I didn’t know my hair was curly

At one point in my life I had curly hair. In humid green Oregon my hair easily curled and waved (well more like frizzed and fluffed). But when I moved to bone dry Utah, my hair went totally straight. I tried in vain to get the curls back, I even chopped my hair off to see if a shorter lighter length would encourage some curl. I eventually gave up and resigned to needing a hot tool if I wanted any bend.

Back in the day when I not only had long hair, but it was obviously curly

After years of constant heat damage and postpartum hair loss, my hair was pretty bad. I needed to give it a break, but I couldn’t just let it air dry. So I dove deep into the internet for a solution and came across the curly girl method.

If you’ve never heard of the curly girl method, a quick google search will reveal a following of girls who are ditching sulfates, silicone, and alcohols and revealing the prettiest curls of their life. I decided to give it a try to see what would happen, and I was totally shocked!

I had no idea how much curl my hair actually had. Day one my hair had a wave I hadn’t seen in years. After a week, I saw my first curl. The more research I did, the more I realized I spent years taking care of my hair in totally the wrong way. 

Today I’m sharing with you my hair care routine for nourishing and enhancing my natural texture. 

Step One: The wash

I switched to a sulfate free shampoo. I used to think this didn't really matter because I was using professional product, but now I see that this makes a huge difference. Sulfates can dry your hair out and moisture is key to luxurious frizz free curls. 

I've really been loving the Ghost Shampoo from Verb 

Step Two: Condish

Using more conditioner than I have in my life I apply my conditioner upside down. One key change to my wash routine, is I stopped wringing my hair out after a shampoo. Leaving my hair sopping wet actually helps distribute the conditioner and helps it to retain the moisture from the water. I spend a lot of time detangling with my fingers and a wide tooth comb. Basically I add in enough conditioner to help detangle my hair, plus a little extra so it feels a little slimy. I squish the condish in real good, clip my hair up, and let the conditioner sit while I wash the rest of my body. Once a week I use a deep conditioning mask.

The Ghost Conditioner is an awesome lightweight conditioner and this Ghost Mask is super hydrating, without weighing my hair down

Step Three: T-shirt Plop

Right before I step out of the shower I rinse out some, but not all of the conditioner and I plop my hair on top of my head using an old cotton t-shirt. I recently found out that traditional towels can be rough and drying on your hair and skin, so I've completely ditched them. I leave that in my hair for about 20 minutes while I get dressed, do my makeup, and check my phone.

Step Four: Products

Now comes the fun part. I take my hair out of the t-shirt plop and start applying products. I've found that scrunching the products in my hair helps to maintain the integrity of my curls. I start with a leave in cream, and finish off with a gel. Once I've got my product applied, I flip my head upright and gently shake my fingers through my hair to get it to lay where I want it to lay. As needed I use 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of sea salt spray and water to fix any areas that need a little more encouraging. 

Lately I've been loving the lightweight formula of the Verb Ghost Prep in combination with the Aussie Instant Freeze gel. The sea spray I've been loving is this one from Verb

Step Five: The Wait

This is the part that really tests my patience. Not because my hair takes that long to dry, but because if I touch it, I mess it up, and I really like to touch my hair. When I'm in a hurry, I'll use a diffuser, but most days I just let nature take it's course. While it's drying I will flip it back and forth to give a little more lift to my roots, but I leave the ends alone as much as I can. 

Step Six: Scrunch the Crunch

Once my hair is completely dry, it's time to get rid of that nasty wet looking gel cast. This step is what really ups your curly hair game. It's as simple as scrunching your hair and tousling your roots until your hair looks and feels soft again. 

And that's all! I try to keep the routine as simple as possible and I go as long as I can between wash days, because let's be honest. Ain't nobody got time for that. I've only been doing this for about 3 weeks, but I can already tell a difference in my hair. It looks and feels softer and I'm starting to see a little more curl. 

I've made a commitment to avoid heat styling for a full year so if you are interested in following along on my curly hair journey, be sure to subscribe and follow me on instagram @brittany.talbert3

And if you want a customized guide of Verb hair products for your specific hair type click here

Do you have curly hair? And if so, how do you style your hair?