.

DIY Deep Conditioning

Once a week I also deep condition. The same process I use to apply conditioner applies to this product as well. It really only takes a nickel amount every time. Again, focus on the more damaged parts of your hair: the ends.

Price $$

I love Aveda products because their plant-based, and their factories are powered by wind turbines! When I say plant based, I mean that bugs literally flock to my hair if I put too much on. Dogs try to eat it and seem to like the taste.

Uncle Funky's Daughter also has a very delicious, almost sweet smelling, spray in leave in conditioner. I spray it on the ends after every time I deep condition at home.

Price: $$$

2.Style Prep

Cremes

I have used Aveda products longer than any other. The smell is so nice and they have a special line for curly hair. Again, when I apply these products post shower, I focus on the ends. 

Price: $$

Uncle Funky's Daughter is a brand introduced to me again by my hairdresser at The Curly Hair Salon in Sugarhouse, Utah. These two cremes did a wonder for me on my wedding day. They are so moisturizing and add lots of shine to my hair. It keeps it looking great for days. This brand is all about curly hair. There are different products for different types of curl. Even the labels are cleverly written. This is the stuff that kept my hair looking perfect all day on my wedding day.

Price: $$$

Price: $$$

Mousse and How to Apply It

Now, mousse is for those who want volume in their hair. This volume might come at the cost of the length of your hair. If you are more concerned with long curly hair that voluminous curly hair, you can skip this part.

Price: $$$

This mousse from Deva Curl is more like a foam. It is mostly water based, so it gives my hair moisture and volume at the same time. Here's how you apply it:

Price: $

This is a brush by SWISSCO, but really, anyone could do. Just make sure it doesn't have holes in back like the other brush pictured on this blog or else you will lose product. While your hair is still wet, squirt this foam on the brush and brush out your hair. Since I don't brush my hair every day, I like to brush it as much as possible while its wet.

Price: $

Now, mousses like this one are also great for hold and volume. This sort, though you can feel free to apply as instructed, and scrunch it into your hair. For me, mousses deliver better volume than hold or definition.

Gels

This is probably one of the most important elements of curly hair. You need to find just the right gel to give form to your curls. I have found several that work for me, but first lets talk about how to apply gel.

All of this hair wisdom was bestowed to me by my hairdresser from Ouidad, from my first and only visit. Honestly, it is so expensive that I would justify anybody visiting only once in their lifetime. Frankly, now that you've read this blog, there's no reason for you to go. If you have tried it all and it's still not working for you, then I would suggest a visit to Ouidad.

First, I separate my hair into sections. When I am in dry dry dry Utah, I only separate my hair into  two equal sections. My hair is deceptively thin, so two sections is totally enough for me. When I am abroad in more humid conditions, I separate my hair into four equal sections. This is because my hair tends to explode with all the humidity and look twice as poofy than in a dry place like Utah. Separating my hair into four sections allows me to apply more ample amount of gel to different parts of my hair to give the extra poofiness more definition.

Then I get a good glob of gel. Probably like the size of a quarter per section if my hair is separated into two sections, or the size of a nickel if my hair is separated into four sections. However much  you use depends on if you like a wet or dry look. More gel makes hair look more wet. I apply it to a section of hair, both the root and tip. With the gel in my hair, I twist that section of hair into a  dread lock. I twist, twist, twist, until the end of my dread lock is swirled up against my head. I don't pin it against my head or anything, I just try to make sure my ends take a curly shape, because my ends tend to not be so curly.

The following gels are the gels that work for me:

Price: $

This gel has an agave base. There is very little smell. I buy it from Wal-mart.

Price: $$$

Price: $$$

This gel is also fabulous because it is creme based. It has moisturizing properties as it gels my hair. It smells great too.

Price: $$

This gel has the strongest hold. I used this gel on my wedding day for an all day hold. And, as you can see by my hand straining to hold the whole thing, it comes in the biggest bottle. The top is a pump, and it really only takes me one pump per section to gel my hair. No scent.

Style Prepping for Dry Hair

I have had this bottle of hair oil since I was fifteen. I bought it in a perfume factory in France, but it is obviously available online, too. Since it's from a perfume factory, you can bet it is super scented, but in the ways of aromatherapy. This oil isn't just for dry hair, but it can double as body or massage oil. Oil helps my hair look moisturized between washed.

Price: $$$

I return to Aveda. They just have great stuff. This creme is good to use on dry or wet hair.

Price: $$

3.Drying

Towels

Towels are your best friend. As soon as I can, I stop touching my hair with my hands. My hands are my hair's number one nemesis. The less I touch my hair with my hands, the less frizzy it is. So I use special towels and I apply product to my brushes to avoid touching my hair. After taking all this effort, imagine my disappointment when strangers touch it just because.

So I use microfiber towels. Again, Deva Curl has one but so does your local TJ Maxx. Before I had this, I used regular cotton t-shirts and that worked just as well.

Price: $

Blow Dryers

FOR VOLUME: Diffusers are the best. They are important for us curly haired sisters because they disperse the hot air from the hair dryer onto a wider area. We want to dry our hair as it is wet, but if the hot air we use to dry it is too concentrated, it will create frizz and much more damage.

I get so much definition out of every curl whenever I use it. Yes, naturally, now I have a fancy schmany Deva-Curl Diffuser (The same one that Zendaya has, no joke), but even the ratchet ones have done me wonders.

Point the diffuser up, and lift the hair as you dry it. This it what gives my hair volume when I dry it.

FOR LENGTH: These contraptions are also diffusers, just pointed in the opposite direction. They dry the hair as it hangs down, which makes the hair at the top of the head seem flat, but naturally makes the hair seem longer. 

This thing is also nice because it frees up your hands to multitask as your hair dries! Yes it is a grandma hair dryer. Just think of it as investing in your future as a grandma.

Feel free to sit underneath it with your towel still wrapped around your head for the first few minutes. You can also feel at liberty to wear a shower cap. I always just went under as is and still loved the outcome.

4. Must Read How To's

Hair Cuts

If, while your hair is wet, your ends still don't feel wet, that means you need a hair cut. The driest part of your hair is crying out for help, no amount of moisture will rescue it. Cut. It. Out. For me I have to cut my hair about once every month.

Deep Conditioning from Salons

Once every month or every other month will do wonders. Do not forget to deep condition on your own as well, however, or else you will not see as great of a difference.

Biotin

Just taking a pill a day can really make a difference, whether you want your hair to grow or not. As soon as I started taking this stuff, other people around me noticed a difference in my hair.

Price: $

Water

Hopefully throughout this blog, you've seen that moisture is vital to curly hair. Naturally, drinking water will also help. It will help in a lot of ways, but also your hair. 

The End

Good luck taming your own mane! Share your tips or ask more questions in the comments.