Hello my curly beauties! One of the most important lessons I’ve learned about curly hair is how to refresh curly hair. I find that my hair looks BEST on washday. On days two and three, my curls often lose some definition and get frizzy. But I’ve learned that I can refresh my hair by applying water and a little more product. This helps my curls “reset” into their original shape and volume.
Keep reading to learn how to refresh curly hair.
1. You need water to refresh curly hair.
For how to refresh 2nd day curls, get your hair wet first. Some curly girls like to use a spray bottle to lightly mist their hair. Others like to wet their hair completely by getting into the shower.
Personally, I like to wet my hair by scrunching warm water upward into the curls. That way, I can control how much water is going into my hair. The top section of my hair usually looks fine, so I don’t do anything to it. I just focus on any sections that are getting loose and frizzy, especially the ends.
2. Apply gel with the praying hands method.
Next, apply your favourite gel to your palms. (Another option is to use a curl cream, like the Cantu Shea Butter Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream Use this if you want a more wavy, smooth look with minimal frizz.)
Use the praying hands method to thoroughly coat your wet hair, moving from mid-shaft to the ends. I typically don’t use as much gel to refresh as I do for original styling. Start with a dime-sized amount per section, and add more if needed.
3. Scrunch upwards to refresh curly hair.
Of course, after smoothing the gel downward, I always scrunch upward to encourage curl formation. Flip your head from side to side and scrunch some more!
4. Pin curl any unruly strands.
One of my favourite curly hair tricks is pin curls! I have a little curl on one side of my face that often gets out of shape. So I just wet it thoroughly, apply gel, and then twist it around my finger. I carefully slide a bobby pin into it from the bottom and slip my finger out. Leave the bobby pin in for 5-7 minutes, and then remove and give it a gentle shake.
If you leave it in until it’s completely dry, you’ll end up with a very tight, poodle-looking curl! #speakingfromexperience
5. When hair is dry, scrunch out the cast.
Allow your hair to dry (this usually takes 10-15 minutes for me), and then scrunch out the gel cast. If you want it to be extra shiny, coat your hands with hair oil first. For a DIY hair oil recipe, read this post on growing long hair from a sweet friend of mine.
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Let’s Chat:
Do you refresh your hair on a regular basis? If so, what products and techniques do you use? Let me know in the comment section!
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