It is a hair-tastrophe

(As the well known saying goes)..
so I have long curly hair. It is really pissing me off. It's really weighted down so it's straight at the top, wavy in the middle and ringlets at the bottom. It's not hugely curly, it's never been well defined, but I'd like it to pick one and stick with it really! It's so damaged it makes me cry every time I have to comb that shit out. Seriously just fetal position with the comb stuck in there. Anyway I was wondering if anyone has either
a. an opinion on a style that would suit me
b. a photo of a nice curly hair style that is short ish for my perusal (I'm thinking of something like a pin-curled bob but it's hard to find photos!)
c. any advice on the maintenance and niceness of curly hair eg how to make it more defined and not a frizzy mess!

Thanks a bunch guys!

Really bad picture, more than a year old, but it's the most recent one of me you can actually see my hair in. It doesn't really look like this any more, but at least it might give an idea of my hair type/what would suit me?

Here are some pictures I got on a quick scope of the internet, none are really exactly what I was looking for, I don't think my hair would end up actually looking like any of them if I just let it go (especially since they're not all natural curls) but it's a start. Sorry if I scared anyone off with an extremely specific request!

Spoiler:

what's your hair routine like right now?
like, shampoo & conditioning and products and all that?

I think that first style would look really cute on you. If you made the curls super full and veluptuous and all that.

You know Leesha just did a video on short curly hair! I bet that would be really helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFPgicha0Ik

Have a wee looksee It might just be a case of finding the right product to sort it out.

I think something like the first picture would look great. I have curly hair too (well, a lot curlier but still!) and I've got a bob type style twice in a row now. It's so much easier to manage than having it longer!

Since your hair is straight at the top and not ringlety all the way through, you could get a side swept fringe with a curly-bobish do. This length?

You could scrunch it a bit when you want it curlier, but I think that'd still look good with slightly looser curls.


Do you comb your hair when it's dry? Usually that doesn't work wtih curly hair, if it's thick. Style it damp if that's the case

I use Shockwaves Gel mixed in my palms with water and pat it on everywhere then comb my fingers through my my dampened hair to distribute it.

With finer hair though, that could end up looking crunchy/just generally not good. So I'd recommend leave in conditioner (could use spritz) and/or some curl creme.

I've thought about doing the same thing recently, long curly hair is such a freaking hassle. I really love the shot with Keira Knightley, it looks like something which is quite achievable without going to heaps of trouble.

A product that's been a complete godsend for me is Wella SP Hypercurl, a defining cream. It takes away all the frizzies and makes my hair look lovely and shiny and just... pretty.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

At the moment, I wash my hair around 2-3 times a week and I just use like pantene. I do use a deep conditioner but I need to get better products, they're not really geared towards curly hair.

I watched the video, that was really helpful Ruth! I probably need a better routine & don't use enough moisturising products like leave in conditioner or anything. I only comb my hair in the shower but I only figured that one out quite recently so I damaged my hair quite a lot. I will definitely look out for the Wella SP thing, it sounds like just what I need. I've always admired your hair Kendra, I have to admit seeing how awesome yours looked was part of the reason I kept growing mine out.

As for styles, I can't remember how curly my hair actually goes when it's short, but I think it'd work itself out. Your hair always looks really nice and super curly Soraya so I think getting it a bit shorter will be good :-) I like the Keira Knightley one and the 2nd one best, (I really like the idea of voluptuous curls too Gina, if I can get my hair to agree! ) I think I might go for the length of the 2nd one, the girl with dark hair, then go a bit shorter later if I like it.

I don't know what to do with my fringe though, it's growing out now and it seems to go pretty kinked when it's short and hangs in some god awful direction. It's fine if I blow dry/straighten it though. Actually what Leesha did in the video was a pretty good idea for keeping it out of the face, I will try it out.

Anyway sorry this was so long, thanks so much for all the help :-)