Curly hair needs special care and attention. It can be frizzy, tangled, misaligned, electric, and difficult to style or not manage at all. Without care or proper maintenance, hair can become dull and broken. So how do you care for your hair to avoid these issues? What products are available to keep your hair beautiful? The Pure Line experts tell you their secrets.
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General care for curly hair
To understand the finer points of curly hair care, you’ll need to know what’s so special about its structure. Curly hair is a matter of genetics. The hair is not round in outline but has an oval shape. Its surface is porous and its nourishment in the points of curl is worsened. Very often curly hair is a combination type: oily at the roots and dry at the tips.
While it may look full and fabulous on the outside, it actually has the illusion of volume. In reality, curly hair is actually quite sparse, and a lack of hair follicle capacity contributes to a lack of protective lubrication. As a result, the scales tend to tangle, weakening the hair even more.
Curls are also prone to cracking at the curves due to external factors:
- hot air drying and styling;
- improperly selected cosmetic products;
- colouring;
- harsh water.
An unbalanced diet, stress, hormonal imbalances, and weather conditions can all play a role.
To improve hair health, attention should be paid to the selection of suitable hair care products. They should include components for nourishing, strengthening, moisturizing hair and normalizing the sebaceous glands:
- natural oils – almond, shea butter, jojoba, burdock;
- herbal extracts and decoctions – nettle, calendula, oak;
- ceramides, phospholipids and other components.
It is best to have your hair coloured in a salon using colour that is gentle on the skin. Within a week before and after dyeing, it is recommended to carry out a course of restorative procedures: apply home or professional masks and perform head massages.
How do I wash my curly hair?
Hair should be washed when it gets dirty, ideally once every 5-7 days. A shampoo will remove impurities and a conditioner will “cover” the hair scales. It’s best to avoid 2-in-1 products. A moisturising care range is a good choice. When washing your hair, be gentle and use lukewarm water, not hot.
For curly hair care, forget hair volumizers. These tend to contain silicones that lift the scales. Silicones can make hair even more prone to breakage.
A gentle method of shampooing, co-washing, can be tried. This involves replacing your shampoo with a hair conditioner. The product is applied along the entire length, gently massaging the scalp and then rinsing it off, repeating the sequence of actions 2-3 times.
Drying and styling
Curly hair is the base for many hairstyles. Natural waves, the effect of wet curls, beautiful styling with hairpins or just a slight carelessness of the loose hair – there are many options. In order not to harm your hair, you need to consider the peculiarities of drying and styling.
Curly hair is susceptible to high temperatures (blow-dryers or straightening irons), chemicals and careless brushing. Note the following points:
- The best comb is plastic, with large, sparse teeth. Wooden, metal fine teeth can tear and traumatize the curls. It’s better to brush already dried hair, starting from the tips. Massage brushes are not suitable. They ruin the curls, making the head look like a dandelion.
- Apply a conditioning, heat-protection or styling product.
- Don’t straighten your locks with a curling iron every day. This can damage the hair and leave it too dry
Cut it
The right haircut can save you a lot of styling work in the morning. A professional hairdresser can help pick it out. Getting rid of flyaways and getting creative with curly hair is tricky, so getting your hair in a salon is definitely worth the money.
A half-length or long locks are best. Cascade, asymmetry, bob, braids with oblique fringes – there are almost no limits to choice. A good craftsman can get you a haircut that suits the shape of your face and the condition of your hair. You should visit your hairdresser regularly (about once every 2-3 months) to have your hair corrected so that it looks well-groomed and the hair ends do not split.
Knowing the special features and problems of curly hair makes it easier to take care of it, all you need to do is pick the right products.
How to Care for Curly Hair: 10 Rules
Many girls dream of bouncy, curly curls, thinking that caring for them comes down to trivial washing and blow-drying. However, that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, curly hair is often trickier than straight hair. At any opportunity, they tend to get tangled, electrified and simply become a shapeless “nest. How, after all, is the correct care for curly hair? Experts advise adhering to the following simple rules.
1. Due to its structure (porous structure, scales that are not perfectly flush with one another), curly locks are naturally dry. As a result they tend to exhibit a tendency to break and frizz. The starting point in caring for curly hair is to moisturise and nourish it. Look for shampoos and conditioners designed for curly hair. If these are not available from your favourite brand, try a dry hair product. Perform revitalising and nourishing hair masks on a regular basis. These products should contain one of the following ingredients: phospholipids, ceramides, keratin, collagen as well as natural shea, macadamia, jojoba and other oils.
2. The good news is that curly hair can be washed once a week. They don’t grip the scalp as tightly, and their contact with the greasy layer is limited. Curly hair, on the other hand, should be left to dry with extreme care. It is preferable to let them dry on their own. Wrap a towel around your head and lightly dab your hair with it to soak up the moisture after washing. Don’t rub the towel over your head and under no circumstances brush wet hair.
3. For a killer curl, apply a nourishing oil, leave-in conditioner or serum to wet hair from the middle of the length. Spread the product with your hands and form curls by twisting the hair around your finger.
4. Hair dryers and straighteners are a big challenge for curly hair. Try to use them as infrequently as possible. As a rule of thumb, set the temperature profile as low as possible and use a thermal protectant. As long as you follow these rules, the question ‘How to take care of curly hair’ will worry you far less.
5. A common mistake many girls make is to overdo the styling or finishing product. They often pull out and weigh down the strands, making them look like unattractive icicles.
6. Hair frizz and static? Get an anti-frizz serum. It can be used after washing or as needed throughout the day.
7. Are you following all of the above, but the question of how to care for curly hair still seems unanswered? It could be that it’s all down to a bad haircut. Not all hairdressers know how to cut curly locks. And it’s not advisable to buff or cut curly hair with a razor. The pros work with curly strands dry, as this is the only way to get a good view of the haircut. Avoid short fringes anyway and try not to cut the top layer of hair too short. There’s a risk of turning into a poodle.
8. Split ends are more noticeable on curls. So it should be oiled regularly with a nourishing hair product and trimmed every three months. Regular salon appointments are a big part of the solution to the problem of how to take care of unruly, frizzy hair.
9. Most stylists recommend that you brush curly hairless or use a sparse comb made from natural materials (it won’t make the curls look electric). Heavy-bristled brushes, on the other hand, fluff up the strands, so you might want to steer clear of them.
10. As we mentioned earlier, curly hair tends to be very dry. So aggressive colouring is best avoided so as not to traumatise the strands further. If you really want a colour change, though, opt for natural colours or go for a lightly coloured version.
“Curly hair can and should be brushed, just like straight hair. You don’t need to brush it after styling as it will instantly loosen the shape of the hair (a curly hair peculiarity).
Apply a mousse designed for curly hair, then work through and detangle the strands with your fingers only, so the beautiful curls spread out and begin to ‘frizz’ when you brush them.
Use a moisturising shampoo that’s sulphate-free Any haircare routine starts with the right shampoo. For curly hair, sulphate-free shampoos that contain natural oils, plant extracts, floral extracts and other emollients are most effective.
