My hair has gotten longer lately, and I’ve found I started caring for my long curly hair slightly differently than I did when it was just a little longer than my shoulders.
If you’ve been following this blog since the start of my curly hair journey, you may know that I started the Curly Girl Method with my longest layer just above my shoulders. It grew out to about 2-3 inches below my shoulders, and I’ve maintained that length for several years.
But within the past year, I’ve decided I wanted to try growing my hair out more.
At this point, my longest layer falls at the middle of my back, which is way longer than I’ve had my hair in at least a decade (and probably longer).
With this change, I’ve had to make some modifications to my routine. I wanted to talk about those changes below!
Here are the changes I’ve made to care for my long curly hair.
General note about caring for long curly hair
One thing about the curly girl method that surprised me the most was the fact that my hair was actually easier to care for when it got longer. My shorter hair made it hard to sleep in a protective style that could be refreshed the next day, and hard to put up in general without ruining my curls.
As my hair got longer, it got easier to protect because I had more to work with. It actually seemed like it got easier in every way possible, with the exception of drying time.
And as my hair has gotten even longer, I can report that this is still true! I’ve had to make some adjustments (and styling does take a little longer), but on the whole, my longer hair has been even easier to care for than my shorter and more mid-length hair.
Styling
This has been my curly hair routine for YEARS. And for the most part, I still follow this routine, but I’ve made a few modifications now that my hair is longer.
(I would recommend looking at the linked post before continuing. The rest of this section will talk about the modifications I’ve made to that routine.)
I was having a harder time getting enough product evenly distributed throughout my entire head. So, I started applying my products in sections. I’ll apply it to the back left of my hair, the back right or my hair, the from left of my hair, the front right of my hair, then the very top of my hair.
Additionally, because I’m applying the product in a more concentrated way, I’ve found I don’t need my leave-in conditioner anymore so, I’ve cut that out entirely.
At this point, I apply about 1/2 a fingertip of curl cream, followed by about a dime-sized to nickel-sized amount of gel to each section.
It was too hard to do all of this upside down, so now I apply my products with my head upright. Then I tip my head over after all my products are in and scrunch.
I still use the praying hands technique to apply all my products, and I still use my claw clip while my hair dries to get root volume as detailed in this post.
My hair does take a little longer to style now, but it looks even better and more frizz-free than it has in the past! If I didn’t do sweaty workouts regularly, I could probably stretch my washdays even farther than I used to.
Working out
I talked about how to workout with curly hair in this post.
I mostly do the same thing, but now instead of wearing my hair in a ponytail on top of my head, I wear it in a bun on the top of my head.
My longer hair was hitting my face, temples, and neck more. So it was getting sweatier and frizzier and my curls weren’t holding up as well in my post-workout refresh.
I was hesitant to try the bun, because in the past, this has crushed and kinked my curls. But to my surprise, they held up wonderfully! My hair actually looks to be in better condition post-workout now than it has ever been!
Sleeping
I’ve been sleeping with my hair in a ponytail on top of my head, as depicted in this post, since my hair was long enough to pile onto the top of my head.
This much hasn’t changed that much, but I’m not pulling my hair even farther forward.
I’ll likely end up shifting to a bun as it continues to get longer. I haven’t quite reached this point yet, but I wanted to mention it here because I think I’m trending in that direction.
Cut
I’ve also changed how I cut my hair. Now that my hair is getting longer, I’m letting my layers get longer too.
In the past, I’ve cut my hair with my top/shortest layer landing around my ear. This gave me the volume on top that I really loved.
Now that my hair’s gotten longer, I find I like my layers longer, so my hair has a little more shape and volume all the way around. These days, the root volume I’ve gotten from my claw clip is enough for me.
I’ve also found that I haven’t needed to cut my hair as often. I think this is because of the way I’m applying my products.
My personal theory is that by sectioning my hair, I’m getting more product throughout my hair. This is likely both providing and locking in more moisture. This is keeping my hair in better condition.
I’m writing this article in mid-February of 2022. The last time I cut my hair was at the beginning of October 2021.
By now, I should be due for another cut, but from the looks of my hair, I’ve got at least another month or two before I’ll likely have to think about that.
(And I know I’ve been promising a post on how to cut your curly hair for a while. It’s coming, I swear. I’ve just been refining my technique and experimenting with a couple of different approaches. Since I only cut my hair a few times a year, my practice time is limited and I want to make sure I have good info to share!)
Looking for more guidance on your curly hair journey?
For beginners
If you’re new to curly hair care and looking for some help, you should check out the No-Stress Guide to Curly Hair Care!
After spending two years learning and caring for my curly hair, I wanted to create my own, in-depth guide to help fellow curlies create incredible curls in the easiest way possible.
It took me a while, but I eventually found an approach that helped me create a curly hair routine that fits into my life in the simplest way possible. And now I want to help you do the same!
For more intermediate/advanced guidance
If you’ve been on your curly hair journey for a while but still have some struggles, check out Curly Hair Problems!
After spending hours scouring the internet looking for solutions to my own curly hair problems, I found myself wishing for an easier, more comprehensive guide to the most common problems.
So that’s what I created!
Curly Hair Problems offers you 78 total solutions to the five most common curly hair care problems, including frizz, curl clumps, limp curls, product issues, and scalp issues.
Sound off: How do you care for your long curly hair? Tell us about it in the comments. And be sure to tell us a little about your hair type!