My sweet curly-haired girls, today we're going to look at the mistakes not to make when caring for curly hair. Often, women and men who come to me for advice make small mistakes. Mistakes that can make a big difference between having healthy, shiny, and strong hair and having frizzy, dull, and dry curly hair. So, if you also want to have beautiful, elastic, defined, and strong curls, be careful not to make the following mistakes so as not to ruin the natural beauty of your hair.
The 15 mistakes not to make for healthy and defined curly hair
As I often remind everyone who is new to curly hair care: curls require more attention and care than straight hair.
Caring for curls requires many small precautions that, when followed, result in voluminous hair and defined curls without unwanted frizz. So, my curly-haired friend, let's look at the 15 mistakes not to make with curly hair so that you too can finally achieve the look you desire. You'll see it's simpler than you imagine. To avoid most of the following mistakes, you just need to abandon a few bad habits.
No. 1 Washing curly hair too often
The natural sebum produced by the scalp helps curls to be protected and maintain their natural elastic shape. However, due to the curl's conformation, the good sebum from the scalp takes much longer to distribute to the lengths. If you wash your curls too often, here's the consequence: your scalp produces more and more sebum, and you end up with greasy, flat roots while the lengths remain dry, weakening them and making them lose elasticity.
My advice is to understand when your hair is really dirty to avoid washing it too often. Following the My Curly Girl Method, for example, the curly-haired women who trusted Afroricci manage to wash their hair 1-2 times a week and have beautiful curls.
No. 2 Washing curly hair with water that is too hot
Another common mistake made with curly hair is washing it with water that is too hot. Heat tends to open the cuticles of the hair shaft and weaken the curls, making them fragile and prone to frizz.
My advice is to use lukewarm or cold water for the final rinse to close the cuticles and seal the product ingredients you've applied into the hair.
No. 3 Using the wrong products that contain silicones and sulfates
Curly hair is among the most delicate hair types, so it needs the right products: capable of gentle cleansing, providing hydration and nourishment, and containing proteins if necessary.
The two worst enemies of curly hair found in most products are silicones and sulfates. Silicones create a barrier that prevents good ingredients from penetrating the hair, and an aggressive shampoo is needed to remove them. Sulfates, on the other hand, tend to dry out curls, preventing them from being hydrated and thus elastic.
To have beautiful hair, always choose products designed for curly hair that can hydrate, nourish, and protect so that you can find your perfect haircare routine. For example, the Ciao Bellissima curly hair products by Afroricci are natural, eco-sustainable, gentle, silicone-free, sulfate-free, and designed and tested by curly-haired women for curly-haired women.
No. 4 Not purifying the scalp to avoid build-up
Purifying the scalp with a gentle scrub, like the Ciao Bellissima Co-co scrub, allows you to eliminate dead cells, reactivate capillary microcirculation for healthier and stronger curly hair, and thoroughly remove previously applied products such as styling products.
In fact, my dear curly girl, since your hair needs gentle products for washing, over time, styling products create what is called build-up. Build-up is an accumulation of products on the scalp and lengths that weighs down the hair and causes it to get dirty faster.
My advice is to purify your scalp every 4-5 washes or even less, depending on your needs and the amount of styling products you use.
No. 5 Not doing deep conditioning
Here's another common mistake made by those with curly hair: not deep conditioning.
The deep conditioning consists of applying a mask and leaving it on for about 30 minutes to allow all the ingredients to penetrate the hair and provide it with what it needs.
It is not only useful for curly-haired women whose hair has been treated with coloring, bleaching, or is damaged. It is an excellent ally for any type of curl.
Deep conditioning once a week or every two weeks helps to make your curls strong and nourished. If you want a recipe for a DIY mask, we shared it in the article curly hair in winter: caring for it in 3 steps with the winter routine.
No. 6 Brushing curly hair when it's dry
Curly hair should be brushed when wet after applying conditioner or a mask. Brushing it dry causes weakening and a loss of the curl's natural elasticity.
If for any reason you need to brush it dry, be careful not to make the next mistake.
No. 7 Not using a suitable brush for detangling curly hair
A very common mistake that risks making the curl lose its natural shape is brushing with an unsuitable brush. For example, a classic fine-tooth brush opens the curl, making it difficult for it to reform.
However, using a detangling brush for curls will allow you to remove knots without hurting yourself, without risking breaking your beautiful hair, and it will help the curl form. In fact, thanks to the specially designed tension that the brush applies to individual strands, your hair will regain its natural definition.
No. 8 Applying too many styling products or not applying any at all
Styling and restyling are a curly hair's best friends, and regarding this, there are two common mistakes: applying too many products or not applying any at all.
Every curl is special and unique in both shape and thickness. That's why I always recommend learning to know your hair to understand which and how many styling products to use in your routine.
Applying too many products weighs down the hair and makes it get dirty faster. On the other hand, not applying any makes it difficult for curls to form and maintain their definition and hydration in the days following wash day.
There are products that every curly head should use. And among them, the two most important for styling are:
- leave-in, or no-rinse conditioner, which helps keep curls hydrated. As you read at the beginning, the natural sebum produced by the scalp struggles to reach all the lengths, so hydration only during washing is not enough. The leave-ins most loved by Afroricci's curly-haired customers are the Repairing and Revitalizing Milk and the Ciao Bellissima Silk Drops.
- gel that helps seal and maintain the definition and elasticity of curls even in the days following washing. The gel most loved by Afroricci's curly-haired customers is the Ciao Bellissima Curl Activating Serum Gel.
No. 9 Rubbing curly hair to dry it faster
The most common mistake made by those new to curly hair care is: rubbing curls with a terry towel.
If you want to remove excess water before drying, choose a microfiber towel. Terrycloth absorbs too much water, which is necessary for curls to stay hydrated and avoid frizz.
Furthermore, blotting your hair with a microfiber towel even after applying styling products, before blow-drying, helps you remove excess if you realize you've overdone it.
No. 10 Drying curly hair at excessively high temperatures
The same rule applies to drying as to washing. Curls and excessively high temperatures do not get along.
Use a diffuser and a medium or medium-low temperature to prevent humidity from evaporating too quickly from the curls. In fact, if you use too high a temperature and aggressively evaporate the water, the curls will be dry, dull, dehydrated, and undefined.
No. 11 Continuously touching them during drying
During styling, take all the time you want to manipulate your curls, but when you move on to drying, try to touch them as little as possible. If you can manage it, I know it's very difficult if you're used to it, you'll give your curls enough time to form and you'll have beautiful, frizz-free hair.
No. 12 Frequently using a straightening iron
Curls are wonderful, but I know that sometimes you might want to see yourself with straight hair. So, I'll give you a couple of tips to protect your curls even when you want to use a straightening iron.
The first tip is not to use it too often because hair has a kind of memory. If you use a straightening iron every day, your beautiful hair will need much more time and attention to regain its natural shape and health.
The second tip is to use a heat protectant spray like the Repairing and Revitalizing Milk to protect your wonderful hair and prevent high temperatures from damaging it.
No. 13 Subjecting curly hair to chemical treatments: among the worst curly hair mistakes
A mistake I made myself in the past, even before Afroricci was a reality. Chemical treatments, such as straightening treatments, force curls to take an unnatural shape for them. In the long run, your hair will be very damaged and increasingly fragile.
No. 14 Not protecting them at night
We're almost at the end, my dear curly girl. And here we are with another curly hair mistake made too often: the lack of nighttime protection.
Most pillowcases on the market are made of cotton. Cotton absorbs the hair's natural oils and creates friction during the night, especially if you move a lot during sleep. The result is that you wake up in the morning with dry, misshapen, and damaged curls.
The advice I want to give you is to use a satin pillowcase or a satin nightcap to protect your curls. If you do this, all you'll need is a quick refresh to have luminous, elastic, and defined curls.
No. 15 Not cleaning styling accessories
I left this mistake for last because it's the most underestimated.
The build-up applies to both the scalp and styling accessories. The brushes you use to detangle curls and distribute styling products well should be washed thoroughly, as should the diffuser and all other accessories you use.
Curly hair mistakes: final considerations
My sweet Afro girl, now you know all the worst curly hair mistakes you could make with your hair.
If you make some of these mistakes, you just need to make some small changes to your habits. It might seem difficult at first, but don't worry. We've all been there, including me, and I can assure you that if you avoid the mistakes you've read, your curly hair will thank you and know that you truly love it.
And as always, my curly girl, if you need advice on how to best take care of your hair, you can book a consultation with me.
Alice, a curly girl for curly girls