For all of you who have been asking, here’s my curly hair routine. Nothing fancy. Just a few tips and tricks that work for me. This is my routine. Everyone's curls are different and different products work for different people. What works for me, might not work for you. Over the last 10 years, I've flipped between Aunt Jackie's and Cantu, and honestly have found them to be over and above anything I've ever bought in a supermarket or salon.
From here, I’ll take you step by step through what I do every wash day…
I wash my hair using:
When I condition, this is the only time I brush my hair.
I use a wide tooth combandbrushing the conditioner through the hair to get rid of knots. Curly hair + dry brushing = frizzy boof, so we don’t do that.
Once detangled, I rinse the conditioner out.
Straight after rinsing, I use:
I work it through my hair using the wide tooth comb again and this is officially the last time the comb touches my head. The key part now is I only partially rinse it out.
My hair is still dripping wet, with a decent amount of product still left in. From there I scrunch the curls up, clip my hair in a butterfly clip,and hop out of the shower.
With a towel around my shoulders, I let my hair down and use a very generous amount of:
I work it through the ends with my fingers first, then into the roots, scrunching as I go. I use a decent amount of product. You actually want it to feel a little slimy at this stage — that’s how you know you’ve got enough slip.
Once it’s in, I gently squeeze out some of the excess water and product. If there’s still a decent amount of product sitting in my hands after squeezing, I'll just add it back to my roots, rather than wash it down the drain.
I flip my head upside down and start blow-drying with a diffuser. The diffuser is what stops the hair from just 'blowing' and controls the frizz. It is optional but a highly recommended part of my routine......grab a metal kitchen strainer. While your head is upside down, scoop your hair into the strainer and then use your hairdryer with the diffuser to get the moisture out. The strainer helps to keep curls super scrunched, conducts heat better and gives the curls extra definition. I use the strainer for about 5 minutes, then continue drying normally with the diffuser (no strainer).
When my hair is about 80% dry, I flip my head back upright and finish drying. Focusing on the roots and scrunching them with the diffuser.
For me, upside-down drying = volume. 🦁.
And that’s basically my adult curly hair routine.
If you’ve got little ones at home, there's a much simpler version for them.......
For kids, you can try:
Shampoo and condition as normal
Only brush when the hair is wet (again — wide tooth comb)
Don’t towel dry
Don’t squeeze out too much water. You want it almost dripping
Use fingers to apply Baby Curls
Let it air dry or gently diffuse
That’s it. No overthinking. No crunchy curls. No daily battles.
Brush only when wet
Water is your friend between washes. Use a spray bottle filled with water and a touch of conditioner. I tip my head upside down, spray my hair so its damp, scrunch and blow dry. This can refresh hair between washes.
Product goes on wet hair before hair dries
Curly hair likes confidence — commit to the process 😌. This is especialy important if you've been wearing your hear straight for ages. It may take a little while for your curls to come back. Be patient.
So there's the secret.....conditioner, an upside down flip, a diffuser and a kitchen utensil.
Have fun with it! Miss T xo 👩🏼🦱
