- Hair is made of a protein called "keratin," which contains sulfides. If two of these sulfides meet from a distance, what is known as a "disulfide bond" is formed. This bends the protein, or hair shaft; the more disulfide bonds are in a person's hair, the curlier it is. Naturally curly hair is inherited or caused by hormones, which makes it possible to be born with straight hair but get naturally curly hair later in life, after a serious illness or after giving birth.
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While naturally curly hair can be flat-ironed anytime a quick and neat hairstyle is desired, finding styles that show off curls need not cause frustration. If hair is worn down, a curling iron can give natural curls more definition. Use a spiral curling iron to get the effect of particularly tight ringlet curls (see Resources).
On the other hand, for a wash-and-wear style, towel dry hair after stepping out of the shower to absorb excessive water. Spray or massage a leave-in conditioner onto hair. Squeeze the curls to shape them, and make sure you are finished styling your hair before it dries to avoid creating frizz. Throughout the day, do not touch your hair unless it is to refresh your style with water to reactivate the conditioner.
Hair that is long enough to tie back can be gathered in a ponytail. Misting the loose hair with water will help reshape the curls regardless of the last time hair was washed. Apply a mousse, gel or spray especially formulated for curly hair onto the curls and use your hands to work the styling product in with a scrunching motion.
Naturally curly hair can also be worn in an updo by pulling hair together, as though in a ponytail, but without the elastic band. When all the hair has been gathered into your hands, twist the section close to the scalp so that the hair coils as though you are creating a bun. Leave loose the amount of curls desired, using bobby pins to secure the twisted section onto the head. Style the loose curls with the method used on a ponytail or with a curling iron. - Proper care is necessary to make the most of hair with a natural curl. Being reckless with curly hair is what causes it to frizz or feel uncomfortably dry. As it is, curly hair is generally drier than straight hair because the oils from the scalp more effortlessly travel down a straight hair shaft rather than a curly one. Invest in a hair serum, which is applied to curly hair after washing to seal in the moisture. It is also important to dry curly hair with a diffuser (see Resources), which is gentler than a conventional hair dryer, if curls are to retain their shape and bounciness instead of being pulled down by water weight.
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Slight S-shaped waves that show up in the hair after washing are an indication that hair is naturally curly. Just because hair dries in what appears to be a relatively straight texture does not mean there is completely no natural curl in the hair. If any waves do show up in hair after washing, towel-dry hair, apply a leave-in conditioner and use a diffuser to see what your hair can be like when the waves are encouraged and cared for.
Conversely, if your hair is completely straight and you want it curly, a perm does not create -- despite its name -- permanently curly hair. While the permed strands may stay curly until they are chemically straightened, the parts of the hair that grow after the perm will still be straight. - Be gentle with curly hair. If you intend to use a flat iron on a frequent, even daily, basis, purchase one with ceramic or tourmaline plates so that you don't damage your hair. Take extra precautions when exposing your hair to chlorine and salt water by either wearing a swimming cap or by applying a leave-in conditioner before swimming. Shampoo and condition hair with formulas rich in moisture, as curly hair is in special need of hydration. When detangling curly hair, use a wide-tooth comb so that hair does not snag on the teeth of the comb and break.
