How Naturally Curly saved my hair

nikkibeans

I got my haircut yesterday and I just can't get over how great my curls looked (even before the cut). My hairdresser sincerely complimented them AND it was my first dry cut ever which to me means that my curls are healthy and structured enough to not need a wash before.

This website truly saved my hair. A few years ago I was going for a tousled, "scene", wavy look. In other words, I was destroying my curls with my hands and a curling iron - the first pic below (September 2012) shows how unhealthy it was. I stopped using heat completely last July and in October I really started to educate myself about the best products and the best way to handle my hair. My hair is the curliest and healthiest it's ever been so THANK YOU to everyone on this website that posts reviews and advice and pictures, lends a sympathetic ear when we're having our bad hair days, and advocates for our natural curls. I'm so proud to be a curly girl!

IMG_1263_zps68f03992.jpg photo1_zps1fdc6810.jpg photo2_zpsa0aa0c44.jpg photo4_zps088f633f.jpg

Pic #2 is before my cut yesterday and #3 & 4 are after.

jeepcurlygurl

Wow, your hair is so pretty and that's a great curly bob!

Samanthascurlz

Your hair us absolutely gorgeous! So glad you love it!

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HtBlack

Oh my god there is such a HUGE difference in your hair! I adore it. (:

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sixelamy

Good for you! Your curls are so pretty

caramix3a

Just all kinds of wow here! What products did you find were best for your hair? My hair kinda looks like your before hair only I have more of it(maybe even denser) and it's shorter. I would LOVE to have my hair do that all over my head. As it is, it's VERY inconsistent 2c3a.

chupie

Wow!!!!

Sanaodeh

Amazing!! Im thinking about cutting mine short too! This is very inspiring to my curls haha


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Firefox7275

Wow!

CURLYanddy_

That is beautiful.

DaniGirl88

Love it!

nikkibeans

Thank you so much everyone ☺️

caramix3a wrote: »

Just all kinds of wow here! What products did you find were best for your hair? My hair kinda looks like your before hair only I have more of it(maybe even denser) and it's shorter. I would LOVE to have my hair do that all over my head. As it is, it's VERY inconsistent 2c3a.

When I started out I was on a very tight budget and had to use drugstore products, but I made the best of it. I quickly found the more conditioner I used the better - in the beginning I was using Suave Coconut conditioner as a co-wash and Suave Professionals Rosemary + Mint conditioner as a rinse out and leave in. Alcohol-free gel was also key. Loreal EverStyle had an alcohol-free one but I haven't been able to find it lately.

I was still wetting my hair in the shower every day (I'm trying to get away from that now) but once I learned to STOP TOUCHING my hair it improved quickly. I was constantly tousling, pulling at curls to make them look longer, and trying to untangle knots on dry hair. Such a disaster!

Invest in some good (not necessarily expensive) products and trust in the process. It takes time but you can turn it around. Good luck!


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okyouwin

Your cut is beautiful!

Mkmurdock

Inspiring, thanks.

caramix3a

"When I started out I was on a very tight budget and had to use drugstore products, but I made the best of it. I quickly found the more conditioner I used the better - in the beginning I was using Suave Coconut conditioner as a co-wash and Suave Professionals Rosemary + Mint conditioner as a rinse out and leave in. Alcohol-free gel was also key. Loreal EverStyle had an alcohol-free one but I haven't been able to find it lately.

I was still wetting my hair in the shower every day (I'm trying to get away from that now) but once I learned to STOP TOUCHING my hair it improved quickly. I was constantly tousling, pulling at curls to make them look longer, and trying to untangle knots on dry hair. Such a disaster!

Invest in some good (not necessarily expensive) products and trust in the process. It takes time but you can turn it around. Good luck!"

I'm not new to Naturally Curly. Actually, I was pretty strict with co-washing and only occasional shampoos for close to 4 years(between 2009 and 2013) and then experimented. My hair did get a little curlier, but nothing like some of the more dramatic before and afters I've seen here. I'm kinda back to a modified CG routine after a foray into sulfates and silicones. Like you, I had to go with drugstore and Sally's. I didn't experiment a whole lot when I started - I just went with the Suave Coconut Conditioner, GVP Conditioning Balm, Renpure Originals Argan Oil Shampoo(no sulfates), and two treatments - GVP Protein Reconstructing and the L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture one. Later, I switched to One 'n Only Hydrating Mask.
Unlike you, I was never trying to pull out my curls longer - if anything I'm always wanting my hair to be CURLIER and most of all more consistent.

nikkibeans

caramix3a wrote: »

I'm not new to Naturally Curly. Actually, I was pretty strict with co-washing and only occasional shampoos for close to 4 years(between 2009 and 2013) and then experimented. My hair did get a little curlier, but nothing like some of the more dramatic before and afters I've seen here. I'm kinda back to a modified CG routine after a foray into sulfates and silicones. Like you, I had to go with drugstore and Sally's. I didn't experiment a whole lot when I started - I just went with the Suave Coconut Conditioner, GVP Conditioning Balm, Renpure Originals Argan Oil Shampoo(no sulfates), and two treatments - GVP Protein Reconstructing and the L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture one. Later, I switched to One 'n Only Hydrating Mask.
Unlike you, I was never trying to pull out my curls longer - if anything I'm always wanting my hair to be CURLIER and most of all more consistent.

I apologize if I came off as condescending. I didn't know what your experience with CG has been so I wanted to share what my hair had to recover from and what I've been doing.

I don't experiment with products much either unless something REALLY isn't working. I don't have the product junkie fever that a lot of CGs seem to have 😉


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Dedachan

Your hair looks amazing.

CoifedCoils

What an amazing transformation!

KaZenner1990

I agree with everything said but while being a newbie what helped greatly for me to relax was the book. I just stopped expecting my hair to look perfectly. I stopped expecting from it things and instead I try to work out what it gives me.

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chupie

I think it is a huge deal to stop expecting "perfect". Because like body image, hair image seems to be dictated by magazine ads which is filled with hair that goes through a BUNCH of manipulation to look "natural".

KaZenner1990

Yea I always got jealous of how curly hair looked on others and it seems I do have the curls I always wished I had but I made it impossible for them to come on the surface.

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