For many people who are blessed with curly hair, there is a fine line between untameable curly hair and good curly hair days - with the latter often requiring a lot of time and effort. And with vast amounts of different hair products on the market, each promising to do wonders for your locks, it can be even harder to nail a good hair care routine to avoid those 'bad hair days'.
But according to one expert, there actually is no such thing as a 'bad hair day', and has issued advice on what not to do to have "truly healthy hair". Experienced hair stylist and founder of curly hair care website Curlcentric.com, Kira Byrd, has revealed the top five mistakes people make when it comes to caring for their curly hair, which you can read about below.
And it would seem her advice has come at the right time, as in the past 30 days alone, the hashtag 'curlyhair' on Tiktok has racked up a whopping two billion global views and 97 million views in the UK. Plus, now summer is in full swing with plenty of humidity in the air, what better time to see how to keep your curly hair looking its best.
1. Using too many moisture-rich products
Contrary to popular belief, Kira Byrd says curly hair can suffer when you use heavy conditioners and creams. As curly hair can easily dry out, it’s tempting to load your hair up with products that promise to combat this dryness.
But they can actually cause build up, making your curls even trickier to manage when you use other products. A tell tale sign of product build up is wet frizz.
If this is the case Kira says it's best to your hair, and you’ll need a clarifying shampoo to strip back the excess moisture. The hair breakage you see is often a result of an imbalance between the moisture and protein elements that make up your hair strands.
It’s not a simple case of balancing out the two opposing forces to prevent hair breakage, but more to help the two components work hand in hand to produce a healthier head of hair. You can maintain a moisture-protein balance in your hair using water-based moisturisers and protein-rich products to nourish and strengthen hair strands.
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Kira also stresses the importance of not forgetting to eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in folic acid, zinc, iron, antioxidants, and lean proteins to support hair growth and prevent breakage.
2. Sleeping on cotton
Cotton is one of the best materials to wear and sleep on due to its breathable qualities. But the surface of cotton material is rough, especially when it comes in to contact with your hair.
Kira says: "Consider using a silk bonnet or scarf if you prefer to wrap your hair at night, as it will cause much less friction than cotton and help to prevent breakages. But if you prefer to tie your curls up, opt for a silk scrunchie, and replace your cotton pillowcase with a silk version for the best results."
If your curls tend to get flattened or lose their shape while you sleep, you can refresh them in the morning by spritzing a bit of water or a curl refresher spray onto your hair. Gently scrunch and reshape your curls using your hands to revive their definition.
3. Avoiding the hair salon
"I know all too well about the trauma that can come from cutting curly hair and seeing how short it can actually look once it’s been dried", Kira says. "This can be why so many of us avoid the salon, but regular trims will in fact keep your curly hair in shape."
She adds: "Regular trims are essential for maintaining healthy curly hair as split ends can travel up the hair shaft, causing more damage. Try and aim for a trim every 2-3 months to prevent split ends and promote healthy growth and be clear with your hair stylist on exactly how much to take off before they get their scissors out."
4. Believing in bad-hair days
All hair types are good and ‘bad’ hair doesn’t exist, Kira claims. When you think you are having a bad hair day, it often boils down to the fact you may not truly understand your own unique hair type and how best to manage it.
There are a number of different hair typing systems, and this illustration is one example based on Andre Walker’s system. Kira adds: "Lots of people find hair typing extremely helpful for understanding their hair texture and choosing hair care products.
"And lately, hair product manufacturers have been creating proprietary hair typing systems in order to sell more hair products to individuals looking for personalization in their natural hair regimen."
5. Ignoring product ingredients
It can be tempting to believe the claims of ‘natural’, ‘organic’ or ‘unrefined’ when it comes to choosing the right hair products. But according to Kira, those terms are just good marketing and many of the ingredients of those products can not really be classified as ‘natural’.
"Always read the full list of ingredients of a product, and remember that the top five ingredients usually make up at least 85 per cent of the total product," she says. "If you’re trying to avoid things like sulfates, parabens or mineral oil, look past the marketing hype and choose products best suited to your own hair type, with the most effective ingredients."
