Top 8 Tips for Managing Your Curly Hair This Summer

Sun, surf, steamy days and sultry nights – all the things you love about summer also make it the toughest season for managing curly hair. But instead of hiding your ringlets under a scarf, follow these tips from the pros and learn how to care for your hair ’round the clock.

Washing Curly Hair Tips

Sticky summer days may send you to the shower, but washing your hair every day can lather away the nutrients that help keep it manageable, says George Gonzalez, owner of George: The Salon in Chicago, and a hair stylist at the spa at Harpo Studios. 

Instead, a few times a week, just wet your hair in the shower without shampooing. Apply a conditioner, rinse out and follow with a leave-in conditioner.

Protecting Your Curly Hair in Summer

Curly hair’s twisty structure impedes the flow of natural oils, leaving your hair prone to feeling rough and dry, says Dr. Jeni Thomas, senior scientist for Pantene.

“If you have curly hair, avoid clarifying shampoo,” says Thomas. “A clarifying shampoo offers zero protection from damage, especially when hair is in its most vulnerable state – wet.” 

Opt for a moisturizing shampoo that is specially formulated for curly hair. Without doubt, you’ll whisk away summer’s stubborn buildup and styling residue while defending your locks against damage and frizz.

Quench Thirsty Curls

“Curly hair has more protein and less moisture than straight hair, so it seeks to balance itself by absorbing any available moisture,” says Craig Carter, an ethnic-hair expert with the Carlos Lobo Salon in New York City. If your hair is parched, it will pull moisture from the humid air, leading hair shafts to become puffy and frizzy. 

A weekly deep-conditioning mask will help curly hair stay well-hydrated and will create a humidity barrier.

It is a fact that scalp skin could be irritated by the amount of product many women use on their curly hair. Here are some practical tips for your healthy scalp: from dandruff to food to feed your hair to a stunningly healthy shine.

And if you are new to home scalp facials, then you’d adore this thorough post I made just for you! You will learn what a scalp facial is, its benefits and a step-by-step process of how to do it in the convenience of your home. The final results are no less than stunning.

Are Hot Styling Tools Good for Curly Hair Summer Care?

Here’s a tip you may thank me later for. Make that half-hour walk or drive to work your drying time and embrace your hair’s natural texture. 

“In a perfect world, I would love to wet everyone’s hair, put on conditioner and let it air-dry,” says celebrity hairstylist Daven Mayeda. She advocates styling curly hair without direct heat whenever possible. And that’s especially true in summer, when your hair is already getting a light frying from sun exposure.

How To Apply Product To Curly Hair

Applying products to curly hair should be more like buttering toast slices than tossing a salad. 

“If you want a uniform curl pattern, you need a uniform application of styling product,” says Gonzalez. Try this: Emulsify a small amount of product by rubbing it between your hands, and then apply – starting at the ends and coating the entire strand – up to the scalp.

By doing such a simple technique, you will create a natural protective barrier for your shafts and cuticles, and save the product, too.

How To Protect Textured Hair At The Beach 

Exposing the porous cuticle of curly hair to wind, salt and moisture at the beach will lead to frizz in a flash, says Gonzalez. 

“The trick to avoiding this is to coat the cuticle with thick leave-in conditioners or with styling gels,” he says.

Summer hair protection is something not many women do. Thinking that hair is not effected by the sun rays is erroneous. Most importantly, it is damaging to the roots, literally.

I have a detailed and researched post on how to protect your hair during blistering summer rays.

Learn about the details to discover what really happens to your hair when the care of it is avoided.

Also, I discuss if salty water is damaging to the hair and what to do with it. I’ll unveil the vitamins and minerals that are vital to your hair vitality and beauty, especially during the summer time. Besides, you will learn which oils and extracts to look up in the ingredients list when shopping for a quality hair care product for the summer.

And yes, I’ll demo the products that are effective in taking care of of all of the above and more when you are out there enjoying life.

When you are ready for all of the above discoveries, head over to the post about how to protect hair from UV rays.

Prepping Curly Hair For A Swim

If you swim in the ocean or in chlorinated pools, rinse your curls before and after you get out of the water, then apply leave-in conditioner. 

“Spray-on conditioner is great for wavy hair or hair that’s fine and curly,” says Gonzalez. “But if your hair is coarse or frizz-prone, a cream or thicker leave-in conditioner is best.”

You may want to use fashion hair clips like Lilla Rose metal clips.

Protecting Curly Hair During Sleep

A satin pillowcase helps keep curls from tangling and won’t soak up natural oils as much as cotton, says Ebony Mikila, a hairstylist at Paint Shop Beverly Hills salon. 

Avoiding friction is important, adds Thomas, because the complex web of curly hair’s rough fibers can rub against each other, causing damage.

There are many technologies that would help you to keep your curls smashingly beautiful as you sleep. An answer is a silk pillow case. Usually, these pillow cases are made of 100% of Mulberry silk. Look for the ones that are allergen resistant and are free of any other added threads like polyester. Also avoid buying any cheep pillow cases, as they usually are made of other than silk threads.

Learn silk pillow benefits for skin and hair in my post with the best gifts for women’s self-care.

There are many brands that carry silk pillow cases. Some of my favorites that I’ve used are listed below. Obviously, you are not bound to just these options. I provide them as a starting point for you to explore them and then compare to others when you find such.

– 100% pure Mulberry silk pillow case with a 600 thread count. I like its gorgeous color selection and truly flowing texture. You can check it out HERE.
– Colorado Home Co silk pillowcase to keep your tresses untangled, and skin beautiful. Lots of color hues which are simply stunning. Look and explore them HERE.
– Standard size pillow cases are hard to come by. Here’s a natural silk pillowcase for hair and skin which is also has 600 thread count. The more, the better quality and more luxurious it is. Get if HERE.
– This pillow case are by the same company as the above link. But they have a different line-up of colors and hues. Buy it HERE.

Managing your curly hair could be much easier when using the above tips and suggestions. Life becomes happier when your hair looks right any season.

And if you are interested in lifestyle tips for the textured and curly hair, you’ll find the post from the professional stylists most helpful.