what to do with curls??

[09robiha]

so im at a loss as to what to do with these waves/curls of mine. For years I have straightened them out but have stopped using my flat iron now and to be honest have no clue as to what do with them. Im simply unused to styling/dealing with curls and have been damp bunning or braiding my hair so i dont have to but I would really like to wear my in thosizz free perfect, frizz free waves everyone seems to have. =)
I think I am a 2b/c, theres a defined s shape, can anyone suggest a routine??? I am currently CWC with cones (finishing up the shampoo).
Thanks for anyhelp in advance.

[Flynn]

Me? I usually just envy them. >_o

I'm on the same path as you in trying to learn how to deal with my waves. I just hadn't realised how wavy my hair really was until tLHC prompted me to actually look at the back of my head!

No-cones works really well for me, but there seems to be no rhyme nor reason on whom they work for and whom they don't. Avoiding brushing reduces frizz. Light oiling, and using a dab of your regular conditioner as a leave-in seems to work for a lot of people.

With the above, and also with a sulfate-free shampoo (I do it for my skin, but apparently it helps wavy/curly hair, too) my hair looks like this (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=729103&postcount=30) when unbrushed.

In addition to the help you get in this thread, you might like to check out the Wavy and Wurly Thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=31563) and the Wurly and Curly Thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=369) both of them, but particularly the Wurly/Curly thread which has been running for far longer, have some very good ideas and advice.

[spidermom]

I use aloe vera gel or store-bought styling gel to encourage the curl. It works especially well if I have time to twirl my length around my fingers in small sections around my head.

[mellie89]

I'm not nearly as curly as you (need to have someone help me hairtype once I get some pictures up, I might even be a 2b), but I've got enough waves to require some special attention. I don't ever brush them, and I avoid touching my hair when it's drying, period. When it's dry I comb through it gently and use a tiny bit of storebought styling stuff to keep the waves defined.

[CurlyOne]

Don't brush when you get out of the shower, brushing breaks up the curls before they get a chance to form and this leaves you with frizz. Just let them air dry. Experiment with that for a little bit and after a week or so you can reassess the situation and see if you need a product like gel. I wouldn't start with gel right off, it is best to get a feel for what you naturally have to work with before you jump into too many products.

[JamiG]

Another great website to visit is www.naturallycurly.com. And reading the book Curly Girl really helped me a lot.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I use aloe vera. I'm thinking if you use cones you might want to clarify and then do a moisture treatment just to get some moisture back in your curls. I comb mine in the shower when it's soaking wet and full of conditioner, after I rinse the conditioner out no more coming. I may arrange some curls but even if I have to get out a tangle or something I step back under the shower spray after. My hair needs to be soaking wet and left alone for the curl pattern to be defined and I usually don't have frizz. I use a bunch of conditioner to leave in and then I plop a bit in a turban and use aloe vera gel for hold. That's it for me and I get pretty good curls.

[misstwist]

How long is your hair? One of the very best things to do with waves/curls on a good curl day is a peacock twist. Just twist your hair up from the nape and clip at the crown with a jaw clip or a barrette. Let the curls fountain down around the twist.

This was one of my favorite styles until about shoulder length. There is a trick to doing this with longer lengths. You form the beginning of a bun as you twist up, making sure the tail of the bun ends pointing up so you can clip it.

Go look at the articles section for more ideas. A gibson tuck is very romantic looking on wavy/curly hair, as is a loose, messy bun.

A link you might find helpful. (http://hairstyledictionary.ztn.net/) Click the show all button to get a list of styles to browse through.