As the weather starts to warm up , lots of us are starting to think about our summer plans and consequently panic about what we are going to wear. What hair goes with the floral midi skirt we all reserve for the first day of sunshine? Will the humidity destroy my frizzy hair? Will my cowboy hat for Taylor’s Eras Tour fit over my hair style (for the record, this is a problem I am incredibly excited about)? The list goes on, and for the resident curly hair girls, these worries are nothing new. I know we are all traumatised from the brushes breaking in our hair, the snapped hair ties that we never found again and are possibly still in our hair five years later, but it all seems so much more worth it with the sun on our backs. I’m going to take you through my top tips for caring for your waves and curls this summer as well as giving you all the reasons you need to embrace your natural hair in the upcoming months! Hopefully a summer of curl-loving will open the door to caring for your hair all year round.
I am not entirely sure what it is about summer or being on holiday that makes lots of us wear our natural curls compared to winter. Perhaps it’s practical with summer decreasing the possibility of rainy showers and classic North Yorkshire gails which lessen the amount of tears I shed over wasted wash days. Maybe the beachy waves and, seemingly, effortless curls perfectly pairs with summer dresses, crochet cardigans whilst singing ABBA for months on a beautiful Greek island, you know? All jokes aside, there’s no doubt the sunshine encourages lots of us to love our natural hair. Whilst I don’t know the science behind that, I most definitely can take you through my top tips.
Welcoming the warmer weather is great for the soul but not so great for the frizz as the sun can dry out hair. It is really important to get a hold on this as early as possible in a styling routine as curly hair has a tendency to be drier than non-curly hair. Frizz is usually just a curl waiting to happen, it just needs a little extra help and if I’m honest, don’t we all. Water is a curly girl’s best friend, make sure you are styling on wet hair. This is even more important in summer as it is an easy way to hydrate your hair and provides a great base to lock in hydration with products.
Another important step in summer is a leave-in conditioner or hydrating curl cream. Both products come in many different varieties, from liquid sprays to my personal choice, buttery creams. This should be your first product applied to freshly washed hair, giving your hair extra moisture and helping avoid frizz. This gives your hair a perfect base for your next styling product. If you spot frizz whilst your hair is wet, it will be frizzy dry. My top tip would be to try adding more water to saturate your hair and emulsify any product applied before going in with more leave-in conditioner or your chosen styling product.
Following this should be your styling product. These usually come in a gel or mousse form. You can use just one or you may get the best results with both. With getting to know curly and wavy hair comes a lot (and I do mean a lot) of trial-and-error, the same goes for applying these products. Some like to scrunch, some like to brush style, some like to use methods like ‘praying hands’ or ‘raking’. Toy with products and applications and eventually, you will find your magic combination. I personally enjoy scrunching in a gel and I dabble with the art of the Denman brush. This preference has come after almost 21 years of having curly hair so be prepared to play around and be patient as the curly gods decide your fate.
It’s also important to use the right accessories. That means using a microfiber towel for your hair, or even a cotton t-shirt to avoid breakage that regular towels encourage. A game-changer for me was switching to a silk or satin pillowcase. Regular cotton pillowcases rub against your head in the night and cause lots of frizz and can lead to your curls falling out pretty fast. Silk or satin materials are easier on your hair and avoid this issue, not to mention they are great for your skin too. Satin scarfs also double up as a protective and pretty accessory, you could weave it into a plait or use one as a hairband for the ultimate summer hairstyle. Don’t forget to tie your beautifully styled curls in a loose bun before bed. Sleeping on your hair down will ruin all your hard work, a loose bun keeps you away from breakage and frizz, allowing your hair to be as luscious on day one as it will be on day four.
This might all seem quite technical but I can assure you that this is all part of enjoying your natural hair and learning to love and nurture it. Spending a lifetime hating your natural hair and ignoring it isn’t going to make it go away. It has taken me the best part of my teenage years to come to terms with my curls and now, I wouldn’t change them for the world. I hope these tips allow you to realise that curly hair does look great in the sunshine, but also in the wind, rain and snow too.