Search Results: NaturallyCurly

See Titi of Miss Jessie’s discuss and demonstrate Baby Buttercreme.

Alagio, the maker of the Crazy Curl line of hair products, is looking for the curly who can tell us best how their hair reflects their personality. For the month of July, submit your photos and a short description of why you are a crazy curly. One lucky winner will receive the entire Silk Obsession and Crazy Curl collections once every three months for a year. Enter here.

Frank Dancevic’s hair — fulsome, wild and richly brown — has to be among the most impressive in tennis. It sort of sprouts from his scalp, each strand having a mind of its own. During matches, a white headband just barely succeeds in restraining his unruly bustle.

The resident of Niagara Falls, Ont., has not had it cut in seven months.

“I’m trying to see how far it can go, but it gets annoying because I have really curly hair,” Dancevic said after beating David Nalbandian at Wimbledon on Monday.

“If I don’t put the perfect conditioner in it,” he added, spreading his hands wide from his head, “it kind of goes out here.”

— The Globe and Mail (Boston”>

Curly hair is a passion for Carlos Flores. He’s been cutting curly hair for 11 years, and he currently travels between the Mario Diab Salon in New York and Rush Salon outside London to cut the world’s curls. He took a few minutes out of his busy day to answer a few questions for NaturallyCurly.

NC: What is your philosophy about curly hair?

Carlos: Well, I am a true believer that curls should be embraced for what they are – a gift you were born with and not a curse. Curly hair is just misunderstood. Yes, curly hair can be a bit unruly, just like a 2 year old or a 16 year old without rules or guidance. So, creating a routine that works for your curl type is the first step.

NC: How often should curly hair be cut?

Carlos: Since curly is generally a slow grower, you should be able to go anywhere from four to six months. Hairstyles play a factor. Shorter styles need more upkeep, while longer styles can go longer between cuts. If you are trying to grow it out, you can even go up to a year between cuts, but only if the hair is kept in a healthy condition.

NC: What are some easy tips to reduce frizz?

Carlos: The best tip I have is to never rinse out all your daily conditioner. You should always leave some in – anywhere from silk to seaweed. This a full-proof gauge you can use to help deal with humidity. You want to lean toward seaweed when it’s very humid.

NC: Why do you cut curly hair dry?

Carlos: I cut curly hair dry because I get a better read on the hair. When the hair is wet, it is no longer curly. It is straight hair. I feel a lot of times that stylists lose sight of a thing called the spring factor. When curly hair is cut wet, it is one length. When it dries, you may end up with something entirely different. I feel when you’re giving a dry cut, there are no hidden surprises. What you see is what you get.

NC: How often should one deep condition curly hair?

Carlos: As often as humanly possible. I think you can deep condition while doing other things, such as watching TV, working out and, best of all, sleeping. A great tip is to work the conditioner through the hair until it feels like seaweed. Then, put it up in a bun and put a shower cap on past the hairline. Tie a scarf or bandana around it and go right to sleep. It’s not the prettiest look, but it works. Keeping curly hair well moisturized is part of the healing process, and can only promote growth.

NC: How do you feel when curly hair is said to be “in style”?

Carlos: I feel that curly is a lifestyle, not just a style. Straight hair that is set to be curly… now that’s a style! On the other hand, if it being called “in style,” and it can bring on curl pride, I am all for it. I feel that curly is the new norm. I think that at least 80 percent of us have a curl pattern.

NC: Do you think anyone has bad curls?

Carlos: No, I don’t think there is anybody with bad curls – just really bad habits. We were all taught to treat our hair as if it were straight. We were told to brush it 100 times a day to keep it healthy, which for curls is just torture. I love to teach the next generation of curlies good habits so they don’t have to hate their hair, which sadly is how most of us grew up.

NC: What tips and advice can you give moms with curly kids?

Carlos: Start them early in breaking the cycle of bad habits. An important tip is to use a satin or silk pillowcase so the next morning those curls are less disheveled. Then, all you will have to do is clean and refine the curls with a little spray bottle of water and conditioner. It also helps to give them that daily affirmation of how special they are to have curly hair.

Ben Askren is headed to Beijing this summer for the summer Olympics. Askren’s toughness, work ethic and competitive grit have been compared to boxing great Muhammed Ali.

But his trademark curly hair has gained him as much recognition as anything. In a recent press conference, Askren told reporters “I actually don’t really like my hair that much, but I’m a man of realism, and I realize that people like gimmicks. I’m going to Beijing and my hair’s going to be my gimmick. Hopefully, I’ll get a sponsorship or two, maybe get some money out of having stupid, curly hair.”

Stephanie Izard rose to the top of Season 4’s Top Chef contestants, thanks to her sauteed red snapper, seared quail breast and ricotta pound cake with lime glaze. But we love her curls. She is the first woman to win the top honor.

Kid clothing retailer Children’s Place has consistently showcased a wide diversity of kids in their advertisements. This photo is the latest example of how they’re spreading the word that textured hair is beautiful — a message we hope will help curly kids embrace their natural hair rather than fighting it.

---

Tito’s Handmade Vodka has created some spring cocktails to celebrate NaturallyCurly’s two newest cocktails.

Tito-Rita

1½ oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

½ oz. Cointreau

3 oz. sweet & sour*

Garnish with lime

Tito Mojito

2 oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Muddled blackberries, basil, simple syrup and ginger

Fill with soda

Garnish with lime

Cucumber Martini

2 oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

1 oz simple syrup**

¾ oz. fresh lemon juice

3 slices peeled English cucumber

3 drops green Tabasco

Fresh cilantro

Muddle cilantro, cucumber, syrup and lemon juice.

Add vodka. Shake and double strain. Add Tabasco

Lemon Drop Martini

1½ oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

½ oz. Cointreau or limoncello

Splash lemon juice & simple syrup**

Sugar rim

Apple Tini

1½ oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

½ oz. Apple Pucker

Garnish with cherry or apple slice

Tito’s Sonic

1½ oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Fill with half tonic & half soda

Garnish with a lime

*Sweet & sour

Combine 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup fresh lime juice and 1 cup fresh lemon juice and refrigerate.

**Simple syrup

2 parts sugar

1 part water

Bring the water to a boil.

Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water.

Once the sugar is dissolved completely, remove the pan from the heat.

Allow to cool completely and use or bottle and store in the refrigerator.

We’ve come to expect it from American Idol. Beautiful girls with curls are transformed, week by week, into cookie-cutter, straight-haired lookalikes.

First season, there was Tamyra Gray. Season 2, Kimberley Locke got the Idol treatment — her wild ringlets becoming tamer by the week. Jennifer Hudson got the straight makeover in Season 3, always to the rave reviews of judges who seem to feel uncomfortable with any kind of texture. At least they let Season 4’s Nadia Turner rock her curls, but they tamed down Carrie Underwood’s Botticelli long waves. Season 5’s Lisa Tucker didn’t make it far enough for them to get their flatiron onto her long curls. Jordin Sparks, who came onto the scene with her big voice and big, amazing ringlets, now rarely sports any texture after her Idol makeover. And now there’s Syesha Mercado — beautiful Syesha. Her amazing ‘fro is a part of her unique style.

They wouldn’t think of messing with Jason Castro’s long dreadlocks. Yet they can’t keep their hands off Syesha’s hair, attaching extensions and eliminating any sign of a curl or kink.

American Idol, at its core, is a talent competition. And Syesha has loads of it. Let her do what she does best, without sacrificing her natural beauty.

Hair’s How

April 2008

To get Kate Hudson’s signature Bohemian Wave, stylist David Babaii breaks the process down into four stages: drying, sectioning, curling and styling.

To get started, Babaii sprays her entire head with David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray and scrunches it into the hair. This gives just the right texture and movement.

“I always dry her hair using my hands, moving the hair in various directions until dry,” Babaii says.

Once dry, he sections her hair into three different parts. This is vital so you have constant control of the hair at all times. He uses three to four different sized ceramic curling irons to create her classic Bohemian wave. Taking small “V” shaped strands, he wraps the hair around the outside of the closed barrel, leaving the ends free. To complete the look, he runs his fingers up the partially curled strand to get a dramatic “wild” look.

For additional lift or volume at the scalp area, he uses David Babaii for WildAid Root Lift. To complete the look, he sprays additional David Babaii for WildAid Bohemian Beach Spray and have Kate flip her head down and over.

Justin Timberlake has crammed an impressive amount into his 12 years in the ‘biz. He found fame as a Mousketeer, lead singer of ‘N Sync and Britney’s other half before promising to “bring sexy back” in his solo career. Music aside, he’s managed to start a charitable foundation, launch his own clothing label, branch out into acting and work on his golf handicap, as well as step out with Hollywood stars such as Cameron Diaz and Jessica Biel.

But did you know that Justin’s famously curly hair was the bane of his life during middle school. He recalls: “That was the thing everybody teased me about. They called me brillo pad. I was always trying to either straighten the crap out of it or cut it all off. In second grade I took like paper scissors and cut my hair all uneven… That’s the only time I ever really got a spanking.”

Source: Digital Spy

As a cheery, cheeky curly cherub, she was the perfect antidote to the Depression. Today she turns 80, but nothing can take away the magic of Shirley Temple.

She became a national institution: there were Shirley Temple dolls, toys, and clothes (including a line in bathing suits”>. “I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six,” she recalled. “Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked me for my autograph.”

For curly kids everywhere, she became an adorable role model. She rocked those blond ringlets. There was no other child star before or since who has been as popular or who demonstrated such extraordinary talents as singer, dancer and actor. Happy birthday, Shirley.

It was with surprise and disappointment that members of our community at NaturallyCurly.com alerted us to Oprah’s Great American Haircut Makeovers. In case after case, beautiful waves, curls and kinks were beaten into submission with blow dryers, flatirons and extensions.

Oprah is well loved the world over, due in no small part to her uplifting gospel of self-acceptance. Yet, in the eyes of curlies, these makeovers suggest that in order to be beautiful, one must completely alter one’s appearance into something not at all natural.

Our web site has worked for 10 years to help change perceptions about curls and kinks. In the past few years, recognizing a trend toward self-acceptance and natural beauty, almost every hair-care company has created products that enhance texture — many with the guidance of NaturallyCurly.com. Countless examples exist of celebrities, including you, and of everyday women working with and embracing their curls, rather than fighting them. We are proud to espouse the message that curly hair, like eye and skin color, is always in style. After all, curlies make up more than 50% of the world’s population — we need to rock our curls!

We would love to work with Oprah to find stylists who aren’t afraid of a few curls and kinks – people who have a passion for them – to collectively show millions of women that textured hair is beautiful and sexy.

If you want to join NaturallyCurly in our appeal to Oprah, you can! To align our efforts and create one underscored voice, we would ask that you submit the following message here:

As a member of the NaturallyCurly community, we would love to see a redux of the Great American Haircut Makeovers that showcases textured hair being embraced in its natural way. See how Gretchen and Michelle have helped make a difference for all us curlies!

Emma

Curly hair is wonderful. It’s bouncy, shiny, and completely gorgeous! But if you don’t take care of it properly, it can become something else: poofy.

Now I love big curls, but sometimes us curly girls want to keep our hair a little less poofy and a little more defined. So how do you keep your curls perfectly perky and not too poofy? I have some tips!

The right haircut can always help. I’ve learned that with the wrong haircut, it’s almost impossible to get your curls to keep the shape you want. For most curlies, long layers work well to give your hair a nice shape. However, cutting your hair to one length all over will usually result in the dreaded triangle-head, where hair poofs out too much at the bottom. But everyone’s hair is different, so get the haircut that works the best for you!

Another way to keep your hair from poofing is to not style your hair in the bathroom after taking a shower. Why? Because all of the steam in the air will make your hair poof extra!

If your hair is flat, applying products and rinsing it upside-down will help give it a boost at the top. Otherwise, don’t try this! I’ve learned that hair if I apply my products upside-down, my hair will be too poofy for my liking.

Using a diffuser on your blow dryer can create beautifully defined curls. I think that when I diffuse my hair, it has a bigger shape then by just letting it air-dry. So my hair is less poofy even though it is bigger, but more defined overall. I prefer to diffuse my hair then let it air or towel dry, but it takes about 20 minutes – not something I can do every day before school.

Patti Stanger of Bravo TV’s “Millionaire Matchmaker” told one woman all men want to run their fingers through a woman’s hair and don’t want to touch “brillo.” She said all curlies looking for a man must flat iron.