Short answer: A gentle wash, conditioner with detangling in the shower, definition products on very wet hair, drying without touching and protection at night. Brush only when wet.

Why do curls need their own routine?

Natural scalp oil travels easily down a straight strand but with difficulty down a spiral. That is why curls are naturally drier along the lengths and ends. The whole routine has one aim: get moisture into the hair and keep it there.

Step 1: Washing

  • Wash one to three times a week, depending on your scalp.
  • Choose a gentle shampoo and massage only the scalp with your fingertips. The lather running down is enough for the lengths.
  • Every few weeks use a clarifying shampoo to remove product build-up.

Step 2: Conditioner and detangling

  • Apply plenty of conditioner from mid-length down.
  • Detangle in the shower, with fingers or a wide-tooth comb, from the ends towards the root.
  • Scrunch upwards before rinsing, so the curls gather in groups.
  • Once a week use a mask instead of conditioner.

Step 3: Products on very wet hair

This is the step that changes the result the most. Products go on while the hair is still dripping, not after you towel it.

  1. Leave-in: hydration and protection.
  2. Curl cream: softness and definition. Wavy hair can skip it.
  3. Gel or mousse: hold. Smooth it on with open palms, then scrunch upwards.

Styling techniques

  • Scrunch: squeeze the ends towards the root in your palm.
  • Plopping: wrap the hair in a cotton T-shirt or microfibre towel for 10 to 20 minutes.
  • Finger coil: twist strands that do not form a curl around your finger, one by one.
  • Definition brush: for more even, clean curls.

Step 4: Drying

  • With a diffuser: low heat, low speed. Rest the ends in the diffuser and lift towards the root.
  • Air-drying: do not touch the hair until it is completely dry.
  • If the gel leaves a hard cast, gently scrunch the dry hair with a few drops of oil on your hands. The cast breaks and the definition stays.

Step 5: Refresh on the following days

You do not need to wash every day. Mist with water or water with a little leave-in, scrunch the ends upwards and let them dry. Where a curl has dropped, twist it around your finger.

Sleep

  • A silk or satin pillowcase, for less friction.
  • Hair gathered loosely high on the crown with a fabric scrunchie.
  • For shorter hair, a satin bonnet.

Five things that ruin a curl

  1. Brushing dry hair.
  2. Rubbing with a terry towel.
  3. Products on half-dry hair.
  4. Touching while it dries.
  5. A very hot dryer without a diffuser.

Adapting by type

Wavy hair (2A-2C) needs less and lighter product. Curly hair (3A-3C) needs leave-in, cream and gel. Coily hair (4A-4C) needs richer creams. See Curl Types 2A to 4C.

Our approach

The best routine cannot fix the wrong shape. If your curls come out flat on top and wide below whatever product you use, the issue is the cut. At every appointment we show you the routine on your own hair, so you can repeat it at home.

Book your curly cut

At Ikonomakis Hair Atelier (Irakleitou 80, Chalandri, Athens) curly hair is cut dry, curl by curl, from €55. Book online or see the Curly Haircut in Athens service. All our curl guides are collected in the Curly Hair Guide.