Q+A CURLY HAIR
We often get asked in the salon about how to tackle hair problems, so here are some specifically related to curly hair.
What Is My Curl Type?
There are so many different types of curls!
We are going to make it a bit simpler and break it down into four main types.
Loose, Classic, Tight and Coily Curls.
Loose Curls (2a/2b): Bend in gentle S-shaped curves and tends to sit flatter at the crown. These curls usually need volume and hydration without any weight.
Classic Curls (2c/3a): Loop in an S-shape formation but begins at the root and is uniform to the ends of the hair. Think of it as a spiral shape! Hair needs enough gentle moisture to keep from being dehydrated.
Tight Curls (3b/3c): Very tightly coiled ringlets. They require a lot more hydration to be fully absorbed into each strand and not sit on the surface.
Coily Curls (4a/4b/4c): Made up of lots and lots of zig-zag-shaped strands. These curls are fragile and are prone to breaking because the hair finds it difficult to absorb any moisture. The tighter the curl, the harder it is for oils to travel down the hair shaft.
What Products Are Best To Use?
With curly hair, the oils from your scalp can't travel down the hair shaft like straight hair can. The moisture and nutrients are escaping from exposed openings in the cuticle layer which leads to dryness. All curls need some form of hydration and nourishment from products so it's important to use products that complement each type of curl.
Cleansing/Washing
Sulfate-free shampoos and cleansing conditioners are the way to go depending on your curl (a common theme here).
Loose curl types, sulfate-free shampoos are best suited for you!
They contain gentle detergents that break down oils and buildup from the scalp without stripping the hair of moisture.
The Love Curl Shampoo has been our favourite around here forever but it better watch out because Ouidad's Defrizzing Shampoo is the most popular new release we've had in a long time!
Classic, Tight and Coily curls, cleansing conditioners are the way to go.
They are basically lightweight conditioners to be used instead of shampoo. Most curl types don’t really benefit from a lot of shampoo, as they require more moisture.
The Love Curl Cleansing Cream works great or
Ouidad's Ultra Nourishing Cleansing Oil Shampoo is a hit! If you need a bit more nourishment (Coils I'm looking at you) we recommend Ouidad Curl Immersion No-Lather Coconut Cream Cleansing Conditioner
Styling
Something to make note of is that every day is different for curls.
Even if you do the exact same routine you will never be able to get an identical result and that is totally fine! Embrace the uniqueness that is you and your curls, perfect is boring anyway. Now, let's get to styling!
Loose curls need volumising hydration because anything too heavy will make the curl drop and the hair appear flat and lifeless and we can't have that.
Moroccan Oil Curl Control Mousse, Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energising & Refreshing Spray
Classic curls need balanced moisture to keep the cuticle sealed and to stop hair from frizzing. They do still have a tendency to drop if not cared for properly so we want weightless but nourishing products to achieve the desired look.
Moroccan Oil Curl Defining Cream, Ouidad Moisture Lock leave-in Conditioner.
Tight curls need a lot of moisture as they get dehydrated easily. The result of dehydration is loss of curl definition and dry, frizzing looking hair. Better reach for Moroccan Oil Intense Curl Cream, Ouidad Ultra-Nourishing Intense Hydrating Mask
Coily curls need intensive moisture and strength to prevent breakage. We need to be giving a whole lot of love to coils and take good care of them.
Oribe's Styling Butter Curl Enhancing Cream, Ouidad's Heat and Humidity Gel.
Is It Better To Have Layers With Curly Hair?
It really depends on the shape you want to achieve! Talk to your stylist about what will best suit your curl type, texture, and density of your hair. Having layers can create definition for your curls and remove excess weight in the hair. It can also create some added volume while having a blunt cut can achieve fullness and weight in the length. An important thing to remember when cutting curly hair is that curls behave differently and usually bounce up making the hair appear shorter than it actually is.
How Should I Dry My Curly Hair?
There are a few different ways of drying curly hair. Here are our top three:
Air Drying- It's pretty self-explanatory, just wash and go. Make sure you remove any excess water before applying styling products, do this by using a soft hand towel and scrunch. Now is not the time to practice your impersonation of THAT parent drying their kid at the pool and them being disorientated as a result. What I'm getting at is be gentle. You can either scrunch, finger twist or use a Denman Brush to define those curls.
Diffusing - It's an attachment for your hairdryer designed to disperse air evenly rather than concentrated on one spot. Always have your heat at the lowest setting and start at the nape of your neck some people find it easier to flip their hair upside down. Scrunch those curls as you work your way up. It can take a while but the results are amazing.
Plopping - After washing get rid of any extra water and apply your styling products. Flip your hair upside down and then use a cotton t-shirt or Towel Wrap to wrap your hair up on top of your head and let sit for as long as you like. This part might require some trial and error - you can plop from 5 to 20 minutes, an hour, or even overnight. It will all come down to your hair texture, length, porosity, and how much time you've got!
For all these different methods, the key is removing any extra water and having enough product in your curls before you start drying - it may be a matter of experimenting to see what works for you.
We hope you discovered something new from this email.
Now that you've dived into the curly hair world there is a bottomless pit of information and products just waiting for you to get lost in. Enjoy!
