let there be curls

As a person with ~~frizzy~~ curly hair, I have been on the search for the Holy Grail of hair care for as long as I can remember. I am talking about that magical combination of products that gives me that luscious, bouncy, rich hair worthy of a Pantene ProV commercial without having to spend hours blow drying, diffusing, etc. I would try something out, it would work for about a day (or a hair stylist would make it look amazing at a salon but I would be incapable of replicating their work). In sum, after 10 years of ups and downs, I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that that my hair was just going to be frizzy and that it would need to be worn up in a bun most of the time. I was OK with that and when not working in a professional setting, attending conferences, etc. that was totally fine. However, secretly my heart longed to be able to wear my curls proudly….

Enter Aveda. I love love love Aveda and we are lucky to have an Aveda hair school here in Charlotte. I was initially drawn there because you can get a hair cut and style for $10 (yes, you read that correctly, $10). Even better, for a mere $10 extra they have the option of adding on a botanical hair treatment that not only smells divine but makes my hair moisturized and soft for at least a month. A whopping $20 for a whole hair experience. The stylists even provide a complimentary massage as part of your styling and sometime I luck out and get a free make-up application. You can’t beat it!

Needless to say, as I began to attend Aveda I was drawn to their Be Curly line. I have tried all the products in the line, and my absolute favorite is this one. It gives my curls definition without making them feel like they are sticky or crunchy. Unfortunately, the shampoo/conditioners etc smelled nice, but they just did not provide those epic bouncy curls I was hoping for.

Enter Rahua. I stumbled across this line through a web search. Made from the Rahua (ra-wa) oil found in the Amazon rainforest, this line had rave reviews all over the internet. People swore it was like nothing else they had ever tried. People swore it was the Holy Grail I had been searching for. I was skeptical but thought I was give it a go…and WOW. By George, I think they may be right! I have been using this for about two weeks now in the heart of the hot, humid, southern, Charlotte summer and my hair is loving it! I started with this so I could sample the shampoo/conditioner offerings and they both are working amazing. The smell is a little odd at first, but it was grown on me quickly and I have come to appreciate how earthy it is. I also love that the products are 100% natural and vegan.

After I wash (only about 2x-3x per week for us with curls) and condition (every day to every other day), I follow by scrunching the Aveda cream into my hair. You only need about a dime sized amount and you scrunch it through your hair, focusing on the ends. The key is to not brush/rake your fingers through your hair, as this just creates frizz. Brush/rake your hair in the shower with conditioner instead.

The final step. This finishing cream is magic. Rahua again. I put just a dab on my hands (less than a dime size) and rub it on the ends of my hair, scrunching slightly. I swear it makes my hair so soft, silky, and rather resistant to frizz.