Glamazons,
Just one glance at the curly-haired women we feature on Style Influencers Instagram page, and it’s clear that curly hair is beautiful.
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But maintenance can be so difficult that I’m not surprised to learn that 1 in 5 women with curly hair are frustrated with it. I get questions all the time about how to achieve defined curls and avoid frizz. And I always give the same answer: frizz-free curls are less about styling and more about transforming your regular maintenance routine.
My hair after using the Dove Quench Absolute Cream Serum
It’s not enough to throw a cream product on top of your curls before you head out the house in the morning. Natural hair needs deep nourishment from within. And you can only achieve that with products with the right ingredients.
I always look for nourishing products like Dove Quench Absolute infused with protein, nutrients, vitamins and oils like Brasilian Buriti Oil. I’m completely obsessed with the mask and leave-in! I love how they quench my hair without weighing it down or leaving buildup (which I hate!).
If you find that your hair is unmanageable and damaged, I promise you that nourishing the hair and quenching dryness will go a long way in achieving stronger, smoother and more defined natural curls.
My hair before using the Dove Quench Absolute Shampoo, Conditioner, Mask and Serum
My hair after using the Dove Quench Absolute Shampoo, Conditioner, Mask and Cream Serum and letting it air dry
It’s easy to love your curls when you’re taking care of them and giving them the attention they deserve. Then they’ll start to love you back! I know this because I used to be one of those girls that felt like my hair would never measure up to the gorgeous natural hair vloggers I saw. My hair was too short, too thin, and the list goes on.
LOOK at that curl definition and moisture after using Dove Quench Absolute! Swoon.
I wasn’t alone in that way of thinking: 1 in 3 women in the US have wavy to curly hair according to a Dove Hair study, and nearly half of women with curly hair consider styling to be a huge stressor. Even worse: 85% of women have avoided certain activities such as going to parties or having their photograph taken because of feeling badly about their hair. That breaks my heart. Only 10% of curly-haired women feel proud of their hair and only 4 in 10 young girls would describe their curly hair as beautiful.
I’m finally at a point where I can proudly say those stats don’t describe how I feel about my hair. I went to my first party with my ‘fro out last month in DC. I took pictures there and posted them all on Instagram! I finally believe my curls are beautiful. And I’m not only proud of my hair texture but I’m proud of the journey I took to embrace it. I went from being frustrated with my hair and rarely wearing it out to loving my ‘fro and fielding compliments on my hair from women and men alike.
Here are four steps I took to get there:
1. Deciding my hair was fine just as it is.
I had to learn to be OK with my texture and not try to mimic anyone else’s curls.
2. Finding the right products for me.
The next step was figuring out the products and haircare routine that worked for my hair and my hair alone.
3. Committing to regular maintenance.
I made the commitment to take good care of my hair on a regular basis: deep conditioning with products like the Dove Quench Absolute mask, getting regular trims, never going to bed without a satin pillowcase or bonnet, and co-washing regularly so there’s never ample product buildup.
4. Surrounding myself with positive images of natural hair.
I saw my attitude toward my hair change once I surrounded myself with positive images of natural hair like mine. I post influencers with curls of all textures lengths on the Style Influencers page to encourage women to love their hair in all its unique beauty. And I read books like Dove‘s Love Your Curls written by best-selling novelist Taiye Selasi that empower women and girls to embrace their hair.
The book is so powerful because it was inspired by thousands of stories, photos and messages from real women that poured in as a result of their Love Your Curls campaign. Since it’s customizable, I even sent one to my niece Naomi and customized it specifically for her. I added her picture, shared details about her (that were integrated into the poem) and I even wrote a custom dedication. What a wonderful gift!
The Love Your Curls book is available to download as an e-book for free HERE and the non-customizable version will be available for download at Amazon.com, iTunes.com and Play.Google.com.
If you’re frustrated with your curls, I promise you can learn to love them just like I did.
I love hearing from you guys so let’s chat in the comments! Any questions about finding a routine that works? Need some encouragement on embracing your hair texture as it is? I’d love to share more about what worked for me. I can’t tell you how many people gave me advice or encouraged me to get to this place, so I’m happy to do the same for you!
Kisses,
Glamazon Jessica
