Since my last hair care for curly hair routine, my curly afro has grown its own curly afro; so, you could imagine what my life has been like these past months. I hate to admit it, but my curls won many battles this past summer – and as the curls grew, some hair products just had to go. However, my hair washing steps are still the same, so here they are for those of you who are new – and for the rest of you, I’ve updated a few steps. Just a disclaimer: these steps may vary depending on hair length.
1. Part your hair into either two or four sections with hairpins.
2. Wash each section separately, then finger detangle, rinse and pin them back up as you go.
3. Remember that deep 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. (I lied – once your curls grow, they hate you and will do what they want. Forget the sections, it doesn’t matter anymore.)
6. If you’re washing before bed, put your hair in a topknot bun and wrap a headscarf around the base to keep moisture locked in. (You need a silk pillowcase as well, to protect the growing puff. I even upgraded to a silk body pillow.)
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. (Ditch the conditioner and just use warm water. With growing hair, the conditioner causes product buildup.)
My curls have sadly defeated my once perfect hair care routine, but these steps can still help with the cut down of multiple wash days – unless the curls say otherwise. With that being said, I have new product recommendations: The Mane Choice has to be one of my favorite hair care companies at the moment; they have everything you need. I would single out a few as my favorites, but I love them all. Their products are on the expensive side, but definitely worth the money.
I also think I might’ve found the holy grail for shrinkage: Shea Moisture’s new curl stretch pudding. I was in shock using it for the first time, and it works wonders on a twist out.
I would say you can thank me later, but my curls punished me for being too optimistic the last time.