So many of us sacrifice our time and money in the quest for smooth strands. We blow out our crazy curl patterns, flatiron our wayward waves and chemically tame our God-given texture. The grass is always greener, and if you were born with curls, you probably put your hair through torture trying to make it look naturally straight. We get it, a sleek, glossy mane is gorgeous, but what’s so wrong with working with what you’ve got? We’re not saying to send your flatiron into retirement (changing things up once in a while is always fun), but learning to love what your parents gave you will not only mean a later wake-up call, richer bank account and happier hair”but you’ll look pretty fab, too. Here’s how to master your mane, no matter the texture:
Work Your Waves
To get the most out of your naturally beachy (lucky you!) and versatile hair type, you’ll need to start with a great stylist and just the right amount of layering”too few layers and you’ll have pyramid hair, too many and you’ll look a hot mess. To enhance your mermaid mane at home, work a leave-in conditioner post-shower to cut down on frizz and let strands air-dry, or tuck into neat braids and untie when fully dry for a more polished look. To revive messy, bedhead back into VS model worthy waves, lightly mist hair with a texturizing spray, or a homemade cocktail of water and a few drops of conditioner. Then, scrunch your ends with a small amount of moisturizing pomade, like Aveda’s Brilliant Humectant Pomade.
Love Your Loose Curls
Loose, Goldilocks-like curls look best when shiny, defined and frizz-free. Flaunt your fairytale texture by locking out humidity and sealing the cuticle, starting with a great conditioner. Curly hair craves moisture, and a lot of it, so make sure you don’t skip this step. To style, gently towel dry hair and work a spiral-friendly cream, like Marc Anthony’s Strictly Curls Curl Defining Lotion, into locks. Let hair air dry, and try not to touch it”running your fingers trough your mane will only result in frizz. For more controlled curls, use a diffuser attachment on your dryer, set to low. Point your dryer upwards, while lifting and cupping sections of hair with the diffuser until completely dry. Finish off with shine spray.
Rock Your Ringlets
All you need is the proper care to take your lion’s mane of tight, bouncy curls from scary, to seriously sexy. Tight ringlets are fragile, so be extra gentle when shampooing and detangling. Post-shampoo, make sure you apply a healthy amount of deep, strengthening conditioner to your mid-lengths and ends to further protect your locks. Follow up with a detangler like L’Oreal’s EverCré¨me Nourishing Leave-In Spray, and carefully brush out knots from the ends up with a wide tooth comb. Once you’re tangle-free, work in a curl-enhancing styling aid or mousse and use your fingers to separate curls, using your natural pattern as a guide. Air dry, and keep your hands away from your head until no longer damp. Gently finger-comb curls and smooth any frizzies with a small amount of pomade.
