Hi! I’m here to share my curly hair care routine. My hair is pretty fine, yet very thick and curly. It’s calmed down since I’ve gotten older, but it has definitely been a journey growing up & figuring out what to do with it. My mom and sisters have much straighter hair, so I was on my own with this one. From blow drying it with a diffuser, crying trying to straighten it, chopping it short, and finally growing it back out, I’ve tried it all. My routine is the simplest it’s ever been (somewhat out of laziness, also wanting to embrace my natural self). I just use two products after I shower and let it air dry. Everything I use is linked in the pink font.
Here we go!
General background info:
You can hugely benefit from a good hairdresser who understands how to cut curly hair. I recommend layers, otherwise my hair gets super heavy. Layers help add bounce. I usually ask for lots of layering, angles in the front, and a side bang/piecey look. This way, when I put my hair up, I have those pieces falling down in the front to frame my face & I can put a little curl in them with my wand.
I usually do use a little bit of heat when I’m styling for every day, but try to limit it. If I’m going all out, I blow-dry the roots after my hair is towel dried. My godmother gifted me the Dry Bar Baby Buttercup Dryer and it is absolutely amazing. Cuts my drying time by a LOT and smoothes my hair. If you’re looking for a higher-end dryer, this is it. Otherwise, I straighten just the tops of my crazy curls around my face to tame it a bit. I twirl my straightener away from my face as I go down to make a soft wave that blends into my curls. Here are my hair tools-
Step 1: Wash it with shampoo and conditioner every other day
I like Tresemme’s Healthy Volume shampoo. The best conditioner I have ever used is the Sebastian Penetraitt Conditioner. Pro-tip: Ulta has a Liter Sale on high-end, liter sized shampoo/conditioner usually in January and July. Buy this conditioner then for an incredible deal. *chef’s kiss*
Step 2: Wrap your hair in a Turbie Twist
These dry your hair faster than a regular towel and are better for your neck instead of wrapping your hair in a huge bath towel. I leave this on for ~15 minutes.
Step 3: Spray your hair generously with Redken’s One United Multi-Benefit Treatment Spray
This stuff has 25 (!!!) benefits including: heat protectant, detangling, conditions, anti frizz, & adds shine. It hugely helps my hair in all of these categories and the bottle lasts forever.
Step 4: Brush through your hair with a Wet Brush
Us curly haired people usually only brush our hair when it’s damp. I use my wet brush to get out any tangles and work the Redken spray through evenly. It’s important to use a wet brush because it’s gentler on your hair when it’s wet and weaker. Any brand will work, they’re inexpensive.
Step 5: Apply Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioner
Huge plus- this is super cheap. I apply one pump of this on my hand and work it through my hair from the top down. Start below your roots. I focus on the ends of my hair because those are the driest and tend to frizz the most. Now scrunch! This helps your hair dry with some bounce and more curl.
Now let your hair air dry.
I typically wash my hair in the early evening so it has time to dry before getting in bed. This way I can wake up and style it as needed with straightener/curler. Showering in the morning isn’t great if I have to look presentable somewhere, because it doesn’t leave me time to air dry and apply any heat.
If you’d like, toss in some curls with a curling wand once your hair is 100% dry.
Always wrap your hair around the wand away from your face. I can show you on my Instagram if you’d like, it’s hard to explain. I simply pick a few random pieces to curl to enhance the look. Like I said, I straighten solely the pieces around my face that usually look pretty wild.
P.S. If you need just a liiiittle more help, add in EIMI Perfect Me Lightweight Beauty Balm Lotion when your hair is completely dry. This helps add shine and get rid of any more frizz that’s hanging around. Really great stuff.
If you have any specific questions about your hair, please let me know. I would simply love to chat.
With curly hair, the key is is to add moisture. My biggest issue is frizz, so with my products, I’m adding back moisture to help my hair do its thing. Let it air dry and be free! We are our most beautiful when we flaunt what we’ve got!
Be sure to check out my insta @bitsbybrenna for upcoming hair tips.
Lots of love,
Brenna