There is something always attractive about women with natural hair and even more for those who are lucky to have curly or wavy hair. Unfortunately most girls grew up hating their natural curly locks while some tend to believe that natural hair is hard to maintain. Some girls went to the extent of straightening their hair out of peer pressure only to realize what damage they did to their hair. There are all types of other misconceptions and myths about curling hairs which prevents most women from reaping the most benefits from their unique hair type.
The True Beauty of your Curly Hair
If you grew up complaining about your curly mane or you still do, you are not alone. Most women do that especially during their childhood, but it is time to start thinking differently. The famous saying, “the grass is always greener on the other side”, always makes sense. You never know what hell of experience it could be on the other side.
If you have never taken time to think about the beauty that comes with those natural curls, just take a moment to picture the silky and springy strands bouncing up and down with your every step or turn. Amazing! Do you see the glowing and smooth locks lighting up your face? That is the beauty you have been missing. Additionally caring for your curls is simple, less expensive and gives you many options to style your hair without straining or damaging your natural hair. You only need to have high confidence in your unique hair type and learn a few tactics to give an extra flair that will make people envious of your flawless appearance. It all starts with your positive mentality and soon you will realize the power in you curly hairs.
While maintaining an awesome look of your curly mane requires time and patience, you don’t really need sticking to a complicated routine or thousands of products to look great. I have nothing against using various products but there are more simplified DIY methods to maintain health and attractive curls. Nonetheless, most women with curled hair admit that taking care of and styling their hair is not a simple job. Curly hair is naturally drier and more prone to knots and tangles hence requires special consideration when washing, drying, conditioning and styling as well as taming split ends and frizzy roots. But you should fear nothing at all. There are several grooming tips that will make your hair maintenance experience a lot easier without compromising the honour of your curls. Below are a few grooming tips that ladies with curly hair need to know and put into practice.
7 Top Tips for Grooming your Curly Hair
1.Understand the type of your hair and curl
Curly hairs may look the same but they are all not the same and you need to first find out the thickness and nature of your hair. To do a quick test, you can separate a single hair strand and feel it between your fingers. Thick hair will have a textured and strong feel while you can barely feel the strand of fine hair. If the feel is somewhere in between (you can feel it but not strong) then you have medium hair.
Besides the thickness, the curl patterns also are different: spiral, wavy and curly. The spiral hair form springy coils that appear in zigzag or interlocked patterns starting near the roots. Wavy strands on the other hand are loosely defined curls that for S-shape, it is an intermediary between curl and straight hair while curly may take various patterns which are tighter than the wavy type. Discovering your hair type is important so as to choose the right hair grooming products and the best way to maintain your curls.
2. Consider the your Haircare Products
Choosing the right shampoo and conditioner is the foundation for your head-turner look. Curly hair is mostly dry therefore you need to consider hair-grooming products designed to hydrate and repair and void of alcohol and sulphates to give your curls the right flair. Using the best products with the right ingredients can boost the curl’s look and feel.
3. Washing and Conditioning your Hair
When washing your hair, it is advisable to mainly shampoo the scalp to prevent drying the hair strands. Also you should limit shampooing to at most twice in a week to only cleanse dirt from the hair and leave it strong. Co-washing (conditioning in shower) can also be useful to your hair as it keeps it moisturized.
Another good practice that will keep you locks hydrated is leaving conditioner in the hair overnight; apply just a small amount of the product and cover your head with a silk scarf while sleeping and rinse the conditioner out in the morning. If you feel comfortable with it, you can just style your hair without rinsing.
4. Avoid Towelling Your Hair
Curly hair is very sensitive and using a towel to dry it is a quick ticket to frizzy strands as the towel fabric is too rough for the strand. You can instead use an old but clean soft T-shirt to dry your hair without irritating your hair or causing a frizz. You should flip the hair down and squeeze your hair in the T-shirt in small section moving upwards in a crumpling motion. This will not only remove excess water or conditioner but also enhance the curls faster.
5. Avoid Hot Blow Drying or Flat Ironing
Heat can be terrible on your curly hair so when blow drying you can use a diffuser to distribute the airflow uniformly. Turn the drier on cold-shot or low-heat mode to diffuse starting from the root to mid length. This will minimize frizz and increase volume. Frequent blow drying is also not health for your curly hair so you should limit the practice to at most two times a week.
6. Detangling Your Strands
It is always advisable to detangle the strands while damp (after applying conditioner) to reduce breakage. Avoid paddle brush and instead use a wide-tooth comb to brush the hair from bottom-up. This will remove snags leaving your curl patterns intact and with minimal frizz.
7. Trim Your Hair Whenever Necessary
It is important to trim your curly hair to remove any split ends or flattened crown. Trimming should be done when the hair is dry to maintain the natural curls. If you don’t have the resources to visit the stylist regularly for trimming you can invest in a quality trimmer to do it from home.
You can learn more about curly hair trimming tips and tools:
