The Best Haircare Routine for Curly and Wavy Hair
Whether you've got coils, curls, or waves, a proper maintenance plan is a must. Use this guide to find out how to take care of your curly hair and style your waves.
A haircare routine for curly hair is fundamentally different from other hair types since it tends to be drier and more prone to damage. Ripples can cause tiny tears in the outer cuticle, which let moisture escape; and its follicles are oval-shaped, which makes it more difficult for the scalp's naturally hydrating oils to travel down strands. This is why curly and wavy hair needs specialized hair care to become hydrated, strong, and flexible.
These pro styling tips and products will help you take care of curly and wavy hair and learn how to maintain it.
Related: I Tried the Curly Girl Method and It Totally Transformed My Hair
How to Style and Care for Curly Hair and Waves
Step One: Cleanse & Condition
Over-cleansing can strip it of sebum, the natural oil on your scalp, and can disrupt the natural curl pattern.
How often to wash all comes down to your curl type. Here are some general guidelines, according to celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh:
For tight curls you may only need a shampoo once a week.
For wavier textures you're better off cleansing two or three times a week.
Dry, frizzy hair should be washed once or twice a week at most.
Before you step into the shower, wet hair and apply a strengthening treatment like Nexxus Curl Define Ultra-8 Pre-Wash Treatment (Buy It, $17, cvs.com), then put on a shower cap to trap heat. This opens the hair follicles so the formula can penetrate better.
After a minimum of 10 minutes, wash hair with a sulfate-free shampoo. "Good curls start with your shampoo," says stylist Ouidad, creator of Ouidad products for curly hair. "Pick shampoos labeled mild, gentle, or 'low-poo' or cleansing conditioners, which contain fewer harsh lathering agents and more moisturizers than traditional formulas," she says. (Also read: Should You Be Co-Washing Your Hair?)
Then apply conditioner two to three inches away from the scalp, so you don't weigh down your texture. From there, begin your knot-busting routine. (One of these other conditioners for curly hair will do the trick, too.)
"Start detangling in the shower," says Irinel de León, a Los Angeles hair-stylist. "As you rinse, gently rake your fingers through strands, then scrunch them to activate your natural curl pattern." If your fingers don't cut it, try using a wide-toothed comb to help detangle. (More here: Should You Ever Really Brush Your Hair?)
Step Two: Prep
Wrap a microfiber towel around your hair to squeeze out excess water — don't rub, which encourages frizz. Next, rake about a quarter-size dab of leave-in conditioner mixed with curl cream from roots to ends with your fingers, says de León.
"Rake and shake" the products through damp hair using your fingers, says Ouidad. If you hold your fingers closer together when raking, the ensuing curls will be tighter. Then, scrunch curls, says de León.
Step Three: Style
Your safest drying option when it comes to caring for curly hair: air dry. "Heat from a blow-dryer can deplete hair of its must-needed moisture," says de León.
But if you do need to dry your hair quickly, add a diffuser attachment to your blow-dryer and keep it on a low heat and speed setting. "This gives curls the room to form without being blasted with overly hot air," says de León. To diffuse your hair gently, "lay it across the top of the diffuser, and blow from the underside of the hair," says Ouidad.
No matter which way you dry it, resist touching your hair; you'll upset the curl pattern and bring on frizz. (And remember to use a heat-protectant spray if your hair is chemically processed.)
Step Four: Maintain Curls and Waves
Between washes, mist hair with water and then a hydrating leave-in (like Tresemmé Flawless Curls Refresher Spray, $5, target.com) to reenergize your curls. Before bed, put your hair in twisted buns or braids, and sleep with a silk pillowcase to minimize friction.
Every two weeks, use a deep treatment to "feed" your hair, says Ouidad. This fortifies the internal structure of your strands, which yields healthier-looking curls.
How to Make Curly Hair Straight
On day one, prep damp hair with a pea-size drop of styling cream, such as PhytoSpecific Curl Legend Curl Sculpting Cream-Gel (Buy It, $24, us-phyto.com). Blow hair dry in sections, working with a large, round natural-bristle brush, says Sharon Medina, an educator for the hair-care company Inoar.
On day two, add a bit of oil, like ColorProof TruCurl Anti-Frizz Oil (Buy It, $25, colorproof.com) to your hair to seal the cuticle, then restyle with the dryer. On day three, simply use a flat iron. "It seals the cuticle and boosts shine," says Medina.
How to Make Wavy Hair More Curly
Distribute an oil-, gel-, or cream-based product through damp hair, then fashion sections into pin curls (for tighter curls, wrap hair around one finger, then secure with a clip; for looser waves, wrap hair around three fingers before pinning). Let pin curls air-dry, or heat them with a diffuser. Remove clips, then set with finishing spray. (Here's another way to curl hair without heat.)
Do You Need a Special Haircut for Curly Hair?
Quite possibly. The biggest clue that you have a good curly haircut is that it "sits well whether you wear it curly or straight," says Ouidad, who explains that curls must be sliced from the inside out (then around the perimeter) so that they stack neatly atop one another. If your curls take a long time to tame at home, consider seeing a curl specialist or at least finding the stylist at your regular salon who has the most experience with textured hair.
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