Finding a routine for curly hair can be difficult sometimes. It took me until I was 15 years old to get a good routine down. Growing up I would always either brush my curls out or straighten my hair because I didn’t know how to take care of it. I was insecure about how frizzy my hair looked so I would use one too many hair products. The brushing, straightening, and a load of products damaged my curls so I decided to stop all of that. When I was in high school I stumbled upon a YouTube video about the “curly girl method.” I admired how beautiful their curls were, so I started applying that method to my hair. The curly girl method is when you cut out all products that have sulfates and silicones in them.
To start off I want to specify the type of curls I have. For those that don’t know there are three types of curls. Type 2, 3, and 4. You can find out your type here. My curl type is 3A. So the following steps work for my curl type but if your curl pattern is different my routine might not work for you. I encourage you to try it regardless!
I start my routine by washing it every three days. That way my scalp doesn’t dry out. I use the “Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Conditioner” in the shower. It’s paraben-free and has avocado. I comb my hair while rinsing out the conditioner out as well. Next, I dry my hair with a t-shirt because towel drying makes it frizzy. To protect my curls I dry my hair by scrunching it from the bottom to top as opposed to just rubbing my hair with the t-shirt. While my hair is still damp I apply the “Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment” from Garnier Fructis in the same “scrunch” method. After that, I put on Shea Moisture’s Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk which is a leave-in conditioner. I recommend air drying your hair instead of keeping it wrapped in a towel or t-shirt. For the next day, I apply the leave-in conditioner as needed and revive my curls with water.
As for sleeping with curly hair, there are a couple of different things I do. If it’s freshly washed I “plop” my hair in a cotton t-shirt. Plopping is when you wrap your hair in a t-shirt. You can learn how to plop here. Most people do it after washing their hair but I do it after it’s dry. Sleeping with my hair plopped improved how my curls looked and reduced the frizziness. If I’m feeling lazy then I’ll put my hair in a “pineapple” bun. This type of bun doesn’t mess up your curls like other types of buns. Here’s a tutorial on how to pineapple your hair.
That concludes my curly hair routine. I’m honestly still learning how to take care of it, so if you’re struggling just know you’re not alone! If anyone is feeling insecure about their curls I encourage you guys to embrace them and know that you will eventually find a routine that is right for you!