Hey there, moms of girls with curly hair! Are you feeling frustrated? Overwhelmed? Feeling like their hair is totally out of control and have no idea how to manage their curls?
This article is for you!
My name is Mimi Brachfeld and I’m a hairstylist located in Lakewood, NJ. I’m a curly haired girl myself and after years of dealing with my curly locks I’ve picked up the best tips and tricks to dealing with curly hair. I’m hopeful, that by the time you finish reading this article, you’ll be better informed.
After doing loads of research when I was young, my mother discovered an amazing salon located in Manhattan called Ouidad. This salon was specifically created for curly haired folk. The products they sell are fantastic and their haircuts and treatments are phenomenal. The salon and products are quite pricey and therefore, over the years, I came up with a list of products and techniques that do the trick for way less.
Here’s what I found to work best for my clients’ curly locks:
Step 1: Your Haircut
When taking your curly girls to get their haircuts, mention to your stylist that you want long layers. This will help the curly ends have more movement curl definition, and prevent it from forming a thick bunchy bush.
Step 2: Washing
Most stylists would advise giving the hair a good shampooing one to two times a week and conditioning the hair every other day. Once the conditioner is applied to the hair, brush it through the curls using a wide tooth comb. Start by combing out the knots at the ends of the hair and work your way up. Wait about 2 minutes (or sing the ABC’s twice) before rinsing out the conditioner.
Have dry hair with a lot of breakage? Look for products that use words like repairing, restoring, strengthening or rebuilding. These products will contain protein which will help restore and refreshen the hair.
After showering, comb out the hair again and gently squeeze the hair with a towel. Never brush the hair when dry!
Step 3: Styling
Once the hair is damp you can apply the curly hair product of your choice! I love using gel products versus mousse. I feel like you have more movement when applying a gel and it gives more curl definition to the hair resulting in prettier curls! Search for products using the words climate control if you’re dealing with frizzy curls. Use the “rake and shake” method when applying your product. Feels like the gel or mousse made your hair crunchy? Try running your hands through the hair with a serum to unscrunch the crunch.
Step 4: Diffusing
This is an extra fancy step to use if you’re looking for a quick dry. Attach a diffuser to your hairdryer and dry the curls by scrunching them in the diffuser. (I have a tutorial of this as well on my Instagram page)
Once you’ve completed all these steps get ready for some great looking curly hair! Finding that your hair frizzes up in the morning? Try sleeping with your curly hair in a scrunchie at night and use a silk pillowcase. This will help prevent bed to head friction which can cause frizz. Want to freshen up your curls? Either try using a gel spray or a curl refreshing spray. You can also just spray some water over the hair which will cause the gel that you already have in the hair to reactivate.
Use these tips and your daughters (and you) will learn to love their curly hair! Want more curly hair tips? We have lots on the topic! Read a Help Me BCP! How do I control my teens curly frizzy hair and see how I learned totame and love my big curly hair By a Between Carpools Teen.
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As a fellow curly girl, I LOVE seeing articles likes these! We need to appreciate all different types of hair and not tell people to straighten their hair (especially for shidduchim). These are amazing tips, but I’d like to add a few of my own. I was a major DevaCurl girl. I used the coconut conditioner and curling custard. I would put a ton of conditioner in my hair and not wash it out, put a few pumps of the custard in, and then plop my curls (This entailed taking a giant t-shirt, wrapping my hair up, and sleeping in it. Google it). DevaCurl also has an expensive salon in the city. My way around the shlep and price was to look for a DevaCurl certified stylist in my area. I found someone 20 minutes away who was trained in the DevaCurl cut, but cost a fraction of the money.
Sara I totally agree! So many of my curly hair clients wish their hair was straight. I always try to give over a love for their curly hair and an appreciation for the unique personality of their hair.
Thanks for the tips!
-mimi
I’d love it if the title didn’t specify “girls”… once upon a time I had a little BOY with curly hair and I needed tips! Now he’s a grown man with amazing curls. Just something to think about
Sandy that is so true! Didn’t think about that! The rake and shake method can definitely be applied to curly haired boys as well!
As a mother of a curly haired girl I love this article! My daughter uses tons of mousse on her hair, but lately I’ve become wary of all this stuff going on her scalp. I wish I would know of more natural alternative products that really work, Anyone out there with any ideas? Please share
EF maybe try some of the shea moisture products. They’re sulfate and paraben free. I like their coconut and hibiscus curl enhancing smoothie. It moisturizes the hair and adds great curl definition.
-mimi