Real Texture Talk: Alex Portelli

NaturallyCurly: Please introduce yourself!

Alex Portelli: My name is Alex and I am currently a junior at Boston College studying chemistry. I am from a town about an hour and a half from NYC. I also enjoy running and baking in my free time.

NC: How and when did you start embracing your curls or have you always enjoyed and embraced your curls?

AP: I started embracing my curls in high school. When I was a kid I just had wavy hair, but as I got older, my waves turned to Botticelli curls! In middle school, I used to straighten my hair every day and pull it back in a ponytail. But towards the end of middle school, my mom strongly encouraged that I begin to experiment with different products and styles. By high school, I had learned how to tame my curls and embrace them!

NC: What is your current routine/regimen?

AP: When I condition my hair in the shower, I also run my fingers through it to break up the knots. I let the conditioner sit for about five minutes. Then I rinse it out and apply it a second time, but in a very small amount. My hair feels silky. When I get out of the shower, I apply the gel when my hair is still soaking wet, scrunching the product into my curls. Finally, I use a microfiber towel to remove the excess water!

NC: So from start to finish, on a curly day, what’s your process?

AP: I don’t blow dry my hair, so I either shower a couple hours before I go to sleep or when I wake up in the morning. Blow drying my hair makes it frizzy and going to sleep with my hair too wet makes the curls uneven — I could wake up with one side curlier than the other!

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NC: What about your hair stylists?

AP: I am very careful about who I let cut my hair. I get the Deva Cut, which is a special curly hair cut where the stylist cuts your hair dry and curl by curl, to shape it in its natural state. I found the Deva Cut after a miserable hair cut when I was 14. A woman cut my hair wet and layered it too much. Needless to say, it looked like there was a fair chunk of my hair missing in the back of my head when the curls dried and settled. It took a couple of years to fully grow back. When I’m in New York, I go to Martha Ellen in Brooklyn and am currently looking for a new stylist in the Boston area.

NC: What are your must-have products and tools?

AP: Devachan products have changed my life. I have not yet found another brand that can tame my curls. I use DevaCurl One Condition and DevaCurl DevaCare Arc AnGEL. Different curls may use a different combination of products. I shampoo my hair once a week and I haven’t found that the shampoo brand matters. Once I’m out of the shower, I apply the DevaCare gel and use a microfiber towel to scrunch the curls and remove excess water from my hair.

NC: What reaction did you get when you first decided to go natural? AP: People didn’t realize how curly my hair really was because I always had it pulled back and straightened. My hair was different so I think most people found it really pretty. I had always been shy and quiet, but my curls made me stand out more. NC: What do you do at nighttime for your hair?

AP: I sleep on a silk pillowcase; it reduces the frizz in the morning. Sometimes I will very loosely pull my hair on the top of my head to prevent the top from getting flat.

Read More: How to Dry Low and High Porosity Hair

NC: What is the best thing about being curly?

AP: I think being able to embrace curls shows a sense of self-confidence. I always love when I see girls showing off their curls, when the norm today is to have straight hair. I like how having curls makes you different.

NC: Does having curly hair affect your everyday life?

AP: My curls make it easier for people remember or recognize me. Not many girls have hair like I do. Just today I had someone call out my name from across a parking lot and I had no idea who they were, but they recognized me from my curls. Having curls makes me stand out without having to try, which has both perks and downsides. My curly hair also helps to identify me. My freshman year, my roommate and I had the same first name, so our floor began referring to me as curly-haired Alex to differentiate us.

NC: What would you tell others to encourage them to embrace their curls?

AP: So many girls comment to me how they would love to have pretty curls. I think no matter the extent of your curls, anyone can embrace their beauty with the right products and attitude. I love having curls and find that sometimes, they are easier to maintain than straight hair! Read More: Tia Mowry Chops off Long Locks