My mantra when it comes to hair is to keep it simple. You don’t need multiple curly hair products. I believe in taking a simple approach for maximum impact. What curly hair needs at the most fundamental level is moisture. Moisture is the foundation of a curly hair care routine.
Based on over 35 years of salon experience, I have developed a deep conditioning treatment exclusively formulated to tackle the common problems associated with curly hair. From frizzy, curly hair to tangles, dry curly hair and poor curl definition, I share my expertise on how you can treat your curly hair so that you can enhance and rock those curls.
In this blog, I’ll share my advice on how to take care of curly hair naturally. Plus, I’ll share my expert tips on looking after curly hair. Whatever your hair type, I’ll share my knowledge on how to take care of curly hair and why getting the perfect moisture balance is vital. Get that right, and the rest will follow.
Curls come in a variety of shapes, sizes and textures.
But there is one thing all curls have in common. Curls give your hair natural body, volume and movement. Sometimes, you may feel your curls have too much volume. I refer to the volume from curls as ‘The Bounce’. The Bounce happens naturally; learning to control it will help you style your curly hair. Adding moisture to curly hair helps to give weight and balance to The Bounce.
Getting volume and movement in hair is the holy grail of hair styling, and if you have curls, you are blessed because you’ve got it naturally. So, I encourage you to enjoy your curly hair and focus on giving your curls moisture so you can use The Bounce to your advantage.
In this blog, I’ll discuss curly hair types, texture, porosity and density. Understanding the characteristics of your hair will help you build a hair care routine that will give your curls the foundation to look and feel fabulous.
Understanding your curly hair type and texture is the starting point for knowing how to look after curly hair.
Curl type is vital for cutting the hair. Getting the right shape and cut for your curl type is the difference between hair that looks ordinary and hair that looks wow!
I think of the curl type as your hair’s personality; letting that personality shine through is what a good haircut is all about.
The shape of curly hair is a series of dips and lifts. The upside of those dips and lifts is that they give you all that fabulous body and texture.
However, the downside is that they leave curly hair more prone to breakage than other hair types. Tighter curls are more fragile than looser curls.
To keep it simple, I’ve split the curly hair types into three categories below.
Your hair may not fit the exact description in those categories.
Your hair may have a variety of texture patterns in different areas of the head. I find it helpful to use the categories as a sliding scale; tighter curls generally need more moisture than looser curls. Use this to inform yourself about your hair; they are a guide to use and develop your curly hair routine.
Hair is flatter near the scalp with movement and waves at the mid-lengths and ends of the hair. Waves tend to be looser and have an ‘S’ shape.
Hair may have more ringlets and corkscrew shapes, but not necessarily all the way through the hair. Curls may give hair the appearance of a thick texture, even if the hair is fine.
Hair has tight, small corkscrew curls from the scalp to the ends of the hair. That mainly describes Afro-textured hair. Whilst the curls tend to be smaller, the hair is much denser.
Curly hair type is only part of the story of how to care for curly hair. Thinking about the texture of your curls is vital when adding moisture to your hair. For example, is your hair thick and coarse or fine? Texture makes a difference in how you approach caring for your curls at home. Adding moisture to fine curly hair might require a small amount at a time to prevent overloading the hair. I call this layering. Start with a small amount of Restore and Shine Hair Masque, warm it up in the palm of your hands and gently feed it into the ends of the hair. If your hair absorbs the product quickly, you can add more product; for thicker or coarser hair types, the hair will generally absorb more product.
That brings us to hair porosity, which is all about how easily your hair absorbs moisture.
Understanding your hair’s porosity is vital; it helps you know more about how your hair absorbs moisture. Curly hair tends to be more porous, but that’s not always the case. Chemical hair colours or extreme weather be it sun or wind, can damage the hair and affect the porosity.
Check your porosity to gain more knowledge about how you care for curls.
You can categorise hair into 3 types of porosity.
Hair doesn’t absorb moisture well, and you may find that product builds up on your hair.
Easily absorbs and retains moisture. It requires little maintenance.
This hair is thirsty! It absorbs moisture, but it always wants more and can become frizzy.
You can test your hair’s porosity at home. I call this the Curly Hair Hydration Test.
Take a strand of hair from your comb or hairbrush and pop it into a glass of water. Leave it for a couple of minutes and see what happens.
In a humid environment, porous hair will soak up the moisture in the atmosphere and become frizzy. A weekly hair mask treatment helps the hair retain moisture and seal the cuticle. Giving hair the right moisture levels will prevent it from soaking up the water in the atmosphere and help reduce frizz. The more porous your hair, the more hydration it needs from a deep conditioner.
Once you’ve established your Curly Hair Hydration Type, think about your own routine to improve condition and manageability.
It’s all about maintenance. A weekly mask treatment with Restore and Shine Hair Masque will keep your hair in tip-top condition.
It can feel like a full-time job to keep these thirsty locks hydrated. You may even feel like giving up. But I encourage you to persist and establish a haircare routine.
Understanding the density of your hair gives you more information and knowledge about caring for your curls.
That is all about how much hair you’ve got; it makes a difference in how you care for curly hair.
Low-density hair needs less moisture than High-Density hair.
So, if you are using Restore and Shine Hair Masque to add moisture to your hair, you’d use less product on low-density hair than on high-density hair.
You can check your hair density below.
You can easily see your scalp when parting dry hair.
You can only partially see your scalp when parting dry hair.
It’s difficult to see the scalp and partings don’t hold easily.
Taking care of curly hair shouldn’t be complicated. Follow my guide on curly hair types, textures, porosity and density to develop a routine of looking after your own unique curls. Give your curls the love and attention they deserve and you’ll be rewarded with fabulous curly hair!
Moisture is the foundation for curly hair. How you apply curly hair products and how much you need to use depends on your curly hair type, texture, porosity and density. Routine is vital to giving your hair regular moisture. That is not a one-off event. Build a curly hair routine with a deep conditioner at the heart of that routine.
Curls come in different shapes: wavy, curly and coily. When thinking about cutting hair, curl shape is vital in getting the right shape and balance for your curls. But it also determines how much moisture your hair needs. The tighter the curl, the more fragile the hair is and the more moisture it needs.
A weekly deep conditioning hair mask is essential for maintaining moisture and sealing the cuticle to fight frizz, dryness, and tangles and leave hair shiny. Choose a good quality hair mask.
Curly hair comes in many textures, from thick and coarse to fine. That is a determining factor in how you approach caring for curly hair at home.
Check your hair Porosity to understand how it absorbs moisture, and follow our tips for your hair porosity type. And don’t forget, the density of your hair impacts how much moisture your hair needs.
Get to know your hair by type, texture, porosity and density. Build a curly hair care routine that has moisture as the foundation.
I’ve written specifically about the 3 main hair types: Fine, Thick and Natural or Afro-Textured Coily Hair.
For more in-depth reading, discover more below.
Fine Curly Hair | Expert Tips and Advice How to Care for Fine Curly Hair Naturally Fine Curly Hair doesn’t have to be flat. With the right approach your curls can be your biggest hair asset. Curls give texture and volume to fine hair. Getting the right haircut or style
Thick Curly Hair |Expert Tips How to Take Care of Thick Curly Hair Naturally If you have thick, curly hair, you may well be the envy of your fine-haired friends. You have volume naturally. However, I’ve worked with many clients over the years who just wanted to contain and restrain
How to Care for Natural Hair Naturally | Expert Tips Discover tips to soften, add moisture and keep your natural black hair healthy with my exclusive natural hair treatment. Afro-textured hair is the driest of hair types, and with my exclusive natural hair mask, you can add moisture to your
Norris Ogario is founder and Creative Director of Ogario London. Developed in his London salon, the Ogario London haircare products reflect his belief that hydration is the key to fixing most hair problems. Hydrated hair can be styled with ease. Plus, hydration leaves hair shiny and healthy. Norris has over 35 years of hair know-how. With expertise in all hair types; from dry hair to fine or grey hair, from frizzy to damaged or bleached hair, curly hair and afro hair, Norris offers his expert advice.
I write about all aspects of healthy hair, from preventing frizzy hair to stopping split ends. Plus I share salon tips and techniques for looking after all hair types.
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Ogario London is a salon developed range of natural hair care products. Because we are passionate about our products, delivering the best results is at the heart of what we do. Do you have questions about our products? Or, would you like advice on the best products for your hair type? Maybe have another question about how to look after your hair? If you do, please get in touch at info@ogariolondon.com.
Restore and Shine Hair Masque was awarded best hair mask in the Ultimate Natural Beauty Bible Awards. As an independent hair care brand, we are incredibly proud to be recognised alongside some of the industry’s biggest haircare brands. Because I spend time ensuring that our products deliver the best results, I couldn’t be happier to get this review and win this prestigious award.
