Hey gang, how was your weekend? I hope it was filled with much funs. Did you catch the story about the coolest thing that ever happened to me? You should probably check it out.
I also have a totally random question maybe you can help with. I have super straight hair that defies any and all of my attempts to curl it. I have to keep it in my (super hot) curling iron for a good 45 seconds before it will even kind of curl. Looking for some good product that I can goop in there to possibly facilitate the curling process. If you have suggestions, I’m all ears. And bad hair. So, basically I’m very unattractive, please help.
And now, fabulous makeover time! Amber was not going to put up with this fruit-festooned kitchen any longer. She took a baseball bat to it and tore it down to the studs. I’m not sure if that’s exactly what happened, but I see a baseball bat in the picture, so I’m about 99% sure.
It looks like a million bucks now, but Amber’s no fool. Believe it or not, she got this look on a budget, with laminate counters, stock cabinetry, and thrifted dishes. What a fulfilling feeling that must feel like! It’s gorgeous.
Much more to see on her blog Restless Arrow.
29 Comments
Mumzy
November 24, 2014 at 9:52 AMHoly Cow!!!! I would probably cook if my kitchen looked like that!!!! Beautiful!
Elaine - visual meringue
November 24, 2014 at 9:59 AMWow! Amazing! I think this is one of the best makeovers you’ve ever featured. Love it! And I went and read your story about “Team” – awesome!!! What a thrill 🙂
Sarah
November 24, 2014 at 10:14 AMlove the makeover and loved the story of TEAM. Try a sea-salt spray. I have super straight hair too and that seems to help give it some body and hold a curl.
Hanna
November 24, 2014 at 10:44 AMMy friend swears by the conair curl secret curling iron. It’s pricey but is supposed to be amazing on hair that can’t hold curl. I am in the same boat, haven’t found a product that really works that I can afford!
Lisa
November 24, 2014 at 10:53 AMI don’t know much about hair. But when I get my hair done, I do notice that if you tease your hair first, it’s a lot easier to manipulate.
Leatha Riddle
November 24, 2014 at 10:53 AMThis is an amazing transformation… love the shelving and pop of color from the dishes!
Havok
November 24, 2014 at 11:28 AMGoodness that’s a bright kitchen! But in the best of ways! Kitchens should be bright and happy place – they store your lifesource!
As far as hair products go, I agree with Lisa – there’s teasing involved from time to time. I suggest mouse and/or leave in conditioner that is put in after you wash your hair – tends to give it more volume, and then later in the day curling it. Might help!
Sara Bonert (@sbonert)
November 24, 2014 at 11:32 AMI have straight, thin hair too (with just a slight kink after having kids that is annoying). My hair won’t hold curl either, so my best advice it not fight it and get a Keratin treatment to make it very smooth and shiney. They aren’t cheap, but they last for months. Otherwise I blow dry with velcro rollers to get volume, while still being straight.
Melanie
November 24, 2014 at 11:33 AMWell, it depends on how much you’re willing to change your process, but… I have super-straight blonde hair that resists the curling iron, but pin-curls work fantastically for me. I take evening showers, dry my hair until it’s just barely damp, then put it up in pin curls, wrap with a scarf, and sleep on it. When I take the bobby pins out in the morning my hair is SUPER curly, perfect for pinning up. By evening it’s relaxed to really pretty soft waves/curls, and I don’t have to use any product at all. I don’t like using heat on my hair, but hypothetically you could skip the sleeping process and just blow dry the pin curls until they’re dry, and wait till they cool to take out the pins. Just make sure you start with only slightly damp hair! The tightness of the curls depends on how much you twist into each bobby pin. There are also rag curls for a slightly different (looser) look, but the pins are easier.
KateJordan
November 24, 2014 at 11:43 AMWHOA!!!! Hey, Amber – I have TWO bats at my house, and I’d help you swing them if you could work that magic in my kitchen!
Pam
November 24, 2014 at 11:43 AMI have super fine, super straight hair too. I use Thermal Active Setting Spray by Biolage. I blow dry my hair until it’s just damp then spray in a ton of the setting spray, making sure all my hair is thoroughly dampened all the way to the roots. Then just dry and style like you normally would. I also use Big Sexy Hair (stupid name!) hairspray, the Spray and Stay one, not Spray and Play. All their products look and sound alike. http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4270037. I never, ever use a conditioner. That’s just asking for limp hair. Hope this helps!
Amber
November 24, 2014 at 11:54 AMWow!! This totally made my Monday!! And I love the little wave in your hair in your profile pic! Have you tried hot rollers and spraying it before you put them in? There’s no possible way you could be unattractive!
Thank you, again, for sharing our makeover!
Alexis
November 24, 2014 at 11:58 AMI too have poker straight hair that won’t hold a curl. I’ve found the following method is the only thing that works:
Wash hair and allow to air dry, don’t blow dry
Apply heat protector and styling mousse – any kind for curls – be generous.
Curl around curling iron, hold until hot all through
Carefully slip curl off end of iron and pin to head
Allow curls to cool completely
Spray generously with hairspray spraying each curl as you unpin it.
This leaves you with curls that will stay in all night. They will, however, be hard and ‘crunchy’. I don’t think it’s possible to have soft gentle curls unless you have hair that curls easily :-/
Laura
November 24, 2014 at 1:19 PMGreat kitchen! Love me a cute kitchen on a budget.
Hair tip: give each section a light spray with hairspray (aerosol is best, but whatever you’ve got!) right before you put it around the barrel of the curling iron. Do it! Then the hairspray dries as the heat curls and its magic for making stubborn hair curl!
Warning: eventually will make your curling iron a little gunky, but totally worth it! Ha!
Marci
November 24, 2014 at 1:45 PMHave you tried the Caruso rollers? They’re a bit of a hassle, but the curls they make have more staying power than any other curling device I’ve tried. I have fine, straight hair and it’s long so the curls get weighed down.
I love this kitchen. I can’t believe those dishes are thrifted. They look so pretty on those open shelves, but I could never have that at my house – it’s much too dusty.
Swan
November 24, 2014 at 2:34 PMHi, I’m Swan, and I too have incorrigibly thin, straight hair. Back in the day when I had time for such things, I spent 45 minutes with a curling *brush* on damp hair, then sprayed each curl with hairspray before brushing it out for a wavy, tousled look. My best efforts still fell flat by lunchtime. The only fool proof way to get curl each day was to bite the bullet and get a perm. The perm changed the texture of my hair, making it more dry and coarse, but it was the only way to make curls last. Today, I prefer permless, softer, smoother, shinier hair, accomplished with a body infusing shampoo to add height, and a strengthening conditioner rinsed with cool water. Even if it must be straight, healthier hair looks better than anything else, imho. And curly or straight, you look great. Best wishes, keep us posted.
LeeAnn
November 24, 2014 at 4:19 PMThat’s a great kitchen. I like it.
Like I used to tell my kids, sometimes you get what you want. Sometimes you get what you need. And sometimes you get what you get. Embrace that straight hair, You are a beautiful woman, inside and out!
Doria
November 24, 2014 at 4:42 PMI’m almost 6 decades into having stick straight hair. This is what I’ve learned. Hot rollers work better that curling irons. You put ’em in and leave ’em until they cool. The upside is you aren’t stuck in one spot holding a curling iron for one curl after another. It helps to have some product, even just hairspray in your hair before you begin curling. I have found Kenra 25 to be the best hairspray. I also like Aquage Uplifting Foam, this also helps hold those fought for curls. And it really does lift the roots. Keep in mind curly haired women envy us our straight shiny locks.
Sarah M
November 24, 2014 at 7:38 PMLove the kitchen! As for the hair, I use Bumble and Bumble hair texturizing cream, even though I wear my super-straight, baby fine, thin hair in a straight bob/wedge. I’ve given up on curls, just wear it straight and accept all the compliments from the ones whose hair frizzes in the humidity. Play up your strengths. Keep up the good work. Love this blog!
Desiree
November 24, 2014 at 8:57 PMhair: I have the opposite problem, but have found a solution that might work for you. Every time I curl my hair, it ends up an afro. Every single time. And then my husband laughs at me. Google Curlformers. They work, they’re also really easy to use. I just lent them to our secretary who has really straight hair, she was amazed.
Amanda
November 25, 2014 at 7:02 AMOh My this is gorgeous ! Is this even the same kitchen? Ask Chelsea about your hair………
Michelle
November 25, 2014 at 11:36 AMPin curls! Seriously, you will be shocked. As another commenter mentioned, what until your hair is just damp, put up those pin curls and either just wait for them to dry or get ’em with a blow dryer. I give them a light spritz with hair spray while they are up too. They will be really tight when you take them out, but will quickly relax.
Good luck!
Jana
November 25, 2014 at 1:52 PMI have very fine, thin hair, my hair will not hold a curl at all, perms last about a month for me. I have found that the more product I use, the faster it falls out but I finally found something that works for me – a flat iron – my curls stay in all day! The best part is that I don’t need all the goop so they aren’t crunchy curls. There are lots of youtube videos that show you how to do it.
Anjanette
November 25, 2014 at 2:21 PMMy hairdresser recommended a 1 inch Hot Tools curling iron from Sally Beauty Supply. It has made such a difference!
Cathie
November 25, 2014 at 6:11 PMColor your hair. Damaged hair holds curl better.
Victoria
November 27, 2014 at 11:08 AMWash your hair with baking soda first. Sounds crazy, I know. It roughs up the hair to help the curl set. My sister with super limp hair that will not curl swears that this works.
Janet
December 1, 2014 at 8:50 AMI have thick, straight hair that doesn’t hold a curl well. I have learned to embrace it. However, when I used to fight it, I would put mousse in my hair and use hot rollers. Hot rollers are faster than a curling iron and work better (just roll and move on to the next one, no holding and waiting. Plus you can easily tell if you missed any hair). Unattractive? Are you kidding me? When I first started reading your blog, I didn’t really look at the sidebar. Then one day, I realized that wasn’t a model in a sidebar ad, that that was your picture! I was surprised because the funniest people I know are generally not so gorgeous. I’m not saying that they are unattractive, I’ve just observed that the funniest people I know are not also the hottest. So congrats on having it all!
Lindsey @ Better After
December 1, 2014 at 9:26 AMHahaha, Janet, your comment totally made my day! Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning! 🙂
Lindsey
December 3, 2014 at 2:14 PMI can’t see the comments so someone has probably already mentioned this. The best method I’ve found is to spritz each section with hairspray before curling, and curl small sections at a time. Finish with more hairspray and then wait until your hair curls before running your fingers through for less defined curls. Also it’s easiest to curl when it’s semi dirty. Good luck!