If you’re new to embracing your natural curls, figuring out how to use multiple products together can feel a bit overwhelming and confusing! But don’t stress, we got insight from Stephanie, a Cosmetic Chemist specializing in textured hair care products, who is well versed in the science of curly hair. Today we’re sharing some very helpful tips from Stephanie on how to layer products to achieve your very BEST results! We’ll take you from confused to jumping for joy!
Let ‘em sink in!
As you get in the groove of this whole layering thing, don’t oversaturate your hair in products. And don’t rush the process, curly, be sure one product is fully absorbed onto the hair before adding another. You can also do a test run to check for product compatibility right in the palm of your hand. Hmmm … are you wondering what it would look like if your products were not compatible? Stephanie shared that when products aren't compatible they’ll form little white product balls when rubbed together and will flake in the hands.
Just one styler type at a time
We asked Stephanie if there are any “don'ts” that newbies to curl care should be aware of and she had some great advice: “Don't layer multiple products of the same type. For example, it's best to use one gel at a time, one cream at a time, etc. There is only so much product hair can absorb.”
And guess what, curly? Our Untie the Knot Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner was designed to work with all of the stylers in our 360° Curls Collection. You can choose a styler that is designed to give you options for definition, hold, and volume. When you hit your #hairgoals, you’ll want to bust out the confetti and celebrate or just skip that mess and enjoy our pic instead ;).
Mix and match
Pssst … we did not stop with our 360° Curls Collection. We recently launched our Soothe & Restore Collection, designed to counterbalance the unwanted damage caused by daily styling and environmental stresses. These two collections complement one another and you can mix and match your products to layer. Stephanie shared a couple of product layering ideas to help you get started!
“The Soothe & Restore Ultra Moisturizing Deep Conditioner is great to prep the hair for any styler, so it should be used after cleansing and rinsed out thoroughly. The Curl Defining Mousse is lightweight with medium hold and works well with other stylers!”
What’s the hype about hair type?
We asked Stephanie for product layering ideas that she could provide based on hair types such as wavy, curly or coily. She had some key tips!
“The hair pattern isn't as crucial as hair type when it comes to styling. Finer hair textures can be wavy, curly or coily and can easily be weighed down. For fine hair I would recommend the Soothe & Restore Curl Defining Mousse to give hold and volume without being too heavy. For coarse hair strands, I recommend the Hi! Definition Curl Enhancer Styling Gel for a strong hold and the mousse for a more medium hold.”
Are you ready to start layering? We’ve got an amazing resource to give you customized product recommendations based on your curl needs. You can start our curl quiz here! If you have any questions about how to layer, drop them in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!