6 Scary Habits that are Haunting your Curls

Spooky season is officially here, and while we are all for a good fright, the scariest thing you encounter this October definitely shouldn't be your hair routine. If your beautiful texture is suddenly feeling dry, breaking off, or just not thrilling you the way that you’d like, the call might be coming from inside the house.

We have all picked up a few unhelpful routines over the years, but it is never too late to reset. Let's break down the six most common curly mistakes and how to gently fix them so you can enjoy your healthiest curls yet.

1. The Terry Cloth Terror (Rough Towel-Drying)

Rubbing your hair with a standard cotton bath towel roughs up the delicate hair cuticle and instantly creates friction. This pulls moisture right out of your strands.

• The Fix: Swap the heavy bath towel for an old, soft cotton t-shirt or a microfiber towel to gently squeeze the excess water out of your hair.

2. Creating Buildup Your Scalp With Heavy Butters

We grew up thinking textured hair needed the heaviest ingredients possible. But slathering on heavy coconut oil or shea butter weighs down your curls and actually causes an itchy, irritated product buildup on the scalp. For some, these heavy ingredients even cause forehead breakouts, forcing you to sacrifice great skin days for great hair days.

• The Fix: Choose breathable, lightweight hydration that absorbs easily into the hair shaft instead of just sitting on top of it. We highly recommend swapping those heavy butters for our Ocoa Hydrating Curl Cream. It uses lighter, high-quality alternatives like mango butter to soften dry hair without leaving your curls greasy or weighed down.

3. The Heat Panic (Over-Manipulating With Hot Tools)

Because of the historical "pelo malo" stigma, many of us watched the women in our families rely on relaxers, curlers, or intense blowouts to assimilate to straight hair standards. Constantly reaching for the flat iron or hot tools out of frustration just leads to severe heat damage and breakage over time.

• The Fix: Set down the straightener and embrace your beautiful natural texture so your strands can heal. If you do occasionally reach for styling tools, preserve your curl pattern by keeping temperature settings strictly under 300 degrees fahrenheit.

4. The Dry Detangle Massacre

Ripping a brush or comb through dry curls is a guaranteed way to cause mechanical damage and snap your strands.

• The Fix: Patience! Always wait until wash day. Only detangle when your hair is completely soaked in warm water and saturated with a slippery, hydrating conditioner.

5. High-Tension Hairstyles

We love a sleek look, but slicking your hair back into a super tight bun or ponytail every single day places massive stress on your edges and roots. Over time, this constant pulling can lead to thinning and traction alopecia.

• The Fix: Give your scalp a break. Alternate your sleek styles with loose, low-manipulation days to let your roots breathe.

6. Skipping Your Trims

Holding onto dead, stringy ends just to keep your length will ultimately haunt you. When ends split, that damage travels right up the hair shaft, causing more breakage and making detangling a nightmare.

• The Fix: Regular "dustings" or trims every few months keep your shape fresh and ensure your ends stay thick and healthy.

If reading through this list feels a little overwhelming, don't worry hermana. Curly hair isn't perfect, and neither are you! These are only suggestions because we always want to have your back and make you feel the absolute most confident in your curls as possible. 

Don't let a few bad habits spook you this season. Give yourself some grace, treat your hair to a little extra love, and go enjoy all the fun and frights that Halloween has to offer.

Ready to drop the scary habits and discover your simplified routine? Grab our Travel Kit to experience our clean, lightweight hydration on the go! It has everything you need to keep your natural texture moisturized and bouncy no matter where the season takes you. Add to cart at ocoabeauty.com and treat yourself to the healthy curls you deserve this Halloween.