Hello hello, welcome to Episode 73 of Life on the Brink!
Today I'm joined again by a very special guest, my mom, Lisi Perkins! It's been a while since we chatted on the podcast, and today we're talking about something very important: hair. My mom is Puerto Rican/Panamanian and had a decades-long struggle with her curly hair until about 10 years ago. Likewise, I've gone through my own curly hair journey as I tried to understand my hair's texture. Well, now we both LOVE our curly hair and are spreading that love to you!
We go into detail in the audio of the podcast, but I wanted to make sure you have links to all the products and things we talk about in this episode. If you haven’t listened yet, I highly recommend, or check out the transcript here.
What’s in my teacup? A homemade chai latte (YUM)
What’s your curl number?
-Mom: 2c to 3a
-Mine: 2b to 2c
When and how did you start embracing your curly hair?
For my mom, it wasn’t till she was in her thirties. A friend recommended “Curly Girl: The Handbook”by Lorraine Massey with Michele Bender, and the book “changed her life.” It’s in this book where we both learned “the curly girl method” of using various conditioners to cleanse, moisturize, and style our curls.
Mom also highly recommends the Youtube channel “Waterlily716,” as this was a great resource for her when figuring out how to embrace curly hair.
Personally, I didn’t even know I had curly hair until I was about 12, and it’s been an ongoing journey of finding the right products and cuts to get volume right. Actually, this leap of getting bangs this past summer was the best decision I could have made. I LOVE my hair now in a way I never have.
What is your hair routine/what products do you use?
-Mom's routine: every 4-5 days.
*She works a pick through her hair, but never brushes it after that. Then she dries her hair with a cotton shirt ONLY*
*she then uses a diffuser attachment on a hair dryer and slowly lets the curls dry in place.*
At night, she puts her hair in a silt bonnet like this one.
-My routine: once a week or so.
1. Kinky-Curly Come Clean Shampoo
*I finger-comb my hair in the shower, then squeeze the water out and add a little bit more conditioner back in, focusing on the ends.
I've begun drying my hair with a cotton shirt since recording this and can attest that it does eliminate a level of frizz. But I had previously been squeeze-drying it with my terrycloth towel.
Also, when my hair is damp, I like to run a paddle brush through it once, but never when dry.*
*Often I will let the hair air dry, then at night I scrunch portions of my hair and pin to my head. I wrap it all in a scarf and sleep on it. By the second day, the curls look great.*
Sometimes I’ll use these in the days that follow to refresh the curls:
What is the DevaCut and how was your experience?
Stylists have to be specially trained and certified to give this cut, and it’s essentially cutting your hair curl-by-curl. You give the stylists quite a bit of liberty, but they’re trained to maximize your curl and give the most flattering shape. You have to find a salon that offers this cut (the closest to us was in D.C. when my mom got this several years ago).
Mom’s two cents: she liked the cut, but it wasn’t worth the price. She got it only once.
*a note: the DevaCurl products are great, just more expensive. If you’re looking for a company that really understands curly hair and money isn’t an issue, check them out!*
What kinds of hair shapes/cuts work best with curly hair?
Mom and I agree: layers is KEY. The longer the hair, the more weight that’s working against the curl. I have started getting layers closer to cheekbone-level, and I really like the resulting volume. My mom has had hair of all lengths, but agrees that lots of layers around your head (depending on where your curl is tight or loose) is the key.
Also, we both straighten our hair from time to time, which is a big no-no in the Curly Girl community. But once we wash and go through our different routines, the curl comes right back.
What would you say to someone who wants to embrace their curly hair but doesn’t know where to start?
Find 1. a shampoo that is sulfate free and 2. a conditioner that is silicone-free. Dry your hair with a cotton shirt and add a leave-in conditioner and some kind of styling product (a cream, gel, etc.). Just scrunch up your hair and experiment with letting it air dry or using a hair dryer with a diffuser attachment. You'll be amazed how the curl comes out!
Mom’s Little Joy: This past weekend my family enjoyed the next installment of Lord of the Rings (it was part two of The Two Towers) outside in my parents' back yard. They now have an outdoor projector and the weather was just perfect, and after we moved the outdoor furniture into a theater formation it felt like a real theater. Mom also mentioned that she'd just watered the plants and spruced up the backyard, so she was just really loving the outdoor space that was then used for movie night. A great time!
What I’m Listening To: I feel like Vince Guaraldi is the sound of November through the New Year. This album isn't explicitly Christmasy, but gives you just enough nostalgic vibes, and in full band arrangements. It's a comforting pre-holiday season sound, give it a try and see what you think.
Thank you so much for listening!
If you have any products or curly hair tips, please feel free to leave a comment below. And don't forget to leave a star rating or review on Apple Podcasts, if you so choose :)
Have a great week, friends!