Anyone that has curly hair, or styles their hair curly knows that curls come with a love-hate relationship.
They can be beautiful, sexy, bouncy, and unique-but they can also be a major pain in the arse. People with curls often experience the struggles of frizz, dryness, tangles, and unpredictable flyaways that like to make random appearances.
Whatever struggles you may be facing, Beautify Salon and Spa wants to make your curly experience as enjoyable as possible. In this blog, we are going to go over some tips, tricks, and dos-and-don’ts of curly hair care.
If you are struggling with your curly hair, this may be a very helpful read!
Tip #1 Don’t brush curls when they are dry
Curly Hair Tips #1 may seem pretty obvious, but we are covering all our bases here. Brushing through your dry curls will not only cause frizziness but will also cause breakage and loosen your curls out of shape.
Since there is no moisture for them to stick back together after being brushed, the strands will pull away from each other, and stay that way. It is great if you’re going for an 80’s look.
If you really want to detangle your curls or smooth away flyaways, use a detangling solution or spray.
The key is to provide moisture with lots of slip so that detangling will not compromise the integrity of the curls, and tangles can easily smooth out. Once the detangling solution or conditioner has been applied, apply a wide-tooth comb to gently loosen tangles.
Work your way from the bottom up. Attempting to detangle from the top down will only tighten tangles and make them harder to get out.
Wide-tooth combs have teeth that are spaced out. If you use a comb that is too thin or has teeth that are too close together, you will separate your curls more than is needed which will cause issues. The best kind of wide-tooth comb to use is one made out of rubber to allow for gentle glide, give, and flexibility.
#2 Your pillowcase matters!
This is a tip that not many people know about. Believe it or not, the type of pillowcase you are using will affect how your curls look in the morning. Cotton pillowcases tend to rub our hair in a way that causes breakage, because there is too much friction between the fabric and your hair.
Instead of using a cotton pillowcase, try using silk or satin. These materials are woven more tightly and are smooth. This allows the hair to move freely without much friction while you sleep.
As a result, when you wake up, your hair will be less frizzy, less tangled, and most importantly-less scary. On a side note, these materials are also better on your skin while you sleep!
#3 Air drying is best
After you have washed your hair, you want to make sure you don’t compromise your curls during the drying process. As with any type of hair, air drying is always best. This allows your hair to form and settle more naturally than if the process was sped up with heat (blow dryer).
The more you handle your hair during the drying process, especially when the heat is involved, the more frizzy it will be with flyaways.
Even if you are only using a towel to dry your hair, use microfiber. Microfiber has less friction (like silk pillowcases), so your hair will be less prone to breakage.
Microfiber towels also promote moisture retention to prevent your hair from becoming too dry or brittle. While using any type of towel, avoid any aggressive drying movements (don’t be hard on your hair).
For even better results, apply a styling spray while your hair is damp and then keep your hands off your hair while the air dries it.
#4 Give your hair moisture
There are certain products that are really beneficial for people with curly hair. Keeping your curly locks moisturized will help retain it’s health, shape, and bounce. All hair is porous, but naturally curly hair is more porous than naturally straight hair.
Very porous hair can absorb twice the amount of moisture and water than other types of (less porous) hair. For this reason, frequently replenishing moisture to your curly hair is important.
When applying moisturizer, treatment, or oils to your hair, be sure not to overdo it.
Although curly hair is more porous, you don’t want to put in more than the recommended amount and weigh your hair down with buildup. For finer hair, try a gel or mousse. These products are lightweight and can help hold and protect your curls.
For medium to thick hair, try oils or creams. It is best to use water-soluble products. For coarse or thick hair, try hair masques followed by creams. Coarse hair requires thicker products that can match your hair’s density.
Examples of moisturizing products include palm oil, shea butter, avocado oil, and coconut oil.
You can even try mixing products together to come up with a custom treatment that works best for you. Everyone’s hair is different, so don’t be afraid to experiment with it to see what your hair reacts best to.
#5 Safely using heat to give volume
Air drying hair may be the healthiest and best option for drying your curls, but that doesn’t mean you can’t safely use heat to spruce them up!
You can add a little healthy volume to those curls with a diffuser. Diffusers help to disperse heat evenly and gently to your scalp, instead of blasting one specific area. They are less likely to compromise your curl or cause frizz.
Using a curling iron isn’t a horrible idea either!
If you have a few curls out of place or that look like they had a rough night, spruce them up! Using a heat protectant on your hair before styling is always best to prevent unnecessary damage and hold shape. Avoid overusing hairspray, as this can dry out your curls.
#6 Beware of over-washing
Curly Hair Tips #6- like with any type of hair, overwashing can be a bad thing. We understand your need to feel like your hair is clean, but when you overwash it, you are stripping it’s natural moisture.
When you shampoo your hair, it sends your scalp a signal to produce more sebum, or oil, to provide moisture for your hair. The more frequently you wash, the more oil is produced. This can really over-dry your hair and make it more brittle over time.
If you want to train your hair to produce less oil, wait 3-5 days between washing. At first, your hair will feel more greasy (because it is still used to producing so much oil). But over time, it will produce less oil and you will notice your hair is healthier and less oily for longer periods of time. This will also be less strenuous on your curls.
As an alternative for washing every day with shampoo, try just soaking your hair in warm water, and rinse it with cool water to seal the cuticle. You can also use a dry shampoo as an alternative.
Curly Hair Tips: Love your unique curl!
We are all unique as individuals, and so is our curly hair. Learn to work with and love your unique curl pattern. Find ways to treat your hair that work best for you. If you just aren’t sure, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with one of our stylists at Beautify Salon and Spa in Henderson.
Our team of trained professionals can assess your hair and recommend products and practices that work best for YOU and YOUR hair. Curly hair doesn’t have to be hard to live with. Give us a call or book an appointment online so that we can help you reach your curly hair goals!
If you have any neat tips or tricks that have worked for treating your own curly mane, comment below!
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