How To Care For Curls When You Have Different Textures of Hair

Some days it feels like all you’re doing is struggling with wayward curls. On other days, you get tired of spending hours just to tame the frizz.

Not to mention what an annoyance damaged hair is! And when you have curly hair, it takes a lot of work to deal with.

It takes extra work when your hair is not just curly but different textures of hair. By definition, multi textured hair is a hair type that has two or more patterns.

It could be straight locks with curly, wispy hair around the forehead or hair with a tighter pattern at the top and a looser texture at the bottom.

Understanding different hair textures is already a hassle, let alone caring for multiple hair textures on one head.

But it’s actually pretty common, and many people have multi textured hair. It’s no different than any other hair dilemma, like having perpetually limp hair.

You may ask, “Why do I have this kind of curls?” The answer varies. Genetics play a part in influencing how your hair looks, although natural causes like the weather and humidity can also contribute. Or maybe you’ve just been using the wrong products.

What Is A “Curl Pattern”?

The first step in learning how to manage different hair textures is understanding your curl pattern. Depending on the angle of the light and how your hair grows out of your scalp, you will have different types of curls.

The natural state of your hair after washing is the most important component in determining your curl pattern. Because your hair is clean, oil-free, and free of product build up, you may now see the original natural curl pattern.

There are four different types of curl patterns:

-Type 1: Straight Hair

-Type 2: Wavy Hair

-Type 3: Curly Hair

-Type 4: Kinky Hair

There are also categories lettered A through C, which define whether a curl pattern is loose or tight.

How To Identify Your Hair Texture

Now that you know the different types of curl patterns, it’s time to identify your own. The best way to do this is to pay attention to your strands.

• If your hair is straight and doesn’t have any curves or bends, then you have type 1 hair.
• If your hair is wavy and has a “S” shape, then you have type 2 hair.
• If your hair is curly and has a definite “S” shape, then you have type 3 hair.
• And finally, if your hair is kinky and has a zig-zag pattern, then you have type 4 hair.

Now that you know your curl pattern, it will be much easier to manage your different hair textures.

There are ways you can maintain your different textures of hair curls to be beautiful, carefree, and, most importantly, healthy.

Read on!

Strategic Shampooing

Keeping your head clean is the first key to getting healthy and happy locks. But remember to not over wash your hair! Washing your hair daily can dry up your scalp, cause breakage, and invite a pesky frizz.

Instead, shampooing once every two to three days is enough to deal with the dirt without harming your scalp and hair.

Try co-washing, too! Washing your hair with conditioner only will impart moisture to your different textures of hair without stripping it.

Detangling Tricks

Unknotting the tight tangles of your hair can be a worthy endeavor to handle hair with different textures of hair. Using a paddle brush or a wide tooth comb can do the trick; some brushes even have a massaging effect to promote better blood circulation and a healthier scalp.

Also, try using a detangling brush as you co-wash under cold water. It will spread the co-wash smoothly while you loosen the knots.

Each texture is treated to the good stuff, AND your head is liberated from tightness. This works with other products as well.

Heat Protection

High heat on hair is not always a good thing. As fun as heat tools can be, they also cause damage. Blowdryers can make your hair drier and even more prone to frizz. To protect your hair from these irritations, it’s time to break out the heat protectant.

A good heat protectant can be in spray form or cream form, depending on your preference. Some products even have oils or other nourishing ingredients to further protect different textures of hair.

Dealing with different textures of hair can be a handful, but it’s not impossible. With the right products and a little know-how, you can have healthy and happy hair!

Should I use a diffuser?

Although avoiding heated tools is better, your different textures of hair might need a diffuser.

This handy tool lets you control your hair when there’s no time for natural drying or when you’re dealing with a particularly rebellious curl.

Concentrate on those parts with the diffuser on low heat, and consider evening out your hair by using a banding technique.

Mix & Match

With different textures of hair on one head, there’s a huge chance you might have to use different products for different parts of your hair.

For example, if your hair is very dry at the tips but oily at the roots, you might need different shampoo and conditioner formulations.

The same goes for different textures of hair. You might need a different product for the tighter curls at the top and a different one for the looser curls at the bottom.

It can be a hassle to keep track of different products, but it’s worth it to have healthy and happy different textures of hair!

While shampoo and conditioner are must-haves, other moisturizing and hydrating products are essential, too. You might have to shell out more money for hair serum or mask, but if you need extra hydration hair therapy, it’ll be worth it.

On that note, deep conditioning comes highly recommended for different textures of hair, but focus on the areas of your hair where it’s the curliest. The coils in your hair usually need more attention than the straighter parts.

Do check out the ingredients in a product before you use it, though.

You don’t always have to use products with all-natural ingredients, but watch out for damaging components such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). It’s a common component in cosmetics, but your haircare products should be free of SLS. Otherwise, your hair will be dry and brittle.

Smooth Styling

If you wish for your different textures of hair to be more evenly textured, have a go at spot styling. That is, choosing specific spots on your hair that need special attention. Again, you can use heat for this purpose, but use only medium to low heat.

A heatless tool (i.e.flex rods, heatless curls), for instance, can help with the wavy to curly textures. To loosen multiple curl patterns, you might want to stretch out your curls by using the banding method.

Creating even curl patterns through different natural styling is also a good idea. Styles like braid outs, twist outs, Bantu knots, and others not only provide a solution to even out different textures of hair, but they also look fun and stylish.

Hair Goals

Having gorgeous hair is an achievable goal. The most important thing is to have patience. Yes, a head of hair with different textures of hair may sound stress-inducing. But don’t fight it—different textures of hair is normal, and a lot of people have it.

Instead, focus your energy on finding the products that work with your hair. And take as much time as you can to combine different solutions to manage your locks.

After all, there are different textures of hair involved. Your hair care routine should address those many areas for improvement. Don’t be afraid to tackle different areas with different methods and find out what works for you.

If all else fails, consult your hair stylist for a consultation. Get tips from a professional on how to achieve healthier, more natural hair.

Other Tips

1. Pay attention to the climate you’re in. If it’s hot and humid, your curls will likely be more frizzy and prone to shrinkage. In this case, you might want to use a styling product with more hold. If it’s cold and dry, your curls will likely be more brittle and prone to breakage. In this case, you might want to use a gentler styling product.

2. If you have different textures of hair, it’s important to find a balance between hydration and protein. Too much protein can make your hair hard and brittle, while too much moisture can make it limp and lifeless.

Takeaway

Most people have a combination of curl patterns on their head, and each pattern requires a different menu of leave-ins and stylers to define those strands. Curl pattern is not just one-size-fits-all, and hair companies know that by now.

Some of you have tight curls, some of you have loose waves, and some of you have kinky hair. And that’s okay! Because we all have different curl patterns, we need different products to help us define our curls.

Most people actually have a combo of curl patterns on their head. It likely doesn’t deviate too much, maybe a section or two strays from the rest, but your texture could feature a range of sorts: mostly coils with a few S-waves, kinky hair with some tight corkscrews throughout—you get the idea.

The key is finding products that work for your entire head, not just for your individual curl pattern. Also, experimenting with different styles can help you figure out what works for your different textures of hair. So, don’t be afraid to try something new!