What We Wear :: Curly Girl

What We Wear :: Curly Girl 1Note to Curly-Haired Girls: Try layers.

My little sister cut my hair about a month ago. She gave me layers (for the first time ever)...and I am never going back!

I originally got the idea from you (my wonderful readers!) AND from "Curly Girl: The Handbook" by Lorraine Massey.

Published in 2011, the book is a celebration of curls. It talks about hair care, styling, and products (and has tons of pictures - my favorite part!).

Here are a few of my current hair care practices:

  • I take a shower and condition my hair every day (but I only shampoo once a week...if that).
  • I almost always use a little hair gel/cream and then let my hair "air-dry."
  • My favorite curly hair product is CurlKeeper, but it's too expensive for my budget.
  • My go-to hair styles are: (1) down and freestyle OR (2) pulled up way on top of my head, curls cascading everywhere.

What We Wear :: Curly Girl 2How do you care for your curly hair? What tricks of the trade do you have to share?

WIN IT! One winner will receive a copy of "Curly Girl: The Handbook" by Lorraine Massey! To enter, leave any topic-relatedcomment on this post prior to Tuesday, March 15th at 11:59 p.m. All generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified. Winner must provide a US mailing address.

* Workman Publishing sent me a book for review purposes and is also providing 1 book for the giveaway.

*UPDATE* The winner is #32 Shannon Baas. Congratulations!

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56 comments on “What We Wear :: Curly Girl”

  1. I have given up on managing my curls, I'm sorry to say. I always get it cut in layers with the good intention of wearing it down, but it invariably ends up in a ponytail. This book sounds like just what I need to inspire me.

  2. My daughter has very naturally curly hair. Usually we use a fairly heavy conditioner and pull it into a pony tail and braid it while still damp. The next day, it seems a little more manageable and we can use the curling iron to smooth it, braid back into a pony tail, or leave it down and curly just pulling the front out of her face. I would love some tips on something new we can do with her beautiful but unruly hair!

    jagar0047 at yahoo dot com

  3. Myself and my two daughters have natural curly hair. I never know what to do with mine, I would love this book to give me some ideas!

  4. I get too frustrated trying to control my curly ringlets of hair. I usually just condition it in the morning (an absolute must if I want to get a comb through it at all), comb out as many tangles as I can, and pull it up and back so it's out of my face. I have always fought against my hair - it may be nice to try something new, and less agonizing, to work with it. Thanks for the giveaway!

  5. Was reading a previous comment about a woman who lost her curls after pregnancy. I must have stolen them, because that is when I got mine! Hair got curlier with each baby, and I had four of them, so now have a head full of curls. I condition daily and shampoo much less often - I use a super wide toothed comb, in the shower, while it's full of conditioner, then don't run a comb through it again. Except to add a touch of product and let it air dry. I have a diffuser which I use in emergencies, but find I have more frizz that way. And layers? Gotta have them. Had someone try to cut it without layers once - told me it would be better. Can you say Roseanna Roseanna Danna? It was horrid!

  6. A lot of your tips sounds similair to what I do with mine, especially only using shampoo every week or two (just washing with water & using conditioner in between) I comb conditioner through it when it's wet, to get out tangles, but then don't use a comb on it again - just scrunch with my favorite product & air dry. I've recently gotten a little crazy about coconut oil for many different beauty uses, and love to melt a small amount in my hands & scrunch it into my damp hair for a little healthy conditioning & shine. (coconut oil also makes a great, all-natural eye makeup remover, btw!)

  7. My trick for dealing with my hair is to pretty much never brush it if possible and never ever blow dry it. Otherwise it becomes a giant fuzz ball. I've been contemplating trying the no-poo method.

  8. Your hair is beautiful!! I don't have curly hair my my oldest daughter does and I'd love to win this for her! Thanks for the chance

  9. I have curly hair and struggle with managing it. Plus I'd like to know some cute updo's for curly haired gals.

  10. I have just about perfectly straight hair, but my daughter has wonderful spiral curls. I have no idea what to do or how to do anything with her hair.

  11. My trick is that I only use a diffuser to dry my hair. When I diffuse it, I only dry it to 90 percent, that way it helps prevent frizz.

  12. this is very relevant to me at the moment... i've been trying to get rid of our chemical laden products since having my daughter and hair care was something i've been messing around with for 2 years now.... no-poo, bar shampoo, no conditioner, coconut oil.... i still haven't found a good combination but i just ordered some products online that i'm hoping will help. curly hair is an adventure!

  13. I dont have curly hair, like yours. its only a little curly. But i want to win this for my niece renee her hair is really really curly.

  14. I used to have curly hair, but my curls have gone away thanks to pregnancy and breastfeeding! Now I have waves. But I have been trying no poo and some of the other curly girl methods in the hopes of making the most of the wavy hair I have. As I've told friends, I'll trade my curls for my kids any day. :)

  15. I have curly hair and would love to learn some new tricks! One product I love to use is Curls-up Fx...it works for me!

  16. I have a friend that has REALLY curly hair (so do her 2 little girls). I know that she has specific products that she buys for their hair (and goes only to certain hairdressers).

  17. I NEED this book. Curls change with age (ahem) so I'm finding it challenging to manage mine these days. Yours however are simply gorgeous!

  18. my hair is too curly and not curly enough to just let it dry. It always takes me longer to curl it than it does to blow it straight and then use a straightner. I wish I had an awesome solution that I could share right her. Sadly, I struggle daily with my hair.

  19. My hair is not kinky curly, but it is quite curly. My routine for my hair is quite easy and quick actually. I haven't brushed my hair for almost 10 years (unless I straighten it - which is rare). I use my fingers to brush my hair...this helps SO much with frizz. Even if my hair is deep conditioned and easy to brush when wet, every time I do, my hair is so frizzy when it dries, even after using product, etc. So...with that said, I don't use a brush, just my fingers. I put curling creme in and scrunch it with my fingers and a towel. I often times twist sections of my hair too to keep down the fluff factor. I am intrigued about this book though...I never thought of shampooing so infrequently...hmmm...perhaps I should try that. And, I have said it before, but your hair is lovely!

  20. I have almost straight-as-a-board hair, but my sister has gorgeous curly hair - it's almost too curly! We've often joked that if half of her curls migrated to my head and half of my straightness migrated to her hair we'd each have "perfect" hair :)

  21. I have super curly hair and I typically use a herbal essances scrunch gel and then use a diffuser to blow dry. Super easy!

    autumn398 @ yahoo.com

  22. Layers didn't work for me, I looked like a red christmas tree, but my stylist texturizes (that's what she called it), my hair. Basically runs the flat scissor blade lengthwise downward through my hair - to remove bulk and add some swing. And to toot Beecology again: I flat iron my hair often too and it seems to straighten easier since I switched to Beecology. As a curly girl, I've tried so many different products and it's nice to find one that works!

  23. Hi Stephanie, I would love to own the book! I've looked through it at the bookstore. I have curly hair and I used Ouidad for a while with great results, but I recently tried Beecology and I LOVE it! It doesn't weigh my hair down, has a light pleasant fragrance, Paraben and SLS free, is relatively inexpensive at ~ $9 a bottle and the conditioner is awesome. My husband noticed the difference right away, and my stylist (Do you know how hard it is to get to the stylist when there are no family members nearby to watch your very active toddler?), well my stylist informed me it was just shy of 1 year since my last cut, and she only needed to take about an inch off the ends. Very healthy!

  24. I had pin straight hair, remember? High school? Pin straight. Then I got pregnant with baby #1, and then #2. And now... curls. But not beautiful curls like yours. I have the crappy kind that don't curl when (or where) I want them to and won't straighten no matter how much heat I apply. Sigh. That said, I went to a salon that specializes in curly hair and read part of this book. It has helped immensely, even tho I think the grass will always be greener on the other side. There are some fun recipes for homemade curly girl products in there.
    And thanks for the product recommendation. I might try it with some birthday money sometime... What did you love about it?

  25. Wow, I need this book like nobody's business. I have been struggling with my curls for my whole life! I have layers and I use all kinds of products, but I am rarely satisfied. Lately I have been using Frizz Ease serum and some kind of shine boosting gel by Aussie. When I have a really special event I blow it out straight and flat iron it, but that's a lot of work!

  26. My sister (Vanessa, a few posters up), has always loved Curly Girl and I've seen how her hair has transformed from big, thick hair, to big, thick, wavy hair! I've been No Poo for almost 2 years. :-) And I totally agree, cutting layers helps give hair more bounce!

  27. this sounds like a great book. i agree about layers - once i got them and saw how well it worked with curls, I also never went back!

  28. I was just looking at this book on Amazon. I don't have really curly hair but enough wave to not have a clue what to do with it so I blow it dry and straigthen it. I live in a humid climate which is not kind to my hair. Thanks for the giveaway!

  29. I never know what to do with my curly hair. It's not super curly, but wavy/frizzy enough that it's hard to get it straight and I usually don't have the time. I'd love to read this book and see what it suggests for me! :)

  30. I don't have curly hair--I just wanted to say I like your self-portrait. Also, I love the girl's hair on the cover of that book. Would you ever wear that length? I think it would look cute on you, although your long hair is also very pretty and I like the layers. :-)

  31. haha - I have super curly hair too - a little different from yours but more frizzy. I ended up getting the Brazilian Blowout in November and my hair can now be blow dried straight in 10-15 minutes with no fuss, not using tons of clips to section, and not using a flat iron! It's sooo easy now! However, it does grow out, and 3 months later, I can already tell it's a LITTLE more curly when wet and a tad more difficult to straighten than when I first got it. STILL I can now wear my hair straight EVERY DAY - and even in the rain, if I have blown it out, it does NOT frizz or recurl!
    However, the BB supposedly has some formaldehyde in it - they claimed it had none when I got it but I guess it has a little, still within the limits allowed, but...even so, for that reason I will most likely not do it again, at least during childbearing years! :)
    Curly hair is very awesome though if you know how to control it - I have never been particularly good at it! :)

  32. I have naturally curly hair and it has to stay that way the entire summer since I live in the heat and humidity of Texas. I'd love some tips and tricks for my hair! Whenever I wear it curly I just put mousse in it and air dry. Pretty boring.

  33. I straighten it everyday!!!!!! Crazy I know...I love it when I can pull it back in a pony...I had always washed my hair every day but the hair dresser has convinced me not to and it looks less dry! I do just like you..condition and out....or keep it up and don't let the water hit it....

  34. Oh my gosh! I have really curly hair and I have tried everything! Sometimes I find something that i like, and other times I regret my purchases. This book is definitely something I need to read, ASAP! By the way, I love the layers! I too have layers but unfortunately last time she cut it too short so my hair is just all over the place at this point.

  35. my daughter would L♥VE this book! She has always had beautifully, unruly curls... and, currently she HATES it! (*GASP* you have any idea how many people PAY to have her hair?? *sigh*) Anyway, she (& I) would be very grateful for any advice to help her have manageable curls...

  36. I miss my curls. Before I had babies, I had nice curly hair, healthy looking and long. Being pregnant messed with the texture and after every kid, my hair got less and less curly. Now it's just an unhealthy wave. :( So, I have to straighten it...every day. Maybe after I'm done nursing and put more years from the having baby phase my curly hair will return. For now, I will enjoy my daughter's curls! I love them...way curlier than mine ever were. But I had to wash my hair every day when I fixed my curls because of the hair product...maybe I shouldn't have.

  37. A few years back I decided to try the sweeping bangs style. I am in LOVE! Even though it does take time to blow dry my bangs straight I find it totally worth it. Even when I don't have time to put any product in my hair I can look put together by just taking 2-3 minutes to straighten my bangs.

    When I don't pull my hair back I swear by Bracato mousse. It leaves my hair not too "crunchy" and holds the curls perfect. It tends to be a bit pricey (and incredibly hard to find) so I only use it when I am going to do my hair. I also find that my curls lie really flat on my head when I air dry. I am a big fan of the diffuser. Gives me great volume without the frizz.

  38. Hi Steph! I just chopped my curly hair off! And now it's even curlier (without all that extra weight, I guess). And I love it. When it's wet I just add Suave mousse and let it air dry. I either use 2 bobby pins to keep it out of my face or a headband. Super easy. There are pictures on FB. And did I mention that I love it?!

    1. I haven't seen it, Mandi! I'm going to check it out on FB now. It sounds super cute...and easy-to-manage too.

  39. I absolutely love your hair.....especially when you put it on top of your hair in a messy bun=gorgeous!!

  40. Okay, so I am not a curly-haired girl. Farthest thing from it, sadly. But I would looove to win this book for my dearest friend, whom I have know since college. She has curly hair and, in all the years I have known her, has struggled with/hated her hair. I would love for her to embrace her curls! As a straight-haired girl, "curls cascading everywhere" make me smile!

  41. You have such gorgeous hair!! I do have curly hair, but my curls are not that tight, more of a wave. My two older daughter's have extremely curly hair and I am pretty convinced that my youngest will as well. I just this year started not using shampoo (I've gone pretty much "poo" free). I do use conditioner though each day. If I feel like I need to wash my hair with something, I use baking soda. I really think my hair seems much thicker and nicer ever since!! Would love to win this book though as I have only rented it from the library and loved all the tips!

  42. What a fun book! I do not have curly hair... I wish I did :( My daughter, however, has super curly hair and I have no idea how to style it!
    Your hair, btw, is beautiful!

  43. What a great idea for a book! I have curly hair, and so does my 12-year-old. We would love some tips and style ideas. Plus it would be a great way to encourage my daughter, since she is the only curly head among our kids and most of her friends, it seems.

  44. I don't have curly hair (so don't enter me in the contest) but I just heard about this book on MomAdvice too! She has curly hair and loves it as well! I guess that means all women with naturally curly hair (JEALOUS!!!) should get this book!

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