If you have been blessed with naturally curly hair, you know how styling or managing them can be quite tricky. Your natural, curly locks definitely stand out but taking care of them may be a challenge. Curly locks are quite unpredictable and tend to be more fragile than other hair types, but if you master the tips and tricks to taking care of your beautiful tresses, they can be quite irresistible. Sport that bouncy, gorgeous hair in no time with the help of this curly hair care routine.
Curly Hair Care Routine
1. Pre-Shampoo Conditioning is Crucial
Before shampooing, do a dry-conditioning of your naturally curly hair. This routine should be done before you step into the shower. Use a conditioner or a hair conditioning oil in this step. Natural oils from your scalp that help protect your hair strands sometimes fail to reach the tips of your curly hair. This is why the tips of your curly hair are more prone to brittleness.
Pre-shampooing helps untangle those nasty, stubborn knots. Create sections in your hair and apply the conditioner to dry hair and leave it for about 20 minutes. This step will result in deep-conditioning of your curly locks once your hair cuticles open up. A conditioning regimen prior to showering will benefit your naturally curly hair in the long run against roughness and breakage.
2. Use Non-drying Shampoos
The tips of curly hair are very prone to dryness, so choose a shampoo that is targeted to curly hair types. You can achieve gorgeous curls when your shampoo has a certain type of formulation that doesn’t dry out your locks.
3. Don’t Shampoo Daily but Nourish Curls with Conditioner
Frequent shampooing is not advisable to those with naturally curly hair. Your hair care routine should be quite different than those with straight hair because your curls are more prone to drying out with frequent shampooing. Scalp oils fail to reach the tips of your curls nourishing your hair with conditioner even when you don’t use shampoo daily is crucial.
4. Be Gentle when Toweling
Avoid being too aggressive when toweling your hair after showering. This can cause too much frizz and may result in breakage due to friction. Instead, gently press the excess water out using your fingers and squeeze gently using your towel.
5. Less Heat
If conditioners are your curls’ best friend, heat is not. Avoid using hot water when you take a shower. Using cold water can close shut your hair cuticles locking the conditioner and moisture, which in turn will produce shinier curls.
If you tend to use curling irons or blow dryers in your curly hair care routine, you may opt to change this habit as these may result in more drying and breakage. Use natural curling tools and let those locks dry themselves naturally.
If you do need to use heat such as that of a blow dryer, switch to a diffuser instead. Attaching a diffuser will distribute heat evenly. This will boost your curls and lessen frizz without causing too much damage from the high temperature. If you want to style your naturally curly hair, a diffuser can be a great addition to your hair buddies.
6. Avoid Brushing
Brushing your hair can cause too much frizz, and it will affect defined curls. If you must comb to untangle snags in your hair, invest in a wide-tooth comb and start from the bottom of your curls going up to avoid causing more damage. It is also best if you comb your hair gently while it’s wet and protected by a layer of conditioner. This is to ensure that your naturally curly locks are kept away from too much damage.
