We get it – your curls are tough. They’ve been through a lot, but they’re still standing (maybe a little stiffer than before). But even the toughest cookie needs some tender loving curl care. If your ends are split and your strands are snapping like straw, we’ve got some serious damage control to do. No stress babe, we’ve got you!

Damaged hair is an issue that shows up all over your head, from your scalp to your ends. But first, let’s take a closer look at your curls. Each individual strand of hair on your pretty head is protected by an outer layer of cuticles that overlap like the scales of a mermaid’s tail. Think of these cuticles as your curls’ battle armour. When your hair comes under attack by nasty chemicals and colouring, sizzling heat styling or harsh sunlight, this armour acts as a moisture-locking shield.

At their best, the cuticles lay stubbornly flat against the hair shaft to lock in precious moisture and keep the heat out, strengthening the hair and giving it the smooth shine we all yearn for. But they can only take so many blows, and after heavy stress the cuticles just can’t hold on any longer. They begin to weaken, break and eventually lift up, surrendering to the attack and exposing the vulnerable core of the hair shaft to snapping point. Moisture escapes through the open cracks, leaving your hair looking dull, dry and defeated. 

What causes curl damage?

There are a number of factors that can damage your precious curls, babe. Here are three major curl-prits:

• Weather: The heat and harmful UV rays from the sun sucks out precious moisture from your hair, weakening the natural pigment needed to filter out the light radiation and prevent it from penetrating the hair shaft. The same goes for swimming – you might love the beach babe look, but chlorine and salt water wreak havoc on your hair if you’re not using the right products to protect it.
• Damage from styling: Much like the sun, but closer to home. Heat styling is a one-way ticket to frazzled and fried hair. Colouring and chemical styling works like this: First, the chemicals weaken the hair shaft. Then, they break down the pigment. This causes your cuticles to swell, and eventually alters the very structure of your hair. That’s thirsty work for your curls to deal with.
• Wrong products: When choosing products for your curls, it’s time to get picky. There’s no point using a volume-boosting shampoo for your curls if they’re also dry and damaged. Find a nutrient-rich and moisture-locking conditioner to revive your curls from the inside out. They’ll be back to their rambunctious and rebellious selves in no time.  

How can I save my damaged curls?

Dull, dry and defeated curls? Not on our watch! This is where our Curl Heroes swoop in to transform your curls from sizzled straw to smooth silk before you can say Hydroxypropyl Gluconamide. You might like to turn to:

02 Conditioner

Made with baobab oil and cupuaçu butter to keep your curls as soft as a babe’s bum, the 02 Conditioner contains sweet orange essential oil and other citrusy scents for wash day bliss. It also contains yucca plant extract, a natural and gentle cleanser perfect for co-washing dry and damaged hair.

• Use it as a moisturising conditioner: Keep your hair soaking wet and drizzle water as you apply to keep the moisture locked into the hair. Leave in for a minute or two. Be gentle when teasing out the tangles. Rinse and finish.
• Use it as a deeper treatment for damaged hair: Repeat the above and leave in your hair for longer. Turn up the music. Sing along. Steam up the bathroom and let the steam work its magic in your hair. For thicker curls, rinse out and keep some in for a leave-in. For finer curls, rinse out completely.
• Use it as a co-wash: Use just like you would a shampoo. Give yourself a dreamy scalp massage. Rinse out to remove product buildup, but retain moisture. 

05 Curl Mask

Let’s get deep, babe. Formulated with fancy fiberhance to penetrate the hair shaft to strengthen, repair and restore your curls, the 05 Curl Mask contains moisture-boosting shea butter and nutrient-rich baobab oil work together to nourish, soften and hydrate. A match made in curl heaven.

Apply on dripping wet hair after cleansing. Use your pretty fingers to detangle or comb through. Wait at least 15 minutes before rinsing out. For some extra love and a deeper treatment, wrap with plastic and cover with a hot towel. If your curls are dry and damaged, leave some of the mask in to act as a leave-in. Keep diluting with water when rinsing instead of rinsing out completely. You can even use it for each wash instead of a normal conditioner for dry and damaged curls.

What are some of the best ingredients for damaged hair?

You would be surprised how many there are! For us, we would have to go with the following three:

Fiberhance

Sounds fancy? Well, it is. This active ingredient works at a molecular level to penetrate deep into the hair cortex, creating new hydrogen and ionic bonds that support and restore the internal keratin structure. Building up the inner strength of the hair fibre, it works from the inside out to repair damaged hair and bring back the power to the curl.

Baobab oil

There’s a reason why this superhero ingredient features in all five of our products. Extracted from the seeds of the fruit that blooms on the majestic Madagascan baobab tree, the nutrient-rich Baobab oil has been used by people for centuries for its deep conditioning qualities. 

Cupuaçu butter

Moisture-rich and filled with fatty acids, butters are a curl’s best friend. But not all butters were created equal. Cupuaçu is an Amazonian superfruit, and the butter pressed from the seeds is one of nature’s most powerful moisturisers.

With healing hydrophilic (water-loving) properties that lock in moisture and a whole alphabet of vitamins and antioxidants to feed your hair with nature’s goodness, this butter will banish breakages.