Curly bottom, flat straight roots (pictures)

[MargeSimpsonswig]

I've been doing CG method for 2 years and have always struggled with flat roots. I think this is partly due to the weight of long hair dragging it down so I'm thinking of getting some shorter layers at the top but don't want to look like a bowl head. I really want to try short side swept "bangs" but I'm not sure how they will look with my curl pattern and I don't want to loose overall length.

I'm booked in for my (first) curly specialist cut but it's not until June 2020 (long waiting list) and I'm getting it cut on Tuesday by a hairdresser who I've been to before but it was when I wore my hair straight.

I've attached pictures of what I'm aiming for but my hair is less curly so I'm not sure how it will sit. Anyone else with wavy/loose curls tried this and did it turn out OK?

@TheDevilsPedicure, thankyou. I'm still learning how to embrace my natural hair as I didn't know it was even curly until a few years ago. I always wondered why it was always a big poofy fluffy mess if I dried it straight!!

@JoeGargery, I hear you!!! Its all so confusing when you first start out and lots of conflicting advice on CG message boards. I'm can't wait to see a proper curl specialist so they can tell me everything I'm doing wrong 😂 The uncle funky's gel is really worth a try if you have a similar curl pattern although it is abit pricey. I save it for days I need guaranteed good results.

@Smellbow I'm going to give that a try as I have a satin bonnet I never use (it always falls off halfway in the night). I usually plop wet overnight and diffuse in the morning but I've heard sleeping in wet hair is really bad for your hair and can lead to hydral fatigue.

I'm going to do a baking soda clarify before the chop tomorrow to see if it helps with volume. I'm gonna bite the bullet and go for some shorter layers so will update with pics. I just hope I don't hate it and have to wear my hair up until June 😂

@lottieleo, I couldn't believe the waiting list when I booked either!!! thanks for the link, I was doing clipping all wrong ((instead of vertical clipping I was putting them in sideways) so I will give that a try too. I find cantu products too heavy for my hair although I quite like to co wash.

I have DC with afro hair but where we live there are no black/Caribbean barbers/hairdressers and they are at an age where they don't want to trek too far to get their hair done. It's great you are teaching your DD's how to care for their curls. My childhood photos wouldn't be quite so horrendous if my mum had known about my curls when I was little 😂 Her hair is poker straight and I used to get smothered in vitapoint to calm down my mane (I can't stand the smell of that stuff to this day )

A cut will definitely make a difference... but tbh, what it seems like you want you’re probably only going to get from diffusing...it doesn’t look to me like you’ve the right curl type to get that amount of volume without it.

I mean I don’t think your hair is that flat at the roots, but it is the best way to get more volume.

Re making it last, I have fine wavy hair, turns into fuzz overnight and can’t pineapple because it then has debts from that. I sleep in a buff and a couple of claw clips to hold the roots up, I get 3... possibly 4 days instead of the 1 if I use nothing.

Do you dry it upside down?

I dry it upside down for abit and flip from side to side but if I style it completely upside down (product application and drying) then I loose all definition and it looks awful.

I could probably up my diffusing game as I often lose patience half way through and switch up to full speed and heat. I wish I could air dry but I can't stand having sipping wet hair and it would take 24 hours to dry.

Mine is the same and I cut it shorter because it took so long to dry !! I use a very large universal diffuser then swap to my smaller one to add definition . I think they weight off your hair is the issue though because it's very long and weighty .

Google the Pixie Method for blow drying - total gamechanger for tighter curls.

I add in more product halfway through diffusing, that’s what gives me definition... if I don’t do that I get loads of volume, but it’s just frizz...

Thanks @NotSureWhoIAmToday and @tabulahrasa, I'll give both of those a try when I wash my hair tonight after the chop. I actually hate having my hair dryed straight by the hairdresser as I feel like I'm committing a CG sin. I don't trust this one to diffuse either though as I'm getting it cut on my lunch break so will have to go back to work with whatever result I end up with!

@tabulahrasa do you add more gel half way through diffusing or curl cream? Does it not break up the existing cast?

Gel, but gel’s the only product I use... so...

I wet my hands, then put gel on my hands and use a praying hands motion to put it on my hair, then wet my hands again and scrunch it

Yep it breaks the cast, but I get a new better one while I finish drying.

Google smasters technique - it’s more or less that that I do.

So this is my hair after the chop, a protein treatment and the smashters technique with pixie blow dry method. I'm pretty happy with the results although still not much root volume.

I can't wait to see the difference a proper curl cut makes in June!

Thanks everyone for all the tips!!

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