As someone who had silky straight hair her whole life, I became incredibly perplexed in high school as I noticed my hair suddenly become frizzy, poofy and unmanageable. I would spend hours brushing and blowing it straight, inflicting a tremendous amount of heat damage on my poor hair, all in an attempt to return it to the previously air-dried straight look I’d had my whole life. But when COVID hit, I suddenly had a lot of time at home on my hands and I decided to end the war with my hair. I dedicated the next few months to trial and error of every curly/wavy hair product, method, routine and mantra I could find on TikTok. Although it may seem (and feel) a bit silly, I learned some great tips and developed the routine I use today through TikTok! So, if you find yourself lost scrolling the internet and unsure where to start, here is your beginner-friendly guide to creating your perfect curly girl hair routine:
*Disclaimer*: everyone’s hair is different and beautiful in its own way! Rather than tell you an exact routine to follow, here is some general information I’ve learned on my curly hair journey. The exact routine that works for me might not be the perfect one for you and that’s ok!
- Determining Your Curl Type
-
The first and most important thing to discover about your hair is what kind of curl or wave you have. This will help determine what weight and type of product is best to achieve your desired results. Personally, my hair is mostly made up of large ringlets with a couple waves mixed in, so I try to stick to lighter weight products. But if your hair has tighter curls or coils, you may need a thicker product. Figuring this out is a lot of trial and error, but you got this! You can also look up some helpful guides about curl patterns on the internet to help you determine your curl type.
- Shampoo And Conditioner Don’t matter as much as you think they do
-
-
Personally, I’ve noticed that my hair doesn’t change much when I change up my shampoo or conditioner. That being said, I do opt for the “curly” shampoo and conditioners because they contain extra ingredients to help embrace my curls, rather than focus on making my hair straight and smooth like other products.
- Repeat After Me: I Will Not Brush My Hair Unless I’m In The Shower
-
Wash and condition your hair like normal, but brush through your hair while it’s still completely saturated with conditioner. This is going to be the only time you brush your hair, no ifs ands or buts. I don’t want to even see you holding a brush until your next wash day. Brushing out your curls will make them frizzy, lose their definition, and your hair will poof up into a lion’s mane!
- Respect The Plop
-
-
Never use a normal towel on your hair. Over time, this will dry it out and cause unnecessary breakage. Instead, swap your towel for a cotton t-shirt or microfiber towel. After applying your curl creams you’ll want to scrunch your hair with one of these to remove excess moisture and then plop it. Here are some great tutorials on how to plop your hair for the best results.
- Don’t Be Afraid Of Gel; It can smell your fear
-
I know, I know gel gets a bad rep. But I promise you need it to define your curls and it won’t make you look crunchy. After applying your gel DO NOT TOUCH YOUR HAIR. Once a hard coating (called a cast) forms and your hair is completely dry, scrunch it out. This will soften your curls while keeping their definition. For bonus points, you can even use a little hair oil on your hands while you do this.
I know the idea of completely changing your hair routine and starting from square one is a daunting thought, but I promise you can do it! It’s all about trial and error to figure out what works for you and your hair. Even years after beginning my curly hair journey, I’m still experimenting with new products all the time! So, from one curly girl to another, you’ve got this!