{Ask Zanneta} How Can I Keep My Curls Soft and Manageable?

Question from a reader:

I'm completely in love with your natural hair and would love some tips. How do you keep the ends of your hair looking so soft and curly? At the moment I'm transitioning and finding that the ends can look knotty or just not as curly as I'd like. Do you have a texturizer in to loosen your natural curls? How do you wash and style?

Transitioning and the first few months after the big chop can be a scary time with lots of questions. Figuring out what your hair likes/doesn't like is 80% of the battle. Here are some tips to help you get softness and manageability in your hair.

1.) Fight hair envy. It's difficult to resist "hair porn" and lust after all the gorgeous curls of other natural ladies. Trust me, even the most gorgeous-haired diva has her bad hair days and her struggles. Instead of wishing for a tighter/looser/smoother/"better" texture, make peace with your own hair. Ask other naturals that have similar textures what works for them, and do some experimenting of your own. Your hair may never look like the next girl's, but it WILL look good if you learn what "talents" your hair has.

2.) Keep ends trimmed. I know you want to retain as much length as possible, but if you have damaged, split, and tired ends, they will ruin the overall look and feel of your hair. When I have a fresh trim, my curls always behave better, look curlier, and frizz less. Trimming actually helps your hair to grow long faster, so don't hold back. Get a trim every three months or so.


3.) Seal moisture in. Natural hair is known for its dryness. When your hair is dry, it's not soft, and it's DEFINITELY not manageable. Do yourself a favor and keep that moisture locked in, especially at the ends of your hair. Find out how {{here}}.

4.) Try henna or bentonite clay. These treatments are famous for leaving natural hair soft and more manageable. Be careful of the henna you buy, make sure to do your research and purchase from a quality source.

5.) Fight the urge to texturize. At one point in my natural hair journey, I decided I would be better off texturizing or silkening my hair to make it more manageable. Thankfully, the research I did online changed my mind, and I decided not to go that route. Your hair will still be curly, but the curls can be unpredictable in uniformity, and in most cases, the curls just look "processed, greasy, or dry" afterwards. I've seen some great salon results from the silkener, but I've heard maintenance is a b*tch. That being said, you may want to do some more research before you make that leap.

6.) Perm rods, twistouts, and bantu knots make curly ends. The ends of your hair are the most important part when it comes to texture. you may have a head full of curls, but if your ends aren't curly, the look isn't very appealing. Perm rods do a great job at curl construction. I personally do a twistout on my hair with light gel or shea butter so it doesn't frizz. At my ends, I do a modified bantu knot just at the tip. I will do a tutorial on that this month, so keep an eye out for it.

Remember, what works for one person isn't guaranteed to work for the next. You need to experiment with your hair after you do your big chop and figure out what it likes. Check out more tips at {{"I Big Chopped, Now What?!"}}