Hacks to Take Care of Naturally Curly Hair

Anyone with naturally curly hair will know how difficult it can be to take care of it. Whilst our curls are enviable, maintaining them can be an overwhelming and lengthy experience.

Curly hair can often be dry, prone to frizz and simply just have a mind of their own. This is because it doesn’t contain as many natural oils as other hair types. But don’t be discouraged! Managing curly hair doesn’t have to be as hard as it seems. Even a frizzy, tangled mess can be transformed with a little extra TLC.

By developing a haircare routine that is specific for your hair type and switching to products and techniques that eliminate frizz and dryness, your unruly mane can be tamed.

Here we’ve listed some of our tried and tested tips to give your hair the extra tender loving care that it needs for manageable, luscious locks. So, it’s time to put down that straightener and embrace your natural curls with our helpful hacks.

Washing Curly Hair

Wash Your Hair Less Often

When it comes to washing curly hair, less is more. Generally, curly hair is prone to being dry, which is why it is important not to over-wash it. So, don’t overdo it!

Avoid washing your hair every day, as excess washing opens the hair shafts and strips it of its natural oils. In turn, this makes the hair brittle and prone to breakage. Therefore, to avoid drying out your curls, we recommend keeping hair washing to a minimum.

Wash it around two to three times a week to keep your curls happy. Also, be sure when shampooing to only apply the product to your scalp to avoid drying out the ends of your hair.

Try Co-Washing Your Hair

You may think your hair needs to be shampooed every time you wash it and this is not true.

If your hair is having an extra dry day but you really need to wash it, skip the shampoo and try the co-washing method. Short for ‘conditioner washing’ this is a gentler alternative that only uses conditioner to wash your hair. Conditioner adds moisture back into the hair and, importantly, moisture is the number one weapon for fighting frizz.

The Co-washing method locks in hydration and de-puffs your hair, leaving it nice and clean without drying it out.

Refresh Your Curls between Washes

There’s nothing more frustrating than styling your hair to get perfect, bouncy curls to find it has turned into a lion’s mane when you wake up the next morning.

Furthermore, your curls can start to become undefined and flat during the week. We recommend that to refresh the curls, combine water and leave-in conditioner or hair oil in a plastic spray bottle. Shake it well and spritz it onto your hair and scrunch to recreate the definition of your curls and smooth out frizz.

Drying Curly Hair

Swap Your Towel for a T-shirt

Instead of using a rough towel, use a t-shirt to wring out water from your hair. Not only is this is a great way to upcycle your old t-shirts, but it also takes care of your curls.

The harsh fibres in towel fabric can cause friction on the curls, which can result in frizz and make your curls lose their definition. Whereas, the fibres in a cotton shirt are softer than a towel and actively prevents hair from getting tangled or frizzy, which in turn will improve the texture of your curls.

Use a Diffuser

While air drying is the healthier option for your hair, attaching a diffuser to your hairdryer can define your curls, whilst adding more body to the hair.

A diffuser can minimize a lot of the frizz that can come when curly hair is air-dried. So once you have finished washing your hair, squeeze out any excess water and then spritz a heat protectant spray to your hair. If your hair is dry, then make sure you spray it with some water or leave-in conditioner to dampen it. Next, put your hair strands into the diffuser to cup it around the hair. Hold it in place for a few seconds to allow the curls to form before releasing. Repeat until your hair is fully dry and you have beautiful, textured curls all over.

Tip: Don’t forget to use the coolest setting on your drying tool to even out your curling pattern for more structured and distinct curls.

Products for Curly Hair

Read Product Labels Carefully

Not all shampoos are good for your hair. Many shampoos contain products such as sulphates and silicones, which can distress strands and strip hair of its natural oils.

While it can be tempting to use silicone-based hair products for added shine, it could dry out your hair. It is also best to avoid products that contain alcohol and this can also dry out curly hair which leads to frizz.

Eliminating products that aren’t good for your hair is an important start for maintaining hair health. So, make sure you read the ingredients list carefully when choosing products. We advise that you use a hydrating shampoo that is free of these ingredients, as it can improve your hair texture for more nourished curls!

Deep Conditioner is Your Best Friend

It is incredibly important to replenish moisture into your curls.

A great way to do this is to indulge in deep conditioning showering and cover it with a shower cap. Shower as normal and wash the conditioner off last. Doing so will allow the steam from the shower will help lock in the moisture. Try and do this around two to three times a week to help keep your curls soft and bouncy.

Hot Oil Treatments

Treat your hair to a hot oil treatment once a week and your curls will thank you.

Applying oils to the locks works wonders to leave it hydrated and shiny as your hair drinks up the moisture. There are a number of oils you can try including almond, coconut and argan oils that nourish and soften the hair.

How to: Heat up your favourite oil in the microwave for one minute. Once it is nice and warm, apply it all over your hair and massage it into the scalp to promote hair growth. Next, tie all the hair into a bun on top of your hair and tuck it into a shower cap. Let it sit for around 30 to 40 minutes before rinsing it off.

Don’t forget to rinse your hair properly afterwards to get rid of any excess oil.

Find a Good Frizz Serum

Many people underestimate the power of good hair serum. The right hair serum can be your hair saviour when it comes to frizz. Serums repair and deal with dry strands of hair to smooth out your curls and combat frizz.

Rub it between your hands to warm up then distribute the product and apply it to your hair. Focus on the ends of the hair as this part of the hair becomes drier than the rest. This is due to the natural oils from the scalp not reaching the ends, making it more likely to become drier than the top parts of your hair.

Styling Curly Hair

Style Your hair when it’s wet

The secret to creating flawless curls and minimizing frizz is to style it whilst it’s still wet or damp. After you have washed your hair, spray your styling products through it and scrunch your hair with your hands to create more texture.

Do not run your fingers through it as this can ruin your curls and even cause frizz.

Ditch Your Hairbrush

Detangling your curls doesn’t have to be a complete nightmare. Brushing your hair can damage your fragile curls and disrupt the natural curl pattern. Furthermore, since curly hair is so dense, the bristles of a hairbrush can be too harsh.

To prevent this, we recommend that you detangle your hair gently with a wide-tooth comb. Starting from the ends, comb your hair lightly section by section, starting from the ends and gradually moving up. By working your way up the strands, you can remove tangles as you go without pulling them further down the hair shaft. Otherwise, this can cause breakage and split ends, which you definitely don’t want.

Doing this will make a big difference in your curly hair routine.

Trim Your Hair Regularly

Split ends are never a good look. But unfortunately, they can be even worse on curly hair.

Split ends can make your hair even frizzier. Which, we know, isn’t good news for curly hair that is already prone to frizziness. Not only this but it can stop your curls from looking fresh and defined. So, we recommend that for healthy, beautiful curls you should try to get your hair cut every few months.

Make sure you tell your hairdresser that you want a style that’s suited for curly hair to keep it looking its best. Also, make sure you get your hair trimmed while its dry for optimum results, as the water, can weigh down your curls when it’s wet. Subsequently, this means that your new style won’t look the same once your hair is dry.

Tip: Make sure not to comb your hair once your hair is dry, as it can cause the curls to separate and look bushy.

Sleeping With Curly Hair

Put it in a Pineapple

Tossing and turning in your sleep with your hair left out can often ruin your curls. Wake up to fresh curls every morning by using the pineapple technique to keep your hair bouncy.

Before bed, flip your hair upside down and gather it into a loose ponytail on top of your head. Not only does this help to maintain the hairs natural volume, but it keeps the curls intact without creating dents or dips. Importantly, make sure you don’t tie it too tight as this can cause a dent in your hair when you wake up the next morning.

Once you wake up, take out the hair tie gently. Give your hair a good scrunch with your hands when you are ready to wear it down.

Switch to Silk Pillowcases

You may not think it, but the pillowcase you use to rest your head can also have an effect on your curls. So, ditch your cotton pillowcases for silk or satin ones.

All that tossing and turning during the night can disrupt your curls as cotton pillowcases have a coarse texture that can dry out the hair. Whereas, silk pillowcases tend to have more gentle fibres that don’t rub against your strands. So much so this fabric can help to keep the moisture in your hair, protecting the curls all night long from frizz and breakage.

So, you can sleep in peace knowing that your curls are being protected.

Tip: If you don’t fancy using a silk pillowcase, take a silk cloth and wrap it on your head while you sleep to keep it protected. This will do the same job as a silk pillowcase as the material keeps your hair from rubbing on the cotton pillowcase.