If you lose a hair elastic to breakage at least once a week, you know where I am coming from. If you’ve ever spent five hours in a salon chair getting a simple highlight and cut, you get it. My hair is deceptively thick, noticeably full, and usually long. Think Blake Lively, but way less polished. Over the years, I’ve struggled with all sorts of big-hair issues and have even found a few solutions to help ease my troubles because when all is said and done, I wouldn’t trade my unruly waves in.
Here are five things that have helped me deal with big hair woes.
TANGLE TEEZER THICK + CURLY
If one of your earliest memories involves the signature scent of No More Tangles, this brush is for you. I’ve dealt with some nasty knots in my day, and nothing has detangled them faster than this handle-less plastic brush. I opted for the Tangle Teezer Thick & Curly version as its teeth are longer and better suited for thick hair than the classic.
WASHING LESS + DRY SHAMPOO
I’ve always been envious of my finer haired friends who can wash their hair, blow it dry, and style it- all under the 30-minute mark. Sadly, such swift styling is not in the cards for me. On the up-side though, it takes days before my hair appears to need a wash, so most weeks I can easily go about five to seven days without lathering up. If you can get away with it, try delaying your next shampoo a few days. I’ve actually heard this is healthier for your hair and my favorite hair stylist only washes her long, shiny hair every five days. Amazing, no? To help refresh my hair between washes, I reach for my beloved dry shampoo. My favorite so far? Klorane Non-Aerosol Dry Shampoo. My hair actually feels cleaner after using this and looks freshly washed. For a full review on this miracle dry shampoo, see my review HERE.
A STYLIST WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING + THINNING OUT
Back to that stylist with long, shiny hair. She is a hair wizard. I recommend seeking out your very own hair magician who truly understands the needs of thick or curly hair. If you see a lady in the super market with similar hair texture and a gorgeous cut, ask her where she goes! Look online to find a salon in your area with highly trained stylists. After years of bad cuts, I took to the internet and discovered a salon that had trained their stylists in a special course on curly hair. Test out different stylists until you find THE ONE. You will know when you find them, because your hair will look and feel polished, even after washing at home. Oh, and once you are in the salon, make sure to mention if you would like some weight taken off, and they will be able to thin out your heavy locks.
So what’s the time-saver here? A good haircut cuts down on styling time, as does thinning out thick hair. Plus if your happy with your new ‘do the first time, you won’t have to take another afternoon to go back and get it fixed, something I have had to do more times than I care to admit.
BIG IRONS + ROLLERS
Ah, hair styling tools. These days, I generally let my hair air-dry overnight and leave the natural waves in when I’m feeling lazy or style it, maybe once a week, when I have the time. However, there was a time (pre-baby) that I either straightened or curled my hair every single day. Straightening has longer lasting results but oh, do I love a nice head of curls!
FLAT IRONS :: Thankfully, the choices for hot tools have come a long way over the past decade. For flat irons, forget those chintzy little ½” irons bedazzled bright colors and fun patterns. Instead, I will call your attention to the plain-Jane heavy-duty irons that actually work for thick hair. My favorites have adjustable heat settings that go up to 410 degrees. This is super important for me, as the standard universal heat setting on the rinky-dink irons simply will not get hot enough to straighten my thick, wavy hair. The other thing to look for is a wider width. I went with 1.5” to allow for bigger sections of hair to be straightened, which reduced styling time significantly. I currently have a Sedu Revolution 1.5″ Iron, which apparently is no longer available (doesn’t that always happen with things you love?!). Another great option is the T3 SinglePass X. I have had great success with the T3 curling irons and blow dryer and this looks like it will deliver similarly great results.
CURLING IRONS :: On to curling irons. Again, I look for the adjustable heat settings that will go up to about 410 degrees. The width of the barrel depends on how tight you want you curls. My favorite is the T3 Whirl Convertible Trio because it geniusly uses a single base that can be fitted with one of several different barrel attachments. Three barrels come with the kit I linked to including a 1.25″ – 0.75″ tapered barrel, a 1″ straight barrel, and (my most used) 1.5″ straight barrel. You can also buy the classic clip barrels in three sizes (1.5-inch, 1.25-inch, and 1-inch) and a reversed tapered barrel, all of which fit onto the same Whirl Convertible base.
Now here is where things get really exciting. Recently I’ve been noticing special long barrel curling irons, like this Hot Tools XL Base, designed especially for long hair. While I haven’t been able to try out this break-through product yet, it is definitely on my list.
HOT ROLLERS :: Let’s not forget good old-fashioned hot rollers. I have used hot-rollers my entire (post-elementary school) life. The problem is, I have to use two sets of rollers to cover all of my hair, which is a nightmare to set up, not-to-mention annoyingly heavy on your head. Enter these bad boys: Calista Tools Ion Hot Roller Long Style Set. This compact set of rollers features an extra-long barrel, perfect for longer hair. The set includes 12 rollers, but only heats up 6 at a time, so you have to replace the rollers on the heating element as you go. If you still need more rollers beyond the first twelve, a second set won’t take up too much additional space.
LEARN TO EMBRACE YOUR HAIR’S NATURAL TEXTURE
As I mentioned earlier, more often than not, I just let my hair dry overnight with a towel over my pillow. When I wake up, it is pretty much completely dry and full of bouncy waves. I’ve seen where some ladies even loosely braid their damp hair before bed to give it more defined wave. Others allow their hair to dry until it is just a bit damp then pull it up into a ballerina-style bun to set. This way avoids kinks and breakage.
If in the morning your natural, unstyled hair feels totally out-of-control, pull your hair into a loose side braid for a bit of polish.
Using these tips has significantly cut down on the amount of time I spend on hair maintenance. Let me know if any of these tricks have helped you or if you have any tips for a fellow long-thick-unruly-haired girl!
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