The Ultimate Curly Girl Hair Guide
Right now, we’re celebrating the entirely welcome trend of seeing women with curly hair rocking it au natural rather than straightened. In honor of all these gorgeously wavy, corkscrew-y, ringlet-y curls, here are some dos & don’ts to help you do right by your locks and keep them looking fantastic.
Do avoid the common mistakes curly girls make
-Too much shampooing: Overcleaning your hair by shampoo too often creates hair that is stripped of natural oils and that is frizzy/dry. To find a shampoo and a washing routine that works best for you, it’s worth knowing that many shampoos contain an ingredient called sodium lauryl sulfate which while it does a fantastic job cleansing the hair, but can be too harsh for often-dry curly hair. We recommend using a gentler shampoo that will clean without damaging. Some awesome ingrediants to look for include lauryl glucoside, alkyl polyglucoside and decyl glucoside.
-Too much brushing: This might seem like a good idea when you are trying to calm or style your hair a specific way, but try to avoid brushing at all costs. It creates friction that leads to frizz, which is a curly girl's ultimate nightmare. If you want to work out some knots, you can gently work your fingers through your hair. Or condition in the shower and spritz argan oil or castor oil on wet/damp hair. Use a wide tooth comb to work from the bottom to the top through the hair. This will help detangle the hairs.
-Too much pillow action: Normally that’s something we’d never call a don’t! But when it comes to your hair and your pillow, as we mentioned before, friction = frizz. That is why it is crazy important to create a sleeping environment for your head that’s kind to your curls. Smooth satin is probably the best fabric for protecting your hair, whether it takes shape as a pillowcase or a head wrap. (If you’re like us and are not big fans of satin bed stuff, an easy cheat is to keep a satin case under your regular pillow and just slip it on at bedtime.)
Do try this DIY curl cream
It’s a great way to keep those curls looking healthy and glossy. Make sure to use equal parts coconut oil, aloe vera and shea butter to create the mixture. The aloe helps heal damaged hair and moisturizes the stands. Among its zillion +1 uses, coconut oil is thought to help promote hair growth and reduce breakage as well as to provide nourishment to the scalp and hair. As for the shea butter, it will make those beautiful curls shine!
2 tbsp aloe vera
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp shea butter
Mix all of these ingredients into a bowl and apply liberally to damp hair from root to tip. While applying, make sure to twist the hair to help shape your curls. Feel free to either let it dry naturally or blow dry (remember: use a diffuser to keep those curls!).
Don’t forget!
-Deep conditioner is your friend: A good deep conditioner or hair masque is essential for healthy happy curls. Once every other week depending on hair type is a good routine to follow.
-Keep the heat to a minimum: Sure, you can occasionally use heat to get your desired style, but too much blasting will result in dried-out hair that will frizz and break easily.