When it comes to hair, the saying, “The grass is greener on the other side,” is so relevant. For straight-haired women, they dream of curls and for curly-haired ladies, we burn our hair getting it stick straight. In fact, trying to tame curly hair is practically the holy grail of hair care.
But thanks to knowledgable hairstylists (and the internet), we’re here to be your curly hair care resource. While proper care can differ due to style, cut or texture, a solid foundation can put you in the right direction.
First, do yourself a favour and head to your bathroom. What shampoo are you using? Is it sulfate-free? Because if it isn’t, you’re doing your curly hair a disservice. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a known skin irritant and used in most shampoos. It’s also generally added to create a rich foam lather we all expect in the shower. In reality, it strips the natural oils from your hair making it look frizzy and dry. Instead, try Davines LOVE shampoo, a great place to start. There’s not too much lather but you’ll still be left feeling fresh and clean.
Here’s another thing for extra-dry hair — don’t clean your hair every day. Some of you may be thinking, “Say what?” but if you want to maintain those lovely curls, trust us. In fact, shampoo may not even benefit you if your hair lacks oil or moisture. Look into “co-washing (the curly community’s term for washing hair with conditioner)” and try cleansing your hair every 1-3 days, depending on hair thickness. Give the new LOVE curl cleansing cream from Davines a whirl, it was made just for this. Part shampoo, part conditioner, it gently removes impurities and leaves your curly hair soft.
What’s next?
If co-washing isn’t your thing, it’s still important to condition your hair. Natural oils start at the roots so it should come as no surprise that the lower half of your curly hair is more dry and frazzled. Check out our step-by-step guide on how to wash and condition your curly locks:
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Before you hop into the shower, make sure you brush out curls with a paddle brush like this one. Many women make the mistake of brushing hair while wet but that can lead to breakage. The reason behind this is hair strands are stretchier when wet. Combine this with detangling and you’re left with a lot of hair on the floor.
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Gently rinse hair and apply a sulphate-free shampoo up to the roots. An alternative to this is using a cleansing cream like we discussed above.
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With a soft hand, wash roots and let the shampoo fall down the rest of the hair follicle. Do not wash the ends as they are driest, especially curly-hair types.
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Apply conditioner to the ends, helping hydrate dry areas and weigh your hair down.
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Let hair air-dry or blow-dry with a diffuser. Curls maintain their best shape and health when left to do their own thing.
With the right techniques for washing and conditioning curly hair, you can have a great wash and wear style. Contact us for more information on Davines LOVE curl line and which stylists can help with cutting your curly hair right.