It's an unwritten law, that you always want what you don't have. Born tall and Amazonian? You'll wish you were petite. Blessed with beachy blonde locks? You'll always wonder what it's like to be brunette. So while we know, curly girls, that sometimes the frizz, the endless bottles of conditioner and the agony of brushing might make you wish for straight hair, but trust us - curls are majestic enough for it to be worth it.
We spoke to the legendary Errol Douglas (who's worked his magic on every curly A-lister going) and Subrina Kidd, Aveda's Textured Hair Specialist to get the lowdown on how to love your curls better...
1. Get The Wash Right
"Gravity helps when washing tangle-prone, textured hair, especially if it is long, so opt for a shower rather than a bath", advises Subrina. "It's important to section the hair when you are cleansing, otherwise product ends up coating the surface layer rather than properly cleansing the scalp and hair. For each section, massage the product into the scalp using the balls of your fingers so as not to scratch or irritate the scalp, then follow with downward stroking motions to cleanse the lengths without creating frizz."
2. But Do Embrace The Co-Wash
A co-wash (when you wash your hair only with conditioner, or at least just with a much lower sulphate-content shampoo, as sulphates can dry out the hair) is a great choice for curly girls. There are plenty of products specially designed for co-washing on the market, and Sabrina told us, "A favourite mid-week refresher that I always recommend is a co-wash. The Aveda Be Curly Co-Wash (£18.00) is ideal as it helps to retain moisture but at the same time gently cleanses and refreshes the hair."
3. Keep It Hydrated
Errol explains: "The number one priority for those with naturally curly hair is hydration and constantly replenishing moisture. This is the key to keeping curls manageable and receptive to styling, and ensuring great definition in the curl with minimal frizz. As a hair type, curly hair is more porous, so its moisture levels need to be constantly replenished." Sounds like thirsty work. Errol's advice? "Choose each product you use based on what it can contribute to increasing or maintaining moisture levels." Subrina advises looking for products like Aveda Dry Remedy Oil, (£20.50), which contains buriti oil to moisturise and seal the cuticle.
4. Throw Away Your Hairbrush
A brush isn't the only way to keep tangles at bay. "Don’t brush curly hair when it's dry, it’s that simple," says Errol. 'A wide toothed comb on wet hair is a great way to really work in a hydrating hair mask and will detangle pre-styling."
5. Get Scrubbing
Turns out, your body isn't the only place that can benefit from a good ol' scrub. As Errol explained, "Exfoliating the scalp keeps it healthy and contributes to the overall condition of the hair. Use the balls of your fingers and gently press in a circular movement in sections around the head."
6. Style It Up
Subrina's favourite techniques include "the Two Strand Twist, the Three Strand Braid and Bantu Knots - these techniques are helpful and create controlled, defined texture." Errol also recommends diffusing. "It’s a great way of speeding up a natural dry, preventing frizz by not blasting the hair with direct heat but instead distributing it evently. Make sure you dry without ruffling the follicle too much, to avoid getting a frizz halo!"
7. Be A Sleeping Beauty
Good news for lazy girls - you can style while you sleep. "Use a silk or satin head scarf to cover your head at bedtime. It helps to maintain your style on a daily basis. The fabric is key in preserving the condition too, as sleeping directly on a cotton pillowcase can actually absorb the moisture from your hair", Subrina explained. "To avoid wild-looking hair, section the hair into several small bunches before bed, using cloth hair bands at the root, mid-length and the ends."
8.Oh, and another thing...
Errol's final tip is key when you head to the salon: "Don’t opt for block colour – the textures and shapes of curly hair mean you need face-framing, bespoke colour to really celebrate the texture with different tones."
