Short curly hairstyles can look beautiful when shorter than most lengths. The key is finding a hairstylist who specializes in cutting naturally curly hair. They should give you a short haircut that works with your unique curl pattern, density, texture, and head shape. A proper curly haircut needs the right products to enhance your natural curls and keep your hair healthy.
Caring for and keeping curly hair requires some discipline, especially if you want to avoid snags and knots. And while we’ve all run into those issues—it’s difficult to find someone with curls, from types A to C, who hasn’t struggled to tame her locks before work or an event—it is absolutely possible to have more good hair than bad. Start by breaking a few habits that hurt more than they help. Discover several things to avoid doing to your curls, according to the experts, below.
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Overwashing your hair
It doesn’t matter whether your curls are wavy, coily, or kinky. Overwashing curly hair is one of the easiest mistakes to make and among the biggest things to avoid if you have curly locks, says Tony Odisho, master stylist and founder of Tony Odisho. The reason? It depletes the natural oils in each strand. Consider sticking to once or twice a week for cleansing—your curls will thank you for it.
Using shampoo and conditioners that have sulfates
What’s so bad about sulfates? Shampoos and conditioners that have them usually lather up a lot, which might seem reasonable in theory but can actually be extremely harmful to your curls.“Hair products with sulfates are very drying and should be avoided at all costs.
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Avoid hooded dryers at saloons.
And if you’re at the saloon avoid hooded heaters at all costs. “To set your curls, stay away from hooded dryers. Hooded dryers are designed to evaporate moisture and are therefore ineffective for styling moisture-loving hair. Allow your hair to air dry naturally so that it can retain just the right amount of moisture.
Avoid brushing your hair when it is dry.
Curly hair has a tendency to be deficient in natural oil at the tips, namely because the oil originates from the roots; getting it to your ends can be a challenge. According to experts, those with a loose wave pattern may be able to brush that nourishing oil through after their hair has dried—but the rest of the curly-haired community should avoid doing so at all costs. Brushing curls, wet or dry, can be tricky, but “things happen.
“If you need to brush your hair while it’s still wet, [which is safer], mist it with water from an aerosol spray bottle to loosen any tangled hairs.” Be sure to use a detangling brush suited for your hair type when brushing—and avoid going to bed while curls are still damp (doing so could result in major tangles).
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Keep your hands off your curls—and don’t style them until they are dry.
Curls look amazing when wet, and it is not advised to not touch them as they dry. Back-combing and teasing curly hair is a bad idea because it makes curly hair look frizzy. “The more you touch your curls, the more frizzy they become, the wider they grow, and the less defined they will be. As a result, wait until your hair is dehydrated before styling it: “After they’ve dried, gently separate the curls or coils.”
Don’t skip haircuts.
Your hair behaves similarly to a growing plant: If you don’t trim it, you’ll probably end up with breakage and a lack of growth. Importance of checking in with your favorite hairstylist for regular trims so you can maintain consistent growth and perform damage control if needed.
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Never forget to protect your curls at night.
A nightly routine that doesn’t include covering your hair before your sleep might lead to frizzy coils. Regardless of your hair type, most experts recommend protecting your strands while sleeping—and this is especially true for those with curly or coily hair. “This is where your hair routine’s discipline comes into play, adding that styling your curls will be much easier if you wake up with a solid starting point.
As for what happens if you don’t cover your hair? Fibers in your pillowcase’s fabrics press up against your curls and disrupt them; protecting your hair with a satin-lined head covering, on the other hand, will leave your hair soft and manageable for the day ahead. “You’ll notice an immediate difference by the morning.
