How to Achieve Curly Hair

From loose curls to tight coils, naturally curly hair comes in a range of patterns as unique as you are. And while the finished look might be different, how to achieve curly hair is very much the same. Starting with care and finishing with styling, these are our top ways to enhance your curls without heat.

The beautiful thing about working with your natural hair is that you don’t need heat to enhance your curl pattern — instead, a mix of healthy hair care and targeted styling products can give you all you need.

The start of any great style is with the scalp. When your scalp is happy, you’ll notice your hair is shinier, more manageable, and responds better to products. For best results, incorporate a detox shampoo like MAXI.WASH or an entire scalp care routine with the help of the SCALP range to exfoliate, nourish, treat and deeply cleanse the scalp. From here, any products that follow will be more easily absorbed.

While all hair types can benefit from moisture, curly hair types need it even more. This is because curly to coily hair types tend to be dryer than others. For this reason, paying attention to how often to wash your hair and choosing moisturising shampoo, conditioner, masques and leave-ins like HYDRATE-ME.WASH, RINSE, MASQUE, UN.TANGLED and LEAVE-IN.REPAIR and ideal.

After determining how often you should be washing your hair, next make a plan for your wash days. Instead of a traditional shampoo, curls and natural hair can benefit from co-washing routines that utilise conditioning washes to cleanse without overly drying the hair.

Finding the right products for your curly type comes down to your hair type (fine/medium/thick/coarse) and your curl type (curly/coily) and your method of drying. KILLER.CURLS WASH + KILLER.CURLS RINSE is an ideal shampoo and conditioner combo to prep and treat natural hair and set the stage for your style method. From here a mix of layering and cocktailing of products are key to achieve your style and get it to stay.

• KILLER.TWIRLS is the obvious choice when air-drying. As an air-dry creme it has been formulated to nourish the hair while refining your natural hair pattern. Plus with ingredients to protect against humidity and enhance finish, you’ll notice smooth, strong and shiny curls. 
• KILLER.CURLS will help activate your curl pattern while safeguarding against frizz and defining your shape. Great for curly and coily hair, it is packed with antioxidants and includes heat protection if you decide to diffuse dry your hair. 
• MOTION.LOTION is ideal for fine hair to keep things under control, and is a great layer whenever you need a little extra protection from the elements. As a treatment and a styler in one, this product enhances your curls with a weightless feel that can also be used as a finishing lotion.

Similar to your own personal product combination, you’ll find a version of scrunching, plopping, twirling or twisting that works best for your hair type and curl pattern. While some curls types benefit from products like KILLER.TWIRLS and then twirling, others like a more hands-off method like KILLER.CURLS and a soft scrunch.

After achieving your style, chances are you’ll want to extend it! Because curly hair types don’t need to wash as frequently, there are a few products to keep on hand and tips to extend your look without sacrificing style.

• Dry conditioner — Similar to the way you would use dry shampoo to refresh fine hair types, curly hair benefits from hydration between washes. For this reason, YOUNG.AGAIN DRY CONDITIONER is essential to nourish strands between washes and revive hair with a rejuvenating touch.
• Leave-In Treatments — In addition to dry conditioner, applying a treatment oil to your ends is a great way to enhance your curls and add shine. Whether you apply YOUNG.AGAIN before sleep or in the mornings to refresh your style, this leave-in hair oil helps tame flyaways, refine your curls, and restore damaged or brittle hair.
• Hair Wrap/Silk Pillowcase — Apart from environmental elements, sleeping is one of the quickest ways to ruin your style. When we sleep, our hair can get roughed up by the fibres of our pillow cases which lead to frizz and lack of shape. By wrapping hair in a silk turban or sleeping on a silk pillowcase you can cut down on friction and wake up with a more manageable style.

While each person’s curls will respond to a different set of rules, there are a few ways to ensure the best outcome for your curly hair. 

• Don’t Use Terry Cloth Towels: By switching to a microfiber towel, you reduce the amount of friction associated with drying the hair. In addition to the fabric, using blotting motions instead of rubbing is key to maintaining your curl pattern and avoiding damaging the cuticle layer. 
• Don’t Touch Your Hair: As curls are drying and once they are dry, a hands off approach is best to maintain definition and avoid frizz. While combing curly hair is an obvious no-no, you’ll also want to avoid running your fingers through it or touching it often.