CARING FOR YOUR COILY HAIR

Coily hair is beautiful. There is something striking about coily hair that other hair types cannot imitate. Is it the incredible volume or the fact that coily hair lends itself well to a wide variety of hairstyles?

People with coily hair, however, understand that it is a hair type that may be a little challenging to care for, despite the absolute beauty of it. It is, therefore, important for you to learn how to properly care for your coily hair, if you are to enjoy that striking look you’ve always wanted to achieve.

Coily hair is perhaps the more delicate of all the hair types because it is more prone to dryness and breakage, and this is why it requires much more attention and care than other hair types.

So, here are some tips on how to care for your coily hair.

No harsh shampoos, please

Regular shampoos have a tendency to wreak havoc on coily strands, leaving them dry and prone to breakage. And this is why it is advised to use sulfate-free shampoo instead of detergent-like shampoos. Sulfate-free shampoo removes product build-up and extra sebum without stripping your hair of any necessary moisture.

Condition after shampooing

Shampooing your hair, even with sulfate-free shampoo has the potential to dry out your hair. This is why it is a great idea to replenish that moisture with a rinse-out conditioner after each shampoo. You can also deep condition your hair once a week or as often as your hair needs.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Coily hair needs moisture more than other hair types do, and water is the most effective way to hydrate hair. It is therefore important to ensure that water touches your hair at least once a week. In fact, you should go ahead and wet your hair as often as you’d like.

Moisturisation is very important

Your coily hair has kinks where the strands turn and twist. Because of the stress points in each coil, curl, or spiral, the chances of moisture getting to and staying in the hair are greatly decreased. If you didn’t know it before now, that is why your coily hair is so dry. And this is why you should always make sure it is well moisturised. This is why coily hair is a little drier than most. Thus, your first priority should always be moisturisation and hydration.

The LOC method is better

Not to dictate to you which method you should use, but the LOC method has several benefits for coily hair, as it is one of the better ways to lock in lasting moisture for coily hair. LOC is the acronym for Liquid, Oil, Cream, which stands for the sequence that you apply your hair care products. It is a moisturisation layering technique that consists of hydrating the hair with liquid, locking in moisture with oil, and preventing moisture loss with cream.

Trim your ends as is needed

It is necessary to trim coily hair on an as-needed basis. This will help deal effectively with knots and tangles, especially at the hair ends where split-ends typically form. Trimming your hair this way helps your hair stay refreshed and healthy. Be careful not to trim too often though, and only as needed.

Use your finger to detangle

The best way to treat coily hair is to never comb it dry. And when you do comb it wet (or damp) and coated in conditioner, use your fingers instead of a comb. Your fingers are quite magical because they reduce your chances of tearing through your strands. If you do need a comb, use a wide-tooth comb and comb from the bottom to ensure less breakage.

Air-dry your hair

Instead of drying your coily hair with heat, go for air drying. This will help to decrease frizz.

Regardless of curl pattern, wear protective hairstyles

We have already established that coily hair needs a lot of care. This does not mean that it needs a lot of styling. This is where protective styling comes in handy. It allows you to rock a fabulous style for a long time without having to manipulate your hair every day. When you wear a protective style however, make sure that the style isn’t too tight; don’t leave your protective style in past its expiration date; and make sure to give your hair a break in between styles.

Take care of your hair, even while sleeping

You don’t hang up your hair care routine when you go to bed. While you are sleeping, it’s important to protect your coils. To do so, use a silk pillow or pillowcase or wear a silk scarf or bonnet to keep your hair’s moisture locked in overnight.

Don’t skimp on good hair care products

Expensive does not always mean better, but that doesn’t mean that you should skimp on quality hair products either. Judge the quality of a product by its ingredient list. We won’t tell you which products to use, but avoid ingredients such as sulfates, silicones (which usually end in ‘cone, ‘onol, xane), and some alcohols such as denatured alcohol and isopropyl alcohol. Look for good ingredients such as hydrating oils (like jojoba oil and argan oil), sealants (such as certain gels, shea butter, and castor oil), and glycerine.

In conclusion

At first glance, taking care of coily hair may seem like a lot of work, and this may be so in the beginning. As time goes on, however, you learn what your hair likes and does not like, and you learn from that. After that, caring for your hair gets much easier.

As you get the hang of things, your hair will grow and flourish into the hair of your dreams!