“There’s always room for improvement.” I don’t know who said it, but I 100% agree. And the saying applies to virtually anything, including your hair. Whether your curls are doing pretty good or on their last leg, there’s something you can do to make them look, feel, or behave better. In this article, I’ll share with you 3 of the most effective things you can do to improve your natural curls starting today!
1. Be Gentle When Handling Your Curls
Do you yank your hair as you braid it, rub it vigorously with a rough towel, or hear snapping when you comb or brush it? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your hair could benefit from gentler handling.
Curls are already prone to damage because of their structure, and the rougher you are with them, the more damage you may see over time.
You see, the hair cuticle is strong, but it has its limits. While it may hold up to regular abuse for a little while, it will eventually break down or lift up. And this is when you begin to experience some of the common signs of damage:
Inability to retain moisture.
Roughness to the touch.
Split ends either at the ends of the hair or along the hair shaft.
Frizziness that seems to stick around no matter what.
Excessive tangling.
Chronic dryness.
If you’re experiencing any of these issues with your hair and suspect you haven’t been gentle, I encourage you to make a concerted effort to give your mane a break. Here are a few great ways to do that:
Use your fingers, a tangle teezer, or a wide tooth comb for detangling, and only detangle when your hair is wet and coated in a slippery conditioner or detangler.
Use a microfiber towel or soft cotton T-shirt instead of a rough bath towel. And never vigorously rub your hair to dry it - blot or gently squeeze it in sections with your towel-covered hand.
Limit brushing and combing as much as possible. If you don’t “need” to brush or comb your hair, don't.
Try to keep your hands out of your hair unless you’re caring for or styling it. Addressing hands-in-hair syndrome is a must if you want your hair to be at its best.
2. Limit or Stop Heat Styling
If you really like to heat style your hair, you might be rolling your eyes right now in annoyance. But hear me out.
Heat styling can be extremely damaging to your hair - it wears away at its structure, increases dryness, and more.
And if you’re doing it on a regular basis - a few times a week, or (worse) every day, chances are it’s keeping your hair from being its very best.
Now, I’m not telling you to completely stop heat styling your hair- many curly girls aren’t ready to give up the heat tools cold turkey or permanently. Even I’m not. But, if you can stretch out the time in between your heat styling sessions, you can improve the health of your hair.
I personally heat style my hair once or twice a year to experience all of my length. Otherwise, I’m wearing it in its natural state, and that’s what works for me.
But you’re not me! And heat styling once or twice a year may not be feasible for you. So, my advice is to limit heat styling if you’re not willing or able to stop heat styling altogether. If you normally do it twice a week, try reducing it to once a week. If you’re doing it every day, cut that back to a couple of times per week.
Note: Whenever you use heat, be sure to use a heat protectant and set your heat tool to the lowest effective temperature.
3. Wash Your Curls Less Often
Growing up, you might have heard that washing your hair is a good thing. And it is, but what they forgot to add is “in moderation.” Every single time you wash your hair, you’re wetting it down, you’re scrubbing your scalp, you’re smoothing products through, you’re combing, you’re brushing…it’s a lot of stress on your hair. And that’s why you should only wash your hair as needed.
If you’re on an intense curl-washing routine where you wash your hair every day or every other day, I urge you to reconsider this part of your hair regimen.
You could very well be washing your hair to death.
Most people can get away with washing their curls every few days to a week. If you can find a frequency in between that range, you’ll be in a good spot. And whenever you do wash your curls, follow the instructions in this article I wrote on how to properly shampoo curls.
So, there you have it - 3 surefire ways to improve your curls. If you begin to implement these tips in your natural hair regimen today, your hair will thank you before long. I know firsthand. I hope you found all the information you were looking for and trust that you’ll see a clear difference in your hair after taking my advice.
Happy journey!
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