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Do any other type 2 curlies have trouble with their curls easily losing their shape when you try to put them in an updo? When I try to put my hair up, I have very few chances to get it right or else it’s no longer a curly updo.
Any tips, suggestions, or recommendations on how to style curls that easily lose their shape? One thing I am really struggling is getting bobby pins out if I need to readjust.
— CurlTalker Curl Dabbler
Many type 2 curlies encounter these issues when styling their hair. This curl type easily loses its shape when stretched or manipulated and tends to frizz. To keep your curls intact while perfecting your updo, follow these tips.
- Start with well-moisturized, defined curls and waves. Doing this will enable your curls to keep their shape as you style your hair. If you are working with freshly washed hair, use a leave-in and a styler with adequate hold. Gel is a good choice here because it will keep your curls clumped without leaving your hair too slippery for combs, clips, and bobby pins to adhere to. If you have second-day hair, refresh it with your favorite hair refresher or spritz it with water or a combination of water and leave-in to reactivate the product in your hair. Add a small amount of styler if needed. Scrunch your hair, and diffuse or allow it to air-dry. Once the curls have formed, do not scrunch them or pick them out. The gel cast will naturally break up as your style your updo.
- Optimally, choose tools that will not disrupt your curl pattern. If you find that coated elastic stretches your hair straight and/or makes it frizzy, use a Cuff Puff (a round banana clip”>, or a flexible comb headband. These tools produce an elegant updo with minimal effort. If you’re using the comb headband, just adjust its position on your scalp so the hair is lifted into a messy updo. One extra benefit of using either of these tools is that they are both effective at securing the hair, even if it is in layers so that you can limit your use of bobby pins and clips. You can also put your hair up in a scrunchie, as you would with the pineapple method, and use a headband to keep any shorter pieces in place.
- Alternately, if you prefer to do an updo using elastics, and you need to use bobby pins to secure any shorter curls, follow these tips to use them correctly:
- Try to avoid removing or adjusting bobby pins once you’ve placed them. Before placing any pin, hold the hair that you want to pin in position with your fingers. It should be a small section of hair, just enough for the pin to adequately hold without drooping or slipping out. The pin should go in the exact spot that your fingers are in, and not in front of them.
- Do not open the bobby pins before placing them in your hair. When you do place them, ensure that the grooved side is facing downwards.
- For an extra-secure pinning, insert one on a diagonal, and then cross it with another pin, also on a diagonal, to form an “x”.
- If you need to remove a bobby pin from a section, do so carefully, spritz the section with curl refresher, scrunch, and allow the curls to reform before repining.
What are your favorite tips for perfecting your updo? Let us know in the comments. For more on creating waves using gel, click here.
