Curly Hair Care – All You Need to Know

Most women dream of gorgeous luxurious curls that essentially style themselves. But the truth is curls can be a lot of trouble as well.


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Curly hair is often very dry but with oily roots. The best description that is often mentioned: “Like water off the duck’s back”, because water gets between the curls poorly, and natural moisture is almost all depleted.

Curls are particularly susceptible to artificial heat and chlorine (over drying). This can lead to itchy and flaky scalp. Don’t confuse it with dandruff which requires immediate attention, but just specific skin sensitivity.

Frequently, curly hair gets damaged by improper brushing which results in excessive entangling and split ends. Unfortunately, their owners often do not have the patience and the time to properly and carefully look after it. Loose hairs dangle down the back, catch other strands and damage them involuntarily.

Proper cosmetic and beauty products

The choice of a shampoo is a serious matter. Most of them are rich in chemical composition. And if it doesn’t match the hair type, the hair will suffer. If you feel that after shampooing your hair is not like usual or pleasant or if you feel discomfort – the shampoo must be promptly replaced. This is a clear sign that it does not suit you (even moisturizing shampoo can dry up your hair if it is “not yours”).

You can ask for help in choosing the right product – a specialist will suggest a particular line according to the characteristics of your hair. Or you can simply experiment yourself.

Today’s market abounds with shampoos and hair balms. All well-known professional (for hair stylist) and regular (for home use) lines of cosmetics offer these products. Everyone has heard of L’Oreal, Schwarzkopf, Wella, Benocure, Nivea, Clairol, Oriflame and many other brands. When selecting, the important thing to remember – if the product doesn’t work, discontinue its use, even though it might not seem wise economically.

If you have normal curly hair, it is necessary to use a shampoo for curly hair. In other cases the focus should be on the skin type (dry, oily, sensitive) and hair texture (thin or rigid).

Today’s shampoos (Shamtu, Pantene, Dove) have a number of additional qualities: volumizing or de-volumizing effect, removal of static electricity, facilitate combing etc. The choice is wide.

The quality of a shampoo should be measured in how useful it is for the hair. The more natural and organic ingredients it contains, the better it is for the hair. Keep on mind, the more attractive it looks and the more fragrant it smells, the more chemicals it is likely to have that can potentially harm your hair. So the preference should be given to the natural lines of cosmetics (Mirra Lux, Selektive, Clinic, Green Mama and so on).

Proper care for your curls

To get the full enjoyment out of your curly hair, it needs to be cared for properly. Wash your hair twice, slowly: first to wash off the accumulated dirt, grease, sweat and dust, and then keep the shampoo on for a few minutes. It is very useful to massage the head in the process – it improves blood circulation and nutrition of hair roots, removes dead skin cells, opens pores, and the head begins to breath. This is important because lush curls form a dense cap around the head, covering the scalp.

Afterwards it is necessary to use a conditioner. Shampoo is very alkaline in its chemical composition, and conditioner is an acid which neutralizes and softens the stress of washing. Conditioner moisturizes the dry skin, makes it healthy and, additionally, easier to comb.

It is desirable that all the hair products (shampoo, conditioner, styling products) are of the same brand. And by all means avoid “two in one” type shampoos, as they tend to make the curly hair dry.

You should be careful when drying the curls: do not wipe or rub them with a towel – it will only make them tangled, outer keratin level will be damaged and the hairs will split. The proper way to do it is to wrap a towel around your head, let it dry a bit and then comb with a brush that has few large teeth. Use only high quality plastic brushes, because cheap wooden and metal ones are usually poorly polished and just tear your hair.

Heavily over dried hair requires special conditioners and sprays that hold moisture. After applying them even the hair dryer won’t do any harm. Split ends of curly hair should be cut at least once a month by approximately half an inch. Shampoo only nourishes, but it does not restore the structure of split hairs or prevent further splitting. Very effective for dry curly hair is “hot scissors haircut”, as it seals the hair ends keeping the moisture inside and preventing splitting.

It is very beneficial to regularly use nutritional and moisturizing masks, oils and emulsions. But the main thing is love and attention to your curly hair – and they will definitely be beautiful and healthy.

Tips for Naturally Curly Hair

Naturally curly hair is the subject of woman’s beauty that requires careful maintenance. But here are some helpful tips.

Despite the fact that naturally curly hair is difficult to style, by no means they can be called weak. But they should regularly be treated with hair masks to soften, moisturize and make them silky.

When choosing a shampoo for dry hair (and curly hair is most likely always dry), pay attention to its composition. Some of the ingredients that you want to see include coconut aroma oils, jojoba oils, white lotus extracts or witch hazel. Other ingredients that will strengthen and protect your hair include papaya, sage and horseradish. It should be noted that by no means you should use a volumizing shampoo, as it has a damaging effect on curly hair. Use balms as a basic nourishing product and also make use of hair masks at least once every ten days. Keep them on for five minutes, but most importantly, do not apply them on your scalp! In another easy ways, you could just use curly hair extensions.

curlsA few tips for naturally curly hair care:

  • After hair washing, just blot the hair with a towel to avoid excessive volume
  • While the hair is still wet, apply a serum to smooth it and make it shiny
  • Do not use a comb on wet hair, use your hands instead, and once the hair is dry, use a comb with wide teeth
  • For styling, apply a styling product, most of which will have thermal protection
  • A hair dryer should only be used with a diffuser, but choose one that does not have rubber teeth
  • For straightening curly hair it is better to buy ionic products which will leave your hair silky and shiny
  • It is better to let your hair air dry. The lesser the impact of artificial heat dryer, the healthier your hair will be
  • With regards to hair coloring, improperly mixed natural coloring agents, especially homemade ones, will only make your hair even dryer, and commercial products will destroy the structure of the hair. It is better to be natural – it is fashionable and useful.
  • A great haircut, which should be done every two or three months, will help give your curls fresh new look

Of course it is not an easy task to pick the right hairstyle for naturally curly hair, but sometime a magic hand of a competent hairstylist can work wonders. So the main thing is to find him/her and then pick your style.

Or maybe you are asking yourself: how can i grow my natural african american hair?

Curly Hair Natural Treatment

Curly hair looks very nice if it is well maintained and tidy. So they need proper care to look great. This type of hair is difficult to comb and manage. And there are many external and internal influences that can affect curly hair in a bad way: sunlight, bad weather, lack of oils on scalp. These are only some of the reasons that can lead to unhealthy hair.

People with curly hair usually encounter certain problems, like itching, tangling, difficult to manage, brittle hair and hair loss. Probably the best way to avoid the problems is to utilize certain conditioners, lotions, moisturizers and nourishing creams. It is also important to use shampoos and conditioners specifically formulated for curly hair. Keratin treatment is also very helpful.

There are different shampoo products available for curly hair. They contain certain elements that help with different curly hair issues, usually vitamins and minerals that help restore unhealthy hair back to perfect condition.

Conditioners are typically used to give the hair attractiveness and healthy shine by facilitating the deep absorption in hair follicle, repairing the damages.

Moisturizers primarily serve as means to make the hair more manageable, as they contain essential oils and botanical ingredients that make them so beneficial.

Nourishing creams provide proper nourishment for the hair, making it soft, silky and shiny. They also provide protection from UV Rays.

In addition to commercially available products there are some natural masks that you can implement to keep your curly hair healthy.

Gelatin mask for brittle curly hair

Dissolve a tablespoon of gelatin in 70 ml of water and leave for 40 minutes. Then sift it through cheesecloth and add a teaspoon of natural apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of jasmine and sage essential oils, then apply the emulsion on the hair. Keep for 15 minutes then wash off with lukewarm water.

Moisture mask with sour cream

Mix one egg with sour cream, castor and olive oils (1 tbsp each). Apply on hair for half an hour. Wash the hair with shampoo to remove the mask.

Banana mask

Mash a ripe banana with a fork. Add 3 tablespoons of sour cream and one tablespoon of olive oil. Apply on the hair and wrap with a plastic bag. After 20 minutes thoroughly wash the hair with a small amount of shampoo for curly hair.

Chocolate mask for hair shine

Mix 1 tbsp of cocoa powder, jojoba oil and a teaspoon of brandy or cognac. Apply to your hair with massaging movements. After 15 minutes wash the hair with warm water using shampoo.

Egg mask

Mix an egg yolk, 1 tbsp of olive oil, brandy, henna and 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply this paste on the hair for half an hour. Rinse with warm water.

Masks glue together the flakes of the outer layer of the hair and protect it throughout its length. For elasticity beauticians advise to start applying masks about 4-5 inches from the roots, and hydrating masks – for the entire length of the hair.

curly-hair

How To Style Curly Hair

Styling curly hair can be tricky; you usually don’t have as much to work with as those of us with straight hair, but the possibilities for your curly hair are just as plentiful. With the right know-how, and a little bit of patience, you can style your naturally curly hair into anything you want. So without further ado, let’s learn how to style curly hair!

How you want your curly hair styled is entirely up to you; you can choose everything for something very mild and subtle to something over the top and crazy. Here though, we will limit it to some of the more basic techniques.

The most basic of the basics would be to let your curly hair down; lots of people’s hair is naturally very high up on their head, and you can easily mix it up by letting your hair down and giving it a more relaxed look. This can be done in minutes for some, and is easy to do before you leave for work or school. This will look great if you straighten out your curls just a little bit, to give it an even more relaxed look. There are plenty of hairsprays on the market currently that will do a fantastic job of letting your hair down some and having it straightened out just a little.

Another easy way to give your curly hair a styled look without putting in too much effort would be to let it naturally dry after washing it in the morning. Lots of methods that are commonly used to dry your hair can actually have detrimental effects on your hair, and by avoiding them you not only preserve your hair’s health, but you also give it a more natural look, clip in hair extensions is a great choice to have curly hair without any treatments.

If you are trying to style your hair using products that aren’t designed specifically for curly hair, you are just making things hard on yourself for no reason. Throw out those products and pick up some that are tailored just for people like you; you will find that not only does styling become much easier, but the finished product is fair more desirable. There are plenty of products just for you on sale, do some research and it is practically guaranteed that you will be pleased with the results!

The last tip may actually be one that you have been using without even realizing it, and that is to look to the stars! No, you don’t need to endlessly stare into the sky to figure out how to style curly hair; but instead you should look at Hollywood stars for inspiration on what might be a good idea on how to style curly hair. There are plenty of great people for this job, Taylor Swift is a perfect example of someone who has beautiful naturally curly hair and is always making the most of it!

Keratin Hair Treatment

The health of your hair depends on the state of the smallest elements that make up its structure, and in particularly keratin. Keratin is a complex protein contained in our skin, hair, nails and teeth. The structure of keratin consists of amino acids which can form a variety of compounds, giving the keratin its unique properties – it may become thick, like in long, straight hair, or soft, like infant’s curls.

Hair carotene is synthesized by keratinocytes – special cells in the hair follicle and is a part of the cells of a cuticle- the outer layer of hair. Cuticles protect the hair from external damage; with the help of keratin cells cuticles tightly cover the hair and protect it from wind and cold, also from damage associated with the use of hair tongs and a dryers, hair dyes and chemical perms, and from excessive stress while using hairpins or rubber bands.

Keratin in different types of hair

african curly hair styleThe amount of keratin in the hair varies depending on a person’s ethnic descent – people with Caucasian, African and Asian backgrounds will have different quantities of keratin in their hair. For example, the hair of people of African descent only contain about 85% of keratin – their hair needs flexibility and softness to create a hair cushion and protect the hair from excessive overheating in the sun. The Caucasian hair contains 89-90% of keratin, and Asian – up to 95% because of the rigidity of climate and rapid changes in air temperature and strong winds during which the hair need thick keratin protection.

Brunettes have more keratin in their hair than the blonds, because blond hair easily reflects the rays of the sun, and dark hair require solid protection. Curly hair also contains less keratin than straight hair, because the curves of the natural curls suggest a soft cuticle structure with a minimum content of keratin, and straight long hair are characterized by a dense cuticle layer with high keratin content.

Why your hair lacks keratin

Negative impact of the environment, substandard products, stress, strict diet, poor nutrition, swimming in a sea or ocean (salty water) – all these factors can cause the loss of hair keratin. Frequent use of chemicals and hair dyes containing ammonia also destroy keratin.

Signs of keratin deficiency

The lack of keratin makes the hair cuticle porous and brittle. As a result, the protective layer of the hair no longer retains moisture and the hair becomes dry, brittle and thinning. If the amount of keratin in the outer layer is reduced the hair cuticles begin to separate from each other making the hair strands look dull and lifeless, accompanied by split ends. The hair becomes difficult to managed, unruly and tangles easily.

How to compensate for the deficiency of keratin in the hair

The deficit of keratin in the hair can be corrected with proper nutrition, right choice in shampoo products, hair masks with keratin and keratin hair straitening.

Proper nutrition

The production of amino acids that make up the keratin in the hair requires sulfur, nitrogen, silicone and a number of trace elements which are abundantly contained in animal proteins – meat, fish, poultry and dairy. In addition, vitamin B6 accelerates protein metabolism and promotes the production of keratin. The main sources of vitamin B6 are nuts, soy and liver. Consumption of fruits and vegetables helps the rapid assimilation of trace elements and breaking them down into amino acids for the production of keratin.

Balanced diet containing keratin friendly products will dramatically improve the hair condition in 4-6 weeks.

Thalassotherapy for Hair Care

According to a legend, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, emerged from sea foam. She had long thick hair. Beautiful women from every corner of the globe always try to rejuvenate and strengthen their hair with the gifts of the sea: salt, mud and algae. Experts call this method thalassotherapy. So what is so great about it? Certainly our hair does not like the notion of the sea to begin with. And the reason for it is after being in the seas water and then exposed to tropical sun and UV rays, the hair becomes thin, dry, lifeless and brittle. And if you got some green slime on the hair while diving, it is very hard to comb it out.

However, the same water and the same algae can also help your hair. Even more, these means serve as a remedy, because they have a curing potential.

Sea algae contain valuable and useful micro and macro elements. For example, calcium enhances the hair structure. Magnesium gives the hair vitality and protects it from the effects of stressful situations. Iodine makes the hair shiny. It is present in large quantities in kelp. Sea lettuce (green algae) is rich in iron; this element prevents cuts and hair loss. Blue spiral algae are rich in vitamins B, R, protein and beta-keratin – the precursor of vitamin A. These substances make your hair resilient and rejuvenate hair follicles. Red slime algae contain vitamins B and C, which are great for strengthening and rejuvenation of hair strands. But the hair needs to be strengthens not only by external means like algae hair masks, but also from within. To do this, simply eat more seafood: mussels, shrimp, oysters, crabs, kelp.

Sea salt is a unique complex of substances such as magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, chlorine and iodine. These substances are needed for fast hair growth and for giving it a magnificent look. Therapeutic mud or sea silt serve as the ingredients in hair masks and special creams to be applied before a massage, particularly on the shoulders and the back of the neck.

The impact in this particular area is an improved blood circulation to the hair follicles and normalized functioning of the sebaceous glands. As a result, the hair becomes even stronger.

If your hair is dry by type, follow these steps. Take two glasses of cold water and 20 grams of spruce needles. Pour the water over the needles and let it sit for a day. Then boil, strain and add 2 tablespoons of seaweed or algae extract. Work the mixture through the hair and keep for about 10-15 minutes. Wash off with a shampoo and conditioner made from sea ingredients.

If your hair is dry and brittle, use a mixture of algae and beer. This method returns the hair its elasticity, shine, strengthens thin hair and makes it easier to manage. Mix one cup of water with two glasses of light beer. Add two tablespoons of seaweed extract and mix. Spread evenly on dry hair. Gently massage the hair for 2-3 minutes then wrap a towel for half an hour. Wash the hair and rinse with water and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.

Tips For a Healthy Scalp

Beautiful and well maintained hair has always been the source for pride for its owners and admiration for others, but its condition directly depends on the condition and state of the scalp. Therefore your scalp requires just as much care and attention as the facial skin. Dry scalp results in one set of problems, and an oily scalp – with increased secretions of the sebaceous glands – leads to different issues, which sometimes can be impossible to resolve without medical attention and designated treatments.

Types of scalp

Scalp can be oily, dry, normal and mixed. In other words, if the secretion, released by the sebaceous gland is increased, then it corresponds to the greasy hair type, if it’s reduced – dry, and normal – normal hair type. Mixed type happens rarely, when there are several areas of the scalp with different oil content.

Diseases of the scalp

In turn, the functioning of the sebaceous glands is no less dependent on the condition of the nervous and endocrine systems, acute or chronic diseases that occur inside the body, especially those related to the gastrointestinal tract. Imbalance in these systems will certainly affect the condition of the scalp and the hair. Thus, the disorders of the thyroid gland can cause dry skin and dull hair. Severe stress can lead to hair loss, and this will be the result of the nervous system affecting the scalp.

Seborrhea and its treatment

Seborrhea (a skin condition often characterized by flakey scales, or dandruff) is often the result of the increased secretions of the sebaceous glands. This releases excess sebum (oily substances) with some changes in chemical composition, texture and biological properties which interferes with the process of its normal secretions from the sebaceous gland. Due to the excess of sebum, the hair gets an unkempt appearance with sticky and greasy strands. In addition seborrhea often causes dandruff and even hair loss.

Seborrhea treatment starts with normalizing the functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems. This includes the prescription of sedatives, medications, vitamins and minerals that increase the protective functions of the body. If the symptoms do not improve a hormonal therapy may be administered. It is very important to identify and cure any chronic diseases as well the reasons for infectious diseases. Another cause of seborrhea is problems with digestive organs.

To normalize sebaceous secretions the scalp is rubbed with the solutions of baking soda, borax and sodium thiosulfate. Purulent follicles are rubbed with the solutions of alcohol and antiseptics. Sunbathing and artificial UVR can also be found useful.

Dry scalp

Dry scalp, which is caused by decreased secretion of sebaceous gland, is also fraught with various problems. Specialists in skin diseases refer to the irritation, redness, flaking and itching as a result of this, as a dry seborrhea. This kind of seborrhea does not lead to hair loss, but it leads to the formation of thin, dry, white and easy peeling dandruff. As a result the hair looks faded, thin and messy because of split ends.

As always, before you proceed with the treatment, you need to find out the causes of the dryness of the scalp, which can be connected both with the diseases of the internal organs and hormonal disorders. Dry scalp requires treatment as well as permanent and competent care. It is recommended to wash the hair once every two weeks with soft water and using a shampoo for dry hair, enriched with soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Also useful are hydrating masks for the hair and scalp. They improve blood circulation, eliminate inflammation, restore and strengthen hair growth.

Preventive measures

Any person should be considered as a whole, because the problems with the systems of the body immediately affect the condition of the hair and scalp. That is why finding and eliminating the causes of these problems is number one priority. Proper hair care, healthy diet and lifestyle are the main preventative measures to maintain beautiful and healthy hair.

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