Curly hair ranges from loose loops to tight corkscrews and is the most common among the curl types.
Characteristics of Curly Hair
Curly hair, also known as type 3 hair, can be broken down into type 3A, 3B, and 3C hair. Curly hair is described as having either ‘O’ or corkscrew shaped curls.
Type 3A
Type 3A hair has large, loose curls about an inch in width. To preserve the texture as long as possible, protect your curly hair by using a bonnet or a silk pillowcase when sleeping.
Type 3B
3B curly hair has a tighter corkscrew pattern around the width of a little finger. Definition is key to enhance this pattern, so using stronger hold styling products like gels can help keep your curls bouncy for longer.
Type 3C
3C hair consists of very tight curls, about the size of a drinking straw. The curls are very dense which leads to 3C hair having generally lots of volume. It’s essential to lock in moisture as this can be the driest type of curly hair. Deep condition regularly and use a leave-in conditioner before your styling products.
Curly hair and Porosity
Hair porosity is the shaft’s ability to absorb and retain water. It indicates how healthy the hair is and how well it can hold on to moisture. Depending on your porosity, you will have different needs to maintain a healthy protein moisture balance: the higher the porosity, the more protein-rich products you’ll need in your routine.
Porosity is the hairs ability to absorb and retain water. It indicates how healthy the hair is and how well it can hold on to moisture. Depending on your porosity, you will have different needs to maintain a healthy protein moisture balance: the higher the porosity, the more protein-rich products you’ll need in your routine. There are three porosity types:
- High Porosity: The cuticles of individual hairs are very open. This makes it extremely easy for moisture to enter the strand, but also just as easy for it to leave.
- Medium Porosity: The cuticles are slightly open, making it somewhat easy for moisture to enter the strand, but it won’t leave as quickly as in high porosity. This makes this hair type the easiest to look after.
- Low Porosity: The cuticles are very tight, making it difficult for moisture to enter the strands. But once it does it is retained very well.
How to Wash Curly Hair?
Curly hair can to be quite dry, so it’s essential to make sure you’re not stripping your hair of its natural oils. We recommend washing only 2-3 times per week with a gentle shampoo. If you feel like you need to wash your curly hair more often, use a gentler Conditioning Wash (co-wash) instead to help maintain the natural moisture. You could also introduce a clarifying shampoo into your routine once every other week, to purify the scalp from build-up.
Moisture is very important for any curl type, so always use a conditioner when you wash your hair.
Top Tips For Styling Curly Hair
Knowing how best to style your curls will make sure will control frizz and keep them defined and juicy for longer. The correct products and techniques are essential for styling curly hair.
- Apply products on soaking wet hair. This will disperse the product and make sure it covers all your curls, helping to prevent frizz.
- Apply your styling products with your head upright to have more control of the application, then flip your head upside down and scrunch to encourage curl formation.
- Don’t touch your curly hair while it’s drying. This will help create a ‘gel cast’ around your curls, a slightly crunchy layer that prevents the development of frizz. Once your hair is fully dry, gently scrunch it to break the cast and reveal soft, bouncy hair.
- Use a pick brush at your roots to encourage volume.
- Layer multiple styling products for best definition and hold.
- Apply leave-in conditioner to ensure moisture stays locked in for longer. Apply this before your styler of choice.
- Diffuse or air dry depending on whether you want more defined or voluminous.
Protect Curly Hair Between Washes
To ensure your curls last until the next wash, it’s important to protect them when you sleep. To keep your curly hair from rubbing on your pillowcase, sleep with a satin scarf or a bonnet.
How to Refresh Curly Hair
Curly hair is often prone to frizz. To maintain your style until the next wash, try refreshing in between. You may not need to refresh every day, so you can just do it when needed. Here are our top refreshing tips:
- Spray hair with water or use a steamer before applying products. This will soften the previously applied stylers and help the fresh products to be applied effortlessly.
- Use cream to refresh your curls. Most frizz is due to a lack of moisture, so adding some back into the curls will help to tame it.
- If you feel the curls are losing shape, glaze a bit of light consistency gel on the areas that need it most.
How To Choose The Right Product For Curly Hair
Understanding your curl type is only the first step to nailing down the perfect hair routine. You need to keep in mind other factors like porosity, hair thickness and density to be able to pick the best products for your needs. If you’re still a bit confused, head over to our curl quiz for a little help!