As long as I can remember, I’ve hated my curly hair. I’ve been called “Medusa”, and I was regularly asked, “Did a rat make a nest in my hair the night before?” I was the only curly-haired curl in my immediate family, and no one really knew how to tame my tresses. Honestly, if a product like the Dyson Airwrap had existed when I was a kid, my childhood may have been a lot easier. When I was younger my mom would try to tame my hair by braiding it after I washed it, and it was terribly uncomfortable to go to bed with damp, braided hair. Nowadays, it is a lot easier as you can just use specific hair products for curly hair. Back then though this wasn’t an option. Straightening irons weren’t readily available until my latter years of college, so my freshman year of high school I cut my hair off out of frustration. I kept it short for many years. Today I’m sharing some tips with the help of Dove, to help keep your curly hair looking its best and to help you #LoveYourCurls.

I wasn’t very confident growing up; it was a combination of factors that included wearing braces on my legs to correct the way my bones were growing, nearly a year in a wheelchair, large teeth that my face had to grow in to, unmanageable frizzy-curly hair, and despite being the youngest in my class, I was taller than most of my classmates. I also had a bully; she was beyond mean to me and I never had the courage back then to stand up to her. I never really felt like I fit in, and I certainly never felt beautiful.

A study found that only 4 out of 10 little girls in the US with curly hair believes that their hair is beautiful; it’s such a sad statistic. It feels even worse when you notice that there aren’t many beauty products that cater to particular hair types. However, that is changing with most products creating conditioner, oils, and shampoo for curly hair. In recent years hair care products have changed to fit everyone, and they have really stepped up to try and bring you a variety of amazing products, and this new campaign is no different. Dove is hoping to change those numbers with the Love Your Curls campaign.

I’ve really abused my hair over the years; I’ve colored, straightened, and re-curled my already curly hair. Managing curly hair requires a semi-strict washing and conditioning regime. When I was younger, I would wash my hair every single day before I went to school because my hair would become a tangled mess after I slept on it. The photos in this post were taken the day after I washed my hair; thanks to a good hair care regimen and Dove Quench Absolute hair care products, it was still manageable the following day.

Here are some tips to help keep your curly hair looking its best:

• Use products that are designed for curly hair. I recently tried the Dove Quench Absolute Collection and I had fantastic results. The hair follicle of someone with curly hair is different than that of someone whose hair is straight. Curly hair follicles are asymmetrical, which causes the curly tendencies. It is very important to use products that are designed for curly hair.
• Get a regular hair cut. Split ends will keep your hair from curling properly, and can make your hair look frizzier. Hair cuts can be expensive so look for places to go for a good quality hair cut at a low price. The Walmart hair salon prices are always cheapest in my area so keep an eye out.
• Condition. Condition. Condition. Curly hair loses moisture more rapidly than straight hair. Regularly conditioned hair will be less frizzy and help you maintain your curl pattern. Conditioning is absolutely vital if you regularly use heat styling tools. I use a conditioner every time I wash my hair, and I deep condition weekly.

• Resist the urge to brush dry hair. This will either cause your hair to frizz or it will pull it out. Use a wide tooth comb or your fingers.
• Apply heat and heat styling tools as infrequently and as little as possible. Heat will damage hair.
• Find a combination of products that work for your hair. I experimented with different combinations of leave-in conditioner, oil, serum, creams, mousse, and gel. I use a light coat of leave-in conditioner that helps with detangling, an oil on the lower half of my hair, and Dove Quench Absolute Supreme Creme Serum all over. This combination helps lock in moisture without weighing my hair and curls down.

Curly hair is caused by individual genetics, and as you can tell from this photo before I cut my son’s hair off, I passed my genes off to him. I wish that it hadn’t taken me so long to embrace my curls, wouldn’t this photo haven’t been cuter if I hadn’t straightened my hair?

You can download your own personalized copy of the Love Your Curls e-book by visiting this link. You can share your e-book on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Your copy can include a customized dedication and illustration for yourself or a special curly haired girl in your life. The book is a beautiful tribute to curly haired girls everywhere.

About Dove Absolute Quench:

It’s a three part system that includes:

• Ultra Nourishing Shampoo & Ultra Nourishing Conditioner- Gentle cleansing and increases curl manageability.
• Intensive Restoration Mask-Intense treatment to restore moisture
• Supreme Crème Serum- Leave-in nourishing treatment that be used on wet or dry hair and helps define curls.

I haven’t straightened my hair since I received my products, and I’m trying to fully embrace my natural hair.

Do you have curly hair or do you love a curly-haired girl? Do you #LoveYourCurls?

Please share with all the curly-haired girls in your life.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.