Question:
My curly hair has a mind of its own, and I end up with a frizzy mess when I try to style it. What can I do to get the curl back?
Answer : by Alain Pinon (Hairhelper)
Controlling curly hair is one of the biggest difficulties I hear about from my clients. As unruly as a headful of natural ringlets can sometimes seem, once you understand the nature of your hair and how to treat it, you’ll find it’s easy to bend it to your will.
Surprisingly, the texture of most curly hair is fine, not coarse as many people think. But there is usually a lot of hair, so any type of product buildup or any type of dryness makes it difficult to control, leading to a bad case of the frizzies.
Getting curly hair to behave begins in the shower. You should wash your hair every other day, preferably with a moisturizing shampoo, and always follow up with conditioner. On the off day, simply wet your hair and condition it. This will allow you to have more control over the curl and prevent your hair from drying out. And you should only comb your hair when it’s wet — never comb it when it’s dry and never, ever brush your curls.
Certain products are also important when it comes to taming your waves. Look for a gel that contains guar gum, an ingredient that gives you more control over styling and banishes frizzies. Silicone-based products have become very popular over the last few years, but they should be used sparingly — they’re very difficult to wash out and consequently can build up and cause the hair to lose its luster.
When it comes to blow-drying, the less disturbance the better. Always use a diffuser (attached to the blow-dryer’s nozzle), which will prevent the airflow from disturbing the curls’ shape. Never dry your hair completely — instead, leave it slightly damp and let it finish air-drying on its own. Overdrying will only create frizz, and then the only option will be to start over again.
If you prefer to let your hair dry naturally, towel dry it lightly to remove excess moisture and apply a styling gel. Then, taking two-inch sections of hair, twist the curls around your finger so they look like little dreadlocks. Repeat this on your entire head. When your hair is dry, flip your head upside down and tousle the curls with your fingers to soften them up.
Coloring your hair is a great way to play up your ringlets. Highlights around your face will enhance the curl and give it more movement. Don’t overdo it, though — too much color will overdry the hair and cause frizz. If you do decide to color, use a weekly conditioning treatment loaded with protein to keep hair strong, and leave it on for an hour. Since curly hair is very susceptible to damage, chemical straightening is not a good idea because hair can become very porous and can break off if the chemicals are left on too long. Instead, learn to work with — not against — your hair’s natural texture and you’ll tame your curls in no time.