Curlies: What do you do in winter? - YouLookFab Forum

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Curlies: What do you do in winter?

Maya

Veteran

Old man winter is on his way and normally I'd be gleefully pulling all my winter hats out just as soon as the first snow fell (which would mean today)...but this is also my first year of not straightening my hair. So... it's complicated. How the heck do you keep those curly heads warm?

To make matters even more complicated...

As you may remember, my stylist went a little scissor happy and over-layered my hair this week, so my wave pattern is weaker than ever and wasn't that strong to begin with. It's hard to get it to wave at all I think wearing a hat is just going to make matters worse, not to mention the frizz! When I say it isn't waving, I am not saying it's straight either. I don't know what it is. Scraggly and flippy? Hard to explain but I don't like it. On one hand a cute hat is probably just what I need to get through this awkward growing out phase, but I also know my waves are very fragile from being straightened every day for years, and I don't want to do anything that might further discourage them.

...?

General

26 replies

Latest reply was from Jenava

Marigold

I don't have curly hair, but I hate thick winter hats and try to avoid them at all costs, they always mess up my hair. I live in hoods in winter, but I know that might not be everyone's thing, and not every coat comes with the hood :(. Curious what others will say!

April

Veteran

There are two problems with wearing hats when you have curly hair. One is that your hair has so much body that it is predisposed to take the shape of anything it comes in contact with, especially a hat. You may remove the hat, but it remains in your hair for a long time.

The second issue is the frizzy, dry, static-y problem. You might do better with a hat made of cotton, but anything synthetic is going to fuzz up your hair but good.

I don't wear hats, personally, but then I generally don't have to be outside for long periods in the winter. If I'm going to be outside, I prefer earmuffs (the classic, headphone style, not the ones that wrap around your neck and make me feel like my head is in a vise.) If I'm shoveling snow, I zip the hood onto my Giant Parka.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Maya, I wear an oversized felt bucket hat. it kind of falls over my eyes, but it covers my ears and isn't tight enough to squish my hair. Lately I've been wearing my puffer with hood. Hoods also don't squish too much. I avoid stocking caps. If your hair is short enough you might tuck it all up in one of those beanie hats? Mines a bit too long for that - it would look like I was wearing a pillow! But i think yours is shorter?

Eta, mine is similar to this:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/31.....sultback=0

Maya

Veteran

Earmuffs will probably be a good idea April. I'll miss wearing cute hats and keeping the top of my head warm...but I guess it's just part of the deal. I don't have any issue with body (I wish I did...). As naturallycurly.com says, type 2 hair sticks close to the head...

Jenava, I have a problem with structured hats flying off my head in the wind! That's why I tend to go with banded, squishy hats. Definitely not curl-friendly though. Good point about keeping it all in the hat. I might try that.

My puffer has a standing collar instead of a hood. Keeps my neck VERY warm and looks pretty cute...but not so helpful for my head.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Hm. What about a snood?

Kristine

Veteran

I wear regular winter hats. When I get to work I brush it very lightly (just to get rid of scraggly ends), then spritz (try an Evian mister) or scrunch with a little water. There was a time when I carried a butane curling iron for quick touch ups. I also make sure my hair is completely dry before wearing a hat.

I've heard silk or silk lined hats can help, I've never tried. Or you could try a knit beret, something that will keep your ears warm but not crush your hair.

My hair is always straighter in the winter, even without hats. I think it's the low humidity.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I think that Kristine has it the nail on the head, you just need to ensure that your hair is 100% dry before heading out. Then I do a quick finger comb at work and use a little de-frizzer if needed (which I always carry anyway). I am not as a perfectionist as some though - if I was then I would have to spend an hour each morning styling my hair - making it straight and then tonging the curls back in.

Other than that I love wearing hats with my curls hanging out underneath. My husband really likes the look too. I recommend caps and softer knit beanie types - I would consider a cloche as well. Ear muffs never seem to be the right size and always seem to fall off my head.

Speaking of portable curlers - one of the funniest sight I have ever seen on my commute in London is a women curling her hair, whilst standing on the escalator.

Maya

Veteran

Not possible. My hair takes hours to air dry, and I won't be blowdrying. I always go out with wet hair. Inevitably.

How do you brush your hair Kristine? I can't fathom doing that without creating a frizzy mess.

Jenava, I like the idea of a snood!

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Sorry - I am a bit behind how you are doing your hair at the moment. Are you washing every day? If that is the case, then I can see how you might have a problem.

I think that a snood may be your solution. There still seem to be lots around in the shops in London (interestingly a lot for men).

Maya

Veteran

I have to at least get it wet every day, Fi. I don't expect you to keep up with my hair saga btw, fascinating though I'm sure it is

Man snoods! Interesting...

I have a dumb question: Are snoods and infinity/eternity scarves the same thing?

Jonesy

Veteran

I think they evolved as separate items, but maybe a large infinity scarf greatly resembles a snood? A snood or a very big, loose scarf may be your best bet.

Sorry about your crummy haircut. I have found that my hair tends to take a week or so to get into its own groove after a haircut, so to speak. It's like it's in shock or something. Maybe yours will bounce back in a few weeks.

Re. the hat-wearing issue: When my hair is wet, I don't wear a hat. If my hair is dry, I can throw any old hat on my head, and my hair will be okay.

Anonymous

Personally, I just wrap a scarf around head and if possible, I have a hoodie on. I also take the ear-muffs route too.

I think an infinity scarf is a good investment. I started using wen so I'm still figuring out how my curly hair will be in coming winter. So far so good... Will let you all know how it goes!

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

I Love hats but hardly ever wear, they make my hair just a mess and I feel frumpy all day. Earmuffs and hoods is how I get by.

Steph

Veteran

I can't do a hat with wet hair, otherwise it smooshes the curls and my hair won't look right. I have never tried this, but I wonder if it would work if I piled all of my hair at the top of my head and then threw the hat on, but I suspect it would just result in a lot of tangles. If my hair is dry, a hat isn't a problem. I think a snood might be the best idea; I actually want to buy one as well. My problem with earmuffs is that you lose most of your warmth through your head, so muffs really only help your ears.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I think some infinity scarves qualify as a snood. But the snood needs to be wide enough to work as a hood when pulled up. I think some "infinity scarves" are not generous enough for this...Now I want one, too! (-: My husband says he wouldn't wear a man snood. What a party pooper...LOL.

Maya

Veteran

I think the snood is the best option, Steph. Could be very cute with some glamorous sunnies.

I tried a new hair regimen today and it got my hair to this point:

http://img.photobucket.com/alb.....2872-1.jpg

It's not great but better than it was earlier this week...

It's still so straight at the top though. Maybe as long as the hat only covers the straight part I'll be ok...

Steph

Veteran

I'm surprised at how curly you can get your hair! I would have never guessed it had that much curl in it.

My hair is pretty curly but it is always straighter at the top--it's just what my hair looks like. How wedded are you to bangs? I find that my hair looks a lot curlier when I don't have bangs because my bangs are always straight and they take up a lot of real estate on my head, if that makes sense. Have you considered growing them out? (Not that they look bad, but I do think that would be a way to get an all-around curlier look.)

Maya

Veteran

Neither would have I, Steph. If I hadn't decided to stop blowdrying this summer, I would have never known!

I'm not sure what to do with my bangs when I grow them. I hated having side bangs because they would always fall in my face. I tried growing them out all together, but it wasn't very flattering.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I think that you would look great with a snood and it would definitely match your style.

My hair looks thicker and curlier than yours (in that it forms bigger curls) and it is straighish at the top too - the weight of your hair just pulls it down. The one thing that I have learnt about my curly hair is that even if I style it exactly the same every day it will never actually look identical one day to the next.

Man snoods - I have never actually seen one worn up, only ever around the neck. Saw a couple of Italian men in them when I was in Rome too.

The other item I have seen somewhere is a caplet with a hood.

rute

Veteran

eh eh.. curly hair are always a problem!
In the winter I just don't blow the hair.. winter here are so rainy and humid, there is no point.
I wash and apply a good curly foam (and you were right Maya, I've learned with you to apply a LOT of foam and it works!).
Eh eh.. like taylor, I don't use hats

lynne

Veteran

Hats always seem to do weird things to my curls, and like you, my hair takes a long time to fully dry and "set" into its curl pattern. Hoods and earmuffs are the way to go for me.

danza.armonia

Having migrated to cold and rainy from sunny and warm, I wear a hat fall, winter, and early spring, often a beanie.. . and I have corkscrew curly hair.

I've found that switching to conditioner washing 2-3x/week, using a no-poo (no sulfate) shampoo 1-2x/week, and deep conditioning 1-2x/month goes a long way.

When I take the hat off, I bend over, put my fingers into the roots of my hair and give a little shake to produce lift. A little pomade, or lotion if you're in a pinch can be a quick solution to mild frizzies.

The book Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey (devachan salons) is a helpful resource. . .

Anonymous

Another fan of the Curly Girl book!

I don't wear hats. I too have hair issues if I wear one. On the rare occasions I DO wear one, I do a beret because it doesn't seem to smash my waves quite so flat. BUT, since I'm too vain about what my hair looks like, more often than not, I'll choose to be cold over dealing with hat-head ; )

I love the cloches, unfortunately, they're just not flattering on me : ( But since your hair does look flatter on top (mine is the same way), I'd think you could get away with one and not worry about it flattening your waves.

Maya

Veteran

Thanks for all the suggestions, ladies. I follow a modified version of CG, since my hair is wavy (low sulfate shampoo every other day only at the roots, silicone free conditioner every day, microfiber towel, etc). I just discovered the virtues of duckbill clips over this holiday weekend, and holy moly have they helped with my roots.

So, for anyone else who was interested in snoods, I kind of love this one:

http://www.soiakyo.com/app/web.....&pg=1

I'm not sure if I'm getting it or not. It's rather pricey for acrylic. I'll look around but thought I'd mention it since it is so fabulous.

taylor

Veteran

snood with big sunnies...how chic!
what I wouldn't give for curly hair...and why I wore it permed for the better part of 20 yrs.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Oh my, that is a fab snood! Shame it's all acyrlic. It'd prob only last one ssn.