#443 Happy Days are Hair Again

Most women wage an ongoing battle with their hair.  We have good hair days and bad hair days, and often our hair determines how we feel about ourselves.  It seems we’re never happy with what we have.  (This can apply to more than hair.)  Women with straight hair want curly hair.  Women with curly hair want straight hair. 

My hair is wavy and somewhat course.  It has a lot of body and is very thick.  I am happy with it, but don’t like that it can be frizzy and not that shiny.  It’s also very heavy, so with me wearing it long (past my shoulders) it pulls out a lot of the wave. 

Several years ago, I decided to not fight the frizz and began to wear my hair wavy when it rained or there was high humidity (aka – summertime).  The rest of the time I would wear it “straight” (blow it dry and use a 1 ½” barrel curling iron). 

I’m cheap when it comes to haircuts.  Through high school, college and part of my 30s I went to the same place.  With a few exceptions, I got a simple, straight cut or trim for $5.  It was ok.  I eventually “broke up” with my hair lady and then went to someone who cut hair out of their house for $10.  One of the best cuts, and she became one of my best friends.  Then she stopped cutting hair.  Agh! 

From there I went to the Aveda Institute ($17).  They did a good job, but you get a different person every time and it takes a long time since it’s a school. 

Last year I sucked it up and went to a fancy salon in Carmel ($55).  I heard about it from a random woman on the street with curly hair.  The stylist was Deva Curl-certified and did a great job.  I went to her three times and then she went on maternity leave and didn’t come back.  Just as well; the drive and the haircut took about the same time as going to Aveda, although the cut was better. 

I wanted to stay with a Deva-certified stylist.  It makes a huge difference.  They cut it dry to see how it falls to enhance the curl.  I learned lots of great tips from the first stylist:

• Apply conditioner (I use the Deva Curl light conditioner) to wet hair.  Don’t wring your hair out before applying the conditioner.
• Don’t rinse all the conditioner out of your hair.  Leave a little in and it will help your hair stay soft.
• Dry your hair with a microfiber towel or a dri-fit T-shirt.  Cotton towels rough the cuticle and cause frizz.
• You can’t use too much produce (I already used the Deva Curl defining gel).

 I wore my hair curly all last summer.  She told me that the cut would look good straight too (and it did), but it was easier to leave it curly.  The only time I was tempted to wear it straight was for my high school reunion but the forecast was rain so I stayed curly. 

In my quest for a second Deva Curl stylist, I found Cher at Salon Lofts in Broad Ripple ($50).  She did a wonderful job. Check out the before and after.  So much more volume, shine and CURLS.  I absolutely love it. She only used a diffuser – no curling iron.  Amazing!  

Before

After

Additional tips from Cher:

• Apply the product in the shower on wet hair, and apply it all over your hair.  You should hear it “squishing” when you apply it bent over on the ends.  You can later blot with a microfiber towel or dri-fit T-shirt.
• Dry your hair all the way with the diffuser.  (I had not done this before.)  She said this prevents the non-dried hair from losing its shape.
• Use a low heat and power setting on your hairdryer.  
• Dry your hair mostly upside down. This gives you more volume on top.

My hair looked so good that I wanted to go out on a date.  I just went home and kept looking at my hair in the mirror.  (How sad is that?  Ha)

Cher also used a product prior to the gel, called Set It Free.  It’s supposed to make your hair shinier and give it more moisture.  And her diffuser is a lot larger than mine, which came with my dryer.  Hers is the Annie Large Finger Diffuser.  I am now on a mission to get that diffuser.  

I slept carefully so as not to disrupt the curls and get a full day out of my hair.  I had so many compliments.  It’s true – when you’re having a great hair day, the rest of your day goes so well!  At a meeting in our auditorium, I sat next to a friend who had her laptop with her.  Another person behind us sent her a Lync message, “Tell Linda I love her hair!” 

The challenge - re-creating the look.  I have a larger diffuser (not the Annie yet) and got the Set It Free spray and that has helped, but the back is still a long way off.  Believe, me, one day I will able to make my own hair look like that. 

If you have curly hair, I suggest finding a Deva Curl stylist in your area.  Yes, it costs a little more, so you have to make sure it fits in your budget.  I used to get my hair cut every six weeks, and now go every 12 weeks.  And I love my hair more, so for me, it's worth every penny.  

Hairs to you!  

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