Big Hair, Don't Care

I've had several people ask me what I use in my hair and how I do it.  I'm NO hair professional by any stretch of the imagination, but I know what works for my kind of hair.  I have tried tons of products, and I know what I like and what's good and worth the money and what isn't.

First of all, I wash my hair once every 3-4 days.  Curly hair isn't usually oily and most of the time actually looks better on days two and three versus day one!

Here is what I do on each day, starting with washing/conditioning on Day One.

I shampoo first with Clairol Shimmer Lights Conditioning Shampoo.  It doesn't smell particularly great, but it "brightens white and grey hair and shampoos away yellow and conditions highlights."

I shampoo a second time with an Argon Oil Shampoo.  Then I follow up with Argon Oil Conditioner. I can't even describe in a word how good this stuff smells.  The only thing I can almost liken it to is a wax by Scentsy called "Enliven". It reminds me of that.  It's good.

I leave the conditioner in while I shower and I rinse it just before I get out.  I leave my hair up in a loose towel for about five minutes. Then I squirt about a nickel sized amount of Renewing Argon Oil into my hand and I work it through my hair with my fingers. Then, and only then, do I take a wide toothed comb and pull it through my hair.  You don't want to comb or brush curly hair while it is dry. (See example 1 below 😂) Aside from looking like you've put your finger in a light socket, it breaks the hair off and causes the ends to split.
(Example 1)

You can stop laughing anytime.

Now, the next step depends on whether or not we have rain or humidity here in the south. If we have rain or humidity, then I absolutely have to use something in my hair to help keep it from frizzing.  One thing I use (and I got this tip from Kimberly Schlapman herself via a direct comment to me on Instagram (and yeah, I totally squealed when she responded to me...after all, it's not every day that your hair idol responds to you while she's getting ready for the County Music Awards!) anyway...it's a wax powder and you sprinkle it in your hands and rub your hands together to make a paste.  I then take the paste and spread it on the parts of my hair that are easy to frizz in funky weather, which are the ends and the roots..and sometimes everywhere in between!

And here is a screenshot of where she responded to me asking her what she used for frizz!

Ok, so after I shampoo and condition and do the renewing argon oil and comb through, I will do the wax powder (or not, if weather is good).  Then it's time for the curl cream.  I have used many, many things for my curls, from curl creams, to mousses, to gels, to salt sprays, etc.  I will say after much trial and error that I don't use anything now except for curl creams.  They seem to make my hair so much softer and fuller than if I use other products.  I hate for my hair to feel crunchy and it doesn't feel that way with curl creams.  I tried curl creams a while back and didn't care for them, but my hair, even though it is basically bleached, is in great condition because I take very good care of it.  I think for curl creams to work well your hair has to be in good condition..and there may be some people that they just don't work as well for.  My absolute favorite curl cream is Moroccan Oil Intense Curl Cream.  It is heavy, but not too heavy and the smell of this one is my favorite of any I have ever used.

 I've also used the Frizz Ease version, the Marc Anthony curl cream, and I've heard great things about Rusk Wired curl cream.  I want to try it soon, as it's $15 less than the one I use.  I don't care for the Frizz Ease version, but I do have a bottle of the Marc Anthony to use here and there or if I run out of my steady (because I've not found the one I use in any local stores, I have to order it online).  I don't fret too much over what I spend on my hair products, because as far as curl cream goes, a little goes a long way and one bottle lasts me a month and a half or two months.  I can't stand not fixing my hair bc it gets frizzy if I sleep on it and then don't touch it the next morning, espeically days 3 and 4.  So day one and two I use my good curl cream...days 3 and 4, especially if I'm not leaving the house, or if I'm not having to really interact with people that I know if I do leave the house, then I use the curl cream(s) that are less expensive.  My hair still looks fine, just not as good as it does on the first two days.

Next, I diffuse my hair and get it completely dry.  I used to never dry it or only half dry it, and only until I started drying it completely with my diffuser did I get the results that I wanted out of it.  And remember, my hair is basically bleached, coarse by nature, and very curly...yet it stays in very good condition because of the products I use in it.  Over time, I have learned to not touch my hair at all while I'm diffusing it, except to lightly touch it to check to see if it is dry or still damp.  I don't scrunch it or anything like that.  It takes me about 8 minutes to totally try my hair with a diffuser.  Obviously if your hair is thicker, thinner, longer, or shorter then your time will vary.  I flip my hair to the right side and I hold the diffuser at the bottom of my hair and will just move it from place to place by letting the hair rest in the diffuser cap as I push the diffuser from the bottom of my hair up (sort of like scrunching it, only with the diffuser and not my hands).  I dry it that way about three minutes.  Then I flip it over to the left side and do the same thing.  Lastly, I flip it upside down and dry it for two minutes.  Once it's dry I let it rest just a few minutes because I find if I touch it right away then it has a tendency to frizz.  I think some people actually turn their hair dryer to cool and blow it that way for a minute or so, but I just usually let it cool down while I'm cleaning up or getting dressed or something.  Once it's cool then I take my fingers and go in the back of it above my neck (basically all around my hairline) and just sort of pull it a bit.  (If this doesn't make sense, then I might do a video one day from start to finish.) I sometimes wear it parted and fully down, but most days I pull my bangs to the side in a bobby pin...except I have to use two bobby pins because my hair is thick. 

Bangs to the side...

All down...

It sounds like a lot, but literally from the first renewing argon oil to the drying it takes me like 15 minutes tops. That is basically everything I do. Sometimes there are exceptions, like if it's going to be windy I will usually do some hair spray in it.  I like the aerosol kind the best.  Just my personal preference.  If it's humid or rainy, then I have a bottle of a Frizz Control that I will spray in it just to help.  Sadly, sometimes it's just too humid down here and no matter what I do somedays it's just a hot mess...and that's usually when it's 95 degrees with humidity in July while we sit at a baseball tournament.  My baseball friends have just learned to not sit directly behind me!

True Story: 

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

If you have any questions about products or are confused by any of the steps, just comment here or send me an email! I'd love to hear any of your tips for curly hair!