How to Maintain Healthy Curls: Top Tips For Damage Control, Growth and Moisture
Curly hair maintenance is a very important step in keeping your hair strong, healthy and in the best condition possible. And, once you establish the right habits, being consistent is a lot easier. Not only can you benefit from added growth, but proper maintenance will prevent breakage and generally make your curls easier to style.
Here’s all you need to know about maintaining healthy curls.
What does curly hair need to remain healthy?
Looking after your curly hair is actually pretty simple. There’s no need to overcomplicate your routines as good quality maintenance is better than following a super long list of steps that don’t get to the core of your hair’s needs.
Of course, everyone’s hair is different so your requirements will vary depending on your hair’s porosity, texture, and overall condition. However, focusing on moisture, avoiding unnecessary chemicals and heat, and being consistent are the three top requirements for healthy curl maintenance.
Curly hair needs hydration to remain soft and easy to look after. Afro and curly hair tend to be drier as natural oils have a more difficult time traveling down curly hair strands than straight hair. That’s why you need to add moisture to your hair routine.
Deep conditioning is a great way of preventing your hair from becoming too dry. Our Mint & Cocoa Ayurvedic Hair Mask is vitamin infused and designed to deeply penetrate the hair shaft, nourishing and moisturising your hair strands. Using a hair mask once a week (or bi-weekly depending on your hair’s needs) is a very effective step.
Heat and chemicals are two of the worst things for your hair’s health. That’s not to say they’re totally off-limits but you do need to be mindful if you want to keep your hair damage-free. Try to avoid straightening your hair with heat or chemicals. You should also use heat protector spray or serum even if you’re diffusing your curls.
Over time heat and chemicals can damage the protective cuticle layer of the hair, which causes dryness and eventually breakage. In other words, limit them where possible.
What you feed your hair matters. Use high-quality products with vitamins and minerals that will help your curls remain strong. Too many products are full of harmful chemicals and using these kinds of shampoos, curl creams and conditioners will eventually take its toll!
The right products will make curl maintenance easy! They’ll feed, nourish and care for your curls from the inside out so all you’ve got to do is invest in the right products and let them work their magic!
Curly hair needs a consistent routine to remain healthy. If you’re looking after your curls one week but neglecting them the next, you aren’t going to get the best out of your hair. Consistency is key. Once you start a routine the more you practice the easier it comes to keep up with it.
It can take your hair a little while to adapt to changes but the quicker you start the quicker you’ll see results. Then, maintaining your hair’s condition will be a breeze.
Maintaining healthy curls is simple once you understand what your hair likes and needs. As mentioned, moisture, consistency, and avoiding damaging chemicals are three of the most effective ways of keeping your natural curls happy.
Here are 5 top tips for looking after your curly hair.
Did you know that the wrong products can cause problems with your curls? If you’re suffering from dryness, for example, one of the causes may be the products you’re using, especially if they’re full of sulfates, parabens, and silicones.
Using natural hair products is a great way of avoiding these nasty chemicals. Our new Lengths Ayurvedic oil contains sweet almonds, nettle, pumpkin seeds, and a whole number of other natural ingredients. You can also have a go at making your own hair products at home such as flaxseed gel.
If your curls feel dry (especially on the ends), your scalp is itchy or your curls look dull, these are all signs that your curls need moisture. Try to keep your curls hydrated before these signs appear. Although, you may experience more signs of dryness in the winter which is your cue to boost hydration.
Hot oil treatments, hair masks, protective styles, and using moisture-rich products are all great ways of preventing thirsty curls!
Getting your hair trimmed regularly is very important as dead ends can prevent growth and make your hair look less healthy than it actually is. A small trim every 3-6 months will help your curls hold their shape and promote growth so don’t be afraid to snip away!
You’ll notice a big difference even if you get a small tidy-up on your ends. Not only will you reduce knots and unnecessary breakage but your curls will get their bounce back!
How often do you wear protective hairstyles? Sometimes it's good to give your hair a break and opt for protective styles such as braids or twists. In the winter, tucking your hair away will stop it from being out in the elements where the cold air can dry it out.
Plus, depending on the style you choose, they can last anywhere between a few days to a few weeks which gives you one less thing to worry about! That makes curl maintenance super easy!
Your hair communicates with you, so listen! If it’s dry it needs more moisture. If you’re experiencing hair loss then you need to take better care of your scalp and prioritise high-quality products. You may find that someone that once worked for your hair no longer creates the same results so when your hair indicates that something needs changing don’t ignore it!
Follow these top tips and make hair maintenance a top priority today to see your curls look and feel their best!