Techniques

Below we've listed the most important techniques for you. Not everything may apply to you.

Scrunching

Squeezing your hair with your hands, for example to squeeze conditioner or gel in, or to squeeze the gel out again.

Scrunch Out The Crunch (SOTC)

See also Scrunching. Squeezing the hardened gel out of your hair to make it soft and full again.

Finger combing

With your fingers slightly apart, use them as a comb to run through your hair. This allows you to remove any knots or apply conditioner or gel.

Popping

Dry your hair by wrapping a cotton cloth or shirt, or a microfiber towel, around your head. Don't rub your hair with a towel, as this also causes frizz. To dry your hair, you can also scrunch it lightly with a cotton or microfiber towel.

Finger coiling

Twisting your hair around your finger to curl it the way you want. This holds your hair together and allows you to create beautiful, defined curls.

Praying hands

Your fingers are spread apart, and your fingertips meet. Your hands are angled towards each other, as if you're almost praying. You can use the praying hands to run through your hair to comb or apply product.

Co-washing

Using conditioner as shampoo. (Also refers to conditioner-only washing.) There are conditioners available that also gently cleanse and can be used as a co-wash conditioner. It's recommended to use shampoo occasionally to cleanse the scalp. Co-washing has the advantage of keeping your hair dry longer.

Blow-dry with diffuser

With curls, it's important that the hot airflow doesn't directly hit the hair. This dries it out and makes it lose its shape. Using a diffuser helps distribute the air. When blow-drying, the airflow shouldn't be too hot, as this also dries out the hair. When blow-drying, you can use and combine two techniques:

• Hoovering: this is where you blow-dry your hair just as you normally would.
• Scrunching: This is where you press the hairdryer and diffusers into your hair to dry localized areas and add volume. This helps the curls retain their shape better.

LOC - for porous hair

Leave-in conditioner, oil, and cream. For oil, use shea bitters or avocado oil, and for cream, a special curl cream.