Do you discover that your pure curls by no means appear to look their greatest, even once you spend ages styling your hair? Or possibly you’ve tried merchandise your good friend recommends and might’t perceive why you don’t get the identical outcomes.
Together with frizz, breakage, and curl shrinkage, poor curl definition is a standard downside for a lot of curly women. I do know from private expertise simply how irritating it’s to look within the mirror and see a mass of frizz or limp strands as a substitute of superbly outlined bouncy curls.
However what if I stated there’s a straightforward option to get outlined curls in pure curly hair that simply takes a number of easy steps?
On this information, I’ll share my recommendations on one of the best methods to organize, type, and dry your curls for optimum definition. I’ll make it easier to choose the suitable merchandise to type your hair and provide you with some extra hints on creating luscious curls that keep bouncy and outlined for longer.
Let’s begin by contemplating why curl definition is vital for pure hair varieties.
Why Is Good Curl Definition So Vital?
Curl definition is important if you would like your curly hair to look its greatest. With out outlined curls, pure hair varieties can look limp and lifeless or frizzy and uncontrolled.
Properly-defined curls give your hair extra quantity and motion, making your mane look fuller and extra manageable. Outlined curls additionally replicate extra gentle, which makes your hair look shinier and more healthy.
Lack of definition is a standard downside for wavy, curly, and coily hair. It may be very irritating, however fortunately, you may take some easy steps to spice up your curl definition.
Now you already know why definition issues, let’s work by means of your wash day routine, from shampoo to the ultimate ending touches.
Making ready Your Hair For Outlined Curls
Earlier than you begin styling your curls, first you want to put together your hair correctly. This consists of choosing the suitable merchandise and making certain your hair is clear, moisturized, and detangled.
Selecting The Proper Hair Merchandise
Curly hair wants moisture to create outlined curls, so selecting the best merchandise on your hair is important. It is advisable think about your hair sort together with different elements equivalent to your hair density and hair porosity. The hair care merchandise that work properly for my superb, low density hair wouldn’t give such good outcomes on coarse or excessive density hair.
All the time choose merchandise designed for curly hair varieties, equivalent to sulfate-free shampoos and silicone-free conditioners and styling merchandise. Sulfates can dry out curly hair and go away it brittle, whereas silicones trigger product buildup that weighs down your hair strands and stops them absorbing important moisture and vitamins.
Search for merchandise containing elements that nourish and moisturize your hair, which can cut back the danger of frizz and make it easier to obtain curl definition. Pure elements like coconut oil and shea butter are best if in case you have coarse hair, however you have to one thing lighter like aloe vera or sunflower oil if in case you have low density hair or superb hair.
Examine that your styling merchandise have sufficient maintain to realize the look you need. Within the Florida humidity, I discover {that a} medium or sturdy maintain gel like Curlsmith Hydro Type Flexi-Jelly offers me higher outcomes than a lightweight maintain gel or mousse. You may strive combining merchandise, equivalent to a gel with a hair spray like Suave Max Maintain Spray.
Do not forget that what works for different curly women received’t essentially be just right for you, and experiment with totally different merchandise or mixtures to see what enhances your pure curl sample.
Washing And Conditioning Your Hair
Creating superbly outlined pure curls begins within the bathe. Utilizing the unsuitable shampoo and conditioner can go away curly hair feeling dry or weighed down.
Wash your hair with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner designed for curly hair, ideally one which’s sulfate- and silicone-free. It will infuse every hair shaft with the moisture it must profit from its pure curl sample.
In case your hair is affected by product buildup, common use of a clarifying shampoo containing olefin sulfonate, like OUAI Detox Shampoo, will assist take away the buildup. I prefer to make clear my hair weekly which retains my strands squeaky-clean.
Bear in mind to situation your hair afterwards, as clarifying shampoo can even take away the pure oils out of your strands.
When you’ve rinsed your hair, use a cotton t-shirt or microfiber towel to blot away extra water as a substitute of rubbing your strands with a daily cotton towel. It will assist defend your curls from tangling and breakage. I actually just like the Tee-Owels hair towel for this.
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Detangling Your Hair
Detangling your hair is a necessary step, because it’s laborious to outline curls in hair that’s knotted and tangled.
Step one is making use of a light-weight leave-in conditioner to offer your hair an additional infusion of moisture and make detangling simpler.
Subsequent, use a wide-toothed comb, detangling brush or your fingers to work by means of smaller sections of hair separately. Begin on the ends and thoroughly work backwards up the total size of the strands.
Lastly, you may apply a number of drops of a penetrating hair oil like almond oil, olive oil, or babassu oil so as to add shine and hydration to every hair strand.
Use The Praying Palms Technique
The “Praying Palms” technique is an efficient option to distribute leave-in conditioner, hair oil, curl cream, and different styling merchandise with out inflicting frizz or tangles. The method works greatest on moist hair, so in case your curls have already began to dry, use a twig bottle of water to moist it once more.
To make use of the Praying Palms technique, place a small quantity of the product within the palm of your fingers. Rub your fingers collectively to heat the product and unfold it between your fingers.
Subsequent, take a bit of hair between your fingers, which must be in a “praying” place close to the roots of your hair.
Gently glide your fingers down in the direction of the ends of your hair, conserving them shut collectively so that they distribute the product evenly over your strands. Transfer onto the subsequent part and repeat this as usually as you want to distribute the product all through your hair.
Defining Your Curls
Creating definition will give your hair extra quantity and bounce, and assist maintain frizz underneath management.
Listed here are 5 alternative ways to realize outlined curls on the root. Every technique has its personal advantages, so it’s value attempting a number of totally different methods to see which works greatest in your hair.
Scrunching
Scrunching your curls is the best and quickest option to enhance curl definition.
After you’ve utilized your styling product, merely bend over or lean to the facet and cup a handful of hair up in the direction of your scalp. Squeeze the curls gently to outline your pure curl sample and repeat this all through your hair.
The Shingling Technique
Shingling is an effective way to get higher curl definition on the roots. It’s a perfect alternative if in case you have tight curls or coiled hair like Sort 4 C Hair, because it gives you higher definition with out inflicting frizz.
It’s important to start out off with completely detangled hair, as this technique received’t work on tangled or knotted strands.
Divide your hair into sections and apply your product to every part, then comb it by means of with a fine-tooth comb. Begin on the roots of every part and thoroughly work down, ensuring every particular person curl or coil is roofed in product for nice definition.
The Rake And Shake Technique
This fast and straightforward technique is ideal if you would like natural-looking curls with beautiful quantity and definition.
When you’ve utilized your styling product, rake your fingers by means of your hair to create unfastened curl definition. Then lean over to the facet, maintain your hair close to the roots, and shake it gently to encourage your hair to kind curl clumps.
Finger Coils
Finger coiling is one other simple method to create tighter curls on unfastened curls or wavy hair. This technique doesn’t use warmth, so it’s higher if you wish to keep away from utilizing scorching styling instruments in your curls.
Divide your hair into small sections and apply your styling product to at least one part, then wrap it round your finger, twisting it as you wrap. Maintain the curl for a number of seconds to create definition, then launch the hair and transfer on to the subsequent part.
Drying Your Curls
Utilizing the suitable drying methods will give your type extra longevity so your curls keep bouncy all day.
Diffuse-Drying For Quantity And Definition
I desire to diffuse dry my curls, because it offers me higher curl definition and root quantity than air-drying.
A diffuser attachment in your hair dryer helps distribute the warmth extra evenly, drying your hair extra gently than direct warmth from the blow dryer. This gives you extra quantity, cut back frizz, and enhance your curl definition.
Hover diffusing your hair means hovering the diffuser bowl a number of inches out of your curls. It’s the gentlest option to diffuse your curls, however it may not provide the greatest definition.
For bouncier, extra outlined curls, you too can strive pixie diffusing. Along with your diffuser set on low warmth and pace, flip your hair the other way up or tilt it to the facet. Take small sections of hair and place the ends of your hair within the diffuser bowl, cupping it up in the direction of your scalp. Go away the curls within the bowl for round 30 seconds, then transfer on to the subsequent part.
In case you don’t wish to diffuse your curls all the way in which dry, you may go away them to air-dry for the final 10-20%.
Air Drying Your Curls
Air drying is a gentler choice in case you don’t like utilizing warmth styling instruments in your hair. Keep away from touching your hair whereas it’s drying, as this will trigger frizz.
You may additionally strive plopping your hair by bundling your curls right into a cotton t-shirt or microfiber towel, which might enhance your pure curl definition. In case you’re vulnerable to frizzy hair, don’t go away your hair within the plop for too lengthy. Simply 10 or 20 minutes can be sufficient to assist outline your curls.
An alternative choice is to diffuse your hair for a couple of minutes to take away a lot of the water after which go away it to air dry the remainder of the way in which.
Additional Suggestions
Listed here are a number of ideas to assist maintain your well-defined curls wanting their greatest for longer.
Use A Refresher Spray
In case your curls begin to lose definition between wash days, a refresher spray can assist maintain your curls wanting bouncy and outlined.
Select a industrial hair refresher spray with out silicones and sulfates, or combine your personal from distilled water and a moisturizing ingredient like aloe vera, leave-in conditioner, or a few drops of your favourite penetrating hair oil.
Schedule Common Trims
Cut up ends could make your curls look frizzier and fewer outlined, so common visits to the salon will assist maintain your hair in form. For one of the best outcomes, select a stylist with expertise in caring for pure hair.
Sleep On Silk Or Satin
Your cotton pillowcase can draw moisture out of your hair and trigger friction between the strands, resulting in tangles and breakage.
Swapping to a silk or satin pillowcase or carrying a silk or satin bonnet in a single day will assist your hair retain moisture and cut back tangling.
FAQs
In case you’re on the lookout for extra details about enhancing curl definition, these regularly requested questions may assist.
Why Can’t I Outline My Curls?
Reaching well-defined curls wants mild styling merchandise and methods that received’t hurt your hair. When you’ve got poor curl definition, your hair may want extra moisture, otherwise you may be utilizing the unsuitable styling or drying strategies.
Take a look at the guidelines above, or strive my Quick Curly Hair Routine for outlined curls in underneath 20 minutes.
What Do Unhealthy Curls Look Like?
Wholesome hair will look sturdy and glossy, however any noticeable change in hair texture might present your hair is unwell. Unhealthy curls can look stringy or have a looser curl sample than ordinary, or they may break simply and have cut up ends.
Unhealthy hair may be as a result of varied causes together with poor food plan, extreme use of warmth styling, chemical harm, or mechanical harm from brushing or styling.
What Is Plopping Hair?
Hair plopping is a option to dry curly hair with out making use of warmth. It entails wrapping your curls in a cotton t-shirt or microfiber hair towel and plopping the entire thing on prime of your head. In case you’re vulnerable to frizzy hair, keep away from leaving your curls in a plop for too lengthy, as this will cut back definition.
The Backside Line
Reaching good curl definition is important if you would like stunning curls that look filled with well being and vitality.
Poor curl definition is a standard curly hair downside, and most curly women need assistance with curl definition in some unspecified time in the future. Fortunately, this downside is straightforward to resolve by following a number of easy steps and selecting the best merchandise to fit your curl sort.
You may must experiment to search out the proper mixture of merchandise and methods. When you do, it’ll be simpler to realize the peerlessly outlined curls you’re eager for.