Naturally, curly hair is beautiful and unique. It curves. It bends. It also coils. However, because of the twists and turns, it can also be delicate and fragile. Worse, because it is curvy, the natural oils produced by the scalp that work to protect and soften the strands, have a hard time reaching the tips. It’s no surprise why the hair care regimen of curly-haired girls is completely different.
Fret not. If you have natural curls, we have the perfect hair care tips for you to keep them beautifully curvy.
Know Your Enemy Above All Else
It’s quite interesting how the strands of a curly hair twists and curves itself to form knots. And if that’s not that amazing enough, these strands can even join together with others to form little balls of hair! But just when you learned how to appreciate the complexity of these curls, you realize that they can be a bit unsightly.
Now, if you are thinking about straightening those knots and have made up your mind to start a war against them until they’re all gone, allow us to save you time. We’ll have to tell you that there is no way you’ll stand a chance against exterminating those natural curls. All you have to do is to accept them and live with them.
Then again, we’re not encouraging you not to do anything about your curls. What we’re saying is that you at least control and minimize the knots and tangles by knowing what you’re fighting with. It is by then that you can reduce the damage.
We’ve already told you that the natural oils are responsible for keeping curly hair manageable and soft. So, if you are struggling with tangles and knots, do yourself a favor and figure out what’s keeping those natural oils from doing their magic. That’s the logic we’re trying to let you understand.
Care for Your Hair
You probably know that not paying attention to your hair needs or being too lax can make your curly hair problems worse.
As you run your fingers through your strands, you will instantly know if there is something wrong. You’ll feel that there are grains of sand or beads in your hair shaft. You’ll feel that the strands are becoming more and more brittle each day. Eventually, everything will end up so bad that your last resort is to schedule a visit to the salon and get your hair cut.
Hence, spare yourself from this kind of situation and all that drama associated with knots and tangles. Consider these handy tips and tricks to bring back the glory of your naturally curly hair.
1. Do not pile your tresses when washing.
Admit it. You were also taught to wash your hair in such a way like you are forming a huge ball of dough. And then, you knead and massage it on your head. After that, you rinse it.
Well, for those with straight hair, this is not a problem. But if you have curly hair, you might want to think again. It’s actually a major mistake you want to avoid, especially if you want to relieve yourself from that painful detangling sessions.
The best way to wash your hair is to keep it down. Wash it with a best hair care products for curly hair. In just a few days, you’ll notice the difference.
2. Detangle, detangle, detangle.
One of the easiest and best ways to detangle curly hair is to simply use your fingers. Finger detangling, if there is such a term, allows you to be extra sensitive and be able to locate the littlest knots and tangles that may sometimes worsen when brushed or combed.
But before you do finger detangling, know that there is a proper way to do that. First, divide your hair into two or more sections. From there, work your fingers through separately. Don’t do it fast. Take your time.
Once you are finished, you can already use a wide-tooth comb to ensure you did not miss anything. Be wary, though. Finger detangling can result in hair breakage, especially if you don’t do it correctly.
3. Consider oil rinsing.
Oils give curly hair a slippery feel, keeping the strands from rubbing against each other and not getting so tangled. Having said that, why not rinse your curls with oil every now and then to make it more difficult for tangles to form?
For sure, you already have your favorite oil in mind, but we suggest you use natural oils like coconut oil. After washing your hair in the shower, apply and massage the oil on your soaking wet hair. You can then rinse your hair with water or not, but for better results, we recommend you get rid of any excess water from your oil rinse before styling.
The next day, be sure you wash your hair to remove all the oil from your curls. Use a clarifying shampoo that is paraben and sulfate-free. The amount of shampoo you should use will depend on the product build up on your hair.
Now, if you want to do a wash-and-go style, take note that a curl defining product won’t do the trick because there is an oil layer that is keeping the product from doing its job. You’ll know more about this in our next tip.
4. Avoid wash-and-go hair care regimens.
Avoiding is definitely different from not doing. So, we are not telling you not to completely scrap the wash-and-go hair care routine. After all, there is no point in going natural if you cannot even see your curls.
But if you truly care about keeping your tangles and curls under control, you might want to steer clear of this wash-and-go hair care routine for a while. Why? That is because leaving your hair bouncy and free over for a few days can increase the potential of the formation of knots.
What you should do is to basically reduce the number of your wash-and-go days until your knots and curls are under control. Better yet, invest in a low maintenance hair care routine and wear a protective hairstyle.
If you cannot stand a day without a wash-and-go regimen and you still get lots of tangles and knots, consider doing a cow-wash to combat your problem.
To cow-wash, saturate your hair with water until the strands are sopping wet. Apply an ample amount of hair conditioner and massage it into the scalp. Make sure you distribute it evenly through the tips. Finally, rinse. Once every two weeks, consider using a clarifying shampoo. That’s it!
5. Wear protective hairstyles.
We’ve mentioned above protective hairstyles in the previous tip. But do you know what these hairstyles look like?
Protective hairstyles, also known as low-maintenance hairstyles, are the hairstyles that let you keep your hair manageable, tamed, and in control. They are designed to prolong hair moisture, lessen the damage, and promote proper hair growth.
So, what are these protective hairstyles? These are simply hairstyles like twists, braids, and buns. But if you prefer your hair free and down, you can opt for stretched hairstyles, where the curls are elongated. These hairstyles could be the braids out or the twists outs.
6. Do not stroke your hair.
Yes, you probably are so in love with your curls. Perhaps you are already obsessed with it. However, did you know that all that stroking and flirting with your curls can trigger frizz and dullness? That can even lose your curls definition and moisture, causing tangles and knots to form.
If you are guilty of this habit, just do yourself a favor and do everything you could to stop it. Try to control it by playing with an elastic band or grabbing a stress ball.
7. Have a night time care routine.
Did you know that everything you do to your hair when you hit the hay is equally important? If you sleep on a satin or silk pillow with your hair down, and then toss and turn as you sleep, the next morning, you will be rewarded with lots of knots.
The best way to get things in control is to use a satin or silk bonnet to contain your strands. If not, you can do the pineapple hairstyle or wear a satin scarf.
It’ll also help if you apply an overnight hair care treatment. Incorporate hair treatments or masks into your weekly hair care regimens. Though it may take 15 to 30 minutes to finish, the results will last more than that. Depending on your hair type, experts suggest you apply a hair care treatment once or twice a month.
If you take up so much time finding a hair care treatment for curly hair, that’s alright. With so many options available on the market, we can understand. But just to be safe, opt for a treatment that has coconut oil.
8. Trim your hair regularly.
Of course, you also have your hair length goals and we understand that you would do everything to reach them. But please, if you want to keep your curls healthier and free from tangles and knots, trim it every once in a while.
You might have a hard time believing in this, but if you pay attention to your curls, you will notice that detangling and moisturizing them is so much easier when you trim them regularly.
Once every six weeks, go and visit the salon and have your hair trimmed. It should get rid of those stubborn split ends that are keeping your curls unmanageable.
The most important season to get your hair trimmed is every Summer. This is the time of the year when you expose your curls to the sea water, sun, or chlorine from the pools. Hence, make sure you do not miss your trimming session.
9. Deep condition.
Think of this as a way to give your curls a hydration boost with plenty of essential nutrients that penetrate the shaft and make your curls softer and healthier.
Deep conditioning your hair consistently, at least once a week, can help reduce dryness, roughness, and frizz. At the same time, it can restore your hair’s glory.
If you have ever visited the salon these past few months, you’ve probably been introduced to the so-called ‘hair spa’ thing. That is deep conditioning. Once you have mastered and figured out what goes into the process, you can already do it yourself in the comforts of your home, and of course, at a much lesser price.
But do you really need to deep condition? Well, we cannot stress enough how vital this tip is for curly-haired girls, especially if the curls have been damaged by chemicals and heat. If you were to ask us, it’s one of the most important things that one should incorporate in their hair care regimen.
How do you know if you need it? The answer is to simply pay attention to your hair. If you feel it is drier than the usual, gets damaged, tangled, and broken easily, then you have to dive right into the deep conditioning method. But if you feel your curls are moisturized, then skip it. Do not over-condition.
In the event that you want to explore what is deep conditioning, feel free to browse the web. There are plenty of do-it-yourself suggestions out there. But if you lack time, you can try those deep conditioning products sold over the counter or online specialty shops. Just make sure that when buying, you check the labels, and you understand what every ingredient does to your hair. And remember, the goal is to keep your curls manageable. You don’t want to destroy them, right?
Final Thoughts
It is true that when someone says curly hair, we often imagine angelic faces with shiny, beautiful ringlets. But if you know somebody with curly hair, perhaps you already know the harsh reality that it’s the kind of hair that is hard to handle.
Curly hair actually requires a decent amount of time for maintenance as it becomes unmanageable when not taken cared for. Lucky for you because we have scraped every corner of the web to give you only the best tips in maintaining naturally curly hair.
If you are blessed with naturally curly hair, do you have any tips to share on how to take good care of it? Let us know so we can spread the news to everyone!
