How to Care for Natural Spiral Curls
KIMBERLY JOHNSON
LIFE
Natural spiral curls are a genetic blessing that many women wish had been in their gene pool. But without the right styling, these coveted wavy ringlets can quickly turn into a frizzy mess. To keep them operating at peak performance, think twice about traditional styling methods, such as brushing and blow drying. Once you ease back on manual styling, your curls will practically style themselves.
Shampoo your hair once per day using a quarter-size amount of a moisturizing shampoo. Work it through your locks, concentrating mainly on the scalp area and then rinse thoroughly. If your hair feels dry or brittle, reduce washing to every other day.
Apply a quarter-size amount of moisturizing conditioner to your palm and work it through your hair, avoiding the scalp. Let the conditioner sit for one to two minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Run your fingers through the ends of your hair as you rinse to remove all tangles.
Blot your hair gently using a microfiber towel to remove most of the moisture. Do not rub the hair, which will separate the curls.
Finger style your wet hair, focusing on creating your part in the desired location.
Comb only the visibly tangled portions of your hair using a wide-tooth comb. The less you comb your hair, the tighter the spiral curls will appear.
Apply a dime-size amount of silicone serum to your hair if it's coarse. If you have fine hair, opt for a silicone spray and apply only a light mist over your strands. Do not apply the products to your scalp area.
Put a dab of mousse or hair gel in one hand and rub your hands together. Apply it to the roots of your hair to maintain lift through the day. Gels provide stronger holding power than mousse.
Insert a diffuser attachment onto the end of your hair dryer. Place the diffuser near your scalp, with the tips touching it. With the dryer set to low heat, hold it in place for 30 seconds and then move to another section near the scalp. Continue until the scalp is dry. Allow the lower portion of curls to dry on their own to maintain their shape.
- Do not brush curly hair, as this will cause frizziness.
- Avoid touching your hair throughout the day, which will cause the spiral curls to loosen.
- For additional lift at the roots, insert duck bill hair clips near your scalp before drying. Angle the clips upward so that it lifts your hair roots. Remove the clips after hair is fully dry.
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