Wavy-Haired Girl's Dilemma.

Until I hit the age of 14, m hair was naturally straight. It was thick, and had lots of body to it. But this was 1991... And I had been getting my hair permed at the local JC Penney Salon for a few years, always with the same style: spiral curl.

After about six months, the perm would be nearly all gone. But I managed to make it last quite a while. My trick: mousse, Aussie Scrunch Spray and gel. I washed it every single day. And every single day, these three products would go in it.

But when I reached the age of 14, for some reason, my hair decided to become wavy. (Must have been the hormones of puberty.) And I no longer needed to pay for my hair to be permed. But by the time I was 15, the "Kelly Taylor" straight hair and soft bang was the preferred style... And a new vicious cycle began...

The straight perm.

I would take at-home perming kits and put them in my hair. Only instead of curling my hair, I would take a very fine-toothed comb and constantly comb it straight while the activator was in it. Eventually I trained my hair and could get it to be thick, soft and full of body... With just a touch of curl at the ends. The trick was hot rollers. And to this day, I still use them when I wash and dry my hair. But that doesn't happen that often.

No... I have now embraced my natural waves. Occasionally, I will wear it straightened. But I like the "boho" quality my natural hair type has. And I am not alone in feeling this way about my natural hair... One other reader feels the same way about her own hair.

From Brahmin in Boston:

I was thinking about the right kind of shampoo for my hair. It seems that we both have same kind of hair type.

...
My hair is wavy/slightly curly. I would love to keep it that way. I wash my hair twice a week.

Now to the problem:
After I wash my hair, it stays smooth and curly but after it dries out. It is a different story altogether! Curls go away... And it becomes frizzy. Also I NEVER blow dry my hair - partly because I fear the damage and partly because it is waaay to thick to do it single-handedly!

Do you know of nay hair products which can maintain the waves just as they are without turning them frizzy after drying? I don't have any patience at all with the gazillion products on the market anymore! Currently I am using Dove conditioner which seem to be good but I am searching for the better...

To be honest, it's a never-ending quest for the best products for wavy/curly-haired girls. Here is what I recommend, currently, as I have found it to work for me, and hopefully it will work for you too:

When Wetting Your Hair:
  1. Wash hair only once a week with shampoo. I like L'Oreal's EverPure (sulfate-free) Shampoo.
  2. Rinse hair daily (or every other day) with just water. Follow with a thick, creamy conditioner. I like Pantene.
  3. After you conditioner your hair, spray Bumble and Bumble Hair Tonic in it. Let it's tea tree oil infusion set in to your scalp. You will feel it "tingling."
  4. Comb through your hair with a wide-toothed comb.
  5. Spray and scrunch a "beach wave" product into your hair. Twirl some pieces around your fingers, making chunky curls. This will help define the curls as they dry. Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray is a classic. But I also like the Wave Creating Spray by Frederic Fekkai.

When Not Wetting Your Hair (Days that you skip washing/rinsing it):
  1. Sleep with your hair twisted up (loosely) in a scrunchie. (No, I am not kidding.)
  2. When you wake up, mist some water in your hair. (Keep a spray bottle with water, or use those Evian misters.) This will lightly moisten your hair.
  3. Use a styling wax (I like Umi's Sitewax) to comb and redefine your locks.
  4. Never run a comb through your hair unless it's wet from being washed.
I hope this helps!

Comments

Amy B. said…
I highly recommend checking out www.naturallycurly.com - you'll get a ton of reviews and product ideas all specifically designed for curly hair. This site has changed my life - this is not an exaggeration!
Thanks so much Missus!

I am going to try every single product and will eventually let you know what worked/did not work for me.
Beth said…
You should try the DevaCurl products. They're probably the best for curly hair.
Vanessa said…
I have a similar hair type and another product that has worked wonders for me in Aveda Hang Straight or "Miracle in a Bottle" as I like to call it.

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