How many times have you seen a magazine claiming to have “curly hairstyles” inside, only to open it up and find out what they really show are hairstyles for people with straight hair who want to get that curly look. There’s nothing for girls with naturally curly hair who want to flaunt their tresses au naturale. Don’t fret! Curlies, there are so many cute things you can do!!

In this new weekly column, I will search high and low on the internet for the cutest looks, tools and products…and I’ll give you info on how you can DIY at home. Also, if you ever have any issues you want me to tackle in a future post, vent your frustrations in the comments section below!

Here are eight styles I found this week that I can’t wait to try…

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Contrary to popular belief, it’s not hard to achieve soft curls or waves. And you don’t have to be a professional to do it. The key is playing with your hair a bit to loosen up the curls so you look more “beachy wave” and less “so stiff it doesn’t move.”

Just follow me through the steps and in under 7 minutes you will have the perfect curls for day or night. Happy curling!

But, when said peasants actually look at the Fashion Gods’ pictures, they are whole-heartedly disappointed. All too often, to these arbiters of taste, “curly” means “straight with a very slight artificial wave about half-way down.” Take, for instance, these “natural-looking curls:”

And the peasants cry.

That hair is beautiful, but realistic? Hell no.

But this year, this year, goddammit, it supposedly the year of the curl. Celebrities are donning curls, stylists are throwing away the irons and magazines are telling us to “embrace our natural texture.” Too bad, for many of us, that is far easier said than done.

For a lot of us curlies, our hair has always been the bane of our existence (unless we were around in the 80′s). The 90′ s and most of the 00′s have told us that if our hair is “big,” it’s dated, or out of fashion. Curls are okay…as long as they’re flat. Which, quite frankly, natural curls are not. So, we attempt to flatten and – bottles of gel later – we don’t look fashionable; we look like drowned rats.

But, it is the year of the curl and I am going to let my curls shine, damnit. I am going embrace my natural hair and become one with the wave. As should you.

Don’t know how to tame that mane? Here are a few easy tips for the basic hair types:

Loose, Heavy Curls:

Of the curly types (excluding wavy), this is probably the easiest to deal with. Your biggest help here is a leave-in conditioner and, on humid and rainy days, a little bit of hair creme. Keep it simple and let those lovely locks shine.

Tight Curls

I would KILL for this hair. This is my personal favorite of all the curly types. But I guess the grass is always greener.

Kinky hair (really, really tight curls) is surprisingly delicate. Spritz it through with a light-hold curly spray and then do not touch it. The more you play with it, the more you can damage it. Another tip to keeping this hair healthy: shampoo as infrequently as possible.

Ringlets

Adorable. To keep from looking like Shirley Temple, however, make sure you get a nice adult, up-to-date haircut. Use a light curling mouse to set the curl for the day and you are good to go.

Combination Curls

Most of your hair is out of control curly, but some of it is just wavy (or even straight), and all of it is wirey.

This is what I have. The miracle secret I found is a curl mousse called Got2B Kinky. Seriously. It keeps it from frizzing and it makes it all more uniform, without changing your actual texture. I also recommend cutting serious layers into your hair to avoid the evil, Triangle Head.

Fine Curls

Pump up the volume of your angel-fine curly hair with a volume-specific mousse. Scrunch a little, grabbing the hair from the bottom and gently pressing it up. And always airdry–you don’t want to scatter (and ruin!) your curls with a huge blast of air.

And remember, for all curly hair, shampoo as little as possible (once or twice a week). Condition every other day. And never, EVER try to brush it. Trust me.

[Images courtesy of www.consumer.schwarzkopf.com, www.freshlookhair.com, www.naturallycurly.com]