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1. Shampooing twice a week is enough.
Skipping a shampoo can be the best thing for your curls because cleansing agents can be drying and cause frizz. "The best way to wash curls is twice a week with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner," says stylist JD Restrepo of Salon Ziba in New York City. (His favorite? The Kerastase Bain Oleo-Curl line.)
2. Seriously, just wet your hair and use conditioner.
Stylist Rob Pizzuti has a specific formula for how curly girls should wash their hair: "Day one: wash and condition. Days two and three: wet hair really well, and condition only." This method ensures that the length of your curls are getting maximum moisture while preventing your roots from getting overly dry.
3. If you INSIST on washing, use a cleansing conditioner, especially if your hair is dry.
Have you heard of co-washing? It's a technique using a cleansing conditioner—think of it as an updated version of two-in-one shampoo. These products focus on moisturizing and gently cleansing and are ideal for taking care of curly hair.
4. Wash with a clarifying shampoo once a month.
Unless you have extremely dry hair, the experts say that most curly-haired women benefit from an occasional date with a clarifying shampoo (choose a sulfate-free formula to ensure that it isn't overly harsh on hair and scalp). Massage it at the roots to remove any product residue, then rinse.
5. Your haircut shouldn't try to "tame" your curls.
When it comes to the ideal cut, the goal is to allow curls to assume their fullest and most robust shape, rather than trying to "tame" them with outdated cutting techniques, says Chadwick Pendley, a Ouidad master artistic educator in New York City. "[Curly-haired women] should be looking for cuts that allow curls to interlock, cascade and puzzle moving down, as opposed to out," he says.
6. Ask your stylist to use scissors not a razor.
Pizzuti agrees that haircuts should enhance, not thin them. "My biggest pet peeve is when a stylist will thin out the ends of a curly head of hair, so the curl pattern has been dissolved. Please, ask your stylist to cut your hair with scissors! A sharp, clean line will allow the curl to look solid and finished at the ends and reduce frizzy fly-aways."
7. You'll probably need a couple of styling products.
First, evenly apply a leave-in conditioner or styling primer to towel-squeezed hair, Pendly says. Then follow with a gel designed for your hair texture. Ouidad's Climate Control Gel is basically a cult classic at this point, which Pendly claims results in hair that is both moisturized and volumized. For finer curls, Pizzuti recommends a serum like Pai-Shau Biphasic Infusion, for moisture that won't weigh down curls.
8. Grab a diffuser and be patient.
Your curls will hold their shape best if you allow apply styling products to damp hair then air dry or blow-dry with a diffuser. Restrepo explains that a diffuser attachment will ensure your curls will dry in perfectly separated spirals.
9. Fight frizz and keep the volume with leave-in conditioner.
To amplify your curls' volume and texture, Restrepo recommends using a volumizing spray at the roots, and then a leave-in conditioner from mid-length to the end.
10. Coconut oil might be your best friend.
"I really love coconut oil—you can use it as a deep conditioner, leave-in treatment, and a daily detangler. It even helps to stop dandruff and it protects your hair from the sun," Restrepo says. It's natural and you can find it at your grocery store, so that's a win-win.
11. When in doubt, don't touch your hair.
"My best advice for all types of curly hair: Don't touch it," Pizzuti says. It's just going to frizz and you know it!
Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur Archive 1/WireImage; Michael Buckner/Getty Images For BET
