One of you asked me recently in the comments how my Adventures in Curly Hair were going. I replied that they are challenging. I think that my hair has looked a downright mess on many a Sunday morning because of my attempts throughout the cold weather to keep the curl going without the requisite humidity. I have not felt good about it: frizzy, in my face, not staying back neatly in clips, etc. I bought heavy, delicately blinged-out claw clips for Christmas Eve and they were so heavy that my hair fell down.
Having just traveled to humid Florida and seen how much easier it is to Obey the Wave there, I am giving up on Obeying the Wave during the New England winter. A photo diary:
This type of clip really helps set my damp hair (and I use Deva Curl Light Defining Gel) — no other kind does. I get them at ULTA for $3 or so.
The beautiful West Palm Beach Holiday Inn Shuttle. Curly hair. Voila.
Curls abandoned back in cold Merry Newe Englande, this is a fast blow-out done with a vent brush. I used a bit of volumizing mousse. Date night make-up. Wicked bad photo angle for sunburned schnoz.
Two days later with no shampoo, a bit of curl has returned. I hold the bangs off my face with a small bobby-pin and am ready for church.
The straight hair you see on my FB site is my ‘high carbon-footprint’ hair. Naturally, I have a head full of rotini. It’s more of a challenge in cold, dry weather, especially if you have to wear a hat.
Have you tried getting foam curling rods, and twisting your hair around them? That might help ‘set’ the curl a bit, but not look too ‘done’, if that makes sense.
I have this kind of hair – very curly in humid and straight in dry. I finally cut it short and now it looks good (IMO) in either climate with a minimum of care. A good cut can maximize the hair’s own will. If you like spending time with hair – have it any length – if not cut it off. I think, speaking as an “old” person it also looks better – rather than dragging my face down – lifts it up a bit. [I’ve had short hair almost all my life and I’m just enjoying being able to pull it back at this point in life. Just for a change. How about a photo of your good short hair cut? We’re always looking for good hair cuts! – PB]
Regis brand curl cream. It costs about $12.95 and is worth every penny. I have wavy hair cut in an inverted bob with bangs. I straighten the bangs, apply curl cream to the rest of it when damp, and make spiral twists around my fingers. Unless the weather is just that nasty, the waves stay set all day. My hair dryer hasn’t seen the light of day in over a month. Haven’t needed it.
Your natural curl is fabulous, but I love the last picture a lot. The relaxed wave is really flattering. It is neither messy nor fussy.
Thanks for the post! It’s amazing what the New England/Florida difference can do! I hadn’t thought about the climate affecting them so much.
I started the no-poo regimen a month ago but haven’t straightened yet (no date nights in a while!) — so I’m glad to see hair move between styles! Like Strange Attractor, I do like your “Wavy Girl” look too 🙂
I have been trying a modified Curly Girl routine, might have to go the whole hog (oink) since my hair is still very dry. Here is a routine I found on naturallycurly.com that really works for wavy, frizzy, curly, has-a-mind-of-it’s-own, no-two-days-the-same hair.
The IceQueen Method:
“I rake a large amount of conditioner through my [very wet] hair in the shower, then flip over and scrunch it through until it feels like seaweed and squishes which gets the clumps going. [I flip back up and] It sits on my hair through the shower routine. I then rinse upside down in cool water, as cool/cold as possible. Leave the hair upside down soaking wet and scrunch in curl product such as FSG and gel (if desired). Either plop for a short time (5-10 minutes), scrunch with Curls Like Us towel or flip back over and let drip dry.”
Finishing with cold water seems to be key. I could never stand this before I tried it upside down – this way only my head gets the icy blast so it’s bearable.
I scrunch in a curl product and some gel, then plop with a Curls Like Us towel. It takes my frizzy cowlicky hair and makes it curl like nobody’s business. Best part is that it lasts for three days! I just spray my dry hair in the morning with a bit of conditioner mixed with water.