Curls are like the ultimate prima donna: High maintenance, unpredictable and in need of some extra TLC. Shake up your routine and let your curls know who’s boss with these six styling hacks that will make your life so much easier. We’re talking no frizz, great definition and lust- worthy second, third and even fourth day curls. What are you waiting for? You go curl!
1. Know Your Ingredients:
Going from a product junkie to an ingredient junkie will not only help you learn about good quality ingredients and how they affect your hair, but by knowing what works and what doesn’t will save your bank account and your curls.
source: naturallycurly.com
2. Hands Off:
We know, it’s hard to keep your hands off ‘em, but the more you touch your curls the more frizz you’re going to get. Touching your hair while it’s drying causes the same kind of friction as brushing it, breaking up your curl pattern and causing unruly frizz. Super curly hair should be styled when wet and then left alone until it’s dry. Wavy hair should be scrunched when damp with a styling cream or gel and not touched until it’s at least 75 percent dry for frizz-free va va voom.
source: blog.briogeohair.com
3. Turn Down The Heat:
If your curls spend a lot of time with a blow-dryer, flat-iron or curling iron, it’s time to shift their relationship with heat. Heat damage will actually alter your hair’s natural pattern for good. Yikes! Too much heat damages the protein bonds in your hair, altering them to a point of no return — which means, your natural curl pattern is lost and your hair struggles to retain moisture as it once did. If you don’t want a headful of dry, brittle and frizzy curls, beat the heat by air-drying as much as possible or invest in a diffuser which is far less damaging than direct heat from a blow-dryer. (Photo via Naturally Curly)
source: naturallycurly.com
4. Avoid Silicones Like The Plague:
Silicones give the appearance of beautiful hair that’s shiny and frizz-free. But, there’s a catch. Like a Band-Aid, silicones coat your hair with a layer of shine on the outside, but seal the inside from a healthy dose of hydration. Eventually silicones begin to build up on the outer layer of your hair, weighing down your curls and creating a moisture barrier causing your springy curls to fall limp and flat. For moisture loving curls it’s best to avoid silicones by staying away from product ingredients that end in “cone,” “conol,” “col,” or “xane.” The best cleansing and styling products you can use are made from natural oils that nourish the hair with moisture, not camouflage it with shine.
source: en.wikipedia.org
5. Experiment With Co-Washing:
If you’re struggling with dry, frizzy hair give co-washing a try. As crazy as it sounds, ditching the shampoo and cleansing your hair with conditioner is a major breakthrough for curly girls. Co-washing will cleanse your hair without drying it out, restore moisture to your locks, help maintain a healthy scalp and create soft, tangle-free curls. Remember, frizz is just a curl yearning for more moisture! Check out SunKiss Alba’s tutorial on co-washing and clarifying curly hair. Give it a try and see if this method works for you.
source: youtube.com @SunKissAlba
6. Do The Twist:
While some curls fall in the most effortless way, there are other strands that refuse to be tamed. If you have some unruly curls, try this simple “pin curl” hack to revive your curls in a pinch. Follow along as Sandra, from Just Curly , shows us her technique for twisting unruly curls into shape.
source: naturallycurly.com
Do you have any tips for taking care of curly hair? Please share!