The Budget Fashionista

My hair is naturally wavy—I straighten it sometimes (like in my picture) but I let it go natural often too. Right now I use Garnier Fructis serum for frizzies and Sunsilk gel/cream for curly hair to add additional bounce. I put the product in right after the shower. But I’m thinking of switching to new products. What products do you all use for curly hair?  And which would you prefer for yourself, curly or straight? My friend, who has stick straight blonde hair, wants my hair, while sometimes I want hers.  I’m really curious for what you all have to say.

Hee hee hee… one of my favorite topics.

I have naturally curly hair. I grew up hating it because it wasn’t smooth and perfect. I was taught that naturally curly hair looked like you “stuck your finger in a light socket,” so I was constantly fighting to straighten it, and it never did what I wanted. Then, in the summer and fall of 1992, it was very humid, and my hair frequently curled up despite my efforts, but everyone was telling me how great it looked and that I should wear it that way more often. Finally, that winter, I let my hair go curly, and it was WONDERFUL. No more fuss and fights with my hair, and it looked so much better now that I wasn’t fighting it.

A few months after I gave birth to my daughter, I discovered the book Curly Girl: The Handbook, which is a must-have for anyone with curly hair or with a curly-haired child. I started following the routine, which meant washing my hair with water and conditioner, adding more conditioner, blotting it with a towel, scrunching it with gel, and clipping the top curls. My post-partum hair began bouncing back, and my hair has been looking great ever since.

My only preference is letting your own hair go natural and not fighting it. If it’s naturally straight, go with that. If it’s naturally wavy or curly, go with that and stop trying to straighten it. You’ll save a ton of time and money (perfect for budgeters like us).