Caring for Curly Hair

So you have curly hair...or do you even know whether you have curly hair or not? Maybe you would define your hair as "frizzy," "fuzzy," "out of control," "wild," or some other descriptive word that indicates your hair is something other than totally straight. If you have curly hair, or just think you might, and you'd love to be comfortable and confident with the hair you have, here are some techniques for coaxing out the curl in your hair and making it look as beautiful as it can look!

Love the Hair You've Got!

One of the sorrows of some curly heads seems to be that they hate their hair. They complain that they wish their hair was straight, they sigh in admiration of hair that is long, flowing and silky...they swoon at the sight of non-curly tresses. But did you know that polls show that curly hair is actually voted to be the most romantic and the sexiest? It is! I didn't know that before either, but as a curly head myself, you can bet I was a bit pleased to find out that tasty morsel of information. If you have curly hair, someone is probably looking enviously, or admiringly, at you! Whether you have long, loose curls or a head of close, tiny, tight curls, there's something amazing about that hair of yours. Your hair is amazing, the way it twists, spirals and springs: and you have every reason to love the hair that you have got!

Maybe the reason you don't love your curls is that you haven't learned to care for them properly, to bring out their perfection of curliness. If you always feel like your hair is a frizz ball, then you probably aren't caring for your curls properly. Read on for some tips on how to bring out the true romantic, sexy beauty of your curly hair.

Get Rid of all that Hot Air!

One of the worst things for curly hair is constant hot air. If you blow dry your hair every day, it's probably turning out frizzy, or marginally straight with just a little bit of frizz. Trust me, your hair can look so much different and so much more amazing than that! Try letting it dry natural for just a week, and see what happens. Blow dryers just aren't good for your hair. Not only does the superheated air damage your hair, but the stream of air messes up the hair so it can't curl nicely. Give yourself one week without the blow dryer and figure out how to bring out the curl in your hair...without the trauma of the raging hot air blowing it all out of shape!

Cool the Irons...

Another thing that is horrible for your hair is irons-curling irons, straightening irons, crimping irons-they're all the same. They get extremely hot (just like an iron you use on clothes) so that they can force a change to the texture of your hair. Prolonged usage of any kind of hot hair iron can seriously damage your hair. Also, the natural curl obviously won't show up in hair that is being ironed out every day. So, along with the blow dryer, put your irons away in a drawer. I won't tell you throw them away in the trash...you can come to that conclusion yourself once you fall in love with your curly hair!

Try the Conditioner-only Wash: No Shampoo!

One of the main reasons your hair might frizz instead of curling into smooth, silky curls, could be that you are overwashing it. The formula of most shampoos strips the hair of its natural oils: they often go beyond simply cleansing and strip away so much of the moisture of your hair that it is left frizzy beyond repair.

Conditioners, on the other hand, are gentler on the hair, and often add a bit of moisture to the hair rather than stripping the hair's moisture away and leaving the scalp dry. And your hair and scalp can get just as clean with conditioner as with shampoo, if you apply it the right way. When you take your next shower, instead of using any shampoo, take a small bit of conditioner (more if you have long hair) and rub it into your hair, massaging your scalp. Rinse your hair, but only rinse until it is feeling clean but still silky; don't overrinse it.

My personal favorite product for hair in the shower: Herbal Essences conditioners. If you feel the need to use shampoo, I recommend a shampoo/conditioner combo such as Pert Plus (Dandruff Control keeps the scalp from drying out) or Dove's combination shampoo/conditioner.

Shape your Hair while it's still Wet...

Once you get out of the shower, don't wait for your hair to dry before you find and perfect the curls. If you let your hair dry and then try to get it to curl, or even to just look decent, you won't have much luck. Instead, take care of your hair while it is still wet. First, gently towel your hair down to remove excess moisture: but don't overdry it-you still want it moist all the way to the end of the strands of hair.

Second, before combing out your hair, apply a gel or anti-frizz product. Different products will work better depending on your hair type. The tighter and closer to the scalp your curls are, the thicker/waxier of product you will want to use. My personal favorite is Aussie's "Calm that Frizz:" although a lot of stores that carry Aussie products do not seem to have this particular tube of hair cream, I can usually find it on the shelf at Walmart.

Once you have applied a small amount of gel or cream, comb out your hair to remove tangles. At this point, it is up to you to shape the curls. If you need to part your hair, comb the part into your hair. Then, encourage the curls by "scrunching": gather the ends of small amounts of hair in your hand and gently lifting them upwards towards your scalp. "Scrunching" helps your hair to form itself into the natural curls it was made to have!

Have fun Experimenting!

There are a million things to do with curly hair! You can scrunch it differently and experiment with different products (or no products!) to see what makes your curls turn out best. You can use all sorts of accessories, pin up your hair in all sorts of romantic, messy, unique, gorgeous and unusual ways. Or you can just let the curls free, with no hair accessories at all. Whatever you do while experimenting with your curls, I assure you that you will enjoy finding out what it's really like to have curly hair...to live with the whimsical, pretty, always unpredictable moods of the curls you have!