FRIZZY PUFFY HAIR

Dear Jellybean,

I have a hair problem, my hair is not perfect,-I know nobody’s is- and it is curly, so it gets tangled and frizzy often. So, now, every time I wake up in the morning, it looks like I’m a hairy blowfish. But in the morning, my hair is not curly it is just plain frizzy and puffy. So when I go out, I wouldn’t want to be looking like that. So I curl, or straighten my hair very often so I won’t like a hairy blowfish. But my problem is, when I curl and straighten more, then my air gets dry and frizzier. Any advice please?
-Issa, age 12, New York

Dear Issa,

Many (if not most) girls with tight curls wake up to a head-full of frizz, even if their curls looked great the night before. There's not much you can do to prevent that, since your hair is going to rub on your pillow all night, and that creates friction and that un-lovely "blowfish" look you mention.

While straightening does give you that smooth look, you're correct that it's drying out your hair even more. So that's not really an every-day option.

What you can do is, get up early enough to shower and condition your hair every morning. Notice that I didn't say shampoo! Curly-haired girls should only shampoo two or three times a week, not every day (unless the scalp is quite oily), since their hair tends to be drier. But you should be treating your hair daily, if possible, with a conditioning rinse made for daily use.

After your shower, squeeze your hair with a towel to remove excess water. (Don't rub or "towel-dry" it, which causes friction and leads to frizz). Then apply a leave-in conditioner - there are plenty at the drugstore that are made for curly hair. This will keep your hair hydrated and prevent fuzz during the day.

Now you need a good product to define your curls and prevent tangles. You'll have to experiment to see what works best. I personally like are Aveda's Be Curly Curl Enhacing Lotion. Mix a quarter-sized blob of this with the same-size amount of any hair gel, for good definition. Other people swear by Pantene's Curl Scrunching Spray Gel. Comb (don't brush) the product through wet strands. Then twirl your hair into ringlets with your fingers and use a hair-dryer with a diffuser attachment to dry it quickly, or let it air-dry if you've got the time.

Give your hair a final spritz with shine spray, or anti-humectant spray (check salons for this), when hair is dry, and you're good to go. Going natural is a bit of work, as you can see, but hopefully this method will keep your curls looking their best all day long.