Straight and curly hair – care and their needs

Hairstyling trends change every season. Some people like perfectly styled hair, while others choose crazy, unleashed curls. After many years of straightening and aggressive colouring treatments – a new trend appears in a fashion which is focused on completely natural hair. So you can easily give your hair a rest and go for naturally curly and wavy hair. However, one fact stays unchanged that well-groomed and shiny hair will always catch the attention and make others envious. Therefore, it is worth taking care of it properly. Straight and curly hair – care and their needs.

The difference between straight and curly hair

Straight hair has an even, perfectly smooth structure all over its surface. On the other hand, curls – due to the formation of spirals, are prone to the opening of the cuticles in the places where the hair bends – here we are talking about the high porosity of hair. That is why curly hair requires intensive hydration and greater devotion during care. In the case of straight hair, you have to be careful and not overdo it with the number of cosmetics.

Generally speaking, hair types can be classified according to a four-point scale. Number one is straight hair, while 4 is very curly hair in the shape of springs. In between, there are waves and light curls.

Straight hair – what distinguishes it and what are its needs?

According to many, this is the perfect hair type that regardless of whether it’s evening or morning or even when you are right after getting out of bed, it always looks good, it’s straight and shiny – it’s enough to just comb it quickly and you are ready. That’s why so many of us use a straightener to smooth out curls or waves. However, owners of straight hair often struggle with many problems, e.g. lack of volume, static, oily hair, thin, flat, weighed down hair or delicate ends, prone to damage and breaking, which makes it difficult to grow it. Although it may seem that it is easy to style straight hair during the everyday routine, you should pay attention to its care.

How to properly care for straight hair, bearing in mind their needs?

1. Do not apply conditioner to the entire length of your hair, so you will not weigh it down. During rinsing, the oily ingredients of the cosmetic will settle on the scalp and it will be difficult to remove them completely. In addition to flattening the hairstyle, the conditioner can clog pores on the scalp and cause excess sebum production, make hair oily faster or lead to dandruff.

2. Choose cosmetics with a light consistency. Instead of heavy masks, choose mists and nourishing hair sprays.

3. Try hair oiling. It may seem like the oil will put too much weight on straight hair, but it is a myth. This method involves applying the oil to the hair one hour before washing it, in the next step a shampoo is applied which will thoroughly rinse the oily ingredients – so there should be no problem with weighing down the hair.

4. Don’t wash your hair every day. Such a frequent cleansing can dry out your scalp. As a consequence, it will trigger a defensive reaction of the body, i.e. too fast and intense sebum production, which aims to moisturize dry skin.

5. Check the ingredients and choose gentle shampoos for your hair.

6. Limit hot styling. The high temperature will cause a loss of moisture, the hair will get static and the ends will damage quickly. Therefore, do not tire them with too frequent styling.

Curly hair – care and needs

Curly hair is characterized by a wavy or curly structure. Although they are susceptible to styling, the daily care routine causes many difficulties and you have to put a lot of effort before you get perfect curls.

What should curls care look like?

1. First of all – to maintain the natural curly shape, you should comb your hair when it’s wet using a comb with wide teeth spacing or use your fingers. The easiest way is to do it while applying the conditioner, which will also help you to get rid of tangles and knots.

2. Secondly – try the proteins! This ingredient in hair care cosmetics has a revitalizing effect, so thanks to it you will rebuild damage in the structure of hair fibres. As a result, the curls become more bendy, flexible, soft and radiant. Proteins such as keratin, elastin, silk, collagen or amino acids will help you emphasize the natural curl and increase the volume of your hairstyle. However, too much protein can make your hair stiff and brittle, which would be counterproductive.

3. Thirdly, remember about emollients. These are greasing ingredients in cosmetics – such as oils, which protect the hair shaft from opening its cuticles. They trap moisture inside the hair, which will make your curls soft, bouncy and moisturized. This is very important as curly hair tends to dry out and frizz quickly.

4. Fourthly – do not forget to maintain your PEH balance. Also include in your care humectants, i.e. ingredients such as panthenol or aloe vera which will moisturize the hair.

5. Fifthly – let your curls dry naturally, without using a hairdryer, which will make it excessively frizzy and deprive it of valuable moisture.

6. Go to the hairdressing salon. A good cut will help tame the curls and emphasize their twist.

See also: Everything you need to know about hair

What mistakes to avoid in curly hair care?

1. Curly hair (due to its structure) when combed dry is particularly susceptible to numerous damages, splitting ends, brittleness and pulling out tangled strands. Often it is also damaged, high or medium porosity hair, which after such brushing is intensely frizzy, and waves and curls are gone. Anyone with a strong curl wants to avoid it – so you should not comb dry hair. If you have to, try combing with your fingers with a little hair oil, gently kneading them to form curls.

2. Remember to limit silicone and wax in your care products. While these ingredients help to close and smooth the cuticle, when in excess they can overburden and clog the hair structure, preventing the formation of natural curls. The silicone used wisely and in limited amounts in conditioners and masks, protects the hair against mechanical and thermal damage. In addition, it smoothes badly damaged hair and makes it easier to detangle. However, these two ingredients should not be in shampoos.

Regardless if you have straight and curly hair, you should care about it!