When I was in California for Lucky FABB, I met the adorable Cassidy from TextureMedia. Upon finding out I have naturally curly hair, she twisted my arm encouraged me to be a part of their Real Texture Talk series on Naturally Curly. Since I’ve never shown this side of myself here on the blog, I decided it was about time! And I do tend to straighten my hair much less in the summer months – mainly due to the humidity & heat, but also to give my hair a break from the blowdryer/flat iron/curling iron process. At the risk of embarassing myself, I just had to share this picture with you:
I think I was about 10 years old here…clearly, this was before they had mastered the correct formula for anti-frizz products. Frankly, I’m a little upset my mom let me walk around looking this way. But, this proves that I wasn’t born with the most manageable hair to begin with. Thankfully, after two pregnancies it has relaxed a little and I’ve learned the best way to handle my curls.
The key for me is letting it air dry and touching it as little as possible. For this reason, I always shower at night so that I can allow it to dry naturally & then I’m ready to go in the morning. I should also mention that my hair looks much better when I have long layers cut into it (the curls lay nicer and my head looks less “mushroom-shaped”). Here’s my step-by-step process:
When I get out of the shower, I spray on a leave-in conditioner & detangle with a wide tooth comb. Next, I work anti-frizz cream through my hair and make my part. I then take 1/2-inch sections and twirl the hair around my finger, making a ringlet & twisting away from my face (my stylist taught me this trick – it helps with curl definition & separation). I continue until all my hair is done and then I let it air dry completely.
Gorgeous curls!! I gotta try to them with my hair ๐
http://lartoffashion.blogspot.com
Wow your hair is beautiful! I've always had straight hair with a semi-wave (if that counts) with non-blow dried hair. You always want what you don't have, right? I've tried to perm and it just doesn't work out :T
kat
aneyeforfashion.blogspot.com
AWWWWWW-i LOVE that pic of you when you were little!!! i can't believe how perfect your curls come out just from wrapping your hair around your finger like that! i REALLY want to try it. loved this post!
xoxo, jenn
the stylish housewife
My hair is naturally curly with an unreasonable amount of volume and my go to products are from Frederic Fekkai. I like my curls to look undone and beachy so I rarely use more than one or 2 products. And to keep it healthy I use Moroccan oil at the tips and soy tri-wheat leave-in condition. I'm in the hunt for a new shampoo and conditioner…any suggestions?
octoberchic.com
Wow, I totally had you in for straight hair. ๐ You look so lovely with curls. Since my hair is so staight and heavy every try to get it even wavy takes hours of preparation and it stays in for half an hour. ๐ So I am out of the curly hair discussion. ๐ xo, Christina
http://www.styleclouds.de
Love the curls. This is so easy and the results are great! I'll def. be experimenting with my waves too.
I bun my hair when straight out of shower and have the pictures in my latest post!
http://www.puppiesnpurses.com/
thank you SO much for sharing that first photo! you were the cutest girl ever! and love your tips for curling hair ๐
xoxo,
Fashion Fractions
I wish I had naturally curly hair. Looking forward to reading some of the comments. Fabulous post, love. If you get a sec, I'd love to hear what you think of my new maxi. xo
http://www.fashboulevard.blogspot.com
BEAUTIFUL!! I love your hair!!
-AJ
FitTravelerAJ.blogspot.com
That is the cutest picture! I always think your hair looks amazing!
Maria
http://www.daintyanddecadent.com
My hair is super wavy and unmanageable naturally….your hair looks so cute naturally!
Love this! You're hair looks so pretty all curly like that!
xoxo
Cathy, your Poor Little It Girl
http://poorlittleitgirl.com
Like a young jodi foster in the first picture!
I LOVE that photo of you when you were younger! So adorable! I also love your hair when it's curly. Why don't you wear it this way on the blog more often? It's stunning!
beijos,
Tiffany
http://www.beijostiffany.com
You look adorable! I wish my curly, stanky, frizzy stupid hair looked like that when I air dried it.
I'm definitely trying the finger trick this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
Kim
http://six-2-eleven.blogspot.com/
I have naturally curly hair too, but don't wear it that way too often as it always turns frizzy by the end of the day! I do the same thing as you sometimes, or I will put in some mousse, scrunch the curls, and blow dry my curly hair until it is dry ๐ Thanks for posting your tips!
cute hair, nice blog hun
http://shana-style.blogspot.com
I would have never guessed that you have naturally curly hair unless you posted this! Your hair always looks amazing, and I think it looks great curly. Having naturally curly hair, I've tried almost every product out there. Oddly enough, some of my favorite styling products are the inexpensive ones – Suave Captivating Curls Cream Mousse and Sleek Anti Frizz Cream, and Ulta Defining Curl Enhancer. I don't stick to one type of shampoo or conditioner, and air drying is a must! ๐
It looks great in the morning! I tend to sleep a little crazy…rubbing my head all over my pillow so I think mine would look a hot mess in the morning, haha!
Lindsay @
LindsayJEveryday.blogspot.com
aghhh curly hair! it is basically the most stressful thing ever. I use a lot of Moroccan hair oil/ leave in oil treatments to help decrease the frizz. Other then that I don't feel like much else works (product wise). But one thing I have noticed, is that if I shower at night and leave my hair to dry overnight (fanned out above my head) I have less frizz the next day. Hope that helps!
I have naturally straight hair and curl it almost every single day. My friends with curly hair straighten their every single day. It's a crazy world!
Having said that, your hair looks amazing ๐
I love that you embrace your curls and wear your hair natural! My hair is not quite as curly, but I tend to do the same thing. Thanks for sharing your routine!
xo
Sam
Le Petite Pear
I LOVE that first picture! Love the throw back ๐
I totally have the same hair as you, except when I was a kid my hair was much shorter and super blonde – it was like a crazy fuzz ball on my head! Yikes!
Great technique on your hair, I must try that out!
xx
The Urban Umbrella
xoxo
http://www.theurbanumbrella.com/
Never would have guessed you had curly hair! Mine is very thick and curly. When i was a teen my neighbor would french braid it and could keep it that way 4 days! I no longer do that! Thanks for sharing! Btw i haved tried so many products but keep going back to aveda brillint line. Now im in my late 40's and it keepsgetting drier…..
Your hair looks so polished! My curls have a mind of their own, haha.
Love, love, love the curls! From one curly gal to another – try Deva Curl (the products, the cut and the method…http://www.mydevacurl.com). It's life changing, seriously ๐
Love, love, love the curls! From one curly gal to another – try Deva Curl (the cut, the products, the method http://www.mydevacurl.com). It's life changing, seriously ๐
Wow—people pay a fortune to get body/curl like you have naturally. It's gorgeous! How great that you can do the curly or straight thing, depending on weather. Enjoy your "summer hair"!
GORGEOUS! your make up in the last pic is amazing too. please post the lipstick!
xx
Jinna
http://greaseandglamour.com
Awww, I love this post! I have naturally curly hair that I mask with straightening tools too, so maybe I'll give this a try sometime too ๐
You look gorgeous here!
http://www.natalyascloset.com/
I have..or should I say had, naturally curly hair. It is also fine textured and prone to frizz.
As a teen in the late 1970's, I grew up in the ear of Marcia Brady hair (Brady Bunch); pin straight and parted in the middle. I had unruly curly hair.
I hated it! Everyday was a struggle to get my hair to behave.
Worse yet, when I was in grade school, my Mom used to cut it short and it would stick out on the sides like curly Bozo hair!
After three kids, my hair is now wavy, rather than curly…but still curly in places…like my bangs…
On a rainy day…they curl into ringlets. Frizz continues to be an issue.
Now I blow dry my bangs so they don't look like they don't belong to the rest of my hair; I used Redken curly hair products. I let the rest air dry and then use a curl iron to touch up the frizzy spots.
I used to have a postcard that said "Life is a turbulent and frustrating struggle…but eventually you find a hairstyle you like" I'm still looking…
http://www.waltzerl.blogspot.com
and here I thought you had straight hair! I'm glad we're both on the 'curly' bus..
Xo Megan
I don't have curly hair *pout* and just pretty recently found a 'process' that lets me have curly hair and keep it for the day. My stick straight hair can't hold a curl at all. Oh the things we wish we'd known how to do back in the day, right? There are so many tricks you learn as you get older!
love this look on you
i don't have curly hair, but very wavy, i love doing the curl around the finger when wet trick
brett
stunning!! I wish my hair would stay curled – super straight isn't all it's cracked up to be!! x
Love the curls! I have naturally curly hair but it is only curly on the bottom and straight on the top so whenever I try to make it curly, it ends up in a ponytail, but this might work for me!
I have naturally curly hair as well, although it's turned more "wavy" as I've gotten older. I'm amazed you can sleep on your hair and your curls are still in tact and non-frizzy- mine never turn out that way!
Life Unsweetened
Such a cool post! Hair is a sore spot for me, so I always appreciate hearing how other people style their hair. I think I may try the bun trick! Hope you're having a great week!
– Heather
How do you not mess up those ringlets while you are sleeping?
Thanks for sharing!
I love your hair curly! You need to wear it that way more often on the blog. I wish I could style mine the night before but if I did I would have an afro by morning.
wow i LOVE your curls! even when you were little.
your hair is so pretty!!!
i wish i've had curls too ๐
http://www.gluehwurmi.blogspot.com
vic
I have naturally curly hair and throughout my entire childhood-until I reached my senior year of highschool, i tried creams and mousse and serums that neevr worked. Now, I have it down pat! I swear by the blue L.A Looks sport gel with 10+ strength. My curls always come out so defined and never crunchy!