So, you’ve turned heads with your beautiful silk press but are starting to miss the wow factor of your legendary curls. It’s time to restore those tresses to their natural curl pattern.
Wondering how to get your curls back after a silk press?
Not only is the process of restoring your curls easy, it’s also an enjoyable way to celebrate your natural hair. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the effect of a silk press style on your natural curl pattern, outline the steps to curl-recovery, & teach you about products to bring back curls so you can hydrate those locks and get them back to their natural spring in no time.
Understanding the Silk Press Effect on Curls
When you’re curious about how to restore curls after silk press, it’s important to first understand the effect of a silk press on your hair type.
Your hair is primarily made up of a protein called keratin (you’ll find an abundance of this protein in your nails as well). The keratin proteins are what help form the shape of your hair—from smooth-straight to coily curls—& are bound together largely by hydrogen bonds.
When heat is applied to the hair, these hydrogen bonds temporarily break apart, allowing the hair to flex & set into a smooth, straighter state.
Restoring your gorgeous curls, then, calls for restoring & strengthening those hydrogen bonds. A few things that hydrogen bonds love? Plenty of hydrating moisture & time.
The Importance of Patience in Curl Restoration
When you’re exploring how to get curls back after silk press, try to be patient & understand that it may take a few washes or moisturizing treatments to have them feel full & luscious again.
If you’re looking for a quicker solution & your hair just isn’t bouncing back, you can also opt for a trim. Removing split ends or donning an entirely new cut can give you a transitional look until your curls come back to their former glory. Look for a stylist who’s comfortable giving you a curly hair cut so you leave their chair feeling confident with your look.
Gentle Cleansing: The First Step to Recovery
The first step to reviving your natural curl & coil pattern is to wash & gently cleanse your hair. Introducing water post-silk press will begin to activate your texture, & using the right shampoo can help restore your luscious locks.
Since it’s possible that your tresses have acquired some damage from heat styling, you’ll want to use a product with a gently cleansing & moisturizing formula, like PATTERN's Hydration Shampoo.
This can help you strip any oil, dirt & build-up from your scalp so each hair follicle receives the nourishment it needs from any of the curly hair conditioners & hydration products you plan to use next.
Hydration is Key: Deep Conditioning for Curls
After cleansing your coils, it’s important to follow up with a deep conditioner to replenish the hydration levels in your hair. Deep conditioning can help hydrate & reinvigorate damaged hair strands, while also lending more springy bounce to your natural curls as the hydrogen bonds rebuild. We recommend the PATTERN Heavy Conditioner & Intensive Conditioner to get the job done.
Catering to your unique hair texture & porosity is key, since tighter coils may require additional moisture compared to looser waves or finer curls. Formulas with high-quality ingredients can not only help revive your tresses, but can also prevent further heat damage to your strands to help you maintain those juicy, joyful curls all year round.
How to Heat Style Safely
If you want to achieve straight-styled hair, a silk press or a blowout are both great options. However, there are differences between a silk press vs blowout that you should be aware of. With a blowout, only a blow dryer with a comb attachment is needed. Silk presses, on the other hand, require the use of a blow dryer & another heat styling tool like a flat iron or hot comb, which should accompany the proper preparation & aftercare to help hair maintain its luster & shine after direct heat. Fortunately, PATTERN’s got you covered.
Before a silk press or any heat styling, it’s essential that you know how to use a heat protectant spray to coat your strands with heat protection & cut down on lasting damage. Formulas rich in plant-based oils, such as the PATTERN Heat Protectant Spray, can offer each hair strand the protection & moisture it needs before blow drying & using a flat iron or other similar heat hair tools.
The Role of Natural Oils in Curls Revival Protective Styling for Healthy Curls
If you’re on the lookout for products for heat damaged hair, make sure to check their ingredients to ensure you’re giving your curls the nourishment they deserve. Here are some oils you may find in the moisturizing products your crown craves1:
- Argan oil
- Coconut oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Shea butter
- Almond oil
- Jojoba oil
Not only do heat protectants act as a safeguard against hair damage, but they can smell amazing, too! This means that your textured hair will look & smell like a dream, especially when using plant-based formulas like PATTERN’s Heat Protectant.
Incorporating protective hair products into your curl maintenance routine also helps lock in moisture while reducing unwanted frizz & fly-aways—so it’s your secret weapon to a flawless style finish.
Revive Your Curls with Help from PATTERN
With a little bit of patience & the right hair care products on hand, you can find the joy in reclaiming your natural curls after silk press season.
Whether you’re asking how to get curl pattern back after silk press, what’s the best ingredient for moisturizing curls or how to know what silk press products to use, at PATTERN, we know how important it is to find transitioning hair products that truly value hair care for naturals. That’s why you’ll never find harmful toxins or parabens in our formulas—only the very best ingredients for curls you cherish.
Sources:
- Francois, Alyssa. "5 Amazing Essential Oils that Work as Great Heat Protectants for Natural Hair." All Things Hair. 22 June, 2023. https://www.allthingshair.com/en-us/hair-products/heat-protectant/natural-heat-protectant/
