Washing and styling curly hair can be a long process since curly hair is very prone to tangles and matting – but this doesn’t mean my four-year-old daughter’s weekly wash has to be difficult. We do our wash and style routine every Sunday night to get it clean, styled and looking cute.  

Keep reading for some tips on getting curly hair that lasts all week long – a time saving must for busy moms!

Hair Tools:

• Ponytail elastic cutter

• Black rubberbands

• Colored rubberbands

• Colored hair ties

• Aligator hair clips

• Detangling brush

• Wide tooth comb

• Rat tail comb

• Spray bottle

I tend to try out many different hair products, and don’t really have any specific preferences. But – I found that the best hair products for curly hair are:

• VERY moisturizing

• Paraben free

• Sulfate free

• Made with natural ingredients

Step One: Detangle

I start by taking her hair down from the previous hairstyle it was in. I use this ponytail elastic cutter that I bought from Amazon to cut out any disposable rubber bands. I try to be as gentle as possible, and the cutter makes taking down her hair so much easier. 

As I take down her hair, I always use my fingers to try and remove any big knots as I go. Her hair has been getting a lot longer and thicker, so it takes longer to take it all down. Something that has been helping a lot recently is a prewash detangling treatment like this one from Just for Me. I put it in before washing to make it easier to finger comb through her hair and take out most of the knots.

Watch the entire video!

Step Two: Shampoo

I always wash Ziya’s hair in my shower, which is so much easier on my back since I don’t have to bend down to lean over the tub. Before putting in any shampoo, I make sure to wet her hair down completely and separate it a bit with my fingers to make sure I didn’t miss any sections. 

Lately I’ve been using Just for Me Detangling shampoo which actually conditions the hair and scalp, detangles coils kinks and curls, and replenishes moisture. When starting on the shampoo I make sure to start at the top, shampoo her scalp really well, and work my way down. Always work in an up and down motion to make sure not to create more knots. Rinse out the shampoo really really well, since shampoo tends to dry out curly hair.

Step Three: Conditioner 

I use a TON of this conditioner on Ziya’s hair and tend to go through conditioner more than I go through shampoo. When detangling curly hair, the more conditioner you use the better. Once again, I always put conditioner on her hair in an up and down motion – I never scrunch or bunch up her hair and do my best not cause any more knots, making the detangling process as easy as possible.

I use a wide tooth comb and a special detangling brush that is meant for textured hair while the conditioner is still in, starting at the ends and working my way up. I usually switch back and forth between different sizes of combs and brushes to make sure all the knots are out completely.

I always like to add another deep moisturizing conditioner or hair mask at this point to really amp up the moisture. Lately I’ve been using Carol’s Daughter deep moisture hair mask, focusing on her ends. I leave that in for a few mins, brush through her hair again, and rinse it off. 

Step Four: Style

We do our weekly routine right before bedtime. When it’s time to style her hair, I usually have her sit in her jammies so that she’s ready for bed by the time we’re done. I let her choose a movie or show to watch to keep her entertained and comfortable while I sit behind her and style her hair.

I start with using a regular spray bottle filled with water to make her hair damp; it makes curly hair much easier to work with. Add some leave in conditioner and brush through again to make sure her hair is fully detangled. I love adding a serum or oil (like this one) no matter what hairstyle I decide to do since it’ll keep her hair healthy and moisturized for longer throughout the week. 

When styling Ziya’s hair, I always try to do at least 2 braids so that it won’t be as frizzy, tangled, and matted by the next week. I use this braiding & twisting grip glaze before starting which helps it last longer throughout the week. I also put gel on edge brush to smooth down any baby hairs and polish off the hairstyle. You can touch up throughout the rest of the week by spritzing it down with water or adding a bit more product to make it last until next Sunday. 

This weekly routine is the easiest way I’ve found to detangle, wash, and style her hair. If you’re looking for some styling ideas and tips for curly hair, you can find them here. More videos coming soon!

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