Curly hair is difficult to maintain and if it is also has thick texture then it becomes more important to comb it in a correct manner. Combing can positively affect the health and overall keeping of your curly mane. The curly hair can be of different types like hair with loose or wavy curls and tightly curled hair like Afro – textured hair. Let’s check out the correct method of combing curly hair
For wavy or loosely curled hair
Selection of detangling tool
Curly hair or wavy hair is more prone to tangling and it is very necessary to detangle your hair for better up keeping of your curly mane. You should choose a wide toothed comb over a brush but if you badly want to use a brush on your hair then use a paddle brush. This is a flat and square brush with lots of bristles which helps in detangling the hair. You should also consider the material of bristle because it can greatly affect the health and texture of your hair. Boar bristles are natural material and it works very well on thick hair. Nylon bristles are soft and slide very swiftly through your hair. It is perfect for thin and fine hair. Cushioning on your brush can give the flexibility but offers less pull. Keep the cushioning of brush low if you are having thick hair.
Separate your hair
This is important for effective detangling and brushing activity as it makes you more focus on a specific part of hair. Divide your hair into two halves from front to back and then further divide it on your left and right sides. After sectioning you hair, select one section to work on and fix the other sections by using salon clips. In this way, you can be more focused on detangling and then styling your hair. If you have dense hair then you can divide it into more subsections.
Start from the base
It is good practice to start at the base or lower sections of the head. When you are finished with a section then leave it down and then move to the above section so that the previous lower section doesn’t come into your way.
Direction of combing or brushing
Start your combing or brushing session with the hair ends. Detangle the knot or tangles with gentle strokes of comb or brush in a downward motion. When your hair ends are tangle free, brush downward from a higher position.
Wet hair combing
This should be your last option which should be used in a case of severe tangling. Your hair is in its weakest condition when it is wet because the cuticles have absorbed water and swell to become soft and expanded. Combing wet hair is less painful to the scalp and make easier to detangle. Use a wide toothed comb to detangle your knots and tangles rather than a brush. You can also use a hair smoothening serum for detangling your curly hair by applying it on slightly damp hair.
For tightly curled hair or Afro – textured hair
Selection of tool
Take a sturdy wide toothed comb which doesn’t break off easily. The wide gap between the teeth of comb is better for teasing out your curls
Treatment with hair products
You can use dry shampoo followed by a conditioner if your hair feels extra greasy but if it is not greasy but still you are not able to comb through it then you should use oil (coconut or olive oil) or detangling sprays or serum. Treating your hair with the above mentioned hair products before combing can make reduce your struggle to get through the curly and thick hair.
Sectioning hair
Sectioning of hair should be done from front to back, left and right. Fix the sections and work on a single lower section. Move to the upper section once you are done with the lower ones.
Combing direction
It is same as above explained method means start with the ends and then comb from slightly higher position. If you feel a knot or tangle then never pull it off as it can break your hair or rip it off from its root. Gently detangle it with fingers and comb and then you can use a brush to condition your hair.
If you have thick hair and you feel pain during combing then you should comb it in wet condition. The reason and effect of this method is explained above.
This post was last modified on November 22, 2022 3:02 am