My Curly Hair Routine

Photo Credit: Tracey Jazmin Photography

People ask me all the time what I use in my hair to define my curls. I would say it's the number one question I get asked by friends and strangers alike. That's probably because anyone with even remotely curly hair knows that curls are tricky. They like their own way, and can be very stubborn depending on the tightness of the coil, the length, plus the texture and thickness of your hair.



Just as we humans are beautifully unique in how they were created, so is our hair. Every person's curls respond differently to different products, and us curly girls (and guys!) know that our bathroom cupboards have an unsightly amount of trial-and-error products, discarded and never to be used again.

Most of my hair journey has been like this, but I can finally say that after a few years of research, I've reached my 'holy grail' routine that I don't really stray from. It's helped me grow back my hair after a lot of chemical damage (let me know if you want me to do a story time on this...entitled: my hairdresser burnt off my hair) and restore it's health, bounce and shine.

Here are a few (low quality) pictures of what my hair looks like:

We have a lot to cover, so let's get right into it!

What You Need To Know

First things first, we need to do a little housekeeping/information imparting. Getting to know your specific hair type and curl pattern can give valuable insight into what products will and will not work for you, before you even enter the store. 

Know Your Porosity Type

A great resource for information on any curl type is Naturally Curly.com. The website goes through different basics about caring for curly hair that will be very valuable to you. 

In particular, this website has a great article about porosity types. Knowing your porosity type will help you determine what kind of products your hair will respond to, versus those it will not. I have low porosity.

Find out your porosity type: Porosity Test

Know Your Texture

Knowing your texture just furthers your understanding of how products sit on your hair and how to help protect it from damage

Take the test at Naturally Curly: Texture Quiz

Know Your Curl Type

Knowing your curl type isn't as dire as the other two, but it is always nice to know where you fit in the categories, and can help you explain your hair type to other people who are familiar with this system. I'm a 3B hair type.

Take the test at Naturally Curly: Hair Types

All of these tests will give you better insight about your own hair, and hopefully open up a larger dialogue on the vast diversity that is curly hair. 

The Regimen

Alright, this is what you're waiting for, my actual curly hair routine. I had to include the information above because what works for me will not necessarily work for you. Again, this is because there are so many variations to curly hair and everybody is different. However, if my hair is similar to yours, maybe this will be a great jump-off point for you. 

Weekly 

1. Co-Wash Hair

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If you're not familiar with the term 'co-washing' (also lovingly referred to as the 'no-poo' method) it's where you skip the harmful sulfates that are often used in commercial shampoos, and use more gentle alternatives which can be found in conditioner. Basically, conditioner is enough to cleanse your hair on a weekly basis. If you've never heard of the concept, I encourage you to read articles and watch YouTube videos about it, it's pretty interesting.

There are many great, gentle/natural shampoos that you can find and use in your regimen, but this is my routine, ok? This conditioner by Proclaim is my go to. It smells amazing and my hair adores coconut oil, sucks it up like it's in a desert. 

(Note: I get all of my products from my local Sally's Beauty Supply)

2. Deep Condition

Target

Now, this is a bit of a new development (and by new I mean 8-10 months) because I was planning a wedding and got lazy with my strict coconut oil deep condition treatment (more about that later). What I do now is use the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque after I co-wash, leaving it in for 5 minutes and washing it out after. 

It's important to note that the reviews of this product are less than stellar, a lot of people seem to see little to no results with it. But, my hair is happily maintained during the warmer months with this product. Try at your own risk? 

3. Dry with T-Shirt

Photo Credit: AEWV

Here's a tip for my curlies, dry your hair with a t-shirt, not a towel. The friction of drying your hair with a towel is the worst for your hair because it encourages frizz! There are some great YouTube videos on how to dry your hair correctly with a t-shirt.

4. Detangling 

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Now that you're out of the shower and your hair is no longer dripping, it's time to detangle! I part my hair into four sections and detangle from the bottom up! This is important because if you start from the top of your scalp, you will just be tearing knots all the way until you get to the bottom. Again, YouTube is your best friend for learning great detangling techniques!

5. Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie

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Pretty well every curly girl has this product, so it's no surprise that it's featured here. My hair loves this leave-in. I just apply a generous amount and then rake my fingers through my knot-free hair to evenly distribute the product. 

*I want to note that I use the LOC method to determine what kind of products I use and to guide the order in which I apply them. This method has been a life changer for me and there are lots of articles and videos on it. Basically it stands for Leave-in, Oil, and Cream. Depending on your hair type (i.e. if it's more dense), you may see better results with the LCO method, which just reverses the order.  

6. Natural Sweet Almond Oil

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The oil that you use here can be whatever your hair best responds to. My hair seems to like natural sweet almond oil. I don't use very much, probably about a dime size (seriously, I promise! All curly girls are rolling their eyes at me right now). Depending on your hair type you may need to use more. 

7. Curl Cream

Target

Lastly, I use Taliah Waajid's Curly Curl Cream. It really helps get those defined curls without leaving a crunchy feel. They give my hair a great soft finish that I really love! This product can flake sometimes depending on the state of my hair (i.e. it's drier than normal) but not often enough that I would consider replacing it. 

Monthly/As Needed

ACV Rinse

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Now, you've probably seen those videos on social media of people drinking apple cider vinegar for the health benefits. Although I can't vouch for that, I can say that it is a great natural clarifying solution for curly hair types. Think of the ACV rinse as the shampoo alternative. It helps get rid of all the product buildup that happens throughout the month, and gives you a clean slate so you can have your best looking hair. You know it's time to do an ACV rinse when your hair just doesn't look good even though you do the same routine that you always do. 

There is a right and a wrong way to do an ACV rinse, so do your research on it first. You don't want to damage your hair! 

Coconut Oil Deep Condition

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My hair LOVES this. I did this for 3 years while recovering from heat damage to get my hair to where it is today. This is for you if your hair is damaged in any way, whether by chemicals or by heat.

Every week before I washed my hair, I would wet my hair in warm water (low porosity!), section it and apply coconut oil to my entire head. Then, I would wrap it up in a shower cap and towel turban (to keep the heat inside), and let it sit for a whole hour. Once the hour was up, I'd continue my regimen as usual.



So that's it! My curly hair care routine! I know that this routine helped me grow strong, LONG hair in a few short years! My hair is nowhere near what it was before, and I'd be happy to write an article about that in the future.

With this regimen, my curls remain beautiful and defined for a whole week (well, the curls are a bit crusty by the 5th or 6th day depending on the weather...but nothing a little water can't revive :).

I hope I didn't overwhelm you too much, but if I did don't feel to bad, it's a lot of information all at once. I promise you, though, if you take the time to do research and learn about your hair type it will make your relationship with your hair infinitely more positive!

Your hair is beautiful and so are you! Let's share our knowledge with each other so everyone can have defined, bouncy and radiant curls!