By: Jana Sauma
This article is for all the curly-haired or presently frizzy-haired girls! If you wish you lived in the 1980s when having fuzzy hair was the trend, then this is for you! Achieving pretty curls is not easy; it may take a while to find the right products and techniques to perfect them, but with a bit of guidance, you’ll be well on your way to your best hair.
Step 1: Choose the right kind of shampoo: A new craze in shampooing curly hair is the “No Poo” movement. This means, you wash your hair with a water-soluble conditioner instead of shampoo. However, this is not for everyone. If you feel like you need shampoo, look for ones that are moisturizing in place of clarifying shampoos.
/!\ Avoid sulfates in your shampoos: sulfates are foaming detergents that are found in many shampoos and dish detergents. Sulfates get rid of the oil but can also strip your curls of their moisture and be very drying. So, avoid sulfates as much as possible!
Step 2: Choose the right kind of conditioner
You can’t over-condition frizzy hair. Unlike straight hair, curly hair is a lot more likely to be dry, brittle and damaged. The oils from your scalp do not travel down your curls as easily and it is crucial to compensate for the lack of moisture with a good conditioner or better yet, deep conditioner.
/!\ Avoid silicones, waxes, non-natural oils or other non-soluble ingredients in your conditioners and styling products: these products tend to build up over time and will usually coat your hair without moisturizing it properly!
Step 3: Deep condition your hair at least once a week.
This can be done by using masks or by leaving your current conditioner for a longer period of time. This will make a big difference, leaving your hair shinier and softer in the long run.
Step 4: Use your styling products when your hair is wet.
This will “trap” the moisture. When you step out of the shower, use a leave-in conditioner or curling cream to soften your locks. Then, after a few minutes, use mousse and scrunch your curls to add more definition.
Step 5: Let your hair air dry or use a diffuser.
We all know that a hairdryer is a curly-haired girl’s worst nightmare, because it’ll simply make you look like you’ve been electrocuted, which is not cute.
/!\ Avoid towel drying the hair: when you scrub at your strands, it causes friction which increases the amount of frizz. While in the shower, gently wring your hair to get the water of out it. And, if need be, use a towel (preferably, a fiber towel) to scrunch your hair to get the water out.
A few last tips…
– Wear your hair in a pineapple.
To achieve perfect curls on second-day hair, wear your hair in a high loose ponytail. This is called a “pineapple” because the curls stick out on top like the leaves from the fruit! By doing so, you minimize risks of breakage and frizzy-ness when you’re sleeping.
– Sleep on silk pillows.
Silk doesn’t pull or tug and has a smooth surface and that helps reduce hair tangling
– Start looking at the ingredients in your products.
Remember, sulfates are ingredients that contain “sulfate” or “sulfonate”; silicones end in -one, -conol, or -xae (but PEG modified silicones are acceptable); waxes contain the word “wax”. After a while, looking out for these ingredients will be come second-nature – like searching for ingredients you’re allergic to!
I hope this article has given you interesting tips! Embrace your curly hair and enjoy your beautiful bouncy locks!
Sources:
http://www.wikihow.com/Determi…
http://www.naturallycurly.com/…
http://www.wikihow.com/Put-Cur…
Images obtained from: