Tips for Rebuilding Healthy Curls
I have good news and terrible news if you believe that once you start wearing your hair naturally, your curls will return quickly. The bad news is that they won't fit perfectly right away. Your newly transitioned strands require time, patience, and a ton of TLC to get back on track after heat styling, chemical treatments, and the like.
The good news, though, is that maintaining your current course will let you to develop healthy (and hopefully everlasting!) hair habits that will give you springy ringlets. Use these suggestions to develop a solid foundation for your restored curls as au naturel styling becomes your daily reality.
Choose: Big Chop or Trim
Congratulations for making the decision to switch to natural hair! As much as we curly folks appreciate length, part of the journey involves cutting part (or all) of our existing manes in order to remove damage that can derail the decision.
Start with a trim if growing your curly hair from the roots up is not an option. The "big chop," which entails chopping off all damaged hair, is the greatest approach to reveal your natural texture and start over for the healthiest results, despite the fact that it's not the best alternative. This is particularly true if you've had your hair chemically straightened, which results in permanently straight hair that grows curly.
Start gently, though, if you aren't emotionally ready for the big cut (which can be a shock). Snipping off dead ends gives a less taxing reset that will prevent you from burning out on your route to natural hair because transitioning is a marathon, not a sprint.
Switch to silk
Naturally curly hair is more prone to breaking and is frequently dryer; this is where silk comes to the rescue. Use silk scrunchies instead of regular ones to avoid the friction, pulling, tangling, and creasing that comes with them. To combat the negative consequences of tossing and turning, tie your hair up in a loose, high ponytail, tighten with a scrunchie, and sleep with your head on a silk pillowcase. When used in conjunction with the smooth casing and the "pineapple" hairdo, curls will be safeguarded and maintained while you sleep.
Deep condition at least once a week
The strength, moisture, and general health of curly hair are determined by what happens in the shower. To restore vitality to dry/damaged hair, deep condition it at least once per week using a mix fortified with fatty acids and B vitamins.
This goes beyond simply putting on a mask for a few seconds in between shampooing and conditioning—the suggested "5-10 minutes" is insufficient for curlies. Instead, after shampooing, add a mask to your hair, put on a shower cap, turn your blow dryer on high, and let it on for 30 minutes before rinsing. This will aid in deeply moisturizing hair and restoring its barrier of protection to stop breaking.
Start off with an easy styling routine
If you have curly hair but aren't used to styling it, you've probably gone down a rabbit hole of multi-step procedures and product lists that differ greatly from person to person on YouTube. Starting with a straightforward 4-step process can help you get started with your first attempt at styling recently transitioned hair because trying out a new style is already intimidating enough.
To begin with, just style your strands when they are very wet. And to re-wet them if they become dry during the procedure, use a spray bottle filled with water. The three items you'll need—a leave-in conditioner, a styling agent, and a gel—coordinate with this four-step process.
1. For a moisturized base, finger comb a frizz-fighting, incredibly moisturizing leave-in cream through strands. This method will increase volume and movement as you can flip your hair to any side throughout the day; however, do not create a part where your hair "should fall."
2. Apply a curl-defining styling custard or cream to a section of hair. To create your curl pattern, scrunch upward after raking the formula through your hair with your hands. Twist any strands that require additional shape, particularly the ones that frame your face.
3. Apply gel with a scrunching motion to the hair while flipping it over so that it is in front of your face to set the look. Repeat on the left side. Flip your hair to the right side and scrunch the strands upward.
4. The best ways to dry your hair are by using a diffuser attached to your blow dryer to evenly disperse heat while lifting and separating your hair for better body and curl definition.
Make oil the centerpiece of your regimen for curly hair care.
I hope you will heed this advice if you do nothing else from this list. Some of the most useful and underappreciated members of the community for people with curly hair are oil blends (search for ones with jojoba and coconut oil). To provide lustrous nutrients and revive day-old curls, apply a few drops every day. You can also heat it and use it as a pre-shampoo. Since healthy scalps are where hair grows, I advise massaging the oil into your skin for ten minutes once a week to hydrate your roots and encourage the growth of curly hair.
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