5 Products for a Curly Haired Summer

So you have curly hair, and it’s summer… which means more days than not your hair is a frizz puff of tangles. Been there. Done that. Bought the t-shirt.

Me rocking the curls somewhere in Midtown circa last summer

The trick is to discover the right products and secrets for taming your curly locks. With these five tricks, you’ll be proudly rocking a twisted – ahem, frizz fee – mane.

• Sulfate-free shampoo: It’s the first step to removing frizz. Sulfate, among other chemicals, is incredibly harsh on the hair follicle. It removes moisture and “good” oils from your scalp. Plus, lots of foam does not equal a good quality shampoo… it just means the shampoo is packed with sulfates (the leading ingredient that creates all those bubbles). Look for Sulfate-free, SLS and ALS Free products.

• Deep conditioner: Often times curly hair gets frizzy and unruly because it lacks moisture. One way to replenish moisture and keep damaged strands at bay is to use a weekly deep conditioner. This will help the hair strands be more elastic and reduce breakage. There are many great options on the market. My favorite is: Redken Soft Deep Conditioning Treatment. Coconut Milk is also a super cheap and effective DIY conditioner.

• Gentle combing: Curly hair is sensitive. Even though most of us curly gals have a tough head after years of intense detangling and snagging… the fact remains that your curls need to be treated with TLC. Don’t scrub too hard with a towel or wrap your strands up too tightly. And try, really hard, not to rip through your hair with a small comb or brush. Go slow. A wide-toothed comb or paddle brush is your best option. Be gentle and you will reduce snaps and saggy curls.

• Serums: With summer heat and humidity, a serum can be your best friend. It coats each curl, improving coiling and shine. Plus serums usually keep frizz away over longer periods of time. For a natural option, try argan oil. Moroccan Oil is a popular serum, but my personal favorites are Fekkai Glossing Cream and Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.

• Gel or Mousse: To fully conquer the curls, most of us have to use something to tame our locks. Gel or Mousse will be your best option. Look for alcohol-free gels as they tend not to zap moisture or make your tresses look dry and crackily. L’Oreal recently released an alcohol-free styling gel at an affordable price, and Bumble to Bumble has their alcohol-free Bb Gel. Haven’t tried it, but my curly friends say great things. Of course there is always the mousse option, which is great for curly hair. To learn how to tame curly locks with mousse, check out my recent article for tips and tricks.

Did you conquer your curly hair with these tricks? Do you have better curly hair secrets? Let us know at Salon Pulse Facebook or Twitter.

Love your hair. Love yourself.

Kaylyn