Sorry I have been so late in replying back to this.

Thank you all for all the advice!

I had never heard of the curly girl method, but it looks like it makes sense. Don't know if the one I saw was right, but it used a lot of products - of which I use very minimal - usually just a leave in conditioner, gel if I have to on the edges.

I don't get my hair cut/trimmed so that may be an important factor i've been overlooking. When I get it layered (like once a year), it grows back quickly, but it never grows past a certain point.

I definitely do know and understand about it looking shorter because its scrunched up - people get on my nerves asking me if I cut my hair when they see it go from straight to curly cause I feel like that should be obvious as to why it is shorter.

I am going to wash my hair today so I will try some of the advice that i've been given and see if I can maybe post some pictures in the next few days as to what the results were!