Curls curls...so confusing.

[misspriss]

When I was a small child, my hair was not too curly at all, barely any. When I was 12, I cut my hair off short and it curled. I've heard it could be connected to puberty. It stayed pretty curly all through my teen years, I fought with it and loved it and everything inbetween. I also wore it long, during my last stint with LHC. Right before I graduated, I cut my hair. I have not reliably worn it curly since. It's been two and a half years of maintaining fairly short hair and wearing it wavy or straight.

Well, now I cannot get it to curl the same way. Is it possible that it has changed yet again? I saw a picture of me with about the same length hair when I was in high school, and I had beautiful curls. Now if I can coax waves out, I am happy. I know it is not quite as long and I'm using a totally different care regimine, but still. It's frustrating. When I finally decide I love my curls, they aren't there anymore.

I know at the time those pictures were taken, I was coloring my hair black regularly, and I believe Iwas using Jason biotin shampoo and condish.

It's just so frustrating. gah.

[Riot Crrl]

It might be changing, it might be care-related, or it might be part of your curl pattern that it only curls when it gets longer.

[misspriss]

Well the way I discovered it was curly was when I cut it off short, it used to curl at this length...I'm just so frustrated.

[kwaniesiam]

Could it be a product issue? I have a friend with short 2C hair that can get it almost to look 1C when using cones. Also water can play a factor. Have you changed locations since then? Hard or soft water can affect your curl pattern.

[MotherConfessor]

Have you tried clarifying? Some curlies loose alot of curl to product buildup (depending on your hair), I like baking soda myself. Also, have you tried plopping? That might bring out your curls.

[Curlsgirl]

I agree that products can make a difference but hair can change and either lose or gain curl too. If you are 2C or 3a however, it does tend to not start the wave pattern until a slightly longer length. How long have you tried to wear it curly again? I remember when I decided to do it it took a bit for my hair to return to it's curlier nature, not sure why. Then when I started wearing it curly more, it seemed to do better. Be sure not to over-condition and you may want to leave cones off to see if that makes a difference too. Weather and seasons can make a difference too. Don't give up yet. Try different things! Look at some curly routines and see if anything works. If you don't have it get the Curly Girl Book at Barnes and Noble. It's about $10 and has wonderful encouragement and tips as well for wavies and curlies. It changed my whole outlook on my curls and helped so much along with the wonderful people here!

[misspriss]

Yes, I've moved several times, but still on the same 'city water' from the same city. I don't use much product, I know I didn't use any back in the day.

I took some pictures....I'm going to go put in my siggy if I can.

[Nevermore]

I don't know where you live, but I live in an area with "lift stations" that supplement the city water. I moved a mile down the road and went from super soft water to pretty hard water. It baffled me until I realized that the water wasn't all from the SAME source, at least totally.

So, point being, you may have different water now, in the same city, than you did then.

[Katze]

your hair in your sig pic looks pretty wavy, if not curly, to me. What don't you like about it? I see thick, wavy, healthy-looking hair in that pic...

Perhaps the length you are at is an awkward one and your curls/waves haven't had a chance to develop?

Give it some time. Try stopping 'cones, if you use them, try misting, oiling, using a leave-in, or even CO or WO methods, which all increase hair's moisture and thus curl or wave.

We are our worst critics...your hair is pretty, really! :flower:

[misspriss]

Okay....
I'm probably just trying too hard here. I didn't do much to my hair last night, and it looked a lot better. I know my cut sucks, that is for sure. It is longer in the front, and it forms ringlets in the front. But you are right, the back is pretty much just wavy.
I'm trying to get a picture of the front small enough.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/flamescheergirl/100_0565.jpg

I think I'm just trying too hard and wanting too much, but it's just so frustrating. My hair is growing really slow, I know it is because I am under a LOT of stress, so that makes me even more stressed.

[AnimaSola3o4]

Sometimes the weight of long hair will pull the curls out. I have that problem. What might help is some layering. It isn't always something we desire, but it does help curls form. I'm about to have fresh layers put in my hair soon. I will have long enough layers that they kind of hide and the length stays the same. My ends are too thick right now, so layering is my best choice.

YMMV.

[misspriss]

I know I need a better cut, I am in the process of growing out a very 'straight hair' cut, I got it 'repaired' but it is still bad because I would not let them take much length to fix it.