Category Archives: curly

The Curly Shag

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courtesy: seagullhair.com (No, this isn't me. I wish!)
This will work for curly hair of any type, as long as you don't cut layers too short. Be sure that you have it cut while your hair is dry!

I love my hair cut. Best part is, it works with any curly hair type. I have what I like to call a “curly shag,” a la the image to the left.

I needed to have more body on top, so one day I just started snipping layers around my face, since my long hair was dragging way too much. Right away I noticed that the curls came back to life, and my hair started drying much more quickly. It’s a great way to thin out thick hair, while adding volume and bounce for thin hair, since shorter top layers aren’t as weighed down. Great for a spring look if you don’t want to lop all of your hair off.

This cut is also very easy to manage! I recommend pairing it with wispy bangs that gradually get longer going from the middle of your forehead toward your temples, then blending that with your longer layers.

Curly Hairstyles

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One thing that always peeves me is how hard it is to find good examples of curly hairstyles. As if it’s hard to make curly hair look great! Quite the contrary, my dears. I, myself, have quite a few stand-bys that I like to sport, and it often looks professionally done (despite taking 5 minutes or less to “do”).

1) The Pile: This is the easiest and most becoming, in my opinion. It also works on any length that is long enough to pull into a pony tail. There are modifications for shorter hair, but we’ll get to that shortly.

What you need:

  • 1 thin elastic hair rubber band (“Ouchless” with no metal bar, preferably)
  • About 4-8 bobby pins, depending on your hair thickness and length

How it works:

  • Put your head upside down and gather all of your hair toward the middle of the crown of your head. How far toward the back or toward your brow is up to you.
  • Gather the hair into the elastic. Wrap the elastic around your hair once or twice. Only twice if it’s loose enough to slide right off once your put your hair upright. Never more than twice, if you need to wrap it more than twice get a newer, more elastic band.
  • Flip your head back up slowly and fasten the elastic band where you want the pony to stay on top of your head. Pull the hair up and out of the pony-tail holder so the elastic is as close to your scalp as possible. It looks kind of Victorian era, which is what I love about it, but it’s also a pretty quick and easy up-do sort of look that works at the office or at a fancier event. Experiment with how many curly tendrils you’d like to have escaping around your face for the best effect.

For shorter hair:

  • It will take time to perfect this look if your hair is too short to get into a pony tail, but you can use just bobby pins. Start with pieces on top and start positioning them the way you’d like them, a little higher up on your crown perhaps. When they look good, use as many bobby pins as it takes to keep it that way. Then continue to go down your head doing this with every layer. The bottom later can be pulled up and criss-crossed over the back of your head, and bobby pinned to stay that way.
  • If your hair is so thick that the pins aren’t cutting it, try using mini claw clips instead.

2) The Side-braid: I’ve mentioned before that I love this look, it’s so medieval. I often braid my hair when I’m sleeping since it’s so long that it gets tangled and matted to my neck in warmer weather. Just loosely braid your hair down the side of your head, as a french bread if you’re so adept, or you can bobby-pin stray tendrils if you can only manage a regular braid. I usually like to keep some hair around my face, but you can switch it up.

3) The Fountain: The regular claw clips also come in handy to simply twist your hair from behind in one large twist, then fasten it to your scalp toward the top of your head. If you have enough hair it will spout out of the top like a fountain. As with the other do’s, you can bobby pin any stray hairs in place.

photo4) Headbands: Until recently, I had equated headbands with those stiff plastic things that gave me headaches if worn too long in the 80’s. Much has changed since those days, there are some great options that don’t squeeze your head so tightly and are much more fun to wear–even more so when you mix and match. My favorite is to twist my hair in the back of my head and to pin it up with as many bobby pins are needed to keep in place. Next, I add on headband in the usual place, and one more toward the back to elongate the front-to-back direction of my hair, as seen at right. Use a few bobbies to keep the bands in place, and voila!
Headbands pictured are from LF.

NOTE: Bobby pins have a frizzing effect if used too liberally, so don’t attempt a highly pinned look if you want to let your hair down later on in the day. If you want to pin pieces back, go with the mini claw clips, as they come out easily and ruffle-free.

Coloring!

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I’ve had a few people ask me whether it’s safe to color curly hair. Here’s how I feel on the subject: I spent my entire young adult life (from about 15-24) coloring my hair all different colors. I’ve been a firey redhead, a blazing blonde, a dashing dark-haired diva (ok, enough alliterations, sorry) and it was grand. But my hair also sucked. This was before my shampoo-free revolution, so I didn’t think too much about what I was putting into my hair, or at least not as much as I do now.

Henna hair color dyes, courtesy: alibaba.com

When I went poo-less, I stopped coloring and wanted to grow my hair out. I figured that the best way was to keep my hair healthy all-around. That being said, I think if your hair is a hot mess and you need serious recovery time to regain luscious well-moisturized curls, don’t mess with color. Give the whole routine a couple of years to work its magic, then go back to semi- or demi-permanent colors. Good salons will offer these. Pick a low-maintenance color close to your own so you don’t have to go too often. Keep in mind, though, that bleach will never be good for your hair. Also, any time you do something drastic like get any color or a hair cut, your hair will take up to 2-3 weeks to feel like itself again. Be patient, use your weekly oil treatments and plenty of condish, and the beauty will return! A large part of having curly hair is having a saint’s aptitude for patience.

Also, I’m sorry, but I do not believe that blondes have more fun. Curly-haired people have more fun. 🙂

Now, of course, if you are hell-bent covering grays or want an even more natural approach to hair color, this advice doesn’t apply to you. I’d say that if you’re regularly coloring your hair, you should look into henna color. I know that sounds hippy-dippy (what doesn’t on this blog?) but they’ve come a long way and have a variety of colors and strengths. I hear that they work well on grays, so definitely try it. And comment to let me know how it goes! This also applies to those who are pregnant; according to what I’ve been told, henna color will not harm your baby. Definitely speak to your doctor before trying this, however.

Part of accepting your curly hair is accepting who you really are, and loving that beautiful person! Try to stay as natural as possible and your curls will thank you.

Let’s Talk Follicles

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As if you’d ever need a reason to become forever devoted to maintaining your gorgeous curly mane (ha!), you may be interested to know that there is no known non-surgical way to permanently straighten your hair. Some of us have tried various techniques, and I’ve heard friends say, post-keratin/chemical straightening, that they have found that their hair has grown out much less curly. Some even turn straight, God forbid!

The truth of the matter is, your hair is curly because your hair follicle, which is grown in a tiny sac beneath your scalp, is oval-shaped. The curlier the hair, the more oval-y (?) the follicle is. Case and point, here is the cross-section of a piece of African American hair (right). This is the extreme, a wavy or loosely curly hair follicle would be much more circular.

Conversely, if you have stick-straight hair, your hair follicle is a circle. As the hair grows down your back, the shape of the follicle determines whether it spirals down or hangs straight. Take a look at this Asian hair follicle (left).

Now, the health-conscious reader may wonder to themselves as to what chemical reaction could possibly cause permanent hair relaxing, if this is indeed possible. It’s quite alarming that a hair treatment might affect the shape of the hair that grows from a fixed-shape follicle in our scalps. Other factors may also be affecting it, like any big life event that changes your body as a whole, such as aging, a major surgery or — pregnancy! This is why many of us notice that our hair changes after having kids. I say, learn to love it and always keep your hair well-hydrated with monthly if not weekly oil treatments. Dehydration is one of the biggest reasons that curly tops become unhappy with their natural locks.

It’s science, really.

Switch it up!

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Every once in a while, even after you’ve perfected your hair care routine, things will get a little stale and you’ll notice that your strands are getting frizzed out more easily, or greasier, or more weighted down than usual. Aside from the usual remedies to this, you can also try switching up the routine. I’ve always kept a few different conditioners (all high-quality, of course) and gels on hand for this purpose.

Lately, for example, my hair hasn’t been itself and I’ve been getting annoyed with it. I noticed that I didn’t have my AnGell in the shower with me, so I went without and just put the Devachan Tress Effects gel on when I got out of the shower and after blotting my hair dry. I noticed that it felt bouncier, cleaner, and happier, so I’ve been doing that for the past couple of weeks now. When I notice things getting stale again, I may switch my conditioner for a few weeks, the way I style it, when I style it (morning vs. night before bed), etc. Hair seems to like a break from routine as much as we do!

Not sure about an ingredient? Google it!

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A few weeks ago I was at home visiting my parents and my mom had gotten some Argan Oil conditioner from a friend for her birthday (Argan Oil is such a trend right now, I’m seeing it everywhere). She was hesitant to use it, so I gave the ingredients on the back a good once-over and tried it myself. Afterwards my hair felt so shiny, sleek, and soft, and smelled so darn good. But I had a few questions about some of the ingredients, so I went downstairs to try Googling them. I always check the ingredients on every product I buy, even if it’s being sold at a credible salon by my favorite hairstylist who promises nothing but “the finest” ingredients.

There are a lot of things to know. Sulfates are bad as a rule, as most of us know (this is the ingredient that creates lather in a cleanser) and alcohol high-up on the list of ingredients can make a product very drying. Conditioners should be chock-full of glycerin, aloe, essential oils, and other natural moisturizing agents that help your hair hold on to moisture (thereby reducing frizz). Gel should have as few harmful ingredients as possible also, since this the last thing you put on and it stays in your hair until your next wash.

I found another Argan Oil conditioner brand at Target recently and read the back. It had everything I wanted in a conditioner, but toward the bottom I saw things like “behentrimonium methosulfate” and a few chlorides. Now here’s where it gets really complicated — these aren’t all bad. This particular sulfate, for example, is also a “surfactant” and is commonly used as a de-tangler. It is not harmful and is not one of the “bad sulfates.”

My suggestion is to always Google any ingredient on the back of a product if you’re not sure about it. You will find tons of hits on blogs, forums, science web sites, and various credible sources that will help you make a decision. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when you’re committing to trying something new! Also–the shorter the ingredient list the better, as a rule. It will have less preservatives and will be less drying. As curly girls it is very important that we pick moisture-rich conditioners, and we can’t glean that kind of information about a product by simply reading the fancy words on the front of the bottle!

Sleeping Beauty

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As we all know, a perfectly coiffed mane straight out of the shower doesn’t usually look as shiny and frizz-free on day two. I’ve already mentioned the wonders of reactivating your styling products by lightly running (or spritzing) some water through your hair in the morning, but still, a lot of factors go into whether this is an acceptable way to revitalize your ‘do from the day (or two) before. Here are the best ways I’ve found to make your hair last a day (or three) without a wash, and still look reasonably presentable.

1) First is managing expectations. Your hair will not be as perfectly corkscrewed and orderly as it was on day one, but that’s ok. We all know by now that if your hair is relatively healthy, it will look great even with a little more bounce and body. Most of us lose body after the first wash, I know I do, so there are ways to fluff it up. On humid days, it will look a bit messier when you wake up. It’s ok, embrace it. You have curly hair!

2) By now you probably know how much gel and conditioner to put into your hair. If you find that it seems extra greasy or oily or just kind of stringy on day two when you awaken, try using less. I find that the less product I use initially, the less perfect my hair will look right after showering. Day two, however, it looks healthy and free, and not as weighed-down by product.

Betcha didn't think you'd be using this guy again, did you?

3) When you go to sleep, take a soft, but tight enough, scrunchy. Turn your head upside down and pile your hair on top of your head, and wrap the scrunchy around once. If your hair is really thin or short, you may need to wrap the scrunchy twice, which is fine. Another option is to cut off the end of a sleeve from a shirt you’re throwing out or don’t care about (and that still has some elasticity left) and use that as a scrunchy. You can wrap that as many times as you want. The point of a soft material is that there is nothing to grab and pull out individual hairs, and the width of the band matches your curl patterns better than a thin, harsh elastic. The idea of piling your hair on your head is that the canopy, or top layer of your hair, ends up being cradled in the middle and it receives less friction. Also, the hair will have more of a north-south, rather than just southerly, direction when you wake up the next morning (read: less droopage).

4) Use silk or satin pillow cases. I can’t stress this one enough. When I sleep on anything other than a silk or satin pillow case, my hair looks twice or three times as bad the next morning. They are sweatier, but that’s the sacrifice we must make. Another option is to try a satin sleeping cap, but if you have a significant other that you sleep with every night and aren’t 80 years old, I wouldn’t recommend it. Either way, still pile your hair up with the scrunchy.

5) When you wake up the next morning your hair may look fabulous as is, or it may be too frizzy and disheveled. If the latter, wet with your fingers, pulling water lightly through your hair in a downward direction. Curl a few sections that have gotten out of whack by just twisting it with your fingers. The less contact the better. Avoid adding more gel or product, every time I’ve done this I’ve regretted it. Usually the rule of thumb is, if you find you need more product, it’s time for a wash and re-set.

6) For longer-haireds, I find it preferable to just lay on the pillow and pull my hair up over my head when I’m going to sleep. I learned this trick when I straightened my hair more in the past, and it does wonders then, too. Using elastics with straight hair causes the dreaded dent, but just piling it up over your head behind the pillow is great. The problem is, every time I toss and turn I have to make sure my hair is staying up! As soon as it comes down to my shoulders it gets completely knotted, sweaty, and ratty. Another option, if you don’t mind a slightly different style the next day, is to braid it. Loose braids aren’t harmful and are very effective at keeping hair relatively neat. You’ll lose your curls, but when you wet your hair the next morning it may take a pretty cool shape. Also, sleeping with a braid feels sort of medieval, and that’s rad.

Note: If your hair is shorter, the elastic may slip off easily. Try gently fastening it in place with those mini claw clips. If you can’t tell, I use these for almost everything, including putting my hair up during the day. Do not use bobby pins. When you use bobby pins, expect that you’ll completely frizz out any hair that crosses their paths when you pull them out. Bobby pins do have their place, don’t get me wrong, but only with a ‘do where you know you’ll be washing your hair the next day.

(Don’t) Whip it!

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Well ladies, winter is here. Harsh winds, low temps, and rough fabrics aren’t the only things that affect our precious locks each season… in fact, one of the clearest culprits is the artificial heat streaming through our homes and offices. It’s drying (just notice how you can’t breathe when you wake up each morning due to stuffiness) and abrasive, and it is doing the same thing to your hair that it is doing to your sinuses and skin. I’ve been dealing with a flaky, itchy scalp for months now, and nothing seems to cure it. I have been massaging with conditioner, doing weekly intensive oil treatments, and haven’t straightened it more than once or twice. What’s a girl to do?

Well, Curly Girl suggested that we try massaging our scalps with homemade whipped cream, or for us lazies, Reddi Whip.

I’ve been wanting to try this for a while now, so over the weekend I went out and bought some. My boyfriend cracked it open and used about a quarter of it on his dessert, claiming he thought I bought it for him (sorry, honey), but there was still plenty in there. I carried it into the bathroom and went to work in the shower, massaging it into my scalp as I do with conditioner. Then I used No-Poo to massage it out, and washed and styled my hair as usual.

After getting out of the shower I was cleaning dishes, and thought I smelled something really nasty, like dirty feet or unwashed underwear. I figured it was the garbage, but it wasn’t. Then I went into my bedroom and started folding my clothes to put them away, and smelled it again. I took off everything I was wearing for the sniff test, and it was all clean. I thought it might be the cats, but it wasn’t. In the middle of the night I woke up to a sound, and smelled it again. I figured it must be the laundry, but it wasn’t!

This morning I caught another whiff and put on some perfume to try to drown it out, whatever it was. I was showered, my clothes were clean, I must just be imagining it. When I got to work I turned my head upside down for my usual curl ruffle, and as I put a hand near my face, I smelled it! I knew that I’d found the source! Then… I felt sick. It was coming from my scalp… all of the whipped cream must not have washed out! My scalp and hair smell like spoiled milk.

Unfortunately I don’t have any dry shampoo on me, and I’m headed to an intense cardio and then dance class after work tonight. I’ll scrub my scalp when I get home, but that’s about 11 hours from now. The good news is, my scalp isn’t flaky or itchy anymore! I guess I’d suggest trying this, but only on a weekend, and be sure to use Low-Poo or the Lemon-Aid (lemon juice-conditioner mix) immediately afterward.

The things we do!