If your hair is often frizzy, wavy, and dry, you might have curly hair, and you don’t know it because you’re trying to treat it like straight hair! If you know you have curly hair but aren’t sure where to start on your haircare routine; we can help.
Curly hair is drier and slightly more difficult to maintain, but it’s worth it for those gorgeous, defined curls that are all the rage.
1. Reduce How Often You Wash Your Hair. This might make you panic if you’re not used to it, but since curly hair is drier (natural oils can’t reach the ends of curls quickly, unlike on straight hair), reducing washing can keep it healthier and shinier. Depending on how tight your natural curls are, you may only need to wash your hair once every seven to ten days, but as you work with your curls, you’ll find a wash routine that works for you.
2. Co-Wash over Shampooing. Shampoo is designed to cleanse the hair and scalp but can strip natural oils, leaving hair dry. Choose to co-wash more than shampooing. Co-washing is washing hair with only water and conditioner to leave it soft and nourished. If you need a deeper cleanse, there are shampoos designed for curly hair that will keep it feeling its best. Avoid products with silicones, parabens, and sulphates for the best effect.
3. Style when Wet. Curl cremes, gels, and mousses are all formulated to work best on soaking-wet hair. As soon as you’ve washed your hair, flip your head upside down and rake your styling products through from root to tip before scrunching upwards to add definition and volume.
4. Don’t use a Towel. After washing your hair, you might wrap it in a towel whilst you get dressed, but this can cause breakage and frizz thanks to the rough fibres. Instead, gently cup and squeeze your hair with a microfibre towel or a cotton t-shirt. Plop if you need to wrap your hair to prevent drips whilst dressing. Plopping exists to avoid pulling and twisting hair and works by laying your curls gently in the middle of your t-shirt or microfibre towel. Lay the towel on a surface, and with your head upside down, gently place the ends of your hair in the centre of it and move your head forwards so your curls begin to fold in like an accordion. Secure the towel or shirt by wrapping the edges around the head, trying not to disturb your curls as you go.
5. Air-Drying is Best. If you’ve plopped your hair, you can leave this on overnight or during the day until dry, or you can take it off and allow it to dry naturally. If you’re in a rush to leave the house, hairdry on a mild setting and use a diffuser so you’re not causing friction.
6. Avoid Brushing. This is another element of curl care that might take getting used to. Brushing curly hair will leave it frizzy and looking two or three times bigger. When your hair is wet, use a wide-tooth comb or fingers to untangle it gently, then scrunch to bring back your curl pattern. Once your hair is dry, avoid brushing altogether. Flip your hair upside down in the morning and gently agitate the roots using a zigzag motion with your fingers to help your curls fall back into place.
7. Wear Silk and Satin at Night. Sleeping on curly hair can make it crushed and frizzy as your movements against the pillowcase cause friction. To prevent this, wear a silk cap to bed, or swap your regular pillowcases for silk ones.
If your hair doesn’t need washing, but your curls look flat and lifeless, refresh them with ease in a few minutes. Simply mist your curls with water until damp, gently apply some curl styling product, scrunching as you go and shaping your coils by wrapping them around your fingers. Give your hair a final scrunch with a microfibre towel, and then diffuse or leave to air dry.
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