Curly hair is simply the most stylish hair out there. It brightens up your look and gives you an overall shine that will make everyone notice you when you walk into a room.
There are so many techniques out there that are used to create such a beautiful type hair and the instances of these steps are explained here
Achieving great curls can be very tricky, especially when you are not familiar on how you can do it. The good thing is that it is not very hard to create curls yourself.
This article has been written just for you, that’s if you have 3A type hair. We will get you through the step by step methods to get those great curls that you are craving.
If you are not sure if you have the 3A type hair, don’t worry. Before we start setting up everything, let me give highlight you on the hair types in the hair charting system, to give you an insight of the all types of hair, primarily focusing on the 3A type hair and some of its characteristics.
The hair Charting System
According to the hair charting system by Andre walker, there are four main hair types of hair textures, which were assigned the numbers 1 to 4.
The type 1 hair is straight hair and it is categorized into 1A, 1B and 1C, from the straightest to the least straight. The type 2 hair is called the wavy hair. It is also divided into 2A, 2B and 2C. It basically consists of large sized curls, partly loose.
The third type if the curly hair, which is sub-categorized into 3A, 3B as well as 3C. The hair in this type is consistent of smaller curls and is much prone to frizz and dryness, hence needing extra hair care. The final one is the type 4 which comprises of 4A, 4B and, finally the 4C hair.
So, what are Flexi-rods?
Flexi-rods are devices that are used to make beautiful curls. They are made to have a cylindrical structure.
Also they are very flexible, which allows you to freely bend them as well as stretch them out in the way you wish.
These rods are, by far, the most popular curl-making devices ever made and they continue to be trendy each year.
What is the right size you need?
You should know that when it comes to the size of the flexi-rods, finding the right size depends on the look that you are trying to achieve. Small flexi-rods are usually red in color and you achieve some small, tight curls. The smaller flexi-rods take a much longer time to set up than the larger ones.
The largest (called the Jumbo sized) Flexi-rods usually have the color purple or blue and you can achieve a large wavy look when you use them.
You will find the medium sized flexi-rods in the gray (or sometimes orange) color. When you use them, you can achieve some medium sized curls.
A lot of women like to use the jumbo and the medium sized flexi-rods- because the curls look amazing, of course.
Basically, what you do is that you take a portion of your hair and wrap it around one flexi-rod and repeat the method with the rest of your hair.
Should you feel require more information about the styling or products which help you better your hair types then you can visit here for more information.
The best part about having 3A hair is that all of the flexi-rod sizes that we explained above can be used on your hair. As such, you have the option of buying all the sizes if you wish.
Whether you opt for smaller curls, medium ones or the bigger curls, you will, without a doubt, look stunning.
How many rods will I need? – Hair density
The number of rods that you will need will depend on two things; the look you are trying to achieve and the hair density. Let’s explain both of them.
As we said earlier, there are 3 main sizes of flexi-rods, the small, medium and jumbo sized rods. What happens is that, if you want to smaller curls, you will most likely need more rods. On the other hand, if you want larger ones, the number of rods needed will be less.
The other factor is the hair density. It simply means the thickness or the coarseness of your hair.
In other words, it is basically the number of strands that you have on your head, despite the fact that you can’t count them. So how do you measure the number of strands?
There’s a very simple way of knowing if you have a low, medium or a high density.
Here’s how:
Part your hair in the center and then let the hair strands fall in any side. How much of your scarp do you see? – Of course, without having to push or force your hair in any direction.
If you can see a lot of your scarp, you have low hair density and if you can’t see any scarp at all, you have high hair density. On the other hand, if you can only see a little bit of your scarp, you have the medium hair density. A lot of women seem to fall in this category.
Step by step guide to flexi rod set on 3A
Before we get into it, here is a small checklist of the things you will need
- Clips
- Comb
- Water in a spray bottle
- Foam flexi-rollers
- Hooded hairdryer
- Mousse
- Moisturizing Lotion
Here are the steps that you should follow
Step 1:
Before you begin the whole process, make sure that your hair is dry. If it is wet, consider drying it up to a point where it is still somewhat moist.
What you want to do in this step is to first use the water in the spray bottle to mist yourself, but do not overdo to make your hair look like it was dipped in a pool of water.
This step is very important because it makes it easier for you to move your hair around- we are talking about flexibility.
After the misting process, it is now time to apply a moisturizing lotion. In this case, go for a lotion that works best with 3C type hair, like the Almond & Avocado Daily Moisturizing lotion, for instance. Make sure you use a comb to detangle your hair and distribute the lotion to all hair stems.
Step 2
From the mist process, comes the parting method. Using the comb that you used in step 1, divide your hair into 5 sections, having 2 sections at the back (one on each side of the back of the head), two sections at the front top of the head and have one in the middle- this one should be forward falling over your face.
However, depending on your hairs’ length, you can part your hair into more or less than the 5 sections- experiment to find out what works best for you.
What you are doing here is that you are parting the hair to create guidelines- where your curls will fall when the whole process is done.
Step 3
After parting, take one section and start applying about 2 to 3 pumps of mousse. On which section to choose, you can go with any that works for you. However, it is always best to start at the back of your head and work your way to the front.
Mousse is a great product because it will help to mold your hair, making it easier to work it around the rollers.
Note: When applying the mousse, make sure that you apply from the tip to the base of the hair (the scalp) to ensure that the full hair structure is mold.
Step 4
Now that we have made the hair mold enough and easy for rolling, use the comb or a brush to keep the hair detangled as well as smooth. You don’t want to have your hair tangling while you are rolling it.
This is the moment that you have been waiting for, let’s put the rollers in your hair. Put the end of the hair a few inches from the flexi-rod- about 2 inches.
After this, roll your hair onto the flexi-rod, preferably in a counter-clockwise rotation. Make sure that the end is covered when you are rolling, to secure the rod.
Then roll the flexi-rod to the scalp of your head and bend it to the opposite direction of the curl. Repeat the same process with the rest of your hair.
Step 5
To keep your Curls in place, spray some mist over your entire head. As a recommendation, go for a product like Almond and Avocado Curl Control & Shine Mist.
The mist spray ensures that your curls are kept in place while making your hair shine. Then sit under a hooded dryer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour- that’s if you aren’t going outside to enjoy the hot summer sun.
Step 6
Once all the damp feeling is gone, the hair is dry. At this point, it is time to remove the flexi-rods. What you want to do now is to remove the rods. You want to slowly remove the rods one by one and hold the root of the curl between your fingertips while you do it.
Step 7
Now that you have finished removing the rods, you can fix any curls that come apart prematurely by finger-curling it in the same direction of the curl to keep it into place.
You are done! Now, you don’t want to go to sleep and find your curls messed up in the morning, you have to preserve them and the best way of doing this is to gather all of your curls to the top of your head and tie it up, just like a pineapple.