Whether you were lucky to be born with natural curls or just want that feeling of a bouncy curl, it's easy to utilize a variety of hair care techniques to achieve a fun, flirty curly
If you were blessed with natural curls, the right hair
If you weren't blessed with natural curls, never fear, you don't need to resort to harsh chemical perms or other hair treatments to create luscious texture and movement.
A myriad of curl and wave patterns can be created naturally, without harsh chemicals, on any type, texture or condition of hair. Most hairdressers suggest that if your hair has been colored or chemically treated in any way, that specifically avoid the use of hair perms which can cause potential damage to your strands.
Cynthia Basinet (shown above) is a great role model for wearing a short layered hairstyle that is a cross between a bob and a shag. Cynthia is a sultry and elegant singer, actress and model. The beautiful redhead appears to prefer short
Short Curly Style Tips For Natural Curls
If your hair is naturally curly, depending on the curl pattern you may opt to go with curls from the hairline down to the ends. The best way to transform tight natural ringlets into soft wavy curls like Cynthia's is to complete the following steps:
1. Shampoo with moisturizing
2. Use a rinse out conditioner if appropriate for your hair's type, texture and condition. Keep in mind that if hair is too soft, curls may not hold their shape as well. You may wish to only spot condition or use a diluted rinse-out conditioning product.
3. If possible, finish with cool/cold water rinse to close cuticles and add natural shine.
4. Apply a cocktail the includes a good defrisant product, leave-in conditioner and styling mousse to protect hair against frizz, provide extra conditioning and help create good curl profiles.
5. Separate long sweeping bangs from rest of hair. Apply a dollop of straightening gel to the bang and top of the hair line area.
6. Use a paddle brush and a blow
8. Attach a long finger diffuser to your blow dryer. Keeping fingers and hands out of hair as much as possible (to prevent frizz) separate remaining strands into individual 2" sections. Using the blow dryer on a medium, low to medium heat setting, use the fingers to lift and enhance natural curls.
9. Dry until 100% dry. Use a curling
Short Curly Style Tips For Straight Hair
If you are not blessed with natural curls you have several options that are all based on natural, non-chemical treatments.
1. Hot Roller/Iron Set
Shampoo, condition and blow dry strands with round brush. Use hot rollers or hot curling iron to create desired curls.
2. Foam, Rag, Hook & Loop Style Roller Set
Shampoo, condition and blow dry tresses with round brush until 75% dry, set on foam, rag or hook & loop fastener style rollers and let curls reform as hair cools and dries. Optionally hair can be set and allowed to air-dry or dry overnight while sleeping.
3. Wet set.
Shampoo and condition hair. Blot out most of excess moisture. Set hair on hook & loop fastener style rollers, foam or rag rollers. Sit under hood dryer until hair is 100% dry. Remove curlers and finger pick.
4. Wet Pin Curl Set
Shampoo and condition hair. Blot out most of excess moisture. Set hair on pin curls created with traditional bobby pins. Sit under hood dryer until hair is 100% dry. Remove curlers and finger pick. Optionally the set can be slept on all night and curls allowed to air-dry. Finger pick to desired shape.
5. Scrunch & Go
If you are only interested in loose waves and/or curls and your hair has natural waves and/or bends, you can achieve an element of texture by scrunching. Keep in mind that scrunching does not work as well for stick straight, fine or thin strands. Apply a good styling mousse, gel or similar styling product to damp strands. Using fingers, scrunch hair as you blow dry. For more curl, use a curling iron to fine tune the resulting texture.
6. Wet Bunning
If your hair is super short, this is not an option. However, if you have a short bob with enough length to pull into a tiny bun, you can shampoo, condition and apply styling products to damp hair. Pull into a bun and twist strands as you are creating the bun. Pin the bun into place. Let the bun air-dry and undo bun. This should create loose waves. Use a curling iron to add random curls.
Other options, depending on the length of your hair, the texture, type and condition would include creating a pattern of tiny braids on your damp strands and letting them air dry. Remove the braids and you should have lots of hair ripples and tiny waves.
Be creative and combine several of the options to create unique soft curl and wave patterns.