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Does Your Curly Hair Make You
Smile or Frown?

Some women adore having curly hair! Its certainly easier to wash and run when you have built in curls!

On the other hand, having all those curls also gets redundant after a while. You reach adult hood and you either hate them or love them!

If you’ve grown tired of them, you may opt to get a short haircut, have your hair permanently straightened, or use a straightening iron as often as possible to get rid of them!

red curly hair image Love em or leave em? What's your take? Did you know that typically, men are more attracted to women with curls? If you like men, that might help you feel better about having them!

Curly Hair Facts

What makes your hair curly or straight? Your genetics play a major role in your hair although it is possible for parents who have curls to give birth to children with straight hair. Your hair's curliness depends largely on the shape of the hair follicles on your head.

A round follicle produces straight hair. An oval follicle produces wavy hair. A flat follicle produces curly hair. Another things that influences it is the direction in which each strand grows out of its follicle. Curly and/or kinky hair is shaped like an elongated oval and grows at a sharp angle to the scalp.

Curly hair has a different biological structure than straight hair. It can be much drier than straight hair because oils secreted into the hair shaft by the sebaceous glands can travel down the shaft of straight hair more easily. Curls can become very dry and often frizzy if not attended too correctly.

Everyone's hair is affected by the amount of humidity in the air too. Humidity restores moisture by forcing water back into the hair shaft but it can also make hair frizzy when the humidity is high.

Hormones can also influence patterns in the hair. Hormones influence your hair in several different ways since they are regulators of the body’s metabolism. Hormones are affected by health, age, and even your diet. I know that before my son was born, my hair was rather straight. After his birth, my hair became more curly than it ever had been before. Instead of getting easier to take care of, it got harder.

Here are some tips for taking care of your curls!

Curly Hair Tips

Tight curls require more hydration than any other hair pattern, simply because there's less sebum to go around. To keep the curl pattern consistent, great care should be made when selecting products for your hair. Moisturizing shampoos and conditioners that are specially made for curls are a major help. Organic hair products work especially well on curly hair because they don't have any harsh chemicals that strip hair and dry it out. Leave in conditioners like Infusium Leave In Conditioner or leave in detanglers like Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution helps maintain curls without tangles.

Extra care must be taken when you blow dry curls. If you want curls to stay in place, be sure to use a diffuser or use the lowest warm setting on the dryer. Indirect heat always works best. Add a dollop of gel, pomade, or mousse to your hair define curls, give them lift and cut down on frizzy hair. Scrunch your hair from the bottom up to enhance curls as you’re drying it. When your hair is almost dry, add a shine product or glossifier to your hair for a great finish.

Depending on the curl pattern, styling curls can either be fun or a nightmare. Low maintenance styles are always good choices. Updo’s and partial updo’s are great for curly hair. If you love to wear it down, curls look great with a colorful hair clamp or flower. Large hair clamps were made for those with lots of lush curls!

A favorite styling technique for curly hair is to set it in large rollers. This is wonderful if you have overly curly hair and you want more of a wave. This method takes more time, but the results are well worth the effort. After removing your rollers, break up the curls with your fingers and a slight amount of wax or pomade to add definition and add more shine.

Cutting hair with curls requires a greater degree of skill than cutting straight hair. Curl patterns and thickness play a major role in how the hair should be cut. When curly hair is wet it adds a lot of extra length, depending on the tightness of the curl pattern. When curls are dry, they will be considerably shorter than when curls are wet. This is true with all hair, but more visible with hair that is curly. The other possible obstacle is that curly hair often has a propensity to ‘protrude’ or look awkward when it’s cut incorrectly.

Curly hair generally looks best when worn shoulder-length or longer, or with longer layers throughout. This is also a low maintenance style you should consider.

Curls are finally in again, but a lot of curly types have no idea how to drop the blow dryer and let nature take its course. Along comes Massey, founder and co-owner of Devachan, (a New York hair salon) catering to these women. Part inspiration (you, too, can shed your inhibitions and discover your inner curl) and part instruction, this book gives excellent advice for cutting, styling, and caring for curly hair.

Curls can be a source of great joy or they can make you curse. It all depends on your perspective. I find that it’s easier to just accept what you can’t control and try to enjoy it. Fighting curls just makes you more frustrated with the rest of your life. Styling curls can be fun too, so ladies get out your hot rollers and styling products, and just have a blast!

Thick Hair Challenges and Triumphs

Your Facial Shape and Your Hair Style

Easy Ways to Create Wavy Hair Like Jessica Simpson

Ask Hair Questions

Related Products

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Ceramic Curling Irons

Matrix Biolage

L'Oreal Professional Liss Extreme Enriching, Smoothing Masque

Hair Color Glazes

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