CURLS GONE WILD: 10 TIPS TO KEEP CURLY HAIR HEALTHY

1. Wash smarter, not harder.According to our friends over atAllure, curly-haired babes should wash less, and only with sulfate-free shampoo. "Sodium lauryl sulfate, the key ingredient in most traditional shampoos, is both a salt and a detergent—an effective cleanser that's too harsh for most curls," Allure explains. The entire BLNDN line is free of harmful sulfates, making it the number one choice for the curly-haired gals that are just about sick and tired of inspecting ingredient lists.
2. Don't wash every day. While this advice holds for babes of straight hair tendencies as well, curlies should generally plan on using a dry shampoo in between washes to preserve those natural oils. Try KEEP YOU, the Dry Shampoo by BLNDN. ($28)
3. Use a weightless deep conditioner twice a week, likeREPAIR YOU by BLNDN ($48). With the highest levels of the BLNDN complex, REPAIR YOU gives all of the shine, strength and softness your abused hair craves without the weight.
4. Get regular trims to control breakage and split ends, and always have your stylist trim you dry. Curly hair wet and curly hair dry are two very different things. If your stylist reaches for the scissors before the hair dryer, chances are she's not experienced in cutting curls, and you could pay for the mistake in accidental inches being taken off. Oops.
5. Keep hot tools to a minimum.Flat or curling irons shouldn't be used more than once a week if your hair is naturally curly. Curlies are extra prone to damage than straight-haired gals, especially if your hair is breaking, dull, or lacking movement.
6. Use hot tools only on clean hair. The best time to flatiron or curl your hair is immediately following a nourishing shampoo and conditioning session. After using your QUENCH YOU Quenching Shampoo ($28) and NOURISH YOU Nourishing Conditioner ($30) is your safest time to use your hot tools. Applying heat to hair that already has product and dirt in it actually bakes that debris into your mane, creating additional (and more permanent) damage. Yuck.
7. Always use a diffuser. Having the diffuser attachment on your hair dryer is going to retain your curls, With a diffuser, the drying agent is contained in one area and not spreading to other parts of your hair. A regular nozzle disrupts the curl pattern and focuses hot air on one small section at a time, while a diffuser dries curls evenly all over. For the best diffusing technique, flip your head upside down and diffuse right at the roots and midsections first, drying completely to lock in volume. Dry the ends last, and don't dry them all the way through-- these tend to be more damaged, so let them dry on their own.
8. Never, ever use hot tools on anything other than dry hair. Your hair should be completely dry before busting out the curling or flat iron- even with a heat protectant. Hair is most vulnerable when it's wet, so running hot appliances over even just damp locks is more damaging than any other act on our hair. 
9. Watch the temperature. Most irons will heat up to around 450 degrees, but you shouldnever go that high. That temperature was designed for keratin treatments being used in the salon... not for the consumer. Women with thinner or fine hair should use heat on a lower heat setting, staying in the 300-350 degree range. Those with thicker manes can go a on the medium or high setting, but never exceed 400. Additionally, you should never see steam or hear a sizzle-- and if you do, stop immediately.
10. Sleep on a silk pillowcase. A silk pillowcase, likethis one here (our fave), cuts down on the friction that causes breakage in your slumer. Cotton or Polyester pillowcases also soak up the moisture in your hair, causing frizz and more headaches in the a.m.

xx,

Team BLNDN