Tips to Maintain Your Naturally Curly Hair
As a girl blessed with naturally curly hair; I agree sometimes they can feel like a burden. Somedays they are curly, bouncy, and well defined and the other days they are just flat, unmanageable and you probably hate them by this point for their mood swings! Well if that’s the case you are at the right place! We have crafted a well-researched article for your ever-so-gorgeous curly hair and how to preserve them in its best state all the time!
1. Wash Them Less!
Curly hair tends to become dry easily. Shampooing it frequently can make it loose its natural moisture. Sebum; naturally secreted oil acts as a defensive medium on the surface of hair strands. Washing them frequently can make the hair lose its natural oils, making it more drier and coarse.
If you want to jump in the shower and wet your locks every day, you probably shouldn’t use cleansing shampoo each time. Some days, you can e just rinse with water and then apply a conditioner. On the other, use a mild shampoo to avoid stripping the oil out of the hair.
2. Use the Right Products
Styling products are necessary for curly hair. However, many styling products can be heavy and insoluble in water, causing product build-up. What you put in and on your hair is just as important as how you handle it.
Ingredients to Avoid:
Curls can be fragile, especially when already dried out, so look for hydrating products with nourishing ingredients that won’t further strip it of natural oils.
- Sulfates
- Alcohol
Ingredients to look out for:
- natural or essential oils like coconut oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, and avocado oil
- aloe vera
- keratin
- shea butter
- hydrolyzed silk and animal proteins
- panthenol and provitamins
- plant extracts
3. Go Easy on Heat
Every day waking up and using a straightener or a blow dryer to style your bed-sick hair sounds very tempting, but resisting this urge is the key to healthy lovely curly hair!
Excessive use of heat can cause your curls to lose their natural spiral-like shape, making them look dull and lifeless. If you notice this, discontinue using any kind of heat for a week or two, and focus on nourishing your curls to give them that hydration back.
Sometimes, heat styling is inevitable. In these cases, just be sure to use a heat protectant before picking up your hot tools. And whenever you feel the need to use a blow-dryer, always use the diffuser attachment that comes with it to avoid frizz or tangling.
4. Moisturize Frequently
Pre-shampoo treatments are bliss to those with curly hair. They help in softening and removing the frizz from your hair relocking your hair’s own moisture barrier.
If you’re more into layering, one popular routine is the LOC method. The LOC method simply refers to a layering technique — leave-in (or liquid), oil, and curl cream — so you can sub in any products you please.
Takeaway
The biggest thing to understand about curly hair is that it tends to dry out easily and craves moisture. If treated properly, curly hair can look healthy, shiny, and defined.
What are your tips on caring for your curls? Any special tips or tricks? We would love to hear your suggestions. Also, if you have any requests on what you’d like to see in future posts, please feel free to comment below :)
