Anyone with curly hair knows it can be frustrating. My mane is like a toddler - it won't behave unless I give it exactly what it wants, and it's constantly changing its mind.
As for maintenance, I cut shorter in the back and keep it longer around my face (an inverted bob, or reverse mullet as I call it). I also layer it all the way around so I'm not left with a triangle of curls. I only wash it once every 3 days (if you think that's gross, don't ask how often I wash my jeans).
1. Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo
2. Double Detangler Comb
3. Hydrafusion Curl Cream
4. Alligator clips
5. Hairdryer with diffuser
6. Mongongo Oil
After showering, I spread the curl cream through my hair to tame fly-aways and smooth my curls out.
I begin twirling small sections (focusing around my face) to create defined spirals.
I scrunch my hair a few times (especially in the back) to be sure every section got attention.
I pin alligator clips along my roots so my hair isn't weighed down while drying...
and I cross my fingers hoping nobody stops by for a surprise visit.
I either let my hair air-dry or blow it dry with a diffuser. Either way, I don't touch it while it's drying!
Once dry, I remove the clips and add the oil to protect it and add shine. Added bonus: it smells amazing!
Have your own special styling technique? I'd love to hear!
As for maintenance, I cut shorter in the back and keep it longer around my face (an inverted bob, or reverse mullet as I call it). I also layer it all the way around so I'm not left with a triangle of curls. I only wash it once every 3 days (if you think that's gross, don't ask how often I wash my jeans).
1. Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo
2. Double Detangler Comb
3. Hydrafusion Curl Cream
4. Alligator clips
5. Hairdryer with diffuser
6. Mongongo Oil
After showering, I spread the curl cream through my hair to tame fly-aways and smooth my curls out.
I begin twirling small sections (focusing around my face) to create defined spirals.
I scrunch my hair a few times (especially in the back) to be sure every section got attention.
I pin alligator clips along my roots so my hair isn't weighed down while drying...
and I cross my fingers hoping nobody stops by for a surprise visit.
I either let my hair air-dry or blow it dry with a diffuser. Either way, I don't touch it while it's drying!
Once dry, I remove the clips and add the oil to protect it and add shine. Added bonus: it smells amazing!
Have your own special styling technique? I'd love to hear!
I love your curls! I've basically stopped wearing my natural curls cause its just a frizzy mess. Now I just wash it at night let it air dry over night and straighten it in the morning. 3 days of not washing isn't gross at all.. I'm a little scared to tell you how long I go...(a week! lol)
ReplyDeletei love your hair!! mine is the exact opposite! flat, straight and gets greasy in less than a day! wish I didn't have to wash mine everyday. my jeans on the other hand - I'm with you on that. forlaurenandlauren.blogspot.com
ReplyDelete"Reverse mullet"! Haha... you crack me up!
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting idea with the alligator clips. I will definitely try that. If you let your hair air dry, do you leave the clips in the whole time? I'm really, really bad for touching my hair while it's drying, which is probably why it's always frizzy.
Yeah, if I have the time, I leave the clips in the whole time while it's air drying. I really notice a difference with them!
ReplyDeleteA diffuser is my savior! I have naturally wavy hair so using one is a must when I wear my hair natural. The clips are such a good idea to keep your volume, I never thought of that before! I use those same clips to pin my front layers down when I wear my hair in a center part!
ReplyDeleteI love your hair. It always looks so pretty. My hair is crazy and looks different every time I do it. So, basically, I just don't bother and let it do it's thing!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this ! My hair in recent years has curls have lost their natural definition and I have been try to figure out a new and solid routine for my hair. During the days where you don't wash it, how do you treat it? rinse with water? dry shampoo? That's always my biggest issue is how to maintain it during those unwashed days.
ReplyDeleteThanks!! -- Kristin
www.theawesomeredhead.com
Your hair always looks so pretty! I wonder if that alligator clip trick will work with straight hair...hmm. I have long straight hair. Mostly I just wash it, put some volume mousse in it, and blow dry. I wish I could wait three days between washes, but my hair usually requires a wash every other day at least. I am definitely with you on the jeans though haha.
ReplyDeleteLovely curls . I have the same trouble with my hair , I have frizzy hair with rough ends , so before a hair style , I use intense repair conditioner from Dove and use any kinda serurm to the ends then iron them . It works anyways :)
ReplyDeleteNoor @ Noor's Place
Win a pair of Glasses
how do you go days without washing your hair? my curls get so tangled and knotty!
ReplyDeleteAs for days I don't wash it, it kind of depends. If I wake up and it's super frizzy, I will wet it in the shower (no shampoo) and re-add product. If it isn't too frizzy, I usually just pull it half up, and by the third day it's all up in a bun.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried dry shampoo, but I'm kind of curious!
I still wet it (if it's frizzy/knotted in the morning) and re-add product, I just don't use shampoo/conditioner on it every day. If it's not knotted or frizzy in the morning, I usually pull it half up on the second day, and all up in a bun the third.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I noticed my curls get a lot less tangled now that I keep it short - when it was long, I felt like I woke up every morning with 10 lbs of knotted rope on my head.
Your curly hair is SO pretty :)
ReplyDeleteAnnie
The Other Side of Gray
Your hair always looks so pretty! I WISH I could go three days without washing my hair...I usually wash it daily or it gets crazy oily.
ReplyDelete-Sharon
The Tiny Heart
JCrew giveaway!
It looks like you have your system down pat! I have very curly hair (similar to yours, only my curls don't form as nicely!) and it's definitely a challenge. I haven't perfected my styling efforts yet, so I usually blow it out or put it in a top knot. I'm definitely going to try out your styling system!
ReplyDeleteYou've got a pretty good system it looks like! I know one of my friends with curly hair swears by Deva Curl. For me, my pixie is pretty simple - wash, mousse, dry, go. Easy.
ReplyDeleteooh thats basically my hair technique including the :ahem: not washing my hair often... only with much more expensive products. i learned the curl twisting/defining bit from my best friend who has nearly the exact cut you do. i use dove whipped cream mousse which is light, not crunchy feeling, and really cheap!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your lovely comment, it made my day!
ReplyDeleteI really envy your pretty curls!
Have a great day,
-Kati
http://almoststylish.blogspot.de
Thanks so much! I have also curls and I am often unhappy how my curls behave. Good day are so rare! I will definitely try out your routine! How do you reanimate your curls in the morning on not-washing-days?
ReplyDeleteYou look pretty, love the tamed curls. xo/Have a nice weekend.
ReplyDeleteTu es magnifique :O <3
ReplyDeleteEt...
Si tu as le temps viens faire un tour sur mon blog est n'hesites pas à me laisser des commentaires mais aussi à me dire se que tu en penses :D
Tout cela me ferais terriblement plaisir... <3
http://monpetitblogdefille.com/
Ughhh those curls are DARLING. Seriously, if I had curly hair, I'd want yours. So girly and sweet!
ReplyDeleteOkay, your pesky curlygirl fan here with a question. I'm cool with your shampoo schedule. I myself only shampoo once a week. I've followed Curlygirl since the book was first published. But do you wet your head daily? I find I have to condition 'wash' daily because when I get up in the morning, Egads! I look a total mess, and combing just takes out my curl. By the way I don't really say Egads!; I just like to type the word.
ReplyDeleteI've got a new little DIY up,
Sue xo
Thanks for this post !
ReplyDeleteLucie
I've been super impressed by how amazingly well you style your curly hair! It always, always looks perfect! I wish I had curls like you...but I know they cause trouble too :)
ReplyDelete<3 Cambria
jupefashion.blogspot.com
My hair is a lot longer, so I've never tried defining my curls one by one. I started the curly girl method last year and it's actually shocking how well my hair reacted to it - LA Looks gel and all! My method involves a lot of turning my head upside down and shaking when I let it go natural :) Your curls are beautiful though!
ReplyDeleteLove your curls!! I wish I could also wash my hair every 3 days.. coz I have to wash them everyday :(
ReplyDeleteYou have such great hair.. color, curls, length.. love it! I have always wished I had more curl to my hair!
ReplyDeletewww.rachaelkatherine.com
i have straight hait so i'm not concerned but i liked this post because i often wonder how you get that beautiful hairstyle, now i know : it's work!
ReplyDeleteI could not refrain from commenting. Well written!
ReplyDeleteAlso visit my site more
I love your hair! I feel like my hair is probably similar in texture and curl but I've tried your method and it didn't work out. But I also don't have all the same products. I also don't ever think my hair looks nice if I don't wash it again, it gets all knotted up or certain parts of it lose the curl more than others. Oh well. I'm still trying to figure out what works best for my own hair!
ReplyDeleteI never thought to use alligator clips at the roots. Great tip!
ReplyDeleteThis post made me laugh TWO separate times! One- you are going to be a great mom because you already know EXACTLY what kids are going to be like, and two- you know how I feel about washing my hair and my jeans! You are the best.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I wonder, when I finally start growing out my hair if it will grow back wavy so I can try cutting and styling it like this. And then, I realize, that sounds kinda stalker-ish.....
Wish I had the patience and texture you have. I have super curly hair and I usually just wash, condition and go. I'm thinking I need to rethink my method.
ReplyDeletehttp://whichmewillibetoday.wordpress.com
your hair always looks nice megan!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.averysweetblog.com/
Glad I found you. I just got my Garnier smoothing kit in the mail. I love tips like yours. Needless to say I'm following you.
ReplyDeleteoh wow, looks like so much trouble! luckily (?) my hair gets curly when it's already pretty much dry. what we have in common is the fact that I also wash my hair twice a week. and the toddler part is so true! that's definitely my hair too!
ReplyDeleteMaiken,
Maikeni blogi - part of me
looks great :D loving your cute curls ^^
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - I love your hair! I have curly hair about your length, and I really need to find an easy routine that will make it behave and be curly every morning - I usually just let it fend for itself, and do nothing.
ReplyDeletegreat post!!! love the idea of the aligator clips to add volume when drying!!!
ReplyDeleteyour hair does always look good, now we all know your secrets :)
xo. c & v
cake & valley
Can I just say how incredibly jealous I am of your amazing, curly hair?
ReplyDeleteI know its probably annoying at times, but seriously, what mane isn't, right? Haha, great post!
Enter to win a $40 voucher to InDressMe!
Trendy Teal
What do you use the comb for? I've always been told that combs and brushes are a no no!
ReplyDeleteSeems pretty elaborate but worth it - I love your soft curls :)
ReplyDeleteeveryone's curly hair is so different! it's kind of amazing.
ReplyDeletei always let my hair air dry. for some odd reason, diffusers change my curl (and not the way i'd like it to).
i've been thinking about doing a video. a review of sorts of curly hair products i've been using lately. :)
you're so naturally gorgeous! thanks for sharing yo tips :))
ReplyDeleteJust in the shower after shampooing while my hair is wet - I never brush/comb it while dry.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually not much trouble at all - aside from drying, I'm done styling it in about 10 minutes.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Inge! My hair always looks best after washing/styling it too... but I find just re-wetting it the next day works pretty well (I just don't like to wash it with shampoo daily) and just re-adding some product.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely took me a long time to figure out how I like to style my hair - and I still change my routine regularly!
Yeah, I usually re-wet it each day and add a bit more product - I just don't like shampooing it daily. Or, if I don't have the time to wet it, I will just put it half up or in a messy bun :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Ute! As for days I don't wash my hair, I either put it half up or all up, or I re-wet it in the shower and add more product - I just don't wash it with shampoo daily. Hope that helps :)
ReplyDeleteI happen to love your hair. And as a fellow curl haired broad, I ask you: HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU GO THREE DAYS W/O WASHING?? Mine would be a fuzzy, knotted, mess. I have really curly hair, but its long. By the end of the day already, my curls are starting to come out and then its just a head of poof. I'm so very jealous of your curls.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, I definitely have morning where I wake up to a knotted mess! On those days, I just re-wet my hair (I just don't wash it with shampoo) and add more product. Or, I throw it half up or in a messy bun.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I'm so jealous of your hair. I have a cousin with hair just like yours, except she's 14 and thinks her hair needs to be fried into submission. I'm going to show her this post so she sees how beautiful curly red hair is!!
ReplyDelete