How I Style My Curly Hair in the Summer After Straightening It Over the Winter

My hair is probably my favorite part of my body (besides my eyebrows — I'm obsessed with them), but it's not the easiest to take care of. Naturally, it's curly, but a strange mix of beach waves and spiral curls. It's a bit Carrie Bradshaw-esque, but not as voluminous. Also, it is thick AF. And while some people tell me they would "die" for my hair (hey, I would too!), they just don't get what a pain it can be to take care of.

In the Winter, I wear my hair straight. I blow it out every other night and fry it with the flat iron every morning. I feel more sleek and professional when my hair is straight, and it's much easier to bring a straightener with me than a load of product to make my curls look nice on business trips. But, in the Summer, I tend to let my hair go the way it wants to go — wild and untamed. I do this because in the Summer I can ride to work with the windows down and my hair is dry by the time I get there. I also do this because I would rather be out having a cocktail at a waterside bar than home blowing out and straightening my hair. Unless there is a specific reason, most days from May to September it's just wash and go with a little serum to calm the frizz.

To get the perfect curls in the Summer, though, I have to undo all of the damage I've done to it in the Winter or else my head will look like a sloppy mess, and I won't feel good about myself. So, starting in the Spring, I take all of the necessary steps to make sure my hair is Summer-ready.

Before I start my at-home routine, I get myself a good haircut and blowout. I have my hairdresser chop off all of the dead ends (that are particularly fried) so that my hair is healthy again.

Then, I take the routine to the bathroom.

To ensure that my curls are going to look kickass just in time for Summer, in the Spring, I switch over to a sulfate-free shampoo specifically for curly hair. This makes it lighter and helps to get rid of any buildup from shampoo and/or product throughout the Winter. I also add in a deep conditioning treatment once or twice a week (depending on my schedule) to give it some of its life back after being dried out for four-plus months.

I also try to go several days in a row without blowing it out and just letting it do its thing, retraining it to curl on its own. It definitely does not look the best the first few days — the top of my hair stays straight while underneath has all these spiral curls — but I have to let it breathe. I used to want to run around with a paper bag on my head when I was in the middle of this process — now I just steer clear of making any hot date night plans.

After about a month, my hair is restored, healthy, shiny, and ready to take on those endless Summer nights. Bring 'em on!