The best way for silky curl

Following on from Nelly’s “Must-Have Hair Special”, today I’m going to share my latest little hair secret with you…

By the way, my hair is VERY thick and VERY curly.

So yeah, I’m lucky… But really, it’s not that easy day-to-day. Yes, really – I promise (or maybe I’m just trying to make you feel better. That depends…). Why? Well:

• As it’s curly, it has a habit of becoming very dry, dull and porous… So it needs a ton of attention so it doesn’t start looking like straw. Also, (and I’m sure a lot of you will know what I mean about this) it goes really big when it gets wet and really fluffy when I brush it… it’s a nightmare.
• As it’s thick, there’s a lot of it… I have to use twice or three times the amount of hair-care products… Which means it quickly costs me a fortune…
• They’re tough to cut… The best thing for my type of hair is to cut it while it’s dry… And let me tell you, hairdressers who know how to do dry cuts without ruining your curls are few and far between…

I’ve spent years trying to tame and accept my hair. It’s also taken me years to realize just how few hairdressers are really good on the subject of “curly hair”.

So, it was enough to damage my morale a bit when I heard crap like:

“Rubbish haircuts”: I’m thinking about the day when I ended up with the hairdo of Louis XV after visiting a hairdresser who cut the gradient into my hair with a razor, for god’s sake!!

“Botched, slapdash haircuts”: I’m talking about all the times when, just out of frustration, I’ve decided that I’m a master hairdresser and taken the scissors to my own hair and then not known when to stop.

“Endlessly brushing”: I’m thinking about all the times I’ve burnt my hair thinking that it might be an easier way to cut it??

"A securely fastened ponytail”: when I’ve been persuaded that would definitely smooth it out…

In short, I’ve tried everything to force my poor hair into shape.

Today, everything has changed…

Firstly because my boyfriend likes my hair, and that’s cool because it’s given my confidence a boost… And also because I’ve finally worked out how to deal with it (at 38 years old it was about time).

Initially a great haircut changes everything (thanks to Stéphane Macquaire).

Next, even if I can’t be bothered or I have a crazy schedule… I still take the time to give it the full treatment will various treatments, products and oils… And I whisper kind words to it… Basically, I smarten it up in every way I can.

And this is where I agree with Nelly and her product choices. And also with Mathilde (who has 2 kids, soon to be 3) about her schedule, as she told us in her last article that she washes her hair in the evening because that’s when she has most time… Ditto for me ;).

But sometimes, even with discipline, organization and the best products, even so curly hair can just have a mind of its own… It stays dry, dull and you just want to shave it all off to be done with it once and for all. And then, let’s admit it, our budgets aren’t always going to be able to stretch to C.ROBIN or L.GREYL… Sometimes we have other priorities, right?

Although I’m really tempted by Keratine smoothing treatments (maybe a long-term solution?) I’m still hesitant about going for it just because I’m scared I’ll get into a vicious circle.

As far as the Tokyo Inkarami treatment is concerned... Apparently it would be useless for me (at least that was the pretty surprising verdict of a hairdresser) as it’s meant more for fine hair which has been damaged by repeated colouring, for example… In short: “no, that wouldn’t do anything so don’t do it”… The balls…

Desperate and lost, I did some of my own research to find a safe solution which might help me on a day-to-day basis without breaking the bank, and I uncovered a miracle oil which hydrates, smoothes, coats and protects and reduces the effect of static which you see after brushing curly hair… Drum roll, please… It’s broccoli oil!

Ok, you’ve fallen out of your chair in shock… Or you already knew about it, which is even better.

I had no idea that broccoli could help me so much.

So how do you use it?

On Aroma-zone, they suggest adding it to your shampoo, conditioner, masks, serums or hair oils.

So, I poked around everywhere I could find on the internet and I ended up taking my inspiration for a recipe from a blog by the beautiful Lyla , which told me how to prepare a homemade hair oil customized to my hair type.

It’s made up of:

☞ 1tbsp of broccoli oil (which coats, smoothes and gives shine).

☞ 1tbsp Aloe Vera (which hydrates).

☞ 2tbsp avocado oil (which strengthens, softens and speeds up hair growth).

☞ 2 tbsp coconut oil (which nourishes and protects).

☞  2 tbsp of grape seed (which nourishes and repairs).

As you might have guessed… You can buy it all on Aroma zone.

And the smell? Amazingly, it doesn’t actually stick around at all… But if you’re really sensitive, all you have to do is add a few drops of essential oil.

Ylang Ylang or Santal would be perfect because as well as smelling absolutely divine, they also have a rejuvenating effect and encourage hair growth.

To make this hair oil, I’d advise you to invest in a pump dispenser, a pipette and a small funnel (which you can buy on Aroma zone or Muji).

As far as using the product is concerned, personally I do so in two ways:

- As a mask before using shampoo: I coat my hair in it, focusing on the longest bits and tips. Then I leave it to rest for as long as possible before putting on my shampoo. Sometimes that’s half an hour (in the evening, for example)… Sometimes that’s a whole day (Sunday or holidays).

or

- As a serum after shampoo: I take just a small amount of it and put it just on the tips of my hair, before letting it dry naturally.

The result?

Well you can see it by this picture, which was taken just after a wash and natural dry… With no editing, styling or curling.

After almost three months of use, I really think I’ve found THE Holy Grail.

This natural recipe is THE breakthrough for dry, thick, curly hair like mine.

I hardly have any problems styling it any more… Once it’s dried naturally, the curls are beautifully coated, luscious and shiny.

And even if they fall forwards between two washes, I only have to go over two or three bits with the curler and that’s it!

As far as hair care is concerned, we’re breaking all the records and as for the budget, all I’ll say is that it’s a great deal…

So, girls, roll up your sleeves – sometimes it can be worth mixing a few natural plant oils!

And for anyone with greasy hair, thin hair or even a sensitive scalp... Tell us your homemade secrets if you have any that work for you!

Have a great weekend and thanks to everyone for reading – there are more and more of you!