What Does Unprocessed Hair Mean vs Processed Hair

How to care for curly hair

Caring for curly hair is not easy, especially if it is dry or damaged. Regular use of conditioners, the use of natural oils and deep conditioning treatments can all help to restore curls to their natural shine and prevent further damage.

Use a regular conditioner

1
Select a conditioner. Use your favorite shampoo and conditioner. Check the label to purchase products formulated for curly hair.
For looser curls and oily hair, a more refreshing, mildly moisturizing conditioner is appropriate. For finer and drier curls, a more moisturizing conditioner is appropriate.
Fine curly hair usually requires a thicker conditioner.
Dry curly hair needs a strong moisturizing conditioner or one with a lot of oil.
Damaged curly hair needs a conditioner for damaged hair.

2
Apply conditioner. Hair growth is the result of continuous cell division and proliferation, so the ends are the oldest part of the hair. The ends of curly hair look the driest and most damaged. Apply conditioner carefully to the ends of your hair, then slowly work your way up to the roots. Apply more to the ends and just a little to the roots so that the oil doesn’t build up at the roots and ruin the natural shape of the hair.

3
Wait 5 to 20 minutes. Let the conditioner stay on the hair for at least 5 minutes. If your hair is severely damaged or very dry, you can wait 15 or 20 minutes.

4
Wash your hair with cold water. Wash your hair thoroughly. Cold water seals the epidermis of the hair, locks in natural oils and makes hair soft and smooth. While rinsing, run your fingers or a wide-tooth comb through your hair to untangle any tangles.
A wide-tooth comb is especially useful for tight, fine curls.

5
Use leave-in hair care products (optional). Many companies offer leave-in conditioners or hair masks for curly hair. These products give your hair extra protection and make curly hair more manageable. Apply the product according to the instructions on the package and style it directly as you normally would without washing afterwards.

6
Let your hair dry naturally. The best thing you can do to prevent your curly hair from getting damaged and frizzy is to let it dry naturally. If you usually rely on a blow dryer to style your hair, you may want to curl or straighten it in other ways instead.

7
Turn the heat styling tool to the lowest temperature. High temperatures can damage curls! If you’re going to use a curling iron, straightener or electric comb, try to turn it down to the lowest temperature possible. Choose a curling iron with a large diameter so that you can curl your hair quickly and still not overheat it.

Condition your hair with oil

1
Choose the right oil for your hair type. By using natural oils to care for curly hair, there is no need to use chemicals or worry about hair products being left in your hair. Choose the most suitable oil according to your hair type and personal preference.
Jojoba oil has a very light texture and is not as greasy as other oils. It is suitable for all curly hair, especially loose curls.
Coconut oil penetrates well into the hair and restores its strength for those with coarse and hard hair. However, some people may not like the smell of coconut oil.
Olive oil or grapeseed oil is not too thick or thin in texture and is suitable for curly hair with medium to fine curl density. Besides making the hair soft and shiny, olive oil is also helpful in relieving itchy scalp and flakes. However, the strong smell of olive oil is not to everyone’s liking.

2
Heat the oil with warm water. Warm oil is usually in liquid form and easier to apply. Don’t use a microwave or stove to heat the oils as it may set them on fire! The correct way to do this is to place the container of oil in a bowl of warm water and heat it under water until the outside of the container is warm to the touch.
Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so be sure to heat it until it melts. If it’s warm enough, it may melt on its own.

3
Protect your clothes. Oil can leave a permanent stain on your clothes. Remember to drape a bib, apron or raincoat for haircuts over your clothes before conditioning with oil.

4
Apply the oil starting from the ends of the hair and working upwards. Start with 30ml of oil at the beginning and add more later if necessary. Apply the oil from the tips upwards, rubbing it into the hair with your fingers or a wide-toothed comb, and detangling any tangles. Do not apply the oil directly to the scalp as it may clog the pores.

5
Let the oil stay on the hair for 5 to 20 minutes. Give your hair some time to absorb the oil to help retain nutrients and repair damage. Wait about 5 minutes. If hair is severely damaged, wait up to 20 minutes.

6
Wash your hair with cold water. Cold water locks in the nutrients in the natural oils. It may take you longer to wash out all the oils compared to a regular conditioner. Make sure you wash it well! Residual oil can make your hair look greasy. Wash it well and let your hair dry naturally.

Perform a deep treatment

1
Choose deep conditioners. They smooth out very curly or frizzy hair and are especially useful for repairing damaged hair. Buy a deep conditioner for curly hair, preferably with ingredients such as shea butter, avocado oil, keratin, argan oil and coconut oil. You can also buy deep conditioners that contain proteins to repair severely damaged hair. Choose products that contain hydrolyzed collagen, panthenol, soy protein or glycoprotein.

2
Apply as directed on the product. Apply from the tips to the roots just like a regular conditioner.

3
Heat the hair (optional). This is not a necessary step, but the heat opens the epidermis of the hair and allows the conditioner to penetrate deeper. Using a hair dryer directly can damage curls, so it’s best to wet three or four hand towels with cold water, wring out the water and heat them in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Wrap your hair in a hand towel and wait 5 to 10 minutes.

4
Wash your hair with cold water. Rinse your hair thoroughly with cold water to wash out all conditioner. You can use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to detangle tangled hair.

5
Wash your hair with shampoo. Wash your hair as you normally would with a shampoo for curly hair. Rub the shampoo from top to bottom to prevent your hair from tangling. Afterwards you can use a regular conditioner to lock in the nutrients from the deep conditioner. However, this is not a necessary step.

6
Separate your hair into sections. If your hair is long, divide it into 6 to 8 parts to make it easier to manage. Use your fingers to untangle tangled hair. Use a wide tooth comb if necessary, but be gentle as wet hair is more prone to damage.

7
Use other products. If you’re going to use curlers, styling products or leave-in masks, do it before it dries!

8
Repeat these steps regularly. Deep conditioners should not be used every day, but they should only be used regularly. If your hair is severely damaged, then use it once a week. If the hair is healthy, use it once a month.

Tips
Most shampoos contain sulfates, such as ammonium laureth sulfate, or sodium laureth sulfate. They can damage curly hair and make it very dry. Buy sulfate-free shampoos, or just wash your hair with conditioner.
Consider doing hairstyles that protect your curls, such as tying your hair in braids or putting it up. These hairstyles can be kept for a month or two to reduce the damage caused by exposed hair. Don’t keep it for more than two months or your hair will get badly tangled.
Curly hair has different needs in different seasons. In summer use thinner textured products and/or use less leave-in products. In winter, switch to thicker products and increase the amount of conditioner used to combat the dry, cold air.
Hair care is important, especially after swimming in the ocean or chlorinated water.

Warning.
Sunlight can damage hair. Choose a conditioner with sun protection, or wear a wide-brimmed hat or scarf to cover your hair when you go out in the hot sun.
Curly hair should not be combed through once it has dried. This can cause breakage and ruin the natural shape of your curls.
If you are going to use oils, whether on your hair or skin, dilute them first with a lighter-textured oil. Do not use water.