This blog post is for all the ladies out there who have been doing all the right things - hydrating, cleansing, scrunching and crunching and STILL aren't getting the results!
I SEE YOU! If you're feeling bummed out because your curls didn't have a 'wow' transformation like other curlies. I've been there, too. It's not easy to stick with it when the results don't show up right away. It's almost enough to reach back for that straightener or curling wand... DON'T. I promise with a few small changes, your best curls are just around the corner.
I'm going to teach you how to stick at it, and achieve your best curls. YAY!
Where Have I Gone Wrong?
The first question I get from my curly friends is "I love my curls, but they never seem to do what I want!"
"Where have i gone wrong? What have a done?"
Often, your not actually doing anything 'wrong'. Most likely, your hair is damaged, dry, desperately needing a haircut, OR you just haven't found what works for YOUR hair.
What you might not know is that your hair can take up to five days to fully recover from a chemical service. Now multiply that by how many times you may have inflicted chemicals on your hair and breathe a sigh of relief. Yep, the reason you aren't seeing the results you want is because of how long it takes for your hair to heal!
Another VERY common mistake anyone with curls makes is using cheap and nasty products. It's easy to want to save money and buy supermarket shampoo's and styling products. However, 'most' cheaper products are filled to the brim with chemicals. silicones, sulphates and drying chemicals. These will literally strip your hair of any health it previously had. Its not all bad news- this is a relatively easy fix, it just takes time.
The trick is, have faith in your curls. Follow these tips and tricks i've listed below, and before you know it, those frizzes will be reborn into beautiful waves, curls, ringlets and coils.
Tip #1 Stick At It!
Perseverance is key! The best thing you can do is stay the course!!!!
A Real Life Curl Story
Kate, a sister of one of our staff, didn't get the instant results she wanted, but luckily she had her sister there cheering her on to stick with it! Each wash her hair was getting healthier, her curls began clumping together and her hair has finally started curling and not frizzing every time she styles it. Plus, the health of Kates hair improved drastically! - Kate’s scalp no longer get's oily on day 2! AND she can make her curls last 3-4 days before washing it.
So, if you're without a cheer team standing by your side, you have me! And the entire team at Lohy! Trust the process and stick with it! Your curls will come back and they will bring a new sense of achievement to your mantra! Trust me, “Natural looks good on you”!
Tip #2 Focus On Hydration
The longer you have spent not embracing your natural curl, by using flat irons or tongs to straighten, curl and wave your hair the longer the damage will take to repair. In fact, there may be a negative balance in your hair’s cortex (this is the sponge layer inside your hair that stores your hairs moisture - aka hydration). So on your wash days, make some extra time available to restore this. We recommend using a deep conditioning mask to replenish and revive ay damaged strands.
**Remember that the key to hydration is the balance between Conditioner + Water!
Grab a Flexi Brush or use your fingers and make sure to work through and massage in the hydration - don’t just settle for a slippery outer, work at pushing that hydration DEEP inside your strands!
Tip #3 Slinky And Scrunch!
‘Muscle memory’
noun
'The ability to reproduce a particular movement without conscious thought, acquired as a result of frequent repetition of that movement'.
When you have pushed your curls a certain way (eg. straight) repetitively for a long time, you may need to wait a few sessions for your strands muscle memory to come back. The best way to encourage this is when your hair is wet and you're focusing on styling.
Visualise your strands like a slinky, and starting from the ends with flat hands raise your hands towards your scalp encouraging that slinky-like motion and pulse your grip when you get to the scalp. It should sound like a squelching noise - weird, but completely effective.
The more you do this where you are trying to build curls, the more you will gain curl. You can also make this a double effect by covering your hand with a cotton towel or our Microfiber Glove, as this will help build your curls and also begin the drying process! YAY!
Here's a quick checklist of things you can be doing to help your curls along.
- Do I need a haircut?
- Am I using CG approved products?
- Am I using too much heat?
- Am I colouring my hair too often?
- Do I need to use more styling product? Or Less?
- Have I tried changing up my products?
- Am I using products recommended for my specific hair type?
- Do I know my hair type & porosity?
These are all good questions to be asking yourself when things aren't working. One small change might be the difference between mediocre curls, and "WOW" curls.
I hope that these simple steps will inspire you and aid in you getting the curls you are wanting. Don’t lose heart if it doesn’t happen straight away, remember I am here cheering you on with your journey!!!
Love & Hydration
Jo xx
Curl Boss / Founder of Lohy
1 comment
I started my curly journey a little over a year ago after 40 plus years of making my hair do what mother nature didn’t design it to do. I can vouch that it took a while for my hair to respond to the new approach to haircare and it took a while for me to feel comfortable about my ability to make the process work. BUT I can tell you that I would not have my hair any other way now. So easy, so healthy, so right. Persevere because it gets easier and it will become second nature in no time at all.