Tips for Creating Curly Hair

When it comes to hair texture, it seems that women are never truly satisfied. Women with naturally curly hair spend hours each day with a blow-dryer and flat-iron, trying to defy their genetic destiny. Meanwhile, women with naturally straight hair secretly envy the look of luscious curls and will try almost anything to achieve it.

I am of the straight-haired variety, and I admit I envy my friends for their thick, voluminous curls and waves. My hair is stick-straight, hopelessly limp and refuses to cooperate with any attempt to style it.

However, over the years, I've learned to make the best of what I've been given. While I've come to terms with my straight strands, I've also discovered a few ways to achieve the curls I've always wanted:

-It's getting hot in here! Buy a curling iron or hot roller set at your local salon. Expect to spend a lot more than you would at Wal-Mart, but it will be money well spent. Salon-quality irons get much hotter than store-bought varieties and yet are often designed to be less damaging to your hair (although any heat styling will do some damage).

-Bigger isn't always better. When selecting a curling iron, buy a size or two smaller in diameter than you actually want your curls to be. If your hair is naturally straight, your curls are going to loosen up some regardless of the quality of your styling tools.

-Product, Product, and more Product! If your hair is very straight and healthy, it is most likely going to resist everything you try to do to it. The only way to win the battle is to find high-quality, effective products and use lots of them! Don't worry, if the products you buy are of good quality, people shouldn't be able to tell that you have any product in your hair. Before picking up your curling iron or hot rollers, you should always put a little product in your hair. I prefer flexible hold hair spray, but there are many other products available, such as spray gels. I save the maximum hold hair spray for when I have completed the final look. My current favorite is Aussie's Aussome Volume Maximum Hold Hairspray.

-Take your time! Don't expect to be able to create beautiful curls that will last all day if you only have 15 minutes to get ready. Unfortunately, transforming stick-straight hair into luscious curls is usually a time-consuming process. Also, if you curl your hair in this manner every day, it is bound to become overly dry and damaged. Some days you should give your hair and yourself a break. I only take the time to create this style when I go out on the weekends or for special occasions. If your hair doesn't hold styles well, you should curl it in small sections (only about 1/2" pieces at a time). Also, it helps to curl each section in the opposite direction, so that the curls remain defined, rather than flowing together. If you're having trouble getting the hang of it, ask your stylist to demonstrate and give you some pointers.

-Give me a break! On days when I don't have time to mess with a curling iron, but my straight hair just isn't working for me, I use a little trick I learned to create nice, loose waves. On towel-dryed hair, I apply Curls Rock, a product from the Bed Head line (available at most salons). Then, taking small to medium sized sections, I twist my hair tightly into little bun-like shapes and pin or clip them in place (I prefer claw-like clips, because bobby pins can leave creases in your hair). Then, I proceed to do my makeup, eat breakfast, etc. When I'm ready to go, I simply remove the clips to reveal soft, loose waves, which I then style with my hands and spritz with some flexible hold hair spray. For a messier look, you can scrunch your hair on top of your head into little clumps rather than twisting it.

-Do some damage. I won't suggest this for everyone, but it has been recommended to me by several stylists and always seems to help. I happen to have very healthy hair, which I guess I should be thankful for, but it also means that my hair is very difficult to style. Every once in awhile, I purposely damage my hair. Hair that is a bit dryer and slightly more damaged holds styles much better than extremely healthy hair. So, every four to six months or so I dye my hair, whether it needs it or not. It saves me a lot of time and hassle when styling my hair and it never looks too damaged because it was so healthy in the first place.

Everyone has different hair textures and different styling issues. While the above tips might work wonders for some, they might not work so well for others. The best thing you can do is to learn what works best for your hair. Also, don't feel the need to fight your hair's natural texture every day of the week. Curly-haired girls, sport your afros proudly once in awhile and straight-haired girls put down the curling iron every now and then and work what you got.