Whether at the beach, the pool or just playing under the backyard sprinkler, our vote for one of summer’s cutest sights is that of a curly kid enjoying the water! During the hottest months of the year, kids and water are definitely a winning combination.

Photo by Deb Owens

Although some parents prefer swim caps for their curliest youngsters—and, by the way, there are some adorable caps out there now—it’s OK to let your children’s hair get wet; just a few tips and products from Ouidad will help your kids with curly hair maintain their lovely locks even after a day of exciting water play.

If possible, wash and condition your child’s hair with Ouidad’s KRLY Kids collection after he or she spends time in salty ocean water, or in a chlorinated pool. For a quick fix, before a shower or bath is on the agenda, spritz the hair with KRLY Kids Pump and Go spray gel. And, if you’ll be spending an extended amount of time outside, protect those precious ringlets from the sun with Ouidad’s Sun Shield, a spray-in conditioner with UV blockers. (Spray it on prior to sun exposure and any time by the pool or beach when you want to create softer, smoother and shinier curls.)

With Ouidad’s advice and kid-friendly products, your child’s summer—and curly hair—will continue to be simply gorgeous!

Image via coolcruelworld.blogspot.com

You might recognize Kerry Washington from the Academy Award winning films Ray or The Last King of Scotland. No matter where you’ve seen her, it’s her great curls that always steal the show!

A Screen Actors Guild Award nominee, Washington has definitely proven her acting chops alongside some of Hollywood’s greatest stars.  She’s also a political activist and did her fair share of campaigning during the recent presidential race. So with a busy schedule of acting, modeling and political involvement, we know she’s not just another pretty face…but what a face, and what curls! Many of us would like to try those curls on for size, so, let Ouidad show you what you need to get a movie star quality coif.

Begin with a great starter kit, like our Curl Quencher Collection.  The moisture rich shampoo and vitamin packed conditioners will keep any set of curls looking healthy and vibrant. Plus, the curl defining gel hydrates your locks and maintains their style all in one. Then, just follow along with our step-by-step style guide to achieve your perfect look!  Voila!  Now you’ve got Kerry Washington-worthy curls, ready to go out and conquer this curly world!

Bestselling authors can’t live without it. Balmy days are no match for it.  Your curls will thank you for it. What are we talking about? Our Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel.

Not just any ordinary hair styling product earns the Glam Best Frizz Fighter Award, Allure’s Best of Beauty Award and a Shecky’s Best of the Best in Beauty Award. Ouidad’s Climate Control is anything but ordinary.

It features a heat-activated European Wheat Protein that protects the hair shaft and prevents it from expanding. What makes this product so unique, though, is that it actually works with the muggy temperatures, blocking out excess humidity that creates frizz.  Plus, its Amino Acids and Vitamin A nourish and hydrate hair, leaving it super-shiny.

So how can you achieve the same great prolonged hairstyle? Just rake it with your fingers evenly through moist, sectioned hair beginning with underneath layers. Then move from the crown to ends and temple to crown, ensuring that all hair is evenly covered. That’s it! An added bonus: Climate Control is great for straight styles, too, protecting hair from blow-dryer heat.

We think Lisa sums it up best in this review;

“This is the best product I’ve ever used. I have been searching all of my life for good products for my hair and these are the only ones that truly work”

If you still want more testimonials, check out any of our other great reviews!

When Ouidad clients wanted to know the best way to deal with a number of their hair challenges – that included hair loss, decreased hair growth, lifeless locks and dry scalps, Ouidad had the answer! Actually, she has developed an all new treatment option featuring a rare Mediterranean Bay Leaf Oil imported from Lebanon. (The oil is commonly used throughout Europe and the Middle East for its restorative properties).
The Ouidad Luxe Mediterranean Bay Leaf Hair and Scalp Treatment is available at Ouidad NYC and Ouidad Santa Monica Salons.  Ouidad’s special formula is a protein-dense, amino acid-rich exfoliant that is used to rejuvenate the hair and scalp, giving you a crown of curls that are revived, nourished and restructured.

The full treatment is getting a lot of attention and includes a gentle shampoo, a 5-minute deep massage with the Mediterranean Bay Leaf Oil formula, and 15-minutes under the dryer while the oil penetrates the scalp and  leave hair healthy and replenished. It’s a great treatment is great to remove product build up too!

And if you can’t make it to the salon in the near future, try these simple at-home alternatives. Here’s what Ouidad suggests:

• Rinse with apple cider vinegar once a month to clarify the hair and rinse away product build-up.
• Apply a Deep Treatment with amino acids and protein every other week for beautiful hair.

No matter what your curl pattern is: loose/waves, curly, tight or kinky, we know you love Ouidad products for keeping them beautiful! What we want to know is which one is your favorite?

Is it our Deep Treatment Intensive Conditioner keeping your hair healthy that you can’t stop raving about?  Maybe like Jodi Picoult it’s our Climate Control Gel that you can’t live without?  Or perhaps you just love keeping your curls free of residue with our Clear & Gentle Shampoo?  What is your product of choice? Let your curls be heard loud and clear!

Which Ouidad Product Is Your Favorite?online surveys

Image Via Hair & Skinology

Who doesn’t enjoy the wind blowing in their hair on a beautiful sunny California day? If you think having natural curls means you can’t enjoy such simple pleasures, think again! Ouidad has spent her life learning and teaching how to enjoy curls naturally, so we all can let down our curls and enjoy a beautiful day outside. Whether driving the coast, walking, cycling or spending time at the beach. It’s like California curly star Sheryl Crow sings: “I’m gonna soak up the sun!”!

Fear not, tangles, heat, sun, surf or damage – Ouidad’s got you covered with everything you need to let your curls wave and shine brilliantly! And when you need more help with those radiant curls, cruise by our Ouidad salon in Santa Monica and get exclusive expertise from the curl specialists. Like the original 57th Street Ouidad Salon in New York City, our Santa Monica location has an expert staff that utilizes Ouidad’s trademarked Carve & Slice® cutting method, providing the foundation for beautiful curls and helping them embrace and adore the California curls way of life!

Photo by Eric Livingston

Having out of this world ringlet is no reason to avoid windy days or your active schedule at work and play. Like another song made famous by the Bellamy Brothers – “Let Your Love Flow” – they could have added “let your loving curls flow”, too!

Image Courtesy of z.about.com

It’s no secret that guys all over the world have naturally curly hair. Ouidad embraces the different backgrounds and hairstyles of men with curly hair everywhere! Many of these curly clad men face different environmental and practical issues to keeping those curls stylin’. But one issue that all curly haired men run into is how to style their hair for a wedding or other formal occasions. Not a problem – we know that your curly hair can look just as sharp as any other hair type for a classy night out!

Image Courtesy of Hair.lovetoknow.com

The key to a dapper evening look is to make sure that you differentiate your hairstyle just a little for the event. Ouidad can help add that special something to your curls!

Image Courtesy of Virtualhaircare.com

While any of our finishing products help add that little ‘something extra’ to a beautiful head of hair for a formal occasion, we at Ouidad suggest using our Styling Mist. For an occasion that lasts until the early hours of the morning, Styling Mist creates a long lasting hold that lets your hair move with you on the dance floor, but won’t flake on your suit or tuxedo.

So remember guys, have fun, be safe, and rock those sexy curls!

Humidity and curly hair are definitely not bff’s. When there’s moisture in the air either it’s a hat day, ponytail city or the brave ones just go for it like Monica on that episode of Friends when they went to Barbados! Wouldn’t it be nice to have a little more control over your curls on those tropical curls days?

Lucky you! Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo by Ouidad is just the thing to tame your locks while keeping them soft & manageable for styling. And there’s more luck…Lucky magazine, that is. We are so excited to be featured in the Lucky Hair Guide (May 2010). Lucky is always on the cutting edge of fashion and beauty with tips and ideas on so many subjects.

The article that features Curl Quencher is called “Triumph Over Humidity” and it has some great ideas for thick and curly hair. With advice to wash your hair less, use shampoo designed for that challenging hair (hey, we know a great curls–care company who makes that!) and to work in smoothing creams and serums when your hair is wet. Really great tips for curls!

So, get a bottle of Curl Quencher Moisturizing Shampoo and the May copy of Lucky and head out into the warm weather with your beautiful curls held high…Lucky you!

Need those curls dry, now? No need to fear the blow dryer, you can have beautiful natural curls even with electric heat! With Ouidad’s curl expertise, it’s all about the right technique combined with the right products!

In the April edition of Real Simple, Ouidad shares with readers how to get those luscious locks dry in a hurry – while maintaining beautiful, natural, healthy curls!

So, here’s what you’ll need:

Blow dryer with up to 1400 watts and a “low” temperature setting

Ouidad’s Air-Diffuser with the concave middle, so curls form naturally

The right products to nourish, protect, and maintain your curls

Ready, set, dry – it’s that easy with Ouidad.

1.  Shampoo, condition and rinse with the Ouidad products for your type of curly hair.

2.  Use the tried-and-true Rake & Shake styling technique with Ouidad Climate Control Gel to set your curls. No curling iron or rollers needed!

3.  Add Duckbill Clips for extra volume on top, and attach the diffuser to your blow dryer.

4.  Diffuse-dry hair at the roots by flipping hair to one side, then the other, leaving ends to dry naturally. The dryer should be on low or medium. Remove any duckbill clips once hair is dry.

5.  Apply Ouidad Clear Control Pomade to finish and smooth, by rubbing a small amount in hands, and running hands over curls from scalp to ends (as if you were sweeping hair into a pony tail).  Spray with a finishing product for extra hold or shine.

Voila! You have beautiful, natural curls – dry in no time, and ready for whatever the day brings!

Image courtesy of Life.com

Having beautiful curls comes naturally to busy teen actress and singer, Selena Gomez.  With such a demanding schedule and being constantly photographed, she provides a picture-perfect example of how to sport curls!

While it’s true that this teen starlet with Mexican roots (pun intended!) has access to top industry stylists, it’s refreshing to know you don’t have to be rich and famous to keep your bouncy curls healthy and gorgeous.  Even when she’s out bowling – as we’ve spotted Selena doing with Taylor Swift and friends on her day off – guess what? Her curls still look phenomenal!

Image Courtesy of SelenaGomez.com

Ouidad has some great products to help you work your own daily hair Magic! For budget-minded fans, the Love Your Curls Starter Kit includes everything you need to create your own Selena Gomez look. The Love Your Curls set is a fantastic value, and the perfect way to unlock your curl potential. As Selena sings I Promise You!

Ouidad promises great results too, if you just stay true to your curls!