The Curly Process: Hair Care Tips for Naturally Curly Hair

Curls are a funny thing.

They’re eye catching and engaging to passersby who want to touch them (and sometimes ask to). They come in all shapes and sizes. Even on one single head, they’re unique and varied. Like snowflakes, no two curls are the same.

Often straight haired ladies say they wish they had them naturally growing from their heads too, sometimes they even pay actual money to enjoy them. Sorta I get that. I’ve always wanted straight hair. The easy to manage, not needing a regimen, just hit it with a blow dryer real quick and roll type of straight hair.

I’ve never craved volume (I wake up with it) or longed for bounce (I’ve already got more bounce to the ounce). In fact, I spent most of my teens and twenties trying to get my hair to lay right and listen. Stop poufing out and flying away and acting crazy and looking nuts.

Years of hard work, dedication, and some personal therapy have gone into me getting these locks and my psyche to a place where I love my hair, not only in my mind, but also in life.

They’re big, but not too big, they’re manageable, but not boring, they’re easy enough to deal with on a day to day basis, they are in good health, and I’m good with them because they’re mine, allll mine.

Embracing them was probably the hardest part for me. Learning to care for them properly helped me get there.

Here’s how I do that.

Naturally Curly Hair Care Tips

1. Conditioner, not shampoo. Honestly, I don’t touch the stuff. If I’m feeling dirty, I might use a curl co-wash, but the days of shampoo, repeat, condition are so far in my past I don’t even remember them.

2. Finger comb, not comb comb. If you keep the ends healthy, this is a cinch because there won’t be any snarls to get your fingernails caught in. Combing your hair with a comb is harsher and results in more tears and splits which totally ruins your curl pattern as well as damages your curls. So get up in there with your hands; it’s gentler and allows you to be more responsive and in tune with your mane.

3. Trim and trim and trim again. Keep the split and broken ends at bay and you won’t have to worry about detangling your tender headed self.

4. Slow down with the products. I’ve found that if my hair is in good health, the need for a bunch of styling products (or any honestly) is largely nonexistent. You have to be careful with them anyway; they can be the potential problem! They can dry you out, or grease you up, or weigh you down, or frizz you out. I’ve reached a point in my life where all I do is condition and air dry. And I don’t even need to do that every day. Seriously.

5. Accept and move on. Take some time to really get to know your curls. Pair down your regimen, get them to a healthy place, and then let them be. Curly hair has a mind of it’s own sometimes, it likes to do its own thing, and it will tell you in a minute, “You are not the boss of me!” You can spend many years and thousands of dollars trying to get your curls to behave and still be all, “gaaah, this hair.” Learn to accept, and embrace what your mama (or your daddy) gave you. And then flip it.

Looking for some curly haired products to try? Here are a list of things that may be a good fit for you (and your children)…

Oyin Handmade 5-Piece Snack Pack. I love everything about this natural hair care brand.

 Ouidad Curl Co Wash Cleansing Conditioner. Ouidad is a great product line from a brand, with professional salons, that is super knowledgeable about curly hair care. It’s also not cheap. I rotate my Ouidad products in about twice a month to give my hair a little extra lovin’ from time to time, but it’s not something I can afford to use daily.

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream. Super inexpensive, easy to come by (the sell it at basically every drug store/super shopping center). I’ve been using this product on my hair since high school. It works, clearly.

Pro-V Truly Natural Hair Deep Conditioner. The “Natural” line from Pantene is a newer product to come out. It works well and it’s more affordable than many other options so I use it as my day to day conditioner. Technically it’s sold in drug stores but I often can’t find it where I shop so I order it online.

Mixed Chicks Kids Quad Pack. This is a well made product that I’m not lifelong committed to, but think it works.

Johnson’s No More Tangles Spray Detangler. Every bath time this goes on Dude 3’s hair afterwards. He won’t let me brush him out unless he has his spray and his funny brush (it’s a round one).