Routine capillaire bouclée pour débutantes : le guide complet étape par étape

You've just decided to embrace your natural curls—congratulations! But with dozens of products, techniques, and unfamiliar terms (co-wash? scrunch? LOC?), it's easy to feel lost. Good news: a good curly hair routine can be learned. And it's much simpler than you think.

Here's the guide you wish you had from the start.

Before you start: understand your curls

Curly hair has a different structure than straight hair. The natural sebum produced by the scalp has difficulty traveling down the hair shaft, making curls naturally drier. The golden rule is simple: hydration above all.

First, identify your curl type according to the international classification:

• Type 2 (A, B, C): wavy to very wavy
• Type 3 (A, B, C): curly to coily
• Type 4 (A, B, C): kinky to very kinky

This classification will help you adapt products and quantities to your actual curls.

Step 1: Washing — cleansing without stripping

The first rule: ban sulfate shampoos. Sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate, SLES) strip natural sebum and leave curls dry and frizzy. Opt for a gentle sulfate-free shampoo, called low-poo.

How to wash correctly?

1. Wet hair thoroughly with lukewarm water (never hot)
2. Apply shampoo only to the scalp
3. Massage with fingers in circular motions, without rubbing the lengths
4. Let the lather glide down the lengths when rinsing—that's enough
5. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water

💧 Azayan's Wake Curl Shampoo, with eucalyptus and sea salt, deeply cleanses without stripping curls.

Recommended frequency: 1 to 2 times a week. Curly hair does not need to be washed every day.

Step 2: Conditioner — basic hydration

Conditioner is not optional. For curls, it's a fundamental treatment that hydrates, detangles, and prepares the lengths for styling.

How to apply it?

1. Gently wring out hair (never rub)
2. Apply conditioner from mid-lengths to ends
3. Detangle with fingers or a wide-tooth comb, starting from the ends up to the roots
4. Leave on for 2 to 5 minutes
5. Rinse with cold water to seal the cuticles

💧 Azayan's Nourish Curl Conditioner, with cactus and aloe vera, provides the deep hydration curls crave.

Step 3: Styling — defining and setting curls

This is the step everyone looks forward to. It should always be done on wet hair—never on dry hair. Curls define themselves in humidity.

The right order for beginners:

A. The activating cream (leave-in) On still-wet hair, apply an activating cream section by section, scrunching the strands from bottom to top. This action awakens and shapes each curl.

💧 Azayan's Define Curl Cream, with Damask jasmine, nourishes the lengths while activating definition.

B. The setting gel Over the cream, apply a gel to seal the curls and ensure hold. Immediate result: a slight "crunch" effect—this is normal, it disappears when dry.

💧 Azayan's Lock Curl Hold Gel, with white musk, sets curls without making them stiff.

Step 4: Drying — respecting the curls

What to absolutely avoid:

• Classic terrycloth towel (creates frizz)
• Hair dryer without a diffuser
• Touching hair while drying

What to do:

• Gently wring out with a microfiber towel or an old cotton t-shirt
• Air dry, or use a diffuser on low heat
• Do not touch hair until completely dry
• Once dry, "break" the gel cast by gently scrunching curls in hand

The next day routine

No need to start from scratch in the morning. To revive curls between washes:

1. Lightly dampen with a water spray
2. Apply a very small amount of curl activating cream
3. Scrunch and let dry

Key takeaways

An effective curly hair routine boils down to 4 words: cleanse, moisturize, define, preserve. With the right products and a little patience, your curls will reveal their true beauty.

Discover the complete Azayan routine — 4 products formulated in Morocco for Mediterranean curls. See the collection →