One of the biggest curly hair myths is that curly girls can’t wear hats. (Another is that men don’t like curly hair! Boy is that wrong, but that’s a story for another day.”> But if you didn’t realize this was a myth, you’re not alone.
None of my curly-haired friends knew this, and neither did I. In fact, during the years that I wore my hair curly, I spent many winters freezing for the sake of a decent hair day. Fear of frizz also kept me from wearing a bike helmet for many years.
When I had kids, I learned to embrace my curly hair and got these great curl-covering tips from the experts at Devachan Salons in NYC and Culver City, CA. Now I’m protected when I wear my bike and stay warm in the winter, and I can even sport a cute spring or summer chapeau without worrying about hat head.
These tips also go for wearing wigs or scarves.
1. Keep your curls healthy
If your hair is hydrated and in good shape to begin with, your curls will bounce back better and more quickly after sitting under the weight of a hat, helmet, wig, etc. This means washing hair with sulfate-free cleansers, moisturizing often with loads of conditioner and deep conditioning at least once a week.
2. Clip hair for lift
It’s usually the top of the hair that gets flattened under a hat, scarf, etc. Give hair a lift by putting a little alcohol-free, silicone-free gel on a hair clip (find them at any drugstore”>. Then take a small section of hair from the top of your head and place the clip at the roots close to your scalp. Do this in a few different spots on top of your head so these strands stay lifted while your hat, scarf, hood or helmet presses down on them.
3. Remove clips with care
When you take the clips out, use one hand to remove the clip and the other to hold the section of hair. This keeps the curl’s natural shape and prevents accidentally tearing or snapping of the hair. Then spritz curls with water or use wet fingers to gently ruffle hair near the roots.
4. Revive wayward curls
If any curls get unfurled while covered, just wet your finger and wrap the section of hair around it. Pin it with a clip or bobby pin for a minute or two, release and the curl formation will be back.
5. Pin them back
If you’ve got shorter curls framing your face, you can gently twist sections of these hairs toward the back of your head and secure with a body pin. This helps them keep their natural shape while covered.
