I adore curly hair. Adore it. The sense of wild abandon that accompanies those spirals doing whatever they please atop a head appeals to the secret anarchist lurking deep in my soul. Unfortunately for me, I am the only one in my family that did not inherit curly hair. Terribly unfair, as I am the one who has always desperately wanted it and they seem extremely ungrateful for this genetic gift! From fairly unsuccessful attempts at rag curling, roller curling and diffusing my naturally fluffy/flyaway hair with mousse to try to get some sort of curls, to a truly horrific attempt at a perm, my quest for curls has been longer than Frodo’s but with significantly less rings! In case you were wondering, diffusing only vaguely wavy, fluffy, fly away hair makes you look like you have been windsurfing in a cyclone and perming on “wave rods” for a “natural” curl gives you a delightful head of undefined fluff that looks particularly striking on red hair ** cough** sideshow bob…
My skills have certainly improved since those heady days of hot tool free experimentation, and the advent of a curling iron into my life has finally given me the curly hair of my dreams. But this adventure towards curls had certainly given me a bit of perspective into the struggles that those that are naturally blessed with them face. I might be extremely jealous of your ringlets and desperately in love with them but I have worked out that you may not be! As a lover from afar it is easy to see the beautiful things about curls. Volume, texture, shape. looking effortlessly glamorous at the beach. Not having to wash your hair every day. Easy to style up, even a messy bun looks “done”.
As someone with curls permanently attached to your head, the view can be a bit different. The things that others might find appealing might be the parts you struggle with. Volume, texture and shape? Try Huge Frizzy Ball. Looking effortless at the beach? The only time you can ever get it under control. Not having to wash it every day? HA! Try having fine curls! It gets oily quickly so it is either fluffy and clean or curly and lank. Easy to put up? Maybe, but try getting a smooth blow dry. In Queensland. Ever. Loving your hair when it doesn’t do what you want can be a challenge and learning to accept the limitations it has is even harder. When it comes to curls, the challenges may be great but the rewards are even greater. So how do you learn to love your curls again?
Love Volume.
Flat is not a word often associated with curly hair. Back in the mid 2000’s when GHD straighteners became a hit the curly people of the world suddenly had a dilemma. The volume so celebrated in the 1970 ‘s, 80’s and 90’s had come to an end, but as we all know, keeping curly hair straight for any length of time is virtually impossible. Queue a generation of curl deniers! Luckily the tide has turned over the last few years and volume is back with a vengeance. Celebrate the natural body of your curls, and be the height of fashion once again!
Get a Great Haircut.
Shape is so important when it comes to curls. Because of the aforementioned volume, curly hair can have a tendency to naturally fall into a less than ideal shape when left to the hands of the inexperienced. Considering the kind of curl you have is important. Those with tight ringlets, very thick or coarse curls tend to end up with “triangle” hair (wide bottom and no volume at the roots) when left one length. Fine, fluffy curls tend to lose structure quickly and end up looking like an undefined lion’s mane without careful shaping. A stylist that understands that there is no one size fits all approach to curls will take your specific needs into consideration, giving you the best possible shape for your hair type. Learning how to manage your curls will help you get the most out of your fabulous new cut. Twisting, diffusing, natural drying, scrunching, and giving extra definition with a curling tong are all fantastic ways to get your curls looking tip top. A brilliant stylist (such as all our wonderful BACH staff !) will show you how to easily style your curls to show that perfect shape.
Product Product Product.
Ah my favourite. Regular readers out there are all rolling their eyes right now but I honestly believe that the right products will change your life. I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t need something to get their hair looking it’s most amazing. Whether it’s just a great shampoo and conditioner, or it’s a treatment, oil, smoothing lotion, curling cream, leave in moisturizer or anti humidity spray, getting a product that solves your problems goes a really long way towards loving the curls you were born with. Or in my case the curls you artificially put in to pretend you are so lucky. Sometimes it can take a bit of trial and error to find the perfect product, especially when it comes to curls. A good, honest chat with your stylist about what your concerns and limitations are can really help get you the right products to get you loving your curls.
Curls are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
I know, I know, but it’s such a good analogy! You’ve got your crowd favourites like caramel and praline and your less popular but still acceptable choices like Strawberry and Turkish delight. And then you have the controversial favourites. Like Mint. Curls are the same. Sometimes they behave and you get lovely formed curls and other times they go rogue and you get ‘Medusa visits Far North Queensland in February’. Wild, untamed, frizzy chaos. In the end it’s all about perspective. Us outsiders without curls are over here envious of the Caramel hand you got dealt ( perfect bouncy ringlets that always look amazing) while you are sitting over there lamenting your Mint life (frizzy, fluffy hair that never looks neat). Caramel or Mint, someone is going to love it, so why not you! Personally? Mint is my favourite…
Sarah
P.S. Wondering why I go on about product so much? Check out my “ Are salon products really worth it? Blog on this very website!
