Taking care of curly hair can be frustrating and intimidating, but a few tweaks and the right hair care products can make it much easier. We reached out to Elizabeth Alex aka Honest Liz, who is a curly hair coach and hairstylist to share a few tips on how to get started on the curly hair routine. During the virtual edition of the ELLE Masterclass, the self-confessed product junkie spoke about getting started on her own curly girl method two years back, and the things that have helped her achieve good hair days.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the session with Elizabeth Alex:
Build a routine
“Unlike most hair types, curly hair needs more attention as it is fragile,” says Elizabeth. She believes that building a schedule is necessary to keep the scalp and hair healthy. “Pick two or three days in the week to wash your hair. I like to give my hair extra TLC on Saturdays, which is my second wash day. On this day, I’ll do a 20-minute long deep conditioning treatment to add more moisture to hair.”
Read the labels
Sulphates and silicones aren’t great for curly hair texture, especially if you’re envisioning soft, bouncy curls says Elizabeth. Curly hair type is already quite dry, so sulphates tend to strip away extra moisture which makes hair drier, and silicones are known to weigh hair down. Look out for curl-friendly products—they’re usually sulphate and silicone free. Elizabeth also recommends a scalp cleansing routine with bentonite clay to wash away build-up.
Try a vinegar wash
She recommends an ACV rinse for better scalp health and shine. “Dilute one tablespoon of unfiltered apple cider vinegar (pick one that has the mother) with a cup of warm water. Massage it on to your scalp, then rinse it off and style.”
Don’t overdo it
Though curly hair needs moisture, you need to be careful about not overloading it with a lot of protein-rich products. “It will only weigh hair down and create more frizz. I would recommend that you strike a balance with protein products,” she says.
View this post on Instagram
