Whether you don’t have the time for straightening, or you just get tired of fighting the curls and want to let your hair do its thing, a diffuser is what you need. I bought this diffuser a few years ago and have used it many times, because leaving the house with a wet head does not result in a good look – uneven drying, frizz, flat top, etc.
Make sure the diffuser will fit your blow dryer – they come in different sizes and some have a universal fit.
You should be prepared to experiment with the diffuser the first couple of times in order to find out which setting and technique is right for you. In my case, it took quite a few times to get the right result. Some say to use the lowest setting, however I discovered that my dryer’s medium setting worked best. If you have a blow dryer with different heat and speed settings, then you will want to go for high heat, slow speed. Try not to brush your hair when wet either – use your fingers or a very wide tooth comb if necessary to remove any tangles, then apply your favorite anti-frizz serum.
Start at the root, no scrunching – if you have longer hair, you almost have to let it sit within the diffuser by kind of gathering it up from the end to the scalp in a circular motion, and then just let it sit for a minute before pulling the dryer back down and away. If your hair is shorter, just hold the diffuser over the head. Try to remember not to handle your hair too much, or not to over-dry – this will only cause frizz. If you want more volume, dry upside down and point the dryer at the roots – do not use your fingers to do it.
Lastly, if your dryer has the cold shot option, use it to cool down the hair, otherwise just let it cool down naturally. Give it about 20 minutes before doing any kind of finger styling.
Looking for a diffuser? Here’s one just like mine (click on the image to order)-
One of the most important keys to maintaining a curly hairstyle is a good cut, by a stylist who knows curly hair – I mean one who really knows curly hair.
Those of us who have lived with naturally curly hair all of our lives, know that once you find that special stylist, they become your best friend and are irreplaceable.
Not all hair stylists are created equal – some just don’t understand the intricacies of cutting naturally curly hair. Believe me, I’ve had a few butchers in the past who have claimed to “know” curly hair.
In addition to the proper cut, a stylist experienced with curly hair will know how to condition, treat and color your locks without damaging them. They will know which products work best in your hair as well as which products to stay away from, and they are usually up on the latest trends and break-throughs for problems such as fighting frizz.
When shopping for a hair stylist, you should not be afraid to ask the salon personnel if they have a curly hair stylist, or a stylist who primarily specializes in curly hair. If they say no, or make you feel like an idiot, move on to the next salon (quickly).
Your best bet is to visit the salon and stylist in person before making any appointment. If the stylist has curly hair themselves, that is even better – since you know they have had to deal with curly hair issues personally.
There was an interesting story on Good Morning America the other day about the debate that will never die (at lease among the curly haired population) — Curly Hair vs. Straight Hair. With all the bad news there is in the world today, I guess they needed some mindless fluff, as a diversion.
Anyway, the reporter (who has naturally curly hair) had one photograph taken of herself with her hair curly, and another with it straight (wearing different outfits). She then went on to conduct a very unscientific survey of reactions to both photos from one group of guys (5 young white males) and a group of very young school kids. Her last experiment was in a job interview – wearing same outfit but with different interviewers.
The guys’ reaction was mostly negative towards the curly hair, however for an attractive woman it seems that they were very hard on her score-wise (25 out of 50 for curly, 31 out of 50 for straight) all together. They were either distracted by the hair, or didn’t offer an opinion at all. Not sure where they found those guys. The young kids also preferred the straight look to the curly locks, referring to them as “messy.”
The interview portion was actually the only interesting part of the story. This was also the only section of the experiment where she spoke as a part of the assessment, so they considered personality/behavior as part of the “whole package” – wonder if the earlier reactions would have changed had they been shown a video instead of a photograph. Apparently her confidence and comfort level were greatest in her naturally curly state and therefore she excelled in that interview, receiving comments like “intelligent” and “personable.” Her scores were much higher with curly hair than with straight hair. If you want to view the entire story in detail, visit the “ABC News Story – The Mane Conflict: Hair Curly or Straight?” for the full story and video.
Having had curly hair my entire life, I find this last section of her story very interesting and encouraging – especially since I am currently hunting for a job and will soon be going through those dreadful interviews. It’s nice to know that somewhere, people actually look beyond the surface.
If you have dry, frizzy hair, then you have probably tried your share of anti-frizz serums over the years. Every time a new product would appear, those of us trying to calm the frizz of our curly hair styles would be first to sample and test the claims of their manufacturers.
One of the first products I ever tried, , has remained the #1 favorite, and it all started with one little packet. It was nice to have the ability to sample the product by purchasing it in packet form (two single-use packets), before buying the full-sized bottle.
Shopping for an anti-frizz serum can be tough because so many products on the market contain alcohol and other drying, or irritating ingredients. Frizz-Ease Serum’s short list of ingredients was a nice change. It contains Cyclomethicone and Dimethiconol, which are clear, odorless silicone products that gives Frizz-Ease it’s silky-smooth feel and frizz-calming properties. The last ingredient is Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, a tongue-twisting name for the sunscreen that gives Frizz-Ease its UV protection.
Another reason for the short-list of ingredients may be due to its fragrance-free quality, which should be seen as a positive thing. Remember that even though a product may “smell yummy” – the chemicals added to it in order to achieve that fragrance may not be so great for extremely dry hair.
When it comes to anti-frizz serums, everyone has their favorites – Bumble and Bumble, Citre Shine, John Frieda, Garnier Fructis – the list goes on forever. What is yours?
