How did you bring your curls back to life after major heat damage?
I straightened my hair everyday in junior high and high school. It wasn’t until college that I wanted to start wearing my hair natural, but since it was so heat damaged half my hair was straight and half had a wave to it. I wish I could tell you a secret method I followed or product I used to get my hair back to it’s bouncy curl. Unfortunately, the key is PATIENCE! Put down the straightener and get a haircut to trim your dead ends. I got my hair trimmed every 3-4 months to slowly get rid of the damaged, split ends. Use a moisturizing hair mask weekly. When I first got into using hair masks I would melt coconut oil, massage it into my hair, and leave it in for 10-20 minutes before shampooing. This is a great, inexpensive and moisturizing hair mask to use weekly!
It took me a good two year of not putting any heat on my hair for my damaged hair to grow out and my curl pattern to come back. I started to notice that my hair on the bottom was the curliest and had a ringlet pattern, and the rest of my hair was more wavy. My hair has gotten curlier over the years and majority of my hair has more of a ringlet pattern now! It’s taken the right products, styling, and overall patience.
Keep in mind there is no magic brush or product that will change the pattern of your hair. The products I share in this post are ones that are tried and true, enhance my hair and help me achieve a bouncy, non-frizzy curl!
What shampoo and conditioner do you use?
I’m always trying out new shampoo and conditioner! My favorite one’s are linked below.
How do you sleep on your curls?
I definitely toss and turn throughout the night so I started sleeping on a silk pillow case about a year ago. Silk pillow cases will not only prevent fine lines and wrinkles on your skin, but will also help prevent frizz and hair breakage. I also put my hair over the pillow so that I’m not sleeping on top of my curls. I don’t wake up with perfect curls but these two things help tremendously!
What do you style your hair with?
How I style my hair after the shower
Step 1: After the shower I dry my hair with a microfiber towel to reduce hair breakage and frizz. Microfiber towels also absorb more water than regular towels. I detangle my hair with my finger brush (it’s a cross between a comb and a brush!). Then I add a quarter size amount of the Olaplex leave-in conditioner all over my hair.
Step 2: I part my hair into two sections and rake the Briogeo Curl Charisma creme throughout my entire hair.
Step 3: I take a quarter size amount of the Briogeo Curl Charisma gel and put it in my hair using “prayer hands” (see this video here for a visual explanation).
Step 4: This is the key to perfect your curl pattern! The denman brush has made my curls look more defined and I can’t style my hair without using this. I brush small sections from root to tip, shake and scrunch. (Here’s a video tutorial on how I use the denman brush) Depending on how much time I have, I’ll either diffuse my hair or let it air dry.
How do you diffuse your hair?
I invested in the Dyson hairdryer which comes with a few attachments including the diffuser. It was definitely pricey but completely worth it in my opinion because it’s super powerful, amazing quality, and it doesn’t suck your hair into the back of the hair dryer like most (and for diffusing your hair, this is amazing!).
Step 1: I will usually let my hair air dry for about 5 minutes to let the styling products sink in before putting any heat on it. Then, I hold the diffuser about 2 inches away from my hair and gently dry my hair while moving the diffuser around but not touching my hair yet.
Step 2: When I start to see fly aways (or the small hairs drying that would eventually cause frizz), I flip my hair upside down and turn the heat up to dry the bottom of my hair.
Step 3: I keep my hair flipped upside down and turn the heat all the way up with the diffuser touching my hair, but not scrunched into it. I never scrunch my hair into the diffuser because it disrupts my curl pattern.
How do you refresh your curls in-between wash days?
I rewet my entire head of hair using a spray bottle to the point where it looks like I basically took a shower. If I leave any hair just damp it will frizz up a lot and be a mess. I focus on getting the back super wet because that is the area that frizzes up the most for me. Since there is already a good amount of product in my hair, I refresh my curls with a mousse. My favorite one is linked below!
Hair Masks/Treatments I Love
Briogeo Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating & Defining Mask – A protein-free, weekly hair mask for all curly types that deeply moisturizes, enhances slip, and boosts curl definition. I divide my hair into sections and comb this in my hair after I shampoo and leave it in for 10 minutes or longer.
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector – A reparative hair treatment for all hair types. It repairs damaged and weakened hair, reduces hair breakage and split ends, and protects and strengthens your hair structure. I like to use this mask after putting heat on my hair.
Nexxus Curl Define Ultra-8 Pre-Wash Treatment – A deep conditioning hair treatment and detangler. This treatment detangles, nourishes and reduces hair breakage. I like to use this on wash days if my hair is super tangled. I wet my hair entirely and massage this mask into sections of my hair and leave it in for 5-10 minutes before following with shampoo and conditioner.
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