With the modern hair stylists stressing on playing up hair`s natural texture, you can let a sigh of relief. Finally, you can avoid rushing to the salon to get your hair chemically straightened to mimic what your girl friend has. "More than just hair, curls are an attitude," says Lorraine Massey, author of hair care book, Curly Girl and owner of the Devachan salon in New York City
First of all stop being afraid of your curls and put away the straightening irons.. Appreciate your natural look and texture. Only when you change your perception will you be able to take care of your curls the right way. You have to let your hair free from all the treatments and torture you put it through to make them look straight.
Start by Taking Care of it. Here`s how
Get to Know Your Hair
You really need to connect with your hair. Feel it and experience it. Only then will you be able to maintain the curls. Only then will you be able to maintain the curls. In fact no two curly heads are similar. You might have looser spirals than your mother or your sister`s.
Stop Frequent Shampooing
Since the cuticles don`t lie flat in a curly hair shaft, so there is a greater amount of moisture loss. Frequent shampooing will actually strip your hair further. According to Dr Blossom Kochhar daily rinsing with plain water will keep your curls clean. In case you have a greasy scalp, take just a bit of shampoo, mix with water and just massage the scalp to get rid of grime.Rinse rest of the hair with plain water. Otherwise stick to twice a week hair cleansing routine. Try a shampoo for curly hair from Wella or Kerastase. They are gentle and add moisture to hair.
Use Conditioner Liberally
A good conditioner is your best friend. Make sure to load up your hair length with curl enhancing conditioner. You may need a blob or more (about the size of a golf ball) of conditioner depending on your hair length. On the days when your hair feels frizzy or rough you can use a little bit of conditioner to wash your hair. Rub conditioner between your palms, and then gently run your fingers through your hair from the root to the length. Avoid touching the scalp. You can do this with your head upside down. Avoid piling them on top of your head when wet. Rinse with tepid to cold water to seal cuticles as best as possible. "After you have towel dried your hair, smooth a leave-on conditioner from half length till the ends to add extra weight so that the curls stay under control," adds Dilshad Pastakia, celebrity hair stylist who has tamed many curls.
Stop Combing or Brushing
If you cleanse hair with conditioner, tangles will fall out naturally while you are rinsing hair. Combing and brushing hair merely adds potential for damage and frizz. It also opens up the curls and separates them leading to a bulky look. Instead of a fluffy towel you can use your old T-shirt to squeeze out excess water from the hair. Then let it air dry. Use a diffuser if you have to blow dry your hair. Just run your fingers through partially dried hair to tame them. Let your hair dry naturally, that will contain the curls and the hair`s surface will remain smooth.