Curly hair can be difficult to manage and maintain, but with the appropriate care, it can look gorgeous. How can we get the healthy and hydrated curls that we all want? You will discover all about that in this article.
Washing Curly Hair
1. Using a Sulfate free Shampoo
Sulfates are a fantastic cleansing agent; however, because of how well they work, they also strip the hair of its natural oils, and curly hair is already prone to dryness since these oils find it difficult to get down the hair shaft due to the shape of the hair follicle.
So use a sulfate-free shampoo to start your wash routine! Pour a small amount of shampoo into your palms, rub them together, and massage the scalp after completely wetting the hair with water. It removes excess oils, grime, and product buildup when massaged into the scalp.
2. A Hot Oil Treatment
Before washing, give your hair a hot oil treatment to strengthen, lubricate, and restore it. Emollients, which are found in oils, help to create an oily coating that acts as a moisture barrier.
Add several oils to a bowl for hot oil treatment, or just use coconut oil, heat the bowl and when the oil is warm, add it to your hair and give your scalp a gentle massage. Along with being a soothing treatment, massaging your scalp improves blood circulation, which promotes hair development.
3. Never Skip a Conditioner!
Because curly hair is prone to dryness, conditioners should be an essential element of your hair care regimen. Applying conditioner after shampooing cancels out the negative charges left over from shampooing because it is mostly made of cationic surfactants.
Include a deep conditioner as well as the other types of conditioners. Leave-in conditioners can provide all-day hydration for your curls as well and do a weekly or biweekly conditioning treatment depending on your hair type and porosity. Hair’s porosity is how well it absorbs and retains moisture.
Deep conditioning treatments are designed to work three times better than ordinary conditioners, prevent split ends, and restore and maintain curls. Apply a deep conditioner as you would a regular conditioner, working from the mid-lengths to the tips after which, put your hair in a bun and cover it with a shower cap and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, depending on the product description, and give a thorough rinse.
4. Avoid Certain Types of Products
Your hair can be damaged by certain types of products, such as surfactants, parabens, and alcohol. Alcohol can dry out hair, but there are also beneficial types of alcohol; fatty alcohols like Cetearyl alcohol offer the slip needed to detangle hair with no damage to the hair.
5. Wrap Hair in Soft Clothing
Dry your hair gently after washing it by covering it in a t-shirt or microfiber towel. A terry towel would be tougher on the hair strands than soft clothing which lessens tension on the strands and minimizes frizz, split ends, and hair breakage.
A microfiber towel has a large capacity for water absorption and is lint-free. You should switch to a microfiber towel because it will be much better for your hair.
Styling Curly Hair
1. Detangling Curly Hair
To untangle your hair, use a wide-toothed comb and your fingers. Trying to untangle dry hair will cause it to become a huge ball of frizz. If you do decide to brush, be sure to use the right brush and technique. It would be great for your hair if you could simply use your fingers to style it because overuse of a brush or comb could damage the strands.
For the detangling process, begin untangling conditioned hair at the tips and work your way up to the roots. You can use a comb, brush, or even your fingers with this technique.
2. Using a Diffuser
A diffuser is a blow dryer attachment that aids in evenly dispersing air, maintaining the curl pattern, reducing frizz, and producing volume.
To diffuse, put a diffuser over your hair dryer before you start blow-drying your hair; this helps limit the exposure to your hair and provides space for styling. To ensure that all of your hair strands are coated and protected, spritz a heat protectant onto each section of your hair.
Flip your hair over your head, move it side by side, and for extra volume, scoop the curls into the diffuser bowl and put on the blow dryer for ten seconds, then turn it off and go on to other parts for the best results. Use your blow dryer’s low setting for this process.
3. Add in Styling Products
Purchase styling products that are suitable for your hair type and porosity. For example, volumizing shampoo, texturizing spray, and similar items are required for fine, curly hair, whereas lighter-weight products are ideal for denser hair types and low porosity. Heavier weight products are needed for hair with high porosity and hair that is thicker or coarser.
Utilize products that are appropriate for the category you fit into by being aware of them. Follow the liquid, cream, and oil formation or the liquid, oil, and cream formation when applying your styling products.
Applying anti-frizz serum as sparingly as possible. An anti-frizz serum can help your hair look smoother and possibly help remove frizz after a shower or blow-dry. But even a little does a lot of good. The best way to use frizz serum is to use a dime-sized amount.
4. Refrain from Constantly Touching your Hair
The general rule of thumb with curly hair is that the more you touch it, the worse it gets; once you’ve washed and styled it, stop stroking it because more touching will remove the styling products and generate frizz.
Handling Salon Trips
1. Get Frequent Trims
Getting regular trims is one way to get rid of split ends; split ends can not be repaired and, if not cut off, inhibit hair growth. Especially for damaged curly hair, getting rid of split ends is one way to begin the repair process. It is advised you get a trim every six weeks; if you dally on these, it would only go up more, and you’d still have to trim it away.
2. Request a Dry Cut at the Salon
A haircut is necessary when the crown starts to flatten. For those with curly hair, there is no predetermined number of days or weeks between haircuts. You only need to focus on your hair. If possible, have a haircut as soon as the crown starts to flatten.
Do not style your hair before visiting the hairstylist. In salons, request a dry cut if you want a style that brings out the curls in your hair’s natural form. You need to have a definite vision of how your hair will look after a trim. Because the way curly hair looks while wet and dry is very different. As a result, you can be certain that you are aware of your hairstyle.
Conclusion
Love your curls in all of its complexities and don’t be afraid to experiment with different looks and products to see what suits you best and make maintaining the health of your curls a top priority.