2020-04-01 Good Housekeeping

Hair curl s ecial

36 GH APRIL 2020

Comb curls

correctly.

Your instinct is to detangle

wet hair from the top down,

but starting at the ends allows

you to work through strands

carefully rather than building

up knots toward the bottom

and yanking through them,

which can cause breakage. To

untangle efficiently and protect

curls from damage, turn to a

wide-toothed comb rather than

a brush. “Curly hair is the most

fragile type, and each curl bend

is a potential breaking point,”

explains Andrita Renee, a hair-

stylist in New York City. “Using

a wide-toothed comb is the

Amp up

conditioning.

When your curls are

particularly dry or dull, it’s

time to moisturize (yes,

hair needs moisturizer

too — especially curls). Use

your fingertips to apply a

dime-size blob of styling

cream or oil to your ends

either wet or dry, giving

them extra moisture and

bounce. If your curls regu-

larly look fried or frizzy, try

using a leave-in conditioner

as one-third of your product

cocktail. For thinner hair,

spritz on a lighter condi-

tioning spray. If your hair is

medium to thick and needs

heavier hydration and defini-

tion, smooth on a cream-

based leave-in conditioner.

1

gentlest way to detangle curls,

and it doesn’t disrupt the natu-

ral curl pattern as much as a

brush would.” Lab Pick: Conair

Shower Comb ($2, Target), a

GH Beauty Lab go-to.

“Cocktail”

your products.

“Mix together two or more hair

products to meet your specific

styling needs,” Renee suggests.

It’s a common technique for

curls because they can vary

in type from fine and thin to

coarse and thick and require

both shaping and softening.

Her two favorite blends:

a smoothing serum with a

SMOOTHING SERUM

GH BEAUTY LAB TEST

WINNER JOICO K-PAK

PROTECT & SHINE

SERUM, $19, ULTA

HYDRATING HAIR OIL

GH SEAL STAR GARNIER

WHOLE BLENDS SMOOTHING

OIL WITH COCONUT OIL &

COCOA BUTTER EXTRACTS,

$7, DRUGSTORES

CONDITIONING SPRAY

GH BEAUTY LAB TEST

WINNER BIOLAGE KERATIN-

DOSE PRO-KERATIN RENEWAL

SPRAY, $23, ULTA

LEAVE-IN CREAM

GH BEAUTY AWARD WINNER

L'ORÉAL PARIS ELVIVE TOTAL

REPAIR 5 PROTEIN RECHARGE

TREATMENT, $7, DRUGSTORES

CLEANSING CONDITIONER

GH BEAUTY LAB TEST WINNER

KÉRASTASE DISCIPLINE

CURL IDÉAL CLEANSING

CONDITIONER, $48,

BOOSTING MOUSSE KERASTASE-USA.COM

HERBAL ESSENCES

TOTALLY TWISTED

CURL BOOSTING HAIR

MOUSSE, $4,

DRUGSTORES

DEFINING GEL

SHEA MOISTURE 100%

VIRGIN COCONUT

OIL DAILY HYDRATION

STYLING GEL, $12,

DRUGSTORES

STYLING CREAM

GH BEAUTY LAB TEST

WINNER SUAVE PROFES-

SIONALS SLEEK ANTI-FRIZZ

SMOOTH & SHINE CREAM,

$3, DRUGSTORES

GH BEAUTY LAB PICKS

Best Spiral Stylers

5 Curl Power Secrets GH BEAUTY LAB PICKS

Top Curl

Conditioners

2

3

mousse, and styling gel with

coconut oil. These duos

deliver maximum hold without

leaving strands dry or crunchy.

(To apply, rub half the recom-

mended amount of each prod-

uct between your palms, then

rake through strands from

roots to tips with fingers.)

For a one-step solution, try

a serum, which helps smooth

curls and simultaneously

separate and define them.

Another option: Smooth a dol-

lop of styling cream onto hair

with wet hands. The combo

of the product and water

refreshes curls’ shape while

keeping them frizz-free.

SHAMPOO TIP Extra dry? Swap in a cleansing

conditioner, a two-in-one with a higher level

of conditioners for more softening.