Curly Hair Routine for BIG, Fluffy, Defined Curls
You find something that works, love it for a while...and then you change ONE little thing and suddenly you're thinking, Wait. Are my curls even better?!
That's where I am right now.
I've shared my curly hair routine before, but I've made a few changes lately, and I think this may be giving me some of my fluffiest, fullest curls yet.
And if you've followed my curly hair journey for any amount of time, you know that VOLUME is always the goal for me.
I want definition. I want my curls to hold. I want less frizz.
But I also want them BIG and fluffy.
So consider this my MOST recent curly hair routine. I'm sharing exactly what I'm using, the order I use everything, how I apply it, and the little techniques I've learned that make just as much difference as the products themselves.
Want to see everything I'm using?
I've put all of my current curly hair products, tools, brushes, and favorites together in my Amazon Curly Hair Store so you can easily find everything in one place.
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Now let's get into the routine!
Start With VERY Wet Hair
Before we even talk about curly hair products, let's talk about water.
My hair is VERY wet when I start styling.
Not towel dried.
Not mostly damp.
WET.
I've learned that having plenty of water in my hair while I'm applying my products helps everything distribute more evenly and encourages the curl clumps I'm looking for.
And don't be afraid to add more water as you go. If I notice my hair starting to dry while I'm working, I'll wet it again before continuing.
Once my hair is nice and wet, I'm ready for my first product.
Step 1: Leave-In Conditioner — But Keep It Away From the Roots!
This is one of the newer additions to my routine.
I'm currently using Mielle Organics Leave-In Conditioner, but here's the important part:
I only apply it toward the ends of my hair.
I don't want leave-in conditioner up around my roots because, for my hair, that can weigh everything down.
And remember what we're going for here...
VOLUME.
I apply the leave-in using praying hands, concentrating on my ends where I want that extra moisture.
Then I use my brush to gently brush the product through.
Once the leave-in is distributed, I'm ready to start styling.
Step 2: Divide My Very Wet Hair Into Four Sections
Now I divide my hair into four sections.
Here's something important about the way I do this routine:
I completely style ONE section before moving on to the next.
I don't apply curl cream to my whole head, then gel to my whole head, then brush everything.
Instead, I do the entire process on one section from start to finish.
Then I move on.
This has been working SO well for my curls.
Step 3: Apply Rizos Curls Curl Cream
Starting with my first section, I apply Rizos Curls Curl Cream.
First, I use praying hands to smooth the curl cream over the section.
Then I rake it through with my fingers to make sure the product is distributed throughout my hair.
I also try not to overload my roots with product. I want moisture and definition through my curls without sacrificing that lift at the top.
And before moving on to another section, I go straight into my gel.
Step 4: Apply Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Gel Hold #5
While that SAME section is still very wet, I apply Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Gel Hold #5 right over the curl cream.
Again, I start with praying hands.
Then I rake the gel through with my fingers.
The curl cream helps give me the moisture and definition I want, while the gel gives my curls the hold they need to keep their shape as they dry.
But I'm still not finished with that section!
Step 5: Curl Brush + Scrunch
Once the curl cream and gel are both applied, I grab my Curl Bounce brush.
I brush through that section to help evenly distribute the products and separate my hair into defined curl clumps.
Then I scrunch upward to encourage those curls to form.
NOW I can move on to the next section.
For each of my four sections, the order is:
Curl Cream → Praying Hands → Rake → Gel → Praying Hands → Rake → Curl Brush → Scrunch
Then I repeat the exact same process on the next section until all four sections are finished.
For me, the order matters!
Step 6: Scrunch in a Small Amount of Mousse
Once all four sections are completely styled, I add a small amount of Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Mousse.
I don't rake the mousse through.
Instead, I gently scrunch it into my curls.
And I don't use a ton.
I'm just adding a small amount throughout my hair before I start the drying process.
Step 7: Scrunch With a Large T-Shirt
Before I reach for my diffuser, I grab a large T-shirt.
I use the T-shirt to gently scrunch my curls and remove some of the excess water and product.
I'm not wrapping my hair up in the shirt.
I'm not letting it sit.
I'm simply using the T-shirt to scrunch.
This helps remove some of that extra fluid while keeping my curl clumps intact.
And then I go immediately into diffusing.
I don't let my hair sit around and start drying first.
Step 8: Diffuse Until About 90–95% Dry
Now it's time to diffuse. I have TWO hair dryers I LOVE depending on how much time I have. Not a lot of time... WavyTalk. More time (my favorite) CurlSmith hair dryer and diffuser.
I diffuse my curls until they're approximately 90–95% dry.
Then I let them finish air drying until they're completely dry.
And this may be the hardest part of the entire curly hair routine...
DON'T TOUCH THEM. 😂
I try to handle my curls as little as possible while they're drying. The more I mess with them, the more likely I am to break apart those curl clumps and create frizz.
At this stage, my hair may look a little stiff or feel crunchy.
That's GOOD.
That's the gel cast.
Don't panic and start scrunching yet!
I wait until my hair is completely dry before I break that cast.
Step 9: Break the Gel Cast With Lightweight Hair Oil
Once my curls are 100% dry, it's time for one of my favorite parts.
Breaking the cast!
I use Not Your Mother's Lightweight Oil for this.
But there's a specific way I do it.
I work on one side of my head at a time.
I put a few pumps of oil into my hands and rub them together.
Then, instead of immediately scrunching my curls, I first use praying hands to gently smooth over and stretch the gel cast.
After that, I begin scrunching upward.
This is when those crunchy curls start turning into soft, bouncy, fluffy curls while still keeping all that beautiful definition.
Then I repeat the same process on the other side.
Step 10: Check for Hidden Moisture
Here's a little curly hair trick I've learned that I don't hear people talk about very often.
Sometimes when I break the gel cast, I'll discover a few areas that are still slightly damp underneath.
It's almost like the cast trapped some moisture inside.
If that happens, I don't leave it damp.
I grab my diffuser again, switch it to warm, and diffuse those areas for another minute or two.
Once everything is completely dry, I'm ready for my FAVORITE part.
More volume. 😂
Step 11: Finish With MORE Volume
Because apparently there is no such thing as too much volume in my world. 😂
My final step is Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Volumizing Spray.
For me, lots of volume is always the main goal.
I love defined curls, but I don't want my curls to be so perfectly defined that I lose that big, fluffy, full look.
Once my curls are completely dry and the cast has been broken, I finish with the Beach Babe Volumizing Spray to give everything that final boost.
I focus especially on the areas where I want more lift and fullness, then gently fluff and arrange my curls.
For me, this is the finishing touch that takes my hair from defined curls to the big, fluffy curls I LOVE.
Because if there's an opportunity for more volume...
I'm taking it. 😂
My Current Curly Hair Routine at a Glance
If you want to save or screenshot my routine, here's exactly what I'm doing right now:
Start with VERY wet hair.
Apply Mielle Organics Leave-In Conditioner to the ends using praying hands, then brush through. Keep it away from the roots so you don't weigh them down.
Divide hair into four sections.
Apply Rizos Curls Curl Cream using praying hands, then rake through.
Apply Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Gel Hold #5 using praying hands, then rake through.
Use a curl brush to distribute the products and separate the curls.
Scrunch, then move to the next section and repeat.
After all four sections are finished, scrunch in a small amount of Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Mousse.
Use a large T-shirt to gently scrunch out excess water and product.
Immediately begin diffusing.
Diffuse until about 90–95% dry, then allow your curls to finish air drying.
Once completely dry, use Not Your Mother's Lightweight Oil to break the gel cast—praying hands first, then scrunch.
If breaking the cast reveals any damp areas, diffuse them again on warm for another minute or two.
Finish with Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Volumizing Spray for even more lift, fluff and volume.
And then admire your curls. 😉
The Biggest Thing I've Learned About Curly Hair
The longer I've been figuring out my curls, the more I've realized something:
The technique matters just as much as the products.
Starting with really wet hair.
Keeping heavier products away from my roots.
Working in sections.
Using praying hands.
Raking products through.
Using a curl brush.
Scrunching.
Removing excess water with a T-shirt.
Diffusing immediately.
Waiting until my hair is COMPLETELY dry before breaking the cast.
And then, of course...
ADDING MORE VOLUME.
All of those little things add up.
I've also learned that I don't have to use every product from the same brand. Right now, I'm loving this combination of Mielle Organics, Rizos Curls and Not Your Mother's, and I'm paying more attention to how the products work together than the name on the bottle.
Shop My Complete Curly Hair Routine
Want to try some of the products or tools I'm using?
I've made it easy.
I've put all of my current curly hair favorites in one place in my Amazon Curly Hair Store.
You'll find my:
Leave-in conditioner
Curl cream
Gel
Mousse
Lightweight oil
Volumizing spray
Shampoo and conditioner
Curl brush
Diffuser hair dryer
And other curly hair products and tools I'm currently using and loving
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Final Thoughts
Is this the last curly hair routine I'll ever share?
Let's be serious. 😂
Probably not.
That's half the fun of curly hair. I'm constantly learning, experimenting, changing little things, and figuring out what gives me the results I want.
And right now?
This routine is giving me some of the fullest, fluffiest curls I've had yet.
For me, that's the sweet spot: definition without sacrificing volume.
So if you've been asking what I'm doing to my curls lately—this is it!
And if you're another curly girl who believes your hair can never be too big...
I think we're going to get along just fine. 😂🌀💕
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.
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