How can I loosen my curls?

[WibbleyWobble]

I have pretty tight curls and my attempts at straightening them are OK ish, but the whole process takes about 1.5 hours and I'm sweating and really, it's just too much trouble. (And there is always a bit at the back that still is curly).

I'm looking at Keratin treatments but I really don't want glossy super smooth straight hair, I really don't suit that. I just want the curl loose, much less tight (the baxk, close to neck, curls are like ringlets, the rest of hair is 3b type). I've tried the CGM, had a super expensive curly hair cut that looked amazing, until I tried to recreate it at home, looked just as I always have it even when I copied the techniques the hairdresser showed me and used the same expensive products. I feel my hair is old fashioned, like a perm my mum and her friends has in the 80s, it's that kind of curl.

Does anyone have any tips for getting tight curls to loosen up a bit?

I have 3a so not as tight as yours but I can make them loom 2b/2c by doing the following

Combing through styling gel in towel tried hair (usually I don't comb at all and only put product onto soaking wet hair to encourage curl)
Pulling it really tight and smooth into a low ponytail at nape of neck
Putting another elastic ponytail midway through shaft and then another at the end to weigh it down then go to bed.
The weight of the ponytail drags the curl out.
In morning take It all out and shake - 2c Veronica Lake waves to mix it up.

I have keratin treatments and I have wavy hair sometimes curly (but not as curly as yours). It does make it glossy but it's not super straight if I let it dry naturally. It has movement to it still. I'd have a chat with a hairdresser you trust about it..
also I wonder whether they could do the equivalent to a perm to it Ie change the curl pattern?

Yes try the curly girl products (leave in conditioner and gel or whatever you use) but pull the hair straight rather than scrunching it curly and let it dry naturally or blow dry once the gel has set and a cast has formed. Mine ends up with a lot of volume but no curls, but mine isnt as curly as yours so you might have to put hairbands around it as mentioned above, worth a try!

Thank you 😊 wide tooth comb on order. I've never not scrunched when drying, and that seems an obvious reason why my hair is so curly, but I will try combining g it straighter before drying and will see how that goes.

I also wondered about using a perming solution to work the hair onto a different curl pattern. I'm going to pop into my hairdressers on Thursday for a chat and see what can be done.
Thanks 😊