Banner MFC banner

How to Build the Perfect Curly Hair Routine​

Curly hair thrives when you follow the right curly hair routine for your type of locks. Determining your curly hair type and whether your locks are wavy, curly, or coily will help you pick the right products and use the right techniques to make your curls look their best. Give your ringlets some love with these curly hair routine steps.

Curl care begins in the shower – including the in-shower products you use and how you wash your hair. For your curly hair routine after the shower, use curl creams or gels to scrunch when your hair is still wet. This means the strands can absorb more product and lock your curls in place as they dry.

To keep your curls looking fresh overnight, be sure to follow your curly hair routine steps before bed. Use a satin or silk pillowcase (or invest in a silk bonnet) when sleeping with curly hair to keep your locks smooth, and don’t be afraid to give your curls a little refresh in the morning before you head out the door.

Show your waves, curls, or coils some love with our top tips to build a curly hair routine for beginners.
4 images of different curly hair types to establish the best curly hair routine. From left to right: wavy hair, loose curls, tight curls, coily hair.

Curly Hair Wash Day Routine

How often should you wash curly hair? The answer lies in finding the right cleansing method for your type of hair. Finding which shampoos are good for your curly hair depending on its shape, texture, and density can make or break hair wash day.

If you have looser, flatter waves that fall in an ‘S’ shape, you likely have Type 2 wavy hair. For wavy hair, a leave-in conditioner can help enhance your curls and add extra moisture and shine. Use a sulphate-free clarifying shampoo that won’t strip natural oils and will give a bouncy definition to your waves. Wavy hair tends to be finer and flatter, so a shampoo that adds volume can give Type 2 curls the boost they need.

Type 3 curly hair falls in loops, ringlets, or corkscrews. If these are your curls, opt for a clarifying and sulphate-free shampoo can keep your curls springy while giving them a deep clean. This is a must to remove any excess product build-up that can weigh down your curls. Products like the Garnier Method For Curls Pre-Shampoo & Garnier Method For Curls Shampoo enrich curls with added smoothness without losing that post-wash clean feeling.

Type 4 thick and coily hair is very textured and has a zig-zag or ‘Z’ shape pattern to the curls. To wash curly hair of this type and texture, you could try skipping the shampoo and try gentle cleansing with conditioner only – a technique called co-washing. Coily hair tends to be on the drier side, so adding in moisture at any step of the curly hair wash routine will prevent your hair from being stripped of natural oils.

The back of the head of a curly-haired woman standing in a shower to wash her curly hair

Detangle Curly Hair

Knowing how to detangle your curly hair is key to keeping your ringlets, waves, or coils bouncy and knot-free. During your curly hair shower routine, start by parting and applying conditioner to each section of your hair, then take a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to carefully undo any knots. You may also use your fingers to brush curly hair for a gentler approach.

If you have wavy hair or a looser curl pattern, you can detangle your curly hair by slathering on a rich formula like a nourishing conditioner or hair mask such as the Garnier Method For Curls Mask. Leave the product on for a few minutes as it provides hydrating feeling for your curls, then rinse well to prevent the curl pattern from being weighed down.

If you’re co-washing to detangle coily hair, combine your conditioner with a hydrating hair oil formula to create a deep moisturising hair mask. Apply from root to tip, cover with a warm towel or shower cap, and leave on for at least 20 minutes before rinsing well. This method of curly hair care locks in smoothness and prevents coil shrinkage by delivering deep nourishment.

a curly-haired person using a comb with conditioner to detangle her curly hair

How To Dry Curly Hair

Before drying, always apply a heat protectant for curly hair to create a barrier and limit the heat damage that causes frizz.

If you’re using a blow dryer to dry curly hair, the go-to attachment is a hair diffuser. A curl diffuser works by restricting the amount of hot air on your hair and evenly distributing volume. Set your dryer on low and gently scrunch while blowing to create gorgeous, voluminous waves and ringlets.

However, when you have time, you can air-dry curly hair to minimise heat exposure. Since you have already applied hair serum and wrapped your hair in a soft towel, your curls will come out healthy and shiny. If you are washing your hair in the evening and will have curly wet hair overnight, you can always blow dry your hair 80-90%, and then use hair oils or serums to prevent frizz as you sleep. Sleeping with soaking wet hair is not recommended (or comfortable!), so it’s best to take a moment to mostly dry your hair with a curl diffuser if you’re short on time before bed.

To refresh curls in the morning, you can use a wide-tooth comb or pick to detangle. Then, lightly spritz your hair with water or Garnier Method for Curls Spray before scrunching in your favourite curl creams or gels to enjoy bouncy locks all day!

a curly-haired woman using a spray to style and refresh her curls in the morning

  

Curly Hair FAQs
  • The best way to wash curly hair depends on your curl type. For Type 2-3 wavy and coily hair, a clarifying sulphate-free shampoo can remove product build-up without stripping natural oils. For thick, coily Type 4 hair, co-washing with conditioner only can gently cleanse the hair without drying it out.
  • You can build a good curly hair routine by establishing your curl type and working out the products that work for you. This includes a suitable curly hair shampoo, the right drying approach, and curly hair styling products and techniques such as scrunching in curl creams or gels.
  • There is no guarantee that doing a curly hair routine on straight hair will produce curls or waves. This is because the hair does not have a natural curl pattern for the products to create. The best way to achieve curls or waves on naturally straight hair is by using a heat tool (with heat protectant) or trying out an overnight heatless curl technique!
  • How often you should do your curly hair routine depends on your lifestyle and curl type. For most people, this is between 1 to 3 times per week. Those with drier, coarser hair will benefit from only washing their hair once per week, while finer hair types or waves may need to be washed more often. However, you can refresh your curls every morning after sleeping to keep your curls bouncy and fresh.
  • To take care of curly hair, you need a good curly hair wash routine. This includes how often you wash your hair, the conditioning and detangling products you use, and using a diffuser to dry it. To maintain curls, you can use curl creams or gels to scrunch and form ringlets, then use products such as the Garnier Method For Curls Spray that can give your curls a new lease of life in the morning. Sleeping with a satin pillowcase or bonnet can protect your curls when you sleep, and using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to detangle will keep your curls in shape whilst being gentle on your scalp.
  • To take care of wavy hair as a beginner you want to understand your curl type. Wavy hair is finer and looser than other types of curly hair, so heavy products will weigh it down. Using a clarifying sulphate-free shampoo can effectively cleanse your hair, while hair masks can nourish your waves and prevent frizz. Use a scrunching gel to lock your curl pattern in place as your hair dries and create beautiful flowing waves.