STEP 1 — PRE POO & DETANGLE

Step 1a — Pre poo: Once or twice a month pre-poo hair with LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil to nourish and moisturize strands. Apply a small amount onto your hair and scalp, distributing evenly. Massage onto your scalp and leave on for 30 minutes or overnight for maximum benefits. If you do not need to detangle, move to Step 2. If you need to detangle, move to Step 1b.

Step 1b — Detangle: Saturate your hair with warm water. Then apply the LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Conditioner. Working from ends to roots finger detangle your hair slowly and carefully, section by section, to minimize damage, reduce tangles, and to diminish hair loss. Rinse thoroughly when you’ve completed detangling. Loosely twist or clip each section with a hair clip as you complete it.

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STEP 2 — CLEANSE

In shower, apply LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Shampoo to soaking wet hair section by section. Work from roots to ends to wet hair. Using your fingers or the HELLA CALMIN' Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush make small stationary, circular movements on scalp to avoid tangling. Massage vigorously for about 30 seconds as the lather builds, then rinse. If your hair has extra buildup, rinse and repeat. Follow with conditioner.

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STEP 3 — CONDITION

Step 3a — Deep conditioning: After EVERY shampoo while still in shower, massage LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Conditioner into soaking wet hair, ensuring the conditioner is evenly applied. Apply more conditioner to thirsty ends. Place a plastic cap on. Leave in while you wash and shave before rinsing so that the conditioner deeply penetrates the hair shaft. Working from ends to roots continue detangling your hair slowly and carefully, section by section with a wide-tooth comb or a flexible brush like our I THINK KNOT Detangling Brush that's made specifically for curly hair to detangle your hair to minimize damage, reduce tangles, and to diminish hair loss. Rinse completely out with warm water to keep cuticles open and to prevent product buildup. Move to Step 3b.

Pro tip: For even deeper conditioning, cover the hair in a plastic cap to retain moisture while sitting under the dryer for 30 minutes, then rinse.

Step 3b — Leave-in conditioning: For extra moisture retention, especially on your ends, rinse the LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Conditioner lightly from your hair with warm water to keep cuticles open; if needed add more after rinsing. (This is the L in the LCO method that you will complete in Step 4.) While still in the shower divide hair into smaller sections and loosely twist each section with hair clips. Place a plastic cap over hair to keep hair warm and well-saturated until you are ready to complete styling. Now your strands are primed for styling.

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STEP 4 — STYLE

Layer stylers section by section. The key to getting a good set is to coax your curls into clumping. This is easier to achieve on soaking wet hair. For super defined curls part hair into smaller sections if you did not do so in Step 3b. To help the product penetrate the shaft rather than coat it, regularly re-wet sections by spritzing or misting on warm water while layering on product. Use enough product to get definition, but not so much that you weigh strands down or leave excess residue.

— Step 4a: Define
Emulsify one or two quarter-sized dollops (a little goes a long way) of IDENTITY SHIFT Curl Defining Flaxseed Gel Cream (This is the C in the LCO method.) to define and lightly hold curls. Start at the ends, then work your way up. Note: over-saturating your roots may weigh your strands down. Clump curls using your preferred curl definition and styling technique (praying-hands, shingling, finger-raking, or Denman-brushing, etc.).

— Step 4b: Seal
Apply a thin layer of LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil (This is the O in the LCO method) to your strands.

— Step 4c: Hold
For a hold that lasts for several days apply HIGH-KEY JELLY Curl Defining Strong Hold Gel. Start at the ends, then work your way up. Note: over-saturating your roots may weigh your strands down. Clump curls using your preferred curl definition and styling technique (praying-hands, shingling, finger-raking, or Denman-brushing, etc.).

Step 4e: Dry / Set
Ensure the set of your wash and go by air-drying, diffusing, heat-drying using a hooded dryer, plopping, or banding your hair.

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STEP 5 — MAINTAIN & EXTEND

Nightly maintenance:
To prep your hair for the next day pin curl or pineapple your newly set curls.

Next-day styling:
Lightly scrunch your hair upward with a few drops of LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil between your palms. Then, lightly pick out your roots.

Daily maintenance:
Revive the shape and bounce of your second and third-day curls by misting your strands with POWER TO THE CURL Curl Primer Conditioning Spray to re-activate the stylers in your hair. Then reapply LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil to seal in the moisture and reduce any frizz.

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