How 40 days by the sea taught me the simplest trick for loving my curls again!!
Let me tell you something I didn’t expect: turning 40 changed my hair.
The curls I grew up with suddenly started acting like strangers. They weren’t bouncy anymore, they tangled easily, and they had this constant “dry but greasy” thing going on that I just couldn’t figure out.
So over the past year, I’ve been working with my stylist, Tony, to get my curls back on track. Little tweaks here, better products there, and slowly my hair started feeling like mine again. I was finally happy with it.
And then…I booked 40 days in Sicily.
My Big Worry
The first thing that went through my mind?
“All that sun and salt water is going to destroy my progress.”
If you’ve ever spent a summer near the sea, you know the drill: dry, crunchy hair that takes forever to detangle, and you end up washing it way too much just to feel clean again. And washing curly hair that often? Instant frizz city.
So before I left, I asked Tony for advice. He looked at me like it was the simplest thing in the world and said:
“Every time you get out of the sea, put in a leave-in conditioner. I mean it, every time!”
Honestly, I wasn’t convinced. But I trust him, and I wasn’t about to spend six weeks regretting it. So I packed two leave-ins to test: Deva Curl Leave-In Spray and Bed Head Ego Boost Cream.
Life With the Cream vs Spray
Let’s start with the cream. It definitely helped with detangling. I could run a comb through my hair without a fight, which felt like a win. But the trade-off? My curls felt heavy and kind of weighed down, like I had product buildup even when I didn’t. And after a few days, I realized I was still washing my hair more than I wanted.
If you’ve got curls, you know what that means: less definition, less bounce, and more frizz. Not terrible, but not ideal either.
The spray, though…completely different story.
Because it was lightweight, I could spritz it on as often as I wanted, even five times a day when we were bouncing between beaches. And my hair never felt coated. It soaked right in, kept my curls soft, and made them easier to manage.
The real shocker? I could go four days between washes. Four! That has literally never happened for me on a beach trip. And I wasn’t even adding gel, mousse, or curl cream on top. Just the spray, a little scrunch, and my curls were done.
Sicily, Sun & Salt
There’s something about spending your days in the Mediterranean that feels magical. Warm sun, long swims, and hair that usually pays the price.
I’d step out of the water, rinse off, spritz the conditioner, and by the time we were heading to dinner my curls looked good enough that I didn’t have to hide them in a bun. That alone was a win.
It felt freeing. Normally vacations are when my hair looks its worst. But this time, I actually felt confident. No dragging around a suitcase full of styling products. No stressing about tangles. Just easy, natural curls that kept up with me while I soaked in every minute of Sicily.
Why This Mattered
Here’s the thing: when your hair changes in your 40s, you notice. It doesn’t bounce back the way it used to, and little things—like too much sun or an extra wash make a huge difference.
That’s why this felt so big. It wasn’t just about having “good hair days” on vacation. It was about realizing that with the right product (and a little stylist wisdom), my hair could actually thrive instead of just survive.
The Takeaway
If you’ve got curls and you love the water, do yourself a favor, keep a leave-in conditioner in your beach bag. The difference is night and day.
For me, the Deva Curl Leave-In Spray was the clear winner. It kept my curls light, defined, and healthy, even through 40 days of swimming. The Bed Head Ego Boost Cream did the job, but it was heavier and I had to wash more often.
Sometimes it’s the simplest advice that sticks: listen to your stylist, find what works for you, and let your curls live a little.
Because honestly? Sicily was unforgettable but the fact that my hair survived it might just be the real miracle.
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