Hello my name is Lori, and up until recently, my entire life, I’ve been washing my hair wrong.
All wrong.
Completely 100% WRONG.
Now you may be asking, how I could be doing something as simple as this incorrectly — you shampoo and condition, what else is there to it?
If you are asking this, I know you must not have naturally curly hair.
I decided to go and see a stylist who only cuts curly hair. She deals with curls exclusively… Who knew such a person existed? They do! She is a certified curl whisperer and has taught me some tricks that have become part of my routine. Tricks that have transformed my hair.
For reals.
Just look at those after-curls! And it’s not hard, in fact it’s insanely easy to get rid of the frizz forever and have bouncy, boing-y, defined, hydrated curls.
Here’s what I was doing wrong.
1. Haircuts too often.
I was getting a haircut like clockwork every six weeks. Because that’s how often people get a haircut, right? WRONG!
Now I get haircuts every three months. Seriously. Us curly girls don’t need so many haircuts! Your natural curls live in little families that need time to grow together, so your stylist needs to see where they live and what direction they hang out in. Also, she cuts my hair while it’s dry, not wet, so she can see where those families are living and growing. Awww, curl families you guys! How adorable!
2. Washing too often.
I was religiously washing my hair every other day. Sometimes every day. WRONG!
So wrong. Now I wash twice a week, sometimes only once. My hair continues to look its best on days three/four and sometimes five.
3. Washing the conditioner out.
I used to spend an endless amount of time rinsing every drop of conditioner out of my hair until it was squeaky clean. WRONG.
Now I finger comb my conditioner through my sopping wet hair, let it sit on there while I wash my bod, then I “drizzle rinse” for like 10 seconds. Seriously. Ten seconds. Yes, leaving most of that moisturizing conditioner in my hair where it belongs and not down the drain. Yes, I was worried too that my hair would feel heavy/weighed down but just look at that after picture. It doesn’t.
4. Using the wrong towel.
I used to step out of the shower and pile my hair on top of my head in a giant bath towel. WRONG.
Regular bath towels lend to making hair frizzy ― something to do with the loop-size or weave of the towel. I don’t know, the towel industry has something against us, I guess. Anyway, now I use a smaller microfiber towel to scrunch my curls; these towels tone down the frizz and leave my curls soft and spring-loaded.
5. Air dry.
My hair would come out of that towel and immediately get blasted by the hair dryer. WRONG.
Now I let my curls air dry as long as I can stand it, letting the product I’ve put on form a “cast” where the curls can separate and set. Then I gently diffuse dry it on medium and warm rather than hot and high.
Of course using the right products helps too; using shampoos without sulfates, an amazingly moisturizing conditioner geared towards curly hair (I love the whole DevaCurl line, especially their One Condition) and the right gel or curling cream.
These tips have led to my hair looking healthier and my curls looking well...curlier. My routine takes less time. I’m getting fewer haircuts. Who knew? Now I do!
The only thing that will take more time is our conversation, when you ask me if I’m doing something different because my hair looks so great.
Lori’s website, Drawn to the ‘80s, is where her 5-year-old drew the hit songs of the 1980’s. Her blog, Once Upon a Product, is where she writes about important things like beauty products and her gigantic ‘80s hair.