The Best Tips for Curly Hair

Increase hydration

Wavy to curly hair needs extra hydration because the bends in strands cause the hair’s outer layer to lift, enabling moisture to leak out. Thus, during every step of your hair care regimen you should try to sneak in nourishing ingredients. That means a moisturizing shampoo, a wardrobe of conditioners (one for the shower, one leave-in formula, and a deep treatment you apply at least twice a month); plus styling products that are rich and creamy, such as serums, oils, and creams. Also, avoid drying ingredients like alcohol, which is found most often in mousse and hairspray. Prose formulas for curly hair are frequently infused with a variety of hydrating ingredients, including a bevy of oils like plum, argan, and jojoba.

See your stylist regularly

Getting your hair trimmed at least every eight to twelve weeks is especially important for textured hair because it’s more vulnerable to split ends and breakage than straighter types. Getting rid of damaged ends on the regular will also prevent splits from traveling up the hair shaft and could require your stylist to cut off more than you were bargaining for.

Handle with care

Curly hair is delicate and never more so than when it’s wet. So, proceed with caution. That means squeezing dry with a microfiber towel (as opposed to rubbing with a traditional cotton bath towel, which can abrade fragile strands) and detangling with a wide tooth comb, beginning at your ends and slowly moving up to your roots.

Protect from heat styling

Heat can cause damage to all hair types, but it can be especially harmful for curls. Too much heat can cause dryness and premature breakage as well as impacting curl definition.  Heat styling on a regular basis can also have an impact on your curl pattern and diminish shine. So whether you use a diffuser or a curling iron to enhance or even out your curls, it is imperative that you use a heat protectant to maintain the hair’s integrity. Prose makes staying protected easy by lacing many of their conditioners with heat-shielding ingredients such as arginine. 

Add shine in-shower

After shampooing and conditioning, finishing with a cool water rinse will help seal in the moisture from your conditioner, as well as close the hair’s outer layer (known as its cuticle), helping to minimize some of the moisture loss while also adding shine. Also, if you can tolerate it, shampooing in lukewarm (rather than very warm or hot) water will be gentler on your strands. The warmer the water, the more drying it is to your hair.

Protect from geo-aggressors

Curly hair is more vulnerable than straight strands to humidity, extreme heat and extreme cold. Therefore, aim to cover up with a hat, a scarf, or a hood when you’re out in inclement weather. Or, pull your hair into a protective style like a bun or braid, which will keep some of your hair shielded from external aggression. Finally try to use at least one product that offers UV protection. Prose formulas frequently contain coconut and karanja oils, which are natural UV absorbers.

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