When caring for curls, it’s important to think about how to take care of your strands to keep your hair moisturized. Curly hair is naturally dry, and the washing process can really strip moisture out of your strands. That’s not helpful for anyone. If you’re looking for a great way to cleanse your curls, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s how to wash your way to moisturized curls. Give this routine a try, and make sure to let us know if it works for you.
How To Wash Your Way To Moisturized Curls
Pre poo:
Before getting started, consider protecting your curls. Do this by using a pre poo. Coat your strands with a lightweight oil, such as avocado, almond, or even olive oil. This will help lock in moisture your strands already have, and prevent your hair from loosing more during the washing process.
Cleanse:
After your curls have sat with the pre poo for about 30 minutes, it’s time to cleanse your strands. Here’s where you have some choices to make. You can opt for a sulfate and paraben free shampoo, which will provide a deeper cleanse but can also remove more moisture. You could use a cowash, which is a conditioner based cleanser. Either way, make sure to select what works best for your hair.
Hop in the shower and turn the water to warm. You don’t want it blistering hot, but the warm water will break up build up. Allow your curls to become completely saturated with water. This could take a few minutes depending on the length and density of your strands. After your curls are completely wet, apply your cleanser throughout your strands. Focus on using your finger tips to really massage the product into your scalp and the roots of your curls. There’s no need to scrub the rest of your strands; rinsing out the cleanser will help clean your curls.
After your curls have been washed, rinse out the shampoo with cool water. Use your finger tips to feel your scalp and roots to ensure there’s no shampoo or cowash left behind.
Condition:
After you’ve completely rinsed out your curls, it’s time to think about applying your conditioner. Always follow a wash with a moisture-rich conditioning treatment. Every week or so you may need to think about using a deep conditioner. Apply your chosen conditioner generously throughout your curls, starting from the midshaft down. Make sure all your strands are completely covered. Once covered, allow the conditioner to sit for a few minutes. If you’re deep conditioning, cover your curls with a shower cap and give the product at least 30 minutes to work.
While your hair is conditioning is a great time to detangle. Use your fingers or a wide toothed comb to gently work through each individual knot or tangle. Start from the bottom, and work your way up to the scalp. Make sure not to pull, tear, or rip. Once your curls are completely detangled, your hair should be ready to rinse.
Rinse under cool water, which will remove the excess conditioner and close down your cuticle. This will help lock moisture in. Some curly girls opt to leave some conditioner in their strands to serve as an extra moisture boost. For some, this works great, and for others, it can drag your strands down. Therefore, you’ll need to make sure you know what works best for your hair.