How I Make My Natural Curls Last Longer
My curly hair journey started five years ago. All the damage I previously did to my hair made it pin-straight. When I started my journey and revived my curls, my biggest issue was keeping them last longer than one day.
Now, I can let my hair down until my next wash (around five days), and it still looks nice and has volume!
How I make my natural curls last longer
Using suitable products for my hair type.
Steaming my curly hair.
Using silk products for hair protection.
Shower filter for hard water.
Suitable Products for My Hair Type
Choosing the right products for your hair type is crucial in maintaining and enhancing natural curls. If you are still trying to figure out where to start, read this blog post, where I mentioned other tips that transformed my hair.
It took me a while to understand that not all curly hair products work for every curl type. For my high-porosity hair, lightweight and protein products helped define my curls without weighing it down.
In the beginning, when my hair was extremely dehydrated, I implemented a CGM routine. Sulphate-free products helped replenish my hair's moisture, but with time, they started weighing it down, and I would lose curls the next day.
I switched back to cleansing shampoos to remove all the product buildup. I wash my hair twice a week and use cleansing shampoos like Mielle Rosemary and Mint Strengthening Shampoo. With lovely ingredients like rosemary, babassu, and mint oil, I will get the primary nutrients and have a good cleanse without drying my hair.
Another tip for protecting hair from drying out is to pre-poo. Oil will recover hair and protect it from any harsh products.
Steaming Curly Hair to Refresh Curls
Steaming is a game-changer for refreshing curls without having to rewash your hair. It helps reactivate the products in your hair and adds moisture back into the curls, making them look fresh and bouncy.
I steam my hair if I accidentally use too much product or wake up the following day with no volume and dull curls. And FIY, I don’t have any fancy steaming products—I use a steaming iron, haha!
If you don’t have a steaming product, that’s also okay. Put your head up in a pineapple (on top of your head), and take a shower. Steam from the shower will wake up your hair right away. But be sure to let your hair down immediately after a shower, not when it gets dry.
Silk Products for Hair Protection
Switching to silk products has been one of the best decisions for my hair. Silk is gentle on the hair and helps reduce friction, which can cause breakage and frizz.
Here are the silk products I swear by:
Silk pillowcase: Sleeping on a silk pillowcase helps maintain the shape of my curls and reduces frizz. Silk pillowcases are one of the main reasons my curls last longer.
Silk scrunchies: Regular hair ties were causing breakage and pulling out my hair. Silk scrunchies are gentler, and my hair doesn’t lose shape when using them.
Silk scarf/bonnet: Putting hair in a silk scarf or bonnet at night helps protect curls and keeps them intact. I finally ordered a silk bonnet yesterday; I will see how that goes!
I have been using silk products from The Silk Pillowcase brand, and I don’t have any complaints! I ordered both pillowcases and scrunchies from them.
The last thing about silk products is that, apart from being so excellent for my hair, they are good for the skin, too! And I feel like a self-care queen when using these silk pillows. They level up the whole experience!
Shower Filter for Hard Water
Hard water can be a silent enemy of curly hair. The minerals in hard water can cause dryness and buildup, making curls look dull and lifeless. This is also one of the most important steps that transformed my hair routine.
I did not realise how much hard water was messing up my hair until I moved from a country with hard water to a country with much better water quality. A few months after I moved back, and after just one wash, my hair looked frizzy again.
After that, I decided to get a shower filter. I have been using one from Hello Klean and I'm obsessed with it! Before my first filtered hair wash, I cleansed my hair with Apple Cider Vinegar to remove any leftover buildup from the hard water.
Changes I noticed after incorporating a shower filter as a dry hair/skin girl:
No 'tight feeling' after showers.
My hair had more bounce and shine, which helped my curls last much longer.
Hair feels less weighed down, and it curls much more.
Conclusion
These are some tricks I’ve used to make my natural curls last longer and look their best. Please read my other blog post for more tips on how to make your curls last longer!
Thank you for reading my blog!