Dear Curly Heads,
Many of us have heard the saying "good things come in threes". Well this is especially true when it comes to maintaining your curls. There are three tools that I swear by and you should too! They are:
- Detangler which also works as a styling brush
- Spray bottle for misting the hair
- Hair pick for shaping your hair
Detangler
I find that it is best to detangle curly hair while you are still in the shower and with conditioner in your hair. The combination of wet hair and conditioner adds more slip to your hair which makes it easier for the detangler to glide through. You always want to start detangling from your ends and work your way up. By doing so, you prevent breakage and damaging your hair.
This same detangler can then be used as your styling brush. Use it to run the products through your hair. I end up with a lot less frizz when I brush the products through my hair vs using just my fingers. Not only that, but my curls end up looking more defined and consistent looking.
It can also be used as a scalp massager. Use it in conjunction with your favorite natural oil to improve circulation or with a pre-poo treatment.
Life hack: by a simple flick of the wrist when using the detangler, you can enhance and activate your curls giving them more definition. This comes in handy if you have parts of your hair that do not curl as much as the rest of your hair.
Spray Bottle/Mister
Your hair should always be wet before applying your styling products. A spray bottle/mister is the perfect and most convenient way to do this - not to mention, the less messy way. The wetter the hair, the better it will absorb the product you’re putting in it. You can always use a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt to soak up excess water.
Life hack: fill your mister with water and your favorite leave-in conditioner (about a quarter size amount). Mist your entire hair with this to before you apply your main styling product. You can also use this to touch up your hair on parts that get frizzy throughout the week.
Hair Pick
For shape and volume a hair pick is a must! I tend to prefer picks with metal teeth instead of plastic as I feel they don’t frizz up my hair. You can flip your hair over and begin picking out your roots. Flip it back to pick out the front. While looking in a mirror, pick out whatever other sections (always at the root) you feel will give your hair the shape you want.
Life hack: for those who have a hard time keeping volume at the roots, mist setting hairspray on the pick’s teeth and quickly pick out your hair at the roots to avoid hair spraying your entire head. This way you’re only applying the spray where you actually need it; at the root.
What are your must have tools for maintaining your curls? Let me know your faves in the comments below.
P.S. After doing all this work, make sure to use a CurlCase when you sleep to make this style last for days without having to redo it!