MY COMPLETE CURLY HAIR ROUTINE(s)

‘What do you use for your hair?’ ‘Are these your natural curls?’ Probably thé most asked questions that I get. From friends, from strangers, from followers, men, women. And of course, mostly curly people! Curly heads will know what I am talking about when I say that our hair needs a bit more attention. They will also get it when I talk about CGF proof, overnight leave-ins and co-washing. If all of this is new to you, I think we better dive right in cause don’t we all dream of shiny curls without frizz? In this post I will tell you all about how I like to take care of my hair and make sure that I am using the right products, which, spoiler, aren’t that many products and definitely aren’t expensive. It’s all about using the right ones!

It’s not about the journey, it’s about the destination: healthy hair
My curly hair journey has been one of ups and downs and I think it took me at least twenty years to understand my hair and what works best for it. Starting with a lot of greasy products – influenced by an afro headed mom and a kinky curled sister – I soon found out that some products tend to make my hair heavier rather than giving it the playful volume that I like so much. There has also been a period in which I refused – refuuuuuuused – to use any products besides shampoo and conditioner. Ohh, and then there’s my gelly days, in which I – this time influenced by a brother that thought he looked smooth like a Backstreet Boy – used gel on my hair. Not just gel, hard gel. Extra hard, if you will! How I thought I was the shit when I managed to get all my curls up into a sleek looking bun. Yup, I also had my share of tears when the hairdresser would tell me she needed to chop a big part of my hair because of dead ends, or when my mom tried to braid my hair just to save time in the morning.

Happy and grateful to say that most of that is now behind me. I now know how to deal with my hair myself. I have found that it is not so much about the brand, but more than that about the specific products you use. What products work best for your hair is different for everyone so I would advise to try out a lot of different products in order to find your perfect combination of products. Also, it might help to know in what condition your hair is now. Personally, I get my products from Kruidvat as it is super affordable and so easy. Let me tell you about it…

My washing routine
Just like I don’t believe that one brand works for one person forever, I don’t believe in having just one routine. Like I said before, curly hair needs attention and a lot of care so besides a washing routine, there’s a mask routine and a co-washing routine for me. Plus, of course, the non-washing days on which my hair is screaming for hydration. So, let’s begin with the most important one:

Washing…
For me, washing my hair goes hand in hand with products that I might or might not use afterwards. For my curls, type 3 curls, I would choose something like the Shea Moisture superfruit complex. This 10-in-1 kinda product is full of antioxidants and helps to perfect and renew vibrancy to dull, lackluster hair. The mix of Marula Oil and Biotin supports my hair’s elasticity without it being heavy.

Tip: Use a lot of shampoo on the scalp, but zero to none on the ends of your hair. With the conditioner it should be the opposite; loads on the ends and less to none on the roots.

Besides a Denman brush I use a wide tooth comb to go through my hair while it is still wet. After it is completely detangled, I choose to either let it air dry or use a diffuser for extra volume. Usually I don’t use any other products in my hair besides the shampoo and conditioner. When I do, it’s something like an oil (see non-washing days).

-> Washing 1x or 2x a week is enough for me. Sometimes I use a co-wash instead. The As I Am coconut co-wash has proven to be a really good one. This co-wash gets rid of all grease and dirt in my hair, but also smoothens my hair and makes it look more shiny.

My mask routine
The Yari green deep treatment mask with avocado, pomegranate, blueberry and acai berry deeply moisturizes and softens my hair. I only do this every 2 or 3 weeks. Usually, I don’t feel like it as it is soooo enriching that my hair may look a little bit too moisturized afterwards. Too moisturized? Haha, yes. I want my hair light and airy, in contrast to most people. Of course, do whatever feels best for you!

Tip: Use cold water to rinse the mask out of your hair, to lock in the moisture! Believe me, it’s worth it.

What I love about this mask is that 3 minutes is already enough to let it soak. Whenever I want to deep deep extra deep treat my hair, I will leave it in for 10 to 20 minutes. Probably while cleaning my house or so ;-).

Non-washing routine
When I don’t wash my hair, it can get frizzy quite easily. Usually, I only spray water on my hair for a new curl to appear. Then it depends on the overall look of my hair whether I wanna use an oil or not use any product at all. Usually some oil, like the Yari Jamaican castor oil would do.

Tip: Try to use an oil rather than creamy products if your hair is already quite soft from itself like mine.

 

So yeah, at Kruidvat they do not only have a product for all of my routines, but also for every type of curl. In this post I discussed my curly hair type (type 3), but you can find a lot of info and products for curly hair type 2, type 4, curly hair for men and children’s curly hair on Kruidvat’s (video)blog as well. To be honest, I am quite surprised by the variety of their product range. And all so affordable! Now I am really curious what your curly hair routine looks like. And what products do you use? Also, I am curious to know when your hair looks best. For me it’s usually on day 2 after washing. This is when my hair still has the fresh curl, but also has had the time to hang into a slightly looser curl which makes my hair look longer.

Pssst. Also let me know whether you’d like to know more about these products or how I work them!

 

 

 

All products via Kruidvat