When you first decide to embrace your natural curls, the amount of info out there can be so overwhelming! There are so many dos and don’ts, lots of contradictory info, weird terminology…and that’s without getting into the proper science-y stuff.
The tips below are not comprehensive (and don’t all follow the Curly Girl Method – click here for why).
But if you’re strapped for cash – or time, or energy – maybe you can start small, gradually incorporate some of these tiny changes and see how you get on.
The main thing to remember is: these things take time, and everyone’s hair is different. But there’s a whole curly community out there cheering you on!
I’ll also share some of my personal favourite products below. If you see a discount code, please note that it is an affiliate code, so I get a small commission if you use it.
Put down the heat tools
An obvious one, but a difficult one! To bring out your natural texture, resist the urge to straighten, curl or blow-out your hair for a good few months. Let your curls and wave breathe and find their way, and embrace the chaos of your natural hair! Yes, it will be frizzy – but with some sleep protection (see below) and the right refreshing technique, you’ll gradually get used to the non-uniform look. 😉
If you hate air drying, try diffusing on a medium heat instead. If diffusing is new to you (as it was to me), here’s a video of my own diffusing routine, and a post about different diffusing techniques.
Go sulphate-free
Swap out your regular shampoo for a sulphate-free one. Don’t forget to really scrub your scalp while shampooing – some sulphate-free shampoos have gentle cleansers that require a little more manual work to help lift the dirt.
My favourite sulphate-free shampoos:
Nylah’s Naturals Strength & Shine Shampoo
Hair Dance Clarifying Strength Shampoo (use code 10NATALIE44 for 10% off)
Boucleme Hydrating Hair Cleanser (use code COAST15 for 15% off)
Condition more
At the start, our hair is often not getting as much moisture as it should, especially if we’ve been damaging it with heat, dye or bleach. Focus on squishing in conditioner, doing a deep conditioner every once in a while, and minimising heat.
My favourite conditioners:
Hair Dance Strengthening Growth Conditioner (use code 10NATALIE44 for 10% off0
Boucleme Seal & Shield Conditioner (use code COAST15 for 15% off)
TréLuxe Untie the Knot Leave-In (get 15% off when you buy through this link)
Reduce friction on your hair
Try not to drag brushes through your hair, and definitely don’t brush your hair when it’s dry unless you want your curls to explode. Instead, detangle while you’ve got conditioner on your hair, and work your way from your ends to your roots to loosen any knots. Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase, and remove water from your hair using a cotton t-shirt or microfibre towel rather than a normal terrycloth towel. Also, try to limit your use of hair elastics, which can break the hair. There are lots of gentler alternatives, such as silk scrunchies, invisibobbles, puff cuffs, and claw clips!
Some of my favourite tools (affiliate links):
Invisibobbles
Silk scrunchies (get 10% off with code COAST10)
Bambonn sleep protection
Satin pillowcase
Tangle Teezer Wet Detangling Brush
Add hold
You may find your curls aren’t lasting very long after their wash, especially if you’re only adding leave-in or curl cream. So try adding a gel or mousse to help them hold their pattern. Don’t be afraid of that crunchy feeling some stylers leave – just scrunch it out when your hair is completely dry. This is known as “Scrunch out the Crunch”!
Some of my favourite harder hold stylers:
Boucleme Super Hold Styler (use code COAST15 for 15% off)
TréLuxe Hi! Definition Styling Gel (get 15% off when you buy through this link)
Giovanni LA Hold Styling Gel (use code LFTFCOAST for money off)
Be patient!
Your hair and scalp may be confused at first, but it will settle and you’ll start to learn what works best for you. Have fun with it, and let your curls fly free! 🙌
Check out my step-by-step beginner’s curly hair routine, or save this post on Instagram:
Curls by the Coast 
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