There is a lot of information floating around the curly world, between Instagram, Tik Tok & Facebook groups, the information is coming from all directions. So not only do we have to weed out the information that suits our own hair, but we also have to figure out what is fact and myth. So let’s bust some of the curly myths, shall we?
Sulphates are bad for curls –
Sulphates got a bad reputation through the curly girl method and because they are the harsher surfactants found in shampoos. The fear is that when used too much they could lead to dryness and excessive frizz, which can be more of a concern when curly hair has a tendency to be a little drier than straight hair. Now whilst for some using sulphates on every single washday could be detrimental, this fear of dryness has resulted in many people avoiding sulphates altogether. Which then leads to other issues! Products, pollutants, hard water mineral deposits, these all build up on the hair and scalp and when not removed effectively can lead to weighed down, limp curls that struggle to hold. This same build up can also clog the hair follicles, best case scenario you end up with a very itchy scalp, worse case, the follicles die and you start loosing hair.
So how should we use sulphates? Start with adding them into your wash routine twice a month to thoroughly remove all build up and to keep your hair and scalp healthy and then adjust from there. For example if you have very coarse hair you may only need to do this once every 3-4 weeks but someone with very fine hair that gets weighed down easily may need to increase this to once a week.
Silicones should be avoided at all costs –
Silicones come under many different names and are often found in hair products. They are used for smoothing, detangling & conditioning. Why could that be bad!?
The issue with silicones is that they can build up on the hair over time when not removed regularly. This build up then prevents moisture from penetrating through to the hair strand. So if someone is avoiding sulphates as mentioned above, but using silicones, eventually they are going to wind up with dry hair that even though they’re conditioning it well, they can never seem to get their hair moisturised.
So should silicones be vilified? Nope! As long as you understand the cause and effect. Say you have very fine hair, if you use products with silicones regularly, you will need to increase how often you are clarifying to ensure that you are removing the build up effectively.
You shouldn’t wash your hair too often –
Six years ago when I entered the curly world on Instagram it was as if there was this competition of seeing who could go the longest without washing their hair. I remember seeing some women going 14 or 15 days between washing, and all I could think about were their poor scalps! Thankfully that phase has passed and most have realised that there are no prizes for stretching out your washday.
Water is the most important ingredient for curls. Our hair is like a plant and requires regular ‘watering’ – You know how as you get further out from wash day you start noticing some frizz appearing? This is simply your hair asking for a drink as it is loosing hydration. Now if you ignore this request for water and continue stretching your washday then you run the risk of your hair becoming so dry that it ends up very brittle and that’s where we can end up with breakage.
There is literally no benefit to stretching you washday. Try washing at least twice a week. When your curls are properly hydrated you’ll be surprised how well they behave!
Some curls don’t need conditioner –
I think this myth came into play because there are certain conditioners that are too heavy for fine hair and weigh it down. In reality all curls need conditioning, even if you don’t have very coarse, dry curls. Using a conditioner after a shampoo helps to close the cuticles and smooth the hair strands. Without conditioner you could quickly end up with dry, frizzy hair.
The trick is to choose your conditioner wisely. For example if you have fine hair you may wish to avoid a conditioner that has Shea Butter in the top half of the ingredients list. If you really struggle with conditioning, then opt for a leave in conditioner as these are very lightweight but use it as a regular conditioner. So shampoo, apply the leave in conditioner, detangle and rinse out. This may also work for those living in a soft water area. Soft water is very conditioning so a leave in can be a great option in this scenario.
Curly hair is hard work –
I will admit that if you’ve spent years using heat tools and then decide to embrace your curls, that first year feels so hard. It’s overwhelming, there is a lot of learning and not every washday goes to plan which is disheartening. However, this myth that all curly hair is hard work needs busting! When your curls are healthy, you understand them and you’ve figured out which techniques and products your hair loves, it can actually be quicker than using heat tools! When I straightened my hair a washday would take me around two hours, between washing, blow drying and then straightening. Then by day two it would be so oily! Now a curly washday takes around 40 minutes and with sleep protection I don’t have to touch my hair for 5 days.
It is worth taking that time at the beginning to experiment with different techniques so that you can learn what works and you won’t even notice it becoming easier until one day you realise that washdays are not stressing you out anymore.
Protein is bad for curls –
Hair is predominantly made of protein so how can protein be bad for curls? What is true though is that the amount of protein everyone needs does vary, not only from person to person but also from season to season. For example, you may need more protein in the Summer, as the suns UV rays break down the protein in the hair faster. Coarse hair also tends to need a little less than fine hair. This is due to the fact that fine hair is so thin in diameter that it needs the extra strength and structure that protein provides to help it hold a curl. Think of protein like building blocks, keeping the strands strong and healthy, which is why damaged hair seems to thrive off protein.
What is also true is that if you added a lot of protein to your hair and it was too much, but you ignored the signs of dry, brittle hair that feels like straw, and kept adding more and more protein, yes you would damage your hair and breakage wouldn’t be too far behind. Honestly though, I don’t know anyone who could ignore that feeling of too much protein in your hair because it really does make your hair feel awful! That straw like feeling makes it almost impossible to detangle. So if ever you used too much you would simply clarify and deep condition and you would be back on track.
Protein is definitely not something to be avoided!
What curly myths have you heard that need busting?
