As women with curly hair know, the road to perfect spirals is a long one. Just one wrong move or product can ruin your half-day wash process instantly. So when you see a girl — be it on the street, at a concert, or in a restaurant — who has perfectly-coiled curls, your first instinct might be to run up and ask her to share all of her tress secrets.Not a part of the brave bunch that make a habit of going up to that unsuspecting stranger on the street to ask for beauty secrets? We don't blame you. So we decided to do the creeping for you. We asked women with beautiful curls to share what goes into their stellar strands. You know who we're talking about: those ladies with the perfectly coiffed curls that manage to rival Solange's or Carrie Bradshaw's.
Ahead, we compiled their advice into the nine things that women with bouncy, perfect curls always do. With a little bit of work, and the tips in this slideshow, you'll be the one people go up to, asking for your regimen.
The first step to amazing coils is knowing how your specific curl pattern reacts to different products. According to celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble, as a general rule, tighter curls require more product while looser curls require less. Of course, this is definitely a case-by-case basis — many variables, like width, density, and porosity come into play — but becoming familiar with what your mane loves can only help the health of your hair in the long run.
Wendi Levy, co-founder of of curly-hair brand Mixed Chicks, echoes this sentiment and adds that you should not only know your curl type up and down, but also embrace and appreciate it. "Everyone has a different curl pattern — use products to enhance YOUR pattern and try not to look to achieve the same look as others," she says. "Enjoy what God has given you!"
Since you can't actually see split ends on curly hair (because it's, well, curly), women often neglect the whole getting-a-trim thing. That, and the fact that we don't want to lose our length. But, as all of the ladies I talked to stress, a regular cut is absolutely necessary for great curls.
"No matter how healthy your hair is, if you're holding on to long, damaged, frayed ends that haven't been touched by a stylist in years, your curls won't look their best," explains Cristina Cleveland, the content editor of NaturallyCurly.com. "If your ends are straighter than your roots, or if your hair tangles easily at the ends, then it's time to see a stylist who specializes in textured hair, to trim the ends and give new shape to your curls."
There are a ton of natural- and curly-hair-friendly brands on the market, but this tip still applies if you're using products that veer outside of this realm.
The most important product and ingredient label to abide by is that of your cleansers, says Cleveland. "Switch to a gentle cleanser — shampoos are notorious for drying out curly hair," she says. "If you are dealing with dryness, you can always shampoo less, but if that doesn't work for your lifestyle, then at least find a gentle, sulfate-free cleanser that won't dry out your hair."
You should stay away from products that include ingredients like sulfates, detergents, and silicones — substances ending in "cone" (like dimethicone and cetearyl methicone).
Ladies with bouncy, defined curls have extra-moisturized, conditioned curls as well. They come hand-in-hand, says Kimble. "For curly hair, don’t be shy with using conditioner; hydration is key," she says. "The more hydration your hair receives, the better your curls will look."
Levy swears by using a deep conditioner daily (or, at minimum, once a week, if you're a normal person with a life) and sitting under a dryer for 20 minutes for a more intense hydrating treatment.
Cleveland also recommends, in addition to deep-conditioning regularly, adding protein treatments to your regimen. "If your hair used to be curly and now it won't curl, or if your ringlets and coils aren't as bouncy and elastic as they used to be, you may want to incorporate protein treatments into your routine," she says. "Your hair and scalp require a balance of moisture and protein to be healthy, so even if you moisturize religiously, you still need to do a protein treatment every once in a while."
While a blowout here and there is okay, if your curls are particularly lackluster or you've been heavy-handed with your hot tools lately, then, well, there's your reason right there. No amount of deep conditioning and hydration can reverse the effects of heat damage, so use your blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons sparingly.
"Many curlies complain that their hair has stopped curling or that it won't behave anymore," Cleveland says. "There's a good chance that [the hair has] grown damaged from heat styling, coloring, or manipulation. Damage is irreparable, so be realistic about damaging practices you may have, and try not to hold on to damaged hair."
"For great curls, always apply product to the hair when [it's] wet," advises Kimble. This helps the curls separate and form without the frizz.
The order in which you apply those products post-cleansing is important, too. This is where the LOC method, which stands for liquid or leave-in, oil, and cream, comes in. "You wouldn't apply a powder blush before your foundation...likewise, it's important to apply your hair products in the correct order," Cleveland says.
Start off by applying your moisturizer, followed up with two sealants. "The LCO is also popular, but the key is to moisturize the hair and then lock that in with the oil and a creamy, moisturizing styler," says Cleveland.
"You know how your curls looks amazingly defined right when you get out of the shower? The secret to keeping them that way is an effective styling product," says Cleveland. "It will take trial and error to find the perfect one, but once you do, it will make all the difference."
How you choose to style your hair once you apply the product will also help the definition. This is where the curly-hair drying trick, plopping, comes into play. "What happens between when you get out of the shower and when your hair is fully dry could be the difference between a curly fail and a great hair day," says Cleveland. "Plopping with a T-shirt or microfiber towel is a technique that will help your curls dry in a defined, spiral shape with volume at the roots."
How does plopping work? After applying your leave-in and styler, flip your head forward and gather your hair into the center of the T-shirt. Next, tie the sleeves to secure it on the top of your head and leave it on for 15 minutes. Silly name? Yes. Effective? Definitely.
After plopping and styling, another key to great curls is keeping your hands to yourself — and out of your hair. "It’s best to not touch your hair after applying product, to prevent frizz from happening," says Kimble.
Apply your product to wet strands, making sure to distribute it evenly; then, shake your head a bit so that your curls bunch together. Then, walk away. We'll repeat that: Walk away from the mirror, from any other products, and from nit-picking your hair! Let your hair just be. In the morning, rather than reaching for water to rehydrate your strands, Kimble recommends reaching for a spray that contains moisturizing ingredients.
"Wet your hair down again with a hydrating leave-in, like Kimble Beauty Bounce Back Curl Liquid Curl Enhancer (which contains coconut oil and jojoba oil) to help the curls separate and form without the frizz," Kimble says.
Last but not least, the curl-care process doesn't stop when the sun goes down, in fact, it's basically an all-day job. All of the ladies I spoke to swear by investing in both silk scarves or bonnets and silk pillowcases, all of which help preserve your curls at night, keep them from tangling, and prevent them from drying out.
Another popular and effective overnight method is pineappling your hair. "Before you go to sleep, tie your hair in a very loose ponytail (scrunchies work well) on top of your head. It should look like a pineapple," explains Cleveland. "Pineappling will prevent frizz, dryness, and flattened curls from rubbing against your pillow while you sleep." If your hair is too short to reach the top of your head, she recommends creating mini pineapples, or any other loose ponytail shape that works for your hair length.
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