For those of you who don’t know, I come from a family where naturally curly hair is pretty much the norm. Recently, I have been getting many requests from said family members to let them in on a few secrets on how I get my naturally curly hair to look somewhat decent. So, instead of sending out a dozen emails, I thought I would just direct them all here, and who knows maybe help someone else out there in internet land tame their curls as well. (Plus, here you get pictures!)
Here you have it, my 9 step process to controlling my curls:
Step 1: wet hair and towel dry
Step 2: Garnier Fructis Curl Shaping Spray Gel – generously spray throughout damp hair (use enough to get an even layer throughout your hair, but not too much as this is the product that is most likely to cause crispy curls)
Step 3: Pantene Pro-V Curl Shaping Gel – squeeze about a quarter size amount onto palm, rub between palms, then work through hair as evenly as possible
Step 4: using a pick, comb through hair and set up part where you like (this is the only time a comb of any kind touches my hair throughout the day)
Step 5: Garnier Fructis Curl Shaping Spray Gel & Pantene Pro-V Curl Shaping Gel – spray a little more gel and rub a little more gel into your hair scrunching it up as you go to create curls (I know this seems like a lot of product, and it is, but you will quickly be able to tell when you have used too much; it takes a lot)
Step 6: Rusk Wired Flexible Styling Creme – squeeze a dime sized amount, rub between palms, and work though hair scrunching as you go (this gel is thicker and kind of sets up your curls, I like to twist some places for good curls and pull my bangs a little bit straighter)
Step 7: wait (I always let my hair air dry, a blow dryer makes it way too frizzy for me to handle; the only time I blow dry my hair is when I have something really important to be (like a job interview) in the morning while my hair is still wet)
durring this air drying process, I like to scrunch up my hair every now and then to make sure it gets really curly, this also helps to keep the curls from drying to “crispy”
Step 8: enjoy 🙂
Step 9: refresh (every now and then throughout the day my curls need a little pick me up, to do this I use either the Rusk Wired Flexible Styling Creme or the Pantene Pro-V Curl Shaping Gel. I just rub a little bit through my dry hair until it looks satisfactory). I will also take a curling iron or flat iron to my bangs to shape/tame those curls when they dry too springy.
*it also helps to have a stylist who knows how to cut naturally curly hair (ask when you set up an appointment), layers are important!
*here is another product that I like, I will use it in place of the Rusk Wired Flexible Styling Creme sometimes, it is called Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding (it has a similar texture to the Rusk and the jar lasts a little bit longer, I will usually grab whichever product is cheaper)
ash ink 