The Cool Dry, Kirsty's curls

I only wash my hair every 4-5 days, sometimes longer, that is a long time to have a bad hair day if an experimental styling process goes wrong.  So I tend not to waiver, if it ain't broke don't fix it.  I'd like to think I have my curl process pretty dialed in.

When it comes to drying, I like to partly airdry, partly diffuse.  Complete airdry leaves my curls flat and complete diffusing leaves me in a Shirley Temple Show Poodle state. 

It's not good.

Recently my fellow curly friend told my about the Cool Dry.  Up until now I had always used hot heat on the low setting.

Curls PSA: You should NEVER diffuse your hair on hot heat and high setting, no no no.  So bad.  It makes curls angry.  

Here's what I did, and I LOVED the result.

 1. After I've washed/conditioned and put gel in my hair, when my hair was a little over half dry, I rub a medium amount of Ouidad Pomade all over the palm of my hands and gently smooth over my curls.

 2. Then I diffused my curls on cool heat, high setting until almost dry, at the very end I spritzed my hair with Ouidad Finishing Spray and did one more quick go-around with the diffuser.

(cool and low)

(sometimes I pin down the crazy curl on the side of my head so it dries a bit more tame)

(I don't tip my head upside down when drying - too much frizz! Just gently sideways and I lift the curls with the diffuser)

Annnnnd the difference!

Way less frizz at the roots (oh those grays!), heat from drying my curls typically causes a lot of frizz at the roots, I try to be very careful to not dry my hair all the way at the scalp.

Bouncier natural curls.  It mimicked the results I get if I lay down and let my curls air dry without the effect of gravity waying them down.  Oh if I could only lay down and rest for 30 mins when I am getting ready to Run out the door.  Even at the end of the day my curls had body and bounce that isn't always a given.

Shinier curls.  It seems like cool does seal the cuticle.  Plus in these warmer weather months, it's so nice not to be blowing heat at my head.  

Of course it did take a bit longer than hot heat would to dry my hair, but it was so worth it, I felt like it gave my curls more time to form on their own.  And the less heat applied to curls the better.

(my curls at the end of the day.)

For more hair tips, check out "the Curl Files" page.

And for those of you who have been asking, here's my round up of tried and true hair products:

Wash //  Clarifying Wash // Conditioner // Deep Conditioner

Gel //  Pomade //  Shine Serum //  Finishing Spray // No Build-Up Hairspray

I'd love to hear tips and tricks you may have for living the curly life.

xo,

Kirsty