Let Out Your Curls

For most of my life I have struggled against the tousled curls on my head. I have tugged, pulled, ironed, pressed, dried, all but ripped them out, in order to get the sleek look I desired so badly. The early nineties were the worst! Stars like Jennifer Aniston had the sleekest of locks and there was no way that I could match that. As a child no one taught me how to take care of curly hair, so when I combed my hair, like every other girl did, but what resulted was a big old mess. Think Diana Ross, really really big hair. That is enough to scare off any child away from curly hair. Naturally I became very proficient with a blow dryer.

There are many style proponents of curly hair who are doing their best to convince the world of the beauty of natural hair. Salons like Devachan and Ouidad in NYC and Batia & Aleeza in Beverly Hills, are making waves in the industry (I couldn't help the pun.. It's just too easy). There are websites like naturallycurly.com that encourage girls to hide the blow dryer. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I finally got the hang of my curly hair. I always received compliments on my thick curly hair, but I had spent so much of my life trying to tame it, it was hard to finally let them loose.

Taking care of curly hair requires a different mindset than our straight hair friends. First of all curly hair is much drier than any other type of hair. For this reason it is very important that your hair is well moisturized because basically sucks up all the moisture it can get.

A Few Tips For Curly Hair

- Moisture! This is hard for some people to realize but you shouldn't be shampooing your hair everyday. You can wash your hair everyday if you'd like but only use conditioner. The friction of scrubbing the conditioner against your scalp will clean your hair. Excess shampooing only strips your hair of its natural oils and creates frizz. Some stylist even suggest never using shampoo (only conditioner) but I find for my hair shampoo isn't harmful, just don't use it everyday.

-A great haircut can make all the difference. You need to go to a stylist who has experience cutting curly hair. Do not go to someone who wants to give you the latest cut and trend because most likely it won't suit you. Layers to break up the curls and avoid triangle head. You do not need to go to one of the fancy and expensive curly salons in order to get a great cut. Stick with a stylist you trust and you will never be disappointed.

-Clip your hair at the crown of your head in order to get some lift. Curly hair us usually heavy and can weigh down the hair on the top of your head. Lift and pin your hair at the roots.

-Use a diffuser when drying your hair. Also a little trick that I like to do is dry my hair upside down. Bend over and blow dry from underneath. This will create big hair which I love. It also prevents your hair from getting flat.

-When you are finished washing your hair seal in the moisture by pouring colder water on your hair. This will help prevent frizz.


Corkscrew Curls
These curls are the tightest. They tend to be in the shape or a corkscrew. Because they are tight they are also the driest and need the most moisture.






















Botticelli Curls
These curls vary in shape and are not as tight as the corkscrew curls.













Wavy

Some hair isn't completely curly but it has a slight wave to it. It is the least dry of curly hair however still needs moisture.

Batia & Aleeza

Ok so we've pulled, ironed, burned and damaged our hair for too long. It is time to embrace your hair's natural texture. Beautiful curls can be in your reach. Few people realize that curly hair is in fact very delicate and the hair most prone to damage and breakage. Curlyheads also need the most moisture. Have you noticed that curly hair absorbs most of the conditioner you put on your head?

Batia & Aleeza are sisters with a passion for hair. They embody the message of their products and philosophy, two beautiful women who have embraced their natural look. They claim that the products they created came out of a family trip to Hawaii. Anyone with curly or wavy hair knows what havoc a little humidity can do. They then strove to create hair products that would control frizz and be light and clean.

Bio-Herbal Mineral Sculpting Gel

(my favorite)

Most gels leave hair feeling stiff and unatural, however the Batia & Aleeza gel does quite the opposite. I can say that this is by far my favorite product for curly hair. Although Paul Mitchel's Gel comes in a close second. Since using this gel I continue to receive numerous compliments on my hair, which I believe is beacuse of the natural way that the gel holds the curl. Your hair will be soft to the touch even with product in it.

Bio-Protein Curly Hair Conditioner

Filled with natural ingredients this product promises to tame wild locks. The 60 second formula deep cleanses the hair and eliminates frizz. The conditioner also provides heat protection from the damage of blow dryers, curling irons, and flat irons.

Bio-Natural Curly Hair Shampoo

The natural extracts in the Bio-Natural shampoo strengthen the root and hair follicles. The shampoo cleanses hair without stripping the hair of its natural oils, which helps to prevent frizz and unmanageability.

No animal testing was done in developing these products.

Some of organic ingredients that are included in the products are as follows:

Aloe Vera, Calendula, Comfrey Leaf Extract, Gotu Kola, Ginseng, Lavender Extract, Orange Extract, Rice, Corn, and Wheat Extract, Rosehips, and Rosemary.

DevaCurl No Poo

I have struggled with curly unruly hair since I was a kid. In reality I didn't even know I had curly hair, I merely thought that I had a giant frizz ball mess! Little did I know that I just needed to put my brush down and leave my curls alone. One of the main rules for curly hair is simply do not touch it! Do not comb through your hair once it is dry.

Once I decided to actually accept my curly hair I loved it. The DevaCurl Line is dedicated to curlyhaired girls liked myself. Founded by Lorraine Maissey co-owner of the Devachan Salon she adopted the philosophy of unplugging the blow dryer and saying no to shampoo. Yes people you've heard me correctly, say no to shampoo. The idea is that the harsh detergents in shampoos are extremely damaging to curly hair. Curly hair is in fact the weakest kind of hair and the most prone to breakage. The Devachan philosophy is that you can clean the hair with less harsh products such as the NoPoo. Many people believe that the suds of shampoo are what make the hair clean, Lorraine says that it is in fact the friction used on the scalp that makes the hair clean, not the detergents and suds.

I cannot say that I am a complete convert. I cannot fully get rid of my shampoo and I do continue to use on occation, products with harsher ingredients. I admit I like the feel of suds on my head. NoPoo, however does work wonders. It is scented with peppermint and Turkish rose and smells great. The peppermint tingles and makes the scalp feel clean and refreshed. I'd suggest that women with extremely dry and unmanageable curly hair try the NoPoo and see if it works for you. If you still are missing the suds, you can try another product on the DevaCurl line called LowPoo. It more resembles the effects of regular shampoo.