Curly Girls Need Love Too!

It's a sad fact that curly hair is often unruly, frizzy, and just general unmanageable. However, with a little bit of help, you can have beautiful, soft, smooth, bouncy girls that most women would swoon over...all it takes is a little bit of knowledge!  Lets start with the facts:

• Curly hair is often frizzy, and easily effected by mother nature and her temper tantrums
• Curly hair is drier than straight hair
• Curly hair is temperamental
• With the right information, all of these facts can be fought!

Because curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair, it often makes it harder to handle. To understand why, let me explain the way the different hair shafts look. Prepare for a bit of SCIENCE!!!

The first picture is of straight hair, the last is of curly. Because of the way the hair grows, straight hair has an easier time of distributing sebum (oil) from root to tip. The shape of curly hair, and even wavy hair, makes it harder for it to travel. Think of it this way, it's easier for oil to go in a straight line, rather than down a corkscrew. Due to this, the ends of the hair are drier and more brittle. No nutrients from your scalp make for sad hair :( ! It comes down to the way the individual hair shaft is shaped:

There is no tricking nature. Even with a flat iron, you can't change the shape of your hair, which is why even a little bit of sweat of the back of your neck can cause the hair there to go POOF!

So rather than fight nature, work with it.  There are plenty of ways to get soft, touchable curls. trust me, lovelies, I myself have unruly hair, so with years of playing with it...along with an ample amount of education...I can help.

Rule #1 - Fight the urge to wash your hair everyday (this is true for all hair type, but more so for curly hair). Now I don't mean don't get it wet. By all means, douse those curls. Water and some conditioner will help them spring back to life. When I am consistently wearing my hair curly, I wash my hair 2x a week...tops. I do condition everyday, though. What you need is a thick, rich, moisturizing conditioner. Apply it about an inch away from your scalp (this will keep your scalp from getting too oily between washes and will help the ends of your curls get the moisture and nourishment that they so badly need). You also want to make sure that you are deep conditioning your hair once a week. When you do wash your hair, avoid clear shampoos, as they are harsher and will dry the hair out. Stick with thick, creamy shampoos for better results...sulfate free is even better if you can swing it. Using a few drops of virgin coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil and aloe vera once a week can be the exact thing thirsty locks need!

Rule #2 - Heat styling = BAD! Because the hair is already drier, adding heat into the mix can make a difficult problem even worse. When you aren't able to resist the urge to heat style, make sure you are taking every precaution to protect your curls. Use a styling serum. Just a couple of drops can help protect the hair from heat. If you are using a blow dryer, make certain that there is a diffuser on it. the direct air flow can cause some serious damage and can even make the hair frizzy and full of fly aways. When using the diffuser, the key is to place the dryer under your hair, cupping your hair in your free hand and encouraging it upwards...never scrunching. You just want to make the curls form neatly, not force them. If you are headed for a straight look with your trusty flat iron...moisturize. The flat iron, tempting as it may be, is awful for your hair if you don't protect it.

Rule #3 - Products made for curly hair are your best friend! Products that promote curling and contain little to no alcohol are the best thing for delicate hair. the hardest thing to do is to not fuss too much with your hair during the day. The more you play, the more is causes the product to break down and the more likely you are to make your hair frizzy and unruly. If you must adjust your hair, use a pick, not a hair brush. I know it sounds fabulously 80s, but it is the biggest benefit for your hair. And for the record, salt sprays are great for defining curls!

Rule #4 -  Get a hair cut, at least four times a year, more if you color treat your hair. Because of the delicate nature of your hair, keeping those split ends at a minimum is a wonderful thing. I know everyone is heard it before, but it still rings true...trimming your hair promotes growth. (See this article from earlier this week for why.) Making sure you have a stylist that knows a thing or two about curly hair is a major help as well. You never, under any circumstances, want to razor cut your hair. Razor cutting can cause more split ends than it fixes, and while texture is something that straight hair can really need, we curly girls don't really need help in that department!

It's a lot to take in, I know, but once you learn how to be the master of your own 'do, you can be unstoppable!

As usual, if you have any questions, please let me know! I always answer :)

If you didn't read yesterdays post, I am looking for any home solutions that you have for your own beauty routine. I have several in mind to share, but I always love to know what everyone knows!

Have a beautiful day, my lovelies!