Oh, yes. Frizz and tangles. If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, you’re all too familiar with those two words.
Did you know that 1 in 3 women have wavy or curly hair but only 10% of those women are proud of their locks? Not to mention, only four in ten young girls think curly hair is pretty while most little girls believed straight hair was ‘prettiest.’
But curly hair doesn’t have to be a frizzy, tangly mess – it just needs a little TLC.
Try these 30 tips and tricks to have gorgeous waves and sleek curls that are sure to cause hair envy.
1) Determine which type of curls you have
The first thing you’ll want to do when try to determine which course of treatment you should take to battle your hair woes, you’ll want to know which specific type of curls you have. Take a look at the helpful chart below.
Make sure you are working with a hairdresser that is knowledgeable about wavy and curly hair. This way, they’ll know exactly which types of cuts will work best to accentuate your curls and which ones to steer clear from.
3) Keep your volume with double-prong clips
Head to the beauty supply store and pick up some double-prong clips. While your hair is still damp, clip up your roots to give your hair a natural volume boost.
4) Get rid of product buildup
Thick, wavy, and curly hair have the tendency to hold onto hair products. Get rid of product buildup by giving your scalp a good scrub. All you need is some brown sugar and conditioner for this DIY exfoliator. Here’s the
tutorial.
5) Apply product while hair is still wet
“Using product while your hair is still wet means you’ll be getting the most consistent and even saturation which will be the base of any style you choose,” says
Buzzfeed.
6) Drench your hair with moisture
Give your hair a mega-dose of moisture by making a DIY hair mask using coconut oil. Coconut oil is insanely hydrating and, not to mention, it smells great! Here are the
recipe and instructions on how to make your own mask.
Instead of washing your hair every day, try just using a refresher spray instead. Shampoo strips your hair of oils and your hair ends up frizzier if you wash too often. Conditioning is okay though!
8) Deep condition before you color
If you plan on coloring your wavy or curly hair, be sure to do a deep-conditioning treatment approximately two weeks before your appointment. Hair color is extra damaging to curly hair because the cuticle layer is open due to its corkscrew shape. A deep-conditioning treatment can help seal those cuticles and help prevent color damage.
9) Use curl-specific products
Find products that are specifically made for curly hair. They’ll be free of harmful chemicals that aren’t made for curly hair and, if used properly, can make a world of difference.
Before you jump to conclusions, hair gel really is amazing for wavy and curly hair. It’s come a
long way since that 90s crunchy look. Try making your own at home with this awesome
DIY recipe that will totally tame that poofy, frizzy look.
When blow-drying curly hair, be sure to flip your head upside down and use a diffuser. This will help keep your volume while distributing the hot air evenly throughout your hair.
12) Follow the Ten Curl Commandments
Love and embrace your waves and curls! Chances are, your hair hasn’t seen its full potential yet, simply because you didn’t have the information you needed. Follow these Ten Curl Commandments below and you can’t go wrong.
13) Stay away from brushes
“Brushing the hair will expand and fan out the curls while ripping/tearing the protective cuticle layer of the hair shaft, causing frizz and damage to the hair. Using a wide-tooth comb while the hair is wet helps easily detangle hair while setting the shape without causing breakage,” Ouidadthe founder of Ouidad hair products, told
BuzzFeed Life.
14) Invest in a good deep conditioning mask
If you’re not up for making your own hair mask at home, you can shell out some dough for a really good, intensely hydrating hair mask instead. A weekly or bi-weekly deep conditioning treatment is absolutely crucial to the health of curly hair.
15) Get body without frizz
Touching your hair is generally a no-no when it comes to curly hair, but if you need to give your curls a little boost, you can gently use your fingertips. Massage your scalp in small circular motions with your fingertips to loosen the curls without disrupting them.
16) Stop washing your hair entirely
“Switch from a shampoo and conditioner combination to a cleansing conditioner, which a single product that doesn’t strip away your hair’s natural oils,” says
Buzzfeed.
17) Help grow those waves and curls
Curly hair seems like it takes forever to grow. Help your hair grow as fast and as best as possible by always conditioning, detangling, massaging your scalp, and following a regimen. Follow this handy chart below.
Believe it or not, your curly hair
is your hairstyle! And there’s really little need to mess with what God gave you! Constantly trying to flat iron, blow dry, or use chemical treatments to “fix” your curls is actually doing more damage than good. Just treat your curls right and you’ll have no need for all those extra tools.
19) Stop playing with your hair
“Less fuss equals less frizz,”
says Cynthia Alvarez, Dove Hair Curl Expert. “Once you style your hair, leave it alone. Don’t keep playing with it—you’ll break up the curls and encourage frizz. If you notice the ends getting drier throughout the day, you can manipulate them using water or aloe juice. Water helps to reactivate the serum you put in.”
20) Use a t-shirt or microfiber towel
Most people use a terry cloth towel when drying their hair, but this fabric is a major culprit when it comes to causing frizz. Instead, use a t-shirt or a microfiber cloth or towel to eliminate unwanted poofiness.
If you are going to use a shampoo, make sure that it’s free of sulfates. Sulfates dissolve oils which will leave your scalp dry and itchy, which eventually leads to hair breakage. Ammonium laureth sulfate and ammonium lauryl sulfate are two common examples to watch out for.
22) Sleep on a satin towel
Keeping your waves and curls in peak condition is a 24-hour job. Help prevent frizz by sleeping on a super soft fabric. The best option for people with curly hair is a satin pillow.
23) Practice the CG Method
The CG Method (aka Curly Girl Method) is rising in popularity because of it’s extremely effective results. Basically, you start by “stripping” your hair once, then use
A LOT of conditioner from there on out. Oh, and plan on using a lot of gel too. But it really does work! Learn more
here.
24) Revive curls in the morning
There’s a few options when it comes to reviving your curls in the morning. You could completely start over by wetting your hair, use a spray bottle, use wet hands, go through curl-by-curl, or scrunch with water. Here are
instructions for each.
If you like to wear your hair straight sometimes or you absolutely have to use hot hair tools, be sure to spray your hair with a hair protectant first. This will help prevent damage.
Another alternative to drying your hair with a towel is to try hair plopping. “When you plop, you are wrapping your hair up in a specific way to draw some water from your hair before you air dry or diffuse. Most people plop for 15-20 minutes,” says
Reddit. Read more on
how to plop yourself!
27) Wavy hair is different
When it comes to wavy hair, you’ll want to make a few adjustments. Apply products to damp hair instead of wet hair. Instead of going to only conditioner, use a sulfate-free shampoo. Wavy-haired people can wash a little more often than curly-haired people.
28) Shampoo just your scalp
If you have to shampoo, just shampoo your scalp. “When cleansing your hair, be sure to focus your shampoo mainly on your scalp to avoid potentially drying out your ends. As even the most gentle of shampoos contain cleansing agents, you want to make sure that your shampoo cleans only what you need it too,” says
Redken.
For really tight, thick curls, get in the habit of using the “LOC” method. LOC stands for leave-in conditioner, oil, and cream. Layering all three of these products into your curls will do wonders for your curl pattern and your hair’s hydration.
30) Comb hair from the bottom up
Comb and detangle your wet hair in the shower by starting from the bottom and working your way up to the top of your scalp. This allows you to gently untangle each knot instead of forcing all of them toward the bottom.
Embrace your gorgeous curls and waves with these super helpful tips and tricks. You’re going to have hair to die for!
H/T: Reddit
