Returning to the Crimper

I grew up in the 80s and so I have fond memories of playing with my older sisters' crimpers.  I mean that was the trend then!  Since then I've shunned the crimper, but I am in constant search of good volume and texture.  My hair is Asian but not flat and straight.  I have very thick hair with a slight wave/cowlick to it.  I blame my mom for subjecting me to perms throughout my childhood.  She had me get my first perm when I was in kindergarten!  Kindergarten!!  That can't have been good for my hair follicles!    

Since then, I've had a few straight perms which I loved at the time (absolutely nothing required to style my hair) but soon got bored of having the same hair style every day and wanted more volume!  I think the straight perms though finally unkinked my hair from all the curly perms I suffered in my childhood.  My hair didn't stay stick straight, but it became a little less bushy and kinky.  I've been slowly going prematurely gray/white and every now and then I find a truly kinky white hair and I have this deep deep fear that when my hair finally goes all white I'll have a head full of kinky white hairs.  Maybe that's why so many Asian old ladies perm their hair into those little fros.  If it's already going that way, might as well go with the tide than against it.

I used to tell my hair stylist whenever I cut my hair to give me as much volume as possible.  I wanted big hair.  But unfortunately this led to me receiving two mullets from two different stylists.  How does volume translate into mullet?!  I've now learned how to direct my hair cuts (and sometimes add in for safe measure - "Please no mullet or mullet-like hair!") and my usual routine is to blow dry until almost dry and then flip my head over and continue until dry, ending with a cool shot.  I then use a flatiron to tame my cowlicks (curses to genes from my dad's side and his crazy cowlicks!).  However, I still don't have enough volume!  Thickness doesn't necessarily translate into volume.  In fact, the heaviness of my hair usually weighs it down leading to flat roots and thick ends.  So I kind of look like I have cocker spaniel ears, or if my hair is short, like Christopher Columbus hair.  I've tried thickening/volume sprays and those are ok, not great.  I also tried velcro rollers and those did nothing but get tangled in my hair.  Ack what to do?

I'm a big fan of Fuzkittie's beauty blog (although now she no longer has a regular blog and instead posts on just Facebook and Youtube) and was watching her hair routine video and soon became obsessed with the crimper.  Fuzkittie uses a crimper underneath the top layers of her hair to add volume to the underlying layers.  The top layer remains uncrimped so that it lays over the now volumized underlying layers.  I was intrigued.  Deeply deeply intrigued.  So of course I had to buy a crimper right away and try it out myself.

I was running late that day so I didn't spend as much time as I'd have liked but below are before and after pictures.  Now I'd like to maintain some anonymity so I've blocked my face.  I had limited options with Picasa edit so I figured I'd go with the classic apple face.  But then I noticed the mustache/beard stickers and couldn't resist.  Below is my before picture - this is after I blowdried my hair as usual.

And below is after I crimped my underlying layers.  Now I know you're thinking these photos are not comparable.  Completely different mustaches!  But please ignore the different mustaches and focus on the hair.  

I think there is a noticeable difference in volume here!  I crimped two layers on both sides and in my back.  Next time I'll try three!  I think if I'd been more careful and thorough I could have achieved even more volume.  And it lasts!  And you can't even see the crimps.  I'm also curious to see how this will look if I combine it with one of my old volumizing sprays or a dry shampoo. 


I am in love again with the crimper.  Try it.  Forget the 80s and embrace the crimper.