Girls with curls, this is a wake-up call for us. We’re notorious for going to great lengths to find what’s perfect and healthy for our hair, from scanning Ulta’s website late at night to scrolling through Reddit and TikTok for others’ opinions, all while receiving plenty of unsolicited advice along the way. Understandably, we’re tired! After nearly a decade of experimenting with my own curls, I’ve established a pretty simple hair routine, and collected some advice for other girls trying to maintain and improve theirs. Some of these lesser-known tips might surprise you, just as they surprised me, and help you embrace your curls without all the frustration.
THE SAVIOR CAP
Since the moment I tried one on, bonnets have been my No. 1 hack. The idea seemed silly at first: sleeping overnight with an odd-looking silk hat on your head! However, my opinions on bonnets changed when I started seeing the amazing results it had on my curls; they were seamless and had no frizz in the morning when I woke up! I searched for information about the effects, and I learned that the extra silk barrier was helping my curl pattern by preventing “curl crushing” or flattening overnight, making them look fabulous instead of dull and dry.Â
Bonnets are known to decrease frizz and tangles in your hair. As someone whose hair knots up quickly, even in a ponytail or a braid, it’s an added layer of protection that allows my hair to still have movement without friction or tension. Additionally, the silk material helps reduce friction and may help hair retain moisture, keeping the hydration, whereas cotton pillowcases absorb your hair oils and products, and can be drying and cause excess frizz. This was one of my biggest problems; I would have a solid hair-product routine that would be immediately ruined by the pillowcases, and I didn’t even realize it! The biggest tip I can give you is to put on the bonnet when your hair is fully dry to prevent your scalp from becoming irritated; it’s not a towel!
MID-WEEK REFRESH
As you may or may not know, curly hair isn’t meant to be washed daily or frequently, though there are curl girlies who wash frequently if they need to! Doing so strips away natural oils that keep curls moisturized, as these oils have a harder time traveling through curly hair, which is why it’s drier. This moisture removal through excess washing can cause split ends and hair breakage, as well as irritate your scalp and make it produce more oils unnecessarily.Â
But something I’ve noticed is that once or twice may not be enough; though your hair remains healthy and protected, you may find it’s appearance to be flat, dry, or have a certain smell. If you’re like me and you workout frequently, do a mixture of different hairstyles often, or use certain products, touchups may be needed. And that is exactly why I’ve created a mid-week, or a mid-wash refresh routine.
I have a little mist bottle that contains cold water, which I’ll spray through my hair till it’s slightly wet. I then put some leave-in conditioner on the ends of my hair, and in frizzier or damaged sections. My favorite, timeless product to use is the PATTERN leave-in! At this point, if you wish to use a lightweight curl product, you can put in the slightest bit, but I find it best to just stick to something simple. The last step is to dry your hair, whether that be with a diffuser for 5-10 minutes or by air-drying it. This routine can make your hair go from appearing dull and feeling gross to that post-wash feeling, but saving far more time and energy. And you’re still protecting your hair!
CLAW CLAMP COMEBACK
Speaking of hairstyles, believe it or not, certain styles can actually help preserve your curl pattern! In my experience, any sort of clips — claw clips, small, or big — can prevent frizziness! As much as I love wearing my hair down, I also sometimes need to keep it out of my face, from blowing in the wind, or from getting super knotted, and a clip is a cute style that prevents this. I also recommend avoiding super tight ponytails or buns; as cute as they are, they can be a nuisance to your curls! Hair ties can pull your hair, or cause frictional issues and dents, whereas a clip doesn’t crush curl strands!Â
Clips are also a super cute way to shape and style your hair! Some of my favorite claw clip hairstyles include a high updo/twist, a half-up half-down, and two strands/pieces of hair brought to the back held together by a clip! Something that helps me boost these hairdos and my curls is to add a bit of mousse and/or dry shampoo. This helps my curls look voluminous and fuller, appear less frizzy, and feel cleaner. There’s so many ways to style your hair in a claw clip, and exploring more ways just adds to the fun!
TOO HOT TO HANDLE?
This may seem obvious to everyone, but it gets forgotten: heat protectant is essential when using any sort of heat on your hair, whether that’s a straightener, a hair dryer, a Dyson, or any type of heat-inducing machine. It may be easier to ignore and just think “nah, it’s only a few minutes” or “I’m only doing my bangs, it’s only a couple hundred degrees!” However, that’s the kind of mindset that leads to a bad habit of never using heat protectant, and eventually damaging your hair cuticle and curl pattern, leading to serious breakage.
As someone who’s super into science, I learned that high heat can evaporate the oils and moisture in your curls, and that’s what makes them brittle and hard over time. The heat damage can lift up your hair cuticle permanently, and this will make it difficult for your hair to keep its moisture, even if you wash it and properly take care of it otherwise. No matter how often or infrequently you use heat on your hair, heat protectant is a vital and quick step that retains your curls. Also, it’s important to section your hair, apply, and then let it pass through your hair! You don’t need to excessively touch or massage it, but it’s important to distribute it in small sections of hair rather than treating it like hairspray, as it won’t effectively work.
THAT’S A WRAP
Okay let’s face it: our curls are going to do whatever they want sometimes. We can spend an hour styling them, invest in every TikTok product, and still wake up looking like we’ve been through a wind tunnel. However, that doesn’t mean we have to surrender to the frizz! Some easy habits can make caring for our hair less of a struggle, and more of an enjoyable activity. Put on that bonnet, grab your favorite claw clip, and give your curls the attention they deserve. The biggest thing to remember is that a bad curl day isn’t the end of the world, even if it may feel like it!