are you struggling to get soft and bouncy curls?

Most curlies like to have soft and bouncy curls and try to avoid wet-looking curls. I’ve put together three possible mistakes that could be keeping you from getting that wanted soft look. Plus, they can all be changed easily!

There are different reasons as to why your curls still look crunchy when they’re already dry:

Mistake 1: Wrong technique

Depending on the products you apply to style your curls, they could dry with a gel cast, leaving your curls looking like they’re still wet. There’s a simple trick to get your curls to feel soft: scrunch out the crunch! Do this once your curls are completely dry and usually your curls get that bouncy look within just a few seconds. Are you still looking to get more volume? Then try to carefully shake your curls.

If you can’t achieve soft curls with the above mentioned techniques, you might be dealing with the second mistake:

Mistake 2: Too much product

Sometimes, the reason for crunchy curls is not the wrong technique, but that you’re applying too much of your styling product. I’ve just had to deal with this recently when I was trying a new styling product, that has left me looking like this (these are third day curls):

soft and bouncy curls

My results after having applied too much product

The next time, I used the same styling product (but just a tiny amount!) to eliminate frizz and ended up with totally different results:

soft and bouncy curls

using less styling product was a real game-changer 🙂

As you see, applying less styling product might already do the trick!

Mistake 3: Wrong product

If you’ve tried using less of your styling product and are still left with wet-looking curls, the products might just not be the ones for your curls! Before I knew about the curly girl method I’ve tried tons of products that didn’t really work for my hair. During that phase I’ve also encountered various products that have left me with really hard and crunchy curls.. No matter how much I would scrunch and shake my curls – they just stayed that way. In that case, the only solution is to switch products!

17 Comments
  • Patricia
    June 3, 2017

    Thank you for the tips…I just hope that could work on my hair…will give it a try; my hair is a lot curlier than yours…it shrinks to coils when it’s completely dry…
    I usually do not touch my hair until it’s completely dry to avoid frizz, and when I do, I place a little bit of serum on my hands to avoid the frizz.
    Thanks again!

    • Lynn Thomas
      August 16, 2017

      I’m a curly girl also. I LOVE the Deva Curl product line. I keep everything in the shower. I only lightly squeeze out a little water & put the gel in, wrap in a t shirt for a bit, then scrunch hair by big handfuls w the t shirt…do everything else I need to do & diffuse. I love my curls, soft, bouncy & frizz free.

  • Eveli Rayane
    June 6, 2017

    Adorei as dicas!

  • Camila
    September 23, 2017

    Dear Sandra,
    I’m a 14 year old with curly hair! About 4-5 years ago, my hair was a mixture of 3A and 3b curls! But ever since then, my hair started to get extremely frizzy when dry. Probably because i started to pull It up a lot into buns and ponytails. To this day, it’s really rare that i leave my hair out because of that reason. My hair looks frizzy, dry, and very huge when i’ts let loose, or even in a ponytail. I rarely ever straighten or blow dry my hair. I just want to get my hair back to it’s normal state, just like yours. By any chance, do you have some tips or many a routine I should follow to get my curls back?? I would really appreciate it! I just want to let my hair down again without wanting to pull it back up every second!
    Sincerely,
    Camila💛

    • Bonnie
      November 7, 2017

      Camila have you tried the Curly Girl method? I have 3a curls and it has improved my hair so much and I’ve only been following it four months!

    • Brooke
      January 9, 2018

      Hi, Camilla! I had frizzy hair issues until I tried this method with Monat Hair Care. Have you ever heard of it?

  • Adriana
    November 5, 2017

    Hi!!thank you for the tips I just wanted to now did you ever felt ugly with your curly hair during your transitioning if so how did you deal with it? I am a 17 year old girl and this process is being hard on me i just feel like i can’t pull off the curly look

    • Chloe
      November 23, 2017

      Hello Adriana! My name is Chloe and I am 15. I have super curly hair. I love it because it is really fierce and unique! But sometimes when I have a couple bad hair days in a row I get put down by it. I feel like a puffy, frizzy mess! Two things help me a lot. 1. I do myself up, even if I’m staying home that day. I’ll shower and take extra time on my hair, paint my nails, and put on an outfit I feel good in.
      2. I remind myself that I have one life and one body. I only have so much time, every second is precious. Why would I want to continue to feel bad about myself when I could be spending my time so much better dwelling on something else?
      I’m positive that you are awesome! Choose to be happy with the way you look! I hope this helped!

      • cmac
        December 7, 2017

        YOU KEEP THAT fabulous attitude, I think we all get that way at times with curly or the straight hair girls……

        • Rachel
          January 3, 2018

          When are you writing your next post? :/

  • Kim
    April 8, 2018

    I’ve been curly all my life and have only now changed from a mousse to a gel. My hair is shoulder length and between 3a and 3b. How much product should I be using?
    Thanks
    Kim

  • Voula
    April 8, 2018

    Well and good but nothing is ever said about graying curls and how to deal with them. I am over 65, and love my curls but lately they do not behave. I have been wearing my hair short in a Bobbi style sleep in a satin pillow and my curls flatten not happy. Any suggestions would be helpful. I do the curly girl method for about 12 years now.

    Thanks!

  • Eva
    May 20, 2018

    Hello Sandra,
    Thank you for this post. Great advices for lovely curles. 😉

  • Mary Grace
    July 5, 2018

    Thank you for the wonderful tips! I am slowly learning to love my curly hair and your blog is so helpful.

  • Nicki
    July 5, 2018

    Great, uplifting site and comments! It’s never too late to embrace ourselves; I’m 38 and just recently began to embrace my 3A curls. Best to you all in your quest for the perfect curls 🙂

  • Nishka Nachappa
    July 6, 2018

    I never apply any products after shampoo, conditioner and detangling in the shower. I directly plop and then air dry for a few hours. Applying leave in creams and aloe Vera gel after the in-shower routine makes my hair take ages to dry, plus the wet-damp look and feel lingers on for quite some time. I dislike it, I crave more volume. Not doing anything beyond the shower gives me soft bouncy and voluminous curls.

  • vixen
    February 19, 2019

    great article with awesome advice & your pics really help too

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *