James our new Creative Director reveals all about Curly hair….
As someone who has type 3 hair that has different curl patterns all over (it’s tighter in the nape, looser at the front) I understand the need to look after your curls and how the right products can help and importantly how the wrong products can damage the pattern.
Curly hair tips
Moisturise. Moistureise. Moisturise.
Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair, this is due to the cuticle naturally being more open in curly hair than straight so the oils from the scalp don’t travel down the hair shaft so quick as they’re absorbed into the cortex as they travel down. (if you want to get really science-y, natural sebum consists of 57% triglycerides and it is these short chain (18 carbons long) oils that are small enough to seep under the cuticle and into the cortex of the hair (the strength forming inside bit)). If your curls aren’t nourished from root to tip them natural curl pattern can be affected, resulting in dry undernourished ends. Try Olaplex NO7 bonding oil.
Learn to understand your own curls and what works for you.
This is really important, there’s so much talk about what you must and must not do. Personally there are some rules I follow and some the I don’t but this is because I have spent the time, effort (and money) to get to know what works on my hair. Generally speaking the tighter the curl the drier the hair. This means that those with looser waves need (and I’m generalising here) lighter products and tighter coils need heavier more moisturising products. It’s always advisable to avoid brushes and combs near curls as this will break them up and reduce curl clumping and can make them look frizzy.
Wash your hair less.
Shampoo contains cleansing agents that strip the hair of its moisture resulting in dry hair, which can mean frizzy hair. Using a co-wash which will cleanse and condition in one step with no lather (nothing like head and shoulders), try Lavender Mint Cowash, I think this particularly leaves your hair feeling cleaner. If you like the squeaky clean feeling of washed hair like I do then opt for a curl shampoo and conditioner that will add moisture, detangle and protect the natural curl pattern such as Paul Mitchell Shampoo One & The Conditioner but be careful not to over wash, even with curl products. If you must comb curly hair then use a wide tooth comb when the conditioning products are on before they are rinsed off. You can always use a style refresher in between washes such as Awapuhi Moisture Mist.
Bond builders and curly hair.
Bond builders can really help to revive natural curl pattern by reconnecting the hairs natural bonds (we can write a whole blog post on bond builders alone) which will help the curls spring back up when they have become looser and more open. This can help with curl clumping, this is when curls form bunches together that then look healthier and shinier, the thinner the clump, the drier the hair looks. Try K18 as the hair recognises it as a natural part of its self, this works at a deeper level within the hair and is faster and cumulative, rather than working on the exterior cuticle level.
Styling curls begins straight out of the shower.
When drying curly hair, don’t rub the curls but use the towel to blot the hair from root to tip, rubbing will distress the cuticle and cause frizziness and dryness and can mess up the curl pattern. Curl products should be applied to towel dried hair from the root to the tip so that they can work on the root area and smooth the hair down resulting in less frizz at the root. Scrunching the curls back up afterwards will help support them back into shape. Like free flowing airy curls? Try Paul Mitchell Invisiblewear Velvet cream, its less glossy but will define in a loose way looking more natural. Like more defined shiny curls? Try Moroccan oil curl defining cream or even the Lavender Mint Taming cream that sits directly between the other two. It has a heavier consistency and will moisturise and add shine. Finishing dry hair with a light oil in the palm of your hand will smooth out frizz and help curl clumping, just don’t break the curls up with your fingers.
Air dry or diffuser?
Its always better to reduce heat on the hair as it can cause dryness. This one is definitely personal preference and also seasonal dependant, after all who wants to walk around with wet hair in winter? Air drying will avoid breaking up the curl pattern and reduce reliance on heat, if you must use a diffuser then use heat protector and a low heat and avoid tousling the curls too much to maintain the curl pattern and avoid frizz.
Curly hair and colouring.
Of course you can colour curly hair, but be careful not to over process and damage the elasticity of the hair, once you have done this its difficult to get it back, even with bond builders and restructuring treatments (hair is an organic substance after all and will only put up with a certain amount of chemical treatment before it just can’t take any more). Darker colour are generally speaking more kind to the hair and will disrupt the curl pattern less, bleach and other lightening products can dry the hair out.
Don’t skip the haircuts because you think it hasn’t grown!
Hair grows around 1cm a month, but the natural curl pattern can make them seem like it hasn’t grown, skipping haircuts can seem to give you longer hair but split ends will make the hair dryer and breakage will negate all that growth. Regular trims will help prevent split and dry ends.
In short:
Wash less often, use regular bond builder treatments and moisturising products to smooth the hair, trim often and play with your hair! Try new products and new methods, after all, its the accessory you don’t take off!
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