Hair

Bye bye frizz: What NOT to do when you have curly hair

12 May, 2021 . 0

If you want the curls you’ve always dreamed of, steer clear of these haircare sins.

From ditching your usual towel, to avoiding sulphates and silicones, there’s plenty you can do (or rather, not do) to get some extra spring in your curls.

Swap a towel for a T-shirt

Cotton towels are too rough for your curls, and will create frizz when you rub your hair, says Christina Butcher, the curly-haired blogger behind Hair Romance.

“Instead of rubbing your hair with a towel, scrunching it with a T-shirt to remove water from your hair is a much gentler way to do it,” she says.

“By using a cotton T-shirt, and just scrunching and gently squeezing your hair, you leave the curls in their natural shape.”

Put down that brush

The word “brush” is enough to strike fear into a curly girl or guy’s heart. (Yes, we much prefer a wide-toothed comb.)

Either way, Christina says the only time those with curls should be brushing your hair is in the shower, when you’re detangling your hair while conditioning.

“I would say don’t brush your hair when it’s dry unless you’re about to do a deep conditioning treatment, or you’re going to an `80s party, because you’ll end up with super fuzzy, big hair,” she says.

Avoid thinning scissors

“Thinning scissors are a nightmare for curls because they create layers that don’t sit well within your curls,” says Christina.

“I’m really loving these `70s shag haircuts at the moment, but the razor cut traditionally gives very fine ends to curly hair. It can make your ends look really thin, so you want to avoid those.”

Don’t use a nozzle hairdryer

Your average hairdryer is a fast route to “frizz central”, says Christina. “It’s too strong on curls, and it will break up your curl pattern.”

Instead, switch to a diffuser, which will supercharge your curls, minimising frizziness.

Don’t let your hair run wild at night

Do this and you’ll likely wake up with tangled, flattened curls, says Christina.

Instead try “pineappleing” – which for the newcomer, means popping your hair on top of your head in a silk scrunchie or turban.

When you let your pineapple down in the morning, wait a couple of minutes for your curls to settle back into shape, she says.

See ya later sulphates

Boss Curl Co. owner Adelle Pick recommends giving any products containing sulphates, parabens or silicones a very wide berth.

“Sulphates are what you find in, say, dishwashing liquid, so it’s going to strip your hair of any moisture,” she says.

“No silicones is because it actually causes build-up in the hair, and it’s going to drag your curls down and not leave them bouncy and curly.”

However if you have been using silicone products, using a clarifying shampoo and conditioner every couple of weeks will help get rid of the build-up, she says.

Don’t wash your hair too often

On that note, avoid the temptation of washing your hair every day, says Adelle.

“Push it out for at least three days at a minimum – washing your hair too often actually causes your scalp to get even oilier,” she says.

Instead, give your curls a spritz with a spray bottle of water, add a little leave-in conditioner, scrunch and voila!

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Written by Larissa Ham.