Learn to Love Your Curly Hair
Ever looked at a straight haired girl's hair and had feelings of resentment for your own twisted, tangled locks? Are you fed up with spending so much money on straightening products? Are you sick of not knowing what to do with your hair in the morning? Are you tired of your hair being portrayed as ugly in the media? If you answered yes to any of the above, this is the article for you.
Steps
- Understand that curly hair really is beautiful. It's exotic, classy, striking, and most of all, unique. Think of it this way: do you really want to look like every other blonde, blue-eyed, straight-haired girl out there? How boring is that? Curly hair has had plenty of bullying in the media. You may find it hard to go natural at first, but one reason it's hard is that the media caters for wavy and straight hair. In most cases they don't pay attention to us "curly heads", so we may end up not knowing what to do with our hair. The first step is to accept our hair, know that it is beautiful, and treat it kindly.
- Look at famous icons with curly hair, even if it's not necessarily natural: Beyonce, Emmy "Rossum", Rose from "Titanic," Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson, Debra Messing, etc. Their hair is gorgeous and has so much more character than straight hair.
- Treat your hair to deep treatments, since it is naturally drier than other hair types. Hot oil treatments are amazing with curly hair.
- Avoid the triangle look; this happens when your curls weigh the roots of your hair down and it creates flatness at the top and bulk at the bottom, resulting in your hair looking like a Christmas tree. Make sure you have a good hairdresser that knows curly hair, and knows proper techniques such as slicing and angling the layers down to reduce bulk. Cut curls at the end of each "S." Try styling and washing upside down, as well as clipping up the roots with clips to get more root lift.
- Take care of your hair. It's your hair, don't treat it like a wig or a mannequin; use heat protectors (a spray), and deep conditioners. Curly hair needs extra care-- there is no denying it.
- Add moisture to your hair with a good daily conditioner and leave in conditioner every time you style your hair. Curls lose moisture easily and tangle and knot very easily. Our hair is not going to be as naturally soft as straight hair; it's not in the genetic make-up. Use a satin pillow to stop your hair from tangling too much at night.
- Detangle and comb your hair in the shower with conditioner. It makes life so much easier.
- Concentrate on making your natural hair look great instead of straightening your hair. Curly hair can look amazing if styled well.
- Try out different hairdos if you're having a bad curly hair day. Loose high buns, messy updos with face framing ringlets look gorgeous. Buns look best on curly hair on ear level or higher. The higher the better, but not too high. Make sure the bun is loose, and that the hair near the crown is lifted so there is volume. French braids and fishtail braids look good on curly hair.
- Accessorize! Cute vintage hair accessories look amazing on curly hair. Black and white lace bows, pretty jewel encrusted pins, and pastel coloured ribbons in white, pink, green and blue are a great way to finish off your bun or ponytail. Make sure the accessories are not trashy or cheap- looking.
- Get a good curly hair cut to show off your curls at their best. Fringes look good on curly hair if cut right. Always have your hairdresser cut face-framing pieces around your face. Stick with long layers. Do not go with short layers, or you will add way too much volume to your hair.
- Be grateful for your voluptuous twisted locks. You probably won't have the worry of greasy hair. Curly hair is special because it's different every day.
- Love your hair. It is, in the end, your natural hair, so why attack it and manipulate it? You were born with your curls, so just go with the flow, and embrace them. Be happy with your hair, love it, and wear it with confidence!
Tips
- Hot oil treatments work wonders.
- Keep your hair smelling nice; coconut and tropical smells work really well with curly hair.
- Plait or braid your hair, or put it up in a bun, at night to control the frizz in the morning and lock in the moisture.
- You can straighten your hair and style it in different ways; it's not off-limits.
- Keep experimenting with different hair styles. Always remember, just because your hair is curly, doesn't mean you can't do anything with it.
- Don't tie up your hair really tight in the same spot all the time as it will result in hair breakage.
Warnings
- Do not brush your hair when dry. One of the worst things a curly head could do is to brush out the precious curls into a big frizzy puffy mess. If your curls are dry and thick and coarse use a heavy cream to weigh down and control your curls.
- Don't compare yours own hair to any other girl's hair. You are unique and lots of people are probably jealous of your hair.
- Careful with the oil when doing the hot oil treatment, you may burn yourself. If you apply it when the oil is way too hot, it will be really bad for your scalp, apply the oil when its warm instead.
Things You'll Need
- Wide toothed comb (to untangle in the shower)
- Deep conditioner
- Oil
- Styling products
