My Hair Routine for Curly Hair (Part 1)

Thursday, October 6, 2016
I have gotten so many comments and questions about my hair over the last few months and I am so happy that I am finally getting a chance to write about it! I thought it was too much information for one post so I'm breaking it up into two different parts; the first one will be more about the products I use for prepping my hair before styling it, and the second post will be more about the techniques I use to curl my hair and the whacky ways I keep my curls intact all day.

If you have any specific questions, please send me an email [astoldbystacy@gmail.com] or DM me on Instagram because I'd really love to get all your questions answered! Also, do you guys like videos or step my step blog posts more on these types of topics?

Before I get too far into this post, I am going to step onto a little soapbox real quick and say that not all hair is created equal. The products and techniques that I use may not work for you. And what works for someone else may not work for me. For example, I know the "popular" or most common way I've seen to curl hair is by drying and straightening it before curling it and there's no way I have time for that. Plus, my hair is naturally wavy and very thick so just thinking about blow drying it, straightening it, THEN curling gives me anxiety. I curl my hair a little differently than what the norm is and it works for me so that's all that matters. Play around with different techniques and do what works for YOU!

With that being said, here are the steps I take from pre-showering to the beginning of curling my hair...


Apply Coconut Oil

Once a week I try to do a little coconut oil treatment on my hair. I'm sure you've heard by now how coconut oil cures and hydrates everything and it really is true! I take about a spoonful of coconut oil, warm it up in my hands and apply it evenly to my hair from about the bottom of my ears down. I focus more on the bottom later of my hair and the strands that shape my face because those parts seem to get the most dry and damaged for me. So if you know you have extra dry parts, you can apply a little more coconut oil there. I let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before I jump in the shower then rinse it out and start my usual shampoo and condition routine. 

You can get any standard coconut oil in the cooking aisle of the drugstore. I get the Simply Balanced Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil at Target for $6.99 and it lasts forever!


Use Shampoo & Conditioner for Hydration/Curly Hair

I've tried many shampoo/conditioner combos over the years and have come to realize that it really does make a difference in your hair! Whether you are trying to focus on hydration, curls or color treated hair, make sure you are using a shampoo/conditioner combo that focuses on that! For me, I rotate between a few different hydrating products that focus on curly hair. Once a week I use Redken Color Extend Shampoo to keep my balayage a little more in check but 90% of the time, I am using a regime focused on curly hair. I switch up my shampoo/condition routine every so often when I feel like my hair is getting used to the products but here are a few of my ride or dies that I've used for years, and also some new favorites that I am loving:



Protect Against Heat

Once I've showered and let my hair air dry just a bit, I apply heat protectant. I've been up and down with my feelings on heat protectant. I know it's really healthy for your hair but in the past, I didn't think it was making a difference on mine or it just made my hair feel greasy and then I would stop using it. For some reason, this summer really seemed to dry up my hair (probably from being in the sun and chlorine) and I knew I had to start protecting my hair from the outside elements and especially from my heating tools. I blow dry my hair (with a diffuser - more on that in my next hair post) and also use a curling wand on it so it gets exposed to a lot of heat! I could tell that all of these components were adding up to make my hair brittle and dry and I had to do something about it. I started to play with a few different products and ended up loving this L'Oreal Blow Dry It Thermal Smoother Cream. I can really tell a difference in the quality of my hair and especially with the decrease of frizz!

Prepare to Keep Your Curls in Tact

One of the most crucial aspects of keeping your curls in tact is making sure you "dirty" up your hair a bit! I seriously think this is the biggest trick to keeping curls put together. I've tried curling my hair with virgin hair (no products in it) and it NEVER stayed. Never ever. And I think this is probably one of the biggest reasons that a lot of girls can't keep their curls to stay in long. 

I have been using this Garnier Fructis Style Curl Construct Creation Mousse (get it at Target) for literally years - like maybe 9?! I like that it keeps my natural waves intact and for the most part and doesn't leave your hair crunchy like a lot of mousses or gels do. I will say though, if you had a ton, your hair will get a little crunchy so just keep that in mind if you decide to try it.


Add a Frizz Fighter

I love the L'Oreal heat protectant that I use but I also love the added umph that this OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco contributes to my hair. I spray a little of this in my hair after this whole  process and just let it sit. I can tell that it leaves an extra bit of shine in my hair and tames the frizz. It also helps against UV rays! Another reason I love this product is because you can use it on both wet and dry hair. So for day 2 or 3 curls, I spritz a bit of this in my hair and it really helps!



Stay tuned for the rest of my routine coming soon!

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