Keep It Kinky

Guest post by Jenell Stewart

Kinky hair often gets a bad rap. It’s either too dry, too thick, too dull, or too frizzy and doesn't curl. There are some fixes to all of these problems. If your hair is too dry, moisturize it. If your hair is too thick, be happy because I know a handful of women with thin hair that would love just a patch of your thickness. If your hair is dull, let’s get the oil out. If your hair is frizzy and doesn't curl … I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help you out.

Kinky hair can be manipulated with twists and braids to give you various styles options that can also create curl definition. Since my hair doesn't curl naturally, I have to create curl definition if I want a curly look. My favorite way to create curl definition in my kinky, natural hair is to install twists or braids; after several hours I take my twists or braids down to reveal luscious curly hair. The final result is referred to as a twist-out or braid-out.

When doing a twist-out or braid-out, you will get the best curl definition if your hair is wet to soaking wet. Really wet hair will allow your hair to take the shape of the twist or braid pattern as it dries. This technique allows you to create beautiful curls without applying any heat to your hair or using any old-fashioned rollers. For best results, I allow my hair enough time to dry to prevent frizzing after taking down the twists or braids. Starting with soaking wet hair will give you the curls that you desire, but you will also have to accept that there will be lots of shrinkage, because wet kinky hair will typically equate to shrunken hair.

If you prefer a more elongated look where your style will show more of your true length, I suggest styling your hair while it’s damp to dry. Styling your hair this way eliminates the shrinkage because your hair is being manipulated while nearly dry. This allows your hair to stretch with each turn of the twist or braid. There is also very little drying time when working with damp to dry hair, so if you only have a few hours to spare before you need to wear your hair out, this is the way to go. The only drawback with styling your hair when it is damp to dry is the exact opposite of styling your wet hair. While you’ll enjoy the length of your hair, your curl definition won’t be as defined.

There will be some instances where it doesn't matter how wet your hair was when you styled it or what product you used, because the environment will affect your hair over time. Can you say humidity? When the humidity is high, your hair will become frizzy and there is very little you can do to prevent this. Your hair will naturally be affected by the increased amount of moisture in the air and this can alter the way your hair looks. Rainy days, foggy days, snowy days, and very hot days will all cramp your style, but if you learn to style your hair in a variety of ways you will become a pro at styling your hair for any weather.

Jenell Stewart is the founder and Editor in Chief of www.KinkyCurlyCoilyMe.com