THE DO’S AND DON’TS FOR CURLY HAIR!

As a little girl, I had straight hair. When I started to get older bam curly hair. At 10 years old I didn’t know how to deal with curly hair especially thick curly hair.

In my 20s, I figured out the dos and don’ts for curly hair. What products to use? How to work with it?

Everyone who has curly hair wants straight hair, and everyone with straight hair wants to have curly hair. For those with curly hair, here’s a guide for embracing the curls. For those who don’t have curly hair, here’s a guide for you on what not to do to people with curly hair.

1. Don’t touch other people’s hair unless you have permission – Having curly or even straight hair it’s a big no-no. First, you don’t know who we are, and we don’t know where your hands have been. Oils on your hands can damage other people’s hair. The number of times I’ve told people off for touching my hair is crazy. It is way worse for Black and Brown people. People think they can touch their hair whenever they want, like it’s their right to. You do NOT have the right to touch Black and Brown people’s hair. LEAVE THEM ALONE!
2. Do use a hair mask once or twice a week. Curly hair tends to get damaged very easily because of the number of products we put in our hair and the type of products we use. Try to at least use a hair mask once a week. It’s an extra 5 mins in the shower. Or you can leave the hair mask on overnight. You can use a plastic bag or a shower cap.
3. Don’t brush your hair when it’s dry – This is the worst thing you can do to your hair. It hurts like hell to brush it when it’s dry, and it becomes extremely poofy. Around 12 or 13 years old, someone argued with me about brushing my hair when it was dry. Of course, I argued back because it was someone with no curly hair. They wouldn’t understand how painful it is to brush it when it’s dry. It’s better to comb your hair with a big-tooth comb in the shower with conditioner in your hair.
4. Do not use shampoo all over your hair– You should not be washing all of your hair with shampoo. You should be washing your scalp and roots. That’s where a lot of the product build-up is. On your ends, you should be using conditioner. Our ends get damaged the most.
5. Do use a leave-in conditioner –  After taking a shower or bath, I use a leave-in conditioner in my hair before I put on any other products, especially on my ends, which tend to get dry. Choose which one is right for your type of hair.
6. Don’t use a regular towel to dry your hair –  Regular towels are so bad for curly hair. It causes breakage, and it makes your hair frizzy. It’s better to use a microfiber towel or a large 100% cotton t-shirt, it will reduce the frizz and help against breakage.
7.  Do find a hairdresser who understands curly hair – It’s really hard to find someone who understands curly hair. But it’s even harder to find one that isn’t so expensive. Do your research and make sure they suit your needs and that they aren’t too expensive either.
8. Don’t always use hairbands – As much as we love to put our hair up, hairbands tend to pull our hair and cause breakage. I’m guilty of this, especially when having a bad hair day, it’s easier to put it in a bun or a ponytail. There are silk hair ties that are amazing.
9. Do use products that work for you – People have asked me what I use on my hair. I use 4 different products that work for me, but they may not work for someone else. Everyone’s hair type is different from each other, so we all can’t use the same hair products. Trying products is a trial-and-error process to figure out what works for you.
10. Don’t tell someone with curly hair to make their hair straight permanently – This annoys me the most. When I get my hair done, it gets straightened. Every time people say you look so good with straight hair, you should make it permanent. I have thought about it, but do I want to spend all that money to make it straight and damage my hair? People with curly hair need to embrace their curls. If you know how to style it will look amazing.
11. Do get your hair cut / hair trimmed every 6 weeks – This is so important for people with curly hair. To keep our hair healthy, we need to get it cut or trimmed every 6 weeks. This is to help against split ends and to maintain healthy hair.
12. Do not use heat on your hair – Using a blow dryer on your hair all the time damages your hair. Try not to use a diffuser all the time, either. You want your hair to dry naturally with whatever products you have in it. It’s better for your hair for it to dry naturally.