Never knew I was curly!

[abauer789]

After joining LHC and learning how to care for my hair, I decide to try the air dry no touch method. Mind you, I am 50 years old and NEVER knew my hair was curly. If I ever air dried I would comb and brush during the air drying process and would end up with waves with no form - just bed head looking (and not in a good way).:o
Low and behold - look at what my hair is really like? Would you say I am a 2c???
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9464&d=1393429670

[lapushka]

After joining LHC and learning how to care for my hair, I decide to try the air dry no touch method. Mind you, I am 50 years old and NEVER knew my hair was curly. If I ever air dried I would comb and brush during the air drying process and would end up with waves with no form - just bed head looking (and not in a good way).:o
Low and behold - look at what my hair is really like? Would you say I am a 2c???
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9464&d=1393429670

I'm sorry, but I'd call that wavy, not curly. I don't see ringlets and the waves start pretty low, so I'd say 2a/b.

[abauer789]

Thanks Lapushka, I will update my hair typing on my profile!

[abauer789]

I'm sorry, but I'd call that wavy, not curly. I don't see ringlets and the waves start pretty low, so I'd say 2a/b.

Do you think that could be happening because I am growing out to natural and my damaged hair starts about where the waves do??

[lapushka]

Do you think that could be happening because I am growing out to natural and my damaged hair starts about where the waves do??

That may well be contributing to that! It's possible. :)

[Anje]

Oh, it might be 2c with those ends. Certainly isn't 2a. You'll be able to tell better as you gain some more length and your hair has more area over which to exert its pattern.

[abauer789]

It should be interesting to see what happens, I am microtrimming for now until the natural hair is to shoulder, I will do a chop I think then and start to grow to goal of APL.
Wanna take a stab at naming the color? ;) In this pic, I have 15 months of natural growth.


Oh, it might be 2c with those ends. Certainly isn't 2a. You'll be able to tell better as you gain some more length and your hair has more area over which to exert its pattern.

[Anje]

Heh, can I just call it "tawny"?

[abauer789]

Tawny it is! Thanks :)


Heh, can I just call it "tawny"?

[Weewah]

My natural hair at the top of my head is more straight and smooth than my damaged hairs too.

My first impression of your hair color was very light brown, sorry I don't have more descriptive words, lol.

[lunalocks]

Like you, I never knew I have wavy to curly hair until I was nearly in my 50s (could it be one of the few perks of menopause?) and also the waves start (usually) below my ears. (If I clarify, and use no conditioner and rinse and leave in catnip tea and slightly finger comb while air drying, the waves start up near my scalp.) My bangs are still straight! I discovered the waves when I was out raking leaves in a misty rain for a few hours and when the hair dried it was all kinky. I think, at first, I even blamed the rain water.

Your hair color is similar to mine. I call it blondish brownish and it also glows reddish in the sunlight, and there is a thread called blonette. There is an ongoing controversy about what can be called blond and some one came up with a brilliant definition - if your hair was blond as a child and you have blond eyebrows, you can call yourself a blond.

[abauer789]

Very interesting Lunalocks, I was born a redhead and changed to a blond as a toddler. But my eyebrows match my hair color? But my hair does glow reddish in the sunshine - a bit more like apricot than an orange though! :p
I think I might belong in the blondettes :) What color are your eyes? Mine are blue/green. Maybe the past blonde is where the tawny is coming from.
I also find it interesting that your hair waves start at the same place as mine, too!



Like you, I never knew I have wavy to curly hair until I was nearly in my 50s (could it be one of the few perks of menopause?) and also the waves start (usually) below my ears. (If I clarify, and use no conditioner and rinse and leave in catnip tea and slightly finger comb while air drying, the waves start up near my scalp.) My bangs are still straight! I discovered the waves when I was out raking leaves in a misty rain for a few hours and when the hair dried it was all kinky. I think, at first, I even blamed the rain water.

Your hair color is similar to mine. I call it blondish brownish and it also glows reddish in the sunlight, and there is a thread called blonette. There is an ongoing controversy about what can be called blond and some one came up with a brilliant definition - if your hair was blond as a child and you have blond eyebrows, you can call yourself a blond.

[DweamGoiL]

I also discovered I was a wavy later in life (early 40's). I attribute that to my own and everyone else's expectations of my hair. If I think back mindfully, I can recall my hair prone to frizziness and wave if left to its own devices instead me combing the wave out of it or using silicones to forcing it into submission. I treated it as if it was straight for years, but always had frizz. I don't think it's hormones, I personally think it's our own denial of our hair type and what we've been conditioned to expect. One of the qualities of wavy hair is for the wave to start around or below the ears. It's not due to damage; this is just a natural property of wavy hair.

Since I discovered I have wavy hair, I have been embracing the wave instead of fighting it, and I can honestly say my hair is in much better condition now and the frizz I always fought with is non-existent. I see our hair type as having the best of both worlds. You can get it pretty close to straight naturally (and it has shine and sleekness) and it definitely will hold a curl when you need it to. What could be better? :)

[spidermom]

I see a couple of near-ringlets in there. I think 2C might be exactly your type. More length will tell. My hair didn't form ringlets until somewhere between APL and BSL.

[jeanniet]

I would say probably 2b. I always knew I was quite wavy, but didn't realize I was actually curly until more recently. After eight months or so of CurlyGirl, I'm even curlier than I was last spring. Mostly 3a, but more and more 3b as well. The more conditioned and moisturized your hair is, the more wave/curl you'll see.

[abauer789]

Yes, Dreamgoil, I think you are right about finally embracing our natural hair. I think I probably did everything wrong as far as encouraging the waves. Like you, if I blow dry my hair it appears as if I used a flat iron and I don't even own one.
I think the older you get the less you care about trying to look "glamorous" and more about just being yourself. Hence my growing out major blonde highlights and going to my natural hair color. I was tired of being something that I wasn't! :)


I also discovered I was a wavy later in life (early 40's). I attribute that to my own and everyone else's expectations of my hair. If I think back mindfully, I can recall my hair prone to frizziness and wave if left to its own devices instead me combing the wave out of it or using silicones to forcing it into submission. I treated it as if it was straight for years, but always had frizz. I don't think it's hormones, I personally think it's our own denial of our hair type and what we've been conditioned to expect. One of the qualities of wavy hair is for the wave to start around or below the ears. It's not due to damage; this is just a natural property of wavy hair.

Since I discovered I have wavy hair, I have been embracing the wave instead of fighting it, and I can honestly say my hair is in much better condition now and the frizz I always fought with is non-existent. I see our hair type as having the best of both worlds. You can get it pretty close to straight naturally (and it has shine and sleekness) and it definitely will hold a curl when you need it to. What could be better? :)

[abauer789]

I can't wait to see how it looks when it get longer! Thanks for the input. :o


I see a couple of near-ringlets in there. I think 2C might be exactly your type. More length will tell. My hair didn't form ringlets until somewhere between APL and BSL.

[abauer789]

I know absolutely nothing about encouraging wavy or curly hair - now I want to find out more! You've got my curiosity peaked!


I would say probably 2b. I always knew I was quite wavy, but didn't realize I was actually curly until more recently. After eight months or so of CurlyGirl, I'm even curlier than I was last spring. Mostly 3a, but more and more 3b as well. The more conditioned and moisturized your hair is, the more wave/curl you'll see.

[DweamGoiL]

You can go to naturally curly.com to find out more. It will be trial and error. Things like going CO work for some, but not for others. For me, for example, I could not do CO so I compromised. I wash 2 times/week with sulphate free shampoo and scrunch and pineapple my hair to sleep with a light natural gel. That brings out my wave and keeps my hair at its best. The type of conditioner is really important too. I chose one with no cones, but that is light because I have fine hair and so on. So, it will take some experimentation, but my point is you don't have to follow the Curly Girl Method to the T. Do what works for you!

[jeanniet]

Yes, there is experimentation involved. I can get curls just about any way, but have found that the most lasting (that is, less frizz) routine is to just CO, use a little conditioner as leave in, a small amount of hard-hold gel on top of that, and then cover with a silk cap and let it all dry overnight. My hair tends to be floaty, so some frizz is inevitable, but I've just learned to live with it.

ETA: Wanted to say that I can actually get my hair fairly straight(ish), to 2a or 2b, with oiling and brushing and time. Or at least I used to be able to. Just for fun I combed my hair out dry the other day and it looked like a puffball.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I think you might be a 2c as your waves are curlier than mine (see my avatar). Your hair is beautiful and it will be a fun journey of exploration for you as you grow to longer lengths and see what your hair does and how length changes the waves.

[Chamomile betty]

Great waves and very pretty.

[lunalocks]

''Very interesting Lunalocks, I was born a redhead and changed to a blond as a toddler. But my eyebrows match my hair color? But my hair does glow reddish in the sunshine - a bit more like apricot than an orange though!
I think I might belong in the blondettes What color are your eyes? Mine are blue/green. Maybe the past blonde is where the tawny is coming from.
I also find it interesting that your hair waves start at the same place as mine, too!''


Quote Originally Posted by lunalocks View Post
''Like you, I never knew I have wavy to curly hair until I was nearly in my 50s (could it be one of the few perks of menopause?) and also the waves start (usually) below my ears. (If I clarify, and use no conditioner and rinse and leave in catnip tea and slightly finger comb while air drying, the waves start up near my scalp.) My bangs are still straight! I discovered the waves when I was out raking leaves in a misty rain for a few hours and when the hair dried it was all kinky. I think, at first, I even blamed the rain water.

Your hair color is similar to mine. I call it blondish brownish and it also glows reddish in the sunlight, and there is a thread called blonette. There is an ongoing controversy about what can be called blond and some one came up with a brilliant definition - if your hair was blond as a child and you have blond eyebrows, you can call yourself a blond.''

ABAUER, my eyes are Scandinavian blue and I was a towhead when I was little with very golden blond hair until it began to get darker when I was 11 or so. And I have pictures of my self from the year I lived on a sailboat (afe 30) and washed and drip dried my hair. It was straight! Straight as can be. It wasn't until my late 40s that i began to notice the kinkiness., right about the time I had my last period AND a major health crisis (landed in the hospital with a zillion meds for 2 weeks, on tpn for 4 more, then surgery) I noticed a wavy streak down the back and sort of to the right. Even blow drying wouldn't make it go away. it started just below my ears and was sort of under the canopy. over the years since it has spread in both directions but that one streak is always a little kinkier than the rest.

also that year on the boat my hair bleached out to a golden honey. When I came back, my co workers thought I had bleached it. it was totally from the sun.

[abauer789]

Thanks Sarahlabyrinth and Chamomile betty for your compliments! :o It has been a fun journey already seeing my natural hair! Why do women work so hard against nature? :confused:

lunalocks, thanks sunny hair experience! This will be my first summer when I can really see the effects of sun on my hair color. I am excited to see some more highlights. :o

[slynr]

Very beautiful hair and lovely waves. I too am excited to see how the waves look as it grows to longer lengths:popcorn:.

[abauer789]

@slynr, thank you for your support! :o I will share my progress! :toast:

[MandyBeth]

My hair is straightish above my shoulders, but it likes to sneak curl attempts in. I don't get anything starting much until shoulders to APL. Since I can get 3a spirals if I leave it be enough, I'm probably a 2b range in time/length.

[Firefox7275]

2a/b on the NC scale. Feel free to join us on the Facebook Wavy Hair Community.

[Anje]

It's worth noting that NC tends to underestimate curliness relative to the pictures that Fia (who authored the hairtyping system) pictured in her website. Which is fine, but it means that 2a on NC and 2a on LHC are not the same thing.

[abauer789]

I have tried wearing my hair curly/wavy more lately and I am such a novice. I don't know how to make it look good every time? I need some tricks of the trade. I think it also doesn't help that I wash at night, go to bed with it fairly wet. I wake up and finger comb...but it is very dry where I live now and the curls aren't always as tight as when we have some humidity in the air.
Do you curly girls have trouble in the very dry weather getting nice waves?

[Firefox7275]

I have tried wearing my hair curly/wavy more lately and I am such a novice. I don't know how to make it look good every time? I need some tricks of the trade. I think it also doesn't help that I wash at night, go to bed with it fairly wet. I wake up and finger comb...but it is very dry where I live now and the curls aren't always as tight as when we have some humidity in the air.
Do you curly girls have trouble in the very dry weather getting nice waves?

Some wavies have had a lot of problems this winter. However both sleeping on wet hair and finger combing can flatten or pull out weaker waves. Those following Curly Girl strictly don't comb/ finger comb/ detangle at all between wettings or washings.

The right leave in conditioner and styler can maintain hydration and boost waves. Like I said do join us on the Wavy Hair Community.