If you have curly, you know wash day is like Doomsday. A 20-minute shower easily turns into two hours, then there’s the possibility that it turns out all wrong and you’ll have to wash it all over again.
Having curly hair is a full-time job. I have yet to master it, but there are a few tips and tricks that make wash day a lot let less agonizing and help produce successful curls that last more than two days. Never ever just hop in the shower and wash; you’ll probably hate this process, but it’s a must. The steps may vary depending on hair length, but here we go:
1. Part your hair into either two of four sections with hair pins.
2. Wash each section separately, then finger detangle, rinse, and pin them back up as you go.
3. Remember that eep conditioning is your best friend. Apply to each section, pin them up, and grab a clear plastic shower cap. This stays on for ten minutes, and then you rinse.
4. Apply leave-in conditioner to each section and detangle with a comb.
5. Sections are no longer needed, but are recommended to make the defining curls process easier.
6. If you’re washing before bed, put your hair in a pineapple and wrap a head scarf around the base to keep moisture locked in.
7. The next day, release and style to your liking. You may need a spray bottle with warm water and conditioner to freshen it up as the days go by.
These steps have saved me a lot of time – and headaches – throughout the week. They’re also very helpful for a student on-the-go who doesn’t have time for multiple wash days. A few products that I recommend – and have been using for the past year – including Shea Moisture Jamaican black castor oil shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner as well as Shea Moisture raw shea butter deep treatment masque, Miss Jessie’s multi-cultural curls, and eco-style olive oil gel.
You’ll thank me later.