Meet curly girl Ellie from Berlin, Germany! Ellie found it hard finding the right products to help with her transition, but now she has her go-to's at the ready and is learning more about her natural curls! Her goal? Healthy curls (a goal we can't argue with!)
The Journey
What inspired you to return natural?
Hello! Originally from Wales, I began my curly hair journey in Liverpool, the UK in 2020 and now one year on I'm living in Berlin, Germany! I struggled with frizzy, triangular hair throughout my childhood and teenage years. As soon as I could, I got my hands on a pair of decent straighteners. Whilst it certainly looked smoother and healthier, my fine hair became more and more damaged.
In my late teens and early twenties, I struggled with a sore, itchy, flaky scalp. I tried gentle shampoos, medicated shampoos, even no shampoo but nothing fixed the problem. After deciding enough was enough in 2019, I decided to try committing fully to the 'no poo' method - no products at all. My hair went through an extreme 'transition' but I wasn't happy with the feeling of uncleanliness that remained. During this time I tried washing with all sorts of things, a tea rinse, baking powder, apple cider vinegar, rosemary water and tea tree! Unfortunately, my scalp problems remained and my hair looked worse than ever!
Fortunately, someone casually mentioned the curly girl method to me in conversation. Around the beginning of 2020, I started researching the curly girl method. I found @welshiecurlgirl fantastic for tips and @curlymalteaser amazing for product recommendations and reviews. From this, I purchased a co-wash and some cheap products to give it a try. I noticed results immediately, and for months I achieved short lasting (1-2 days), inconsistently good results. After around six months my results were more consistent, but I still felt they had a long way to go to look anything like the results I was seeing on Instagram!
I had discovered that my fine hair craves protein-containing products, I decided this was what was missing. The game changers for me came with the Flora & Curl Sweet Hibiscus Curl Defining Gel and a Denman brush. Before using this gel, I wasn't getting a cast and my curls were not lasting well. Fast forward to a year full curly girl method and I am completely addicted to buying products and trying new styling techniques!
What were the challenges (if any) along the way of your healthy hair journey?
The biggest challenge has been getting my curls to look good for more than a day. This was and to some extent still is a battle on frizz and exploding or stretched out curls. Finding a protein/moisture balance with products has been a learning journey. Another factor in this was finding sleep protection that is easy, comfortable and works! For me, a satin pillowcase is a must, and a buff provides extra (less sexy looking!) protection. Moving from an area of extremely soft water to hard water also threw a spanner in the works! However, a shower head filter and a very diluted rinse of apple cider vinegar at the end of my wash keep build-up away.
What is your number 1 curl tip?
Put a curl activating cream/leave-in in your hair and brush it from underneath, away from your scalp. Curls will have more volume and be so much smoother!
Discovering Flora & Curl
What made you buy Flora & Curl products? How did you hear about us?
I first came across F&C on Instagram, recommended in product review posts. I would never have tried the products myself if it wasn't for the travel size options. This enabled me to try the products in a way that was affordable to me, in order to know that I wouldn't be wasting my money if I purchased the full size ones.
How did you see your hair change after using Flora & Curl products?
My curls were dull, exploded and didn't last very long before using F&C products!
Which Flora & Curl product is your favourite and why?
Absolutely the Sweet Hibiscus Curl Defining Gel! The gel gives me an amazing cast, that scrunches out easily to reveal very soft, shiny, bouncy curls that last for days!
What is your current Flora & Curl haircare routine?
What sets Flora & Curl apart from other brands/products on the market?
Excellent packaging (pump nozzles all the way), branding is beautiful, ethos is on point and the products really work!
Are you considering returning natural?Click hereto read more Curl Journeys and get inspired! Or, maybe you feel like making a difference and sharing your curl story? We would love to hear all about it,click hereto submit your story!
Meet Lydia from Oxford, UK! Lydia shares how she went from flat ironing herhair like a "steamroller on tarmac for the best part of 5 years," to having the "good fortune of coming acrossFlora & Curl" products!
Meet Cheryl from Norfolk, UK! Can you believe that Cheryl straightened her hair for well over 15 years? Nope, neither can we. Look at how healthy her curls are now?! Absolutely stunning, right?!
Meet Stefani from stunning Cyprus! Stefani is 29 years old and works as a data analyst. But when she's not working hard on her career aspirations, she's learning more about her wonderful curls! We're obsessed with this transformation.
I have fine, curly hair and it’s hard to find a product that doesn’t weigh it down. These products have been a game changer for me. It took about 2 times to figure out how much product (cream and gel) I needed to use, but once I figured it out, my hair was amazing!! I was able to use just the spray alone to refresh my hair 4 days in a row, which I never have been able to do! The shampoo and conditioner also really helped my dry, bleached hair become soft and not so tangled! I am in love with these products!
soft shiny curls that lasted a mosh-pit with no problem!
Love this. It feels light, didn’t notice a smell (and I have a problem with most scented things), lasted well and doesn’t feel like I’ve got anything in my hair - unlike most other products I’ve tried
I am really impressed by these products. I have always thought my hair was wavy-ish, but with these products, I have found my inner mermaid. My waves are defined and finally there's no frizz haunting my crown. Excellent products- there's no crunch or stickiness. My hair is super soft and lasts to the next day and beyond. Recommended to my Mum who also loves the kit, especially the refresh mist- and we never like the same curl products!
I used this with the matching conditioner and my experience was kind of dominated by how much I disliked the conditioner. The shampoo was but I wasn’t wowed by it. The fragrance was not strong. I won’t be getting this line again but I will try the citrus shampoo still. I love the Flora and Curl gel so much that I think it’s maybe just this particular product line that doesn’t work for me, not the brand.
