Calling all naturalistas: Do you have urgent tress questions? If so, you’re in luck. Every Thursday, natural hair blogger extraordinaire CurlyNikki will be solving your curly hair conundrums!
Check out this week’s installment in CurlyNikki’s reader Q&A series:
READER QUESTION:
What’s the best technique for fluffing your hair after doing a braid/twist-out for extra volume? I don’t want to over-fluff and cause frizz! — Jenna
CURLY NIKKI’S RESPONSE
I’ve come to the realization that allowing my hair to ‘just be’ allows it to fluff up naturally with minimal frizz. The day after my styling session (usually a Twist-n-Curl), I remove the curlers and gently unravel the twists. Since the twists are so chunky, I sometimes break them apart to help it look more natural, but that’s all I do . . . no finger combing, picking or massaging the roots. This no-fluffing routine gets me to four-day hair, which I greatly appreciate.
The problem is that my hair is fine, and walking around for a day with a flat Twist-n-Curl drives me insane—it’s scalpy, and overly defined. However, come Day Two, its twice as big, still chunky, defined and frizz free!
There are times when I need it to be the three F’s (funky, fabulous, and fly) on Day One, so I do the following:
- Remove the curlers
- Unravel the twists
- Break twisted sections apart (turning one crinkle into two and so on)
- Spread my fingers and use them as a pick/comb to gently break up the roots
- Sometimes I’ll flip my head over, still using my fingers as a pick . . . running them from my roots to 1/4 down the strands
- Massage the roots at the crown to help hide any parts
- I never use combs or any other tools to fluff . . . just my fingers
- Finally, for easier fluffing and bigger hair, remember to use less product — preferably no styler and only a silver-dollar-sized amount of your ‘styling conditioner’
What about you? How do you fluff? Tell me in the comments area below!
Nikki “CurlyNikki” Walton is a psychotherapist and creator of the largest online natural hair resource. Along with tips and product recommendation, Walton also implements her psychotherapy skills in the sub-section “On the Couch with Curly Nikki.”