Beginner's Guide to All Things Curly Hair

Managing curly hair can honestly be super frustrating sometimes, and I know it definitely took me a while to get the hang of it when I first transitioned from chemically processed hair to my natural hair. I figured some people may be in the same boat or may just be looking for some insight on caring for curly hair- so I decided to put together my little Beginner's Guide to All Things Curly Hair.
Disclaimer: I am absolutely not a professional, that is all.

We're All Different
This wouldn't be a proper post about naturally curly hair if didn't mention that no two hair types or curl patterns are exactly the same. Your hair may look or even feel similar to another person's and could still be completely different. That's always been super fascinating to me.
Anyways, with this in mind, it's important to understand that different products and different methods fo caring and general upkeep work better for different hair types and curl patterns. I've learned that it's really all about trial and error. My curl pattern is a mixture of a few different curl patterns- the front and ends of my hair is 3C, while closer to the roots is 4A, and at the crown/center of my head it's a mixture of 4A and 4B. In other words, I have a lot going on over here. It can be a bit hard to figure out at first- what your curl pattern is, what type of products work well for you. This article from Glamour is honestly a really helpful read for anyone who may be working on sorting it all out.

Now here's the part where I talk a little bit about what works for me and my lovely birds nest. I'm going to link all of the products I can just in case anyone wants to give them a try!

Another disclaimer: no one is paying me to talk about these products, although that would be nice because hair products can get a little pricey.

Loaded Up
When I first started really caring about my curls, I was a bit of product junkie. I remember I used my first paycheck from Sonic to buy the entire Shea Moisture coconut and hibiscus product line. It took me quite a while to understand that having a million products was a bit excessive because my hair didn't really need all of that. Since then, I am definitely much more of a minimalist when it comes to my products and I have my decent little lineup of go-to's.

1. Shampoo and Conditioner

I don't use anything fancy, and should honestly probably switch to something more natural because I can't pronounce 76% of the ingredients on the bottles. I use Garnier Fructis 'Sleek and Shine' shampoo and Aussie 'Miracle Moist' conditioner. I'm not really too picky about shampoo because I feel like it's not really that important as long as it get my hair and scalp clean, plus this one is super cheap. As far as my choice of conditioner, I go through loads and loads of conditioner because it's like my hair just drinks it up. The Aussie 'Miracle Moist' does a pretty good job of keeping my hair moisturized, but also gives my hair enough slip for me to easily detangle it with my fingers in the shower. Did I mention that it's super cheap as well? I'm definitely guilty of gravitating towards it because of that price point. It's just more feasible with how much conditioner I go through in a month. Now when I'm splurging, the Shea Moisture 'Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Shine' conditioner is my absolute favorite. It smells great, hydrates my hair like you wouldn't believe, and gives my curls amazing definition just on it's own.

2. Leave-In Conditioner

I am super big on using leave-in conditioner. There are a lot of times where the only styling product I use is a good leave-in because it's just quick and easy, and it doesn't leave my hair feeling weighed down at all like some other styling products might. However, my main reason for using leave-in conditioner is just an extra source of moisture, because again, my hair drinks it up. My favorite leave-in conditioner is also pretty affordable. I love using the African Pride "Olive Miracle Anti Breakage" leave-in conditioner creme. It smells amazing, is very lightweight, and makes for easy finger detangling. I have tried a few other leave-in conditioners that I really like, some of which include the Shea Moisture "Munuka Honey & Manfura Oil Intensive Hydration" leave-in milk and Miss Jessie's "Leave-In Condish." Both of those are a little more pricey, but they are amazing products, and I highly recommend them, especially if you prefer a thicker product for your leave-in conditioner. They are both great stand alone products for styling.

3. Styling 

I feel like I've tried a billion styling products and still haven't found very many that I absolutely love that don't cost an arm and a leg. I think that's why I tend to just work some leave-in through my locks and just call it a day.
I will say, however, that I absolute love the Miss Jessie's styling products- even thought they are so expensive and I definitely have learned to use them sparingly as a result. My two favorites are the Honey Curls and Multicultural Curls products. They both smell great and are easy to work with, but I've noticed that Honey Curls gives me a lot better definition and kind of locks all that moisture in a little bit longer. I like using Honey Curls when I put my hair into two-strand twists because it keeps them moisturized without me having to worry about taking them down to re-moisturize my hair every couple days. Of course, I have a Shea Moisture product fave in this category too (I told you guys I went all out with their products at the beginning of my curl quest). Their "Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Style" milk is a really great, thicker styling product. It is also about half the price of the Miss Jessie's products which is a plus. I like to use this when I'm just doing a wash and go. I put this in my hair and then I'm walking around with delicious smelling, shiny and defined curls. It's wonderful.

4. Oils & Deep Conditioners

I put these two in the same category because I am such a lazy natural when it comes to them, and I'm really working on trying to change that. I've been told that it's important to oil your scalp and apply a light oil to your hair a few times a week and that it's best to deep condition your hair at least once a week- I am absolutely terrible at staying consistent with either of the two. When I do use oil, I just use random brands of Argan oil (really just whatever is cheapest and right in front of me in the hair aisle). I used to use coconut oil a lot when I straightened my hair all the time, but I feel like it was just a really heavy oil for my hair. In terms of deep conditioners, I haven't really found a go-to or a favorite because, truthfully, I just started deep conditioning my hair like a month ago. Yikes- I know. It's just one of those things I never really thought about. But the product I've been using this past month or so is the TGIN "Honey Miracle Hair Mask with Raw Honey + Olive Oil" deep conditioner , and so far I really like it. I've noticed that my hair doesn't dry out as quickly after washing and styling it, so my hairstyles and wash and go's last a few days longer than they did before. It is honestly the most expensive hair product I've ever purchased, however, so I use it once a week and pretty sparingly because your girl cannot afford to drop that amount more than once every few months. With that being said, I am on the hunt for a good, affordable deep conditioner.

Do's and Probably Should Not Do's
I didn't want to call this do's and don'ts because like I mentioned previously, everyone has different things that work for their hair. So instead, I'm going to talk about things that work and don't work for my hair, as well as some things that you should probably avoid doing just for good measure.
For starters, I think consistently making sure your hair gets some type of moisture is really important. Personally, my hair is prone to getting dry easily so I try to make sure that I'm replenishing that moisture at least every few days. I've noticed that letting my hair go un-moisturized leads to more breakage and overall just freaks me out because I hate the way my hair looks and feels when it's too dry.
Speaking of breakage, it is a good idea to avoid using a lot of heat on your hair. I went from straightening my hair a few times a week to once maybe every six months, if that. I also don't blow dry my hair, mainly because I really hate the sound of blow dryers, but more importantly because I feel like letting my hair air dry is just better for it.  Ever since decreasing the amount of heat I use on my hair, I see a lot less breakage and my curls are a lot more lively and resilient.
Something I really had a hard time getting through my head is that it is supposed to be better for your hair to comb/brush and style it when it is wet or damp rather than dry. This is true for my hair because my hair is just easier to deal with in general when it's wet, but also because manipulating and styling dry hair just puts a lot more strain on it.

Simple Styles
I am not the most creative or experienced when it comes to styling my hair. I typically just go for whatever is quick, easy, and will last majority of the week because I honestly have way too much going on most weeks to have a new do every couple days. With that being said, I wanted to share some of my favorite tutorials from my favorite hair Youtuber, Natural Reign. Her videos have really helped me lock down my go-to style line up.

I do not own the rights to any of the following videos.

1. The Wash & Go 

The wash & go process can honestly be as quick or as detailed as you want it to be. I feel like the more definition you want your curls to have, the more work that you have to put into it. A wash & go is never truly a wash & go, there's always some extra steps, but it's worth it for the end results.

 2. The Twist-Out

 Twist-outs can be done on wet or dry hair. I personally do mine on wet hair after applying my leave-in conditioner and whatever styling product I choose. Try out both to see which one you prefer! A lot of the time I leave my twists in for a few days just to give those juicy curls time to really form, but also to give myself a few days where I don't really have to do anything to my hair.

3. The Slick-Back

 When I do this style, I use the Olive Oil Eco Styler Gel for hold. It's not the best gel, but I honestly haven't been brave enough to venture out and try any new ones. This style gets easier and quicker to do the more you do it.

Natural curly hair can be a tad bit difficult to manage at times, especially when you're just starting out on your natural journey. 

There is definitely a learning curve to it, and everyone's hair needs different things, but don't let any of the work it takes or difficulty it entails discourage you. Your hair is beautiful and manageable, no matter how wild it may seem. That's all I have for you guys on this one, but I definitely want to do an updated post in a few months so I can share whatever new products or styles I may be into. As always, thank you for reading!

-Alli