Get That Luxurious Bounce Back: Curl Tips That Avoid The Big Chop
Oh, the drama of curls! They bounce. They spring. They turn heads and demand all eyes on them. They weep and pout when they’re given too much heat. And a touch of color or highlights will have them faint into a dramatic death. We are human. Although we may love our curls, we want to change things up now and then. If you have reluctantly reached for that straightener, blow dryer, or color and your curls are having a hard time forgiving you, then don’t worry. Love Happens knows the perfect apology that even your dramatic curls can’t refuse—and no, we are not talking about the big chop. Read on to learn how to repair damaged curly hair without cutting!
Get That Luxurious Bounce Back!
Feed Your Damaged Curls What They’re Craving
Rice Water: Studies have shown that rice water is full of inositol, which not only repairs damaged curly hair but also prevents future damage. You can incorporate rice water into your routine by directly applying it to your hair after shampooing and conditioning or you can use products that contain rice water, like SheaMoisture’s Shea + Color Care line, which contains purple rice water.
Mafura Oil: Heat and color dehydrate your curls which leads to breakage. Mafura oil is the tip that will help repair your damaged curls by adding deep hydration. “You can apply this oil to your strands and scalp to help repair damaged curly hair. Mafura oil also promotes hair growth as the oil is known to reduce split ends,” says Carmen Moore, former stylist and founder of The Hairstyle Review.
Biotin: Biotin is a great vitamin to get your curls back to that luxurious state. Biotin repairs your hair by promoting healthy hair growth. This is because biotin helps create red blood cells that allow your hair and scalp to thrive on their way to recovery. You can take vitamin supplements or eat more whole grains and seafood to increase your biotin uptake.
Be Gentle With Them During This Sensitive Time
Sleep With Silk: Your curls need a good night’s rest just as much as you do. Typical cotton pillowcases promote breakage due to friction throughout the night. So, aim for a softer place to lay your curls to reduce breakage and frizz. You can sleep in a silk bonnet, wrap your hair in a silk scarf, or sleep on a silk pillowcase.
Give Your Scalp A Massage: The scalp is literally the root of your luxurious curls. Taking care of your scalp is how you take care of your strands. Therefore, promote your scalp health by giving yourself a scalp massage with essential oils. You can use your hands or a scalp massaging tool. This will promote blood circulation and give your damaged hair a much-needed boost.
Detangle Gently: Your damaged curly hair is in a very fragile state, so be gentle when you get those knots and kinks out. You can do this by using a wide-tooth comb or join in on the Denman Brush movement. Be sure that when you are detangling your hair that you are doing it in small sections, from ends to root, and when your hair is wet.
Avoid These Exes
Heat: Go easy on the heat when your curly hair is suffering from damage. If you simply can’t resist this tempting ex, then use a heat protectant and attach a diffuser to your blow dryer. BONUS TIP: If you’re not in a rush, take the time to dry your hair with the cold air setting on your blowdryer.
Elastic Hair Ties: Let your curls breathe and fall in their natural position. Avoid constantly having it up in tight styles, because hair ties can rip and damage your curls even more. Try using silk scrunchies, spiral/telephone cord hair ties, and claw clips instead of elastic hair ties.
Sulfates and Parabens: Last, but certainly not least, kiss these chemicals goodbye! This is an important tip for how to repair your damaged curly hair without cutting. Sulfates and parabens have been known to leave harmful residue and strip your hair of essential natural oils. Try using brands like Briogeo and SheaMoisture, and make sure to check the ingredients of each product to ensure that these exes stay in the past.
Words by Caitlin Battle
Featured Image from Unsplash (Khaled Ghareeb)
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