For curly girls, and boys!
This blog is for the curly-haired ladies and gents! Understanding how to manage curly hair seems to be something found out by experimenting or told through friends over time, but for those of you who have yet to learned the secrets to taming your (or your child’s) locks, we’ll compile a little list of tips and tricks here.
The first thing to know about curly hair is do not brush it!! Brushing the hair will just break up the curls and leave you with a frizzy, fuzzy head of hair instead of nice, defined, soft curls. If you need to detangle your hair, you can do so while your hair is wet in the shower with a wide tooth comb and conditioner, but not after that! When your hair is wet from the shower, don’t throw it up in a towel! Terry cloth is too rough for curls, and will just dry them out and make them frizzy! Instead, dab at your curls with an old T-shirt. The material is softer and won’t rough up your curls but will still absorb the excess water.
Now comes the tricky part, styling. Everyone’s curls are different and will react differently to products, but one product that we’ve found to work on most curl types is UNITE Boing curl cream. Boing leaves your hair feeling soft and smooth with just enough hold to keep your curls intact, but still touchable. No crispy crunchy curls here! Use about a quarter size amount on wet hair, then style as desired. If just the Boing curl cream by itself is too much hold for your curls, you can mix it equal parts with UNITE Blow and Set Lotion to add softness and shine and cut the hold.
When it comes to styling, the easiest thing to do is just let your hair air-dry! Your curls will find their place un-disrupted and you won’t have to put in any styling effort. However, if you’re not a fan of having wet hair the first few hours of your day, the next best route is to use a diffuser. By using a diffuser attachment on your hairdryer you’re mimicking how your hair would dry under a hooded dryer. Having the air from the dryer come out from multiple locations makes the airflow softer on your hair and helps to not disrupt the curls and not create extra unwanted frizz. If you are finding that air drying or using a diffuser is still leaving your curls a little uneven, try separating your hair into separate curls while it’s wet. Take 1 inch square sections around your head and twist them into tight curled locks, from here you can let them air dry or diffuse. By putting in your curl cream beforehand and then twisting them it helps smooth the hair out and has it dry in a pre-set curly shape. When your hair is dry gently shake loose the curls with your fingers and you’ll have more a more uniform curl pattern! Take smaller sections for tighter curls or larger sections for looser waves.
Extra special tip: If you do choose the diffuser route, we recommend that you only dry the hair about 80-90%, so that the last bit dries on its own to reduce frizz potential.
Now that you’ve taken the time to set your curls, here are some tricks for maintaining them:
* Sleep on a satin pillowcase. Cotton pillowcases will absorb the oils in your hair and will rough up the curls as you move your head while you sleep. Sleeping on a satin pillowcase leaves a smooth surface for your curls so they won’t end up frizzy in the morning.
* Use a spray conditioner to revitalize your curls in the morning and throughout the day. UNITE 7 Seconds Leave In Conditioner is a great thermal protector and weightless conditioner. Spritz it on dry curls to bring them back to life for a quick shower-free fix on the second day.
* Another nice treat for curly hair is to come in for a deep conditioning treatment from time to time (or add one on to your haircut!). Curly hair is naturally more dry so adding in a little deep conditioning love will always leave your hair feeling revitalized.
So there’s some curly-care tips from us to you! Exciting news for February is that we will be certified in DevaCurl products and the DevaCurl cutting method, so check back in with us if you want to learn more about how to keep your curls looking their absolute best using products, cutting and styling techniques that are SPECIALLY made just for curly hair!