If you’re a curly girl, you know it takes effort to look as good as you do. With the right hair care routine, there’s nothing more stunning than your curls when they’re on point. While you may know lots of things you can do to your hair to accentuate your curl pattern, did you know there are a few things you should absolutely avoid? Here are the worst things you can do to curly hair, and tips on what you should be doing instead.
Choose the Wrong Products
Whether you’re shopping online or at the store, there are hundreds of products that claim to do wonders for your hair. However, many of these use smoke and mirrors to grab your attention and make you reach for a bottle that won’t work with your hair type. Many products on the market that claim to contain natural ingredients may not necessarily have any benefits for your hair. Stick to brands that keep it natural, and that are made for curly hair, like Lu’s Freedom Collection. Made with Moringa seed oil, Freedom nourishes those hard-to-reach curls, coils and waves, penetrating the hair shaft to deliver the nutrition they need.
Allow Harsh Chemicals in Your Hair
Some of the biggest names in shampoo may actually be the most harmful. Many of these products contain sulfates that can remove too much natural oil from your hair and leave it dry and lifeless, phthalates that can harm your scalp, colorants that can lead to hair loss, and parabens that may even increase the risk of cancer. Lu is dedicated to leaving your hair feeling moist and full of life, which is why every Lu shampoo, conditioner, and styling cream is sulfate-free, phthalate-free, colorant-free and paraben-free. Make sure you know how to read your shampoo label before you buy any new products.
Overwashing
Many people shampoo their hair every single day, which can remove natural hair oil, or sebum, and leave you with dry hair and/or frizzy hair. If you have long and curly hair, you can leave it longer between washes than you could with straight hair, as it’s less prone to oiliness. Get to know your hair by skipping a day between washes at first and then move to washing it whenever it feels like it needs it. And don’t forget to condition with Lu’s Freedom Conditioner to replenish any oils lost by shampooing.
Too Much Heat
Heating tools like hairdryers, straighteners and curling irons often lead to hair damage and dullness. When you’re in a rush and have no time to air dry, don’t forget to use a diffuser. Diffusers attach to blow dryers and disperse the hair, rather than heating it like a regular blow dryer, which means the hair cuticles remain protected and your hair dries in a natural way. Start with a low heat setting and work your way up to a stunning look that will help diffuse any situation that life may bring.
Not Brushing Right
Despite popular belief, brushing curly hair is not going to destroy it. Brushing your hair correctly can actually be a great way to evenly distribute healthy hair oils from root to tip. Be sure to only brush curly hair when it’s wet, detangling from the bottom to the top, and never brush your hair more than you wash it. Looking for a new hairbrush for your hair type? Find the best fit here.
Use the Wrong Towel
Just like you need the right hair care products in your hair, you also need the right towel to dry it. Regular towels can damage hair cuticles and cause your curls to go dull. Use a bamboo or microfiber towel instead, and wrap your wet hair instead of rubbing it. These towels have densely packed fibers that are made to work with your hair and keep it moist after the shower. Don’t have a microfiber towel? Try an old t-shirt instead! .
Stop Your Hair Care Routine at Night
It’s bedtime and that means you no longer have to worry about your hair, right? Wrong. You can actually cause more damage to your hair at night than at any other time, especially if you’re prone to tossing and turning in bed. The friction caused by this movement can rub hairs, lead to morning frizz, and even cause hair to fall out. Silk pillowcases help retain moisture from leave-in cream and other products, whereas cotton is known to absorb oils from your hair and leave it dry and damaged in the morning.
Pull It Too Tight
Tight hairstyles that pull your hair can lead to a phenomenon known as traction alopecia, or repeated trauma of the hair follicles. Protective styles can be great to keep curls and kinks safe in harsh weather conditions, but you don’t want to overdo it. When you finally remove your protective style, let your hair breathe before you tie it up again.
Not Using Keratin Products
Keratin makes up 95% of hair, which is why selecting hair products with keratin is important to strengthen your curls. Impossible Keratin™️ from Lu goes one step further than other keratin products by increasing the hair's tensile strength, or elasticity. Lu's proprietary formulation is a hair care breakthrough that aids damage recovery and builds hair strength fast, adds shine, and helps protect against further damage. But don’t take our word for it. Try Lu today and enjoy any of our hair care products with a risk-free, 100% money back guarantee. We’re that confident that you’ll feel the difference from the very first wash.
How do you keep your curly hair looking spectacular all day, every day? Let us know in the comments!
