5 Curly Hair Myths, Officially Busted

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There is so much information out there. We’re constantly inundated with tips, tricks, and rules about our beauty routines—and often one tip will contradict another. So how can a girl know what to believe? Easy. That’s what we’re here for! To set the record straight, we tapped leading stylist and founder of RI CI to give us the truth about our curly hair.

Myth #1: You can’t have short hair.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. If you have naturally curly or wavy hair, make sure your stylist is educated in the latest cutting techniques. My favorite is designed to control the pyramid shape (flat on top, wide on the sides) and gives natural height and body.

Myth #2: Hot air is the key to perfect blowout.

To prevent frizz, alternate between hot and cold air when blow-drying and finish with a cold shot blast. The heat loosens the hair follicle, while the cold air locks in the cuticle and shine.

Myth #3: Shake your blowdryer to prevent overheating.

One mistake that many of my clients will make at home is shaking their blow dryers back and forth thinking it will prevent overheating the hair. It won’t. Hold the blow-dryer about 6 inches away from the head and don’t stay on the same section for more than a few seconds at a time. Keep the dryer moving up and down, so it does not stay in one place and cause heat stress to your hair.

Myth #4: Always use both a conditioner and a leave-in conditioner.

Instead, invest in a great conditioner. Mix it with some water in a spray bottle and you’ve just created your own DIY leave-in. This allows you to also control the product to water ratio depending on how thick or thin your hair is.

Myth #5: Don’t use your fingers to apply product.

The biggest mistake when styling curls is not using your fingers to apply the product. Often, people use their palms and don’t really work the product through. I emphasize with my clients to work the product through in a downward motion and really separate each section. That ensures an even application of the product and less knots in the hair. This technique gives you a better curl, and zero frizz.

This story originally appeared on MIMIchatter.com.

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