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Launch Editor ZOE FOSTER

What are cowlicks? How do I stop my kinky, wavy hair being so?

Fri, 15 July 2011 12:39AM

I love my hair style, but whenever I put up my hair I end up with those horrible kinks/cow licks in my layers and it looks terrible. The only way I seem to be able to get rid of them is by straightening them but I like to wear my hair curly.  I was wondering whether you knew of any tips or products to help with it!
Your friend,

Miss E.

Great question!

Reminds me of this one, which I can shiftily slip in here now, and cover off two ice cream cones with the same baseball bat:

Um, what is a cowlick? Apparently I have them, and I nod intelligently when hairdressers comment on it…but I have no idea what it is and how this affects how I style my hair. Help?
Cowlicked.

So first, let’s clear up what a cowlick is:

A cowlick is a what you get just before a cowkiss, when the cow is pretty sure she likes you, but wants to be positive.

I jest! I jest. Cows love everyone, obviously. No, a cowlick is a section of hair (or “spiral”) that grows in an irregular shape, and stands straight up or lies at an angle completely different to the rest of your hair. They’re most common around the front of the hair, and in curly hair (two reasons I can never have a fringe, I have about four cowlicks along my hairline), but exist all over the head, and is often the reason after a long day of your hair up tight, or in a certain part, your head actually HURTS, A LOT. Because you’ve been forcing these naughty cowlicks go in the same direction as the rest of your hair, and it has pissed them off.

(The name comes from when mama cows repeatedly lick baby cows, and their hair ends up being in a spiral pattern. Not because when you were born, your parents left you in a paddock with a “Lick me!” sign on your forehead.)

Now, back to your question, Miss E.

It’s a funny one, because I actively encourage this exact behaviour (“putting one’s hair up, often when it is not quite fully dry”) in order to get cool, natural texture and waves! And yet you seem to be most perplexed by these exact waves.

So let’s hold hands and walk through this together. We can do this! We can. I’ve tried to make it as simple as possible, and as tool-free as possible, but there are a few prodz you’ll certainly be needing to make kind of nothing, annoying kinks into delicious waves with deliberate looking texture.

TIP ONE

When you put your hair up, try to avoid sharp bends and obvious points of interest. So, for example, don’t tie a tight ponytail, then a bun. Just pull the hair up, twist it softly around itself, and loosely secure into an elastic. (This gentleness also helps keep blow-dries in shape.) Or even better, with big bobby pins.

TIP TWO

One  Classic Hairstyling Tip that you should definitely learn, Miss E, and so perhaps should everyone else, is that if, directly after washing your hair, you apply a texture mousse (Herbals Essences Tousle Me Gently mousse) or a thickening, texture spray (Bumble & bumble thickening spray) all over the head, then blow dry roughly until 80% dry,  and THEN do the  loose, high bun mentioned above, you’ll get both volume, wave and texture. (For a more even all-over, even wave, I’ve been known to do two loose buns on the head, both high, Princess Leila style.)



From here, you can:

1. Go on with your day. Pull out your hair later to find sexy, thick waves. If you find it too kinky when you let it down, take some beachy hair product with you – like Kusco Murphy’s Beach Hair, which is a soft cream/pommade that is AMAZING for non-crunchy texture and body and for making ‘nothing hair’ into well-behaved waves – and rub and scrunch and mould through the mid-lengths to the ends. (Not the roots! Too heavy!)


2. Hairspray the bun, then place a high-heat hair dryer on it to set. Leave it for 10 minutes, so that it’s cold, and has set, then undo. Now do the same thing with the beachy hair product, or use a regular sea salt spray, and tousle using your hair dryer all over for a minute to set the texture and movement. Don’t be frightened if you suddenly see texture and ‘au naturale’ sexiness of the BLAKE LIVELY hair calibre.

TIP THREE

Embrace your kinks, you kinky little crumpet! Remember how great we used to feel as little girls when we plaited our hair when it was wet, and then slept on it, then let it out the next morning and saw these cool kinks? IT WAS TREMENDOUS! Emulate this elation by popping plaits and braids in your hair instead of ponytails and buns, and enjoying the soft, crunkled shapes that arise when you release the hair, (a bit of texture product applied at this stage keeps it modern – too soft and fluffy is not quite as cool), or make it all glamorous and ’70s by brushing out the kinks with a paddle brush sprayed in hairspray for smoothness and hold.

TIP FOUR

Have a keratin smoothing treatment, which will mean your hair is smooth and obedient for (three) months. I had this just before I came to NYC, firstly because I cut my hair short, which only encourages the cowlicks and curls and makes it harder to style, and second because the humidity here is WILD. The one I had (costing under $300) was the YM Smooth, or more specifically, the Trichovedic HydroSpa Keratin Smoothing Treatment at YM salon in Paddington. Took three hours to do, and has karate-chopped my hair styling/drying time by at least 75%. As I have fine hair, smoothing treatments sometimes create a tiny bit of flatness, but a squirt of thickening spray on damp hair, two minutes of my hair blasted with the hair dryer on high heat, and I am all ALEXA CHUNGY. God it’s good. No frizz. No hassle. So smooth. Feels terrific. SO much lovelier and more natural a finish than the (permanent) Ionic straightening I had years ago. My cowlicks and curls can suck a doz right now.

Miss E, I hope this has provided some aid to your problem. When in doubt, embrace and encourage and work with the kinks and licks and curls! A quick muss-up is much quicker than straightening and bullying it into submission. (Or, you know, have a salon smooth-out and cheat.)

Yours in Answers,

Zoe

 


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30 Comments

  • Posted by: B // Fri, 15 July 2011 02:41am

    Oh Zoe look at your hair! So shiny! So textured! This is exactly the style I want my hair to be – except I have thick, long, blonde, curly hair and am super ‘unco’ with the hairdryer… hmmm maybe time to get my hair chopped shorter?? scary…

  • Posted by: lady Enthusiast // Fri, 15 July 2011 07:54am

    Awesome advice!

  • Posted by: Louise-1295043242 Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 09:16am

    he he that’s such a funny article! a cowlick is before a cowkiss… so cute!!!

    I agree, embrace your kinks, they are much more fun than poker straight hair! and a keratin treatment would certainly help them smooth out a bit :)

  • Posted by: Louise-1295043242 Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 09:16am

    am totally in love with blake lively’s hair here too!!!

  • Posted by: sumaya Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 09:21am

    Great advice zoe! I have been wanting to try Herbal Essences Toussle me Softly for quite awhile now.

  • Posted by: Karen-1298334769 Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 09:49am

    Love your hair Zoe! I definitely have to start doing the plaits in the hair again, gave me awesome curls.

  • Posted by: Sheralee // Fri, 15 July 2011 10:18am

    Zoe, I love your sense of humour, it makes reading your posts all the more enjoyable! And great advice as always!

  • Posted by: Monica Devotee // Fri, 15 July 2011 11:18am

    Keratin wasn’t amazing for me (very thick wavy hair), I just braid it before bed!

  • Posted by: Coconal Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 11:33am

    I have keratin in my hair for this very reason!

    Blake does give good hair…sigh.

    I like waves too, which I usually try to achieve with my straightener…but I think I might try the braiding trick soon and see how I go.

  • Posted by: miranda Enthusiast // Fri, 15 July 2011 11:40am

    Uh! This article is perfect for me. I was trying out loosely plaiting my hair for soft waves and it worked. But then yesterday I did it too tight and it looked almsot like I had crimped it! I also have a few cowlicks, a really stubborn, obvious one on the crown of my head

  • Posted by: miranda Enthusiast // Fri, 15 July 2011 11:41am

    I also agree with Louise and Coconal – Blake Lively is gorgeous!!!!

    So jealous of her hair/life/gorgeousness.

  • Posted by: Elmo Enthusiast // Fri, 15 July 2011 11:49am

    Aww those cheeky little cows!

    Love the article – and you’ve just explained the age old mystery that was – why do I get hurty bits in my hair when I put it up?! Those pesky cowlicks, that’s why!

    Zoe your hair looks gorgeous! You make me want to fly to Syd so I can get that smoothing treatment done too.

  • Posted by: Julie Rodwell // Fri, 15 July 2011 02:28pm

    I with you with the fringe, alot of work of getting a fringe to sit pretty. Lots of good tips.

  • Posted by: sprinkles37 Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 03:35pm

    i really like Herbal Essences Toussle me Softly. Just make sure you dont spray too much or your hair can get quite hard

  • Posted by: nora_ling@yahoo.com.au // Fri, 15 July 2011 03:41pm

    Don’t know what a cowlick looks like but love the joke:

    ‘A cowlick is a what you get just before a cowkiss, when the cow is pretty sure she likes you’

  • Posted by: SydneyRose Devotee // Fri, 15 July 2011 03:46pm

    Great advice! Zoe your hair looks lovely. The fact that you now spend 75% less time on drying styling your hair is a bonus.

    Over the years I managed my frizz with Kerastase rituals and Aveda conditioning treatments. I only use the treatments that nourish my hair without weighing it down. Unfortunately, when it rains or there is humidity in the air, my frizz returns.

    I may try the HydroSpa Keratin Smoothing Treatment.

  • Posted by: redandgreen Newbie // Fri, 15 July 2011 04:21pm

    Agree with all of this advice! I have wavy bouffy hair and have been trying to figure it out for about 20 years. One thing that seems to be helping at the moment is pureology super-smoothing conditioner – really works. Definitely the twisting up into loose-ish buns helps, or even a french roll. Blow-drying straight helps (obviously). And also big pin-curls are good. What about the John Frieda 3-day spray that has had good reviews – is that an alternative to keratin? (am still scared of the formaldehyde).

  • Posted by: Roxymisha // Fri, 15 July 2011 04:23pm

    Terrific tips!

  • Posted by: Bridals // Fri, 15 July 2011 07:47pm

    Im glad Im not the only one that does the Princess Leila! Seriously too cute with you little neck tie, you little girl scout you! xx

  • Posted by: Tina-1291133452 Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 09:57pm

    excellent advice, i will definately be trying the two buns!

  • Posted by: xKMS Master Fan // Fri, 15 July 2011 11:54pm

    your hair looks awesome!! i reaaalllllyyy want a keratin smoothing treatment!! hopefully will get to try one soon :)

  • Posted by: strawbsundae Master Fan // Sat, 16 July 2011 12:03pm

    Love the colour intensity of your hair Zoe!

  • Posted by: Samantha // Sat, 16 July 2011 04:02pm

    Dearest Zoe,

    I’ve got oily skin and i have just one question… what in the world are these blotting papers i so often read about and where the heck can i get some (i have no idea what they are but it sounds like i need some…)

    Love always, Samantha

  • Posted by: Becca Master Fan // Sun, 17 July 2011 09:54pm

    Beautiful photo Zoe.
    I have two cowlicks in the back of my hair so to make my hair look good in a pony tail I just swop which side I have my side-part on.

  • Posted by: Ira // Mon, 18 July 2011 02:00am

    After I saw you at your Melb Dymocks book signing I gave my below the shoulder hair the chop! Alexa? Blake? More like Zoe for hair idol. :)
    Shorter hair is slightly high maintenance but SO worth it!!!
    How long will your keratin last?
    Any Melb recommendations?

  • Posted by: Mary // Mon, 18 July 2011 02:18pm

    I love hair tips – I am very unco in the hair dept.

  • Posted by: PatriciaL Supporter // Mon, 18 July 2011 07:58pm

    I am going to try the loose high bun this weekend! (Mid-week is too dangerous in case I have to wash my hair again and start-over because my kinks are too kinky)

  • Posted by: RROZZ Enthusiast // Thu, 28 July 2011 11:36pm

    Yep, I have a prominent cowlick and curly hair. You just have to go with it and not try to part your hair against the cowlick’s wishes. The cowlick must be obeyed!

  • Posted by: katiekates Enthusiast // Sat, 30 July 2011 07:46am

    ive always wanted a fringe but i have a horrible cowlick, which just makes it look stupid on the occasion that i throw caution to the wind and gotten the chop. i have pictures to prove how bad it is. ps your hair is gorgeous

  • Posted by: loopylexy Master Fan // Fri, 30 September 2011 05:59pm

    Aw you look amazing Zoe! I have one, VERY PROMINENT cowlick and it drives me bonkers.

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