Facing my Curly Hair Fear

If you’ve read my earlier posts, you’ll know that my biggest fear when it comes to hair is wearing it all down. I’ve worn my hair half-up-half-down every single goddamn day since age 13, thanks to a hairdresser who gave me TWO layers. I’ve always had to pin back the shorter layer, and even when this was fixed, I was too terrified to have any more shape or layers putting in. This gave me a serious case of triangle head, leading to me pinning it back every day.

Check out the state of that triangle head

But this isn’t how I want to be!

So I booked myself in for my first ever curly cut at Mojo Hair Design in Newcastle.

D-Day - The Haircut

I was shaking when I entered the salon and I could hardly open the door, but omg when I say all the nerves washed away instantly I am not kidding! The hairdresser had curls! Did you read that right? My hairdresser had curls! And the two other clients in the salon had curls! Everyone had curls! I was home!

I told my hairdresser, Jo, just how nervous I was and we sat for a chat before getting into it. I told her about how I needed a big change but that this was a massive, scary deal for me. She made me feel at ease instantly, and we talked a lot about how she had always struggled with her own hair so she decided to become a hairdresser!

In the end, we went for a side parting and layers - pretty standard for a curly, but a huge deal for me! I told her I didn’t want to lose the length but asked her to cut off any dead ends. In total, I think I lost about an inch at my longest parts, but much much more for my shorter layers.

To start with, I couldn’t stop looking at myself! I looked like a new person! And it led to a LOT of compliments from my boyfriend!! I was very happy with it… until the next day…

Trying to send my mum a pic while walking loool

Starting New Habits

I looked in the mirror the next morning and all I saw was BIG. This isn’t me! I’ve been trying to keep my hair flat for ten years! And the frizz, wow the frizz was unreal!

This is one of those photos I'm gonna regret putting on the internet

Here’s where I get mad at myself…

My transition hasn’t been too difficult, because my bottom layers have always been free to curl as they wish, meaning that they never had to re-form properly, they just needed moisture. But my top half, having been pinned back EVERY DAY, has very badly formed curls, and, wait for it… FRIZZ. MAD FRIZZ. So here’s the real start of my transition.

I felt ridiculous. I wanted to turn back time and go back to my half-up-half-down world of comfort. But no. I’m 22 now. I’m an adult. It’s time to move on.

So I wore my hair down for work that day. I immediately felt uncomfortable and wanted to go home. I had my scrunchie on my wrist, ready and raring to make me comfortable. Until I saw my manager. She has straight hair but always wears it in a bun, but on this very day she had worn it down! We both talked for a while about how uncomfortable we felt, and then made a bet with each other that we wouldn’t tie it back until home time. And we both did it! (Disclaimer - it did go back up as soon as I clocked out, but still an achievement!)

For the next few days, I tried to wear my hair down, and fight the discomfort. I mean, how was I going to transition my top layers if I never let them see the light of day?

My Saviour

I lived like this for about a week - glad I’d had the cut because it was a step in the right direction, but uncomfortable af.

Until! I was browsing YouTube and came across a video by Manes by Mell about finger coiling your hair. She says that it can help transition your hair much faster, so I thought what the heck, let’s give it a go!

So, I started by co-washing my hair, then brushing it! Yes, brushing it! Out of the shower! I used a Goody brush, which I think is just a rip off of the Denman brushes.

Then, I used minimal amounts of Cantu Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream (£7.99 from Superdrug), and spread it all over my curls. Next came the sectioning! Within three sections, I followed the natural curl pattern (as Mell discusses in the video), picking out my curls and coiling them around my finger. The coiling method is quite tricky to get the hang of, but once you’ve got it, it’s easy! Just persevere, my friend! Once I’d finished, which took about an hour, I won’t lie, I finished it off with Cantu Define and Shine Custard.

So what’s my verdict? For the first time since my curly cut I felt so so happy with my hair! There was zero frizz! My curls looked properly formed and very moisturised! I felt like a real curly! And I went out for a meal and didn’t once feel the urge to tie it back!!

There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead...

I will absolutely be doing this forever now! The morning after, my curls still looked great so I just rubbed a little Cantu Define and Shine Custard in to keep the hold! I couldn’t even tell it was second-day-hair!

Sexy definition (check out that actual real smile too!)

This method might be a little fiddly and time-consuming, but honestly, if it makes me feel finally comfortable then I will definitely be doing it again and again and again! You can check out my step-by-step method here! Hopefully, I will manage to ‘train’ my hair pretty soon and I won’t have to do it every wash day! Fingers crossed!

Happy coiling,

Leah x