5 Ways to Make the Most of Curly Hair

Young woman with curls and wearing a turtleneck sweater
 
Whoever told you straight hair was the only way to go, obviously has no idea what they’re talking about. Curly hair is just as attractive. Instead of running out to the hairdresser every few weeks to get an expensive straightening treatment – maybe you need to enjoy your curly waves. Trust me, you can do some great things with curly hair as well. I have five tips here to get you started.
 
1. Let It Grow
 
If you’re thinking about that haircut, don’t. Curly hair looks great when it’s longer, so take a shot at growing it out. Ask your hairdresser to cut it in layers, so your hair is easier to manage and ends up looking fabulous.
 
A good layered haircut for long, curly hair is a classic look, so don’t pick up those straightening irons yet!
 
2. Headbands Rule
 
Look around you – everyone's wearing a headband in some form or fashion. But guess what, with curly hair you can look better in a headband than most other people out there. See, headbands tend to flatten the hair. So, straight hair doesn’t look so good when it’s flat, does it? But with curly hair, the flattening can work to your advantage. You can wear it anyway you like.
 
But here's something else I discovered. Put on a headband while your hair is still damp and let it sit there for a while. Take it off later, and you'll see that your hair is perfectly set at your crown. So you'll have great volume, yet it will stay in place at the top of your head! How cool!
 
Curly hair in an updo with loose tendrils
Photo: Halfpoint/Canva
3. The Updo
 
Okay for all of you who are challenged when it comes to hair vocabulary - an updo is just a fancy way of saying putting your hair up instead of leaving it down. Curly hair looks absolutely gorgeous in an updo. One of my favorite updos for curly hair is to use some bobby pins to arrange the curls at the top of the head.
 
The circle of bobby pins should hold up the curls in such a way that the curls flow out like an elaborate bun. You can let a few strands stray loose to frame your face or put them up as well – it’s up to you. Add some glitz by decorating the updo with some clips and hair jewels.
 
Curly hair massage to creat the wriggle
Photo: Diego Cerro/Canva
4. The Wriggle
 
The wiggle is a perfect curly hair look that works well for any occasion - casual or formal. Get your hands on some hair gel and hair shine serum. Blend them together well. While your hair is still damp, use one hand to pull it towards your face.
 
While you're doing this, use your free hand to "massage" your fingers over your head just the way you would if you were giving yourself a head massage. This is to get the blended gel and serum into your hair. Shake your hair out so it doesn't get clumped together and just let it be. Try not to use a comb, or it will change the whole look.
 
5. Going French
 
The French twist is one of the classic hairstyles, and with curly hair, you can rock it like no other. If you don’t know how to do it, get someone to do it for you once or watch someone doing it so you can learn.
 
You need to make sure you pull your curls back as tightly as possibly to the back of your head to get the perfect twist. Again, you can let some curls fall and arrange them so that they cascade from the top of your head, over the twist. This adds some drama to the look.
 
So, here are five things you can try with your curly hair. I hope you won’t keep wishing for straight hair now!
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
Curly hair Q&A
 
Curly hair styling progression
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