Natural hair has a bad rap. While it’s often described as unrepresentative and dry and brittle.
Also, it’s a common practice among women to wear straightened hair, and more than that, it has become an expectation.
Even some of our natural ladies are afraid to embrace their curls, and because of this, they tend to straighten their hair.
Usually, this results in dry brittle hair and split ends. These following simple tips will take your tresses from dry and damaged to soft and curly.
Learn how to make natural hair curly and soft with these easy hair care tips. Here’s what you need to know.
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Table of Contents
Why does my hair feel dry?
There are many reasons why your hair can feel dry and not soft, so finding the cause of the problem will help you make the right changes.
Often, many people are surprised to know that natural curls, especially black hair can in fact have healthy curls with a very soft natural texture.
Common reasons why your hair isn’t soft include:
- You’re using the wrong techniques and products.
- You have heat damage due too much sun exposure, usage of flat iron or other heat tools.
- Or you suffer from chemical damage which harmed your hair cuticle.
- Your hair isn’t receiving and retaining enough moisture.
- The products you’re using are too harsh for your curls.
- You aren’t using a heat protectant product when diffusing.
What are the best techniques for soft curls?
Soft curly hair will have movement, definition and feel healthy. There are several reasons why your natural hair may feel dry or frazzled.
It could be just hair damage or simply applying your products in the wrong way so they become crunchy.
Luckily, there’s a best way to help you achieve soft curls, no matter your curl pattern: from damaged wavy hair to 4c hair.
1) Natural hair care products
Using the right products is so important when it comes to curly hair care. It all starts with using the right shampoo and conditioner (always use a conditioner after you shampoo your hair).
Buying the most expensive shampoo isn’t necessary, but do pay attention to the ingredients used. The best shampoos are the ones that are gentle and don’t strip your hair of its natural oils.
Your hair’s better off when you use shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products without parabens and bad alcohols.
It’s also good a good idea to evaluate when to use sulfates and silicones in your hair care routine. Products with these ingredients most often create a dry scalp and hair strands that are prone to frizz.
Here’s a top 7 of the best black owned natural hair products:
- TPH by Taraji (vegan and focuses on scalp health and improving overall hair health).
- Boucleme (organic and curly girl method approved).
- Alikay Naturals (organic).
- Uncle Funky’s Daughter (vegan and curly girl method approved).
- Camille Rose (vegan)
- Curls (organic, vegan and curly girl method approved).
- Soultanicals (vegan and curly girl method approved).
2) Moisturize your hair
Deep condition your hair weekly or bi-weekly after wash days. Using a deep conditioner or hair mask is an effective method to create softer curls.
You can buy a hair mask or a ready-made deep conditioner product. Also, you can make your own hair mask with all natural ingredients, such as olive oil or coconut oil.
With regular use, this can help repair damage for better curl definition and contribute to softer feeling curly locks.
Try sitting under a hooded hair dryer or simply use a shower cap to lock in the heat. This will help with deeper penetration into hair shaft and follicle.
3) Scrunch out the crunch
When using styling gel or other gel-based products can often leave a crunchy residue after being applied to wet hair. This is completely normal.
However, a step that many people miss out on is breaking this gel cast to create bouncy curls and tangible soft results.
- It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t use too much product (gel based product).
- Also, let your hair completely dry before you do anything,
- then use a small amount of lightweight oil such as jojoba oil, and rub it between your hands
- next gently scrunch it into your hair until the cast has completely gone.
- Not only will your hair texture feel soft but you’ll have perfect curls!
Why aren’t my natural curls showing?
If you’ve got curly hair then it’s only right that you want to show it off, but if you don’t understand your curls and how to care for them they can get dull very easily.
Yet, you can bring your natural curls back to life no matter your hair type. It can be as simple as choosing the right styling technique and products.
Common reasons why your curls are dull and not defined include:
- Dry hair can make your curls look frizzy and less defined.
- Using the wrong products or using them incorrectly.
- Damage from chemicals or heat can temporarily damage your hair bonds so your hair no longer curls.
- When curly hair gets longer, curls tend to drop and appear less bouncy.
- Not properly detangling your curls before styling.
How can you make curls more defined?
The easiest way to make your hair curly with great definition is to use the right techniques when styling your hair. Frizz isn’t completely avoidable but it can be tamed.
If you nail your technique on washday, then you can have perfect curls for the rest of the week. What more could you want?
1) Curling technique
There’s no shame in admitting your curls need help. That’s perfectly normal. Repeat after me: “my hair is perfectly normal.”
Rather than using a curling iron you can use different methods without any heat to create a looser curl pattern and softer curls. Even if you have kinky hair and feel the need to do this.
You can help or ‘improve’ your natural curl pattern with:
- bantu knots
- finger coils
- flexi rods
- straw sets
- a 2 or 3 strand twist
2) Apply your products in small sections
After detangling with a wide-tooth comb, a brush or your fingers, always apply your styling products in smaller sections. This may take a little longer but it’s definitely worth it.
When the product is well distributed there’s less chance of you missing areas and it becoming frizzy. That’s when you lose definition and your hair strands appears less curly.
Also, many people think that you need to use a lot of products when styling their hair. However, this is not the case.
If you use good quality products a little goes a long way. The right products will create volume, shine, texture and hold as long as you apply your products in small sections.
3) Style your hair when it’s wet
A common mistake that a lot of people make is letting their curly hair dry out for too long before applying styling products.
If curl definition is your goal then wet your hair with lukewarm or warm water. In addition, use a microfiber towel or soft t-shirt to lightly remove some of the excess water. Don’t use hot water, this will make your hair dry!
Follow with your:
- leave-in conditioner,
- styling cream and/or gel while you have damp hair.
Using this technique will allow your hair to soak up the product much better and leave you with luscious curls.
4) Refresh your hair if it starts to go frizzy
To make your natural hair extra curly you can refresh it throughout the week. Use a spray bottle filled with water to mist your hair and enhance your natural curl pattern.
You can either apply a little more of your favorite styling product or even add leave-in conditioner to your spray bottle for extra moisture. Your tight curls, kinks and coils should spring back up.
Wrapping it up: How to Make Natural Hair Curly and Soft
Don’t let dry and undefined curls get you down. Gettin’ those curly, soft strands isn’t as tough as you might think.
It all boils down to getting to know your natural curls and following these tips, so your hair will feel and look amazing.
With the right products and a good routine you can improve the overall condition and appearance of your natural curls.
Great natural hair care products help provide moisture to your hair, so they should be an important part of your hair care routine.
Apply your products in small sections and style your hair when it’s wet. In addition, don’t forget to enhance the curl definition of your coils and ringlets with the help of the curling technique mentioned above.
About the author
Angela is a curly girl and has been a beauty blogger since 2012. Because of her passion for beauty and hair, she has been a certified makeup artist since 2016 and has done multiple hair styling trainings. As a cosmetics lover, she writes reviews on cosmetics and provides different solutions that facilitate your daily beauty and curls routine.