HOW TO GET SMOOTH CURLS

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, click here.

Curly girls, this is for you! If you're tired of frizz, tired of buildup, and ready for smooth, shiny, sleek curls, keep reading, cause I've been where you are and come out the other side. (read more)

---

HOW TO GET SMOOTH CURLS WITH FRIZZY HAIR

Did you know that FIFTY FIVE PERCENT of European people have some sort of wave or curl in their hair? That's a huge number! 

It makes me wonder how many people with curly or wavy hair actually know what to do with it to make the most of that genetic gift. It makes me wonder, also, how many people really know how to get smooth curls on natural hair.

I've seen a LOT of really bad curly hair, (sorry Mom, I love you, but your hair is just a train wreck) and I think it's a shame.

Now, I get that some people just don't want to mess with it and that's okay. If you're the person who wants to wake up, brush out your hair and go, more power to you. But, if you're the person who WANTS their curls to look nice and just doesn't know how to get smooth bouncy curls, how to get smooth big curls, how to get smooth curls with curly hair, or how to get shiny bouncy curls; I want to help.

Cause, listen, I used to be that girl. I didn't know how to get smooth defined curls or how to get shiny defined curls, but I REALLY wanted it to happen!

My hair is VERY curly, if you look at Hair Types on Naturally Curly, I'm falling right between 3A and 3B. I have some CRAZY kinky curls at the base of my neck, big, chunky curls all around my face and sides of my head, and then almost wavy hair at the back of my scalp.

It's like the pot luck supper of curls up in here.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I CUT MY HAIR AT HOME DURING COVID

FIGURE OUT YOUR CURL TYPE

---

---

HOW TO STYLE CURLY HAIR VIDEO

If you'd rather watch than read, here you go!

---

I've tried all sorts of things in the pursuit of taming my mane, including, but not limited to:

Straightening
Thinning shears
Brushing it out and looking like a bush
Enough product to wallpaper an entire room
Super short haircuts

I'm sure there are more, but some of these are notable, like the super short haircut.

​I was in 7th grade, I'd just moved to a new school since we were military and lived all over, and I walked up to a teacher in the hall to ask where the restroom was.

Do you know what she said?

"The little boy's room is just down the hall on the left."

I'm not even kidding you, ask my mom, she's the one who had to deal with a bawling, emotional, brand new to Texas 12 year old who already had enough body image issues to fill a bucket. 

Side note, being 12 years old just sucks.

She did her best, taking me to get it straightened and thinned, listening to me complain about it, etc., but she couldn't help. I got my curls from my mom, and she is the epitome of the person who DOES NOT WANT TO MESS WITH IT.

Mom says: Get out of bed, brush your teeth, make sure you're not stinky, and go. 

Low maintenance, thy name is Claire.

Too bad Claire gave birth to a high maintenance daughter. A daughter who wanted to know how to get smooth frizz free curls, how to get smooth curls with frizzy hair, and how to get shiny frizz free curls.

I just wanted to know how to smooth frizzy curls!

 PONY O BUNZ BARZ, A REVIEW FROM A NON AFFILIATE 

---

---

HOW TO GET SOFT SHINY NATURAL CURLS

I love my curls now, and I want you to love yours as well, so I'm going to tell you exactly what I do to get smooth, shiny curls. Not only do you NOT have to deal with the frizz, but I will show you how to get smooth curls without a curling iron, and it's going to look fabulous!

Oh, you also don't need heat! I'm going to show you how to get shiny curls without heat! This is a big deal because we all know that constantly applied heat can really damage your hair. This method requires absolutely no curling iron, and if you want to use a blow dryer with a diffuser, you can, but it's totally not necessary.  When I use my diffuser, it's on low heat, and I use it for just a few minutes. Also, it's diffused, so no direct heat.

So, let's look at the things we need to know:

1. Undoing the wrongness takes some time. 

I say this because, for many people, their curly hair is frizzy because it's dry and damaged. Curly hair NEEDS hydration. If it's not hydrated, it frizzes. If your hair is very dry, using these methods is going to take time to work, so give it a few weeks before throwing in the proverbial towel.

2. Stop using traditional shampoo, or stop shampooing at all. (Switch to a "no poo" curl cleanser)

"What? I mean, ICK!" Is that what you just thought? Well, it's the truth. Most people do not need to wash their hair as much as they do. Unless you're going out each day and getting sweaty and grungy, chances are you're washing away healthy oil (that keeps your hair hydrated) each time you shower.

If you must wash, do so, but switch to a "no poo" shampoo. What you're looking for specifically is a shampoo (and products) without Sulfates, Silicones, or Parabens. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a key ingredient in most traditional shampoos. The thing is, it's a salt and a detergent. Yes, it's an effective cleanser, but it's WAY too harsh for your curly hair, and it's VERY drying.

If your goal is how to get smooth loose curls, you've got to make sure those curls are moist, and that means not washing away the good stuff, or coating them with an air tight layer of anything.

3. Stop touching it!

And here I thought that line was just for my sons, but no. This is a big part of how to make curls look smooth. The more you touch your hair, the frizzier it will be, so HANDS OFF! I know you might not know how to style your hair without touching it, but I'm going to help. This is what I do each morning:

FIRST - Wash your hair with ​NYC - The Curl Cleanser shampoo or (if you're just starting your Curly Girl routine and need to strip the buildup, use Kinky Curly Come Clean. 

PONY O PONY TAIL HOLDERS - A REVIEW FROM A NON AFFILIATE

---

---

SECOND - Rinse your hair, and then (this part is really important), apply your styling product to SOAKING WET hair while you're still in the shower.  I absolutely love Innersense I Create Hold on the days when things are really humid, but Bioterra Styling Gel is also a fantastic choice.

My hair is short right now, so I use about a quarter sized amount of my styling product, whichever I go with that day. You'll need to adjust that based on your length and curl type.

Put the gel into your palm, spread it around your hand, and then, starting at the bottom of your hair (the part hanging below your head), smooth the product down and through, using your fingers like a comb. Be gentle, very gentle. Then smooth the remaining product on the top of your head, around your hair line and back onto the hair on your scalp. 

It's so important that you start with the bottom of your hair first, though, simply because that's the place the least likely to benefit from your hair's natural oils reaching all the way down the strands.

If you want to know how to get sleek shiny curls, start at the bottom.

THIRD - Tip your head upside down and section off some of your hair. I used to do a bunch of sections, but now I do two, because while I do want nice curls, I don't want to spend more time than absolutely necessary.

Take a section, twist it up like a wash rag and wring it out. Do the next section, as many as you like. 

This not only helps your curly hair dry quicker, but it also helps develop a curl pattern that will help you guide your hair in the direction you want it to go. 

FOURTH - Get a flour sack towel. I cannot stress this enough. DO NOT DRY YOUR HAIR BY RUBBING IT WIHH A TOWEL! If you do, you're undoing all of my (your) hard work. Simply fold the towel in half, then gently scrunch your curls toward your head. You can either stop after this step, or you can plop your hair into the towel and wrap it up on your head while you get dressed, etc.

Don't mess with it further, just don't. Now's the time when you can apply makeup, get dressed, put on lotion, brush your teeth. Do your entire morning routine with the towel on your head. 

PONY O BLING RINZ - A REVIEW FROM A NON AFFILIATE

---

---

FIFTH - Once you're done with your routine, you have a choice. If your hair dries fast, just take the towel off, hang it on a rack, and get going. If your hair dries slowly, like mine, grab your blowdryer and diffuser and concentrate on the ROOTS of your hair. The length of your hair will dry the fastest, but the roots can take time and until they are dry it will rob your hair of volume.

You really don't need anything fancy for this, any blowdryer and diffuser will do the trick. Once your hair is dry enough (whether you used the blowdryer or not) that the strands feel a bit crunchy, tip your head upside down and very gently crush the curls in your palms in an upward motion. Imagine crushing handfuls of chips against your scalp. Use that motion.

That's the only time you're going to touch your hair when it's dry. Don't do it again. :)

Feel free to shake your head to separate or loosen the curls, if you wish.

VIEW A BLOWDRYER WITH DIFFUSER ON AMAZON

---

---

You've got the basics of great curls every day, but how do you keep them looking good? 

First off, never use regular shampoo again, stay away! *Makes a hex sign*. Shampoo for non curly haired people is not for you, that way lay dragons.

Second, get someone who knows curly hair to cut your curly hair. This really was a life changer for me.

It makes absolutely zero sense to take your curly head to a person who is going to wash your hair, comb it straight, and cut it. I mean you do NOT have straight hair, it's going to dry completely different than it looked in the salon, and you have just paid $75 for a haircut that isn't going to flatter you.

Instead, find a Deva Curl stylist. They don't cost any more than a regular hair cut, and I've found I can go a lot longer when I started getting my cuts done by a woman who not only knows curly hair, but cuts my hair DRY.

Yeah, you read that right. She cuts my hair dry. You know why? Because that's when my curls are at their most natural, and I can see exactly what it's going to look like the moment she's done. 

Cutting your curly hair while it's wet is like painting a wall and thinking the color it comes out of the bucket is the color it will be later. That's now how it goes. 

That's all, my curly headed friends. It's so simple! My hair routine takes no more than three minutes (not including blow dryer time if I need to use one), and my curls are soft, smooth, silky, with a minimum of frizz. 

If you'd like to see this list in one place, I've put one together on Amazon. Feel free to check it out.

Now go, grasshopper, go and have the best curly hair you can have!

​Ty

ty's curly hair must haves

---

---

---

---