How to Prevent Wonky Curls & Get Perfect Curls

Do your curls end up wonky, meaning they’re misshaped and form an unusual pattern? I’m sharing the causes of this and solutions to get more even ringlets or waves and enhance your curl definition.

Cause #1: Hair is not wet enough

Solution: Mist hair with water as you’re styling 

Step 1: Apply stylers to clean, wet hair

For my styling products, I first use a curl cream for moisture and to help clump the curls such as the AG Re:Coil which helps improve curl retention and clump the curls.

Then I section my hair and use the AG Liquid Effects Gel. Gel is essential for creating definition and holding the curl shape in place. Ensure you’re evenly applying your gel and taking it all the way to the roots, avoiding the scalp. If we don’t apply products to our roots, the hair there will be naked and it may not be as defined since products help to enhance the curl shape.

Cause #2: No styling technique used

Solutions: Use curl-enhancing techniques to encourage curl formation

While there is nothing wrong with just leaving your curls as is and you totally can if you prefer the way they currently look, then you can go straight to drying your hair. 

However, if you’re struggling with wonky-shaped curls and you want to enhance them further, you can use styling techniques such as brush styling and finger coiling.

Step 2: Use a styling technique

I prefer to do a combination of both on my curls for maximum definition. While my hair is in sections, I use a brush to define the curls. This will help encourage the curl formation because it’s applying light tension.

Cause #3: Brush styling incorrectly or in the wrong direction

Solutions: Determine the direction of your natural curl pattern and adjust the angle of your brush if needed.

This may be one of the biggest causes of wonky curls, and that’s brush styling incorrectly, usually due to not holding your brush correctly or going in the wrong direction.

I have an entire video on troubleshooting brush styling where I cover this in more detail, but a lot of it is just trial and error.

You can either brush style vertically or horizontally. When brush styling vertically, you can curl in the direction towards your face or away from your face. Your curls may change direction and alternate. If a section doesn’t curl, try the other direction until it does.

When brush styling horizontally, you can turn your wrist under or over. Try both and see which one results in the best curls. Horizontal sections usually lead to wonky curls for me because my curls often will alternate directions, and the horizontal method curls them all in the same direction.

It’s also common for curls to change direction. This can happen when curls are still damaged and recovering. Overall, don’t stress about it and just pick a direction. When my curls are really turning out weird in each direction, I will just finger coil instead. 

Reminder, curls don’t have to be perfect! These techniques are just to help you out with problem areas. You don’t even have to do your entire head.

Cause #4: Plopping and scrunching

Solutions: Skip scrunching altogether or skip plopping and try microplopping instead. Pay close attention to how the hair is being pressed up when scrunching. 

Cause #5: Air drying before diffusing

Solutions: Diffuse right away until your gel cast sets and the curl shape forms, then finish air drying if needed or diffuse until fully dry.

This next cause of wonky, misshaped curls is a simple switch you can make in your routine that makes the biggest difference. If you let your hair start to dry before you diffuse, then you’re not going to have as much shrinkage and your curls may dry wonky. 

If you prefer a more elongated look, then you can air dry first. However, if you like to enhance your shrinkage, then you need to start diffusing right away. 

When you air dry and then try and change the shape after during diffusing, you will notice your curls don’t spring up and that’s because they’re already set.

Step 3: Diffuse until dry

It’s important to understand how the hydrogen bonds in our hair work. These bonds are responsible for the curl pattern or the shape and structure of our hair. They temporarily break when our hair becomes wet, and that’s why the hair becomes longer and straightens out when it’s wet, and they reform when our hair dries and that’s why our curls spring back up.

Diffusing improves curl definition because it sets those hydrogen bonds quicker so the curls retain their shape, especially when using a gel that forms a cast. Once the cast forms, you really can’t change the shape or shrink the hair up more.

If you want to encourage shrinkage to enhance your curls, you will need to scrunch your curls upwards in the diffuser while it’s drying. While hovering your diffuser may reduce frizz, if you only hover it will not increase shrinkage unless you place your hair over a surface or cup your hair as it starts to dry.

Cause #6: Curls incorrectly placed in the diffuser bowl

Solutions: Pay attention to how your hair settles in your diffuser

Another one of the top reasons for wonky curls is diffusing improperly or the way that you’re placing each section into your diffuser bowl. 

One other tip is to turn off your hair dryer, then place your section in carefully, and then turn it back on. This is called the “pixie diffusing” technique and helps reduce frizz and wonky curls.

If you’re short on time and need to run, I recommend finishing with air drying but you want to make sure you feel a cast on your hair and you like how your curl shape looks. Once this is set in place, you can finish air drying. It’s better to diffuse for 5-10 minutes first and then to air dry the whole time. 

The bottom line is diffusing gives you more control over how your curls turn out.

How to fix a wonky curl after diffusing

Have you ever gotten a wonky curl after diffusing? It’s common and can be fixed if it’s bothering you. Grab the curl and lightly mist it with water, but don’t saturate it. Redefine it with a brush or finger coil until the curl shape is corrected. Then, diffuse it for a few seconds to set the shape. You can try air drying, but it could become misshaped.

If it’s still wonky, don’t worry about it! Curls are going to be imperfect.

Cause #7: Curls are damaged or are over moisturized

Solutions: Use products with protein and/or bond-building ingredients

If your curls are damaged or if they are over-moisturized, they won’t hold their usual shape and won’t bounce up. Damage from heat, bleach, etc. weakens the structure of the hair which can cause it to lose its shape.

Also, if you are using products that are too heavy for your hair type or overusing deep conditioner, you could be over-moisturizing your hair. Over-moisturized hair is limp, doesn’t bounce back, and can even feel gummy.

Incorporate products with protein in your routine such as using a gel that contains protein ingredients, or using a deep conditioner with protein 1-4 times per month. Proteins help provide structure to the hair. 

Bond-repairing products are similar in that they strengthen the hair but they also repair damage from the inside.

Cause #8: You need a trim

Solutions: Get trims regularly to maintain curl shape. Shorter hair will bounce up more.

Whether you have damage or your hair is healthy, if you’re overdue for a trim your curls may not spring up like normal. Curls can appear straighter on the ends and not be defined when they are damaged. Get frequent trims to maintain bouncy ends and evenly defined curls.

Reminder: curls are naturally wonky sometimes

Remember, curls are going to vary in shape and size, and can even change direction naturally. Embrace the natural texture that you have and incorporate these tips here and there if you want to further enhance your natural pattern.

For more help, watch my video on How to Get Curlier Roots if you’re struggling with getting curls at the top.