Curly hair is typically dry and shampooing your hair too often tends to make it brittle by washing out the natural oils that your curls need to stay looking healthy. When you do shampoo, which should be no more than every other day, keep the lather close to your scalp to remove the product and dirt build up. The soapy water will take care of the length of your hair as it rinses out. Conversely, concentrate your conditioner on your ends working back up to the scalp to moisturize those ends!
Don't dry brush or comb curly hair. It is dry and prone to breakage, and besides...you will end up with a frizzy mess. Use a wide tooth comb or your fingers to comb through when it is wet. You can also use a damp brush to detangle as it will rake your curls instead of "brushing" them.
Products are your friend! Because your hair is prone to dryness and frizz, it is important to choose moisturizing products to keep your curls smooth and bouncy. Find a good anti-frizz serum or shaping cream to tame tresses and maintain the shape in between washes. A good leave in conditioner will work wonders to re-energize your curls on day 2 and/or 3 instead of water, which can create frizz.
Choose a stylist carefully. Curly hair and straight hair are not the same animal and you should use someone that understands how to handle your curls. Ideally, curly hair should not be cut wet because curls shrink as they dry which may result in a shorter haircut than you intended. Also, it is easier to cut into the curl pattern when it is dry and defined. Curly hair should never be cut with a razor as it causes premature breakage and odd growth patterns making you look like you need a haircut by the frizz and chaos that results. Be very clear with your stylist about how you tend to wear your hair. If you tend to straighten your hair often, make sure that your stylist takes that into account while cutting. Layers look great with curly hair, but may not look great when flat ironed.
Most importantly, learn to love your curls! You know that they have a mind of their own so learn to embrace them and work with them instead of against them.
Don't dry brush or comb curly hair. It is dry and prone to breakage, and besides...you will end up with a frizzy mess. Use a wide tooth comb or your fingers to comb through when it is wet. You can also use a damp brush to detangle as it will rake your curls instead of "brushing" them.
Products are your friend! Because your hair is prone to dryness and frizz, it is important to choose moisturizing products to keep your curls smooth and bouncy. Find a good anti-frizz serum or shaping cream to tame tresses and maintain the shape in between washes. A good leave in conditioner will work wonders to re-energize your curls on day 2 and/or 3 instead of water, which can create frizz.
Choose a stylist carefully. Curly hair and straight hair are not the same animal and you should use someone that understands how to handle your curls. Ideally, curly hair should not be cut wet because curls shrink as they dry which may result in a shorter haircut than you intended. Also, it is easier to cut into the curl pattern when it is dry and defined. Curly hair should never be cut with a razor as it causes premature breakage and odd growth patterns making you look like you need a haircut by the frizz and chaos that results. Be very clear with your stylist about how you tend to wear your hair. If you tend to straighten your hair often, make sure that your stylist takes that into account while cutting. Layers look great with curly hair, but may not look great when flat ironed.
Most importantly, learn to love your curls! You know that they have a mind of their own so learn to embrace them and work with them instead of against them.