So I've been working hard at styling curlygirls hair lately. Ever since our curly hair information session where I was able to practice cornrows with an expert, I've gotten much better. I realized I was holding the braid too far away from the scalp, so it wouldn't hold the style as long because it wasn't tight enough. So problem solved!
That doesn't mean that the styles hold for weeks, they still only hold for maximum 3-4 days, but that's actually long for 3b/3c curls.
Some things new curly hair musings I've had along the way.
1. Curlygirl loves beads. They click clack away and she loves to swing them. When I put them in her hair she says "I beautiful" and it's true. So we are big fans of beads in this house. We probably have beads in her hair about 50% of the time these days.
2. Natural and loose hair is much harder to manage. When I leave her hair or part of her hair down we are struggling more and more with knots and tangles. It also feels much dryer. Braids and styles really help hold in the moisture (especially when locked in with shea butter) and make detangling and washing much much easier.
3. Angled braids hold better than straight braids. That is, cornrows straight back off her crown last about 2-3 days, but if I angle them (doesn't matter which angle) they last longer. I think this has to do with how so rubs her head.
4. Coils can quickly turn into dreadlocks. I love coils and they look so beautiful. But as curlygirls hair gets longer I'm finding that coils very very quickly turn into dreadlocks and create a big tangled mat around the coil, so this style is one that is only used for short periods of time and only when we will have time to bath and detangle it that night.
5. I recently spent a day doing braids for a friends daughter, and her curly little lady has 4a curls. Ok, for all you mama's (and papa's) with 4+ curls and 4+ curly kids.. kudoos to you. It was MUCH harder to style and manage. We did a head of cornrows, but it took 4 hours. Thank goodness she was patient.
Here are some photos and general comments on curlygirls recent do's.
Here is a photo of finger coils with a side part. These look super cute and are quite easy to do on her hair. I find when we use the curly curl cream it seems to hold them the longest. She loves this style, and it's one of her daddy's favourites. It's a one day only style, or we have some major dreadlocks starting (and while I love locks, I don't want to commit to that style).
That doesn't mean that the styles hold for weeks, they still only hold for maximum 3-4 days, but that's actually long for 3b/3c curls.
Some things new curly hair musings I've had along the way.
1. Curlygirl loves beads. They click clack away and she loves to swing them. When I put them in her hair she says "I beautiful" and it's true. So we are big fans of beads in this house. We probably have beads in her hair about 50% of the time these days.
2. Natural and loose hair is much harder to manage. When I leave her hair or part of her hair down we are struggling more and more with knots and tangles. It also feels much dryer. Braids and styles really help hold in the moisture (especially when locked in with shea butter) and make detangling and washing much much easier.
3. Angled braids hold better than straight braids. That is, cornrows straight back off her crown last about 2-3 days, but if I angle them (doesn't matter which angle) they last longer. I think this has to do with how so rubs her head.
4. Coils can quickly turn into dreadlocks. I love coils and they look so beautiful. But as curlygirls hair gets longer I'm finding that coils very very quickly turn into dreadlocks and create a big tangled mat around the coil, so this style is one that is only used for short periods of time and only when we will have time to bath and detangle it that night.
5. I recently spent a day doing braids for a friends daughter, and her curly little lady has 4a curls. Ok, for all you mama's (and papa's) with 4+ curls and 4+ curly kids.. kudoos to you. It was MUCH harder to style and manage. We did a head of cornrows, but it took 4 hours. Thank goodness she was patient.
Here are some photos and general comments on curlygirls recent do's.
Here is a photo of finger coils with a side part. These look super cute and are quite easy to do on her hair. I find when we use the curly curl cream it seems to hold them the longest. She loves this style, and it's one of her daddy's favourites. It's a one day only style, or we have some major dreadlocks starting (and while I love locks, I don't want to commit to that style).
Here is her daddy's absolute favourite hairstyle. The Frohawk. I find this style works best when I take larger secctions of hair and cornrow upwards. The further up you place the cornrows, the more of a "hawk" it will make. If we don't go swimming we can get this style to last 3 days. But there is some every day maintenance of detangling, moisturizing and setting the top. I usually use "The Great Detangler" and the "Curly curl cream".
Curlygirl calls these her "Ethiopia braids" because we were reading a book and the little girl from Ethiopia had hair braided in straight rows to the back, which was left out and natural. Super cute, but the back does get matted so this style requires every day attention to detangle and moisturize the back of her hair. Usually this style will last 2 days.
