You can achieve tangle-free curls. The key to manageability is a combination of moisture balance, gentle products and styling techniques. Learn how to manage curly hair so that ringlets are silky and tangle-free.
Moisturizing Curly Hair to Prevent Tangles
The nature of curly hair's ringlet pattern and its delicate state can easily lead to tangles. According to curly hair expert Ouidad, curly hair is prone to dryness because the cuticle remains open and rough. Dry curly hair lacks definition and may appear lackluster and frizzy. When the hair strands wrap around themselves to form ringlets, dry hair may stick together due to roughened cuticles. Dry curls are vulnerable to tangling, damage and ultimately breakage if the hair is not properly moisturized.
In order to prevent tangles, curly hair should maintain a moisture balance that smooths the hair cuticle. When strands curl in groups to form ringlets, well-moisturized ringlets flow together and form healthy curls that can be parted easily for detangling.
Anyone can keep their curls moisturized and tangle-free by selecting mild styling products, using deep conditioning treatments, moisturizing between washes, styling hair carefully and detangling with gentle grooming tools.
Mild Shampoos for Curly Hair
A mild shampoo can reduce tangles caused by dryness. A gentle shampoos should contain a mild cleansing agent such as sodium laureth sulfate. Many shampoos labeled "sulfate-free" are mild. A good gentle shampoo may include conditioning ingredients such amino acids for protein, oils for smoothing and fatty alcohols to moisturize.
Avoid shampoos with sodium lauryl sulfate or aluminum lauryl sulfate, which are in many clarifying shampoos, because these ingredients are drying. It is gentler to switch to a mild shampoo with less conditioning ingredients to get rid of product build-up instead of using a harsh clarifying shampoo.
Moisturizing Conditioners for Curly Hair
Conditioners come in daily rinse-outs, deep treatments and leave-in formulas. Curly hair can benefit from using all three types of conditioners to prevent dryness and tangles. Common conditioning ingredients include hydrolyzed wheat protein, jojoba oil and glycerin. Protein helps hair elasticity and curl formation. Jojoba oil helps smooth the cuticle. Glycerin is a humectant that helps keep moisture in the hair.
Gentle Styling Tools for Grooming Curls
Some styling tools can contribute to tangling. Many drugstore plastic combs have seams that can catch on hair and make detangling more difficult. Handmade cellulose combs, horn combs and wood combs are better options because they do not contain seams and glide through hair without generating static.
Do not use a bristle brush on curly hair because it will roughen the cuticle and create tangles. Only use a plastic pin brush, such as a Denman, to detangle curly hair.
Treating Tangles in Curly Hair
When tangles occur, adding moisture can help. To spot-treat a tangle, add jojoba oil or a conditioner to the tangle and let it sit for twenty minutes. Gently work the tangle out with fingers or a wide-tooth comb.
If hair is severely tangled, wet hair and apply conditioner in sections. Detangle hair carefully with a wide-tooth comb while it is saturated with conditioner.
Minimizing Tangles in Curly Hair
The following tips can help minimize tangles:
- Avoid dry combing and only comb curly hair when it is wet and covered with conditioner.
- Apply jojoba oil to finger tips and gently separate any tangles in dry hair.
- Sleep on a satin pillow case or cover hair with a satin cap at night to prevent tangles and frizz.
- Use a leave-in conditioner to seal the hair cuticle and keep curls flowing together.
Careful choices in styling products and techniques can keep curls tangle-free and healthy.
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