THE EASY 5-STEP CURLY HAIR ROUTINE
It’s no secret that curly hair requires a bit more elbow grease to get the perfect style. Curls can be high maintenance, so it might take some time to find the best routine to care for your curls. If you haven’t yet found that perfect curly hair routine to get you the soft, bouncy, voluminous curls you desire, we've got you, girl! Here’s an easy 5-step curly hair routine that’s adaptable to your hair and sure to give you gorgeous results.
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Our Easy 5-Step Curly Hair Routine
1. Find the Right Shampoo for Curly Hair.
Curly hair needs a lot of moisture. Many shampoos strip your hair of the natural oils it needs to stay healthy and hydrated. Help your curls retain as much moisture as possible by using curly-hair shampoo.
For days when you don’t need to cleanse your hair, try co-washing. Co-washing is a fancy term for cleansing and conditioning your hair with a special type of conditioner that won't strip your hair of its natural oils and cause damage, breakage, and frizz. Co-washing refreshes curls without drying them out or weighing them down.
2. Let Your Conditioner Sit in Your Hair for Several Minutes.
Remember, curly hair is thirsty hair, so don’t be afraid to pile on the conditioner! Use a conditioner for curly hair, and work it into every strand, coating each curl liberally. Use a wide-toothed comb to gently work out tangles while the conditioner is still in your hair. Let the conditioner work its magic for a few more minutes before rinsing it out.
3. Gently Squeeze Out Excess Moisture.
After stepping out of the shower, take a microfiber towel or soft cotton t-shirt and gently squeeze your hair to remove excess moisture. Don’t rub or use a regular towel, as the friction can damage your delicate strands and lead to frizz. If you need to detangle any snarls, spritz on some leave-in conditioner first and use a wide-toothed comb.
4. Start Styling When Hair Is Still Wet.
There are many different types of curl-defining styling products and hair finishers, including serums, gels, sprays, and mousses. Find the product or mixture of products that work best for your hair by first identifying your curly hair type.
A water-based mousse may work best on wavy to curly hair texture, whereas a thicker gel or styling cream will provide better definition and hold for thicker, tighter, kinkier coils. For extra protection against frizz, prime your curls with a powerful frizz-fighting serum while your hair is still soaking wet. Then, scrunch your mousse or gel into wet or damp hair, working from the ends up to encourage curls to form.
5. Separate and Define.
To speed up drying without adding frizz, set your hair dryer to the lowest setting, and attach a diffuser. Let your curls rest gently on the nozzle of the diffuser, and continue to scrunch, separate, and define each curl as they dry.
Set your style with a humidity-fighting hair spray for perfectly defined yet touchably soft curls with plenty of bounce. Need a touch-up during the day? Use smoothing cream to fight frizz and flyaways so your curls look perfect all day.
Tips for Maintaining Curly Hair
- Use a curl resetting spray. On no ‘poo days, moisturize and refresh your curls with a daily setting spray to restore their bounce. Or if you want to refresh your curls and potentially oily hair, using a dry shampoo and conditioner can help.
- Get a regular trim. Figuring out the best way to cut curly hair can be a challenge, but it’s essential in helping your curls look their best. The ends of your hair are the driest and thinnest part of the strand. Repair and prevent breakage and split ends with regular trims.
- Protect delicate curls against heat damage. Remember that curly hair is delicate and prone to damage. If you use heat tools to straighten or style your hair, shield it from damage with a heat-protecting spray.
- Deep condition weekly. Deeply hydrate and restore your curls with a moisturizing hair mask.
Tousled beach-babe waves or tight corkscrew coils, rock those perfect curls! Check out more of our haircare tips for curly hair.
