A question I get asked all the time is What do you use in your hair to wash and style? And I have typed this answer 100's of times and I finally just decided it should be a blog post. So here we go. THIS IS PRE- CURLY GIRL METHOD, IF WANT TO KNOW WHAT I AM DOING NOW CLICK HERE!!!!!
How to Wash and Style Curly Hair
Products I Use:
- Herbal Essence Shampoo, Mousse and Gel
- Tresemme Mousse, Gel and Hairspray
- Aussie Shampoo
- Head and Shoulders Shampoo
- Hair dryer with a diffuser attachment
What I do:
I rotate my shampoos based on my hair and the season. Aussie and Herbal Essence are my favorites but I plug in Head and Shoulders in the winter to help with dry scalp. I only use Shampoo on my hair, no Conditioner. After washing (and most times I have to shampoo 2 times) I wrap my hair in a towel and immediately head to start the routine. First, I set out my mousse, gel, long tooth comb and paddle brush with a squirt bottle of water. Then I take my hair down and comb it out. If my hair gets too dry I spray it down some with water. Lastly I paddle brush it.
What to do After Showering
The comb makes sure all the big knots are out, the brush gets all the little knots out. This allows me to start with silky smooth hair. Important, next I flip my head upside down and scratch my scalp. This releases my hair from lying flat against my head and makes the follicles stand up (see last photo above). Makes drying faster, easier and gives your hair a healthier bounce.
Next I put lots of mousse throughout all my hair. While applying I'm constantly making sure my hair isn't clumped together but rather all the strands are separated. (LOL now that I use Curly Girl Method this sentence makes me laugh literally out loud) Then sometimes I divide it in half, crown and base, other times I just dry it all together. But when I do divide it up I start at the crown and then I apply the gel to the bottom portion then dry with my dryer on high heat, on medium strength with a diffuser attachment. Once that section is mostly dry (not all the way) I release the crown to repeat the steps. Once that is mostly dry I diffuse it all together.
How to Wash and Style Curly Hair
Tips on Drying:
- Don't use your dryer on the High setting.
- Do take small sections and wrap them around the teeth of the diffuser.
- Don't unnecessarily touch your hair and curls.
- Do add in mousse to sections as needed throughout the drying process.
- Don't move the dryer around, allow your hair to rest there.
- Do dry your hair upside down.
Once it's 90%-ish dry I stop drying and thoroughly spray Tresemme's Level 5 anti-humidity hairspray all over. Then if I am doing makeup next I take 2 clips and loosely pull the front back with a big poof towards the front. I do my makeup, then release and spray again. I should buy Tresemme stock! Done! Pin, Clip and Style as needed!
How Long Does it Last?
Day 1 my hair is slightly crunchy or stiff. Day 2 it is a looser and fuller curl. And Day 3 is ponytail day. Then Day 4 is a bun or top knot day. Then it is time to wash. Yes you read that right, I wash my hair about every 4 days. Soooo nice!
General Tips
- Use ouchless rubber bands on your hair so that you don't snag your curls.
- Sleep on a silk or satin pillow case.
- Wear silk eye mask.
- Don't be afraid to grab some bobby pins and start tucking and pinning curls to create a new look.
- Never brush your dry hair!
- Add layers to your cut to provide texture and lift.
- If you have thick hair don't be afraid to have it thinned out occasionally, it's invigorating!
- Do hire an awesome stylist who understands your hair or you will have a ball of uncontrolled frizz.
Well I did it! I hope that you find this How to Wash and Style Curly Hair post helpful. If you have any questions please do reach out here via comment or by e-mailing me! To see the NEW way I am trying out for washing my hair click below.
[su_button url=”https://thepinkenvelope.com/how-to-start-curly-girl-method-best-cgm-products/” target=”blank” background=”#f466a1″ size=”5″ center=”yes”]Trying the Curly Girl Method[/su_button]
