How To Take Care of Curly Hair

"You're so lucky! You were born with the look I spend thirty minutes each morning trying to achieve."

If you have naturally curly hair, you may have had straight-haired friends tell you this. However, if you're like many women with curly hair, you may have replied, "You're lucky you have straight hair. You have no idea how hard it is to keep this hair looking decent."

You might envy your friends with straight hair because their hairdos are not as prone to frizz and dryness, but if you know how to properly care for curly hair it's easier to embrace this hair texture that is the envy of women everywhere.

Do everything possible to prevent damage to your hair. Due to the natural shape of the cuticle, curly hair is more prone to breakage and split ends than straight hair. While special conditioners and treatments can reduce the appearance of damage, they cannot truly repair it; therefore, it is best to treat your hair gently in the first place so that this damage does not occur. Minimize rough handling, and break the habit of aimlessly toying with the hair around your face.
Be gentle with your hair when you are washing it. Hair is particularly vulnerable when wet, so vigorous handling when washing or drying hair can be highly damaging. Despite what you have seen in shampoo commercials, it is not wise to pile all your hair on top of your head when you're shampooing it. This leads to unnecessary friction on the fragile ends in addition to causing tangles. Instead, apply the shampoo to your scalp and lather it only, letting the suds slip down the length of your hair as you wash it. The length of your hair does not need scrubbing to stay clean. Gently detangle your hair with a wide-toothed comb; be sure that the comb has no rough spots, as these can snag hair. Don't rip roughly through tangles; gently work them out, using a little conditioner if necessary.
Avoid heat styling when possible. If you use a blow dryer, use a cool setting with a diffuser. However, many women with curly hair find that letting their hair air-dry naturally not only helps them avoid damage, but also makes their hair look better, as it disturbs the locks less so they end up less frizzy.

If you know how to properly care for curly hair, you may soon find yourself wearing your natural beauty with much more pride.