How to clean curly coily wavy hair

The Art of Cleansing Curly Hair: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to our latest blog post! While we'll be diving into our top recommended products for a curly hair routine next week, today we're focusing on the essential topic of hair cleansing, and explaining the difference between low poo, zero lather cleansers and co-washing.  

Why Your Regular Shampoo Might Not Cut It

Curly hair has a unique dryness that requires special care when it comes to cleansing. Most day-to-day shampoos contain ingredients like silicones and sulfates, which can be less than ideal for curly hair. Here's a breakdown:

• Sulfates: While they create that satisfying lather we all love, sulfates can strip your hair of its natural oils and moisture. Considering curly hair is already prone to dryness, this will only make it worse. A common culprit is Sodium Laureth Sulfate.

• Silicones: These coat the hair strand and form a film around it, blocking moisture from getting in and leading to buildup, limpness, and dehydration.

While these ingredients might work well for some hair types, they're not the best choice for curly, coily, or wavy hair.

Cleansing Alternatives for Curly Hair

So, what are the better options for curly hair? Let's explore two popular alternatives:

 

Option 1 - Zero Lather Cleanser / Low Poo (recommended)

These cleansers or shampoos are free from alcohols and silicones. They cleanse effectively while maintaining your hair's moisture balance. The best ones may not even produce a lather but still cleanse without stripping your hair.

*Friendly Warning*: Some people avoid cleansers containing sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate, as it can be drying with frequent use. However, it can still be suitable if followed by a conditioner and regular deep conditioning. This is our own personal experience.

We find this option to still provide us with that squeaky clean feeling without drying the hair too much. 

Reccomendations to try today:

• Everscents Lemon and Sandalwood Cleanser
• Clevercurl Cleanser
• Boucleme Curl Redefined Cleanser
• Moogoo Milk Shampoo
• Original Goat Milk Shampoo

*Shampoos with sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate:*

• Everscents Moisture Shampoo
• Pump Curly Girl Shampoo
• Sukin Hydrating Shampoo
• AG Balance Shampoo

Option 2 - Co-Washing

Co-washing involves using conditioner instead of shampoo. These conditioners contain ingredients like lavender, mint, and chloride that cleanse the scalp while moisturising the hair.

While some swear by the "curly girl method" of co-washing, we don't recommend it for everyone. It can weigh down certain textures of curls, lead to product buildup, and may not cleanse the scalp properly.

Co-washing Product Recomendations:

• Clevercurl Light Condition
• As I Am Cleansing Pudding
• A’kin Conditioner Range
• Noughty To The Rescue
• Brigeo Be Gentle Be Kind
• Goat Moisturising Conditioner
• AG Boost Natural

Washing Technique

When applying shampoo, focus on the scalp, you can even use a scalp massager. To really get in there. As you rinse, the shampoo will naturally run through and cleanse the rest of your hair without needing to scrub vigorously. Avoid applying shampoo directly to your ends, as they are usually the driest part of your hair.

We hope this guide helps you navigate the world of curly hair cleansing! Stay tuned for our recommended product list coming up next week.