The 'Curl Cast' Is An Essential Step In Defining Your Waves

It seems like having curly hair is both a blessing and a curse. For one, having natural curls means your hair will have bounce like no other, and your selection of hairstyles is only limited to your creativity. It also means styling your hair can be an absolute nightmare. There's a scientific reason why curly haircare seems to be set on the highest difficulty mode. Per Healthline, curly hair has a hard time maintaining moisture, resulting in your hair easily becoming dry and brittle. Dry hair is more prone to damage, so you'll need to be extra considerate of which combs you use, the heat setting for your hot tools, and even what water temperature is best for your hair.

Dry hair can make maintaining your curls hard, but we're all beginning to agree –- a curl cast is one of the best methods for not only locking in moisture to your waves but making those waves more defined. A curl cast is something curly-haired people should consider adding to their haircare regimen, stat. In fact, you might already be doing this essential step without even realizing it.

According to the curl-care experts at curlBOX, a curl cast is a hard, slightly crunchy mask over your hair that "clusters" your waves together in a way that makes them more defined. This technique also lengthens your coils by smoothing and stretching them slightly.

To start your curl cast, you'll need a gel product made with curly hair in mind. The product should specifically state that it is made for holding curls in place, like the SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Styling Gel. Follow the instructions on your gel during your styling process to create your curl cast; some are meant to be used only during your wash, and others can be used more frequently. When you use a product like this while styling, it forms a transparent shell over your hair that will help you combat frizz and make maintaining bouncy curls easy. Who doesn't love it when your strands are easily defined versus frizzy?

One of the best perks of curly hair is how bouncy and lively your hair always looks. If your curl cast puts a stop to your curls' flow and movement, then chances are you're going about your curl cast the wrong way. curlBox points out that while a little bit of a crunchy texture is to be expected, curls that feel rock-hard after using gel means that you might have used too much product on your hair. You can add a little water or serum to your gel to soften the crunchiness or just use a little less product the next time you're aiming for a cast.

If you have just a bit of crunch, that's okay. NaturallyCurly suggests using your fingers to gently scrunch away the cast after your hair has dried. This will break apart the shell and let your natural, newly soft waves come through. Using your fingers instead of a comb will help you avoid creating frizz and tangles.