Curly Hair is an understatement. Coming from a Caucasian women with hair larger than Diana Ross, I couldn’t have been more stumped as a teen on 2 things. 1) How the heck have I managed to get hair like this and 2) What in the world would I do with it. Afro curly hair doesn’t run in my family however the more children my parents had, the curlier the hair got. And being the the youngest of 3, I got an eruption of hair that would put any of the Jackson 5's afros to shame. And here are my 7 routines to follow in order to keep your curly hair looking beautiful:
The smoother the better. A silk pillow case will help with knots and breakage which, as you already know if you have curly hair, are two of your worst enemies. Your head moves constantly at night, making sure you are just perfectly cozy throughout your sleep. This moving of your head can be dreadful to curly hair, causing you to wake up with a rat's nest on the back of your head. A silk pillow case, however, will help let your curls roll with the night-time punches and you'll be pleased to know that this vital step in your routine is actually extremely affordable.
Curly hair needs deep conditioning like Donald Trump needs to avoid a wind storm. This is an absolute must-do step in your hair care routine. Curly hair gets very dry and brittle, as you all know, which means you must deep condition it on weekly basis. The product you'll be using has to be really good, so spend the most of your hair routine budget on a really great deep conditioner. If you have the time to spare I'd suggest «finger combing» the deep conditioner through your hair and wrapping it in a warm towel for 15 or 20 minutes. Do this and your curls will love you forever....trust me!
Alcohol is a bad bad BAD word when it comes to curly locks and I'd really advise you to avoid putting it in your hair. Scrutinize the list of ingredients to ensure you are not putting this first class drying agent in your hair. If you absolutely must, as I do know it can be hard to find a good gel that’s alcohol free, please make sure you coat your curls with a leave-in conditioner first.
I know this is common knowledge but I have to note that very few of us actually listen to this great advice. Shampooing dries your hair faster than the Hawaiian sun in the summertime. Seriously though, shampooing your hair should be kept to a minimum, once a week or better yet twice a month. I know it sounds wrong but the ingredients found in store shelf shampoos are just horrible for your luscious curls. If you find that you have a lot of product buildup by week’s end, I suggest diluting your existing shampoo. If you go through this trouble, then I say use it as often as you wish.
Throw your hair brushes away and buy yourself a good pick. This wide-toothed comb should be a staple in your bathroom drawers. A pick leaves the curl much more intact rather than a brush, which separates them, causing major frizz. After using a pick faithfully, for an entire week, I promise you will notice a colossal difference. What are you waiting for? Hop on over to the 70’s at get yourself an afro pick.
On those «I’d rather be sleeping» days, can I please have you do one thing for me? Avoid hair elastics! I know the first idea that comes to mind on these types of days is putting your hair up and out of your way. But promise me you will put it in a loose braid or even a bun held together with a clip. Elastics will pull at the top layer of your hair, breaking any of your hairs that are dry or frail and although it may look like a sister could afford losing a few hairs… I cherish every one of them.
I should talk… My natural hair color is blonde and I have not been this shade of beauty since 9th grade. You see, hair dye not only plays tricks with men’s age conception but also does a number on your hair texture. Now throw dry, frizzy, curly hair in the equation and you are asking for a sure fire way to a head full of pubic hairs. Bad visual right? If you must dye your hair, make sure of 2 things: 1st- that your hair stylist knows the best hair dye for your curly locks and 2nd- deep condition, deep condition, deep condition.
These are, by far, the easiest 7 steps to ensure that your beautiful curly hair stays exactly that way. As important as ones skin routine, your hair hare routine should be just as imperative. I don’t care what J.Lo, Nicki Minaj or Beyonce have to say about this, but every woman is judged from behind based on her hair. Let those luscious curls be the envy of everyone walking in the rear.