Wondering why won’t my curls clump. Here are a few tips to help you achieve better results with your hair care regimen.
There has been so much of hype going around the internet about “curl clumping”. Well, it sparked my interest to know what exactly this meant and whether it would be beneficial to my curly hair.
So I decided to do some research about curl clumping and how I could try it out for my own hair.
Well, no sooner I did and trust me, it is one of the best decisions I made for styling my curly hair!
My curly hair looks so rejuvenated and full of life. I experience much lesser frizziness and my hair looks way shinier than it was earlier.
Curl clumping is an amazing technique for curly-haired people! So, if you are one of them, then check out this article for all the details about curl clumping, why your curls don’t clump, ways to make your curls clump and much more.
Why Won’t My Curls Clump?
What Is Clumping Of Curls?
Curl clumping, also known as curl shingling, is where a bunch of your curly hair comes together to form a clump, rather than looking stringy.
We have a lot of hair strands on our hair, but when the hair is curly, each of these hair strands separates and forms curls that seem scattered on our head.
Thus, the curl pattern is lesser defined, as well as the hair shine is much lesser. The curls look thinner, with frizz.
But when these curls gather together and clump up, the curl pattern gets better defined and the hair looks a lot healthier with a better shine as well. It also shows lesser frizz.
Hence, a lot of people with curly hair choose to have a clumpy hairstyle so that their curls look more healthy and well-maintained.
Reasons Why Curls Won’t Clump
While some people have naturally clumped-up curls (also depends on your natural curl pattern), some people need to find ways to achieve it.
Sometimes, the techniques you use or the hair-care routine you follow can be the one hindering you from getting clumpy curls.
Here are some of the main reasons why your curls won’t clump:
Your hair doesn’t receive enough water
Water is a very essential aspect when it comes to curl clumping. When there is no water to feed your curls, it cannot clump! Your hair requires to be fully saturated in water in order for it to form a good curl pattern and eventually clump up.
Curls require a lot of moisture in order to maintain its natural curl pattern. So the more your hair gets saturated with water while you shower, the easier will it be for you to detangle your hair and push your natural curls towards forming clumps.
Using cold water on your hair can also help reduce excessive frizz formation in your curls.
Your product application is wrong
Whenever you apply a shampoo or conditioner to your hair while you wash it, make sure that your hair has been well-saturated and soaked under running water for at least a few minutes before you can use the product on your hair.
This will help the product spread more evenly all throughout your hair. The water can help clump up the hair strands, with the product then binding these clumps together and holding them in place for when the hair dries up.
You use an incorrect hairbrush
If you have tighter curls then using a hair brush can do your curls good. But if you are someone who has loose curls, then using a hairbrush with bristles can cause your curls disruption, wherein you may lose your natural curl pattern.
Thus, maybe using a comb with wide teeth can help improve your curl pattern and make your hair clump more easily. A wide-tooth comb can also help spread your product evenly throughout your hair and can help reduce frizz to a large extent as well.
Your products are heavy/light in texture
When using a product it cannot be too heavy nor should it be too light. This is because when a product is too heavy, it can weigh down your curls and make them look very stringy. When the curls get weighed down, they begin to stand flat and the hair will lose its natural bounce.
On the other hand, using a very lightweight product can cause your hairstyle to fall apart in no time because it lacks holding power. Thus, your hair will not be able to clump too well.
While a product may work well for someone, it may not work well for you. So initially, you may have to try a few different products until you find one that works best for you.
Your haircut doesn’t let your curls clump
If you have shorter hair layers within your haircut, then it could prevent your hair strands from clumping together. Thus, your hair will tend to have many individual curls, instead of the curls falling in place to clump together.
Thus, when you get yourself a haircut, make sure to talk to the hairstylist about the cut and curl pattern you are looking for.
You do not deep condition your hair
Deep conditioning of your curls is super important and this should happen at least once a week for a good moisture balance. Yes, at least once every week! Using a good deep conditioning mask is very essential.
But what is also essential is using it the right way. So, you will have to first tilt your hair in front, saturate it well with water and let your curls clump.
Thereafter, use your deep conditioning mask on your hair, thus allowing the natural clumps to form better.
How Do You Encourage Curl Clumping?
Give your hair enough moisture
Whenever you are washing your hair, make sure your hair is soaking wet before applying any shampoo or conditioner. Always remember that the more water you let into your hair, the better your clumps will look once your hair dries.
Use the right type of products
Apart from finding the right product for yourself, one which isn’t too heavy or too light for your curls, you will also have to use products that can help clump your curls better.
Products like leave-in-conditioners, hair styling gels, mousses etc., can help form better clumps in your hair.
Use the right technique while conditioning your hair
There is a technique called “squishing” which you need to use whenever you condition your hair. This not only helps improve hydration in the hair strands, but it also helps the hair clump up perfectly.
You will have to flip your hair in front of your face, collect water in your palms and squish it into your hair right from the tips to the scalp, in sections.
Use a good quality hair gel to define your curls
Using a good quality hair gel on your hair that is damp can help you set your curls in a clump pattern that you wish to, as gels have good holding power.
Make sure your hair dries completely after its wet
Do not tie or play with your hair when it’s wet, as it can disrupt your clump formation. Let your hair air dry completely before you can touch it.
Guide your curls your way
If you wish to clump your curls in a certain way, then when it’s wet,wrap a bunch of your curls around your finger and let it set while it dries can help form better clumps.
How to Separate Curl Clumps?
While there are some curly-haired people looking for ways to get their hair to clump, there are some others who face the problem of over-clumping. This is when the curl clumps up a little too much and will then require to be separated.
When you separate your curl clumps, you need to do it the right way or else it could disturb your clumping pattern and damage your curls.
There are two easy ways you can separate your curl clumps. The first method is by simply using your fingers. All you need to do is very gently run your fingers through your hair. This is also called “finger-combing”.
Another method is where you could also use a blow dryer to help get rid of over-clumped curls. For this, you will need to spray your hair with a good heat-protectant spray.
Then, set your blow dryer on a warm setting and hold the blow dryer on a high blow setting right above your head.
When the air blow falls directly over your curls, that’s when you can use a brush or your fingers and gently run it through/in between your curls while twisting them. This can help de-clump your curls.
How to Get Smaller Curl Clumps?
Well, for those who want thinner or smaller clumps, you will have to wring out some of the excess water from your hair after you have showered so that the hair clumps that form will be thinner and smaller.
Make sure not to wring out too much water and do it in a very gentle way, failing which it can ruin your natural curl pattern completely.
The Final Takeaway
For those with curly hair, getting your curls to clump can be the best thing you can do for your curly hair. It makes for a super beautiful hairstyle as well.
Curl clumping makes the hair look super healthy and rejuvenated; while it gives the hair a pronounced shine and makes the curls have a better definition.
To get your curls to clump, you do not require any special tools or products. All you need is to tweak your regular hair care routine so that you can follow it the right way, along with using just a few good products. With this, trust me, your curly hair will form beautiful clumps!
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