You don’t need to make it harder to refresh those delicate tresses by stretching and pulling them into a ponytail, or smothering them beneath a hot head wrap at the gym. You don’t have to sport a braided style or beg your stylist to cut it short just to keep your curls looking cute.  Do it the Ouidad way and toss those ponytail holders and head wraps – give way to the curls!

Image via Self.com

Quick Workout Tips for Curls:

1) Give your curls a post workout boost with Ouidad’s Botanical Boost. Designed to soften, moisturize, detangle and fight frizz, this is the perfect pick me up! Our 2.5 ounce travel size is great to leave in your gym bag.

2) To maximize your gym time, you can also multitask by conditioning your hair while you workout.  As you exercise, the heat from your scalp can help some conditioners, like Ouidad’s 12 Minute Deep Treatment, penetrate the hair shaft.  And the best part is the time you’ll save by getting your hair and body healthy at the same time!

Have a Healthy and Curly 2012!

Braided Updo image via hairboutique.blogspot.com

The Braided Updo: Braids have been quite the trend for this years fall fashion. With the holidays right around the corner, we transform our look by giving it an elegant finish. We now have an excuse to be a bit “over the top” with our hair. The braid trend, was more of a loose unkept, look. The holiday updo trend is more of a smooth finished braid that’s pinned around the top of the head. This works for mid to long length hair.

Taylor Swift image via marieforum.com

The Medieval  Updo - This is great for naturally curly hair. Loosely pin your hair, either high on the top of your head, or low towards the nape. Take small sections and secure with a bobby pin. This is not a perfected finished updo! Allow the curls to loosely drape, letting pieces fall and frame the face. Off centering the updo is also a great look.

Ciara image via opooae.wordpress.com

The Pony Tail- It’s sexy, sleek and best of all EASY!! Use a boar bristle hair brush to achieve that tight smooth finish. Try to match your elastic to your hair color, which gives the ponytail more of a polished look. You can wear the ponytail high, low or from side to side. It takes less then 5 minutes and can be done on all hair types. Because it’s a simple updo, you can dress it up with great jewelery.

Amanda Seyfried image via glamour.com

Accessories- If you decide to wear your hair down, a great trend right now is small barrettes. Whether the barrette is simple or has rhinestones, it’s a cute touch. Can be worn with a smooth blowdry or curly style. A few ways to wear the barrette would be to pin back the sides. The main trend is to wear one.  Off center the barrette by pinning back the hair that tends to fall in the face.

Fall is upon is and Winter isn’t too far away! We all know how important it is to keep our luscious locks well conditioned, but the thought of a leave-in conditioner may concern some of us. But not to worry, you and your curls and can rejoice: Ouidad’s Moisture Lock-In Leave Conditioner is a lightweight moisture treatment for curly hair, inspired by skincare science to lock in moisture–and helps de-frizz those curls!

Ouidad reminds us often to remember that conditioning is the foundation for maintaining your hair’s health and beauty. Due to a curl’s tendency to lose nutrients and moisture, Moisture Lock-In Leave Conditioner is the perfect addition to your daily nourishing treatment. Moisture Lock is the perfect light weight conditioning system to nourish, detangle, and protect your curly waves. Similar to your skincare, it creates a moisture foundation for your hair to stay healthy

The Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner can be used in the shower after shampooing or right after you shower: place a dollop in the palm of your hands and rub your hands together, then run your hands throughout your hair, spreading the conditioner and leaving the product in your hair. Make sure to pay extra attention to conditioning your gentle ends! The Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner will help detangle and protect your curls instantly, readying them for styling products to effectively manage your curls. For very dehydrated hair, use as a styling lotion and seal it with the Styling Mist.

After styling if you find the ends still frizzy from the hair not being properly conditioned, Moisture Lock is a great quick fix to put on the ends to give them a shiny seal.

For a perfect finish as you style, spritz your hair with the Ouidad’s Styling Mist to really seal in the moisture and nourishing benefits of the Leave-In Conditioner. Then you and your Curls are good to go out into the cold!

Ouidad Facebook Fan

Toss It!

Tossing your hair back and forth a couple of times when you wake up will help your curls bounce into the day.

Tie It!

If you do decide to wear your hair up at night for a bit of curl control, make sure you wear it in a high, loose ‘do. Use a scrunchie that won’t damage your hair or leave lines.

Spray It!

Ouidad’s Botanical Boost revitalizes your curl pattern in the morning without washing. You can also use it throughout the day as a curl booster. Don’t leave home without it.

Slip It!

Choose a pillowcase that will allow your hair to slip and slide at night. The smooth fabric of silk or satin will help prevent hair breakage and snagging.

See how easy it is for your curls to bounce back every morning?

No need for you or your curls to start off your day frustrated!

Ouidad Fan Image via Flickr.com

If you have an active kid with spunky curls, Ouidad knows that it’s probably hard to get him or her to sit still for much of anything. However, getting your little one into the right hair stylists’ chair is super important for curly kids. Not only will the proper haircut make your child look cuter (can that be possible?!) but it will help with those tangles, frizzies and all sorts of curl-issues. Your child will feel better too!

The very best haircut for curls, even on children, is Ouidad’s trademarked Carve & Slice cut. This is Ouidad’s method, created 25 years ago specifically with curls and waves in mind. In a nutshell, Carving & Slicing removes the bulk associated with the dreaded “pyramid” look, while preserving and enhancing your natural curl patterns. This combination produces well-defined ringlets that fit gently into each other like the pieces of a puzzle, creating healthier, more manageable curls.

And, this technique can work on all hair lengths, so whether your young one prefers their hair in a long or short style, you’re in luck! Ouidad recommends haircuts for kids (and adults!) with curls every 10-14 weeks to keep the style intact.

One thing to keep in mind: the unique Carve & Slice method is only available at Ouidad-certified salons, so beware of stylists claiming to “Carve & Slice” without the intense training and understanding of curly hair that only the Curl Experts at Ouidad salons receive.

Good luck with your child’s haircut … and be sure to take a few photos to post on our Ouidad Facebook page!

Ouidad Facebook Fan Photo via Flickr.com

They say you are what you eat, and when it comes to healthy hair, Ouidad knows that this old adage to be true! So yes, for strong, shiny curls, shampooing, conditioning and routine maintenance are truly important, but it’s also what you eat each day can make a big difference.

Doctors have stated that diets with plenty of growth-promoting protein and iron can strengthen and improve your hair. “Your hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch every month, and the foundation of all of our new hair … growth is the nutrients we eat,” said Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a Chicago-based dietitian. “If you eat a healthy diet, you will grow stronger and healthier cells throughout your entire body—inside and out.”

Here are the top ten foods recommended for healthy hair: (1) salmon; (2) dark green vegetables; (3) beans; (4) nuts; (5) poultry; (6) eggs; (7) whole grains; (8) oysters; (9) low-fat dairy products; and (10) carrots.

Photo via Christmasstockimages.com

So, in addition to using your Ouidad products, treat yourself—and your hair—to a bounty of healthy foods today! And just in case you’re not sure what to make, here’s a recipe for sautéed chicken with stir-fried spinach and carrots that incorporates a number of these recommended foods.

Enjoy your dinner … and your strong, radiant curls!

Photo via Ouidad on Flickr.com

With kids in general, there’s never a dull moment! And with curly kids, sometimes those “not-so-dull” moments can be related to their hair. Ouidad knows that whether it’s tangles, frizz, trying new hairstyles, or simply getting curly kids to wash and condition properly, being the parent of a kid with curls can be quite an exciting ride!

So, we were curious to know: What’s the one curly hair issue that you and your child find most, ahem… challenging? Let us know!

Curly Kids Are The Most Challenging Because Of:

Image via chicagonow

We saw all the stars come out to say goodbye to talk show host and living legend Oprah Winfrey during the final week of The Oprah Show.  After 25 years of life-changing television, Oprah left us with her legacy with The Best of Oprah farewell shows, and Ouidad is delighted to celebrate Oprah too, being the big curly hair fans that we are! We wanted to highlight some of Oprah’s best curly hair moments over the past 25 years. Let’s take a look…

From the beginning Oprah has loved her curls and donned many a twisty looks through all the years of her groundbreaking show. The cascade of Oprah’s styles, from a fancy curly updo with a little color, to when she preferred to relax her curls and make big waves.

It might come as a surprise that Oprah’s naturally curly hair is often straightened before a final curly look is set.  Kinky hair like Oprah’s, and many other African-American’s, is the tightest curl pattern on the curly hair spectrum.  But because kinky hair is incredibly versatile, a looser curl pattern can be achieved by straightening the hair before curling it to the desired look. So ladies like Oprah can flaunt lots of curls – for that professional look in the daytime and a more glamorous style for a night of excitement.  Just ask Andre Walker, Oprah’s hairstylist of 24 years!

There’s no doubt Oprah’s history-making show will be missed.  After all, it’s where we saw some of the most memorable surprises and those “favorite thing” moments.  But perhaps most importantly, we’re thankful that Oprah has left a lot of curly hair memories for us to remember too!

Click here to view the embedded video.

You know at Ouidad that we love our curly kids! In fact, we’ve even designed a line of products just for our littlest customers. The KRLY Kids collection includes a tear-free shampoo, a spectacular detangling conditioner and a spray gel. Those products, along with the advice dispensed in this video, will make our favorite curly kids (and their parents) very, very happy campers!

So, take a few minutes to watch this clip. Not only will you meet a few of the most adorable curly kids around, but you will most certainly walk away with some practical advice that you can really use!

Image  via picasaweb.com

Waking up to a head full of perfectly pretty curls after a good night sleep sounds like a dream.  Especially when you just don’t have time to redo your ringlets every morning.  Here’s how a little preparation before bedtime —and a little Ouidad—can help you get gorgeous curls by morning.

Well-moisturized hair will keep its curl better while you sleep through the night. So try applying a moisturizing conditioner, like Ouidad’s Curl Quencher, to your hair before going to bed.

Then arrange your curls so that you do not accidentally flatten them as you sleep; try securing your hair into a loose ponytail high on the top or your head, also called a pineapple.  And remember that satin and silk can be a curls best friend! These hair-friendly fabrics allow your curls to stay smooth while they slide on your pillow, rather than catch to the fabric and cause your curls to frizz.  Perfect for keeping your ponytail in place while you sleep.

In the morning, you might be able to revive your curls with little more than a simple shake, style and finish.  So you can finally put an end to messy bed-head forever and maintain your curls while you rest.  Imagine that!