Most curly girls can relate to the struggle they have to put up each day to keep their curls far from dryness and frizz. It can be difficult to tame dry, rough, and unruly curls. All curly girls may know the effort to attain fresh, juicy curls. Unlike other hair types, washing and styling curly hair requires a lot of attention and care. Just shampooing and conditioning is insufficient to keep your curls in good shape. You need various curly haircare products such as moisturizing creams, hair masks, leave-in conditioners, diffusers, and a styling gels to make your curls look long, luscious, and bouncy. All these hair care products are meant to give the slip to your curls and boost the hydration level of the curls.
What Does Slip Do For Curly Hair?
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Brushing your dry curls is a crime in the curly hair community. Brushing your hair when dry can lead to snagging and hair breakage, making the curls more prone to tangles and knots. Hydration is the key to having healthy, well-defined, gorgeous curls. There is another term that is less talked about in the curly hair community- 'slip.' Adding a layer of slip to the unruly curls helps to tame the dry, rough, and lackluster curls. The term 'slip' refers to the lubrication provided to the strands to allow your fingers and comb to glide effortlessly through it. It reduces friction, decreasing the chances of tangling and hair breakage. The haircare products such as Leave-In Creams and Styling Gels play a vital role in providing slip to your curls, making them look fresh, bouncy, and voluminous.
But there is a catch. Gaining a perfect slip is not that easy. Firstly if the outermost layer of your strands, i.e., the cuticle, is damaged due to exposure to heat or any haircare treatment, then the surface of your hair may not be smooth, providing an imperfect base for the slip. Cuticles are crucial in determining the texture of your strands, such as detangling, smoothness, and shine.
Secondly, using the wrong haircare products can damage the texture of your curls, increasing tangle and friction between the strands, ultimately leading to rough, dry, and frizzy curls. Curlvana is your Zero-Frizz All-Weather Curlfriend! The range of curl care products are formulated with ingredients that hydrate, nourish and repair your curls.
Also Read : A Curly Hair Starter Kit For A Beginner : Must-Have These Products!
What Are The Challenges In Curl Slips?
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The outermost layer of the strands, i.e., the cuticles, is susceptible to damage as it is exposed to harsh climatic conditions, UV rays, and harmful haircare treatments such as straightening, perming, bleaching, and hair coloring. This results in the depletion of cuticles, exposing the inner core of the hair fibers and making your hair fragile and more prone to hair damage and breakage. Depletion of the cuticle from the hair surface makes your curls look dry, rough, and brittle, hampering the natural slip.
Your scalp's sebaceous glands secrete natural oil that keeps your strands lubricated naturally. But the natural oil cannot reach the tip of the curls because of its spiral structure; thus, curly hair is more prone to dryness.
Also Read : Extremely Dry Curls? Use Products With These Ingredients!
To compensate for the loss of moisture, use our curl care products to provide a layer of slip, adds shine, smoothness, and bounce to your curls.
How To Restore Slip For Damaged Curl Fibers?
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If you have mastered the curly girl method but are still struggling to eliminate frizz, then you should understand that your curls lack the much-required 'slip' which helps to attain luscious curls. There are haircare products specially formulated for repairing and reviving your curl health. These formulas contain active ingredients which improve cuticle health by recovering the lipid content in the outer surface of the strands. These active ingredients in the haircare formula create a bond with the protein of the strand, thus restoring your cuticle health. These are the active ingredients that form a thin film over the outer surface of the strands, restoring the slip for damaged hair fibers:
Also Read : Everything You Need To Know About The CG Method: CG Method For Beginners!
1. Cationic Surfactants
Cationic surfactants are primarily used in haircare products such as shampoos, conditioners, and mousse. The actives make your curls soft and smooth, providing a superior slip. The positively charged end of the surfactant adheres to the hair, while the hydrophobic end provides slip, shine, and softness to the curls. Examples of cationic surfactants are
- Cetrimonium chloride
- Behentrimonium methosulfate,
- Stearalkonium chloride
- Cetrimonium bromide.
2. Cationic Polymers
The polymers carrying positive charges with higher molecular weight are known as cationic polymers. These cationic polymers deposit on the hair shaft, providing slip to the strands. They are known to improve the texture of your curls, but the only drawback of it is that repeated application of it can lead to buildup on the scalp and hair. Examples of cationic surfactants are
- Polyquaternium 6
- Polyquaternium 7
- Polyquaternium 10
- Polyquaternium 11, 28, 39, 47, 53
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
3. Natural Oil & Butter
Natural oil and butter mimic the lipid secreted by sebaceous glands, improving the lubrication of the strands. The lubricants detangle the curls and improve the slip, adding shine and smoothness to your curls. But you should choose natural oils wisely as all oils are not created identically. Light-weight oil such as coconut and argan oil form a thin film over the hair surface, detangles the curls and adds bounce and luster to your curls without weighing them down.
Applying natural butter such as shea butter improves the slip, reduces friction, and keeps your curls lubricated. These lubricants smoothen your rough cuticle, redefining your curl pattern.
Slip is essential for maintaining healthy, thick, fresh, and luscious curls. It helps detangle the curls, preventing frizz and dryness. It makes your combing session hassle-free, as you can glide your fingers and comb effortlessly through the curls. Using curl care products formulated to provide slip to your tresses helps keep them at their best. Incorporate slip in your curly girl method and enjoy bouncy, voluminous, and structured curls.
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