There are so many different types of hair that it’s nearly impossible to find one product that suits everyone’s needs, and those with curly hair may have extra challenges.
During the summer, students have time to experiment with their styles and products in order to find something they like in time for fall to come back around.
With the Arizona heat, many people opt to wear their hair in a more natural state state rather than damage it with heat products or chemical treatments.
I choose to leave my hair naturally curly over the summer to give it a rest from the relentless flat ironing I force on it during the school year. Despite keeping my hair as natural as possible, I rely on hair products to give me a desired look that I can feel comfortable and confident in.
On my quest to find the perfect product for my hair type, I came across a display of products at Sephora specifically aimed toward curly hair. This hair animation, which only happens once a year, had products across the board ranging from wavy to curly to coily.
There were two full towers of products with each side corresponding to a specific type of curl pattern. Most of the products leaned toward some kind of moisturizing ingredient in order to help curls fall into their natural state.
“The easiest way to style hair is when it’s not … on the drier, brittle side,” said beauty studio coordinator and curly hair expert Sabrina Jabbar.
This mindset sounded perfect to me because I had suffered from consistent dry hair and frizziness as a result of chemical treatments. It seemed that there may actually be a product for me among the items.
Jabbar told me about a styling product that seemed to be the holy grail of frizz control creams. The Madame C.J. Walker Curl Whip Styling Soufflé “moisturizes, revitalizes, and defines lush waves as curls”, as described on the Sephora website.
“This is amazing for fighting frizz, but it also defines my curls really well,” Jabbar said.
Many of the products in the animation are styling products with moisture benefits. The Madame C.J. Walker Curl Whip Styling Soufflé contains coconut and moringa oils to prevent hair breakage and boost shine.
Another great product recommended to me is IDK’s Sold Out Curl Priming Basecoat. A hair primer is very similar to a makeup primer in that it prepares the hair to be styled and protects it from heat and frizz. With the constant straightening and heat that I apply to my hair, a primer that prepares my hair for that is monumental in protecting from damage.
Wavy hair may be closer to the straight side, but the pattern is enough to be considered a type of curly hair. Although I do not personally know the issues people with wavy hair come across, one suggestion Jabbar gave to me was a styler that could be used in the shower. The product is applied in the shower and then rinsed out to leave behind natural air-dried waves. Talk about saving time to get ready, which could come in handy during the school year.
“On the more wavy side of products, I like this In-shower Styler from Living Proof. You use it literally in the shower to style your hair,” Jabbar said.
My main problem is retaining moisture, but there are so many different hair types and curl patterns that the issues can range from needing more moisture to desiring more volume or length.
“It’s really all trial and error and figuring out what works best for you,” Jabbar said.
Whatever the hair type or problem, there are so many products that can be mixed together to create the perfect result. For my own experience, I am still looking for my dream product that I can just stock up on and have for the rest of my life. Until then, I will keep searching and wearing my hair straight when school starts back up.
Reach the columnist at dziegle@asu.edu or follow @thedominiquez on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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