Ready to reclaim your curls? Years of heat styling, chemical treatments, and product build-up can leave your natural curls looking dull and damaged. But don’t worry—it’s all fixable with a proper haircare overhaul. Natural curls need some serious TLC, and while ditching the straighteners is a start, restoring your curls back to life will take a bit more effort. Whether it’s heat damage, dryness, or loss of definition, we’ve put together the best tips and products to help revive your curls. Ready for your best curls yet? Let’s go.
4 Ways to Tell If You Have Naturally Curly Hair
Curly hair is genetic, passed down the family line. If your relatives have curls, you might too—whether or not you’ve embraced it. Here are a few easy ways to tell if you have natural curls that can be revived, hiding beneath years of over-styling:
1. Air Dry Test: Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and let it air dry. If you notice bounce, spirals, or waves, your hair may be naturally curly.
2. Finger Curl Test: Wrap a damp strand of hair around your finger. If it retains the curl, your curls are in there, waiting to be revealed.
3. Frizz Check: Does your hair turn frizzy and voluminous when brushed? That’s a sign of hidden curls.
4. Straightening Struggles: If parts of your hair just won’t stay straight, no matter the heat setting, you’ve likely got curly hair.
What Can Cause Hair to Lose Its Natural Curl
Curly hair, like any other hair type, can be damaged by heat styling, chemical treatments, bleaching, and environmental stressors. These factors can break hair bonds, causing curls to drop, frizz, lose shape, and become dull. Bringing back your curls means repairing that damage and protecting your hair moving forward.
How to Get Your Natural Curls Back
Once you’ve confirmed that your natural curls are still there, it’s time for a haircare overhaul. Here are the steps you need to take to revive and embrace your curls.
Incorporate Co-Washing
Co-washing, or conditioner-only washing, is a beloved method in the curl community. Instead of using shampoo, you cleanse your hair with conditioner, which is gentler and prevents stripping your hair of natural oils. It leaves your hair feeling refreshed without the harshness of regular shampooing.
Tip: Opt for lightweight conditioners, rinse thoroughly, and give your hair time to adjust. You might notice a bit of extra oil at first, but soon you’ll have smooth, healthy curls once more.
Try: By BEAUTY BAY Nourish + Cleanse Co-Wash—affordable, hydrating, and curl-friendly with lactic acid, chia seed, and shea butter.
Explore our curly girl method product roundup for even more co-washing conditioner reccs.
Get Rid of Build-Up
Build-up is common with curly hair, especially when co-washing, as products tend to collect at the roots. A clarifying shampoo used once or twice a month can help reset your hair, removing stubborn product residue, oils, and dirt.
Try: OLAPLEX No.4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo for removing impurities while protecting your hair, or Beauty Works Clarifying Shampoo for a budget-friendly, nourishing alternative.
Cut Out Damage
If your hair is severely damaged, sometimes the best option is to chop it off. A fresh cut gives you a clean slate to start your curl revival journey. If cutting isn’t an option, focus on repairing bonds with targeted treatments.
Try: OLAPLEX No.3 Hair Perfector—a weekly treatment that works on a molecular level to repair bonds and strengthen curls. One of the best OLAPLEX products for curly hair and best OLAPLEX products for damaged hair too. Perfect for bringing curls back to life after years of damage.
Protect Curls From Heat
Try to avoid heat styling your hair often, if you prefer to use heat to dry your hair stick to hairdryers with a diffuser for drying and always use a heat protectant before styling.
Try: By BEAUTY BAY Detangle + Protect Heat Defence Mist an ultra-protecting formula made with prickly pear and Kakadu extract, that smooths and condition curls naturally, as it shields them from heat damage. Or, OLAPLEX No.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum to shield hair from heat and environmental damage. Enriched with antioxidant-rich Red Algae Extract and scientifically proven OLAPLEX® Bond Building Technology™, you’ll be left with shinier, softer, tangle-free curls.
Hydrate Your Curls Back to Life
Moisture is key to reviving curls. Because curly hair tends to be dry, weekly deep conditioning treatments are a must.
Try: Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner for intense hydration that refreshes dry curls, whilst reducing frizz and flyaways, or Les Secrets De Loly Boost Curl Moisturising Jelly for a lightweight, water-based treatment that locks in moisture and shine. You could also use OLAPLEX No.6 Bond Smoother—a repairing cream that hydrates, strengthens, and smooths curls for up to 72 hours.
Experiment With Curl Styling Products
Curly hair needs specialised styling products, and you might have to experiment to find what works best for your curls, every curl is different after all. Heavier formulas suit tighter curls, while lighter ones work better for waves.
Try: Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Daily Styling Crème for soft, shiny defined curls or Umberto Giannini Curl Scrunching Jelly for frizz-free, defined waves and curls.
Make Masks a Focus
No curly hair routine is complete without a good hair mask. Whenever your curls need an extra boost, use a mask to hydrate and enhance definition.
Try: By BEAUTY BAY Curl + Define Hair Mask—packed with castor oil and shea butter, it’s a CGM-approved treatment that can double as a leave-in conditioner. For a more intensive repair, go for OLAPLEX No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask—a concentrated formula that deeply moisturises and smooths your hair, helping to bring your curls back to life.
No matter how much you’ve put your curls through, they can be revived with the right care. Focus on repair, hydration, and protection, and you’ll be back to flaunting gorgeous, bouncy curls in no time. Welcome (back) to the curly hair club
