Curls Vs. Straight hair: Pros, Cons, Maintenance Tips

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The battle of curls versus straight hair has been on for a long time. Many ladies with curls want straight hair, while those with straight hair want curls. This is because these types of hair are different in their own way. In this article, we will share all the information you need about curls and straight hair.

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What determines how curly or straight the hair will be?

There is an element in the hair structure called hair follicles. This element is within the scalp and this is where the hair grows from. The shape of the follicle determines whether the hair will be curly or straight. An oval-shaped follicle grows curls while a round-shaped follicle grows straight hair. The shape of the hair follicle is determined by genetics. Therefore, the type of hair you have depends on your genetic makeup.

Curls

Curls are different types; we have spiral and loose curls and others. Each type of curl differs both in look and length. While curly hair enhances your look uniquely, its maintenance can be frustrating. Here are some pros and cons attached to curls.

Pros

Some benefits of having curly hair include:

Easy and versatile styling: One of the things you will enjoy with curls is that it is easy to style. Besides, you can never go short of different styles to go for if you have curly hair. This is because styling curls can be versatile.

Vibrant look: because it has more volume than straight hair, curls tend to have a vibrant look. Besides, they tend to shine more especially if you take moisturizing your mane seriously.

Makes coloring look great: another benefit of curls is that colors look great on them. Coloring techniques in vogue today, such as ombre highlights and others, appear excellent on curly hair.

Cons

Here are some of the drawbacks of curls:

It tangles a lot: curly hair tangles a lot, which could be very frustrating.

Difficult to tame: it could be quite difficult to tame curly hair. For instance, it might require effort and time if you want to straighten your curls.

Prone to heat damage: it takes a while for the heat to penetrate the hair when you use heat styling tools as a result of its voluminous texture. This means the hair is exposed to heat for a long time. Thus, exposing your hair to the risk of heat damage.

Expensive to maintain: Maintaining curls could be on the expensive side. This is because you need the right product at all times to get the best out of your mane. For instance, because you need to keep your curly hair hydrated at all times, investing in conditioner is essential.

Maintenance tips

Maintaining curls is quite tricky; here are some maintenance tips you need to care for your curly hair:

Hydration is essential for curls

Curls are more prone to dryness compared to straight hair. This is because it takes a longer time for moisture or oil to penetrate curly hair. For this reason, you might have to spend on moisturizing products. However, one way to keep your curls hydrated is by co-washing your mane. Co-washing means washing your hair with conditioner. Co-washing helps you boost the moisture level in your mane while retaining its essential oil simultaneously.

Detangle the right way

To maintain your curls, you must ensure you detangle them correctly. The fact remains that curly hair is prone to tangling and if you are not careful while detangling it, it may cause hair breakage. Do not use a brush to detangle your mane as that could cause breakage. The right way to detangle your curls is to apply enough conditioner (not too much), and comb through with a wide-tooth comb. This way, you will have tangle-free and healthy hair.

Straight hair

This type of hair is common among many women. Some have theirs thick while others have theirs thin. However, no matter how thick or thin straight hair is, it does not have the volume at the root, making it look flat most of the time. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of this hair type.

Pros

Here are some benefits of having straight hair:

Styling and maintenance are easy: straight hair is quite easy to style. You do not spend much time styling this hair type. Besides, it is quite easy and cheap to maintain compared to curls. You don’t have to spend money on different products to keep your straight hair healthy.

Versatile styling: People love straight hair because you can style it in different ways. Besides, all the hairstyles you can come up with if you have straight hair are suitable for all events.

Cons

Some drawbacks of straight hair include:

Lack of volume: straight hair does not have the volume at the root, which makes it look so flat. And for this reason, any damage to the hair is easily visible.

Easily gets dirty: because it lacks volume at the root, there is quick product build-up. Thus, the hair gets dirty easily, so you need to wash it often. But, frequent washing strips the hair of its natural oil, so make sure you reduce wash days. And use dry shampoo in-between wash days.

Do not hold curls: sometimes you get tired of straight hair. So, you curl your mane with a curling iron or flat iron. However, these curls do not last long on straight hair.

Maintenance tips

We have established that straight hair is easy to maintain. But this does not mean you should not take care of your mane. Here are some maintenance tips to keep your straight locks healthy:

Keep the frizz at bay

Straight hair is most prone to frizz and flyaways. So to maintain a sleek mane, you have to keep frizz at bay. Using serum will help you achieve this. Another benefit of serums is that they help give your hair shine and make detangling easy. Besides, some serums have heat protectant features.

Give it more volume

As we started earlier, straight hair does not have the volume at the root. This makes them look flat. But the good news is that you can give it more volume. One of the ways of doing that is by giving your hair a bit of chop so it forms layers. Layered straight hair has more volume. Besides, you can decide to scrunch up your mane with a bit of mousse to volumize it.

Go for the right product

Another maintenance tip for straight hair is to go for the right product. Make sure the product you are using is suitable for your hair type and hair goals. For instance, if you want moisture in your mane, go for moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. For those that want volume, opt for volumizing shampoo and conditioner.

Bottom line

The bottom line is that in the battle of curls versus straight hair, you need to know that both come with their pros and cons. Besides, they each have their styling and maintenance tips. So, consider all these when opting for straight or curly hair.