Care for Naturally Curly or Wavy Thick Hair

Are you tired of looking like you just stuck your finger in an electrical socket? Curly hair is comparatively incredibly difficult to deal with, and can often be uncooperative; add thickness to the mix, and you might just have a nightmare on your hands (and your head). Luckily, it's easy to change your frizzy curls into everyday compliments with a bit of prep work. This can be as simple as using a little extra conditioner or washing with cold water.

Steps

  1. Find a good stylist first. Ask if they know anything about the technique of "twist-cutting", which is great for curly hair. Ask your friends, strangers, someone whose hair you admire, etc. It's best to get recommendations from people who have the same hair type as yours.When you visit the salon also ask for a more experienced person, it may cost a little more but it is worth it.
  2. Realize that you don't need to shampoo everyday, but do condition every time you are in the shower. Choose a shampoo and conditioner that leaves your hair feeling good to you. You don't want hair that was washed and still feels like you have product left or leaves it feeling dry even if it isn't.
  3. Wash with cold water. Cold water helps making hair shinier, locks in moisture,and reduces frizz.
  4. Dry-brushing is a common cause of frizziness. Unless you're blow drying your hair straight, use your fingers to comb your dry hair.
  5. Don't use too much product. With a styling milk, gel or mousse, put some into your palm and rub your palms together. The product will warm up as you rub and distribute better by not making a blob on one spot. You want to evenly distribute the product through your hair, so you will need to use more if you have longer hair.
  6. Use a product straight out of the shower, when your hair is still wet. This will 'trap' the moisture and get you thick, moisture-rich curls. When your hair dries, if you look like you have smothered your hair with gel and don't care for that look, take your towel and sort of scrunch your dry hair. This will take the 'wet rat' look out of your hair and leave it 'natural looking' (cotton t-shirts work well; they absorb the moisture, but don't leave frizzy hair; paper towels can also be used).
  7. Choose to air dry or blow dry. Try them both out. Blow drying completely dry can cause frizzies, but a diffuser attachment can prevent this. You may also find that if you stop before it's completely dry that will also tame the frizzies. Try to air dry on the weekends or at night.
  8. Detoxify your hair about once a month. Your hair is one of the most absorbent and dirtiest parts of your body. Think of the smog, pollution, germs from sneezes and coughs, smoke, etc. that you encounter every day. All of this can get trapped in your hair. If you smoke or someone around you does, your hair will trap and smell like smoke. So even if you choose to live with the frizz and not use anything in your hair, please use a detoxifier once in a while. It will help your hair.
  9. Don't fight the curl! This is one of the worst things you can do. Put down the straightening creams, flat irons, and blow dryers. Embrace your spirals!



Tips

  • Always air dry hair whenever possible. Blow drying damages your hair so air dry and your hair will be as good as new.
  • Try untangling your hair while you're still in the shower with the conditioner on.
  • About 1-2 times a week apply a curl enhancing cream or mouse as this will help enhance your curls while moisturising the hair. Don't overuse as hair will become oily.
  • Don't brush your curly hair when dry. It will go frizzy, just use your fingers to comb your hair or a comb that has large teeth.
  • Olive oil keeps dry and damaged hair healthy, silky, and shiny. Just apply it to your hair. You should apply it twice a week. The best part is that it's inexpensive and there are no chemicals that you have to look out for.
  • Use shampoos, conditioners, treatments etc that are designed for dry hair because they are designed to hydrate the hair therefore preventing frizz.
  • If you shower at night, put a curling/defrizzing serum in it, then braid it. Sleep in the braid, then take it out in the morning. You will have moisturized, frizz free, beautiful curls.
  • Eat fruits and vegetables. Also, drink 7 to 8 glasses of water per day.
  • If you want to dry your hair quickly, it is okay to use a blow dryer. Make sure it's on cold. Never use a blow dryer on hot.
  • It's good to soak your hair with olive oil once a month. On top of getting a good massage for your head and promoting blood circulation,your hair looks much shinier and softer after you rinse it off. When using olive oil, skip the conditioner during the shower to avoid getting greasy hair. Olive oil is a cheaper yet effective deep conditioner!
  • Oil your hair whenever possible. Tie it properly when you go to bed.
  • When trying out products, start with lighter ones first. Naturally curly hair is usually fragile, with fine strands, and heavy gels will weigh it down. Aveda, Suave, and Garnier have good options for curly hair.
  • When you go to sleep with curly hair a good thing to do is put your hair in a bun and when you wake up just spray it with a water bottle and use mousse to scrunch it, and it will make your curls look amazing. You could also blow dry after you do that, or whatever you prefer.
  • Avoid the following for daily use: flat irons, blow-driers, the chemicals sodium laurel sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, hair brushes (may seem strange, but for ultra-curly hair, fingers are the best brush), harsh chemical treatments, and elastic bands.
  • Let your hair air dry after the shower to prevent extreme frizz.
  • If going out into the wind, twist or braid sections of your hair and pin or clip them to the crown of your head. Take it down at your destination and it will be curly and non-frizzy.
  • Use a sulfate free shampoo because this can strip your hair of oils more than natural shampoos.
  • Use clips to position your hair while it's drying. This can encourage volume and curls or temporarily straighten your hair, depending on how you clip it.
  • Avoid parting down the middle of the hair. Instead, to part the hair, imagine an invisible line from the brow arch and part your hair to the side.
  • Do not layer unless you have been with your stylist for some time and know they know how to layer curly hair.
  • Talk to different stylists. Experiment! Everyone has a personal choice and what works for others may not work for you.
  • If you care for curly hair correctly, you don't need to trim your hair as often as people who use flat-irons, brushes, or blow-dryers because split-ends will be almost nonexistent. Paying fifty dollars for a haircut IS worth your money, as curly hair is not very high-maintenance.
  • Leave in some conditioner and wash your hair.
  • Even if you don't shower at night, braid your hair! It will make your hair super soft and give you bouncy curls when you wake up!!!!.
  • Hand brush your hair after you get out of the shower.
  • Another option for volume is to blow it dry while lifting the hair and drying from 'under' the hair.
  • Hair is made up of hydrogen sulfide bonds. These bonds are what create the curls if your hair is really frizzy, but you want to keep the curls, think about getting it permed. This will break down the 'S' bonds and reform them, setting them back into line. Depending on the amount of frizzies and break-aways, make sure you think and talk this over with your hair stylist.
  • After washing your hair wear a large, warm woolen hat. This quickly dries your hair using the natural heat in your head and when you take off your hat you'll find it has naturally straightened it too! (good for neck length hair or shorter)
  • Be patient when brushing, if not you may make the tangles worse.
  • Use a bonnet, scarf, or pillowcase made of silk or satin. These fabrics don't pull moisture from your skin/hair, like cotton and they're less likely to snag.

Warnings

  • Don't add too much gel or mousse to your hair. Sometimes it tends to become oily and greasy and will need to be washed more often.
  • Please do not just go to any stylist or drop in somewhere and have something dramatic done - it takes a skilled person to work with curly hair.
  • Don't over brush. This will cause major frizz.
  • Be wary of styling products that contain alcohol, as it may contribute to dryness, which can increase frizz.
  • Conditioners with silicone in them may build up on hair.
  • Don't feel pressured to purchase products at the salon. Most of the time, they are working on commission also. Try it out. If it works, buy it. If not, try something else. A good stylist is someone who will help you find what works. A good one will actually let you take home some of her stuff when the bottles are almost empty, so you can try out different styles at home to decide if you really want to spend the money. She then uses your responses to decide what to try next or what to put on hair that is similar to yours.
  • Don't get just any style done when going to the stylist, make sure you've thought about how that style will look on you and make sure you like it first. You don't want to end with a style you completely hate.
  • Do NOT part curly hair straight down the middle. This will result in an excess of volume on both sides, creating a strange triangular look. Although as an updo, curls parted down the center look great.
  • With really curly hair try some kind of grease along with a gel that is evenly distributed right out the shower & naturally let your hair dry, the grease will keep it moisturized & the gel will lock in the moisture.

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