Give it to me STRAIGHT
Danny Best is the featured stylist of the month and kinky hair specialist at Donna Pascoe Salon.
Maybe it’s Barbie’s fault. Or Sleeping Beauty. Or Rapunzel. It seems like storybook princesses from our childhood are always visualized with long, flowing hair as straight as a city grid. Not a kink or curl in site.
Maybe this is where women have gotten the idea that if their hair isn’t perfectly straight, no frizz and low-maintenance, their life is over. As a stylist, let me be the first to say, that’s just not true. But it has become something of an urban legend here in South Florida. For most women, this is troubling because the vast of majority of them are born with some degree of wave to their hair. The beauty industry has enabled this myth by flooding the market with some incredibly useful products. Like, um, the flat iron – not exactly sure how we ever survived without that one. Then there’s the chemical (read, toxic) hair straightening systems from the Japanese, Brazilians, and the like. Modern technology has finally made hyper-straight, frizz-free hair within our grasp.
Well OK, straight hair can be beautiful; but it’s not the end-all-be-all of beauty, IMHO. Maybe you’re one of those women who fights their curly hair like a bad habit and have finally found a way to force it into straight-submission. You might consider giving your wavy locks a break and let the “natural you” break free – with a little assistance, of course.
Curly, wavy hair can be stunning when treated properly and left to its own devices. As John Lennon said, “Let it be”. Following are a few “dos” and “don’ts” to help give you the option of letting your natural texture shine through.
1. DON’T shampoo every day. The curlier the hair, the more naturally dry it is. Along with cleaning your scalp (the actual role of shampoo), shampooing strips your hair of its natural oils and can dry it out. On non-shampoo days that you want to style your hair, DO wet and condition it. Don’t be stingy with the conditioner and don’t rinse it all out.
2. DON’T rub your hair dry with a towel. DO Blot it. Rubbing your hair roughs up the cuticles of the hair shafts and promotes frizz. Heaven knows we don’t need any more of that in this part of the country.
3. DO use products! Every head of hair has a magic prescription of hair products that will get it looking fabulous. Most often this is a combination of several things such as leave-in conditioners, mousses, curl creams, sprays, etc. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a trial and error process, but it is worth the exploration. What is going to work best in your hair is whatever you find that works best in your hair. If you are unsure of what to use, ask your stylist for some recommendations.
4. DO use a diffuser. This is a critical hairdryer accessory that a curly girl can’t live without. For less than $20 you should be able to buy a universal diffuser that will fit your dryer. Tip your head around to let the hair fall away from your scalp, pick the hair up with the diffuser using a high heat and low speed on your drier, and use it to press and scrunch the hair to your head. The higher the speed of the air and the more you use your hands, the frizzier your hair will get. Frizz is simply curls that have broken apart so try to leave them together as best you can. Also, drying it only about 90% with the dryer and letting the last 10% dry naturally will help with the frizz factor. And when you are facing a day that your hair really matters, don’t be afraid to use a curling iron to tweak the pieces that didn’t take with the diffuser.
So, that’s it. Stand up against the straight propaganda. A full head of luscious curls might be just what the doctor ordered. Your natural hair texture probably wants to let you know how just how beautiful it can be if you will give it the opportunity. Take your time and be patient with yourself, there’s a bit of a learning curve. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I think the investment will be worth it. So get to it! We are all waiting with baited breath to experience the real, natural you!
