For those who have naturally curly hair, dealing with the curls can be frustrating. While curly hair is absolutely beautiful and many wish their naturally straight hair was full of ringlets, curly hair is extremely sensitive to the elements around it, including how it is styled, what products are used, and what the weather is like outside.

Many with curly hair tend to find themselves stuck in a hair rut, as they find one hair style that works for their hair and stick with it, in order to avoid the hassle of dealing with finicky curly hair. While curly hair does need a little bit of extra care to keep it from changing to its environmental factors, with these easy tips, you can handle your bouncy curls by using the right techniques to style them.

Hair Accessories

One thing to keep in mind when working with curly hair is to use the right hair accessories. Typically, most hair accessories are made with elastic, as the tightness of the elastic keeps the hair in its desired hairstyle. However, elastic hair accessories are not gentle enough for curly hair, and can actually hurt them by making them more frizzy.

Use accessories that are gentle enough for your hair, such as hair extensions, head bands, and elastic-free hair ties. When using these accessories, make sure they are not too tight in your hair, as it can damage your hair by crushing the curls.

Hot Hair Tools

If possible, avoid using tools like curling irons, flat irons, or blow dryers. Because curly hair is naturally drier than other types of hair, using hot hair tools can dry curly hair out even more, making it brittle. Curling irons and flat irons also tend to stretch the hair follicles, which stretches out each curl, often times making them frizzy.

Hair experts suggest that if you have curly hair, you should allow it to air dry. Blow dryers can damage curly hair because the extreme heat and power can tangle the curls. However, if that is not possible, instead of using a regular blow dryer, use one with a diffuser on the end. Diffusers help protect the curls because it is a concentrated, localized heat. It will dry the hair without ruining the natural curl. Lastly, when using a diffuser, one of the best ways to dry your hair in the style you want is to shape your hair while it is still wet. Once it has reached its shape, pull up small sections of the curls and use the diffuser to dry them.

Skip the Brush

The bristles of brushes can break curly hair. Because curly hair has a natural bend to it, using a brush can damage the hair follicles. It stretches the hair to a point where the curls lose their shape and begin to frizz. Instead, use your fingers to detangle your hair. Your fingers are a gentle way to loosen the tangles without further damaging the hair. And, look for a comb with wide teeth, as the comb teeth can gently remove the tangles.

Don’t Use Your Hands

While using your fingers to comb through your tangled hair is all right, once you have your hair ready and styled, try to avoid running your hands or fingers in your hair. Your fingers can actually make the hair more frizzy, thus ruining the style you just created.

The Right Hair Products

There are quite a few products designed for curly hair out on the shelves. Though they all claim that they enhance your curls, many of the products should actually be avoided. For instance, many people with curly hair use regular shampoos, which have properties in them that are too harsh for curly hair. They can dehydrate the hair, and as curly hair is already drier than those with straight hair, the extra dehydration can severely damage the hair. Instead, look to use a cleansing or clarifying conditioner, which is a alternate shampoo made exclusively for curly hair. Make sure to use products that have natural oils, as the moisture they provide will help your curly hair look and feel healthy.

While curly hair can be a bit more difficult to style correctly, once it has been cared for properly, your hair will be the envy of everyone else.