Today women have an abundance of options when it comes to how they wear their hair. Many women have chosen to opt for hair weaves in order to vary their style without damaging their hair. It’s a fun way to try out a new hairdo! There are various textures of hair weave on the market, but one of the most popular is the curly weave. Whether you’d like your curls to fall loosely around your face or prefer them like tightly wound corkscrews, you want to make sure to maintain your hairstyle so that it’ll last. Here are a few steps to help you keep the look.
First, when it comes to purchasing hair weave you must be a discerning shopper. The best hair to purchase is real or human hair. Synthetic weaves don’t blend as well as human hair. Synthetic hair can cause irritation to the scalp, can be difficult to keep moisturized and can require as much styling time as your own hair. I would suggest you visit a reputable hair salon with stylists who are well versed on different brands of weave. They should be able to advise you on which brand of weave would work best for the type of look you want. If you don’t get any leads after visiting a salon or two, go to a hair and beauty supply on your own and ask a lot of questions about their stock of human hair. Then use your best judgment to purchase the hair that befits the style you want. As to pricing, in my experience, the mid to higher priced brands generally last the longest and are of the best quality.
Secondly, when you go to a stylist to get your hair done, be clear that you do NOT want anything glued in. Have them plat (braid) your hair and sew in the weave instead. This method of putting in weave has many benefits. The hair lays down better, is easy to take out and won’t damage your hair when you remove it. You should wash and condition your hair before having your hair braided. Your weave should be sewn in tightly as it will loosen over time. Speak with your stylist and provide pictures of the look you want to achieve. Your stylist can then let you know what kind of hair to buy and whether or not you’ll be able to achieve that look considering your hair texture, length and color. Communication is key when working with any hair stylist.
At some point you will need to wash your scalp and your weave. You should wash your hair every one to two weeks, depending on your lifestyle. Before you wash your hair, section it off into parts and braid it. Lightly wash your scalp first and then unbraid each section of the hair to wash and condition separately. When you are done, don’t dry your hair with a blow dryer or with a towel, simply wring your hair out with your hands and pat dry.
Next, you will need to “comb” through your hair. Remember this, you can only comb through your hair with your fingers. Do not use an actual brush, comb or pick on your hair or it will compromise the structure of the curls and create an afro-ish look. Make sure you finger comb any and all tangles by starting at the root and working your way down to the ends. (You shouldn’t have too many tangles as long as you wash your hair as I advised above.) You should finger comb your hair at least once in the morning and again before bedtime. Care Free Curl activator is a great conditioner for curly weaves, leaving your feeling soft and moisturized.
Finally, when you go to bed for the night, you should moisturize your hair the same way as when you’re coming out of the shower. Then section your hair off into separate braids. Make sure it’s moisturized thoroughly though because it will increase and emphasize the curls more when you undo it in the morning. Place a satin cap over your head before going to sleep. This will help to lock in the moisture and create less friction between your weave and your pillow, so it won’t loosen as quickly. Make sure the cap or scarf is securely tied. In the morning, unbraid and lightly mist your hair with water before running your fingers through it. There’s no need to reapply the curl activator in the morning if your hair is still soft and shiny. Otherwise you’ll wind up with build up.
Although your weave will become looser naturally over time, you can still salvage the look if a track becomes exposed or loose, by securing it back into place using a bobby pin or hair pin. If it’s something you can’t fix at home, ask your stylist to tighten that one section or piece. It should cost little to nothing to do, if you return to the same stylist who orginally sewed it in for you. These are truly some of the best ways I’ve found to increase the longevity of a curly weave, be it long or short.
