My first blog post about curly hair, published in 2023, came about because of the amount of times I was questioned about my curls. Now, when people see me and my youngest son together, they often comment “he got his curls from his mum” but little did they know, I, in fact, got my curls from him. Due to an increase in hormones when pregnant, my hair went from straight to curly in a matter of months. In fact, according to one of the founders of Royal Locks, “40–50% of women experience major changes in their hair while pregnant or breastfeeding”. And yep, you guessed it, I was one of them.
Some might think it is a blessing in disguise, but I found going from straight to curly hair quite a jump. But 4 years in, I feel like I have finally got the hang of it. I have made some changes along the way and for all of those who ask, here is my step-by-step guide to embracing those curls.
Step #1
Brush your hair
First things first, brush your hair before you jump in the shower. Get those knots out. I love my Tangle Teezer, but it doesn’t matter what you use, as long as you get those knots out and accept that this is the last time you’ll brush your hair until you wash it again.
Step #2
Shampoo
A sulphate-free shampoo is a gentle cleansing shampoo made without sulphates. It cleans hair that has a possible build up of styling products, so it’s great if you follow The Curly Girl Method and have a bit more product in your hair than others. A sulphate-free shampoo retains more moisture than normal shampoo too which really helps with curly hair. Simply wash your hair and rinse.
Step #3
Condition
Once your shampoo has been rinsed, apply a decent amount of sulphate-free hydrating conditioner to your hands. Flipping your head upside down, make sure that the conditioner is distributed through your hair from near the roots to the tips. I use my fingers to detangle the strands of hair, followed by scrunching it all up to ensure that there is a good distribution throughout. Leave the conditioner in for a couple of minutes.
Step #4
The scrunch
Once you’ve rinsed the conditioner out, it’s time to do ‘The Scrunch’. First squeeze as much water out of your hair as possible. Then apply a generous amount of product to your hands, flip your hair over and much like you did with the conditioner, rub the product through your hair, this time from root to tip. Running your fingers through your hair, you will notice that the water still on your hair will be locked in by this product, so it’s great to mix the water and product. Scrunch your hair up to your scalp using your fingers, and create as much of a curl as possible. Leave the product in. No more rinsing required.
Step #5
Microfibre towel
My secret weapon is a microfibre towel. Absorbing just the right amount of water from your hair without creating the frizz that a normal towel does, flip your head upside down one final time and really scrunch those curls. Get as much moisture out as you want. On a lovely sunny day I remove a little water and then let the sun dry the rest!
Step #6
One final style
As soon as you’re out of the shower and you’ve scrunched those curls with a microfibre towel, rub through a good amount of Cantu Weightless Smooth and Curl Cream. Just run it through your hair as much as you need, and you’re done. Just go about your day, make yourself a cuppa and let your hair do its thing. And you’re done.
I know these things are often easier said than done. But trust me, it is worth it. Once you really get into the hang of it, there is no looking back. You’ve really got to find the right product that works for you too. Don’t fall for the great marketing campaigns (sorry Only Curls but your marketing is fab but your products are awful), and just experiment until you are happy. I’m always more than happy to help and advise because I would love to embrace those curls together.