5 Tips and Tricks to Curlier Hair

If you naturally have curly or wavy hair, and it just doesn’t curl like it used to, maybe from over coloring or using your flat iron every day, and you want your curls back, you are in the right place. I’m going to share with you some tips and tricks to getting the bounce back in those curls. Every curly head is different, so the time it will take to regain your curls, will depend on how damaged your hair is and how much curl you have lost. So be patient and consistent and you will not be disappointed with your results.

1) Shampoo less, like once or twice a week. This is a vital step and may be hard for some of you to do, but it is extremely important. When we shampoo our hair, we are stripping the oils from our hair. Curls thrive on moisture, so using a sulfate free shampoo is best. Sulfate free shampoos will leave some of your natural oils behind, which is what your curls need to stay healthy and bouncy. If you are one of those people that have to wash their hair every day, then co-washing your hair would be ideal for you. What is co-washing you ask? Co-washing is a conditioning wash. It gently cleanses impurities from your hair while conditioning at the same time. Because co-washing is so gentle, it is wise to clarify your hair about once a month to really remove those impurities and build-up of product. I would recommend shampooing once a week and co-washing once or twice a week.

The cooler the water you use, the better. When you wash your hair with warm water, it opens up the hair cuticle. When the cuticles are open, your hair can absorb tons of moisture, but if you don’t seal your cuticles with cold water afterward, all the moisture will escape and your cuticle will stay open, resulting in dry, frizzy hair.

Because curls love moisture so much, you want to make sure you are thoroughly getting your hair wet. The excess water not only helps with moisture, but it also makes it easier to detangle your hair and encourages your natural curls to shape. Detangling your hair in the shower is going to be best for your curls. When you apply your conditioner, take a wide tooth comb (must be wide) and comb gently, starting at your ends and working your way up to the scalp. This will also help evenly distribute your conditioner as well. Once you’ve detangled, you can curl train your hair by twisting two strands of hair together through out your head or finger coiling strands by wrapping sections of your hair around your finger.

Bonus tip: If your curls are flat on top, try rinsing your hair upside down. Rinsing your hair with your head back can flatten out your curls, causing them to lose volume.

2) Using a microfiber towel instead of a cotton towel is going to help reduce frizz, aid in the clumping process, cut down on your diffusing time, help with better curl definition, and help give you more volume at your roots. It’s crazy to think a towel can help with all that! The reason being, is that microfiber absorbs excess water from curls without leaving them dull or frizzy. The cloth is gentle enough to keep cuticles intact. Unlike cotton towels, which can disrupt your cuticle leaving hair frizzy, adding to breakage.

If you don’t want to use heat, “plopping” is a technique you can use with your microfiber towel. Plopping is a technique used to dry your hair while keeping curls intact. Once product is applied to your hair, you’ll place your microfiber towel flat, flip your head upside down, concentrating all your hair to the top of your head. You’ll then take the far end of the towel and pull it up to the nape of your neck. Grab the sides of the towel and twist them away from your face. Bring both twists to meet in the back of your head and secure the twist with a clip or tuck it in to itself. You’ll leave the towel like that for at least 20 minutes, more if you have thick, long hair. Once you take the towel off, do not, I repeat, do not touch your hair. The more you touch your hair, the frizzier it will become. You will also destroy the natural clumping of your hair resulting in flat, lifeless curls.

3) Product is especially important to help those curls get definition. It can be daunting trying to find the one that works best for you. I wish I could tell you it was easy to find the right one, but it’s not, unfortunately. It’s all about trial and error. You’ll probably have at least 2 styling products at minimum in your arsenal. A lightweight leave-in conditioner is a must! As far as the other products go, it’s personal preference and what kind of curl you are going for. You have curl creams, gels, mouse, texturizing sprays, and the list goes on. They will all give your hair a different texture, and end results will vary. You want to apply styling products while your hair is still very damp and before your frizz has time to set in. If you wait too long, you may rough up the hair cuticle, causing your curls to become frizzy and undefined. When applying your products, be sure to also work them through with closed hands, taking care not to rake through your fragile curls, as this can also cause frizz and damage. Once product is in your hair, either wrap hair in your microfiber towel so that it can dry, diffuse your hair, or do your twists or finger coiling; whatever method you like best for helping your curls get more defined.

4) Silk head wrap or pillowcase is what you want when you lay that precious hair down to go to sleep. You’ve spent all this time washing it and styling it properly, why ruin it when it’s time to go to bed? Silk helps your hair retain moisture, unlike cotton, which absorbs moisture. We’ve learned that curls love moisture, so we don’t want what we are sleeping on to take that away from us. Silk will also reduce frizz because there is less friction, your hair just glides on it, keeping tangles, breakage, and split ends at bay. Bonus, silk pillowcases are great for your skin as well!

5) Getting the right haircut for your curls is crucial. First, haircuts are important to maintain the health of your hair. Secondly, it helps with the shape. Shaping your hair to accentuate your curls is a must. Everyone’s head is different, so just because a cut looks good on one person, doesn’t mean it will look good on you. So, take into consideration the type of curls you have, your face shape and your desired look. 

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