Whether you have super springy tight curls, loose ones, or something in the middle, bad hair days could be in your future. That is, if you don't dedicate time and effort into learning about natural hair care. As naturally beautiful as they are, curls can throw you for a loop (pun totally intended). But you don't have to worry about that if you read this article. Here, I share 3 of my best curly hair tips to help you reach your #hairgoals. Let's get right into it!
1. Don't Stretch Your Wash n' Gos to Timbuktu
If you don't know what a wash n' go is, it's not what you may expect. It's a hairstyle where you wash, then apply your moisturizers, oils, gel, or other styling products, then dry, and then go. Once dry, you'll be met with bouncy curls that last for days. Days…and I mean days - not weeks.
What Happens When You Wear a Wash N' Go Too Long
Let me tell you what happens when you wear your wash n' go for longer than a few days. Depending on how naturally curly your hair is, you could end up with full blown dreadlocks.
Okay, that's a little dramatic.
But you can get some serious knotting that could be very difficult to detangle. I know firsthand - it happened to me as recently as 2 days ago.
Even if you do all you can to limit tangling - three-strand braid or two strand twist your hair at night and wear a bonnet - that hair will still knot up eventually. And the worst part is that the more often you detangle your curls, the more friction-related damage, split ends, and breakage you could experience.
Moral of the story: Wash n' gos are good for a few days at a time (maybe 5 days if you're lucky). But once those curls in the back start winding around each other, it's time to wash n' start over.
2. Only Detangle Your Curls When You're in Zen Mode
I can't tell you how many times I detangled my hair while I was stressed, rushing, sick, pissed off, or otherwise bothered. This is a HUGE no-no. Don't be like me.
Your curls are fragile little babies, and depending on their condition, they may protest and snap at a moment's notice. So, when you're wielding tools of knot destruction (wide-tooth combs, tangle teezers, etc.) you need a cool head and a metric ton of patience.
How to Relax Before and During Your Detangling Sessions
I plan on writing a full guide on how to detangle natural curls (stay tuned for that). But before you start your detangling sessions, take a few deep breaths, meditate, pray - whatever you need to do to be calm. And if you begin to feel frustrated during the process, step away from the detangling tool and do something else for a bit.
You can also do some of the following for a pain-free detangling session:
Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers.
Use a leave-in conditioner or detangler spray/cream on damp hair.
Detangle in sections to make the process more manageable.
Start from the ends of your hair and move toward the roots.
Ripping through your strands or being otherwise rough or impatient is not conducive to reaching your curly hair goals.
3. Choose Styles that Don't Fight Against Your Natural Hair Texture
I'm not a prude - I know that most people like to see how the other hair half lives. You might want to straighten your hair or use a curling wand for bombshell curls - heck, you might even consider a relaxer, Brazilian blowout, or Japanese hair straightening treatment. Unfortunately, way too often, using these methods and more to alter your hair texture can ruin your mane.
Does your hair rebel when you try to change it's texture? Mine does, and I've seen the same thing happen to countless others.
Hairstyles to Choose Instead
If you want your hair to be its best, prioritize styles that don't change your natural hair texture too much. That means that if you have 4C hair, it's best not to go bone straight. You'll have to put your hair through the war to get those kinks out. The same goes for those with looser type 3 curls.
Instead, choose styles like:
Wash n' gos (my personal favorite!)
Box braids (not too tight!)
Any time you apply heat or use rough tools to get your hair to do something unnatural, you could experience things like:
Split ends
Frizz
Styling frustration
Breakage
Heat damage (loss of curl pattern)
And the list goes on and on - this is NOT what you want. From a hair health standpoint, you're much better off accepting your natural texture and nurturing it to your best ability. Think wash n' gos over flat iron styles, twist outs over relaxers, and two strand twists over blowouts. This may sound lame, or even prompt a strong eye-roll, but if you want to experiment with other hair textures, hey - there's always wigs.
These are all the curly hair tips I have for you today. Thank you SO much for reading. I hope that these tips help to steer your natural hair journey in the right direction. Stay tuned for more expert-level content from me, and I wish you the absolute best with your curls!
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