I hate to say it, and if you know me now, you might not believe me, but I used to straighten my hair daily. 12-year-old me didn’t see anything wrong with my dependence on my straightener. It was either straighten it before bed or wake up an hour earlier to straighten it.
No one ever taught me how to actually take care of my curls, and taking the time and effort to appreciate my natural hair has shown me just how unique it is. These tips and tricks gave my curly hair a fighting chance, which made me realize the value and beauty in it. So, if you’re starting on your curly hair journey, maybe these four tips can help you too:
- Haircuts Have a Superpower
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We’ve all heard of the “curly cut,” but what exactly is it? Simply put, it might be the answer to all your prayers. In actuality, the curly cut or any haircut designed for textured hair focuses on creating a lot of layers to give bounce and shape to your curls.
Let me be clear that this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to have long hair as a curly-haired girl. The magic in this haircut is in the removal of weight from those thick layers that weigh down the potential bounciness.
I swear that getting the right haircut improved how I care for my hair so much that I bet it could help you, as well. If you’re not sure where to start in your curly hair journey or just feel like nothing you’re currently doing is working, considering getting a curly cut might be a great place to start.
- Not All Hair or Products Are Made Equal
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This tip might be a no-brainer, but not all curls are the same. Within the world of curly hair, so many different textures exist. Your hair might not be exactly curly, but it can have a wave to it, or it might have tight kinks instead of perfect ringlets. Regardless of your unique curl pattern, understanding how it functions and what it needs can make your life and shower routines much easier.
When it comes to charting this territory, it’s important to be wary of what the internet has dubbed, the “curl police.” Curl police are always lurking online to tell you that your hair is actually a different curl pattern than you think or worse yet, not even curly. The curl police like to think they know everything about your hair, but they don’t! You’re the one who’s lived every day of your life with your curls, so please don’t be bothered by the curl police.
Like how every hair pattern is different, there’s a wide range of hair products that treat different kinds of curly hair. I used to think that having curls meant I should be purchasing the “strongest hold” gels and creams I could. Well, that was wrong. It took me a couple of years to realize that my curls had a lower porosity, meaning I needed to avoid anything that said “extreme” or “strong hold.”
For me, correct styling techniques and a few lightweight products did more magic to my hair than any incredibly heavy and thick gels ever did. You may even find that a good quality mousse is all you need. Sometimes less is more!
- A Wash Day Routine Will Have You Investing at Least an Hour
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Even though this may seem like a long time, the tradeoff can lead to great results. When I first started styling my curly hair, I took the lazy approach. I thought by letting my hair dry a little before raking through a curl cream, I’d magically have perfect curls. I started to wonder why my curly hair didn’t look big, beautiful, and defined in the way I wanted it to.
I like to think I’ve matured past all that. Now, I make sure to start the haircare in the shower with the actual wash itself. For the rest of the styling routine, I make sure to still have a soaking wet head of hair while applying my products, putting in a curl cream and gel afterward. However, I’ve found the brush styling and scrunching to take the longest. If you’re more disciplined than me, feel free to try finger-coiling your curls, too!
- You Don’t Just Have to Air Dry
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I’ve always been envious of the girls who shower 15 minutes before having to leave the house, brush their wet hair, and then go about their day. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with air-drying, but for me, it takes forever and makes falling asleep with wet hair impossible. I seriously don’t think that heartbreak hurts as much as spending time putting in your products right before bed and waking up to see that it wasn’t worth it. For me, it’s flat or looks like Chewbacca every time.
If you have textured hair and haven’t invested in a diffuser yet, I’d strongly suggest you do. Diffusers don’t have to be fancy or expensive to achieve that fluffy, coily, dry hair. Although the process of diffusing is long and a little tedious, it’s better than walking around with wet, fragile curls all day.
If you don’t have the time to constantly flip your head side to side and upside down, you can at least plop your hair. Plopping is a personal favorite of mine because it involves drying your hair while keeping it up and out of your face. Fun fact: a regular bathroom towel is terrible for your wet hair because of its abrasive material. If you’re going to opt for plopping, I definitely recommend you try it using a t-shirt or towel made of the right material.
I hope that by now, I’ve given you enough inspiration to embrace your curly hair, and I’m sorry if I made things sound a little scary or hard, but things get much easier when you learn how to work with your hair. I love my natural hair now and how unique it is to me. I’m sure that as you gain confidence and expertise in your curls, you can start to see the beauty in them, too!
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