Ways You're Ruining Your Curly Hair

Curly hair never goes out of style, yet curly girls have long been shamed for their unruly locks, which is absurd because curls are beautiful. Sure, they can be wild and crazy depending on the humidity level, but there is nothing quite like a gorgeous curl pattern.

Curl-shaming is very real, which prompts many women with curly hair to straighten their curls and damage them into oblivion. We know because we've been there. And there are other ladies who have never really learned how to work with their manes. We've been there. too. Now we know better and can pass on our curly knowledge to you.

If you have curly or wavy hair, make sure you avoid making the following mistakes.

Curls need moisture, and using hot water sucks the moisture right out of your strands. (It sucks the moisture out of your skin, too, FYI.) It's best to use warm water when you're in the shower. Before you get out, do a rinse with cold water to prevent frizz.

If you have curly hair, regular towels are your enemy. Drop the terry cloth now! When you use a regular towel to dry your hair, it increases frizz and dries your hair out like no other because the material is so rough. Even if your towels are super soft, they will make your hair go all Monica-Geller-in-Barbados. Do yourself and your curls a favor, and buy a microfiber towel to squeeze out excess moisture.

Like we mentioned earlier, curls need moisture and don't benefit from excessive heat. That means using a regular hair dryer on them is a terrible idea unless you're trying to straighten out your locks. If you don't have the patience to air dry your hair or can't give up your hair dryer, you need a diffuser. This is not optional. Any curly girl who dries her hair with heat needs a diffuser to evenly dry curls, add volume, and reduce frizz.

Using a diffuser can turn your curls from dull and kinda curly to shiny and bouncy in a matter of minutes. Make sure you apply all your products to wet, microfiber towel-dried hair. Then diffuse in sections with your head turned upside-down. You will not believe your curls!

If you ever brush your curls... Well, we can't even think about that horror show. Curls should never be brushed. Not only will brushing give you crazy frizz, but it will also ruin your curl pattern and cause breakage. If you have any tangles, spritz a detangling spray in your hair and use a wide-tooth comb to remove knots.

Shampoo strips curls from all the natural goodness that makes them shiny and bouncy. If you over-wash your curls, especially with a shampoo not formulated for curly hair, your locks will get dried out and look frizzy. Since curls need more moisture than other hair types, don't shampoo more than three times a week. And if you can make the switch to a low-poo or no-poo cleansing solution, do so.

In addition to over-washing, under-conditioning is a real curl problem, too. Oudiad Creative Director Morgan Wilhite says, "More than any other hair type, curls must be conditioned regularly." Every time you wash your hair, you need to condition it to lock in moisture and keep those curls happy. Also, do a deep conditioning treatment once or twice a week to really moisturize and protect your hair. Your curls will thank you, we promise.

Most hair ties are not curl-friendly. They tug, snag, and tangle, which causes curls to knot and break. We don't want that. So how should you tie up your hair? Scrunchies and thick elastics. Channel your inner '80s self and thank us later.

Once you're done styling your curls, stop touching them! And as John Frieda curl expert Nadia Dean says, "Don't touch your hair at all while it air-dries!" When you're constantly pulling on those spirals and messing with them, you're increasing your chances of frizz and tangling them into a mess. We know curls are fun to play with, but they will be so much happier if you leave them alone.