Smart hairstyle for naturally curly/frizzy hair

[packedlunches]

Does such a thing exist?
I have naturally curly hair which I will straighten and style if I'm going out out, but this takes a lot of time.
During the week I like to tie it back as it gets in the way otherwise, but I have so many short hairs around my face and neck which tend to frizz. I end up looking like I've woken up from a night sleeping on a Velcro pillow. Ponytail or bun also looks ridiculous and I just feel like I look really scruffy. I'd just like to look more polished on the days when I don't have time for a full blow dry.
Anyone have any tips?

Brazilian blow dry. In 30 years of trying it's the only way I've found to let me be both lazy and presentable.

Satin or silk pillowcase really helps the frizz

Satin bonnet to sleep in, definitely don't tie it up.

Chignon or twisting sections from the front and gripping into a bun.

Don't touch hair elastics, hydrate your hair as much as possible. Any style looks 'chic' with curly hair as it hides a multitude of imperfections – just use grips instead of elastics.

And know that the more you straighten and heat-treat your hair, the frizzier it'll get.... it's a vicious cycle. Let it be :)

I would enhance the curls but twisting them into tendrils with either a straightener, or a curling wand. This would create even curls/waves that are still silky and the heat would smash the frizz out.
Just use a protection spray and do very gently in large sections. Not lingering or pulling on the hair will create much less damage than the intensity of blowdrying.

Alternatively change the way you sleep in you hair - serum with a long braid, dampen and let dry like that overnight.

We also need to stop perceiving curly hair and it's natural texture as un-glam, messy and unsophisticated.

Good luck!

I have to tie it up for work so really I'm looking for a way of making it look sleek during the day?

We get it – what we're saying is that if you condition it / stop burning heat-styling it and sleep on satin, the frizz you're concerned about around your face won't be a problem.

And don't use elastics to tie it up, use grips. Chignon or twist sections back and grip together. A quick search on youtube for easy curly up-dos will give you tonnes of ideas – but none of them will help with the frizz around your face long-term unless you tackle that at the source.

I do condition it and use kerastase products tailored to my hair type. I get Olaplex at every hair appointment. I rarely use heat as I rarely go out so it's only very occasionally it gets "burned".
I've not tried the silk or satin pillowcase so I will look at getting one.
Thank you for your advice

I’m in the same boat OP. I tend to go for the lazy option of twisting it up in a clamp rather than a pony tail and let the front curls frame my face a bit.

Could it be that actually it looks lovely, but you’ve typecast ‘neat’ as ‘straight and not curly?’

Curly hair is beautiful!

Placemarking. I already condition and don’t use heat, but I’d like a smart hairstyle. Too old for messy chic.

It's curly. I have curly hair. There is no way I would spend my valuable time straightening my hair to meet someone else's definition of neat or smart.

Curly hair just is curly. It is beautiful and should be embraced as such.

If you want to avoid frizz my recommendation is that you are not using enough conditioner and investigate products for black hair/designed for curly hair and leave the Kerastase behind. Watch some curly hair Youtubers.

No it's really not 😆 I wish I could post a photo.
Basically it takes me ages to get it straight and ages to dry it nicely curly, so if I'm in a hurry it gets blasted with a hairdryer so it ends up as a mix between straight and curly - bit of a bush.
Then when I put it up, there are no curly tendrils, just a mix between straight and curly bits that stick straight out.
I think maybe I need some sort of method to smooth these parts back into a ponytail or braid.
I do wear my hair curly in summer when it dries quicker.

I don't straighten it to meet anyone else's ideals. I choose to straighten it when I go out as I personally prefer it.

Ah I see! Do you have a wash routine? My eldest girl has beautiful very curly hair but if I just wash and roughly dry and brush it it goes all over the place. We use curly hair shampoo and I don’t brush her hair, just detangle it with my fingers and put some hair oil or serum through it.

For everyday could you try some styling serum or leave in cream/serum? I do this with dd and them smooth her hair back into a ponytail with the serum. I think it starts with the hair care though. If you don’t use the right products day to day then the curls won’t look defined. I would take a day out when you’re not busy and try out a few different products that fit your hair type.

I have the same type of hair as you @packedlunches and it's such hard work to looked in anyway polished!! To be honest ive tried most things people have suggested and one shower of rain undoes it in seconds, in terms of hairstyle its generally different types of buns or braids at the back, and at the front I change my parting a lot depending on what I'm going for, I like a really far side parting with a low bun, I think that's quite a classic look, I also use Bobby pins a lot and if doing the centre parting will bring the front part of hair back on each side, i find it really opens up my face, to control the baby hair ( so many whispy bits of hair!) I use an eyebrow brush, the one I have is tiny, circular with bristles and the way it controls that hair I don't think I'd live without one again!!

Thanks so much @Iseepalmtrees
This is definitely the kind of style I am thinking of. Do you use any product on it to keep it in place?

Search for "clean girl" hair.

It's basically centre part hair slicked down with gel and a twisted bun at the back. Very on trend. Pretty quick and easy.

Perfect thanks. Any recommendations for gel/product?

I'd go for eco styler gel. It's heavy but holds amazing and shiny

I use the L'Oréal miracle serum, but to be honest with my hair I find it's more how you work the hair into place than the serum itself & trust me on the eyebrow brush for the whispy bits! 😂