Balancing Washing and Conditioning your Curly Hair | CurlyEllie

The world of curls can be confusing with many voices giving you contrary information. When I started CurlyEllie, almost 10 years ago, it was not the mine field it is today.

A few tell you to wash often, some tell you to avoid washing and stick to conditioning, some say avoid harsh cleansers, some say use harsh cleansers to exfoliate and clean.

So here are my top 5 suggestions.

1. Wash your hair when it is dirty

If you have an active lifestyle and regularly swim, you may find that you have to wash more regularly after every swimming session. This is due to the chlorine in the water which can be drying.

If you regularly exercise and sweat, again you will need more regular hair washing sessions.

On the other hand if your hair is not dirty and you have been using very lightweight stylers, you can find that you can stretch your wash days and do it once every 2 - 3 days.

Our Shampoos have been designed to be used as regularly or sparsely as needed because we use a very gentle cleanser that does not leave your hair squeaky clean but instead, gently moisturises and cleans your hair.

So you see, the question of washing can be as complicated or as easy as you choose it to be.

2. Condition regularly if your hair is dry. 

Curly hair is prone to frizz and is naturally thirsty. It's naturally dry and needs moisture to thrive. On non wash days, don't skip conditioning. Its the one thing you can't do without.

3. Double wash if you are skipping days between using your shampoo.

Start using the shampoo on dry hair with our scalp exfoliator. Once the shampoo is on, reach for the scalp exfoliator to really massage and clean the scalp. A nice round motion is all that is needed with not too much pressure. After rinsing out, shampoo again, but this time concentrate on the hair shaft.

4. Ingredients! Ingredients!!

In winter and summer, you need a shampoo with a good amount of Aloe Vera. Make sure this is in the top 3 ingredients in your shampoo.

Aloe Vera is a natural antiseptic provided by nature to sooth, heal and clean. This will help protect your hair and scalp against the harsh cold winters and deep sunny summer days. It is particular important if you have a sensitive scalp that sometimes gets inflamed and itchy.

5. Don't be tempted to use a harsh stripping shampoo, like a clarifying shampoo.

It will leave your hair squeaky clean and do such great job that all your hairs natural oils will get stripped right back, leaving your hair very brittle, dry and in need of deep conditioning to restore the balance. Read more here.

Instead, double or triple wash using a gentle shampoo.