The Curly Hair Showdown – How to Care for Those Curly Locks

Curly Hair Tips and Tricks

Isn’t it funny how people with straight hair envy people with curly hair, and how so often those with curls wish for straighter tresses? It’s a “grass is always greener” situation, and whether or not those with straight hair are willing to admit it, they do have a bit easier. It is just plain fact that naturally curly hair has a much higher amount of maintenance required, particularly if it is longer than just a few inches.

And it might surprise those with any sort of hair to discover that there are many different “hair types”. We are not all divided into straight or curly groupings. There are those with wavy hair, those with baby fine hair, and so on.

The group we’d collectively call “curly” has hair types divided into:

• Type 3A
• Type 3B
• Type 3C

If you are someone with naturally curly hair, you probably did not even know that you have a further distinction – one of the types above. Which one? Let’s briefly look at the properties that define each of them.

• Type 3A – You have ringlet curls or very large curls that might even just turn to wavy hair every once in a while. You find it easy to straighten your hair, but it can be dry.
• Type 3B – You have spiral curls that stay in shape but which stretch out as hair grows. Your hair may be wiry and a bit prone to dryness or frizz
• Type 3C – This is the thickest type of curly hair and definitely prone to frizziness, your curls can be as tight as a pencil or as fat as a magic marker, and it is often dry and easily damaged.

If your hair is kinky or supremely curly, you might be someone with “coily” hair, which means you have Type 4A, 4B or 4C, which is not something we’ll cover here.

Once you know your hair type, it is imperative to learn how to care for it properly, and it is a lot more challenging than many might think.

Caring for Any Type of Curly Hair

When you want to keep your naturally curly hair looking its best, it is important that you know the answers to the challenges below:

• The right products to use for curly hair
• The right tools to use on curly hair
• The best sort of cuts for curly hair
• The right way to style curly hair
• How to manage frizziness
• How to dry curly hair

And as we jump into the answers to those issues, we’ll start with a few of the unwritten rules – curly hair tips and tricks. They are:

• Toss out the hairbrush – There is not a single type of curly or coily hair that benefits from a thorough brushing, it only leads to frizz and damage
• Toss out the towels – Towel drying your curly hair using brisk rubbing is going to cause you nothing but trouble
• Skip a few shampoos – Did you know that people with naturally curly hair can shampoo as infrequently as they want? It can be very damaging and drying to curly hair, and so we’d agree with the experts at Allure that you can “shampoo-less – or not at all”.
• Cool water is your friend – No matter what you are doing with your hair – whether it is washing it or conditioning it, it is always much healthier for the hair to experience cooler water. As one expert said, “cold water will snap those cuticles shut, which in turn will lock in moisture, make your hair shinier and reduce frizz,” so get yourself used to colder rinses.

That leaves some wondering what sort of supplies and steps they need for these curly hair tips. Let’s make a basic list.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Summer Hair Troubles

The Products and Tools Essential to Curly Hair

You can invest in a bottle of shampoo, but pick one you like because you will probably have it around for a surprisingly long time. The products that you will need all of the time include:

• Conditioner – Choose one that is designed for curly hair and deep conditioning, and know how to apply it. According to PopSugar, the right method is to “press and smooth”. This is done by squeezing the product from midshaft to the tips, and then gently running fingers through to detangle before rinsing with cool water to lock in the moisture
• Fingers – Yes, those digits at the ends of each hand are part of any curly haired person’s arsenal. You will want to use them to shape and curl hair while it is still wet from conditioning. Don’t towel dry, and keep frizz to a minimum by styling when wet. Either wrap individual curls around a finger and then scrunch upward toward the scalp or just rake conditioner through, scrunch it up and leave as is. Remember that we said to toss the brush? That still applies, and while your fingers are your main “tool” for caring for your curly hair, you can also invest in a wide-tooth pick if you run into difficult tangles on a regular basis.
• Scrunch technique – Okay, so this is not a “product”, but it belongs here because it is so important in keeping curly hair controlled and in good shape. The right method is to “cup the ends and push curls upward. Squeeze just around the ears, release, then slowly move hands away. Go section by section so that every area gets scrunched equally.”

• Microfiber towel – This is different from the traditional bath towel, for sure, and it should never be dried in the dryer (just hang it up to dry). However, the smooth fibers are great at blotting and drying without causing frizz.
• Silk pillowcases – Did you know that cotton grabs lots of moisture from your hair? It does, and it is one reason we might wake up with drier and frizzier hair. To skip that issue, just invest in silk pillowcases to reduce friction (cotton also tugs and pulls hair as we rest) and keep hair as moisturized as possible.
• Cotton t-shirt – If you don’t want to buy microfiber towels, a cotton t-shirt is the next best thing and is a simple way to eliminate frizz and dry your hair easily.
• Diffuser – If you are going to blow dry, always use the diffuser attachment that lets you cup and scrunch curls and get them uniformly dried without such intense heat that it damages the hair.
• Heat protection product – If you insist on blow drying your curly hair, use that diffuser but also be sure your hair has been fully treated in a heat-protecting product to prevent damage
• Serums – There is an array of options available, and the best can be used to smooth and tame hair, define and separate curls or just keep your hair as hydrated as possible
• Wide-tooth comb – Your curly hair is fragile and that means brushing is a big no-no (as we’ve pointed out a few times). A wide-tooth comb or large pick is best for detangling without disrupting your hair

• Leave-in conditioning spray – Instead of hair spray, it is a better idea to use a leave-in conditioner that will give hair shine, protection and steady curls.
• Apple cider vinegar – A fabulous alternative to shampoo is a simple rinse made with ½ cup EACH of apple cider vinegar and water along with a pea-sized drop of baking soda. Just mix it up and gently work it through the hair before rinsing. Use it once weekly instead of shampoo
• Curling iron – Though we advise against a lot of heat treatments for curly hair, a styling wand or curling iron is great for taming fly-away curls and loose locks
• Coconut oil – Applied to the tips of the hair and the roots, and left in overnight, it will give hair a lot of shine and softness
• Curly-friendly brands – There are so many products in the marketplace, but it might delight those with curly hair to know that there are many brands made specifically to protect and care for their hair. Go ahead and give them a try!

Products used in curly hair should always be free of alcohol or as low in alcohol as possible. Why? They are intensely drying, and while they might offer you a lot of control over your look, they can be replaced with less damaging options like water-soluble gels and foams. Also, use the good advice from Good Housekeeping relating to “cocktailing” product. As they said, “Product cocktailing is simply mixing two or more products together to meet your specific styling needs… smoothing serum plus mousse, and coconut oil plus styling gel. Both allow for supreme hold without leaving your hair dry and crunchy.”

Related: Who Knew Choosing a Hair Brush Could Be So Complicated?

Curly Hair Tips and Tricks – Styling Curly Hair

Caring for curly hair and styling it have a bit of overlap. For example, there is the matter of the “pineapple”. This is a tactic that you should use to keep your hair looking great at all hours of the day or night. It is as simple as piling your hair up in a loose bunch at the highest point of your head and gathering it with a loose elastic.

What does it do? It ensures your curls don’t get crushed or matted as you rest and it maintains the natural volume in your hair. Just take it down, run your hands throughout it and be ready to go.

There are a few other areas where curly hair care and styling overlap. For example, when you are combing your hair, don’t start at the roots. Instead, start at the tips of the curls and work upward through the knots. You might also mix a bit of leave-in conditioner with a styling gel in order to moisturize and protect hair while styling and/or sculpting your curls.

And when you want to get it styled? That’s also an area where there are a few unwritten rules:

• Always get a dry cut because curls will retract as they dry and by doing a dry cut, there are no unwelcome surprises – overly short curls or sections that hang loose – when it is dry
• Get frequent trims every six to eight weeks and always with someone who specializes in naturally curly hair
• Air dry whenever possible
• Never let a stylist use a razor on curly hair because they lead to frizz and breakage (Plus, you already have a lot of texture in your hair, which is why razors are put to use in the first place!)

And while these are really the only tips you need since anyone with curly hair should not attempt DIY hair cuts or styling, we will also say that “The best haircut to sport to maximize the definition of your curls is a layered cut. The gradually increasing lengths of different sections of your hair allow your curls to bounce around in their full glory, making them look exactly the way you dreamed of,” according to StyleCraze. This tip holds true whether you wear your hair short or super long, and you can go from short stacked layers of soft curls to gradual layers of messy waves, to shaggy layers with bangs, and more.

Yet, one thing that ruins the good looks of even the best style is frizz, and though it is the perpetual bane of those with curly hair, we have a few final curly hair tips to impart.

Curly Hair Tips – Managing Frizz

By now, you may have already figured out the simplest ways to dodge the dreaded frizzy hair day. They include:

• Skipping daily shampoos
• Drying with a t-shirt or microfiber towel
• Using a lot of conditioner and conditioning products
• Air dry or use a diffuser if drying with heat
• Toss out your hairbrush
• Don’t play with your hair too much during the day
• Apply styling product while you are still in the shower and/or the hair is still very wet
• Use a satin pillowcase to prevent tangles and drying that lead to frizz
• Skip hot styling tools

You also want to use products with SPF to prevent sun damage, get a good haircut and keep it trimmed, don’t use chemical treatments or other hair stressors, and consider anti-humectant products on humid days if you typically experience frizz at such times.

Using these simple curly hair tips, you can easily improve the condition of your hair, get frizz under control and start to get the most out of your styling and daily efforts. Soon, you will love your curly locks and not yearn for every head of straight hair you see.

Related: Which Hair Straightening Technique Is Right For You?

More Great Curly Hair Tips Resources:

14 Curly Hair Tips That Actually Work 

20 Amazing Layered Hairstyles For Curly Hair

How to Style Curly Hair