Many women with curly hair treat their locks as if they were straight, with repeated brushing, incorrect product usage, and terribly lazy styling habits. Whether your curls are natural or the result of a perm, it is important to acknowledge that curly hair requires very specific treatment, and that the most seemingly minor mistakes made often result in the biggest hairstyle disasters.
Being born with tight natural curls, I have learned the many mistakes to avoid when attempting to style, care for, and maintain delicate curls. This includes providing special and timely care any time in which the hair is exposed to a heat source, such as the sun, straightening irons, and blow dryers.
Blow drying curly hair may sound relatively simple. Just point the blow dryer and you’re done, right? Wrong! Completed hairstyles rely heavily on exactly how the hair has been dried, what if any products have been used, and the amount of heat exposure the hair has suffered.
Understanding how to blow dry curly hair is the key to successful styles and maintaining healthy hair. Let’s explore the styling secrets and special steps necessary to blow drying your kinky locks:
Step One: Towel Dry
Gently wrap your hair into a towel for 3 – 4 minutes after washing and conditioning. Do not attempt to manually dry your hair with the towel, as this will only fuel the creation of excess tangles. Avoid leaving the towel on the hair for more than just a few minutes, as the hair will begin to dry in a rather limp and frizzy state. The goal when towel-drying curly hair is to leave the towel on the head just long enough to soak up dripping water.
Step Two: Comb
After removing the towel from your hair, comb hair thoroughly with a wide-toothed comb or pick only. Using bristled brushes damages fragile curls and pulls at the root of the hair.
Step Three: Provide Heat Protection
Curly hair is especially vulnerable to becoming dry and damaged, as natural oils spread much slower on curls. Immediately following the combing process, apply a heat protecting product to your hair (try Paul Mitchell’s Shine and Seal liquid, available at Folica). These products seal in much-needed moisture while protecting locks from heat sources.
Step Four: Apply Styling Product
Whether you prefer to use mousse, gel, sprays, or curling serums, be sure to apply the product evenly and liberally.
Step Five: Begin Blow Drying
On the lowest possible heat setting, gently begin to blow dry your hair, starting at the top of the front and slowly moving towards the ends and back until hair is thoroughly dried. Diffusers are great for drying curly hair, though fingers are not. Aside from lifting various sections, your hands should not be in your hair during the drying process.
Step Six: Shine and Frizz Control
Should you suffer from frizz or desire to add a bit of additional shine to your hair, apply products during this time (to kill two birds with one stone, try Citre Shine’s Shine Miracle Frizz Serum, available at Folica).
Step Seven: Style
The process of blow drying your curly hair is complete. Style as desired and show off your beautiful ‘do.
Source:
Experience
