Think of curly hair as the wild child that gives a little pushback now and again but looks great while at it. Any “curly girlie” will tell you that trying to deal with curly hair without the knowledge or tools will, at best, lead to frustration and, worse, tears on the bathroom floor and a broken comb stuck in the hair.
But there is a way to take care of curly hair and get all the great payoffs that come with having curly hair. Let’s talk about curly hair, how to take care of it, and point you toward some hair products for your curls.
Do’s and Don’ts for Curly Hair
There are some rules to the curly hair game. Here they are:
Do’s:
- Hydrate: Curly hair loves nothing more than hydration! Get products like the Hydro Boost line from Amika that will keep your thirsty hair moisturized.
- Detangle Gently: Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers while in the shower and liberally lather up with conditioner. This will help avoid breakage and your curls will thank you for it.
- Protect: Give your curls that much-needed barrier from styling products and heat by slathering or spritzing on some heat protectant.
Don’ts:
- Don’t overwash: Avoid overwashing your curls since this only strips them of their natural oils and beauty. Wash a maximum of 1x a week or when you need to.
- Don’t use a sulfate shampoo: Go for everything sulfate-free when it comes to your curls. For hair that can be dry, taking away that moisture with sulfates is not a great idea.
- Don’t ignore your scalp: Take care of where your hair comes from – aka that scalp.
Must-Have Accessories for Curly Hair Care
To style your curls properly, it’s important to have the right hair tools. Get yourself a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to detangle your curls as gently as possible to avoid breakage. Dry your hair without causing breakage or friction by using a microfiber hair towel (or simply a cotton T-shirt) to pat away excess moisture.
When styling your curls, it’s important that you use a diffuser attachment for your blow dryer to give your curls even heat so that they can thrive and easily keep their shape and form.
Step-by-Step Curly Hair Routine with Maintenance Tips
1. Cleanse: A sulfate-free shampoo like Amikas Hydro Rush will gently cleanse the scalp. If your hair is on the dry side, consider co-washing with a cleansing conditioner to avoid stripping.
2. Condition: Apply a liberal amount of a conditioner like the Amika Hydro Rush. Intense Moisture conditioner to your coils. Make sure to really focus it on the ends where hair tends to be the driest.
3. Detangle: Detangle your hair with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers while your hair still contains your rinse-out conditioner. Start at the ends to avoid breakage and move up toward the roots.
4. Condition: When hair is still wet, apply your leave-in conditioner. This will add moisture and prep the curls to be styled.
5. Style: Apply your favorite product to styled (curl cream, gel, mousse, etc.) hair. Be sure to apply it evenly throughout the hair. Either use the “praying hands” method or scrunch to add definition. Also, scrunch hair to help add definition.
6. Dry: Let it air-dry, or use a diffuser for more volume. Don’t touch your hair as it dries. This can cause frizz.
7. Maintain: If you need a boost in the time between washes, fill a spray bottle of water and some leave-in conditioner, shake well, and spritz in hair for moisture. Try to sleep on a silk pillowcase to reduce frizz, friction, and breakage.
Letting The Curls Bounce
If you have curls, god was looking out for you! This means you have the texture of all Victoria’s Secret Angels and the goddess Solange! This hair type will slay the masses when treated with the proper care! Go out, get your product, and rock your mane!
