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I have curls. Lots and lots of long curls. It’s cute when you’re little sure, but as an adult? Blah I say.
For 80% of my life I’ve lived in high humidity areas. You know what curls do in highly humid weather? Yup, they go insane – frizz out, fly away, and otherwise make your life miserable.
What girls with curls do?
1) Go natural and try not to care. I did this when I lived in laid back Humboldt – seriously, people there just chill about looks. This is cheap and easy.
2) Freak and buy all sorts of products to save our curls. I’ve also done this. If I have to interview a business owner or meet with someone else important OR when I just don’t feel like looking as if I live in a jungle tree, I do try out stuff that is supposed to tame curls. I’ve had varying degrees of success, but mostly, the products I’ve owned are a waste o’ money.
What is cheap and WORKS:
Having had curls for 30 some years, I’ve found a few things that not only work to tame curls but actually save you money.
Olive oil – If you have curls, it pays to deep condition weekly, but that can be expensive. Instead heat up a cup (or so) of basic cheap olive oil, add a dash of your favorite essential oil (optional), and apply to your hair. Leave this on for 30 mins to an hour and rinse well.
Ditching shampoo – I never use shampoo (well, very rarely). Most shampoos are filled with surfactants which just drain curls of moisture. Even natural shampoos tend to make my curls look worse. Just use conditioner, and if you use a lot of styling products, use a clarifying shampoo once a week or so.
Cold water – Lower your electricity bills and get shiny hair by using cool, not warm water, to rinse your hair.
Use fewer styling products – Too many products aren’t great for curls. One thing that actually works (trust me I have crazy hair) is to use a little bit of gel made for curls (go organic if possible) and mix it with some of your basic old conditioner – the stuff you use in the shower. Seriously, this is the best curl fix ever. For some reason the mix of gel + conditioner really works on curls prone to frizz, and because you’re only using two products this is healthier and cheaper.
Do you have any money saving tips for curls (or straight hair)?
989 days ago
[...] adorable, but now my hair is almost to my waist and they can get a little crazy. I’ve tried literally everything to get my curls to stay smooth, frizz free, and manageable. I’ve tried a few non-eco-friendly [...]
991 days ago
[...] hair; which trust me I’m oh so on board with. My curls have been an issue since birth and totally frustrate me all the flipping time. But I [...]
I am African American and naturally have curls. I used to use a perm relaxer for eons and then finally went naturally for much healthier hair.
I have discovered frugality out of necessity these days and truly appreciate this post!
I have blonde, kinky, curly, wavy and frizzy hair. Lucky me!
I’ve tried everything (mid-40s) but I also realize YMMV, as curly hair seems to be unique to individuals!
I sometimes set my hair on very large curlers (smooth, not the “grabby” kind”), the size of beer cans! I sit under a hair dryer and it leaves my hair smooth smooth smooth!
The last couple of years I’ve used a product from Walgreen’s called “Easy Straight” and it really removes the frizz and kink and bulk, not all the wave or curl, lasts about 3 months. Also, humidity doesn’t affect my hair nearly as much.
What great tips, Jennifer!!
My husband has the curliest hair of anyone I’ve ever seen. As our hairdresser says, his curls could choke a pencil! One way we’ve saved money on product is finding a hairdresser who knows how to cut really curly hair and do it well. We’ve seen how much better his hair is to control when it is cut properly. Another thing we’ve done to both save money and save the curls is to skip both the really cheap and really expensive products and go straight for the middle-of-the-road, often on sale/free with coupons types of products. Cheap products don’t always clean well or rinse out fully and we can’t afford anything above a few dollars per bottle. He has found that using leave in conditioner keeps his hair in control and doesn’t dry out his scalp like gels with high alcohol content.
I really liked the Redkin’s fresh curls – BUT it’s not very green, and I feel terrible eco-wise using it, so I don’t but it works. I didn’t like the shampoo though. I still think no shampoo is the way to go. I also agree with the hair dryer. I never use them or I’d look nuts – of course I have to walk around with wet hair in the winter which sucks.
the going natural point is a good one. I used to fight the curls, and frankly, it’s easier to let them be. My hair cannot be straightened. It won’t, it just ringlets back up.
One thing that has made my hair a little less curly is length. When it was shorter my curls were more ringlet-like, now that my hair is about to my waist, I think the weight straightens them up some because some of the curls are more wavy now.
I cannot believe I spend this much time thinking about my hair. (Geez).
I’ve had tons of curls all my life too, and I’ve gone through the same degrees you talked about above, including trying to straighten it for a period of time many years ago (and frying it in the process). Now I go for the natural look, and just let it curl. I keep my hair shoulder length, almost never dry it with a hair dryer, and use almond oil to condition it once a week (like the olive oil treatment you recommend above). I warm the olive oil a little in a pan on the stove before I apply it, then leave it in for a little while before I rinse it out.
I’m not very thrifty with shampoo and conditioner though, I use Redken’s Fresh Curls shampoo, with their Curl Refiner leave in conditioner and a gel to tame my curls. It’s one of the few luxury items I purchase for myself (and one of a few scented products I can use), but it’s worth it:-)