Transform Your Hair with These Simple Tips for Gorgeous, Well Defined Curls in Under Two Washes
Curly hair can be one of the most stunning textures, adding volume and personality to your look. But let’s face it, managing thick curls and tackling tangles can sometimes be challenging. And achieving well defined curls can be next to impossible.
It will complement the features of anyone who has it. Still, without proper care, it may get tangled and matted and become more complicated to manage as time passes without any attention, which is why a solid haircare routine is super important.
Having well-defined curls is a showcase of proper curly haircare, and with these 6 easy steps, you can achieve beautifully defined curls that are manageable and full of life—starting with your next wash.
1. Using Curly Hair Products
Although seemingly obvious, curly hair products can and will help you get a defined curl look.
Curly hair is unique because no curl pattern is the same. Using products specific for curls can alleviate a barrier when purchasing hair products.
Note that curly hair products tend to be expensive. However, investing in them and following the following tips will help show how, when applied correctly, they can have a higher return on investment.
Our favourites for curly hair are CPR’s The Curly Solution and Shea Moisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Collection. They both smell divine and work even better.
2. A Little Amount of Product Goes a Long Way
When starting the curly hair wash routine, using a finger’s worth of shampoo and conditioner will provide the best product, maybe more or less dependent on how long the hair is, but the general rule of thumb is a finger’s worth.
This is because although curly hair may be higher in porosity (it absorbs more water), it does not absorb products the same way.
Lathering the head in shampoo and conditioner is only topical. When washing the hair, make sure that the roots and ends receive an equal amount of product.
The ends of curly hair receive more attention; however, applying product to the roots and ends achieves well-defined curls.
3. Brush Curly Hair with Conditioner in The Shower
This is the best-kept secret for all well-defined curly hair.
After applying the products, ensure there is no immediate rinse. Instead, brush hair with conditioner.
Due to curly hair’s knotting, brushing with conditioner can allow for a more effortless glide of brush strokes and painless detangling of knots.
4. Cold Rinse to Make Defined Curls
Another secret for well-defined curls is cold rinsing curly hair after brushing.
Due to the humidity of hot water, curly hair frizzes more easily when exposed to it. Therefore, a cold rinse of curls allows thicker bundles to stay together.
Once the drying begins, these bundles become defined curls and last longer on the head.
5. Diffuse Curly Hair
After cold rinsing, drying the hair is next. It can be easy to put hair up in a towel wrap and call it a day. However, this can ruin the curl pattern previous steps have tried to make.
Instead, using the diffuser head of a hairdryer, dry the curls in an even distribution over the head.
Diffusers are amazing for well-defined curls as they distribute heat evenly over hair, which helps reduce frizz and lock in the definition of curls. Ensure that the low heat setting for the hair dryer is being used.
Heat diffuser heads are accessories that can be found for any brand of hairdryer and range between $10-50, depending on the hairdryer brand.
6. Apply Leave-In Conditioner
Finally, applying a pea-sized amount of leave-in conditioner while the hair is still damp will allow curly hair to maintain its definition and look for up to 3 days.
Leave-in conditioners also have the added benefit of increasing the definition of curls when exposed to moisture, which can be helpful when it’s humid, rainy, or planning to swim.
Just be mindful when swimming to bring products to reapply after taking a dip for a maximum-lasting curl.
Note, that to gain the maximum benefits of this routine, apply oils such as coconut, jojoba and argan to the scalp for hydration.
Here are some extra tips to maximise well defined curls:
- Curl Definition Creams
Add daily curl definition creams such as CPR’s Curl ctrl crème and Shea Moistures’ curl-enhancing smoothie for the longest-lasting effect on curly hair. When applied daily, these products help define curly hair for up to three days without washing. These products, unlike dry conditioners’ are not as heavy and, therefore, don’t build up on hair follicles as much.
- Silk Touches
Investing in a silk pillowcase or silk bonnet/shower cap for sleep will also enhance the lifetime of well-defined curls. Due to silks’ low friction and ability to lock in moisture for longer, frizz will be reduced, and curls will stay defined for longer.
