Curls of wisdom: Bouclème’s complete guide to curly hair care

Co-wash. No ’poo. Squish to condish. Plopping. Scrunch the crunch. Confused?! Welcome to the wonderful world of curly hair, which has its own lexicon to describe the rituals that create luscious, velvety, natural-looking curls. 

Whether you’ve recently embraced curly hair care or you’ve been rocking your natural curls for years, learning the right curly hair care routine can help you unlock your best curls.  

Curly hair is marvellously diverse, beautifully unique and deserves special care. In this guide, we’ll walk you through essential tips, from choosing the right products to protecting your curls while you sleep. You’ll be nurturing your curls with confidence before you know it.

1. Cut the chemicals

Your curls are naturally prone to dryness, so why strip them even further with harsh detergents? At Bouclème, we’re not big on rules, but here’s one piece of advice we swear by: ditch the stripping sulphates found in traditional shampoos. They’re not just unnecessary for curly hair – they can actually dry it out and cause long-term damage.

The good news? You can cleanse your hair and scalp effectively without sulphates. Yes, it means less foam, which might take some getting used to, but trust us – our natural alternatives to harsh chemicals do wonders. They cleanse your curls while keeping them soft, hydrated and healthy. Read more about why sulphate and paraben-free shampoos are better for your curly hair.

2. Cleanse with moisture

Curly hair not only needs gentle cleansing but also deep hydration. That’s why curls thrive with sulphate-free shampoos – low-foaming or foamless (low ’poo or no ’poo) formulas that cleanse without stripping away essential moisture.

Our conditioning cleansers are infused with mild, nourishing ingredients, inspired by the co-washing method. This popular technique, especially for coily hair, cleanses with conditioner instead of harsh, detergent-based shampoos that can lead to dryness and frizz. It's the perfect balance of clean and conditioned. Discover the ideal cleanser for your unique curl pattern and give your tresses the love they deserve.

3. Treat your scalp 

When cleansing, focus on your scalp to gently remove buildup. A good scalp massage not only feels amazing, it also stimulates blood flow, promoting healthy hair growth. 

Our easy-to-grip Scalp Massager is the perfect companion to use with our Scalp Exfoliating Shampoo or any cleanser of your choice for a refreshing weekly scalp massage. The soft, flexible silicone tips glide effortlessly in small circular motions, boosting circulation and enhancing overall scalp health without disrupting your curl pattern.

4. Bin your ‘normal’ brush

The next step to embracing your curly locks? Say hello to wet detangling. Remember: curly hair should never be brushed dry! Chuck away your normal brush and use our Detangling Wet Brush or Wide Tooth Comb or your fingers to gently detangle while your hair is wet and saturated with conditioner.

If you hit any knots or experience pulling, simply add more conditioner and water to ease things through. Brushing or combing dry, dehydrated curls can lead to breakage and even more frizz.

5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Curly hair thrives on moisture. It’s drier than other hair types, because your scalp’s natural oil doesn’t travel to the ends of hair in the same way as it does with straighter hair. Everything centres on hydration, but you also need to know your hair’s porosity to establish where you go next. Hair porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb moisture. Let’s go a little deeper.

High porosity curls

• Curls tangle easily or become frizzy the second there’s a hint of moisture in the air? 
• Dry, brittle hair that’s prone to breakage? 
• Locks become wet quickly in the shower but are equally fast to dry? 

If this is you, it’s likely you have high porosity hair. This means your curls quickly absorb moisture but lose it just as fast. Unlike low porosity hair, high porosity hair has a very loose outermost layer that absorbs water fast. And often, this open, porous hair structure also struggles to retain moisture. Find out more about our best high porosity hair products.

Low porosity curly hair

• Curls always feel dry, no matter how much you moisturise them? 
• Hair takes forever to get wet and dry again? 
• Locks feel lank and weighed down, unable to absorb even the tiniest amount of product?

If you’re nodding along, you may have low porosity hair. This means your curls may struggle to absorb moisture, so you’ll need to use lightweight products and incorporate heat to help moisture penetrate. Not sure what porosity your hair is? Read our guide to low porosity hair.

6. Create great condition(er)s

Curly hair needs intense hydration and conditioning to maintain its shape and bounce. Here are five steps to do it right:

• Apply to soaking wet hair 

The extra water helps lock in moisture while the conditioner works to hydrate and soften your curls. 

• Don’t rinse it all out 

How much you leave in depends on your curls’ hydration needs, so it may take a bit of trial and error to find the perfect balance.

• Squish to condish

With your hands cupped like a bowl, gently gather your hair from the ends up and squeeze it towards your scalp, just like you would when scrunching dry hair. As you do, catch the conditioner-rich water dripping from your ends and work it back into the upper strands – this should make a satisfying squish! This technique helps your curls absorb the conditioner and lock in moisture. The more time you spend on this, the better the results. 

• Deep condition

Treat your curls to a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week to infuse moisture and prevent damage. Allow us to introduce you to Intensive Moisture Treatment – a powerful, award-winning deep conditioning treatment to enhance and strengthen curls. 

• Leave it in 

Use a leave-in conditioner to keep your curls hydrated between washes. Curl Cream is perfect for this, adding moisture and acting as a protective barrier against environmental stressors.

7. Drying and styling: go gentle

Ditch the traditional towel

How you dry your curly hair can make or break your curl pattern. Traditional towels are a no-go, causing frizz and disrupting curl formation. 

Instead, use our soft, jersey Curl Towel to gently scrunch out excess water, leaving your strands hydrated, smooth and cared for. It helps reduce drying time and enhances curl formation. 

Style when wet

Apply your stylers once you’re out of the shower. Crucially, apply your stylers while your hair is wet, not towel dried, to lock in moisture and encourage curl formation. 

We recommend using them in the following order:

1. Apply a curl-definer like Curl Cream. 
2. If you need extra oomph, apply Super Volumising Foam. 
3. To smooth and define, add Curl Defining Gel. 
4. Looking for extra hold? Swap Curl Defining Gel for Super Hold Styler. 

‘Rake’ your fingers through your hair to distribute your product evenly over the top, bottom and sides, then gently squish your curls again. Read our curly hair styling 101 to find the right technique for you!

Once you’ve applied all your products, you should start to see those beautiful kinks and ringlets forming. Your hair might feel a bit heavy with product, but don’t worry – as it dries, you’ll lose some of that weight, and your curls will look fantastic! Read more about how to define your curls here.

Embrace plopping

With your head bent forward, gently lower your hair into the fabric like spaghetti falling into a bowl. This ensures that when you wrap it up, most of your hair will be gathered securely at the crown of your head. 

This technique, known as plopping, helps your curls set while drying. Leave it tied up for about 20 minutes, so your hair is still wet but not dripping.

Diffuse the situation

Diffusing is the best option to maintain your natural curl pattern. Use the diffuser attachment on your hairdryer to dry your curls without creating frizz. Be gentle – avoid touching or flipping your hair around too much while it’s still wet to maintain curl definition.

Scrunch the crunch

Once your hair is completely dry (avoid this step if it’s still damp, as it will only lead to frizz), you should notice a crispy cast formed by the gel or foam around your curls. This is a good sign! When you’re certain your curls are dry, gently scrunch them just as you did with the conditioner and styling products. This will break the cast and reveal soft, beautifully defined curls.

Protect your curls

Keeping your curls protected is key to avoiding breakage and frizz throughout the day.

• Avoid heat

Heat styling can damage your curls over time, leading to dryness and breakage. If you do use heat, always apply a heat protectant like Curl Defence Spray. Designed to nourish and shield your curls, it’s your everyday armour against heat, UV and pollution. 

• Use protective hair ties 

Switching to our 100% mulberry Silk Scrunchies will help protect your hair from breakage and dehydration. They’re soft and gentle on your hair, keeping curls protected from breakage, frizz at bay and reducing tangles. 

Perfect for pineappling (find out how to do it here), gym sessions or elevating your updos – AND they look just as good on your wrist as they do in your hair.

• Wear only silk at night

Cotton pillowcases absorb moisture and cause friction, which leads to frizz and tangles. Our Silk Envelope Pillowcase helps your curls glide while you sleep, keeping them smooth. 

Or try our Silk Turban – perfect for providing extra protection by keeping your curls tucked away and shielded from breakage, at home or away.

Unlock your best curls with Bouclème

With the right curly hair care routine, your curls will thrive! From choosing the best products for your curly hair to gentle styling and protection, each step matters. It may seem like a lot of steps, but trust us, after doing this once, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes!