This T-Shirt Hack Guarantees Perfect Curls

It’s going to sound crazy, but it also involves a watering can…

By Liz Ritter, Executive Editor · Jul 5, 2016

“Perfect” curls can be tricky. Even if you do master the very fine art of taming the frizz for natural-looking, effortless waves, it seems like, most of the time, they have a tendency to fall flat pretty quickly. Dalal Moussa, CEO of Obliphica Professional, shared her simple steps with us at the recent Cosmoprof North America “Beauty Radar” event for making them look great and last—all you need is a T-shirt and a watering can.

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Banish the Brush

After you jump out of the shower, skip the brush and comb when handling curls and opt for your hands. “This will allow them to stay in their natural, beautiful shape,” Moussa says.

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Leave Some Water

So many of us ring out our hair so it’s not dripping wet when we’re done washing it, but Moussa says it’s smart to rethink this step. “Leave an excessive amount of water in your hair during the conditioning process. Then, comb through your curls with your hands, utilizing tension to remove any tangles. Once each curls feel silky smooth without any roughness, gently rinse out your conditioner.”

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Invest in a Watering Can

Sounds a bit bonkers, but hear us out on this one: “High water pressure causes curls to frizz,” Moussa says. “Reduce your water pressure or use a watering can [as in what you use to water plants] when rinsing your conditioner. This will allow for your curls to stay in their natural shape.”

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Apply Styling Products Very, Very Carefully

According to Moussa, it’s best to gently glide your syling products onto your curls without disturbing the curl shape or combing through your curls.

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Ditch the Towel for a T-Shirt

Here’s the golden-ticket step behind this hack. “Scrunch your curls into shape and wrap your hair in a soft T-shirt for 15–20 minutes,” Moussa recommends. “The soft texture of a T-shirt, as opposed to a towel, will gently absorb the excess water while allowing your curls to dry in a frizz-free environment.” The reason? “The fiber of a regular towel can act like Velcro to your precious curls causing frizz and flyways. Utilizing a soft T-shirt instead of a towel gives your hair softness and greatly reduces drying time. When you remove the towel after a few minutes, your locks are beautifully formed, luxurious and soft.”

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Then Leave Your Hair Alone

The last step: Don’t touch your curls during the drying process by using a diffuser or hood dryer, or just allow your curls to dry in their natural shape.