Top Curly Hair Tips!

Hey there curly, so you have decided to stop battling against your curls and want to start embracing them, great choice! I have been curly my whole life and generally only straightened my hair occasionally between the ages of 18 – 22. I have also been lucky enough to have my curly mum show me how to care and get the best out of my curls from an early age. I have amassed quite a few tips over the years which I have summed up in 10 easy to remember points below. I hope these tips will help you on your curly journey.

10 curly hair tips

Don’t brush your curls when they are dry. Curls have the incredible ability to more than double in size and expand when they are dry brushed. The action can cause the cuticle to ruffle and stretch out the beautiful different shapes that curls make, so for this reason it is not recommended to brush your curls when they are dry.
Always detangle curls when they are wet using either the BY SELINA Curl Cleanser & Conditioner or the BY SELINA Conditioning Curl Detangler. To reduce friction and snagging of curls, always use a wide tooth comb or finger detangle your curls. Detangle your curls from the bottom up as opposed to from the root down. This helps prevent snagging and breakage of the curls. Our curls are most fragile when wet, so be gentle with them.
Use pH balanced products. All of the BY SELINA range is pH balanced, this helps the cuticle to lay flat helping our hair to stay strong, healthy and shiny.
Hydration is key for curls. Therefore, ensure your curls are soaking wet before applying conditioner. When conditioning your curls, to ensure full and proper hydration and conditioning of curls, section your hair and squeeze water and conditioner into your curls to really help hydrate and condition your curls.
Depending on your curl type leave some condition in on the ends of your hair (never near the scalp as this can cause irritation). Just like applying moisturiser this will help keep your curls soft, supple, and moisturised. This step is only recommended for those with thick curls or dry hair. For wavies and those with fine hair it is better to fully rinse our products so that your curls are not weighed down.
Always use a cotton t-shirt or t-shirt style material to dry and soak up excess water after washing your curls. It is best not to use towels as towels absorb too much of the water and can leave curls dry and the cuticle roughed which can dull the appearance of our curls. For shiny, hydrated curls try not to rub curls dry, instead scrunch curls in an upwards motion. This helps create volume but also reduces friction on your curls. Treat your curls like you would a delicate piece of lace.
Apply your BY SELINA Hydrating Curl Gel to wet hair. Always apply the gel to the lengths of your hair as opposed to the root to help encourage root volume. You can either apply your BY SELINA gel in the shower on soaking wet hair for ultimate definition and clumped curls, or for a little more volume, first wrap your curls in a cotton t-shirt for 60 seconds to soak up excess water and then apply your gel to damp hair. Applying the gel to damp hair as opposed to soaking wet hair will help create more volume over definition. How you apply your BY SELINA gel will ultimately effect the overall look of your curls too. For a more stretched out curl rake the product through your curls. However, if you would like tighter curls that are more defined, then scrunch product into your curls as opposed to raking. Once you have applied your BY SELINA gel, scrunch curls with your damp t-shirt and either leave to air dry or diffuse. You can also wrap your curls in a t-shirt for a further 20 minutes to help absorb excess water before air-drying or diffusing. Once dry scrunch out the cast to reveal soft, shiny and bouncy curls.
If you choose to diffuse your curls, then always use a cool setting. You should be able to hold the hairdryer in front of your hand comfortably. Don’t shake the diffuser whilst drying, dry your hair in sections. For extra volume tip your head forward and dry upside down. Remember to be patient when drying your curls as it can take time, don’t be tempted to turn up the heat high as over time this can cause your curls to become dry, brittle and break.
Protect your curls at night. You can either wrap your curls in a silk or satin scarf or tie your curls up in a loose ponytail on the top of your head aka a pineapple. Use a silk or satin pillowcase for ultimate protection as this will reduce the moisture absorbance from curls.
Nourish from within- drink plenty of water and eat a varied diet.