D is for????

....DRY (& DIFFUSED)!

 It's been faaaar too long people. But hey! I've been busy. ...And I'm about to get even busier. (Gasp!) Long-term subbing job in English!!!! Yaaaaaaay. 'Kay, seat-dance done. Back to hair...


Pics: compare the two sets below to see the difference that "dry" can make ...


                   Front Wet

         Notice the uneven, crunchy, stringy effect. Characteristic to all wet hair, especially wet hair that's being passed-off as styled. (As opposed to a beachy-effect which, yes, is also styled--most of the time. But styled to make "stringy" look sexy.) 



                                                                          Front Dry

Dry curls means style will hold shape.

 

 

                     Back Wet

     Here's a close-up of not only my curl-clips (those things I've been talking about!), but also how fragile curls are when wet. It's near-impossible to maintain the definition of a wet curl when styling. Think of a snowflake. It's like crushing that pretty, lacy pattern. Tear-down-the-cheek. I've found that when I try to style wet curls (as I have sooooo many--toooo many--times in the past), my curls turn to frizz and when that happens, the general style I created does, as well. Worse! When I go to unravel that up-do, instead of curls cascading around my face and shoulders (think movies, readers!)...frizz flops and plops like bails of hay in a barn. ...Now there's an image!

             Back Dry

        Okay, it's blurry. Definitely diminishes the effect. (Photographer, I am not.) Still, what I'd like you to focus on is the difference in volume. Notice in the "wet" picture, the crown of my head has a matted effect. One could argue this is due to the curl clips, buuuut... Not so. Notice in this picture that the volume afforded the bounce of a dry curl is enough to overpower even hair clips. Again, drier is best for styling because of this. Because natural volume amasses.

Okay, now here's the real kicker .......

I DIDN'T DIFFUSE!!!

Can ya believe it!? Me neither. But this particular day, I had the time to let 'er air-dry-out, and it worked for me. BUT if you don't have that time, in if you're in a suuuuper pinch, here's a really great tip....

 

Diffusing Tip: Start on high. Finish on medium. (Or low.)

 

I know. I mentioned this waaaaay early on, and even used a cautionary tone. But that's because I never actually tried it...(Sheepish grin.) However, this morning, on yet another freeeeeeezing, snowy day with lots-ish to get done, I couldn't take it any more! HAD to get my main dry...NOW, darn it! So. Started on high. Waited for hair to reach the texture of a cold ramen, haha. (In other words, until my hair was stiff and not as wet, but NOT totally dry.) From there, I diffused on low (I have no medium setting), and used my free fingers to help separate curls and add lift to roots. Voila! Beautiful. (But no picture bc I'm 'bout to be late to work!)

 

Ciao. 

Happy Lover's Day!!!

happy lover's day ♥

And it's not just because I'm single! But. I've decided that Valentine's Day should really be called Lover's Day. (And not just for couples!) Think about it. If it were called Lover's Day, we'd all be asking What am I a lover of? in addition to exclaiming, I love you!

Well, certainly I'm a lover of love. First & foremost. But today, and everyday, I am also a lover of curls. Fat curls. Loose curls. Stubborn curls. Kinky curls. Glossy curls. Short curls. Unruly curls. Curls.

I love curls.

♥

Humidity-Heathen!

Humidity-Heathen: How I Knew ...

With one glance at my freshly rinsed mane, I just knew. I'd not yet peered outside. I'd not yet glimpsed the falling snow. I'd only watched the frizzy, stringy, stubborn strands as they unraveled from T-shirt to shoulder. Last Friday, February 4, after I awoke, after I showered, after I conditioned, after I did everything just right, I logged onto weather.com. I wanted proof that the barometer-called-my-hair measured "it" accurately. Well whatdaya know: Rochester, NY; humidity - 50%. Hah! The hair don't lie. (Hm, why don't we add that to last post's list. The Hors D'Oeuvres of Hair: If it's going to act-up, at least it tells us how to dress ... )

This photo-series, snapped the morning of said discovery, traverses my phases of styling as I prep the hair for a busy and adventuresome work-day turned work-evening turned night-out. Of course, as I snapped these photos, I had no idea any of those turns lay ahead. Just goes to show, thorough prep--preventative prep--allows you the freedom to adjust to any change in plans.


DISCLAIMER - This photo-shoot does NOT show hair as it looked in its post-rinsed, wet state. Error on my part! Also, it does not show hair as it holds-up throughout the day. (Zero time for follow-up shots.) But you can take my extremely honest word for it when I say that this hair, despite the 50% humidity, held-up through everything spontaneity could heave: even into the after-party when Old Toad finally gave us the post-2am boot. (Cute and extreeemely authentic British Pub in Rochester's East End. Gotta' say, I'm more an Ire-phile--as opposed to Anglophile, for sure!--and this place is still pretty cool.)

Humidity-Heathen: How I Handled

 1. Diffusion-Fusion: This pictures shows how my hair looks down, no clips or bobbies, post-product and diffusing. Not bad, huh? Well first of all, the camera loves my hair. Always, my strands look glossier and therefore healthier (or better moisturized) than they do in real-time. (Maybe it's the flash?) I mean, don't get me wrong: Photogenic hair??? Yes please! I'm just saying that in real-time, my curls looked a lot more frazzled and frayed--a lot drier--than they do here.

From Behind

 Frizz & Frazz

For instance, look at the front-shot <-- and notice the upper-right corner where my bangs lie atop my crown. (You can also see from behind, if you look to the top-left --> in the back-shot.) This is a major point of frizz and frazz. You will see the same signs-of-humidity-damage flanking the left side of my strands in both pictures. (Time-Out: This is how photoshop inept I am ... I couldn't even figure out how to draw circles around said areas and use arrows to point them out, eek!!!) Here, humidity has already damaged the top layer of my hair. As I prep for the day, these blatant signs of humidity-damage are telling. If already, some of the most pampered (because both areas receive tons of styling attention) and public (what people see first) areas of my hair have fallen asunder, it's a omen that the rest of my hair will also fall to the Humidity-Heathen.

Triangle!!!

2. Slay-it-with-Style: In these pictures, you can see how my curls fare post-styling. In the front-shot, while curls look coherent (they have a definite shape and outline), they lack overall shape and generate needless frizz. Exhibit A: The "triangle effect." (Again, photoshop drawings on this pic would be nice!) The number one way to fight Christmas-Tree-Look is to pull hair back at the ears, thereby creating volume on top and a sleek profile along the sides. Here, I've done just that. But the Humidity-Heathen, with all of his his hair-ruining prowess, undid even that.

Hair, There, and Everywhair!

This back-shot shows, again, well-defined curls. (It's the diffusing!!! And the cut. ... Mostly, the cut.) But uugggghhhhh! Check out that lack of symmetry. Seriously, what is going on at the left-top and bottom-center??? If I haaaad to wear my hair this way, because someone forced me to wear it down, I could. I would. It'd be O.K. But .... I know hair. And I know me. And I know that even during a simply scheduled day, these curls could not hold-up to the Heathen. Uh-uh.

3. Up-do Him! 

Cutesy Bun

Bye-Bye Humidity-Heathen!

Okay, there's still some frizz. Granted. (<-- See above ears!) But I have to tell you, my first line of defense on a busy, humid day, is always an up-do. That doesn't mean that if you are going-out, maybe for an evening, and it's summertime and it's hot and you're sweaty, that you can't pull-off a down look. You can. But ya need time. ... And Oribe Impermeable. Here, I had neither. For the sake of longevity, I did the up-do. And I liked it! Look at the cuteness bubbling-out of that back-bun. J'adore!

Results: Hair Won. Humidity Lost. 

And I had a lot of fun, while feeling beautiful (despite a seriously long, unforeseen, 8-10:30 work day). Humph! Take that Humidity-Heathen!!! (Picture me with crinkled nose and tongue sticking-out.)

Thanks for reading!!!

Hors D'Oeuvres

Baaah - I have tons of pics (for me, anyway) and no time to post 'em.  ... Consider this one an app. to the main course!

Curly Hair Hors D'Oeuvres -

We all know that those fancy, tiny, tasty bits before the entrée are the best part of any real party. Dang, sometimes they're the only meal served at parties! Swanky ones anyway. Or as long as we're doing the French theme: Swanky soirée-s anyway.

Well, here I am to list for you the hors d'oeuvres of curly hair. That's right: the tiny, cutesy tidbits that make curly hair delectable, different, exciting. That make curly hair delicious. Bon Appétit!

 ~ Hors D'Oeuvres ~

1. We do not shampoo everyday! (Sometimes not for many days.) Our hair still looks healthy!!!
2. Natural body: Big deal. (So big, consider this #2a-2z.)
3. Messy-Tousled-Beach-Look: Done.
4. Straight hair in a snap. (With the right tools ... someday we'll discuss!)
5. Unique.
6. Unleashes your inner-wild.
7. Sheets-to-Streets Style in an instant! (... Most days.)
8. Shape & Curl in Minutes (even if it's 45). Others need chemicals or rollers or both! ... Or worse.
9. Serious & Sexy.
10. '40's Glam, '50's Poise--almost any other hairstyle, from any time period ever.
11. Instant personality.
12. Staying power, with minimal spray. (Ask any straight-haired friend how big this is.)
13. High Fashion.
14. Fun.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you like the recipe. Let me know what else too add!!! 

xoxo

Countering Low with High ... Humidity That Is!

It really does feel like a gamble, when dealing with high-humidity-hair. Humph.

Before beginning, I'd like to note 2 main differences between low-humidity hair and high, other than the simple fact that, well, one is waaaaay easier than the other. On that note:

1. You'll notice that I have only one category for high-humidity as opposed to the multiple for low. "Frizzy & Stringy." That's right. Even upon exiting the shower, you're hair will tell you that it's humid by donning a frizzy and stringy exterior. As you progress throughout your wash-cycle, your hair will only assume variations of the above 2 textures. Below is 1 long guide that you can apply to all of those variations.

2. There are a bunch of hidden tips in this post. At the end, I will try to summarize!

Enjoy...


High-Humidity Hair -
Put away the garlic and crucifixes... There are ways to style during even the most horrifying of days.

Frizzy & Stringy - higher-humidity, after your first wash or rinse or non-rinse...

Definition: Oh man. I hate when this happens. It's usually around 6:30am, when I wake-up late but haaaave to wash my hair, and before I have a chance to glance outside, let alone fully open my eyes. There it is: Humidity. Personified by my hair. (If that's possible). Ugh, it is the worst!

For one, I've done everything right. Foundational (great cut and maintenance). Shampoo & Bb Super Rich. Leave-in. T-shirt Dry. Everything! I cannot fully describe the knot that I swallow as I untie my T-shirt towel to see a "fresh-palette" of frizzy and stringy. What happened to sleek and glossy??? I ask indignantly. I know they're there, somewhere!!! Humph, the worst.


Styling: I'll be honest. I haven't yet perfected the art of styling humidity-drenched-tresses. Straight-up, my number 1 defense is actually "set-it" techniques, which come last. Namely: diffusing and setting with an anti-humidity spray. (Oribe's Impermeable!!!! Even in winter. Yes - it can be humid in the winter!). Here, my point is to stress that even if throughout styling, your strands look ragged and haggard (... they might), do not lose hope. Diffusing will make it work.

1. leave-in: Because I typically don't know that it's humid until I unravel and free the curls that be ... I typically follow the same routine. Dab of conditioner directly following my shower.

However, on particularly humid days (aka very frizzy, stringy strands), I might spritz 'er down with a bit more water and add either more conditioner or a different leave-in. Currently, I use Neutrogena Triple Moisture for back-up. (It's thick, so a bit will go a long way, especially in already damp hair.)

2. style-it: Coat those strands with some gel. I emphasize gel because here, as I've found with my hair in the past, mousse is not dense enough to weigh down the follicle. In fact, I've found that in higher-humidity weather in general, mousse sometimes dries-out hair faster than gel. Important distinction: "to dry-out" and "to dry" and "to have low-moisture content" all differ drastically. Quickly -

To dry-out: means to extract needed-moisture from the follicle and cuticle when, in fact, this moisture is what prevents frizz. "To dry-out" is never good.
To dry: simply means to use a heat source (be it natural sunlight or added electricity) to remove excess moisture that lays atop the hair follicle
To have low-moisture content: means to balance absorbed moisture (to maintain follicle smoothness) with excess moisture (brought on by humidity). This is always good.

**Warning!: Please note. I am not a hair stylist nor a hair-care professional. Hell, I haven't even done formal research on this. The above distinctions are from what I've observed and are deducted based upon my own experiences with my own hair. Please do not take them as scientific or even aesthetic maxim.** Moving on ...

In short, use gel. Coat the strands, perhaps more than you would with a low-humidity scrunch. From here, oscillate between scrunching at the roots, to provide lift, and twirling at the base, to add shape. Believe me. It might not look pretty. It might look flat and string and ugly and hopeless. It's not.

3. set-it: Diffuse. You might even need to alternate between adding water (via faucet to finger-tips or spray bottle to hair) and adding heat. Does this slow down the process? Yes. Does this make sense? Yes. I like to think of the clay-analogy. Don't potters continually, though gradually and in a controlled manner, add water to the clay of which they form, in order for it to ultimately dry? Yes. Remind you of curls? It does, me. Sometimes, while diffusing, you need to add moisture, in a controlled manner/environment, to shape the curl the way you see fit. I promise that as you keep with it, you will begin to see the formation of shapely, defined curls. After this: spray. Spray each layer of hair with anti-humidity spray. This will coat each curl with to shield them from lingering moisture, and it lends a flexible hold (if you buy a good spray)!

The only other tip I can give is this: Silicone. Silicone products are widely used in the curly-hair industry. Check-out any John Freida. You will see that this is true. While some critics shun silicone, for its propensity to accumulate onto the hair follicle thereby drying-it-out in the long run, others extol it. Truly, it builds a protective barrier against unwanted moisture while maintaining and adding shine. In my experiences, and based upon advice from my hair stylist, silicone is great if you care for your hair regularly.

That is: shampoo thoroughly, but not overly (2-3 xs/week even with exercise!); maintain moisture within the cuticle via regular conditioning and leave-in treatments; lovelovelove your hair. Also, if you find extra build-up on your hair while shampooing, ABSTAIN from using a clarifying shampoo. This can strip your hair of its natural conditioning agents. Instead, double shampoo with your normal product. In fact this morning, when I felt residual build-up on my strands after the first shampoo, I did just that. A second shamp. It will cleanse and hydrate.

Back to the silicone. After applying so much product and diffusing ad nauseum (b/c it might feel that way), your strands will look shapely and defined. But they might also look super dry. Desert-like. A high-quality anit-humidity spry like Oribe's will add the luster you're looking for, and so an additional silicone product isn't necessary. However, if you're out or if you're not using it, I've found that any available drug-store hair serum--(check the ingredients: I bet one of the first is silicone!)--will provide a similar sheen after a few pumps placed from fingertips to roots to tips.

Whew! Hot, Hazy, & Humid is Hard Work! Here are some Tips to make it more manageable...

High-Humidity Hair Tips:

1. Know your Terms: Understand the difference between "to dry-out," "to dry," and "to have low-moisture content"
2. Have Hope: Stick with your styling even if frizzy and stringy look imminent. The real definition will come with diffusing.
3. More Gellies: Gel is denser than mousse, so I've found that gel adds more defining weight to my curl as I style through the frizz and the fray. Whichever you use, use more than you think necessary.
4. H to the Frizzo: As in H20 + Frizz ... Anyhow: it's the opposite! You might need to add spritzes of water, in controlled amounts, as you style your curls, and even as you diffuse, to counteract the frizz. It will take longer to style and set, but it will also give you greater control.
5. Silicone Valley: You've all heard me tout the incredible, miraculous Oribe Impermeable. Best anti-humidity spry going. Seriously. Spray this on strands--all over strands--to add shine (and a distinctly delicious fragrance) and to hold your curls. However, if you've run-out or you have-not, buy a hair serum. Pump a few dollops onto your finger tips and massage throughout curls to obtain a similar effect.
6. Clearly Don't Clarify: Actually, it's not so clear. When using all of this product, especially with curls which require at least a leave-in at best, one might assume the a clarifying shampoo is curls-best-friend, or mother, or something. ... It's not. However, especially with the use of silicone products, residue will build. Instead of using a clarifying shampoo, which can strip hair of its natural moisturizing agents, double your current shampoo. That's right. When you find residue lingering on your tresses after the first shampoo, give 'er another. That'll do.
7. High Low New Combo: Omg! I've never divulged about diffusing. How silly of me. When I say high, I mean use the highest heat possible, especially in cooler temps. This will ensure that your hair actually dries sometime that day. When I say low, I mean use the lowest setting possible for blow-intensity. (Wow, I'm really lacking on the terminology here.) For instance, my blow-drier has 2 intensity settings: high and low. I use low. If yours has 3, ie. a medium, decide which is best for you. However, I've found (and my stylist has concurred) that the high-intensity setting often causes more frizz than fab. So there it is: high & low.

Happy Styling Ladies and Lads! (Ya never know...).

<3

...Snowy Day??? Style-A-Way!

What a day already!

First, Rochester was supposed to get this huuuuuuge blizzard. Blizzard of the Century. Such a huge blizzard, that Diary Queen couldn't compete. Or Sonic. So that means, for the first time that I've ever seen--including the ice storm of March '03 (when senioritis officially kicked-in)--ALL of the school districts in Rochester and our surrounding suburbs and the outlaying schools, ALL of them, canceled today's school day, yesterday. Yesterday! Crazy. And Funny. Because had they waited ... they wouldn't have canceled. So belly-laughing hilarious and yet, ironically sad. As in: there will never be another snow day as long as we live, ever. I'm calling it.

Second, I didn't even want a snow day! I was supposed to sub today. That's money in the bank ... (Which we'll get to.) Worse! I was supposed to sub Friday, only if there was no snow day today, ya know what I mean? Oh money. Moneymoneymoney. It laughs at me. Speaking of which...

Third, do not let cute bank tellers flirt with you while they are depositing your check! They might get distracted and, woops!, deposit your cash into the wrong account. Lucky for this person's account who got my cash ... judging from my receipt, it looks like they needed it. Lesson 2 for the day: always check your receipt! I knew that balance looked funny. Moreso, check the account number ... which, when I look at it now, doesn't look like mine. Hm, lesson learned: Beware of flirtatious teller. Not worth it!

Okay, onto the real stuff. My apologies for not having posted in forever. Also, for not having found old pics for post #2...or for taking new pics...or for making tutorials! (Hope we got some imaginative readers.) In the meantime, thanks for bearing with!

Since last post, I've wanted to discuss alternate routes to the scrunch. Because let's face-it, sometimes your curls won't be having-it. Below is a list of hair textures and the names that I've designated for the styling that can go with. Again: pictures would be fabulous. Noted.

Today I am focusing on low-humidity hair. Next post: high.

Low-Humidity Hair -
If only every day were so simple, so--ironically--straight-forwardly, simple!

Fresh & Bouncy - low-humidity, after your first wash (shampoo) or rinse (condition)
 Definition: When I'm at "Fresh & Bouncy," I always feel at-home. It's my cleanest palette from which can create anything. By that, I mean anything--style, look, you name it!--for the rest of the wash-cycle. For me, "Fresh" means I've just shampooed and conditioned, or have conditioned within 1 day of that, and "Bouncy": that my curls look thick, glossy, and smooth when wet. You'll know you're at "Fresh & Bouncy" when you feel like a sea-goddess emerging from her underwater kingdom beneath the... Oops! Side-tracked ...

Styling: Classic scrunch. Those smooth, happy follicles will need a healthy coating of product (gel or mousse) to maintain that texture. Those thick, glossy curls will need some lift and separation so they can go fourth and multiply. Again, I recommend product and styling in this order:

1. leave-in : finger comb throughout
2. style-it : scrunch mousse or gel throughout, after a healthy coating to each strand
3. set-it : pull back with curl-clips to dry evenly, diffuse it, and use an anti-humidity spray post-drying if you feel inspired. (Especially if it smells extra delic!)

Vintage & Stiff - low-humidity, after a few rinses
Definition: After a few rinses in my wash-cycle, I'll observe a noticeable product build-up on my strands. The major difference is that instead of defined, glossy curls as exhibited in the "Fresh & Bouncy," I will have less-defined, straighter looking locks. Looks equally as nice. But don't let it deceive! These strands are the Sirens-of-Curls, calling you with their promises of straight and lush. Lies! All lies! Just because your hair looks like it wants to be straight, does not mean that it will. It will not. Be not seduced. Instead ...

Styling: Twirl. You must do the twirl. At this point in their cycle, or odyssey..., your semi-tired, almost worn-out strands need lots-o-love. That means less on the product, more on the curl.

1. leave-in: like normal
2. style-it: use your fingers to really comb gel throughout hair. Also, use about half as much as you would if scrunching (so 1.5 dollops instead of 3, if it were me!). The finger-combing will help to separate strands that, otherwise seem chemically-bonded, without adding excess frizz. The 1/2 sized product compensates for that which, though water-soluble, hasn't completely dissolved in past-rinses.
3. twirl-it: take your fingers (probably the index); gently gather strand-by-strand, layer-by-layer (starting at your crown, working back); and twirl. Loop the strand at the root, loosely twirl it round-your finger, and begin to watch definition form. Twirl some toward the back of your head, and others toward the front: mixing-up the direction will lend a more natural look.

Thought it was gloss. It's concealer!

Do not spend hours, or even half-hours, twirling every single strand of your hair. First, you'll end up looking like an Irish Dancer. (Oh, hey, I do have some pics!) Also, you save time. Really, if you get a few choice ones in each layer (maybe 8 on the top and middle layers, and 4 at nape of the neck), you're good. Really, what you're doing is adding lift, separation, and definition to a few curls. The rest of that lift, separation, and definition comes with diffusing.



4. set-it: Diffuse! Definitely. To set the work you've just massaged into your hair (for lack of a better verb), you need to. This will secure the lift, separation, definition and add body that might otherwise was missed from not having scrunched. Diffuse!

Finally - I've noticed that in the past, when I have tried to scrunch this texture, I have created super-stiff, uber-processed '80's-looking-perm-hair. ...Good to know for Halloween, right.


Vintage Ribbons - low-humidity, after no rinse
Definition: As I've noted in past posts, sometimes, when I haven't rinsed my hair during a wash-cycle, the mixture of natural oil with the lack of added-moisture makes my hair to look like ribbons. Two-day old ribbons on a forgotten-gift (if that helps the visual), but ribbons nonetheless.

Styling: There's 2 approaches. If you want to stay in-the-dry, use some heat. This will create a more effortlessly-styled look. (It's all about paradox). If you want to stay more natural, use some wet and some heat (to your liking). We'll call the former A and the latter, B.

A - Heat, Effortlessly-Styled

1. leave-in : none (you got natural oil workin')
2. style-it : .5" curling iron, high heat. For extra protection and a sleeker look, use a heat-protection spry like CHI Shine Infusion. But really, all of that old product and natural oil already protects your hair. The choice is yours. However, if you want a super-styled-stay-all-night look, definitely use hairspray. Before curling each strand, lightly coat with a layer of spray. Your curled-curls will last all nigth.

Product aside, let's talk technique. Similar to the twirl, I do not curl every strand. We're not going for the Shirley Temple here. Instead, choose a few choice selections--certainly the bangs!, framing around the face, hit each layer on each side, and more-than-you'd-think from each layer in the back. Stick with those. Next, take the iron and curl. If the curl doesn't come out perfect, no problem! At this point, you're going for a mixed-medium of curls. Think a fruit display of tomatoes. Don't Heirlooms look so much more appetizing mixed large with small, size with shape? ...That's not to say that your head's going to look like a portrait of tomatoes ... But it is to say that you are going to look fresh and delicious! Fabulous. So mix-it-up. Experiment. Have fun. In the end, you might end up doing an up-do, like a messy side bun, or some half-up-half-down number. Whatever works. Either way, you'll look great. Effortlessly styled.

B - Hot 'n' Cold, Wet 'n' Hot
1. leave-in: spritz some water; maybe add some leave-in for workability. Less than you think!
2. style-it: Combo the scrunch with the twirl. You'll want to scrunch the roots to lift them from the crown. Twirl the strands to give them more bounce. In terms of product: 99% of the time, no. You won't need it. Your curls already have residual product from prior styling. The water should be enough to activate. However, you have to use your judgment, always. ...Do what feels right.
3. set-it: Air dry should be okay. For one, your hair, as a base, is already dry, and therefore more likely to drink-up any added-moisture. For two, you don't have much added-moisture! Unless your hair really needs some definition, let it air-dry.

(Speaking of which, always always always, if you need more definition: diffuse! It always helps in a pinch.)

Next post ... High Humidity.

Bye!

Styling

(I still have a headache ... Not completely un-typical. Whine!)


Styling: I know it seems that a post like this should've come first. But I felt it important to explain the history and characteristics of my hair--and certainly the relationship that I have with my hair!--before I try to expound upon the ways I treat it. So hair (ha!) it goes.

I'll break this down into categories: Foundational, Product, Styling, Tips.


Foundational: The Must-Dos for your 'Do. (laaame line, but...it'll do.)

1. Trim, Cut, Treat! Each cut or trim is like a spa treatment for your hair and scalp. We're talking exfoliation, moisturization (is that a word?), rejuvenation. The cut is the most foundational aspect to healthy, happy hair. (Curls, or not!) The best advice I can give--whether you're willing to shell out the dough or not--is to keep a regular appointment. Damaged hair: you're looking at a trim every 6 weeks. Healthier hair: between 8 and 10. I cannot say enough  how important it is to maintain regular maintenance. Since I have for my own, from June 2010 to now, the back of my hair near the crown, has transformed. From hay to silk. (Wait...did I just make a "Rapunzel" ref???). But seriously, it has. And my ends, they do not split! My hair feels strong and smooth before, during, and each shampoo and condition. (Okay ... unless I got a bit heavy with the hairspray. But still.) Even by the 2nd or 3rd appointment, my hair improved in weight, volume, and texture. GET REGULAR CUTS. Also ... it doesn't hurt to splurge. You really need someone who understands how to shape and cut curls. ...Yes, you do. Finally - be not afraid to approach the reliable or ritzy (or both) salon in your area. First, guaranteed they give free consultations. Second, you might be surprised by how affordable wash, cut, and style is. (I was! Pleasantly, so.) But since you're the number one person hanging-out with your hair ... here's what you can do.

2. Shampoo: As previously noted, do NOT shampoo every day. Every 2-3 days, depending on product-use and sweatiness..., is best.

3. Condition: It pays to invest. Buy the more expensive (I mean as in the $20 and plus) conditioner. I'd say shampoo too...but I haven't made that investment, yet, either. Again, I use Bb Super Rich. Not necessarily for every condition: prob. 90%. Seriously, it is fabulous. Luxurious.

3. On-and-Off: On off-days (that is, non-shampoo days) rotate between rinsing with conditioner and rinsing not at all. (Shower-cap-it!) For example: on extremely humid days after a shampoo or a condition, when my hair has reliable texture, I would not rinse whatsoever. The added water-moisture on the cuticle of the hair, as opposed to the product-moisture that locks moisture into hair, will cause crazy-frizz.

4. Loose the Towel. Dry using a T-shirt. That's right. A plain, cotton T. (I use a white one.) T-shirt absorbs excess moisture from your locks to make for more efficient diffusing and other such styling, while the smooth surface abstains form creating excess frizz and fluff. My fellow-curly-haired-friend, Cassie, let me in on this secret. (She's a BK girl [Brooklyn], and apparently the City has these sweeeeet salons just for [gasp!] curly-haired people.) Uh-mazing.

6. Leave-it-In: Always. Always coat your strands in something. Leave-in. Regular condition (which I frequently use). Olive oil. Mayonnaise. Egg. I don't care. Something. Something that will cuddle and protect your hair. Which leads us to...


Product & Styling: What's good.

1. Good Things Come in 3's: Basically, all curly hair needs 3 styling products: a leave-in, a mousse or gel, and an anti-humidity spray.

2. First Things First: Leave-in is the first product to hit your tresses directly following a shower. I mean even before I T-shirt dry, I run a leave-in through my hair. Mostly, this is a brand of conditioner you might find at the drugstore, such as Pantene. Once or twice in the past, I've asked my stylist if using straight-conditioner as a leave-in causes build-up. Nope. Guess it doesn't. (Believe me: she knows her stuff.) My point: if you had to scrimp on anything, scrimp hair. Buy a decent drug store conditioner, and a dollop will do ya! (Depending on length, hair texture, and volume). I typically use a quarter-sized amount.

3. Scrunchy, Lovey Hair: If there's one thing I've learned about styling, it is NOT that mousse is better than gel, or vice-versa. Honestly, it's what your hair takes-to, depending on the day. For the looooooongest time (like decades), I used mousse. First it was Pantene for Curls. Then, Herbal Essences for curls. Both were fab. But now, for whatever reason, I'm into gel. ...Okay, this is another area where I scrimp. I know! Aren't you shocked!? If I were anyone else reading this blog, I'd assume that leave-in and styling is where I'd spend the most. But really ... it's foundational (cut, condition) and finish (anti-humidity ... which we'll get to!). So--okay, I'll admit it--I use L.A. Looks. (The green colored one.) And I love it! First, it works. Second, it smells delic. Third, it has a C rating in "The Better World Shopping Guide" (Jones, p. 98). (Okay, now I need to cite this sucker at the end! ...If I forget, let me know...).

Quick side-note, "C" is a waaaaay average rating, and there are better (or more expensive) brands I could invest in. ...But keep in mind how much money I'm currently making with this master's degree that, technically, the bank owns. (I mean, right.)

So yeah, I use L.A. Looks. For now, it works. But here's what makes it work ... SCRUNCHING! Maybe someday I'll really learn how to use (gasp!) technology, and I'll create a tutorial. For now ... old fashion wording will do. Briefly - I coat my hair with gel, so that if I were to touch it with my palm, I wouldn't necessarily feel hair-strand. I'd feel gel-coated-hair-strand. This takes maybe 2 or 3 quarter sized dollops, finger combed throughout, to coat my short tresses. From there, I use about 3 more dollops, spread throughout palm and fingertips, to scrunch. Straight-up scrunch. This is an example of what I mean by "cuddling and loving" curls. Instead of continually smoothing-down hair, from crown-to-base, in an effort to smooth the follicle, use your fingertips, like gentle scrubbers, to lift root from crown and to add bounce and shape to curls. Whereas the former leads to frayed and frizzy, hay-like strands, the latter engages and cultivates the natural curl. Trust me. Also! Don't be afraid to throw-in a hair-flip or two, or three. Often, I rock my hair over the front of my face, so I can scrunch the curly-cues at the nape of my neck, or even from ear-to-ear so that the sides get some lovin', too.

4. Enemy #1... You guessed it! Humidity. Humidity is a curly-haired-human's Kryptonite. (Honestly, I don't know "Superman" that well ... so hopefully I got the allusion right!) Especially during the balmy summer or rainowy (remember: rain + snow) winter months, humidity can wreak havoc on otherwise perfectly treated tresses. This is where I really, truly, totally recommend investing. Curly hair needs a quality anti-humidity spry. In fact, when mine ran out this fall, I tried cheating by using a hairspray brand available at drug stores. ... Can's still 3/4 full, and lonely in my closet. (Sorry- just wasn't good enough.)

At this point, I won't pretend to know enough about the  indredients that make a spray such. But I can tell you that "Impermeable" by Oribe is gold. (Actually they make gold pomade for hair, which I've seen featured in fashion mags and have even dappled-in myself. But I digress...) You know what: nevermind. This stuff isn't gold. It's the golden-colored genie that comes out of his golden-lantern who grants you all of your golden-worthy-curly-haired-wishes. Seriously! That picture, on my first post--the one with short curls where I have it completely down! ... as it remained such the entire night!-- that occurred on a hot, hazy, humid August evening because of Impermeable-genie. Invest. You won't regret it.

Tips: The Essentials.

1. Quality cut and stylist: invest. Now.


2. Maintain regular trim/cut appointments. Between every 6-10 weeks. If you can trust your stylist, he or she will let you know.


3. Invest in a quality conditioner. This is the product that will touch your curls most often and probably, first. I recommend Bumble & Bumble (Bb) Super Rich. Delic.

4. Use a T shirt to dry your hair after rinsing! Really: it can't get more simple than that.

5. Always coat hair in something before putting-it-up or (duh) styling it. Product helps to protect hair not only from heat, such as the kind encountered by blow-dryers, but also from other elements, such as ... humidity, or lack-thereof


6. SCRUNCH your curls, after they are well coated with the styling product of your choice.

7. After you have styled, but before you have diffused, try using pin-curls. (Those long, silver metal things I mentioned in an earlier post.) Typically, I clip back the sides and "bangs" of my hair. This allows for faster drying ... and it keeps slimy, gel-hair out of my face.

8. If you are on your 3rd of 4th day without shampooing, focus on up-dos. First, your natural curl probably doesn't have as much shine as it did previously. Second, your hair will have the perfect texture to maintain a sweet, sassy, or simple sweep-up.



9. Invest in a quality anti-humidity spry. Oribe Impermeable. Love.


10. LOVE YOUR CURLS. Embrace them. For real.

The End.

Works Cited.

Jones, Ellis. (2010). The better world shopping guide. Canada: New Society Publishers.

The Big M

Migraine. ...Ugh.

I don't recommend those for anything, let alone curls.


...Until next time, fellow curl-ers.

Break-Time

Alright guys: nothing too new today. ...Except that I might post twice, since I missed yesterday. (Which turned into a surprisingly busy, though fun day, ending in champagne, moody playlists, and sparkly shoes with SaraC! She's kind of like my fashion-guru...okay, and my friend.)

Today's blog is a follow-up from Monday's. Speaking of: Monday night, with still a breaking furnace and temperatures--though warming--still sub-freezing, I decided to shower with a cap and hair band. That's right! I didn't wash, let alone rinse, my hair. Kept it dry and frankly, more manageable.

To be honest, I yet haven't discovered the science behind when it makes best sense to or not to rinse. (Wash- I'm pretty good on. ...Again, will discuss in near-future posts!) Really, I only based this one on time, laziness, and warmth. However, my decis. to not rinse on Monday turned out to make even more sense on Tuesday! At 7:25 yesterday morning, I stepped outside to warm my car and in doing so, stepped into the finest mist of frost and rain that, like blunt needles, pelted my face and my hair and everywhere. Therefore, based also upon yesterday's humidity, I really did make the perfect choice! Here it is:

Yesterday, my hair was on it's 2nd day of un-washed (meaning I shampooed and conditioned Sunday evening). And my hair was on it's 1st day of un-rinsed (meaning I didn't condition Monday). In instances like this, when hair is technically a few days "old," I think it always best for an up-do. Who wants stale, dry, tired strands representing what fresh, glossy, awake curls should say? Clearly, I wasn't leaving my hair down. But because of what I experimented with on Monday's post, I wanted to take today's one step further. Instead of styling an up-do--re-wetting, re-producting, re-diffusing my hair--I wanted to just do one. ...With relative closeness and ease compared to how it looked when I awoke.

Here (<--) is what I looked like, after dress and make-up (makes all the diff!), but with my hair exactly how it looked when I (begrudgingly) woke-up. Notice the frizz framing my face, but the general shape structuring the volume around my crown. Digression: for round, or even square, shaped faces such as mine (round), volume on top helps to elongate jaw-line and an asymmetrical shape, to accentuate bone-structure. (Actually, I've always wondered if there are specifically shaped styles that go, specifically with curly hair, as opposed to face-shape. Some investigating and researching I will have to do before I report back!)

As you can see: I had a lot of good factors compelling me toward minimal styling. The first was that my strands had a workable balance between both dry and flexible. In my experiences, dry is good when the strand has enough texture to style without it immediately frizzing or even breaking. Likewise, dry is not good when curls turn from ribbon-like to cotton-ball, bordering on thistle. In that texture-scenario, I most certainly would have used water and leave-in, perhaps even styling product.

After minimally-restyling my cooperating hair, this (-->) is how I looked. You'll notice that I maintained the original shape by pulling the sides back more tightly to emphasize the volume and asymmetrical shape on my crown. Here are the simple steps I followed for this low-maintenance styling.



1. Took down my hair from its original pull-back. (Again, so technical.)

2. Did NOT use water or leave-in or product. Again, my hair was the appropriate texture to work with as-is. (Think dry and more relaxed--straighter than its usual curl--like an older ribbon on a day-old gift.)

3. Pulled back the sides and back of my hair to separate it from the shorter front-layer (could be called "bangs," for lack of a better term). Let this bang-layer just chill, for the moment.

 4. Fastened hair into a regular pony-tail holder by creating a messy bun. (This turned-out a lot more polished than I ever suspected! Pays to check-out the back of your dome, every now and again.) First, I secured pony-holder around hair once, at the nape of neck (just like how you'd start any pony-tail). With the second tie-around, I twisted it once--before securing the hair--so that instead of tucking my pony under, I tucked it up. Hence the bun-like formation you see near the top. (Ah, hopefully that makes sense!) Sometimes, I do this upside-down-messy because, overall, it lends more lift to the actual pony. Instead of tugging-at the rest of my hair, it adds balance and maintains shape (and volume) more naturally.

5. To secure the "bangs" (which at this point, looked a-80's-mess!), I gathered and twisted them back once or twice, and secured with 2 bobby-pins in a criss-cross pattern. Because my hair already had texture (which happens with--I think--all hair types if they haven't been rinsed in a few), I needed do nothing else to obtain lift and volume. Voila!

Simple: Especially for a rainowy-day. (That's rainy & snowy.)

6. To tame those frizzy fly-aways that you notice in the "before" pic, I pulled back and secured with more bobbies (love those guys) as necessary.







Could this styling have looked better? Yes!!! For one, I could have used an inch or so curling iron, with some Chi!, to smooth back the volume, lending a more even and finished look. I probably could have also secured some of that messy-bun with bobbies, to create a more defined bun. If I'd been headed to an interview or a business-like event: sure. For a regular, ole' workday: this works.

Let me know your thoughts!

Give the Curls a Break

Today, I woke up ... and I looked like this. (-->) Yeah.

Pretty much how I look every morning. (...Maybe now, that question from earlier--something about, What will I do when I live with a boy???--maybe now that makes more sense. ...A lot more.) Well yay for us, there are 2 bright-sides:




1. I still look this crummy with straight hair. (Seeee! It's not just a curly-haired thing.)
2. It gets better.

It does. Today's blog will focus, not so much on the hair, but on how everything else makes-or-breaks the hair. Before the onslaught of my early-morning photo-op begins (...my very immature version of journalistic risk-taking!), I need to backtrack.

From an early age, I quickly decided that hair "makes-or-breaks" the face. While emerging from the tub each evening or upon surfacing from the 4-foot plastic pool my parents erected each summer, I always noticed that I looked different. Better. Back then, I'd say prettier. Last night, upon first glance into the mirror after stepping out of the shower, I can put to words what, at 8, I'd observed.

Alright, I'm no artist, or hair stylist, or expert on shapes and contour, but from my past experiences, it seems that glossy, loose, longer waves--subtle curls that extend past the shoulder--give my face a softer, more polished look. A longer neck, a slimmer silhouette, more defined cheeks, softer eyes. ...A prettier look. Hm, and while this post won't attempt to deconstruct society's definition of pretty, I will briefly qualify by adding: A prettier look according to what society touts as prettier. (Think about it.)

Regardless, numerous hairstyles--not just the pseudo-straight aqua-inspired envy from 2nd grade and, let's be honest, last night--have proven to me that, in a way, hair does make-or-break the face. How many top 10 lists have you heard or read where celebrities or critics or stylists or prom-guides insist that the #1 "must" to the "perfect" outfit is ... hair! ? More significantly, how many times have you, yourself, changed a look by styling your mane? Personally, I've noticed that my hair, slicked straight back with a tiny bun (we're talking un-styled, un-teased, un-primped) is straight scary. Haggish. Oh good Lord, there are many more more to catalog... But that's a different post all together.

Well: You know what readers? Lately, I've wondered if my past 20 or so years of media-glean, and if my past 20 or so years of experience are ... misguided.

You know the morning of my first blog, when I used an expletive while tugging my hair at the roots? Well that morning, I finally stopped toiling with my 'do, temporarily admitted defeat, and moved-on to make-up. Huh, I said, mascara placed into bag, I don't look so bad. Broken angles and nonsense, plaits of natural crimp and coil: my hair jutted everywhere. But dang, I looked okay. So this morning, when I woke-up to a breaking furnace, a -6° exterior temp., a 13.5 hour work day where I'll be pulling down about $100 (okay, that's more embarrassing than these pictures), and that (see below) hair, I knew I had to take drastic measure.

May I direct you to Photo-Op 1:

(I can't believe this picture is making more than 1 appearance ... in the same post.)

Picture 1. This is what I look like most first-things. Hello sunshine! We're talking no make-up. (See those circles???...Concealer's my fav new tool.) Ugh honestly, the only cosmetic happening in this ensemb. is the tan work-out band holding-back my top-floof, and holding-up the bottom.

Well, I got curious. ...Or desperate. Instead of tackling the bed-head-beast first, I put on some clothes.





Picture 2. Here I am in actual attire. Still no make-up. Still no styling. Still, improvement. Interesting...







Picture 3. If this were an experiment, the 2nd variable--number one being attire --would be make-up. I took this picture to see how much my look changed after applying my face. Honestly, if I were super-late (like last Thursday when my alarm was the main-office waking me for work as the school day began: sorry school!), I'd've gone to work like this. It's not fabulous. Or gorgeous. ...Kinda' cute. It's better. Light-years better. In a serious pinch, it's good to know that attire and make-up will do.









Picture 4. These are my curls after I release them from their top-knot, spritz 'em with a bit of water, and blow-em-out with the diffuser for body and separation. (Haha, who knew you could "lift-and-separate" more than just your ... ).





Picture 5. Here's me. Professional me. Post-styling. Hm: not my fav. But then again, I was going to work with middle schoolers and then with coffee drinkers at my side-stint as a barista. (Sounds so much better than saying "my part-time part time" job.) Really, who was I trying to impress?




So there you go. Maybe hair doesn't totally make the face. Sometimes an outfit does. Sometimes, some serious concealer.


Lesson: Don't rely solely on the curl. Sometimes they need a little support, in a little bit different way. Sometimes they need a break.


(P.S. Turns out I didn't have to work! Showed-up and they didn't need me. ...Or rather, I read the schedule wrong and was actually on-call. Yet considering that it's on the way home from where I sub, that I wanted my paycheck anyway, that I needed next week's hours regardless, and that I could now attend an important meeting that last month, I missed ... this was a welcome surprise. No matter how ya' slice-it.)

Night.

Evolution of Free Curls: Freedom

(<--My hair is super curly!) I'm not sure that I ever had one hair-epiphany. If I did, it gradually let itself known. (Do epiphany's do that?) What I can say is that if "it" did occur, it occurred in 3 main stages...or evolutions. Let's examine. The Era Of... 1. Edward Scissor-Head (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099487/)

During the winter-break between 2009 and 2010, I was neither student nor teacher. Student, because it was winter-break... Teacher, because I was a per diem sub at my old high school and therefore, had no lessons to plan or projects to grade! Add friends-who-have-real-jobs (meaning they haven't had a "winter-break" in at least 2 years...) plus boyfriend-who-DNE (for all you math people!), and you get one very bored BarbaraEllen. Very. Bored.

Inspired by the silhouette of a strapless, sweetheart-neck, empire-waist, bubble-hem hot pink NYE mini, and encouraged by the copious amounts of time I had, I fantasized. The perfect shape and texture. The lift and bounce. The flutter and flow. I fantasized about my hair. Colonial-man (-->) wouldn't do.

During this 2 or so week span, I relentlessly goggled and researched curly-hair websites. I found that a number suggested long, metal curl-pins (totally botched that name) in order to help style. Either by placing them at root, to lend lift, or at the end, to give weight, various sites recommend that I style my hair using these. After raiding the local drug-store, I did.

For about 3 months. Every morning with hair wet, sometimes every night--I even tried sleeping with these Medusa-asps!--I sectioned my head into clips. For the remaining stragglers, I used thick bobby-pin-things. (So technical.) I noticed that my hair dried faster, and certainly the curl seemed to have greater definition. Instead of pieces clumping together, curls more freely separated into their own defined ringlet. In addition, I used a .5" curling iron for the pieces that feel flat or frizzed-away, as the websites discussed.

My hair looked cuter. I got various compliments from friends, male and female, alike. Problem was: my ends severed from the weight of clips and pins, and the damage incurred by my already neglected tresses meant even drier hair. And to be honest...the E.S.Head look scared me. (Sorry, no pictures of this!) Ironic. For someone who wanted "free" hair, I gave mine chains.

2. CHI

According to The Free Dictionary by Farlex, chi is, "The vital force believed in Taoism and other Chinese thought to be inherent in all things. [...] a balance of its negative and positive forms in the body are held to be essential to good health in traditional Chinese medicine," (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chi). I've always likened chi to a life-force that guides, nourishes, and sustains. (Really, I should learn more about it.) I think it's both a huge coincidence and also, no coincidence at all that Cationic Hydration Interlink, or CHI, products have brought both style as well as "balance" and "good health" to my hair (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/chi).

To chronologically backtrack, it was Halloween 2009, the year I taught (tried to teach) myself the "Single Ladies Dance" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY)--to the left is the public debut while celebrating my 24th!--and also the year I fell in-love with the first season of FOX's, "Glee" (http://www.fox.com/glee/). Naturally, this meant I had to be Beyonc-Glee for Halloween! (Would post pics, but I'm not sure the costume ever made sense to begin with...).

Naturally, this also meant that I had to straighten my hair. A feat which hadn't been tried since Study Abroad Ireland circa 2006... The advent of Smoker-Mom-Hair. ...Yeah. Yet between the advancements of a ceramic straightening irons (thank you Mama!) and CHI Shine Infusion spray (http://www.target.com/CHI-Shine-Infusion-Thermal-Polishing/dp/B000VTRJPE), something miraculously and drastically changed my hair.

...God had answered my prayers.

Seriously. He'd given me uber-straight, silky locks previously unknown to my ironically pasty complexion. He'd given me straight hair!!!

Throughout the beginning of 2010, I oscillated between torturing my tresses with curl-clips and pins and smoothing these same curls with an external life-force that I had craved since childhood. (Who are we kidding? ...Toddler-hood.) However unrefined, the advent of these new techniques brought with them the keys to unlock the chains that encaged, and the doors that would liberate. (You laugh. But a woman's hair is a big deal. Even The Bible says. So...)

3. Gods and Goddesses of Hair

There's this salon I go to. In Rochester, NY. Where I live. It's fabulous. If you live here, or around here, you already know what I'm talking about. It is amazing. World class. Every time I've gone to its Pittsford location, be it for a mani, or an eye-wax, or a styling, or all 3, I have walked-out feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. That's saying a lot for a girl who's still unemployed despite a 2010 Master's, when she should've graduated with her Master's in 2008 from an Ivy League(!), when she had to move from the Upper West Side back home to West Irondequoit...with her parent's, and.... okay okay, before you begin to think I'm bitter, I'll stop. (Giggles!) To make my point: this salon is beyond fabulous.

And so is my stylist. She's younger than me and has pin-straight hair, yet still knows curls better than I ever will. She takes her time with each consultation, thinking thoughtfully before each response, and she uses the products available for purchase, not because she's pushing you to purchase them, but instead, because they truly are the best. Oh, and did I mention that once my hair started growing back more healthfully, SHE recommended that we push our appointments back from every 6 weeks to every 10!? In this economy! That's class.

In June 2010, I finally made an appointment with these gods and goddesses of hair, of pampering. I almost cried. She held the square-shaped mirror in front of my face, at the end of our over-an-hour-long consultation, cut, and style. I almost cried. Redemption. I had redemption from all of those tears and years and screams and struggles. I had my hair, and I had something I could love.

There are a few key things I know that my stylist does (and probably a-bazillion more she knows). Here's the gist of what I got:

1. Chop the dead-out. Yeah, it was short. (I actually prefer my hair short.) But to get it healthy, she cut the dead.

2. Loose layers. And she does this cool twisty-cut thing that helps to shape the curl as it dries. I have to say: it works.

3. Hydration Hydration Hydration. For some years, I'd begun shampooing my hair only 2-3x/s week, even with exercise. Now, I also use a Bumble & Bumble Super Rich conditioner almost every time I condition (and even sometimes as a leave-in!) (http://www.bumbleandbumble.com). It feels like silk and is just as strong. (Which silk is, really, super strong.)

4. Caressing. My stylist caresses my curls. As she adds product, when she diffuses. Lightly, gingerly, lovingly, she molds and twirls each curl into shape. I'm forever learning how to be this-kind-of-gentle. Because gentle looks damn good.

5. Diffusing. HOW HAD I NEVER USED A DIFFUSER BEFORE!?!?!? I've ALWAYS had one. Since high school! Always. Yet I have to admit, I haven't begun to regularly use one until...like, October 2010! That means I went FOUR months, throughout the entire summer, barely using a diffuser. WHAT!? was I thinking???? (Breathe.)

Okay. A diffuser. Is amazing. A) Who wants wet, slimy strands brushing, like the snakey-suds of towels at the car wash, against their neck? B) It works. It lovingly separates each curl so that when I am done, I look like a run-way model for the .2 seconds before I see my 5'2", unmake-up-ed frame. Seriously, it allows me the freedom to style my hair with body. Mostly, it allows me to style my hair not at all. It allows me to just be.

That is what I got.

In closing, one final note (for now) on freedom:

Curly hair always has to be styled. In some form. Whether its a cream or an oil or a conditioner, something needs to moisturize those kinks and lock-in-the-yum. But if already, you're hair is happy and healthy, and if already, you've treated it with love...most of the time your curls can "just-be" with nothing more than a dime-sized amount. Most of the time, they can be free.

...Or free to style however you want. Now, I actually think of hairstyles to match my outfits! I've done '40's, which require some straightening and re-curling (fun!), and side-swept messy buns. Either way, I'm glad to know that I finally know have options. (See-ya Pony-tail and Colonial-man...) You see, it's not just about being free. Rather, it's about freedom from and freedom of styling. It's about the type of free that you choose.

...Until next time!

Evolution of Free Curls: Cumbersom

...Okay, still no pictures. Especially in this post, which chronicles the evolution of my hair and its styles, they'd be helpful. I promise that soon, I will dig through the archives and--shudder--face my scanner. (It's slower than, how do you say, hair that refuses to grow after a botched cut! Seriously.)

Oh what torture I put my hair through. But really, I had no guidance. Think about it. How many fashion magazines have you or do you read where, sure they claim to talk about curly hair, but actually- it's some imposter whose fabulous stylist uses hot-rollers to feign an all-too-perfect curl-like look? (...Similar to that hot-chick/nerd-in-disguise-stunt the movies pull: thank you "She's All That" and "Easy A"...both of which I love! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160862/, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0160862/.) Truthfully, I've grown-up with air-brushed, steam-rollered fakes, modeling for me what could never work on finely textured, tightly curled, voluminous hair. Not the products they use nor the techniques they teach could tame these tresses. So, I did the best I could given what I had...

IDENTITY CRISIS:

I can honestly say that the earliest memories of my hair pre-date the nocturnal-praying/begging-sessions of yesteryear. In 1990 and 1991 when I was in Kindergarten (maybe a year before my exorcism-of-the-curls), I vividly recall a clammy, green leather chair that, ironically, juxtaposed the Emerald green walls surrounding it. Though within its natural environment, this beast sat a part from it. Gigantic, cold, grown-up: this chair wanted to eat me. It wanted to eat my hair. Helpless I sat as tufts of dried-up snarl floated from neck to shoulders, stopped to hover around arms, and pitifully, found its resting spot upon the wooden beams that supported us. (They were green too.) But I'm not a boy, I thought quizzically, staring into the square-shaped mirror the stylist held in front of me. I'm not a boy. In his infinite wisdom, my father asked to have my curs lopped-off. Not at the shoulder... But at the neck. The neck! ...Twice!! He did this twice! The second time I remember thinking, resignedly: Again??? Even then I could sense the ironic humor. ...How my mom let this happen, with hair curlier than mine!, I'll never know... (Well, she was in college, full-time, to become a chemical engineer, so... Some things fell by the wayside. Manely--haha--my hair.)

STRAIGHT-PHASE & PARFAITS:

If God didn't lend a hand, I'd eventually take things into my own. Throughout the rest of grade school, I grew my hair long--rarely cutting it--and mostly, I tried the brushing-it-straight-while-it-was-still-wet "technique." ...This went over well. I styled my hair into a giant parfait-gone-wrong: tight curls like raisin nuts bolstered the bottom, looser curls like messy swirls of fruit suspended in yogurt comprised the middle, and teased-out "straight" pieces--shredded wheat, if you will--lingered on top. All of the elements for all of the wrong flavors. ...Scrumptious. By the time I got to 6th grade, my mom and I tried an at-home relaxing cream. All burning around neck and ears aside, this almost worked! For the greater part of 1997, my hair relaxed into manageable waves so that I could actually leave it down ...at least in winter. Yet as my roots grew back and as summer approached, my hair ushered in a new-era. A new reign.

MONOTONY:

For the entirety of my adolescence, including junior high, high school, and an eighth of college, for the larger part of the next decade, for every single day from 1997 to 2004, I wore my hair the same way. (Okay...save for prom and ball...and school picture day. Regardless.) Freshly shampooed and conditioned daily (not healthy!), slicked-back (river-rat), tied-up in the back-center of my head ('80's/stuck-in-a-missed-childhood-of-hair-styling), and endlessly scrunched (obsessive) until tight curls fell past my neck and stopped at my shoulders: for 7 years, I wore my hair one way. The pony way. It wasn't until the second semester of my freshman year at college when I realized that I wanted to look like a college student. Not the-girl-who-got-to-visit-her-big-sis-student. Finally, I began wearing my hair down. One problem: I tortured it.

TORTURE:

Still, I shampooed my hair daily. Or almost daily. (Not healthy for curly, or even dry, hair .) To style, I drowned it mountain-upon-mountain of mousse-globule, and really I willed it to be straight by tugging at every single curl rather than gently cradling them into place. Worse: I never cut it! If anything, my mom trimmed it every year or so. HORRIBLE. Shamefully enough, this never truly changed until this past summer... (I mean, I began getting more regular cuts by a professional. But it wasn't until June '10 that I began regular cuts with a curly-hair specialist. So embarrassing...). On the whole, for the next 6 years of my life from 2004 until 2010, I suffered from hair that I never fully wore down, that broke very easily, that housed its own Sahara right in the back of my head, and whose silhouette formed the stereotypical-triangle so that even when I wore it half-up, half-down, I always pulled it back. ...This led to what I call "colonial man" syndrome. How did I ever date?

FREEDOM:

That was probably the worse part about my hair. I never felt like I could just leave it. Always, it had to be styled, and even then, it had to be hyper-styled so that, somehow, it maintained shape. You know how some girls can just get out of the shower and leave their hair? It doesn't always look fabulous as it dries, but it can be left? I couldn't do that. Or some girls can style their hair, but keep it down. Nothing in it. Free of pins and clips and ties and plastic and metal? Free. Not mine. Mine was always encaged. Tangled. A prisoner of its own tangles. I hated that. I hated feeling trapped. What will I do when I'm too busy for this? How will I handle it when I live with someone else ...a guy? Why can't it just be easier, more natural? These questions seem frivolous, like nothing to get worked-up about. But when they occur every day and when they denote every day for every successive day, they are daunting. Cumbersome. I had me some cumbersome curls. Next post, I'll explain how I broke-free. ...

Thanks for reading!

Day 1

From Day 1, I've haaaated. No, abhooorred. My curls. Sure I look happy here... It was early August in humid Rochester, NY and my hair--short hair--looked good--okay, hot--down. (We'll get to that...) But every summer since, not so much. In fact, I had to be just 5 when I used to go to bed with hair wet, neck strained. Please, God, give me straight hair. So I can feel normal. So I can be pretty. I stretched and tugged and cried. Every morning... I woke up with curls. Scratch that: frizz. Dry, scratchy, frizz. (Pictures to follow... I hope!)

It hasn't been until very recently...some 20 years later, that I've begun to make peace with, accept, and even admire my curls. I attribute most of this to a fabulous cut, keen consultation, and nurturing products. Still, I battle with my hair. Just this morning, in my 25th minute of hydrating and scrunching, twisting and tugging when 25 minutes I had not, I let the bold mass fall into billows around my sweat-soaked face. I then tugged at it like a gardener extirpating root from earth. I [expletive] hate you, I said aloud. Only difference between this morning and those nights 20 years earlier: I didn't mean me. I meant the hair. I meant temporarily, the hair.

This is why I want to write. I want to understand my hair. I want to understand what hurls me toward battle with it. The humidity? The product? The styling? Society? I want to understand what makes the curls look insatiable one day, inscrutable the next. I want to understand what curly--very curly--hairstyles work best with which fashion styles. I want to understand what coiffures look best with which shape face, which eye-wear. I want to understand which products work when it's humid, and why, and which work when it's dry...and why. I want to understand what I should and shouldn't invest in. I want to understand so that others can too. I want to understand, because I deserve to find out.

...This should be interesting. (Please- personal testimonies welcome!!!)