Define Curls

African hair with uniform curls — Photo: Mimagephotography/Shutterstock

Q: I am a bi-racial woman (African-American and Mexican) who has kept relaxed hair since I was a young child. I have been growing out my natural roots for about six months, and I have about two inches of very tightly curled new growth.

My hair is more spiraled and easy to manage in the front and nape of my neck, but my crown is more coarse even though I keep my hair oiled (Doo-gro). My question is, which products can I use to define my curl, especially when my hair is completely grown out?

A: Well, to keep well-defined and healthy curls, you simply need to maintain your hair's condition and cleanliness. Using a moisture rich shampoo and conditioner formula should be half the battle.

As for hair product choices, it's really all a matter of preference. Some people simply prefer the way a product works and feels for them. Your best bet is to either try something a friend recommends (one with similar hair to yours) and see if you like it, or look for samples (or at least small sizes) of different products that do what you want to find what you prefer.

If you are looking for something to help you transition while the hair grows out, try using small spiral rods to roll the hair and give a uniform coil to the hair while the natural coil grows out. Done properly, you can imitate the hair's natural curl pattern.

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See also:

Building a better curl

Perms and perming hair

Curly hair and hairstyles

How to know what size of perm rods you need