Welcome to a week celebrating curly hair!

#curlyhairproblems

If you have curly hair, you will know that it comes with its own unique set of problems.

Often the grass seems greener but once you learn to love what you’ve got, it becomes a whole lot easier to manage. Maybe you just need to see your curls through someone else’s eyes.

Today I’m taking a light-hearted look at some common curly hair problems and offering some tried and tested solutions.

Curly Hair Problem: The Triangle

The dreaded curly triangle is something I know all too well.

It was one of the worst haircuts I’ve ever had and I had to wait it out ’til it grew out. Don’t let a hairdresser use thinning scissors on your curls. They can cut into your hair to reduce the bulk but those thinning scissors aren’t for curls.

Even with the best haircut, I can still find my hair a little flat at the top. The weight of my hair pulls it down and the shape of my curls makes my part seem wider and flatter.

The solution:

Get a great curly haircut . I can pretty much guarantee it will change your life.

. I can pretty much guarantee it will change your life. Change your part as your hair dries. After washing your hair, part your hair on the opposite side to your usual part. When your hair is almost dry, flip your part back over to the regular side and notice the amazing volume you now have at the roots!

After washing your hair, part your hair on the opposite side to your usual part. When your hair is almost dry, flip your part back over to the regular side and notice the amazing volume you now have at the roots! Wear a zig-zag partline. Instead of a straight part, angle your hair diagonally back or create a zig-zag line. This stops the appearance of a wide, flat part and lets your curls sit a little higher.

Curly Hair Problem: Half-curls-half-frizz

It’s completely normal to have different curl patterns. Very few people have identical curls all over their head.

Your curl patterns can also change. The hair underneath used to be really straight but then it changed and it’s now the curliest section of my hair. Weird.

The solution:

Be extra careful when styling your hair. If you know you have a section that’s more wavy than curly, or prone to frizz, handle it with care. Don’t rub your hair with a towel. Instead squeeze it gently with a microfibre towel or old t-shirt. Twirl your frizziest curls with some curl cream to help them find their shape.

If you know you have a section that’s more wavy than curly, or prone to frizz, handle it with care. Don’t rub your hair with a towel. Instead squeeze it gently with a microfibre towel or old t-shirt. Twirl your frizziest curls with some curl cream to help them find their shape. Cheat with a curling wand. Use a small barrel curling wand that’s about the same size as your natural curls. Take small sections randomly on the top layer of your hair and curl them to match your real curls. Curl half forward and half back so that they appear more natural.

Curly Hair Problem: Spend an hour on your hair but look like you just woke up

Curly girls will know the agony of spending an hour trying to style your hair but you end up going out with your hair in a ponytail. That’s one of the reasons I started twisting and pinning my hair.

The solution:

Check the weather. Humidity and rain really affects curly hair and not in a good way. Check the weather report before you begin to style you hair and don’t attempt to straighten your curls when you know there’s high humidity.

Humidity and rain really affects curly hair and not in a good way. Check the weather report before you begin to style you hair and don’t attempt to straighten your curls when you know there’s high humidity. Practice makes perfect. I know this isn’t a quick-fix solution, but it really works. Practise 2 or 3 hairstyles that you like and find a way to make them work in your hair. Then when you’re in a rush or heading out somewhere special, you know you’ll have great hair.

Curly Hair Problem: My curls have a mind of their own

I swear my curls have a mind of their own.

Some days they just form perfect ringlets and other days they separate into a mane of frizz. I feel like I didn’t do anything differently, but my curls disagree.

On the days when my curls are winning, I try and remember EXACTLY what I did so that I can replicate it the next time.

The solution:

Handle with care. After testing a tonne of curly hair products, I’ve found the biggest difference is how I handle my hair. If I’m in a rush and rub my curls with a towel, no product will save them. Be gentle when washing and styling your curls and it will show in the finished result.

After testing a tonne of curly hair products, I’ve found the biggest difference is how I handle my hair. If I’m in a rush and rub my curls with a towel, no product will save them. Be gentle when washing and styling your curls and it will show in the finished result. It’s ok to cheat a bit. Like the frizz problem above, it’s ok to reach for your curling wand to tidy up any weird sections.

Curly Hair Problem: Knots and tangles

It’s impossible to brush curly hair so knots are a constant problem.

The follicle structure of curls is more prone to tangles too so we need to be extra careful with our fragile hair. A few tricks can help minimise the problem.

The solution:

Clip your hair up at night. The friction from your pillowcase to your hair causes knots and tangles to appear while you sleep. You can wake up with great curly hair with this clip trick. It really works and gives you great volume the next day too. Another way to reduce pillow friction is to buy a silk pillow slip.

The friction from your pillowcase to your hair causes knots and tangles to appear while you sleep. You can wake up with great curly hair with this clip trick. It really works and gives you great volume the next day too. Another way to reduce pillow friction is to buy a silk pillow slip. Detangle in the shower. After applying conditioner, use a wide tooth comb to gently work out any knots in your hair. Remember that hair is weaker when it’s wet so take care and don’t pull at your knots or you’ll just break your hair.

After applying conditioner, use a wide tooth comb to gently work out any knots in your hair. Remember that hair is weaker when it’s wet so take care and don’t pull at your knots or you’ll just break your hair. Use your fingers. If you need to work a knot out of dry hair, spray the knot with a leave-in conditioner spray and use your fingertips to smooth out any tangles. The conditioner softens your hair so it’s a pain-free way to detangle.

Curly Hair Problem: Lion hair

This was such a funny comment from Anne on Instagram that I had to include it.

Now, I’ve never been mistaken for an extra in the Lion King but I can definitely relate. My Mum used to say that my hair looked like I had walked out of a bush backwards!

The solution:

Embrace messy hair! I say roll with it. Big hair don’t care! Go back to the first problem and I think you’ll find that you’re just talking to the wrong person and you need to find someone that thinks your hair is awesome.

Have you experienced any of these curly hair problems? What’s the biggest issue with your curly hair?