#baystroh

[lawschoolruinedme]

Me, Myself, and my White Girl Curly Hair

So, because of the comments on my last post, I’m here to talk about Hair, my curly products, and generally my own hair care routine.

First, let me tell you guys that I am the only one in my family with curly hair (yay adoption) so I was literally left to my own devices for a long time and the only guidance I got for a long time was my hair stylist who I’m pretty sure still wanted to perm everyone who came into her salon... 

Second - if you guys have not explored Naturally Curly literally stop reading and gtf over there. When I moved, it was the hair stylist recommendations on the site that helped me find a salon with a person who could ACTUALLY cut curly hair and not just like “pssh of course I can cut curly hair” 

SO. Me, myself, and my White Girl curly hair enjoy a happy little life of ringlet 3C curls. If left to its own devices, it would curl in very small little ringlets, but I prefer working with it to get bigger, softer curls. 

My haircare regiment includes: 

A strict no sulphates policy 

A moderately strict no-heat policy 

Regular deep conditions 

Not allowing anything to touch this hair but a wide-tooth comb

For shampoo’s, I usually use one of Loreal’s sulfate free products, but I recently tried the Organix shampoo when I was visiting @helloharumi and it’s a bit creamier, which has been nice for summer weather and needing that extra bit of weight to keep the frizz down. Also Loreal and I have a love / hate relationship because every time I find one of their products I love those fuckers discontinue it. 

I have tried co-washing or using cleansing conditioners, but the fact is that I’m both a product junkie and have lived in some smoggier cities (Windsor / GTA) that I neeeeeed to clean my scalp more thoroughly than those products do.

For conditioner, I have found the Pantene Curl line has great hydration. I’ve tried other stuff over the years, but I just keep coming back to this one. 

I deep condition at least once a week. I could swear by the Loreal Total Repair 5 deep conditioner and I dread the day they take that away from me too. 

For products, I have made my peace with several things. 1) I am a product junkie and will always be trying new things; 2) Product cocktails are just a part of curly life; and 3) I need a summer and a winter routine for every city I go to. 

Current routine (in this order): 

Moroccan Oil 

Herbal Essences Mousse (Hold 3) 

Bumble and Bumble No Frizz Serum 

I’ve heard people say when you apply curl products to your hair, you shouldn’t flip your head over because it “puts stress” on the curls. I don’t think this applies to my White Girl curls because I had been doing that for most of my life. I stopped for a little while, and realized I was still practically tilting my head over when I was leaning to the side to ensure the product got to the bottom layer of curls. So I’ve given up pretending I don’t do it and just started owning that I flip my hair to apply product.  

When my hair was destroyed from colouring, I was using a Kerastase leave-in conditioner which literally saved my hair, but it’s hella expensive and so I explored other leave-in options, none of which ever really did the same thing, so I switched to the Moroccan oil and it’s been good since. 

I use a mousse here in the GTA because gels or creams weigh my hair down more in the not-humid-as-satans-ass months, and then I get the “top part of hair barely curled, bottom part super curly” do. It’s not pretty. 

BUT, when I’m in humid climates, I’ve used to great success the Marc Anthony Curl Cream (gives shitty day 2 hair); Curling Gel mixed with Curl Cream (Loreal - at one point they literally had this AS A PRODUCT ITSELF and now its gone and I’m sad again);the Moroccan Curly Mousse (I find this is.. sticky? I use it when I go to Vancouver or during really high humidity days and it works great, but otherwise it’s way too easy to over-apply to my hair).    

I started using the Bumble and Bumble about two years ago and it, actually, does what its supposed to do. My hair may get more body during the summer, but it no longer looks like I should be driving a yellow schoolbus with a lizzard on my shoulder. Full Disclosure: I hate all other B&B products, but this one was recommended by my stylist (with the caveat “It always goes on LAST”) and I haven’t looked back. 

I also refuse to use my diffuser on my hair unless absolutely necessary because it makes the tiny ringlets come out, and sometimes I think it makes me look like Annie. 

Some tips I’ve read along the way, none of which I do, for varying reasons

Silk Pillowcases 

Dry your hair in a old shirt rather than a towel 

Add an oil treatment to your conditioner routine

Detangle your hair in the shower with conditioner in, don’t let comb touch it again that day

Tagging fellow curlies under the cut

@bathtubbarrister @collegestudentsunite @sadegrass @baystroh