Calling all curly girls…. That hair can be such a struggle! Am I right?? It took me years to figure out how to take care of my hair, and even now I don’t claim to be any kind of expert on the topic. Between the frizz and the flyaways and a mind of its own (you know that hair is STUBBORN), it can be so hard to tame the mane and figure out what it needs. Styling curly hair is a whole process on its own (stay tuned for a post on how I style my curly hair), but in order for any hairstyle to look good, the hair needs to be healthy and happy first and foremost. So how do I keep my curls bouncy and smiling? Just keep reading to find out.
Only wash it once a week!
It can feel weird to only wash your hair once a week when everyone else seems to wash it every day, but trust me, curly hair does NOT need to be washed that often! Curly hair is naturally drier than other hair types, and if you wash it multiple times a week, you’re just going to be stripping it of its natural oils that help it to stay healthy. This can make your hair more brittle and susceptible to breakage, which is not something we like! I used to wash my hair a few times a week, but I realized that was completely not necessary, and once a week is quite enough. The one week mark is around when my hair starts to feel greasy and loses its volume on top, and that’s my hair’s way of telling me it’s time for a wash. If you’re one of those curly girls who’s scared to wait that long to wash your hair, try it out! I promise it’s way healthier for your hair and you’ll be so happy that you don’t have to rough it with the shampoo that often (because let’s be real, it takes about 30 minutes minimum to wash that hair. Every. Single. Time. Can you say exhausting??).
Use a High Quality Shampoo and Conditioner
This is something I struggled with for a long time, because it seemed like such a waste of money to spend $100 on shampoo and conditioner, but it makes all the difference in the world! High quality shampoos and conditioners will wash your hair well without over-drying it, which is what we need! They also often have less of the bad, cheap ingredients that can be harmful to our hair. I started using Ouidad shampoo and conditioner when I started Accutane (because hello, I was not about to have all my hair fall out. Yikes!), and I’ve seen a huge difference since I started using them. My hair always feels so clean, but so moisturized also, with none of that awful squeaky clean feeling that makes us curly girls cringe!
Ouidad Curl Quencher Shampoo & Conditioner– My personal favorites!
Sleep with a hair cap
I learned this trick years ago, and I still swear by it! Buy one of those cheap, satin hair caps from Walmart or Walgreens and put it over your head every night before you go to bed. These caps help to prevent breakage and unnecessary frizz when you sleep, leaving your hair less tangled and healthier the next morning. As curly girls, we know that the split end/breakage struggle is REAL, and the cap will really help to reduce this problem. I love the way it keeps my hair in place when I sleep and after years of using it, I don’t feel comfortable falling asleep without it!
Yes, they look kind of silly, but they’re awesome! You can get this one for a few dollars at Walgreens. Get it cut TWICE a year by someone who is CERTIFIED to cut curly hair
When I was younger, I didn’t even know curly hair certification was a thing. I thought that since every hairstylist knew how to cut hair, it didn’t matter which one I went to. Oh, how wrong I was… People who are not certified to cut curly hair don’t understand how to cut it RIGHT, and by right I mean in a way that is healthy for it, helps it grow, and looks good. Hairstylists who only know how to cut straight hair think that they can cut curly hair in the same way, but they can’t. Curly certified stylists know how to recognize the curl pattern, cut the hair to look great even as it grows, and they know to ONLY cut what you need cut (ever had a straight hair stylist cut off two inches of wet hair, only to end up with hair five inches shorter after it dried?? Not fun!). And getting it cut twice a year will help to make sure you’re getting all those split ends off, allowing it to grow more effectively.
Use as little heat as possible
And this goes for other damaging products too, like hair dye. DON’T do it unless it’s necessary! Heat products are really damaging to curly hair because it’s already SO dry. If you’re using heat on your hair every day, chances are you’ll ruin some of the curls and you’ll cause it to be even drier, creating more frizz and more split ends. This is no fun. If possible, air dry your hair when you can and only straighten it very occasionally! As for dying it, just don’t do it. Or if you do, go to a really high quality hair stylist to do it. Whatever you do, avoid dying it yourself (this is how I ended up with a pixie cut for three years of my life. Not my best look…). Basically, treat your hair like the precious commodity it is. If you treat it well, it will treat you well!
When in doubt, add more moisture!
I always take opportunities to add more moisture to my hair. Whether it’s adding some coconut oil to the ends or doing a deep conditioning treatment, your hair will LOVE the added moisture! Curly hair is always craving moisture, and adding more can never hurt. You may be worried about making it oily, but there’s a difference between oily and moisturized. Moisturized means healthy, happy hair. Oily most likely means dirty. Adding more moisture won’t make your hair more oily, unless you put coconut oil in it and then forget to wash it out. But really, when it comes to curly hair, the more moisture, the better!
This OGX coconut oil mist is really easy to apply and doesn’t leave you with greasy hair. Plus, it’s super affordable!Thank you for reading! These are my best tips for keeping curly hair healthy. And really… they work! Try them out if you have a chance. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!
