1. Choose Shampoo Wisely
Washing your hair is the first and foremost step in any hair care routine irrespective of the hair texture. Washing or cleansing ensures that there is no dust, excess oil, dead skin cells and product buildup on your scalp.
Use a mild shampoo free of toxic chemicals like sulfates, silicones, alcohols and parabens that can irritate your scalp. Sulfates are lathering agents while parabens are preservatives used in your hair care products. Switch to mild surfactants, fragrance-free, sulfate free, silicon free and paraben-free formulas in your shampoos.
2. Avoid Excessive Shampooing
Curly hair tends to become dry easily. Excessively shampooing your hair can suck out its natural moisture. Also, look for moisturizing ingredients in your conditioner. Conditioning makes sure that your hair cuticle is sealed and protected against environmental damage.
3. Pre-Shampoo Treatment
Pre-shampoo treatment is a bliss to those with curly hair. It helps in detangling and removing the frizz from your hair.
Apply a hair mask or a conditioning oil to your dry hair by separating out sections of hair. Leave in the conditioner for 20 minutes. You can put on a shower cap or a towel to trap some heat and open up the cuticle. This ensures that the conditioner penetrates your hair well.
4. Never Brush Curly Hair
Resist the urge to brush curly hair. Use a wide-toothed comb on your curly hair before shampooing. After washing your hair, simply run your fingers through your hair. Never ever brush your wet hair as it is more prone to breakage and damage.
5. Hair Styling With Moderate Heat
The high temperature from heat styling tools can remove the natural texture of your curls, making them dull and lifeless. Limit the use of heat styling and use a good heat protectant spray whenever you can't avoid it. Use moderate heat and a diffuser to protect your naturally beautiful curls.
6. Use A Very Wide-toothed Comb
Use a wide-toothed comb to remove the tangles in your curly hair. Comb from bottom to up to remove the knots if any. Each curl can be considered as a potential breaking point, handling gently is the way to go. A hairbrush can mess with your natural hair texture and can cause damage to your hair.
7. Always Use Cold Water For Hair
Hot water showers strip off the natural oil or sebum from your scalp and hair. It can also open up the cuticle making the hair strands prone to frizz and breakage. Coldwater rinses are your safest bet whether you are shampooing or conditioning your hair.
8. Trim To Avoid Split Ends
Get your hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks to get rid of the split ends and damaged hair. Curly hair too needs to look and feel healthy.
9. Curly Hair Sleep Routine
Haircare experts swear by the pineappling trick as part of the sleep routine for curly hair. Pile all your hair on top of your head into a bun or a loose ponytail. This way, there is less friction between your hair and the pillowcase. Switch to satin or silk pillowcases instead of cotton cases to reduce the friction.
What Should You Not Do With Curly Hair?
- Do not wash your curly hair every day as it can remove all the natural oils.
- Never sleep on a cotton pillowcase as it can create friction between the strands.
- Do not do heat styling often as it can strip off the moisture from your curls.
- Do not let your hair remain in tight ponytails all the time. The pulling can cause scalp pain.
- Never settle for one-size-fits-all products. Go for products that are created for your hair type.
- Most importantly, do not compare your hair with straight hair or other hair types. Learn to embrace your curls.
