Tips on How to Care for the Demanding Curly, Frizzy Or Coarse Hair, And Protect It Against Humidity

By April Ray Morris

A few days ago, I was in a Los Angeles mall, and I spotted a woman with really long hair. She wore it in braids and kept throwing it on her back as she was trying to pick up her shopping bags. I complemented her on how long her braids were and asked if it was hard to deal with. She went on to tell me that it was difficult, and she kept them in braids because her hair was super coarse and hard to manage. This got me thinking. Is there a better solution to maintaining curly or coarse hair no matter what the length besides braids, or buns? I mean, with all of the beauty products and hair care appliances, such as curling irons, flat irons, (my fav!) and other such gadgets that can make challenging hair look so well, why are us curly, frizzy, coarse girls still having such a problem?

The Problem: Heat styling

Taking care of curly hair is, indeed, time consuming, but heat styling can make life a bit easier, however, as much as I love my flat iron, I understand that using heat on a regular basis can be damaging. If you're like me, you probably won't be giving up your heat styling tools any time soon, so I pulled together a list of important steps and helpful products you can implement to keep your hair protected, healthy and easier to manage, while still using heat no matter how coarse your hair may be.

Step 1: Washing your hair.

Washing my own hair is not my most favorite activity to do and I usually have to set aside a whole day to get it done. With that said, washing your hair is your first step to maintaining healthy, more manageable locks. The shampoo and conditioner you use can make or break your hair. Most cleansing products can strip your hair of its natural oils. This is a major problem with curly or coarse hair because dry, brittle strands are our biggest problem. The best way to combat this is to find a shampoo that is free of sulfates. A really good product that I like is called WEN by Chez Dean; however it is a bit expensive. Thank goodness many hair beauty companies are starting to jump on the sulfate free bandwagon now days, so it is a lot easier to find an inexpensive twin product. Check your favorite brands to see if they carry a sulfate-free shampoo. I personally recommend DevaCurl Low Poo as an effective, less expensive alternative.

Understand that shampoos free of sulfates usually don't produce lather, which causes the drying, however, if you're not ready to give up the "suds" there's a really good stand-in that is safe and very effective to use. In fact, this awesome discovery adds moisture to your mane even in the midst of those evil suds. You'll notice that while washing your hair, it almost causes a softening of your curls, making it easier to comb out when wet. Yes, as much as I believe in the no-sulfate direction, this product is my one exception. What's the name of this wonder 'poo? It's called Matrix Sleek Look. Its hair care line is designed specifically for us curly, frizzy and kinky girls. It's been around for a long time and you can find it on Amazon or I believe Walmart. Not only does it make your blow-dry straighter, but it helps with humidity and is reasonably priced.

... Speaking of Humidity: Step 2

One of the biggest issues with curly heads is humidity. Man, if I had a nickel for every company that claimed their product will prevent my hair from turning into a afro as soon as walk outside, I would be a... richer woman... lol! I think it is safe to say that I am an expert on this subject, and I believe I have found the cure.

The next step to ensuring your defense against "big hair" is to use a good leave-in conditioner. Again, I recommend the Matrix Sleek line of conditioners. This stuff is AMAZING! Doesn't smell very good, but it gets the job done.

Another important weapon in your hair arsenal and the last step to having awesomely- awesome hair, is to use quality hair oil. Now this gets tricky so you need to use discretion because some hair types can get weighed down if you use too much. That being said, the oil that I've had the best results with revolves around the Ayurvedic category. Without going into too much detail about these wonderful oils, Ayurveda is a "holistic healing system that originated in India with the use of specific medicinal herbs. Women of India, known for their beautiful hair, swear by these herbs to stimulate hair growth. Applied in the form of warmed oils, it is massaged into the scalp and hair. In addition to promoting hair growth, ayurvedic oils are used to condition, strengthen, prevent graying, dandruff and protect hair from the damaging effects of UV rays".

Dabur Amla Hair Oil is the brand of oils that I use and love. I really believe that this is the defining factor after washing and conditioning, that keeps my hair silky smooth in the worst humidity. Basically I massage a small amount into my clean, dry hair and then continue on with my flat iron.

That's it! Hope you got something out of this. Let me know if you try it out yourself. And Please share your favorite hair regimine that keeps your curly/ coarse hair in check.

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