Susannah Murdock | April 11, 2018

Tips for Coloring (and Loving) Your Curls

Image by Madison Reed

Meet Brandi, otherwise known as Glam Belle, beauty vlogger, model, and mom of 3. We talked to Brandi about her hair story, from curls to color to unstoppable confidence...

Tell us about your hair story...have you always embraced your curls? What other hairstyles have you tried? Loved or hated?

I wish I could say that I’ve always loved my curly hair but that’s just not the case. In fact, most of my life I hated it. Well, not sure hate is the right word...I was frustrated with it. I got my curls from my dad who kept his hair super short. My mom had thin, straight, blonde hair so there wasn’t much direction on how to care for curly hair. I joke about it but it’s true that for 34 years it was trial and error for me! I’ve always loved changing up my hairstyle and hair color! I’ve had my hair really short (about ear length) which looked terrible! And I’ve had it really long. My hair has been red, purple, blonde, black, and pretty much everything in between. I think mid-length and brunette suits me best. I used to straighten it as much as I could because I felt like straight hair was more “manageable”. But I didn’t realize the fun I was missing out on!

What are your top tips for coloring curly hair? Any hair hacks for curly hair?

My top tip for coloring curly hair is to use a product like Madison Reed. Curly hair is naturally dry which makes it more prone to breakage. Using color with harsh ingredients will only make curly hair more fragile and overly dry. And that will lead to more frizz, possibly losing curl definition and just overall compromising the health of our curls.

We know you recently used Firenze Brown 6NMG—and it looks gorgeous! Why do you color your hair?

I color my hair for several reasons. For one, I get bored quick! I like changing things up and having fun with my hair. I can showcase different parts of my personality through my color. I started coloring my hair in high school and it’s just been something that I love to do. Now, at 38, I’ll cover the gray hairs (thanks to my 3 kids, LOL) until I’m ready to embrace the salt and pepper look.

What kind of maintenance do you do for your colored, curly hair?

One of the most important steps in my curly hair routine, partly because I color my hair, is consistently using deep conditioning treatments. Whenever I color my hair I will do a deep conditioning treatment two times a week until I feel like the health of my curls is in a good state. I continue deep conditioning at least once a week to keep my curls moisturized, shiny, bouncy, and healthy.

What is your favorite thing about having curly hair?

Gosh, there are so many amazing things about having curly hair that it’s hard to narrow it down to one! But I think my favorite thing would be how much fun curly hair is! Every head of curls is so unique and I’ve learned that no two curls are the same...even on my own head! I find all of the different curl patterns to be so intriguing. If you put me in a room full of curly hair, I could sit for hours in amazement!

What are your challenges with curly hair?

Curly hair needs a lot of TLC. It takes a lot of products and a pretty long wash & styling process to get the most out of MY curly hair. Our hair is prone to dryness, breakage, and frizz. So trying to keep that all at bay is a process! BUT, it’s totally worth it.

What makes you feel confident?

My curls make me confident. It’s not really a style you can hide behind. It is what it is and it’s pretty eye catching. So, I learned early on to embrace the stares and comments because my hair is part of who I am!

What does your hair say about your personality?

I think my hair says “hey, this is a fun girl who’s not afraid of change”! My hair changes with my mood so it’s fun to transform it from day to day into different styles to suit how I’m feeling. One day I might have it big and wild, and the next have it in a curly updo for a more sleek romantic look.

What does a bad hair day look like for you?

A bad hair day looks like some sort of bun style for me. You can usually tell if my hair isn't cooperating because those are the days that I put it in a bun! Sleek buns, messy buns, top knots…I love them all and they save me on my bad hair days!

How does a good hair day make you feel?

Good hair days make me feel unstoppable! When you’ve got 99 problems to face and your hair ISN’T one of of them, you feel like you can conquer the world!