Finding the right hair care routine for your 2b hair can seem like an impossible task. However, you can nail it down with the right guidelines in no time. That’s what we’re helping you with today.
A 2b hair care routine includes a lot of different steps, including basic care through the curly girl method and specific things at times like wash day. This article is going to cover all these different situations and tell you everything you need to know about taking the best care of your 2b waves.
You have to begin by applying the fundamental principles of the curly girl method and stop using products and tools that will hurt your hair. Then start making routines for wash day and figure out what styles work best for your 2b curls without damaging them.
We’re going to go over details for both these aspects. We’ll also give tips on how you can style your wavy hair to make it curly. So keep reading!
Table of Contents
How to Take Care of 2b Hair Using The Curly Girl Method
The curly girl method has a few important rules:
- No silicone or sulfates
- No heat tools
- No combs or brushes on dry hair
This method will work for you regardless of your hair type(if you have curly/wavy/coily hair). You’ll notice a dramatic improvement in your curl formation and general hair health in a couple of weeks.
This method has taken the internet by storm because of how effective it is. So the first step in your 2b hair care routine must be getting on the curly girl method train.
Curly Girl Method Dos
You know what you’re not supposed to do in the curly girl method. But that’s not all this technique calls for. In addition to stopping harmful practices, you also need to start healthy practices that will help your hair.
This includes the following:
- Conditioning with products containing decyl poly glucose
- Using products containing wheat and shea butter
- Applying styling gel that has PVP
These three dos are important because each one gives you a different benefit. Decyl poly glucose is present in gentle cleansers. So conditioners that have it won’t damage your hair by stripping it.
Proteins like wheat and shea butter are great for restoring hair follicles. Having healthy follicles means reducing hair fall and rough curls.
Lastly, the PVP is essential in minimizing frizz and adding bounce to your curls. 2b hair is on the drier side, much like all other curly hair types. So it frizzes more than straight hair would.
Instead of using a lot of styling products to get it to settle down, you can just use one that has PVP and achieve the same result. It’s more convenient, better for your hair, and will help you save money in the long term.
Washing 2b Hair
Once you’ve gotten used to the curly girl method, start working on your wash day routine. The first thing you need to know is that wash day only comes about once or twice a week.
Using shampoo is harmful to curly hair if you use it too much. Once or twice a week is an appropriate amount. You might be alarmed by this because most people don’t know about it.
However, if you’ve been shampooing your hair every alternate day like a lot of people do, you probably can’t imagine living any other way. After all, your hair gets oily every other day.
Even so, you need to stop this routine. Your hair gets oily regularly because your body is used to being stripped of natural oils by the shampoo. When you stop doing so, your body will adjust.
So for a couple of weeks, you will need to deal with oily hair. This transition phase doesn’t last very long, and you’ll get through it before you realize it. Get your hands on a few caps, scarves, and hair ties, and you’ll be good to go.
Shower Routine
The most basic shower routine for 2b hair involves three steps:
- Deep-condition
- Shampoo or Co-wash
- Leave-in conditioner
Deep-Condition
You start with a deep conditioner on wet hair. It’s important to get your hair wet before you apply the product because otherwise, it won’t spread evenly and you’ll likely miss a few spots.
Look into protein treatments and figure out if they work for you. Some 2b-types have said that their hair is protein-sensitive. However, this isn’t a large majority. If you are among them, don’t worry too much about it. If you aren’t, definitely invest in it, and you’ll see returns in the form of bouncy and shiny hair.
The ideal time period for deep conditioning ranges between 5 and 10 minutes. You can comb through your hair to coat the product on every strand. Make sure to use a wide-tooth comb because anything other than that will damage your curls.
It’s okay to deep-condition once or twice a week. Do not do it more than that. Once you’re done, wash out the conditioner and move on to the shampoo.
Shampoo or Co-wash
If you have a super oily scalp, you should use shampoo. However, everyone else should skip shampoo and co-wash.
Shampoo
Invest in a good branded shampoo that doesn’t have silicones or sulfates. Gently work the product around your scalp. Avoid using your nails to spread it, as that will lead to breakage. Also, avoid applying shampoo to the ends of your hair.
Co-wash
Co-wash is a short way of saying conditioner-only wash. This is a great hack for curlies, and it basically means you remove shampoo from your hair care routine altogether.
Instead, you use products like As I Am Coconut Cowash which are conditioners designed to work as shampoos. Of course, you can use your regular conditioner for this step if you want to. That will work fine as well.
Apply the product the same way you would a shampoo. We’ve explained it above. The only thing you need to know is that you won’t get the same results with co-wash that you would with shampoo. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Your hair will be somewhere between freshly-washed hair and hair that was washed a day ago. You’ll get rid of the oil, avoid using shampoo, which is terrible for 2b type hair, and save on money if you choose to use your regular conditioner for the process.
Leave-in Conditioner
The last step is applying a leave-in conditioner. Use an almond-sized amount and focus on the roots. You can use a wide-toothed comb to help in the process if you want to.
Run your hair under the shower once or twice but do not completely rinse out the conditioner. Leave most of it in. Doing so will keep your hair hydrated and make it easier to style.
Styling 2b Hair
2b hair is best air-dried. Avoid using towels or hairdryers for it. Towels will lead to frizz, while hairdryers are heat tools that damage curls. Both are bad options. The best thing you can do for your hair is let it dry on its own.
If you are in a hurry, you can plop your hair in a cotton t-shirt. However, before explaining how you can do this, you need to know what porosity is and why it matters.
Why Porosity Matters in Styling 2b Hair
Allowing your hair to air dry is essential because it is suitable for your hair. However, it is also important because it will help you figure out a necessary feature of your curls: their porosity.
Curls that are high porosity drain out water quickly and will dry within an hour or so. Hair that’s low porosity can take up to an entire day to air-dry. Knowing what end of the spectrum your hair lies on can help you figure out when to schedule your wash day and how long before an event you should shower.
If you want your hair to dry before you go to sleep, have low porosity hair, and have a meeting early in the morning, it would be best to shower the afternoon before. However, if it is a night appointment, you can get away with showering early in the morning on the day of the meeting.
Drying 2b Type Hair
Now let’s look at plopping. You’ve probably seen people in movies or salons wrap their hair in towels. Maybe you’ve done it yourself too. Plopping is replicating that process with a cotton t-shirt. Also, instead of leaving the shirt on your head, you use it to squeeze water out of your hair.
Using shirts made of cotton is important because the material is soft and won’t pull on your hair. By avoiding twisting your curl and leaving it in an uncomfortable updo, you avoid breakage and have healthier locs.
Holding Your Waves in Place After Applying Leave-In Conditioner
The hardest part about styling 2b hair is figuring out what combination of products and tools will hold your waves in place until it dries. It will take you a while to find the right styling mousse and clips for you, but we will give you a starting point.
All the methods need wet hair so do them right after you plop your hair.
Method 1: Use A Styling Product With Scrunch
The first technique you should try is using a styling product like mousse or gel with scrunching. Apply the product of your choice to your hair. Don’t brush it in with a comb, though. Use your fingers to gently work it into your waves.
Then scrunch the waves upward. Think of your hair as a coil and try to compress it towards your scalp. You’ll get the hang of it once you try to do it in front of a mirror a couple of times.
Method 2: Use A Styling Product With Pin Curling
If the first method doesn’t hold your curls, you should try this method. Here you can apply the product with a wide-toothed comb or your fingers. Pick whichever technique will allow you to evenly coat all your hair with the mousse/gel.
Then take a small portion of your hair, just a couple of strands. Wrap it around your finger and secure it with a bobby pin. Make your way around as much of your hair as you want.
Some people prefer to pin all their hair while others only pin curl the front. It depends entirely on what you want. Remove the pins once your hair completely dries, and your waves will be curlier and hold for longer.
Method 3: Use A Styling Product With Braiding
The last heat-free method works best if you do it the night before you want styled hair. Apply product to your hair however you want and make braids. Depending on how curly you want your hair to be, you can make two french braids or many small ones.
The former will give you looser waves, while the latter will lead to a bolder look. Both are great options, and you can try either one.
Go to sleep and open the braids when you wake up. If you’re okay with how your hair looks, that’s fantastic. However, if you’d prefer wavier hair, you can apply the first method at this point.
Remember to make braids with even sections of hair if you want similar waves.
Final Thoughts on Taking Care of 2b Hair
Caring for 2b hair boils down to two main principles:
- don’t use heating tools for drying or styling
- avoid washing your hair more than twice a week
This article covers many different techniques and tips, but they all revolve around these two key ideas. As long as you stick to them, your hair will stay healthy and curly.
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