Curly Hair - Products and TIPS
I have received a lot of questions regarding my curls and my hair care regimen. So here goes a requested post...
DISCLOSURE: I am not a hair care professional, cosmetologist, dermatologist or an expert. These are my tips from my personal experiences. Consult an expert for professional/medical advice. In other words, if your hair falls off it's not my fault! : )
MY HAIR BACKGROUND
I'm half Indian and half black so my hair is a weird combo of curls and waves. My natural color is black but right now I have to color the ends since they were lightened before. So we have natural color treated curly/wavy hair.
SYMPTOMS OF CURLY HAIR
If you have curly hair, then you know what the main issues are. Curly hair tends to be dry, coarse and brittle. It also has a serious case of the frizz and is usually uncontrollable. Add to that it tangles easily. The key is to treat the symptoms and cross your fingers for a cure.
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WHAT DOES A CURLY HAIRED GIRL LOOK FOR IN HAIR CARE???
Shampoo....
Stay clear of clear shampoos! Hahahaa! We need to use creamy moisturizing shampoos to minimize dryness. Seek out thick creamy shampoos or shampoo/conditioner combos. If it has moisturising in the name then it's a safer bet than a clarifying deep cleaning shampoo.
I use L'Oreal EverPure Smooth Shampoo or L'Oreal EverPure Moisture Shampoo. Both are great for cleaning my hair but leaving it soft and moisturized. The bonus is that this line is sulphate-free. This means that there is no harmful stripping of the hair follicle which leads to good color retention and healthier moisturized hair.
Conditioner....
Again, seek out thick and creamy moisturizing conditioners. Look out for words like intensive, deep, hydrating, moisturizing, etc. The more luxurious it sounds the better.
TIP: Make sure your hair is reasonably water free after shampooing....almost short of towel drying. This will allow your hair to absorb more of the conditioning product than if it is soaking wet. Also, try to keep the conditioner in your hair for a minimum of 5 minutes (or longer if you can).
I use L'Oreal EverPure Smooth Conditioner or L'Oreal EverPure Moisture Conditioner. Again no sulphates here.
Deep Conditioners or Hair Masques....
It is also good to deep condition hair as often as possible when maintaining your curls. You can get a separate product or use your regular conditioner under a heat cap or shower cap blasted with your blow dryer for a few minutes. A deep conditioner or hair masque is a super moisturizing treatment for your hair and should be left on for at least 15 minutes to get reap the benefits.
The L'Oreal EverPure line has deep conditioners as well - Smooth Deep Control Masque and Moisture Restorative Masque. I use either of these or Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream which can be found at many beauty supply stores including Sallys.
WHAT ABOUT STYLING CURLY HAIR???
The key to styling curly hair is to combat the symptoms - frizz, dryness, tangling and coarseness.
Tools...
For curly hair there are a few essential tools for styling.
WIDE TOOTH COMB
This is must-have in the shower for de-tangling curly hair. It's best to comb through hair while the conditioner is still in. Add a bit of warm water and comb through.
PLASTIC BRISTLE PADDLE BRUSH
This has been a saver for me while styling. I use this to distribute product and de-tangle my hair after towel drying. Natural bristles can be too weak to de-tangle curly hair and can actually cause snags in the hair (i.e. pulling at your strands).
BLOW DRYER DIFFUSER
This is a must for drying curly hair while maintaining the curls and adding volume. It attaches to the end of your regular blow dryer and dries hair without disturbing the curls. You can aim it at the roots for lift and volume. Or at the ends to scrunch and dry the curls into place.
YOUR HANDS
the cheapest and easiest tool out there. Use your hands to form curls and to scrunch the product into your hair rather than using a comb and brush. This gives a much more natural look and keeps curls from breaking apart into a stringy mess.
PLASTIC BRISTLE PADDLE BRUSH
This has been a saver for me while styling. I use this to distribute product and de-tangle my hair after towel drying. Natural bristles can be too weak to de-tangle curly hair and can actually cause snags in the hair (i.e. pulling at your strands).
This is a must for drying curly hair while maintaining the curls and adding volume. It attaches to the end of your regular blow dryer and dries hair without disturbing the curls. You can aim it at the roots for lift and volume. Or at the ends to scrunch and dry the curls into place.
the cheapest and easiest tool out there. Use your hands to form curls and to scrunch the product into your hair rather than using a comb and brush. This gives a much more natural look and keeps curls from breaking apart into a stringy mess.
Products...
There are three general products that I use for the best results.
MOISTURIZER
These come in all different forms but the best ones for curly hair are creams and lotions. They are thicker in consistency and tend to be much richer in moisture. You must use a moisturizer for curly hair to keep it from getting too dry and brittle.
I use Tresemme Flawless Curls Curl Hydration Lotion Crème, Tresemme Touchable Curls Shaping Milk, or Matrixx Curl.Life Contouring milk.
STYLE CONTROL - MOUSSE and GEL
For a good hold and long lasting curls I use a mousse and/or a gel to define and hold the curls as well as control frizz. I use a mousse first for definition and a gel for frizz control and hold.
I use Tresemme Bouncy Curls Extra Hold Defining Gel, Tresemme Flawless Curls Extra Hold Mousse and/or Matrixx Curl.Life Body Shaping Foam.
You can also throw in a frizz control product but usually the moisturizer and/or mousse and/or gel will have a frizz control bonus! I don't use an additonal frizz control product and I do just fine.
TIPS:
Only de-tangle hair while it's still wet and preferably in the shower with conditioner.
Do NOT rub hair when towel drying. Just lightly squeeze hair in between the towel to get rid of excess water. Rubbing will cause frizziness.
Saturate hair with conditioner or moisturizer when the hair is not soaking wet. This will help the hair absorb more of the essential moisture it needs.
Scrunch hair with hands to get natural curls and don't over handle as this will break down the curls.
