Caring for Coily Hair

WHAT IS COILY HAIR?

Compact spirals and corkscrews, ringlets of the smallest dimension, and naturally kinky hair in a zig-zagged or pleated pattern are all examples of coily hair. Coily hair encompasses the following hair types:

Type 4A: Hair strands form S-shaped coils that are extremely tiny, thick, and springy.
Type 4B: Densely packed strands with acute angles form a "Z" shape.
Type 4C: Strands have a texture similar to type 4B, but the coils are tighter and more fragile.

You may have taken a hair type quiz or done a lot of research to attempt to figure out what kind of hair you have, which isn't always straightforward because curly heads typically have multiple types. For example, if you have coarse hair, you'll need to treat it differently than if you have smoother, silkier curls.

Some curly hair salons, according to editorial and salon stylist Jennifer Covington-Bowers, whose clientele includes many curly and coily headed people, have begun to abandon the curly numbering system. "It's preferable to concentrate on your needs," she suggests. "Not everyone with a similar texture desires the same thing." The key is to figure out what your curls require. Most curls require moisture, which is how you achieve definition and shine with healthy cuticles. "What do you require?"

DETERMINE WHAT YOUR COILS NEED

Determine exactly what your hair type requires as you learn how to care for curly hair. "These curled curls are extremely dry and prone to breakage. Because the hair cuticles (the scaly coating that surrounds each hair strand) strain to hug such tight curves while remaining flat and well-oiled, each spiral represents a potential stress point. As a result, moisture is usually coily hair's top priority. Moisture the hair, but not to the point where I can't hydrate."

The curly numbering system is being phased out in some curly hair salons. It's important to concentrate on your own requirements; not everyone with the same texture desires the same thing.

The terms hydration and moisture are frequently interchanged, although there is a significant difference: Hair need both water and lipids, or fats, for hydration and moisture (hair likes the oil that your scalp secretes best).

ACHIEVING MOISTURE AND HYDRATION

The trick is to get the two to work together so that your curls are beautifully defined. "Moisture is necessary before twisting or braiding," Covington-Bowers says. That's why, aside from a no-lather cleanser, your first hair care product should be a water-based leave-in conditioner that you apply to damp hair after washing it. As New York-based hairdresser Jason Devastation explains, the damp hair aspect is crucial: "Think of putting a dry sponge on a wet surface." The water doesn't soak much past the sponge's surface. When the sponge is damp, however, it absorbs the water quickly."

Moisture is essential for any haircare routine, whether you have silver grey hair or thick, lush strands of dark hair. This method of retaining some of the water your hair collects in the shower involves putting a hair product containing healthy fats and essential oils on damp hair. It's also how you keep the hair cuticles supple and the barrier between the inner and exterior strands intact. Hair Balm, a terrific hair care product that meets the bill well, is one of our favourites.

Avoid silicones, as well as heavy oily, greasy, butter products, and never apply them directly to your hair. "You shouldn't be conscious of their presence on your hair or skin," Devastation adds. They can be found in commercial moisturisers or mixed in yourself. Raw oil or butter can totally seal out water and is difficult to remove without over-cleansing.

CUTTING COILY HAIR

Any hair type, even coily hair, should be cut by a well-trained hairstylist. "No blunt lines," says Hairstory director Wes Sharpton, to avoid a choppy-looking cut. "A softer, diffused line is more naturally suited to natural curls," he says, and because curls stretch and lengthen when wet – you can pinch and pull them down from the chin to the collarbone or from the breast to the belly button – he recommends cutting hair dry "to give a better read of where the length will actually rest."

Evan Joseph, a curly hair expert, agrees, writing, "If you're going to wear your hair curly, it should be cut how you wear it." When curl patterns are stretched, straightened, damp, or made to be anything other than their natural selves, it's impossible to harmonise them all."

Joseph has also published an extensive list of requirements for curly people before they arrive at the salon to both make stylists’ lives simpler and the service much more satisfying, including:

1. Cleanse, condition, and style your hair and present your best curls.
2. Arrive with dry hair so that time can be spent on cutting and shaping, not drying.
3. Avoid arriving with a ponytail, bun, twist out, roller-set, perm-rod set, curl-former, or any hairstyle that stretches or changes your hair’s natural curl pattern.
4. Avoid arriving with hair brushed, picked, or combed – basically, anything that disturbs your natural curl pattern.
5. Avoid arriving with products in your hair that are excessively sticky or greasy (shea butter or coconut oil) that may block water from being absorbed and gum up shears.

STYLING COILY HAIR

1. Frizz isn’t necessarily a bad thing, so embrace it! It’s actually part of the texture.
2. You don’t necessarily need oils except on tips or as a deep conditioner.
3. Always look for products that moisturize.
4. Use your fingers to detangle before you pick up a comb. And when you do comb, always work from the bottom up.
5. Always air dry hair, even if you plan to use a blow-dryer or diffuser to minimize heat exposure and frizz.
6. Try using a silk pillowcase when you sleep to prevent friction and frizz.
7. Scrunch! Hang your upside head down. Scrunch and hold for a bit to get the root standing up and create some volume and enhance your hair texture.