Curly hair is seriously like living with its own wild personality… and I love that for us. Whether you’re new to embracing your natural curls or just trying to level-up your curl game, I’ve got your back. Let’s talk about how to properly style curly hair so you can get all those cute curls to pop without the major frizz drama. ‘Cause if there’s one thing about curly hair, it’s that it doesn’t follow the rules—unless you help it along.
First things first, if you’ve been out here treating your curls like straight hair, stop! Straight-haired peeps will never understand the daily struggle of doing a “quick style” just to end up looking like you got in a fight with humidity… and lost. The truth is, curly hair demands a different vibe—a little more TLC, a lot more moisture, and wayyy less brushing.
Let’s Start with the Wash Routine: It’s Key
Okay, so this is not the part where you slather on shampoo like you’re in a commercial. Shampooing curly hair is like walking a tightrope—you don’t want to do too much, but you also don’t wanna skip it.
Pro Tip: Don’t wash your curls every single day. Over-washing will make your curls hella dry and nobody has time for crispy, crunchy hair. Most curly girls can go 2 to 3 days without washing, depending on your natural oil levels, but hey—you do you.
If you can, switch to a sulfate-free shampoo. You’ve probably heard that like a billion times, but it’s true; sulfates strip your hair of the good stuff. We love moisture here on the curly side of things.
Also, instead of crushing your curls with a regular terry cloth towel, pop up with a microfiber towel or a soft cotton tee. The less friction, the better:
“Terry cloth is the villain of the curly world.”
Who knew?
Conditioner Is Your BFF
Curly hair just loves conditioner. It’s like your secret sauce. Actually, for some curly peeps, conditioner is their shampoo (aka co-washing). That’s right, some people just skip shampoo completely and use conditioner alone. It’s super moisturizing and helps keep all your juicy curl definition. If that doesn’t sound like something you’d want to try on the reg though, just make sure you’re using a conditioner made for curls (or at least one that’s super hydrating).
How to Train Your Curls: After rinsing out your conditioner, scrunch your hair while it’s still soaking wet. Curl definition starts here, babe.
Wanna be extra? Leave some conditioner in your curls, or use a leave-in conditioner for that hydration boost. Trust me, your curls will appreciate it.
The Post-Wash: AKA What You Do While Your Hair’s Wet
Before even thinking about styling, we gotta talk about how to handle your curls fresh out of the shower. They are delicate when wet, kinda like a Fabergé egg (fancy, I know). So, no towel-drying by shaking your hair like a dog. Gently scrunch out the water with your microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt and no brushes allowed.
Speaking of brushing: brushing curly hair when it’s dry is a recipe for looking like a frizzy Puffball Pokémon. Instead, finger-detangle or use a wide-tooth comb while your hair is still wet and loaded with conditioner.
Another hot tip? Plop your wet hair. This is where you gather your hair into a t-shirt or microfiber towel and let it sit for like 10-30 minutes. While it dries, your curls get defined and keep their shape. It’s like letting your curls set…without heat.
Time to Style: Picking the Right Products
It’s like the Hunger Games out here with all the curly hair products: gels, creams, mousses, sprays. But finding your holy grail is chef’s kiss.
If you’re new to styling curls, start with a creamy curl product—a curl cream, curl butter, or leave-in cream. These tend to be more forgiving and give a softer, more natural look. On the flip side, if you want your curls to hold for days (yes please), gels and mousses are your friends.
Pro tip: Apply your product when your hair’s still soaking wet. Grab it by the ends and scrunch upwards gently toward your scalp. That’s how you get those perfect, bouncy spirals.
Another game changer? Diffusing your curls. A lot of people let their curls air dry (which is cool) but using a diffuser is like giving them a VIP drying room. Low heat, high impact. If you want crazy defined curls, this could be your new fave thing.
Remember to flip your hair upside down when diffusing; this adds volume without making your curls go all flat. Volume queens, we see you! 👸
“Diffusing gives curls a ‘lift’ that air drying simply cannot.”
Refresh Day-Old Curls Like a Boss
Curls looking…sleepy? No sweat. Curls rarely look 100% poppin’ by day two, but you can totally refresh them without needing to restart from step one. TBH, this hack is life-giving.
Here’s how: grab a spray bottle, fill it with water, and lightly mist your curls. Next, hit ‘em with either a curl refresher spray, a little leave-in conditioner, or just a small dab of curl cream you spread between your hands. Scrunch your curls to reshape, shake them out a bit, and you’re good to go!
Oh, and gurl, if you’ve been waking up with sad, squashed curls? Welcome to the silk-pillowcase life. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase reduces friction while you’re flailing around in your dreams, letting your curls stay more intact by morning. No more pancake hair, yay!
A Little Curl Therapy: Defeat the Frizz Monster
Curly hair’s #1 nemesis? FRIZZ. Anyone who’s been in the humid AF weather understands this on a spiritual level. But you don’t have to let frizz win 🔥.
First, reframe how you think of frizz. A tiny bit of frizz? It’s not the enemy. It can actually make your hair look more voluminous and cool. But when you’re tryna achieve sleek, well-defined curls, okay—frizz is sorta the devil 😈.
The fix? Your curls will frizz if they’re thirsty, so moisturizing is half the battle. Using a hydrating leave-in conditioner or a curl cream will help your curls keep moisture locked in.
Another enemy: touching your hair. I know it’s tempting to run your fingers through your curls, but that just makes frizz happen faster. Instead, leave your curls alone after styling. The less you touch, the better they’ll stay in place.
Also, for my sweaty workout people—if frizz attacks post-gym, a simple way to step up your game is tying your hair into loose pineapple on the top of your head before working out. It keeps your curls pretty together while you’re getting your sweat on.
Love Your Curls As They Are!
I can’t even tell you how long I spent trying to “tame” my curly hair into something it wasn’t. If your hair naturally has loads of volume and you’re out here trying to flatten it—why? Let it breathe. If you have tighter coils and you’re forcing them to relax all the time…girl, let go. Curly hair is like a piece of art that already has the vibe; you just have to lean into it.
And while we’re here, shoutout to all my girls with different textures across their head! It’s so common to have multiple curl patterns in one head of hair. Your top layer might be super wavy, while your under layer is straight up ringlets and coils. Instead of trying to make them all the same, find looks that embrace all the different textures you’ve got.
Final Product Recap: Let’s Keep It Simple
- Shampoo sparingly: Look for sulfate-free!👀
- Conditioner = Essential AF: Co-wash if you want, and always leave a lil’ in.
- Towel = No Bueno: Go for microfiber or a soft tee to scrunch.
- Post-Shower Care: Use a cream or leave-in and scrunch away.
- Diffusers Give Volume: But no heat unless you need to!
- Refresh Your Curls: With a spray bottle and touchup products!
At the end of the day, curly hair may seem like it’s got mood swings, but really? It’s just living its best life thanks to YOU doing this work.
Now go give your curls some lovin’. I promise, they’ll return the favor by swooning the whole room. 💁♀️✨
Catch ya later curl queens!
