Life
If I ever found a lamp with a genie in it, my first wish would be to do away with frizz forever. Whether you live in a humid, tropical climate or your environment is dry arid, nature never seems to be kind to curls. Every weather condition presents its own problem. As someone with naturally wavy hair, I’m no stranger to the battles that people with non-straight tresses face on a daily basis. The struggle is, in fact, real. If you fight to find peace with your lovely locks, you might wonder, “What am I doing wrong with curly hair?”
It’s normal if you feel envious of your straight-haired friends and occasionally resent your unwieldy waves. There are quite a few issues that come with the territory. Whether it’s dealing with a case of the frizzies, breaking a comb off in your hair, or waking up looking like Einstein, everyone has made mistakes when tending to their troubled tresses. And if you’re like me, committing these hair sins has you in a love/hate relationship with your wild and wavy mane. If you want to have a love/love relationship with your ringlets, check out the top seven things you might be doing wrong so you’ll never make these mistakes again.
1
Picking The Wrong ‘Poo
I don’t even know what’s in my fave Starbuck’s frappuccino let alone the ingredients in my go-to shampoo. But this info could be affecting your curly locks. In an interview with Allure, cosmetic chemist N’Kita Wilson said that people with curly hair should avoid shampoos with sulfates as it is super drying and damaging to delicate waves. In addition to switching your shampoo, Wilson suggested washing your hair every other day, or less frequently than every other day.
2
Styling Without Protection
No matter how much you love your natural curls, sometimes you want to switch things up and go straight. But you need to be be safe about it. Redken styling expert Jenny Balding told Total hat women should use a heat-protectant product to prevent damage and keep in moisture. (My personal favorite is CHI Iron Guard.)
CHI Iron Guard, $5.76, Amazon
3
Buying Into The Brush Hype
to avoid any tangled tressesYou may have been told that brushing your hair is a necessary part of any good grooming routine. But is that a mistake for women with curly hair? Possibly. Marie Claire’s fashion and beauty editor Brooke Shunatona suggested using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb.
Swissco Wide Tooth Comb, $11.99, Amazon
4
Not Conditioning At All Or Enough
Curls crave moisture, so one of the worst things you can do is dehydrate them. Hairstylist Morgan Willhite, told Total Beauty that intensive masks and conditioners are a must for curly hair, as they act like a multivitamin for a moisture-deprived mane.
OGX Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Hair Mask, $12.50, Amazon
Pantene Pro-V Moisture Renewal Hydrating Conditioner, $7, Amazon
5
Getting Too Handsy
Many times, I’ve made my frizz exponentially worse by not keeping my hands out of my hair. Allure’s associate beauty editor Lexi Novak attributes that to creating friction, which cause frizz. Your towel, hands, hats, and even rough-textured sweaters can cause an unwanted poof to your do. To keep the frizz at bay, opt for smooth-textured towels.
DevaCurl Deva Towel, $22.50, Amazon
6
Not Doing A Consult
Chances are you’ve had a bad haircut (or two, or three), and it was probably because you had the sudden urge to do something new. But before you run off to the salon, you should consult with a stylist. In an interview with Glamour, hairstylist Lacy Redway suggested you not only go for a consultation but make sure your potential stylist knows their way around a head full of curls.
7
Being Unprepared For Bed
Waking up with crazy curls pointing every which way is not very cute. And it’s probably because of your pillow case. N’Kita Wilson told Total Beauty that cotton pillowcases can suck the moisture out of your hair as you sleep. She suggested switching to a silk pillowcase, which not only help your hair but feel oh so good to sleep on.
Now that you know what wavy hair sins you’ve been committing, you’re on the right path to having bouncy, beautiful curls every day.
Images: Kaboompics/Pixabay; Giphy (7)
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