10 Curly Hair Mistakes to Avoid and How to Correct Them

Embracing your naturally wavy, curly, or coily hair can come with some extra hair maintenance and admin! Each curl pattern is unique, with every individual having a variety of curl patterns, so it's important to go through some trial and error to figure out the best routine for your own curls. 

Finding out what works can be a monumental undertaking, and we wanted to help! So here's some of the most common mistakes we see people making during their transition journey.

These ten simple tips will help you get the best out of your curls, battling frizz, breakage, and dryness that are often seen in curly hair.

When it comes to hair, detangling using a normal brush or fine-tooth comb on either dry or wet hair is a fairly frequent error that may be made by anybody. To keep frizz at bay, we recommend using a wide-tooth comb or finger detangling immediately after getting out of the shower or bath.

Another typical blunder is brushing the hair while it's partially or totally dry, which is a major no-no as this will break up the curls and cause frizz. Detangle your hair when it is soaking wet, as soon after you condition it, using your fingers or any of our combs to prevent frizz from developing and causing breakage.

Ordinary or cotton terry towels are harsh on curls, resulting in additional frizz and damage to the hair. Microfibre hair towels are excellent for hair since they are smooth, gentle and super absorbent. 

Another mistake that has been seen is rubbing the hair with towels in order to absorb moisture more quickly. We advise to gently scrunch your hair with a microfibre towel or wrap your head in a microfibre towel for no more than 10 minutes to avoid frizz.

Sulfates and Silicones are common ingredients in hair care products. For our straight haired friends, they are great. But for us curlies they can cause dryness and breakage. Sulfates are typically drying, and silicones build up on the hair and create a barrier to further moisture entering. You need a sulfate shampoo to remove siliicones. 

The Only Curls Starter Pack is a great place to start your curly hair journey, and to keep your curls healthy and hydrated they do not contain sulfates or silicones.

Excessive use of hair straighteners or other styling appliances, can either slow down or harm the curl transition process, as well as damage the curls itself.

If you do use the styling tools, always use the lowest heat setting possible and follow up with a repair mask on your next wash to add some protein and seal in the moisture. Blow drying hair straight can also alter the curl pattern over time. When drying the hair, try using a diffuser on a low-medium heat setting. You can also try using a Heat Protect Spray to help sheild your hair from excessive heat.

Curly hair is typically drier than straight hair, and therefore requires more moisture.

Not deep conditioning your curls on a regular basis may make them seem drab and lifeless. Deep conditioning your curls once a week with a hydrating hair mask can help you achieve healthy, bouncy curls.

In addition to absorbing moisture from your hair, cotton pillowcases have the potential to tug on your hair as you move throughout the night. Having a lot of knots in your hair might also be a result of using cotton pillowcases on a consistent basis.

A silk or satin bonnet or a silk pillowcase used overnight for sleeping will not only absorb less moisture from your hair, but it will also help to keep the curls intact.

If you have noticed that your hair growth is slowing down or that you are experiencing a lot of breakage, it may be time to get your curls trimmed. To keep your curls appearing fresh and healthy, be sure to have them trimmed on a regular basis.

For the best results, we recommend that you see a curl focused hairdresser.

Curly hair is smoothest when wet. Getting lovely smooth curls clumps is key to frizz-free curls. 

Avoid stringy curls by combing through your conditioner in the shower and allowing the curls to clump together and form while the hair is soaking wet. Applying your styling products to these smooth clumps will help form gorgeous curls.

Curls are inherently drier than straight hair due to the way it grows. It takes longer for the oils produced by your scalp to reach the hair strands when compared to straight hair. As a result, if you wash your hair too frequently, especially if you use a shampoo that includes a lot of harsh cleansers, your hair will get dry. 

Co-washing your curls, or even alternating between a cleanser and a co-wash every other wash, is a more effective method of cleaning your curls.

If your hair has a lot of build-up, you should use a cleanser on those days, and a co-wash on those days when it needs a little additional moisture. The benefits of doing so include that your hair and scalp will remain moisturised, there will be less frizz, more shine, and greater definition, and your hair will be softer, less brittle, and easier to comb through.

You can read more about co-washing here.

Touching and playing with your curls (particularly while they are drying) can cause frizz and a loss of definition in your curls.

Try to avoid touching your hair, especially as it is drying. Wait until hair is 100% dry before you scrunch out any crunch created by the gel.