Destress Curly Tresses

Curls have made a comeback with every curly hair girl adoring her coils, twists, and turns that occur naturally. The journey from stress to loving your tress is a process of knowing and understanding your curly hair.

Summer is a season of mixed emotions for every curly hair girl as it may be a period of frizz and damage due to the humidity. With the change of seasons comes a necessity to re-evaluate your hair care regimen.

A curly hair girl may begin by learning more about her hair type which will help her understand better how to care for it correctly. We recommend washing your hair, massaging in the conditioner, rinsing, and naturally scrunching it dry. In its most natural state check how much it bounces and continue from there. Ditch daily shampoo routines during summers as frequently shampooing curly hair can cause breakage.

First, we need to find out if you have wavy hair, loose curls, or tight curls? There are nine different varieties of curls termed according to their texture ranging from 2A to 4C. Further classified into three different curl patterns: wavy, tight, and coiled. Curls in type 2A to 2C are wavy. Types 3A through 3C generally consist of tight curls.

Indian curly hair type mostly ranges from type 2C to 3C though a single head can have a mixture of more than one hair type. Once you have identified your curl type, here are steps to follow the 'Curly Girl Method' created by Lorraine Massey.

The first step method is cleansing. The three common cleansers that have been mentioned in the curly girl method are clarifying shampoo, moisturising shampoo, and co-wash (Conditioning wash). We should avoid products that contain sulphates and silicones as these are drying agents, blocking moisture absorption. Instead, use mild cleansers that consist of cooling elements like peppermint and tea tree oil ingredients.

The clarifying shampoo completely cleanses your scalp and helps start the curly girl method on a clean slate. It is generally used only once or twice a month to get rid of all product build-up. The moisturizing shampoo can be used for gentle cleansing of the scalp and hair once or twice a week. Co-washes too have cleansing ingredients, but these ingredients will not dry out your scalp. Since it's safe to use daily, it is a good product to use if you work out daily during summers.

The second step consists of conditioning. Curly hair's lovely twists conceal a secret: they're craving moisture! The twists, make it harder for natural oils from the scalp to reach the terminals of the tresses, causing hair to burn out at the endpoints and become prone to breaking. Resulting in frizz, we need to calm it down by keeping it from expanding in the summer heat.

Conditioning is the most important step in the curly hair routine - a curly girl cannot skip this step! Conditioners and masks are those products that help in combatting dryness and frizz - 2 main issues faced by curly hair girls.

Now that you're ready for styling, you can apply the leave-in conditioner or curl cream. Styling products are used after post-wash and are supposed to stay in your hair. Complete the third step by applying a gel to seal all the products.

Dry your hair in the right manner. Using normal towels might cause frizz by removing moisture. Therefore, it is recommended to use softer fabrics such as microfiber and combed cotton that is super gentle on your hair and keeps frizz and dryness at bay. This step of putting your hair in a turban towel or a towel bonnet is called plopping.

Several styling products may leave a tiny cast on the hair surface. This is readily broken by scrunching your hair inverted and removing the cast in the process which is called SOTC stands for Scrunching Out the Crunch. Hair accessories made of Satin/Silk, such as bonnets and pillows, are intended to safeguard your styled hair overnight. These materials help in reducing the friction and retaining moisture in the hair and therefore help you extend your washday results.

Curly hair has its individuality, it is a gift and makes every curly hair girl stand out. Wearing hairstyles that are easy going is a great way to enjoy the summer months. Space buns are a classic hairstyle that women of all ages may wear. You can also create your own bangs, style your hair in a half-updo with the other half out and a few strands pulled out from the front and you are ready! Lastly, we insist to keep it natural and always remember to hydrate.

(Yuba khan & Hinshara Habeeb is the founders of Manetain Store)