NaturallyCurly: Please introduce yourself!
Kara Barcelo: My name is Kara Barcelo and I am a 3C curly girl. I enjoy sunbathing (when the weather is good, of course”>, singing and dancing, eating healthy and kicking butt in the gym.
NC: How and when did you start embracing your curls?
KB: I hated my hair as a child because my mom, who has a different hair type, didn’t really know how to style my hair. I would always end up with a ponytail braid or big, bushy hair. I hated it! It wasn’t until my early twenties that I started to truly embrace my curls. I found that with the right products for my hair type and a good haircut, I actually liked wearing my hair curly! I looked better just being me.
NC: What is your current routine?
KB: Shampoo, condition/detangle, apply product, and go!
NC: So from start to finish, on a curly day, what’s your process?
KB: After shampooing, I rinse and apply conditioner. While the conditioner is still in my hair, I detangle with a wide tooth comb or use my fingers. I braid my hair back and tuck the braid into a ball as I finish showering, allowing the conditioner to do its work for a few minutes. After I rinse out the conditioner, I bend over and wrap my hair in a t-shirt to soak up excess water. From this point on, I NEVER run my fingers through my hair — I don’t want to mess up the curl pattern or cause frizziness. I like my curls to fall naturally.
After a few minutes, I apply product. I smooth it over my hair starting at the top. Then I work on the sides, the back, and finally flip my head over to apply product near the nape of my neck and at the ends. I may scrunch the ends a little, then flip back over and allow the curls to fall naturally.
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