"CURL TRAINING” IS A SCAM! HERE'S HOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY TRANSFORM YOUR WAVY CURLY HAIR

So many people swear that "curl training" has changed their curls for the better. But is that actually true?

I first heard about this term when I started my wavy curly hair journey. My hair was still partly damaged back then because of all the keratin treatments I used to do for yeaarssss. I thought that if I kept "curl training" my hair, I would eventually get ringlets. So I did. it.

I started curl training using a deep conditioner. First, I finger coiled my hair almost every single wash day and it was EXHAUSTING. But I kept going anyway because I was convinced that with enough consistency, I could change my wavy hair into curly hair.

Another way to do it is by brush coiling. At first, the results were amazing. Lots of curls and ringlets! But those ringlets dropped after a few hours and became wonky the next day. And instead of accepting my hair for what it truly was, I fell right back into that same "there's something wrong with my hair" mentality all over again.

Eventually, I got tired of it. Curl training worked, but only for a little while. The ringlets didn't even last a full day, and I felt like I was getting more breakage because my curls were being manipulated too much.

Ringlets that were barely there after an intense "curl training” during washday

Here's the thing. People think curl training works because their hair gets curlier. But what's actually happening is that their hair is becoming HEALTHIER. And for some people, healthier hair means curlier hair. But that is not always the case.

damaged hair VS healthy hair

Take my hair for example. It was never ringlet-y to begin with, so no amount of curl training was going to change that. And honestly, chasing a texture that was never naturally mine was exhausting in a way that felt way too familiar.

So if you are out there curl training every wash day hoping for ringlets, please hear me out. You can curl train to get more defined curls on a specific wash day, and that is totally valid! But it will not permanently change your natural texture. At some point, your hair will reach its maximum health and potential, and that is where it will stay. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Everyone has different textures, types and patterns, and that is what makes curly hair so beautiful.

So what actually transforms your wavy curly hair?

1. HAVING THE RIGHT EXPECTATION

Your hair won't get curlier than it naturally is, no matter how much you curl train. It may get curlier as it gets healthier, yes, but curl training alone is not going to change your natural pattern. The real goal is getting your hair to its healthiest state, and then loving what you see. Once you shift that mindset, everything gets a lot easier.

2. KNOWING WHAT STATE YOUR HAIR IS IN

This is so important and so often overlooked! Depending on your hair's starting point (I talk more about this in my starter bundle, which you can check out here!) you need to use products that actually target what your hair is dealing with right now. Someone who did years of keratin treatments, like me, is starting from a very different place than someone with healthy virgin hair. Your routine needs to reflect that. Using the wrong products for your hair's current state is one of the biggest reasons people feel stuck.

3. USING THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF PRODUCTS

Using a curl cream alone won't cut it. If you want defined, long lasting results, product combination matters a lot. The general idea is to layer lightweight products that provide moisture with products that provide hold. Think leave-in, gel, and a mousse or foam. This gives your hair structure without weighing it down.

4. PROTEIN AND MOISTURE BALANCE

This sounds complicated but it really isn't once you get the hang of it! Think of it like a balancing scale. Too much moisture and your hair goes limp and loses definition. Too much protein and your hair becomes stiff and brittle. When the two are balanced, your wash days are so much more consistent and predictable. If your hair feels mushy or stretchy when wet, it needs more protein. If it feels rough or snaps easily, it needs more moisture.

5. PROTECTING YOUR HAIR AT NIGHT

A great wash day means nothing if you sleep on a cotton pillowcase and wake up with frizz and flattened curls. Protecting your hair overnight is just as important as the wash day itself. A silk pillowcase like this one from Curlfriend Collective makes a huge difference, and a silk wrap like the Silke London Hair Wrap (the only one that actually stays on my head while I sleep!) keeps everything in place so you wake up with your curls still intact.

Want to go even deeper on all of this? My "NOW WHAT?!”Wavy Curly Starter Bundle covers everything from figuring out your hair's starting point to building the right routine step by step. It's everything I wish I had known at the beginning. Check it out here!

Do you believe in curl training? Let me know in the comments below!