How To: Curly Hair

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I am one of those girls with naturally curly hair that constantly styles it straight. Even if I want the look of curly hair – I will use styling tools before committing to my curly birthright. Embracing your natural hair type will not only save time, but save the health of your hair as well.

My curls are not beautiful shiny, spiral tendrils – more like kinky/frizzy non-uniform curls that are impossible to control. Recently, I have decided to embrace my natural curls and experiment with products and techniques to make the impossible… possible. After many ditch efforts I finally found a regimen that transforms even the frizziest frock into luscious locks.

HOW TO:

‣‣‣ Apply mousse to towel dried hair, concentrating on the roots. This will add volume and definition. Favorite: Kenra Glaze Mousse 13

‣‣‣ Next add a styling cream. Favorite: Kenra Curl Defining Cream 5. This will separate and define curls – leaving them shiny and frizz-free.

‣‣‣ A simple hairdryer is not compatible with curly hair because its nozzle directs too much air at each curl, deflating it’s volume and shape. A diffuser attachment provides a steady source of heat without the pressure of a standard nozzle. Each curl will remain formed and maintain its natural body. Favorite: Elchim Cocoon Bi-Diffuser

‣‣‣ While diffusing hair, scrunch and twist random sections around finger to “assist” the shape.

‣‣‣ Add a bit of styling cream to dry curls for additional definition and shine.

‣‣‣ Next day curls can drop and/or vanish – try using a curl spray to “activate” curls back to life. Favorite: Kenra Curl Spray 8

TIPS:

• Curly hair has strong disulphide bonds because of the natural structure of the hair proteins, with which a person with curly hair is born. All hair, however, curly or not, has hydrogen bonds, which are not strong enough alone to draw the hair into a curl. But once you “break” them by wetting your hair, you can “train” them to act like disulphide bonds with heat, at least temporarily.

• Curly hair should never be brushed. On wet hair a brush may tear or stretch fragile strands and on dry hair it will separate and diffuse the curls, thus creating frizz.

• Avoid over-handling curly hair. If you touch curls as they dry you will disturb their natural pattern and create unwanted volume and frizz.

Blown Away! Elchim 3900 Healthy Iconic

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A great hair dryer is the difference between healthy hair and and a head full of dry, split ends. The cornerstone to any haircare routine, the longer it takes to blow dry the hair the longer period of time your hair is exposed to heat. The logic is simple – the better your hair dryer, the better your hair.

The Elchim 3900 Healthy Ionic is the very first professional dryer to focus primarily on maintaining healthy hair. The most powerful in it’s category – this hair dryer produces over 2,400 watts of power, reducing drying time by 30%. The ionic ceramic technology ensures evenly applied heat and reduced surface tension, leaving locks shiny, frizz-free and more manageable. Used by over 80,000 salons worldwide, Elchim blows it’s competition away.

Features:

• Hyper Technological Design of the latest generation.
• Integrated hair concentrator, easy fastening, optimized for high temperature.
• High power to straighten the frizziest hair in half the time.
• The most silent of its category, the lightest of its category, perfectly balanced.
• Ionic ceramic system, moisturizes and enlightens the air eliminating electrostatic charges.
• All Elchim dryers come with a lifetime warranty from the manufacture.

When shopping for hair dryers, the most important features for me are the wattage and heat settings. Elchim 3900 Healthy Ionic is both powerful and adjustable – with over 2400 watts of turbo-charged air flow and three heat settings plus a cool shot. I never feel like this hair dryer is going to burn my hair off, nor do I have to be extremely cautious as to how long the hair dryer is placed on one section. I can adjust this dryer to the exact heat and power I need. After every use, my hair looks and feels like I just got a professional blow-out. The best hair dryer I have ever used.

About Elchim:

Since 1942, Elchim has been providing salon professionals around the world with the highest quality products. Hair stylists worldwide agree, Elchim is the international leader in salon appliances.

All Elchim products are characterized by the unmistakable quality and style that can only come from European design. Elchim creates the perfect balance between power, performance and working time. Elchim’s high pressure technology provides higher air pressure which allows you to reduce operating time without damaging the hair with excessive heat.

Drugstore Find: Goody Spin Pins

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Goody Spin Pins

These clever little styling tools are quick and easy. Marketed to “do the work of 20 bobby-pins,” Goody Spin Pins help create simple up-dos in seconds.

Simply gather hair into a high or low bun and spin pins through the hair to secure. It’s that easy. The hold is tight and secure and easy to take out (just spin pin in opposite direction).

After a stylist informed me of a substantial amount of breakage at the crown area, due to securing hair in high-ponytail with elastic while sleeping, I thought I would give these a try. They keep hair out of my face all night and in the morning, I wake up with nice wavy hair.

Try out these little inexpensive hair savers for yourself.