Curly Hair Tips for Achieving the Perfect Curl

Ringlets, spirals, coils, and waves are just a few different types of curly hair. But no matter what type of curls you have it can be a challenge to maintain them. We’ve all read or heard about ways to get perfect, frizz free coils.

Some of these tips may work and others have probably made your hair even frizzier. So how do you know what to try and what to stay away from? The following are some best practices and tips that work for me and will hopefully work for you too.

Picking the right shampoo and conditioner

This can be hard and overwhelming, since there are so many on the market targeted at curly hair. Some of the ones that have worked best for me include, Philip Adam and Mineral Fusion.

Philip Adam

All of the shampoos & conditioners contain apple cider vinegar, which is great for balancing the PH of the scalp. The shampoo is gentle enough to be used on all types of hair, including dyed or processed. At the same time it will remove any build up from styling products. The conditioner is very hydrating and will give bounce and life to your curls. I like the Orange Vanilla best!

Mineral Fusion

I really like the Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner. You might be thinking, doesn’t “smoothing” get rid of your curls? No, in fact I find it maintains them pretty well. The shampoo cleans, lathers well and doesn’t dry out your hair. The conditioner leaves hair soft, minimizes frizz, and leaves curls smooth.

Tips

• Although most of us like showering with warm water, curly hair does best when washed & rinsed in cold water.
• Don’t wash your hair often.
• Leave some conditioner in your hair to make combing easier.
• Try combing your hair in the shower using a wide toothcomb or your fingers – this will keep your curls intact, help with the frizz and prevent breakage.

Picking the right product

The right products are essential for keeping your curls looking great.

Generally, curly hair needs a lot of help to stay frizz free. Here are three great products that work wonders for me, Alaffia Beautiful Curls Defining Gel, Anadolu Styling Cream and Prairie Naturals Moonshine Serum.

Alaffia Beautiful Curls Defining Gel

Doesn’t leave your hair feeling crispy and you can apply it on wet or dry hair. I apply it when my hair is freshly washed, concentrating the bulk of the product on the ends and working my way up.

Anadolu Styling Cream

Also leaves your hair crisp free but helps smooth out the curls and any flyaways. I mainly use it on dry hair when styling.

Prairie Naturals Moonshine Serum

Contains silica, which leaves hair shiny and smooth. This is great for when you get a blowout.

Tips

• Cream before oil for beautiful coils. This has been the biggest game changer for me. I found that within a day my curls would get frizzy but as soon as I switched the order I found my curls looked 100 times better for longer.
• When styling your hair on the 2nd day after washing try spraying with a ½ conditioner and ½ water mixture to refresh your coils before adding any additional products.
• If you like using gel, try mixing some leave-in conditioner with it. This will add hydration and help sculpt your hair.
• If your hair is long, tie it up in a pineapple at the top of your head to keep the shape of your curls while you sleep.

I hope some of these tips work for you as they have for me. You can find all of these and other curly hair products in our body care are department. Be sure to stop by, a staff member will be more than happy to help you with all of curly hair needs.

Jennifer Merida, Makeup Artist, The Big Carrot Danforth