It was the same thing for every special occasion. Come wedding season, I would plan, carve out time, and mentally prepare myself for the arduous task of straightening my curly hair. It was no laughing matter, all tools needed to be ready – the blow drier, flat iron, brushes, pins, hair bands, protective creams, and a minimum of two hours worth of Netflix. This mission became increasingly difficult as I transitioned from straightening my hair into leaving it naturally curly. My hair became healthier and thicker, and my curls became tighter and more stubborn; the task of straightening my hair required solid bicep strength, mental vigor, and ample time. What made matters worse was the fact that my straight hair didn’t look nice anymore; my curls had become so tight, they caused my straightened hair to look f… fr… frizzy. I was at the mercy of humidity fluctuations and inclement weather conditions, starting my day looking like J.Lo and end it looking like Diana Ross.
Enough was enough; a year ago I made the decision to stop straightening my curls for good, regardless of the occasion. This liberating resolution proved to be wise; getting ready for occasions was no longer an event, my hair could withstand weather conditions, and because I looked different, people complimented me on my hair (I never got compliments when I wore my hair straight)! I embraced my natural locks with open arms and started looking up pretty hairstyles, buying cute hair accessories, and having fun with the process.
The only set back was that there were not enough resources when it came to learning how to style curly hair for occasions. A simple Google search on “hair for special occasions” provides an infinite list of straight hairstyles. Even typing “curly hair for special occasions” gives you a myriad of images of women with straight hair who have curled it with a curling iron. Other than a few dedicated blogs, there are very little resources when it comes to styling curly hair for special occasions. This needs to change. In order for curly haired women to gain access to information and tools to wear their natural hair, there needs to be more content – more postings, and more knowledge put out in the world. Curly Crown Canada is dedicated to sharing curly hair wisdom by meeting with experts, researching, writing and posting about all things curly hair.
Recently, we met with the Curl Ambassadors in Toronto to gain some insight on how to wear curly hair for occasions. Since opening in 2006, they have been the mecca for curly girls in Toronto and Vaughn. Famous for their dry cuts and step-by-step guides to caring for curly hair, they had a few things to say…
- Wear Your Second Day Hair – Second day hair has more hold and volume. Given that hair’s own natural oils are greater that day, your hair will look fuller and your hairstyle will hold longer.
- Be Generous with Your Products – Whether you decide to wear your first day hair or second day hair, applying generous amounts of product when you first style your hair after the shower makes all the difference. Be sure to add more of your styling product for greater setting. You don’t want flyaway or frizzes when you’re taking pictures!
- Holding Spray is Your Best Friend – Holding spray helps keeps chignons, and buns from budging for hours. Apply your spray while prepping and setting. Flip your head over and shake out your curls while spraying on the holding spray to your roots. To add extra volume use your fingers to back comb at the roots.
- Know Your Tools and Use Them! – Screw pins and bobby pins are a must if you’re wearing your hair up. Be sure to secure them by making an “x” for large amounts of hair to reduce the risk of your hair getting loose.
- Finish with Styling Cream or Natural Oils – Styling cream and natural oils can be used to smooth and add shine. Finger coil and add extra hairspray or holding spray for a defined look, or add water for a more natural look.
This blog post was written by curl ambassador, Sandy Saad and was inspired by Curly Crown Canada’s Meet Up topic “Curls for Occasions” at the Curl Ambassadors in Toronto on Thursday, April 21, 2016.
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