ASKED by not yet curly kim: paula--what name and brand of product do you recommend for naturally curly hair that you'd like to style curly, ringlet-y, and cute? I want to try to do something to love my curl instead of hide it maybe. Thanks!!
ANSWERED by paula: first of all kimmy, good job on being open to embracing your natural texture. trust me when i say that's half the battle! i'm a curly girl + i love my natural texture but it wasn't always that way. after many years of frizz + awkward triangle hair + a general hatred for the mess of ringlets atop my head, i've learned to love the curls. we have an understanding of sorts. i coax ever so gently and they fall in line...sort of. you asked about products, but bear with me and let's back up a couple of steps.
first, you need to start with a good haircut. ask your hairdresser for some layers (round generally work best). this will remove weight from your hair + give your curls more bounce and body. like this.
i get TONS of layers. i like big hair. kinda like halle here but a shorter layers on top. you no like it so big. that's okay. longer layers will still help. but get a few layers. please. no layers and you're gonna look like this.
except worse. nobody wants that. so get some layers.
after your hair's cut all fancy-like, you need some product. if your hair is fine to medium texture + wavy to very curly this cocktail will prob work for you. to wet hair, apply in the following order:
. SMOOTHING SERUM .
naturally curly hair tends to be on the dry side, so moisture is almost never a bad thing. i love love LOVE paul mitchell's super skinny but moroccan oil is real nice too. work it. work it. if your hair is really fine, don't use too much or you'll end up looking like a total greaseball.
. MOUSSE .
PM extra body sculpting foam. good. this is what provides definition and control for the curls. make sure to work it into the hair really well. scrunch that mess up in there. again, if your hair is fine, don't use too much. quarter size to start. after a couple of styling sesh's, you'll know what amounts work best for you.
. HAIRSPRAY .
the freeze and shine spray is a firm hold that might be too much if your hair isn't super curly. hard to say. BUT if you just do a quick overall spritz and then diffuse, it's fine. i like this product because it gives good control and a shine seal before the final step.
. DRYING .
the team air dry or team diffuse conflict is similar to the team edward or team jacob conflict. i just can't pick just one. both have great qualities but both have a few weaknesses too. btw, diffusing is when you take the little attachment pictured above and cram it on the end of your blow dryer. it diffuses the air flow so that you're not getting a full blast of air to your curls which would blow + frizz them all to bits.
me, i like big, tight curls so i'm all about diffusing. it gives the hair that extra oomph (i'm so happy i just used that word) to get it all voluminous and crazy. the down side, is that there's potential for more frizz with the diffuser if you don't do it correctly. umm hmm. i feel a diffuser tutorial coming on. kimmy, if your hair is more wavy than curly, you're gonna need the diffuser to help coax the curls out.
now, if you want a softer curl, then you just give those curls of yours some time and let nature takes its course a la air dry. i personally, don't like air dry because it takes HOURS for my hair to dry to the point where i can zhooz (as in carson kressley) my hair to the volume i like. but when i let it air dry, the curl pattern is definitely different. not better or worse, just...different. less of a halo effect, i guess. look at that pic of halle again. homegirl's got a curl halo.
try both diffusing and air drying. see what you like best. some days, when i have time, i air dry and love love LOVE it. usually though, i'm all about instant gratification. you, my curly girl, do what works best for you. i'm not here to judge.
and so curly girls of the world, don't stress! if things start getting rowdy, look in the mirror and repeat 3 times: i am in control of my hair. it works. you're in control. promise.
