Wednesday, July 18, 2012

No-Heat Curls

When I was in the fourth grade, my grandmother gave me one of my favorite Christmas gifts of all time, an ensemble I referred to as "my jazzy outfit."  In true early 90s fashion, it consisted of leggings with a wildly swirly motif, done in all "hot" colors, and a sweatshirt adorned with rhinestones and sparkling glitter glue, also in all "hot colors."  It was jazzy.  Seriously jazzy.

When I wore my jazzy outfit, I really wanted my hair to live up to the look.  To this end, I would spend a few minutes before bed winding my face-framing baby hairs around one of my Mama's spongy no-heat curlers and spend the rest of the night avoiding sleeping on that hard knot of foam and wire.  The price of beauty, my dears.

The next morning, I would unwind that single curler and delight in the tight ringlets that poufed over my forehead, standing in stark contrast to the rest of my head full of pin-straight hair.  This too was jazzy.

I loved that 'do.  Right up until the day one little boy told me I looked like Michael Jackson.  

He was so right.

But these ain't your mama's no-heat curls.

Several folks asked for more info after I mentioned them in my last post, so here ya go:

There are a good many videos on youtube and several detailed blog tutorials on how to do them, so I'll just hit the high points and you can Google it if you want more.

Working with dry or barely damp hair, you put a stretchy headband around your head, on top of your parted hair (like a flowergirl wreath).  Then you take a one inch or so section of hair and loop it up and over the headband, pulling it under and down.  Then you repeat.  Work your way around each side until you get to the very last bit in the back and flip it up and over the headband.  (The whole thing only took me about 8 minutes and I have pretty thick hair.)

Push the front of the headband onto the top of your head and sleep with your hair wrapped up like that.


In the morning, gently pull the headband out and finger comb your curls.  You're ready for a date at 7 AM!
Or--reality check--you're ready to wear a cute pony while toting naked babies!
Either way...you're jazzy.

2 comments:

BettieBoyd said...

I think this is a fine bedtime look for when your husband is in California. But I did truly love your "jazzy Outfit" and you do truly look jazzy now---once you lose the headband! Can't stop laughing.

Katherine @ eggton said...

Every time I read your website I love it more and more. Going to get to the bursting point soon.