I walked into lunch date feeling like a boss because I had a bomb wash day and my curls were on point. But then something went terribly wrong. Today I’m sharing 7 Tips To Avoid Product Flaking: Help For The Curly Girl.
Are you struggling to find the right curly hair products? Girl, I get it! There are so many products on the market it can make your head spin!
Having curls my whole life, I have spent hundreds of dollars on curly hair products. And it can be so discouraging investing in products that don’t work or even worse damage your curls.
So I developed a 4-step system for choosing the right curly hair products and I compiled it into a downloadable file as a quick guide to help you make an informed decision when purchasing products. You can print this download or save it to your phone as a quick reference.
>>>>>>>>Click here to get the 4-step cheat sheet for choosing curly hair products
That’s the funny thing about curls. Just when you think you have them figured out, they throw you a curveball that turns your curl world upside down and has you questioning everything.
As I sat down for lunch that day with a close friend, I noticed something that resembled snow surrounding me. To my horror, it was coming from my hair.
Yes. My product that day held a lovely frizz-free curl but it created snow like flaking that was undeniable.
Luckily, I was with a good friend and I explained that I had been testing products and this one was not so great. We laughed together about the situation and were still able to enjoy lunch.
But I’ll be honest, it was pretty embarrassing.
I immediately went home and did a copious amount of research on how to avoid this from ever happening again.
Today I am sharing How To Avoid Product Flaking: Help For The Curly Girl in the hope of saving you the embarrassment of showing up somewhere with flakey snow shedding from your curls from product miss-use or just a crappy product.
The Cause Of Flaking Product In Curly Hair
Flaking is caused by the polymer molecules found in gels that are responsible for clumping hair and offer hold. Touching or scrunching hair can even cause the molecules to shatter creating flakes.
7 Tips To Avoid Product Flaking: Help For The Curly Girl
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Always Do A Premix Test
The number one way to avoid product flaking is to premix the products before you apply them.
Apply the two products you are using to your hand and rub them together. If the mix becomes clear and seamless then it will be a good fit.
If the mixture is bubbling or clumpy, it’s best not to mix them. Or at least proceed with caution.
Read Labels
Many products are designed to be applied to wet hair. Always check the label before you apply products and be sure to follow the proper usage.
Many gels and custards require your hair to be super wet during the application process. Not doing so can result in flaking.
Applying Too Much Product
I’m guilty of this one for sure because the truth is, you have to use a good amount of product to hold your curl pattern.
However, if you apply too much product, it can cause flaking. You will need to do some experimenting with what works for your specific hair and with different products.
Remember that everyone is different and every product is different.
Product Buildup
Because we use so many products each day, curly girls need to clarify.
Start each month clarifying your hair. It allows you to see exactly what your hair needs as far as moisture and protein are concerned and gives you a clean slate.
Low Porosity Hair Can Flake More Often
Products have a harder time penetrating low porosity hair so they tend to sit on top of your hair strand which can cause flaking.
A great way to avoid this is to use a heat cap during your deep conditioning to open your cuticle and allow the products to penetrate that hairshaft.
Rinsing Your Hair Thoroughly
I see so many curly’s talk about leaving the conditioner in their hair but I don’t recommend it. Many conditioners have protein in them that are not meant to stay on your hair.
That is why they make leave-in conditioners.
Be sure to rinse your cleanser and conditioner completely before moving on to the next step.
I use and love this leave-in conditioning spray
Choose Gel Wisely
I spent the first 4 months of my curly girl journey using inexpensive drugstore products the majority of the time.
And the thing is, you certainly can have great curls using affordable products. But as always in life, you get what you pay for.
I have seen more flaking in drugstore gels than I have high-end gels.
There are many pros to investing in high-end products and from my experience, high-end gels flake much less than inexpensive ones.
- A good affordable gel that does not flake in my experience is Aussie Instant Freeze
- My favorite high-end gel is DevaCurl Gel
In Conclusion:
Flaking can kill your curl vibe. After spending valuable time styling your hair only to find flakes the next day can be a total buzzkill.
Make a habit of always premixing products, reading labels, learning the perfect amount of product to apply, clarifying, thoroughly rinsing, and choosing the right products, you will be able to kiss flakes goodbye for good.
Have a tip to ditching flakes? Drop it in the comments.
xoxo
P.S >>>>>>>>Click here to get the 4-step cheat sheet for choosing curly hair products
