To have noticed a curly hair renaissance?

[lolliwillowes]

I'm noticing more and more (usually younger) people with curls this past couple of years. I am slightly curly myself so it stands out to me.

It's kind of great because a lot of these looks are pretty natural, even embracing the frizz. I know we're supposed to loathe frizz but it is often a natural consequence of normal hair types reacting to the environment, etc. I'm seeing more people just going with the flow with that now, so it's kinda refreshing.

When I go to the salon they never try to get the irons out on it now, thank god. It seems there's a growing appreciation of a long neglected hair type slowly blossoming.

I guess a lot of people my age (late gen x) are still so used to GHD's and the likes we might end up wondering wtf!

Anyone else noticed this? I hope more and more wavies and curlies are embracing their hair.

(disclaimer: all hair types are gorgeous, but curls/frizz have been shit talked for too long).

I started embracing my curls in lockdown 1.0 after 20+ years of straightening my hair. It's taken a while to get to grips with which products/techniques to use.

The first 2 changes I made were switching to a silk pillow case and ditching Terry towels. I have now set up my own business: organic jersey cotton hair towels. It's going really well so far and I'm getting daily sales. So lots to be grateful for re embracing my curly hair!

I was saying to my friend the other day how much easier and cheaper I am finding it to get products for my curly hair. I find it so much better than the blow drying and straightening I did when I was a teenager/in my early 20s. Wash my hair, dry it with a towel and put some curl creme in it, scrunch it and then let it dry naturally. Occasionally use a diffuser if short on time.
I'm hoping it stays this way. My dd has lovely curls and I hope she never gets convinced that they need 'taming' like I was told. My mum used to hate how "unkempt" curls looked so would brush them out of my hair every morning and then tie my hair in a bun. I want my dd to know and see that curls are beautiful.

Yup, I love the natural look but my hair is completely poker straight. It doesn't even have a slight kink. I've wished for a but of a wave since I was a chil. Its shot and never holds a shape or style.

Ffs, so may typos!

Each to their own. But do show me a curly haired celeb who still has curls

I really couldn't care less how celebs wear their hair.

My hair is naturally curly. It's never occurred to me to straighten it.

@Charliebradbury when I was around 10 (late 70s) my mum took me to the hairdresser and had her cut my hair to around 2 inches long all over. It was awful and the kids at school the next day were hideous.

She didn't know what to do with my hair. I have a lot of it. I then spent the 80s getting it permed and the 90s, noughties and 10s straightening it. It's only this last year I've learned to look after it, aged 51.

Your daughter will thank you for your approach

@murbblurb

Each to their own. But do show me a curly haired celeb who still has curls. Markle, Kidman, Chelsea Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker...

Ten mins with the g h d s doesn't give me super straight hair but it removes the rough frizz and tangles, And the triangular look. Then it is 30 secs with a comb to tidy up. So much easier.

10 mins? It used to take me 30 mins every day with straigtners and then by lunchtime it was starting to wave. Whereas now I wear my hair to bed tied on top with a silk scrunchie, run some taking cream through it. Occasionally wet it slightly if tangled and off I go. And I'm not sure what celebs have to do with it tbh, half of them wear wigs.

I'm generally noticing a renaissance of women among my friends not being arsed with double standards any more and refusing to spend hours on hair and makeup. Think it's a lockdown thing. This means suddenly everyone has got good skin free of makeup clogged pores, lots of lovely wavy hair is emerging. I think everyone looks fab, much better than the heavy make up/contoured look which frankly makes anyone over 25 look fucking old.

Charlie Bradbury
My mum hated my wavy hair too. She thinks it looks "scruffy". I think it's because she wedded to the idea that your appearance must show that you've "put in an effort" . The natural look is not her cup of tea, so curly hair is out because quite frankly the best thing you can do with it is very little!

My dm, dh, dcs and best friend all have curly/ wavy hair with varying textures and it's amazing to see the acceptance for natural hair types now.
My dh and boys wear their hair long and no one bats an eyelid at them (however dh is a 6ft heavy weight wrestler/ heavy metal drummer so people tend to be wary of him)
I'm just glad the boys got my smooth textue as it makes their hair easier to care for

I’m a curly and gave up straightening a few years ago. I’ve noticed a definite boom in embracing your curls it’s great because it’s so much easier to get products at a reasonable price on the high street when only a year or so ago I was having to buy a lot on the internet now my local Superdrug has a whole section on curly products.
Everyone wants what they don’t have though I sometimes think I’d like to straighten my hair occasionally for a change but I’ve put a lot of work into bringing the curls back it would be a step backwards and i have to sleep with my hair up and refresh my curls after a day or two it’s a constant work in progress and bad curl days are common but I also wouldn’t go back to straightening all the time ow either it was wrecking my hair.

@murbblurb

Each to their own. But do show me a curly haired celeb who still has curls. Markle, Kidman, Chelsea Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker...

Ten mins with the g h d s doesn't give me super straight hair but it removes the rough frizz and tangles, And the triangular look. Then it is 30 secs with a comb to tidy up. So much easier.

Who cares what they do?

I’ve got very curly hair and have never straightened it. I’m old enough to remember when everyone had perms and big hair (mid 50’s) and I used to get asked if it was real all the time.
I haven’t noticed more curls about but it doesn’t surprise me
Everything comes around again eventually

This is so interesting. For those sort of following the CGM is there a shampoo or conditioner you use that you can get in Superdrug?

Im always tempted to start but it’s looks so complicated or expensive but if there’s a low cost way of doing it, I’d really like to try!

I've never straightened my hair, I've always loved having curls. Also, I'm lazy and no way could I be bothered straightening it every day!

That's me as well

It's great that there are so many curly girl products around now making life a bit easier for us. I can't be bothered faffing around though - a bit of sulphate free shampoo, conditioner, little bit of leave in and I'm out the door!

Any recommendations for curl-enhancing styling products (apologies if I’ve missed any)?

I’ve got very curly hair but it’s very fine, is my scalp gets itchy between washes so can’t really use the CGM (plus it makes my hair look v lank). My main issue is horrific tangles (often needing cutting out) and dry ends. I use Palmers Coconut leave in conditioner at the moment but it’s not very moisturising.

I used to get asked if it was real all the time.

I still do. Usually by envious older ladies.

Looks yummy @Camomila

@Strawbsandcream2 - try Noughty products in Superdrug. They have low poo shampoos and also conditioners which are (modified) CGM approved. Their wave hello range and their to the rescue range work well for my hair (fine, wavy and low porosity).

Superdrug also sell As I Am products - their cleansing co-wash is very good, I do a mix of washing with the dry and itchy co-wash and the noughty low poo shampoo. Their leave in conditioner is good too, nice and lightweight.

Also, the garnier hair food hair masks are mostly CGM approved (I know coconut, papaya, banana and aloe vera are, haven't checked the newer ones) and you can often get them for £3-4 on offer. I find the aloe one really hydrating.

Savers sell XHC products (a £1 a bottle) - their conditioners are CGM approved and contain protein. Their shampoos are clarifying and chelating which means they remove product build up (clarifying) and also hard water deposits (chelating) which is great for people like me who live in a hard water area. Noughty do a clarifying and chelating shampoo for £7 so worth checking XHC out for a cheaper alternative. If you're in a soft water area and only need to clarify I like the maui moisture shampoos for clarifying - I used them before I did the modified CGM. I clarify and cheate with XHC at the start of every month and I usually clarify half way through the month with Maui moisture. It's more than you're 'supposed' to but my scalp gets really itchy so I like to remove build up more often.

A general tip, not all of the curly hair products in curl sections of Superdrug and Boots are free of sulfates and silicones.

My hair curls naturally. It's been interesting over nearly 50 years to see it drift in and out of fashion. It won't 'take' being straightened and I don't think straight hair would look right on me, so I just let it be.

@Vursayles - the best styler I have found is Orange Marmalade by Eco Slay. It's expensive and has to be kept in the fridge but it's the only gel which gives me a cast. I got a sample bottle from House of Curls to try and glad I did.

I've heard good things about the Styling Snot gel (can't remember the brand) but haven't tried. I haven't got on well with Giovanni LA hold gel but a lot of people rate it highly. You can get sample sizes of a lot of products on Look Fantastic, House of Curls and Naturalistic products.

My favourite conditioner is Faith in Nature blueberry - I find it really hydrating. You can buy on Amazon and at Holland and Barrett and other health food places.

I also find the garnier hair food aloe mask brilliant at the moment. My ends are very dry as my last hair cut was in 2019 and I don't want to risk the hairdresser until I'm vaccinated. The aloe mask is helping. I use it with a microwaveable hair cap as my hair is low porosity so the heat helps my hair to absorb the moisture.

Add lots of water to your hair when you squish to condish - it really helps. I fill an empty hair food tub with water and dip my clumps into it to get lots of water in.

You can leave any conditioner in your hair. If you want a leave in conditioner I like the Giovanni weightless moisture leave in and the As I Am leave in (bought a sample bottle of the former and received a sample sachet for free for the latter). I also put a little conditioner in a spray bottle with water and spray on my hair every day, it helps with refreshing but also gets a bit more conditioner in.

I used to use the same leave in as you and had the same issue.

@CaffiSaliMali thank you so much! I’ll look into those options.