Looking for Tips/tricks/ideas for Getting Ready Faster

Have you ever heard of the "Fly Lady"? Her ideas changed my life! I have two kids and I have a clean house, laundry done and I am usually "there" on time- oh and I am even showered- these are big changes compared to my pre-fly lady days. Google her ASAP

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Hi T., I understand your frustration, it used to take me 2 hours to get ready in the morning, I have a 9 year old autistic son, an 11 year old daughter and a new puppy that we are trying to house train, I work 8 - 5 and the kids have to be at school one at 7:00 a.m. and one at 7:30 a.m. So to possibly help you that has cut my 2 hours down to 1 hour in the morning:

You will need:
Weekly kiddie box (labeled Mon - Fri, they sell these in stores.
Morning schedule (step by step of what the kids need to do in the morning from putting on clothes, brushing teeth, washing face, getting breakfast, put back packs at front door, to "going to school and getting smart for a better world!"

1st get a weekly kiddie box (mon - fri) I use this for my autistic son, I sort his clothes on Saturday or even Sunday depending on the day I do laundry. When we get up in the morning, I ask him to get his "Monday clothes" or what ever day it is. He does so and gets dressed on his own, he checks it off on the schedule and goes on to the next!! By the end of the daily list he has gotten himself ready and I can concentrate on me. I do check on him in fun to tell him good job on each task he follows.

My daughter she has a different daily schedule, her Mon-Fri clothes are not done she is a bit special so we choose her clothes the night before!! She is also to iron them. She loves this and I praise her as a growing girl! And we share mother and daughter get ready time!!! This also helps me concentrate on me, cause she gets ready before me and starts to help me as well!!

As far as the new puppy, my daughter and I share the responsibility, I get up and feed her 1/2 hour before the kids get up, then my daughter puts her out after the puppy's meal. In the mean time we are inside getting ready for our day, and the puppy is outside getting her exercise. Before we leave we bring the puppy back in for her safety. I know it seems like robotic structure in the morning, however we are laughing and talking before we leave because we check on eachother, praise eachother and help eachother in the morning.

This cuts everything down to 1 hour, by the time we head out the door, to school at 6:45 - 6:50 we are all happy and on time....until I run into a train on the way to work!!! Hope this helps!!!!

-R.-

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Ok, I just discovered the secret to taming my frizzy curly hair. I had been using a flat iron to straighten, but my hair started breaking off after doing this every day for a year, so I needed to go back to curly to get my hair back to healthy. Doing the flat iron can also take a lot of time until you get your routine down. Anyway, I did some research, and found that lots of women with my type of hair use baking soda and apple cider vinegar to wash their hair. If you look at the back of your shampoo bottle, you are washing your hair with lots of stuff that you probably can't pronounce. I have used baking soda with shampoo to tone down a bad hair color mistake, so I figured I'd try the baking soda and vinegar thing. So, you just take a little bit of baking soda in your hand and add enough water to make a paste. Then you rub it into your scalp starting from the front and working your way back. Then rinse that out. Next pour about 1/2 a cup of apple cider vinegar over your hair starting at the hair line and letting it saturate the hair. You may have to experiment with the amounts you use depending on the length of your hair. I have shoulder length hair. You can leave it in for a bit while you shave or whatever, then rinse. It really softens your hair. The idea is that the vinegar closes the cuticles on the hair so the hair is less frizzy and more smooth. It is a tiny bit stinky, but the vinegar smell goes away completely when the hair dries. Now, I'm sure most of you curly headed women have spent boat loads of money on styling products, and are still never fully satisfied with the results. Well, for the first time in my hair styling life, I didn't need to use any product to make my hair look nice. It has never been more shiny, and it is so light, soft and smooth. I also have very nice curls now. You can always add a little gel if you want more definition, I did that the other day when my hair was about halfway dried and liked it as well, but I only used about a dime size of the gel. I am on my 4th day of doing this and love it. I am still experimenting with the amounts, and only use the baking soda every other day, but use the apple cider vinegar every day. You can use regular vinegar if you can't get your hands on the apple cider vinegar. I was very unsure about not using shampoo to wash my hair, and was worried I would stink and my hair wouldn't be clean, but I was wrong. I don't stink (my husband would have said something by now) and my hair feels very soft and clean. I find myself touching it a lot (need to break that habit). Doing this has shortened my time getting ready. I just get out of the shower, get dressed, do make-up, blow dry and go, and I look great if I do say so myself. I haven't seen my best girlfriend in about a week, so I can't wait to see if she notices so I can let her in on my new secret.

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Girl - I feel your pain. Only those of us with curly hair can truly appreciate how difficult it can be. After struggling with mine my entire life, I finally found a hairdresser that truly understands curly hair & knows how to do it easily, quickly & with no frizz. She cuts it with your curls in mind - she's truly amazing. She is pricey, but it's worth just going to her once to get the education on how to deal with your hair. Go to cutcolorcurls.com to check it out. Here are some of her tips - some sound crazy but I've been doing it for 6 months & it has truly changed my life. 1)Don't shampoo more than once a week & don't use any shampoos with sulfates in them (usually sodium laurel sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate). On the days when you don't shampoo, use water & really massage your scalp with the soft part of your fingertips. Shampoos really dry out curly hair & promote frizz. 2) Do use a good conditioner every time you wash 3)Don't use a towel on your hair - it also promotes frizz - instead, just scrunch with a 100% cotton t-shirt. 4) Don't comb your hair - just detangle with your fingers while you are conditioning your hair. 5)scrunch in product while your hair is very wet - only use water soluble, clear gels & moisture lock products. 6) After product is in, scrunch with the tshirt to dry your hair & set the curl. At that point you can either diffuse or air dry. When I don't have time to do my hair, I just air dry or diffuse for just a second. For the first time in my life I love, love, love my curls & don't feel the need to straighten it. There are also some resources on naturallycurly.com. Good luck & I highly recommend a visit to either Kara or Ann Marie. It will change your life. Seriously.

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Hi T.,

With a four-, three-, and two-year-old, I have to say that having a quick way to get ready has been a must for me. I also have shoulder-length curly hair, and over the years have been frustrated with it. I did finally find a hairdresser that recommended a great book called "Curly Girl," which is a lifesaver in that department. (They actually teach from part of that book in some of the beauty schools). The book teaches you how to take care of your hair based on what types of curls you have, as well as how to find the right hairdresser and cut. The author asserts that your hair should NOT be high-maintenance to take care of if you're doing it the right way.

I highly recommend getting the book (it's extremely short), and working with, rather than fighting what you naturally have. Good luck.

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Hi T.,

No one wants to feel like a frumpy old mom, especially at 20!! I just know that I have to get up before everyone and hope they don't wake up if I want to get ready. Otherwise it does seem to take and eternity! ha! After I had kids, I told my stylist I don't want to have to blow dry or curl my hair! Maybe a new style would help. If you don't have a great stylist I'll give you mine's number. She is awesome!! I trust her to do whatever she thinks would work best! Her name is Jonelle Eillers ###-###-####. She works at Evolution. Not sure how much make up you like to wear. Just a simple face with foundation (I use Bare Escentuals mineral foundation, it goes on super quick and feels great!!), light shimmery blush, mascara and a bit of shimmery lip gloss would look fresh and polished. Hope that helps!! God bless!

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I am sorry, I have the same hair type, If i let mine dry just naturally it is a total ball of frizz.

A couple of things I have tried with my hair are:

1. Always get it layered and thinned when you cut it.
2. When washing my hair I always use lots of conditioner. Pricy I know but it weighs it down.
3. A good gel or mousse.
and 4. diffuse with a blowdryer but of course not totally dry

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I so understand! Here's what I do with my curly hair: get it cut in LONG layers or go all one length, shampoo only once a week using a natural shampoo and conditioner (I use 365 shampoo and Jason conditioner, both from Whole Foods), use only a leave-in conditioner, not a gel (I use Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch). Brush your hair thoroughly before getting in the shower to distribute oils, and when you get out, comb only with a very large tooth comb, put in the leave-in conditioner, then form ringlets with your fingers. Let air dry or if you must, use only a dryer with a diffuser. When it's dry you can fluff it up a bit if you want. It takes a while of not washing too often for your natural oils to help calm your hair. As for getting ready, it's the hardest, most demoralizing thing for me, and I have one child. I try to get as much ready as possible the night before I have to go somewhere. Keep telling yourself that you're doing your best and try not to let it get to you. Also key: get the kids ready first, then you. Otherwise it's easy to lose patience with them and it's not their fault. Good luck! It can only get better.

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You have so much advice! I guess you asked a great question. One thing I do that is fast (after a little practice) and it looks good with long/medium hair is to put it up. I don't know if you like your hair up, but I will bobby pin my hair all over my head in about 5 minutes, and it's easy to do when it's wet. This is my "I'm in a hurry, but I need to look nice" look. I go for a "messy" look. Also, it's faster to straighten your hair if you leave half up in a more messy type bun and then just straighten the rest that hangs down. Email me back if you want more info about what I mean, and I how you can do it easily.

I would pick out your clothes the night before, get dressed as fast as you can including socks and shoes, have the diaper bag packed in advance as much as poss., and then choose a reasonable amount of time to spend on your hair and set your 2 year old in front of the tv for that short time, and your baby in a baby bouncer or other toy in the bathroom with you. This is totally reasonable for 15-20 minutes or less.

Honestly, I usually shower and get ready at 10am when my baby is napping, because this is a real challenge.

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Hi T.!
Well, being someone with thick, curly, past my shoulders hair myself, the fastest way I do my hair is this: buy a good quality mousse (I like Paul Mitchell because it doesn't leave "dandruff") and put a pretty good amount through all of your hair. Then use a diffuser on your hair dryer and flip your head upside down while drying. I don't get mine completely dry, but I can be pretty much done, start to finish, in about 10 minutes. Make sure you use hairspray when you're done to keep it from frizzing later (I use Pantene since it's cheap). I love straight hair too, but absolutely cannot take the time to do it - especially with a 2 year old that loves to get into everything!
I hope this helps!
S.

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I know youhave gotten a lot of good advice already but I ditto the mom who suggested flylady.
Go to flylady.net. I'm still in progress but it is already making a HUGE difference.

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T.,

My biggest suggestion would be a really good haircut. You'd be amazed at what a great haircut can do to cut down on your time. Tell your stylist that you need a low-maintenance cut/style and ask fro tips on how to achieve that at home. I see Jamie at Salon Cosabella in Broomfield and she always has great tips to try at home. Especially with curly hair, I know there are steps you can take when your hair is wet to minimize styling time.

Good luck!

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You've gotten a lot of great responses, so I'll try not to repeat. Moisture is definitely the key with curls! I brush my hair before showering. After I shampoo, I squeeze all the water out of my hair using my hands, and THEN condition. (Your hair will soak up more conditioner if it's dry) I start at the ends of my hair, saturate them with conditioner, & work my way up. By the time I get to my scalp, I'm out of conditioner, which is good, since you don't want to condition your scalp anyway.

Don't leave the towel on your head a second longer than it needs to be. I usually put lotion on my body & then take the towel off. I run a wide-toothed brush through my hair, & then rub in a leave-in conditioning cream, again just to the ends. Then I make a messy part with my fingers, & run through a mousse for curly hair. I use a volumizing mousse to scrunch up the roots, & the curly hair mousse to saturate & form curls at the ends. I can let it air-dry at this point, & it looks great when it dries, about an hour & a half to 2 hours later.

Another way I sometimes style it--especially in the summer is to use spray gel. I like this a lot better than regular gel, because it distributes evenly, so you don't get that "wet" look, but your curls stay formed. I read that curly book that someone mentioned, & it's great. There's actually a recipe to make your own spray gel in there--you basically buy regular gel, & boil it with water. This will save you TONS of money on hair products.

You could also invest in a bunch of those tiny hair clips. You could put your hair up in a messy bun & then use 5 or 6 clips to hold it in place, & not only does it look MUCH better than a ponytail holder, but it's much nicer to your hair.

I can also blow-dry, but it takes ages, makes me sweat as I'm doing it, which only causes more curls/frizz at the scalp, & it's just not worth it to me. Plus, drying & then straightening gives you the worst split ends.

I don't have Felicity hair, but it's pretty curly & thick, & goes to the middle of my back. I have long layers put in when I cut it, & I always get comments about how soft & health it is. (I only blowdry 5 or 6 times a year). Hope some of this was helpful.

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I wash my hair every other day instead of every day. I shower every day, but I just pull my hair up in a ponytail and then all I have to do after is comb it and run a straightener through it if it needs a little touch up. My hair is pretty straight though so you might want to get a shower cap or something to minimize humidity on your hair.

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I also blow dry my hair every morning. I use a blow dryer with a built in round brush. It was like $15 or so at WalMart. It is much faster than a round brush and dryer. (my hair is limp and straight....so I have never used it on curly hair...but I love it.)

Other tips...

I also get up before my son and try to get ready when he is asleep.

I choose clothes the night before - for me and my son.

My son gets a bath the night before.

I also take very quick showers.

Good luck!

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Welcome to motherhood and the grown up girl world. If you are trying to be like Barbie and have everything and have it perfect, you are in for a rude awakening. Sorry to be so harsh, but those who look like a million bucks and seem to have it pulled together, have other issues--I know because I know several of them personally.

#1, Don't wash your hair everyday. Use products that are designed to help you manage you type of hair.

#2. Make up should be quick and easy and your wardrobe should be comfortable and washable. And nothing so expensive that you'll be devastated if it gets ruined.

#3. Know your limits. Is there one thing that is more important than another? Is make-up important, hair, clothes, clean house? Then make that your goal and then make sure you make time for the kids. They are not accessories. They are your future and a reflection of your abilities to parent. They should be one of your main priorities.

Good luck in learning to prioritize, budget your time and money and being a confident Mother.

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I am probably reiterating a lot of other posts here, however, I too have curly hair and two young boys to deal with in the morning. I too have struggled with having to get them and myself ready with little time to devote to myself. My hair being my biggest battle also. I can tell you what worked for me. Try to get everything possible done at night. This includes washing your hair and letting it air dry. To avoid a soaked pillow you should wash at leat two hours before you go to bed. Or you could just use a towel to ring out as much of the water as possible. The trick to avoiding the poof is you must follow the number one rule for curly hair. Condition, condition, condition. You also want to condition while your hair is still mostly wet. DO NOT WAIT FOR IT TO DRY!!! I learned this from a New York stylist who used to get my hair straighter than ever when I would go to her for a blow out before a modeling shoot. Her trick was always to lock in the moisture before applying the heat which I still follow that same rule of thumb even when not straightening it. And if you want it straight, if you do this you can use a flat iron in the morning. No need for a blow dryer. You should appreciate your curls. I know plenty of straight haired naturals who would give a left arm to have naturally curly hair. What you don't want to do is fall into the too much product build-up trap with your hair. There is nothing worse than weighed down curls. You can use Mousse or Gel with a leave in conditioner preferably in the form of a light lotion underneath. Never apply gel or mousse without first using a leave in condioner. Trust me - this will alleviate the frizz. The only way to tame the frizz is to condition, condition, condition. You have to play around with various products until you find what works for you. Like I have a friend with the same issues that use an anti-frizz serum that she pays an arm and a leg for that works wonders for her. If I use the same one I don't see a difference. You may also want to look into products that contain oils such as coconut and jojoba. Two products that have been proven to help combat the frizz of curly hair. Moving on from your hair make sure you iron/steam everyone's clothes the night before, pack lunch, etc. I mean when my older son was 4 months and I went back to work, I would wash him the night before and dress him so that the only thing I had to do with him in the morning was change the daiper and then concentrate on myself. You will find a system that works for you. You just have to not be afraid to try something new. Good luck!

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Hey T.,
I have twins, so I can appreciate the craziness in the morning.

love the advice you got.
I just want to add, make it simple. Comb hair before shower, shampoo, use good conditioner, and comb (wide tooth or pick) conditioner thru hair in shower.

When you get out, towel dry and use some sort of leave in conditioner.
Paul Mitchell, "the Conditioner" works well. Just put it in damp hair, don't comb or brush, just shake your head out and air dry. I have curly frizzy hair and that works well.

during the day, I just wet my hands and scrunch them through my hair, and it looks like I just styled it.

I love the idea of getting everything ready the night before. I lay my clothes out, the kids clothes out too.
I have the kids fruit all cut up in tupperware (they are 2) and this way I can just give it to them while I make myself breakfast.

Don't feel bad, that is what being a mom is all about. Take a day for yourself to be pampered. Have your husband watch the kids one night or Sat and go get your hair and nails done. Or buy a great outfit. You will feel like a million bucks.

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Cut your hair! Go to a good stylist and have it done in a stylish, short style that flatters your face. After decades of washing and blow drying it every morning, I now go to a salon once a week, have my (very) short hair blown and sprayed to death. I do not touch it at all for the rest of the week. There is no hair to speak of on the back and sides, so sleeping is not a hair destroyer. I use a neck pillow when I sleep. This gives me a gift of 6 hours a week....even when you factor in the one hour commute (o=plus the hour return) I make to my favorite salon. Think how much scrap booking you could do! When my son was younger, I used to puut hime to sleep in sweats instead of pajamas. I used to put his shoes and socks on while he slept, just before I woke him. All we needed was breakfast and tooth brushing and he was off.

you could either pull your hair back in a pony or a bun, or you could moose or gell it. that the most i ever do. i don't blow dry.

This is what I do. Have you tried this? I wash/wet my hair. I Brush it in the shower with conditioner on my hair, then wash it out. I towel dry my hair and then easily brush though it once more. I hang my head over and pick it and put mousse in it (treseme brand). I scrunch it and flip it back over. I then let it air dry, pull it half up in a clip.

You might try contacting Sung, owner of Figaros. Marie Claire fetured him as one of the top in the US. He's not cheap but he's worth it. Don't tell him what to do, tell him what results you want. Low maintence, quick... let him do what he does best.

I know you posted this months ago, but I just saw it and I wanted to share what I do with my hair. I have curly, frizzy hair and for years I hated it until I figured out how to tame the frizz. Mousse works the best for me. I have to put it on (a lot of it) when my hair is wet, after washing and brushing it, then let it dry. Then no more brushing my hair until after I wash it again. With this method, I wash my hair at night (I love going to bed clean and it's less to do in the morning). My hair is long enough to tie up in a knot on top of my head, so that is how I sleep (even if my hair is still wet when it's time for bed), then in the morning, I take it down, wet my hands and squish my hair around a little and I'm ready to go! I usually just put it right back up in a knot (got used to it with babies trying to pull on it all the time) but it has nice curls and can look great however I want to wear it. And I only need to wash my hair every other day or so. I have also used gel on my hair (again, put it on when it's wet and let it dry) but it makes my hair VERY crispy and does not uniformly control the frizz the way mousse does. So I switched to mousse (Herbal Essences max hold is the only one that works for me - you may need to try a few to find the one that works for your hair). If this does work for you, you can be dressed and ready to go in 5-10 minutes!

Good luck and I hope this helps!

I know this is a bit late, but there are some towels that actually act as a dryer - I like morning showers to help wake me up - but I have frizzy, wavy hair (not exactly curly, though...but it may act the same). You can leave the towel on your head while applying makeup, then when you take the towel off, your hair is not that wet any more- I use John Frieda for Brunettes, shampoo, conditioner, and sometimes a shine serum that helps with the frizz. I have never had non-frizzy hair till I started using that! Then I use a blow dryer to help make my hair straighter...or you could try using the curl-enhancer from John Frieda as well, then just scrunch your hair up - no frizz, and pretty curls....
A good haircut always helps too - try getting a salon person that actually deals with curly hair - sometimes the layering will do the work for you...
Also - the other ideas were good too about doing clothes/food, etc the night before so it will be ready in the morning - and I always wake up before the kids so I will be done before they wake up - I can concentrate on me - and I love the quiet!!!

I have natural curly hair and I have found if I use a super moisturising shampoo and conditioner every other day my hair is easier to deal with. I also use Garnier Fruitis Wet Shine Hair Gel so I don't have to blow dry my hair. Other things I do to speed up the morning routine are having my clothes and my daughter's clothes laid out the night before. I have her diaper bag packed and ready to go and her snacks packed and in the fridge so we can grab them and go. I have a friend who actually puts out the cereal, bowls and spoons on the table before she goes to bed. Hope that helps. Good luck and whenever you can enlist your two yr old to help with the baby. A game of peek a boo or a song can be quite entertaining and can buy you a few minutes to get yourself ready.

ok i have curly hair and i always wear it curly, it takes me 30 minutes to get ready, that is including a shower. The way i do my hair (you can try it or leave it) is i use herbal essence products. when i turn the water off in my shower i flip my head upside down and run my fingers through my hair so it isn't matted down to my head. NEVER COMB OR BRUSH curly hair, that is where the frizzball comes from. When i get out of the shower i put on my deoderant, lotion my body, put on my makeup (eyeliner and mascara) i think that is all any girl needs. then i towel dry my hair a little again upside down and scrunching it up. The i take a large handfull of herbal essence mouse and put it throughout all of my hair. again always be upside down, if it is hanging down your head it doesn't have the freedom to turn into ringlets. after the mouse is all in my hair i take my towel and scrunch my hair up. then i blow dry/diffuse, i don't always have a diffuser but they work best, and again you are upside down blowing your hair from the end to the root. try not to touch it except for keeping it under control and not letting it blow straight. i try to get it all dry but it is ok if it isn't. my hair is pretty short chin length and it only takes me about 2 minutes to get it dry enough where i can start my day.
you could at least try it. herbal essence mouse is pretty cheap about $2.75 at walmart. let me know if you want to see a picture of my hair? so you can see if that is what you are looking for. it would at least cut about and hour from your regular routine. good luck! and let me know if you have any questions.

Hi T.,

My name is K.. I am a single mother of two boys. One is 14, freshman in highschool, the other 5 and in pre-school. Could you please send any replies that you receive my way as well. I am late for everything. It may only be 5 minutes here or there but I get frustrated at the fact that I'm late.

Thank you,
K.

1 1/2 Hours? Oh my goodness that would be awful. Have you gone to a hairstylist and asked them what they recommend for a quick and easy style for your type of hair? They usually know what they are talking about. Makeup you should be able to do in 5-10 minutes. Getting dressed only takes a few minutes as well, if you have laid out the clothes you want to wear the night before. Other than that, you just have a shower, which only takes as long as you want it to. By the way, my best friend has very curly hair, and when she straightens it, she leaves it that way (doesn't let it get wet in the shower) for at least 3 days. That way she doesn't have to straighten every day.

My hair is kind of similar. My easiest is gel and air dry and scrunch. It's not really pretty, but it works. Otherwise it's gel, comb through, air dry, straighten. We usually plan two hours to feed, dress, and be ready for two adults and three kids. Obviously not less time. Sorry. The reason I air dry, is it saves some time. I still have to blow dry some.

I ended up getting my hair cut short when the kids were little...it made a HUGE difference in how long it took me to get ready each day. My kids were 16 mos apart, and I didn't have the time to "do" hair. Now that they are older, I have started to grow it out again.
Hope that helps,
D.

Not sure if this has been said, but I love to use "Be Curly" from Aveda...never looks frizzy and I love the smell too.

T., you got so many good advices, let me add one little tip:
prepare all the clothes for boys and yourself in the evening, set the little pile up for each of them, and it is good when you decide in the vening what you want to wear, also: this part is not so easy as in the morning you might feel that you're in the mood for a totally different set of clothes :), but foe boys it should still work. And, keep your smile at all times! :)

Hi T.,

You have some great responses. I am a hair stylist and have very curly hair myself. I know how you feel as I felt the same way before I learned what products to use and how to take care of my hair.

I have been a stylist for 34 years. I specialise in curly hair and healthy products.

If you are interested in learning more I will share some ideas with you. I live in the bay area.

Happy New Year.

N. Marie

Hi T.,

I also have medium lenghth, thick curly hair and two boys under 3 years to chase after. I was like you and wanted straighter hair, so I would curl and dry and brush out my hair. Those are now days of the past. I had to accept that if I wanted more sleep or not to be late, I had to work with what I've got.

My suggestion is to start with a great cut. Lighten up the amount of hair. A good stylist will be able to advise you how to do this. After a good washing w/conditioner, I towel dry my hair. Then I use a leave-in conditioner to keep it moisturized and to help make the hair curl rather than just get wavy. Next, I use a gel to hold the curl and to keep my stray grays from popping out. Lastly, I spray hair spray to set the style. I flip and part my hair and then I am done. In total, it takes about five minutes to style my hair. Please feel free to email if you would like names of products. Good luck and I hope this helps.

I have thick curly hair too! It took me a while to realize that it as curly b/c it was straight when I was younger, so I fought it for a while without realizing it. I have learned NOT to fight it - it damages your hair and requires way too much maintenance!

I normally wash my hair every day, but am finding that it is making my hair (and scalp) very dry, so I am trying to switch to washing every other day. Try to find shampoo/conditioner that does not contain alcohol - this is tough to find in the cheaper brands, so if you can afford it, I have been using Nexxus Therape. The large bottles I get at BJs last me 4 months or so.

OK - get rid of the hair brush! It is probably the biggest culprit in making your hair poufy! Curly hair does not require the use of a brush - EVER. You should really only be using a brush when you are straightening your hair. I use a hair pick and my fingers only.

After washing my hair, I wrap it in a towel just long enough to apply lotion to my body. I have found that one of the keys to keeping my curls without frizz is not removing too much of the water before applying my product. I use a hair serum, followed by an alcohol-free curly hair gel and then spritz with a light hairspray. Sometimes I blow my hair dry with a diffuser, but mostly I let my hair air dry.

I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it's relatively easy and takes only a few minutes. I've gotten it down to a science....The longest part of my routine is added only when I use the blow dryer - I have so much hair that it sometimes takes 20 minutes to dry it.

I know it sounds silly, but no one in my life has crazy-curly hair, so it took me years to learn how to care for my hair! So, if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

I have that really thick curly frizzy pouffy hair too. I have found shampooing every other day and conditioning every day seems to help. I use the Matrix curl life, it's a little expensive but has made a huge difference in my hair. They also have a cream that you can use that you don't rinse out. My more affordable solution is Suave mousse it's in the green bottle and apply it when your hair is wet I find the wetter my hair the better it controls the frizz. Just apply and let your hair do it's thing, the more you mess the more frizz you get. It's even a little fun because your hair looks different almost every day. (I never use hair dryers, curling irons or very rarely touch my hair with a brush or comb.) It takes less then 5 minutes and saves me almost every morning. I have a 17 and 16 year old in high school, 11 year old in middle school & 9 year old in elementry school our mornings are already crazy fighting over who gets the bathroom (we have 3) without me having to worry about my hair.

Dear T. C,
The trick to get up early, a couple hours before the boys.
Take your bath the night before, then you can wash up and get ready much quicker. Cut your hair short and them you can blow dry much faster. fix your face and comb your hair then put on your clothes last. YOU can feed your boys ceareal, give them juice. eat light and you will be on your way much quicker.
good luck.
MK

I also have curly hair. One trick that has helped is to buy a small spray bottle, add on teaspoon of conditioner, and fill the rest with water. Wash you're hair at night and in the morning use your spray bottle to get it just damp enough to deal with it, it will save you a ton of time.

The only thing I can add (you've got great suggestions!) is that it will get a bit easier as your kids get older. When they can dress themselves and brush their teeth and such without you right there, you'll have have more time for you to get ready. I know that doesn't help much now, but it gives hope that this won't last forever. For now, pick what's important. Maybe make the makeup really simple and quick if your hair needs more time (great suggestions here!). Have everything picked out the night before - even your own clothes (that takes me a while!). And make great connections with the kids while you're doing everything to help them get ready.

when I dry my hair straight -- I don't wash it for the next day or maybe to when I shower. That way it lasts longer and keeps my hair a little bit healthier. But I'm always on the look out for new products to ensure that my hair is less frizzy when it curly. please share if you have any secrets....

Another idea for helping in the a.m. is to take a shower before going to bed - then you can take your time, shave, just stand in the water and let the day's stresses wash away. Plus it will help you sleep well. In the morning if your hair needs styling, just stick your head under the faucet to get your hair wet.

Have you considered a short haircut?

I have the same hair. Never let it dry without first putting in some gel or CURLING mousse (Vo5 has a good one). That's the only way I can air dry my hair without getting the frizzy look. Good luck!!

I just wanted to add that i also have very thick, curly hair. I wash my hair at night, let it air dry, and then in the morning use a large ceramic straightening iron. It works great and only takes about 10 minutes. I just cut my hair in a bob.

Have you tried a straightening iron? I recently discovered it for me and I love it. I have even washed and air dried my hair at night, then straightened in the morning. Maybe try going to a beauty supply store for getting a good styling gel for when you want to go curly. Maybe get some pretty and fun clips for when you want to do the ponytail thing! I hear you about getting ready. It's tough! I feel better when I shower at night and get my clothes picked out for the next day. Also, I think its a matter of planning the night before. Getting diaper bag/backpack ready and by the door. Planning snacks and having it ready to grab and put in the backpack/bag. Not sure if this helps, but good luck!

I would love to hear what responses you get. I too have this problem. I have to get up at 5 am just to get my 11 year old to school by 7 30 am. Then when I get home I still have to do make up and curl the hair. I have an 11 year old boy and a 8 week old baby girl. My husband works out of town so this makes it even harder. It seems the chance you get to get in the shower someone gets hurt, starts crying, needs fed or just needs something. I went to a home cooking show with my mother last week and I started geting ready at 11 30 and by 430 when I needed to be at my moms I was just finishing up curling my hair. So let me know what solutions you get.

Hi T.-
I have the same thick, but straight hair, so I have to get perms. I have found using Pantene for Curly hair shampoo and conditioner works wonders for me. I also use the gel occasionally. Good luck! (I also know of an awesome hair stylist!)

I have naturally curly unruly hair. I always wore my hair shoulder length and it took forever for it to dry with blowdryer. My curls were so unruly that I could not do the air dry thing. I needed a change. I started surfing the internet for a new hair style. I cut it short and invested in a good straitening iron (CHI or Sedu www.folica.com). They are pricey but they work wonders. It takes about 10 minutes to dry and style it. Make sure you use a good thermal protector if you use as straightening iron. VO5 has a good inexpensive spray. I have gotten more compliments on my short hair than I ever did when my hair was long.

My other suggestion is do as much as you can the night before. The routine in my house is on Sunday I iron clothes for the entire week. That way I never stand in my closet and wonder what to wear. Do the same for you kiddos. Lay thier clothes out for the entire week. We also make a two week menu for dinner and then grocery shop via the menu. This save time because your fridge is stocked for what you are going to make and it keeps us from going out to eat if we cant decide what to fix.

I hope you found this helpful.