Big Hair Don't Care

When I started this blog, I set a goal that I would post on a weekly basis; but since I am a perfectionist, I am still editing and working on a couple of ideas. Yes. I literally have a folder in my OneNotebook solely dedicated to brain storming ideas for my blog. Yes. I am a nerd.

Anyhoo, I was looking through my blog ideas and decided on one that I very rarely see online: that is the care of naturally curly hair! Even on Pinterest it is hard to find a blog or link with what I'm looking for. My searches always brought me to some girl with pin straight hair who thought that because she bought some sprunch spray from Aussie that she had curly hair, or a blog that was for the care of African American textured hair... neither of which am I. Granted, no hair care blog will ever be perfect. No one has the same type of hair, especially when it comes to curly hair. Here's some statistics for you:
"The average person with natural curls have an average of 2-4 different types of curls growing on their heads."

"Wavy hair is more predominant than curly.  34 percent of women have wavy hair; 11 percent curly." {{from hairboutique.com}}
So when it comes to curly hair, things can get difficult when trying to find the "perfect" hair products. The first step to finding out what products you need is defining your hair type. This includes texture, curl definition & thickness. I'd have to say that my hair is pretty moderate texture wise. It is very soft to the touch (without product), and isn't too frizzy when the humidity is in my favor (though living in Tennessee, that is rare from the months of March-October, ha ha). My curls are also a wide variety of the different types. My curls are pretty spiraled (s/z shaped), but towards the ends of my hair. That causes the hair on the top of my hair to lay "flat" because of the weight, as well as stretch out the defined curls. Having extremely thick hair does not help in the lifting issue either.

*So!* I labeled my problem areas. I have thick, heavy hair which caused my curls to stretch and weigh down my hair. Once I did this, it was pretty simple for me to know what I needed. The only problem, is when I searched online for guidance and expertise I was greeted with a large issue: money. Almost all of the blogs I would read would give a list of 20 different products they used daily, and almost every one was on average $7. I'm sorry, but that is insane to me. I will splurge on my favorite product (Big Sexy Hair) if it's on sale at JC Penny, but I am pretty stingy with when and for what reasons I use it. For everyday use, I pretty much refused to cave in and buy products that would put me "in the hole" financially just for the name of a product.

Through much trial and error, I have found FOUR products that have changed the life of my hair. I cannot guarantee that these will work as great for you, but they are worth the try!

1. Shampoo- Herbal Essence's Body Envy 2 in 1, 23.7 fl oz, $4.97: I know what you are thinking... "NO separate conditioner?? Carrie, you have lost it." It sounds crazy, but this shampoo has given my hair more NATURAL volume than teasing ever has, not to mention it smells AMAZING and lasts all day. I can count the number of times I've attempted to tease my hair on one hand. It was SO tedious and annoying that I couldn't wrap myself around why anyone would want their hair to have body so bad that they would torture themselves. WELL, you're welcome! :) I highly recommend this 2 in 1 shampoo. If you absolutely must have some conditioner (I keep some on hand so I can use it to freshen up my "second day" hair) then just buy whichever non-waxy brand you like.
2. Gel (recently stopped using mousse for gel)- la bella Lots of Curls Styling Gel with Frizz Control, 22 oz, $2.99: I really love this gel for several reasons. I bought the extra hold bottle, but it still has a touchable feel even though it has phenomenal hold. I have medium length hair that brushes at my shoulders, so I used a quarter sized amount. But because of the thickness it goes a long way. It also doubles as frizz control and definitely does it's job! It also smells like fruit loops! Hehe
3. Holding Spray- Aussie Sprunch Spray, 8.5 fl oz, $2.97: This is basically every curly headed girls go-to for holding spray. I used to use Tresemme Curl Lock Spray but it made my hair feel rough. So I switched back to my original brand. I use this in my hair before I dry it with a diffuser and it helps with the definition of my curls. I also keep it in my purse in case my hair needs some extra TLC.
4. Aerosol Hairspray- Aussie Sprunch Aerosol Spray, 10 oz, $2.97: I find this most helpful to keep my hair in place. Again, it keeps my hair feeling soft but holds tremendously. I especially like this hairspray for when I decided to wear my hair up. It controls my fly-aways without making my hair look greasy. Plus for church to keep my poofs under control. :)

For a grand total of $14-$20 every couple of months I can get great quality products that define my curls, prevent frizz and give my hair healthy, natural volume. It may sound silly, but I am thankful that I finally found my perfect quartet of products that make sweet, sweet music that is my hair. Happy hair= happy Carrie.

Happy Styling!
-Carrie Anna

Hair styling tutorial in the near future to follow...