This is really important to me. I have extremely curly hair (pictured above in it's natural state) that i just could not get a handle on. Yes i figured out how to flat iron it so that no one would ever imagine that straight hair was anything but natural but i wanted a more salon worthy, famous person style. With body and volume and a slight curl at the ends. I could achieve this with my flat iron but I'd be all frizz and no body the moment i stepped outside no matter the weather or the season.
I tried many products and nothing could stop it from happening. I was having to flat iron multiple times a day every day between washes.
I go 4 to 5 days between washes. My hair is naturally coarse, dry, frizzy and very, very curly. It is damaged with split ends and breakage. But even in those terms ive come a long way.
As a teen I'd spend every week looking through magazines for tips but really just secretly wanting that magazine model hair. I thought i could change the mop on my head with chemicals. I dyed it weekly from bleach to black to every color in between. It was fried. Then on top of that i tried a white Hair relaxer. It didn't do a thing. So the next logical step to me was ethnic hair relaxer.
I mean everyone was always asking my mom if i was mixed based on my hair (my curls were a lot tighter as a kid. I've ruined my curl pattern with all the heat.) And hair is hair right?? Wrong. It melted my hair quite literally. I was curled up in a ball on the shower floor crying. My hair was falling off in clumps. My mom rushed me to a salon and they did what you would now call a big chop. I wouldnt let them go further than mid ear even though they wanted to. It was bad.
Over time i realized i dont need to wash my hair daily. I use hair oil and a ton of product and i still dont even start to get oily roots for 3 days and dry shampoo can get me through the next two days. But that didn't stop the struggle. I would flat iron my hair with a really expensive GHD Platinum Iron and it would just frizz right up.
I rough dried my hair with a metal round brush to just make it go faster. I didnt know how to utilize this brush any and so i ended up with a pretty big poof fro after about 7 min of blow drying. Then I'd flat iron. It looked great until i stepped outside.
There had to be a better way. Well, as "luck" would have it after spending over 10k at Sephora over a 2 year period and accumulating my 10k points they came out with a reward i was finally quick enough to get that i actually wanted.
I'd always loved DryBar products. They were most of my regimen and had changed so much for me. So a $500 gift card? Yes please. And then an autographed copy of the founders book Good Hair For All and the entire Capsule Collection of clothes and a tote by the brand. It was nice to get something back for my crazy loyalty to this brand over my addiction to the points system. It had all finally paid off. I wouldn't go to Ulta, a brand website or any other beauty site. No. I was loyal to Sephora because of the Rewarsa Bazaar.
So i received everything. Tried to purchase everything i wanted online and weirdly you cant use their gift cards online. Whatever. So i went in store and bought what i could even though i missed out on 200 dollars worth of product because you can't use a promo code at a brick and mortar store.
I bought everything pictured here.
I had always used a 10 dollar blow dryer, curling iron, waver, 3 barrel curler, etc. The only thing i wouldn't use a cheap one of was my flat iron. My saving grace.
So i read the entire book Good Hair For All in one hour. It was amazing. It had step by step picture and written directions for every one of the hairstyles they offer at their locations. Then it told you how to blow dry each hair type specifically and what products to use and why and much much more.
I had everything i needed. I purchased the bigger, better, blowout box so i had the self stick curlers, the blow dryer and the 3 day bender 1.25 in curling iron along with every product i needed to re purchase and had wanted to try. I was set. But my hair wasn't yet! Haha.
Blow Drying Instructions:
So to start off there's a few very important things that matter a lot as a prelude to this type of lifestyle choice. Because if you're like me and doing this the majority of the time then that's exactly what it is.
You cannot wash your hair daily. Literally nobody needs to in this day and age and it's horrible for hair. Especially curly hair. Go until your roots get oily then use some dry shampoo to get through that day. Try to make it through at least one more day if you can with dry shampoo as your oils are more of a deep conditioning treatment for your hair than any expensive mask you could ever buy. Still use a mask though.
Then when you wash your curls i recommend a co wash or cleansing conditioner like wen. A real co wash is literally washing your hair with conditioner but brands like Lush Cosmetics and Deva Curl have Co Washes that still get rid of build up and is still considered a shampoo. I prefer Wen though. Use a clarifying shampoo every 2 weeks or so to remove build up. Especially if you use a lot of product like i do.
Don't be cheap if you can afford it. Save up money if you must but this is one place you shouldnt be looking for a discount. You think you can't get your hair like your hair dresser can because of your ability? No. 90 percent of that is the amazing, high quality shampoo and conditioner she's using. I like the Lush Cosmetics Jason and the Argan Oil Shampoo Bar and the Living Proof Restore Conditioner.
Same with dryers. You dont have to spend 200 dollars like i did but you should be looking for ionic technology preferably for curly hair. The negative ions seal the cuticle and make frizz non existent. It's science. Utilize the progress we've made in the last 20 years with heat tools. It's important for the health of your hair. Why i like the Drybar Buttercup? It has 8 ionic beads instead of the usual 2. Thats huge. But in terms of power the baby buttercup (travel version) has the same power (watts) and the same size opening that fits all the full size attatchments so save your money if you're not buying a set and buy the travel size for 55 dollars less at $135. There is no difference in these dryers except that the travel is half the weight.
Tools needed:
Medium to large rollers (self stick preferably. DryBar has some great ones)
Flat Iron or Curling Iron (optional) (i use GHD Platinum or a curling wand or the DryBar 3 day bender curling iron)
A Large Round brush and a small roundbrush if you have short hair and/or bangs.
Volumizing shampoo (DryBar Texas Tea is great)
Nourishing conditoner (Living Proof Restore)
Alligator clips (DryBar has some cute and quality ones) if in a pinch i suppose you can use any hair clip(s), bobbi pins or a hair tie although the tie is harshly recommended against because hair bands in wet or damp hair of any type breaks.
Heat protectant (listed below)
Leave in Conditioner (listed below)
Volumizing spray or mousse (listed below)
Treatment oil (DryBar 100 proof or Moroccan oil treatment oil are fantastic)
Shine spray (Drybar Sparkling Soda)
Dry shampoo for consecutive days (Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo has been a fav for a year)
Hairspray (DryBar Moneymaker or Texas Tea Hairspray)
shine & hold cream for ends (Drybar Shine Chaser)
Ouai memory mist is a great and very unique spray that promises to hold your style for days without being harsh or sticky
Frizz spray (living proof frizz humidity shield spray)
Texturizing spray (DryBar Triple sec or my personal favorite Bumble and Bumble Dryspun)
Metal Round brush Large and small that heats up at core. (Drybar and Moroccon oil brushes are best)
Wide tooth comb/ or paddle brush
Fine tooth comb or teasing brush
When brushing wet hair use wide tooth comb starting at ends working upwards.
All products optional. It's just what i use for best results.
When applying product brush hair and apply product combing through with fingers. Smooshing into hair and ends is cheating. Oils and shine sprays and similar only go on hair shaft from middle to ends. Never to roots. Volumizing sprays and mousse focus on the roots although you can bring sparingly to rest of hair.
Now onto the fun stuff. After you've washed your hair put your product in.
Necessities are a hair primer or heat protectant (i use DryBar Prep Ralley detangler, primer and UV Protectant w/ vitamins and Drybar Hot Toddy Heat protectant) and i highly suggest a leave in conditioner.
I also use volumizing mousse at the roots (DryBar Southern Belle Mousse), DryBar Velvet Hammer.
Rough dry hair by using blow dryer with no attatchments on it and just blowing throughout your hair staying more towards the roots without brushing. Brushing wet hair after detangling with wide toothed comb or brush as it stretches the hair and causes breakage. Never brush your hair when it's soaking wet. Dry to about 70 percent dry.
I then section every bit of my hair off. You can do it all right now. Small 1 to 1.5 in sections is preferable but just never wider than your round brush. I usually bring up my hair like a half pony leaving only the bottom layer down and clipping the rest up.
Clip up or move over every other section down than the one inch section you're working with.
Take your round brush and blow dryer and brush down and out and roll once halfway down. Keep rolling up the hair and brushing down at same time. If hair gets stuck you're twisting too much at one time.
Blow dry while doing this using a concentrating attatchment no smaller than the width of your brush. Focus on roots while pulling out or upward for volume and keep the hair on the brush at all times while blow drying.
When you're sure Its completely dry stop your dryer and quickly roll your hair up in the largest roller you can manage and secure with a pin if it's not self stick. Roll in whatever direction keeps your roots pulled up or away from the scalp. Make sure like with the brush you dont put hair on the roller wider than the roller itself.
Finish this layer going across in one inch sections and roll each section when done. When done with this layer use your cold shot button to really set them and leave them be while you prepare your next layer.
Next let your next layer down and pin the rest up if you haven't sectioned all of your hair in sections already. Follow the previous directions but this time if you don't have enough rollers for your entire head pull the roller that has been there the longest and put it on the newly done section. Continue this across the entire section and again cold shot it and leave it while preparing next sections and blow drying them.
Continue until finished.
With bangs bring forward and roll inwards blow drying. Then brush side to opposite side and side to side again over and over to give movement. Then put the roller in rolling it backwards away from your face and cold shot and let set before removing.
This should give you completely straight hair with body but you are more than welcome to flat iron for a more sleek look. Most people flat iron wrong and get kinks, creases, etc.
Again section your hair in 2 to 4 layers going all the way across. Spray each layer with Ouai Memory Mist and then Flat iron each layer with a comb or brush brushing your hair as you flat iron. Curl iron inwards very slightly at ends for movement. This prevents fried ends, knots and creases.
Next option is to grab a large curling iron wrap just the middle sections of your hair around the barrel for a few seconds for movement then brush out.
Now this is where you want to add the shine and hold cream or split ends cream to ends, add treatment oil and shine spray to entire hair. Then spray a flexible hold hairspray all over lightly about 8 to 10 in away. Let set before touching your hair.
Also for every technique i suggest using a frizz spray like living proof frizz humidity shield spray.
You're going to be so surprised at how straight and perfect your hair looks with just the blow dryer with this technique. You dont need any other hot tools really. The rest is just personal preference.
This changed my life. The book taught me so much and this is just the jist of it. If you want more the book is amazing and again it's called Good Hair For All by Alli Webb.
Follow me on Instagram for daily hair and makeup @buzzybee25
Same with twitter @snowbunnybeth90 facebook.com/yarnandbeauty, Snapchat @buzzybee250, pinterest @callowayelizabeth
And youtube is listed at bottom of one of my last couple blog posts.
Hope i helped. I will be making a tutorial video soon and when i do i will come back and edit with the link.
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