Pray, Rake, Scrunch, Repeat:
Perfect Your Technique for Perfect Curls
When it comes to styling curly hair, technique is just as important as the products you use. Application is literally the key to great curls. The right method can take your curls from frizzy and undefined to smooth, bouncy, and perfectly clumped.
That’s why learning proper technique on how to apply your curly hair products using methods like shingling, rake & scrunch, and prayer hands can make all the difference. Rizos Curls, a brand known for its clean, curl-loving formulas, we’ll walk you through how to layer your products for maximum definition, moisture, and long-lasting hold. If you put in the time and do it correctly on wash day, the rest of the week will be a curly cake walk!
Wash Day is Where the Magic Begins✨
Every great curl routine begins with healthy, hydrated strands.
CLEANSE: Use the Rizos Curls Hydrating Shampoo to gently cleanse scalp and strands without stripping your curls and drying out the delicate skin on your scalp. If you have fine, thin curls, opt for Rizos Curls Biotin Shampoo. This formula helps to lengthen and strengthen thinning or fine strands without being too heavy.
CONDITION: Follow with the Rizos Curls Deep Conditioner for an intense moisture boost that helps your curls stay soft and manageable. Rizos Curls Biotin Conditioner for a lighter yet ultra moisturizing option for those finer, thinner curls.
✨EXPERT TIP: Detangle in the shower before rinsing out conditioner using your fingers, Rizos Curls Wide-tooth Styling Comb or convenient Hanging Shower Comb, then rinse with cool water to seal the cuticle.
Also, if you are noticing that your hair is dull, flat and your curl routine just isn't routining, it may not be your products but the ideal time to clarify your hair. Rizos Curls Apple Cider Vinegar Scalp & Hair Rinse is a gentle yet effective clarifying rinse that removes all the ick while restoring pH balance to your scalp with organic Apple Cider Vinegar, and enhancing radiance and shine with Black Tea Kombucha.
Clarifying you hair 1-2x a month will help defend against product residue and build up that can eventually lead to weighing down your hair making volume a challenge. Excess sebum or natural oils that collect on your scalp and strands can make hair look greasy, dirty and limp. Environmental pollutants like dust & smoke contribute to hair looking dull. A huge reason to add clarifying to your hair care routine is the need to fight against minerals from hard water that collect on your hair. The heavy metals and minerals found in tap water used to shower, can leave a film on your strands making it hard for products to adhere and beneficial ingredients to penetrate.
Prep and Protect — Leave-In Love💗
On soaking wet hair is the only way to ensure great product application. Damp or semi-dry hair just doesn't allow the products to penetrate the hair shaft and lock in the moisture that reduces frizz and imparts shine. The open cuticle of the strand lets the goodness soak in and makes it even easier to apply products evenly throughout the hair.
Rizos Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray is our tried & true lightweight leave in moisturizer and detangling spray that doubles as a curl refresher on non-wash days. This unique liqui-cream is light enough to rehydrate curls without weighing them down and won't dilute styling products during refreshing like plain water does. Rizos Curls Heat Protection Multivitamin Leave In also lends moisture but its claim to fame is the 13+ amino acids & vitamins that give a vita-boost to hair and scalp while providing heat protection during styling. Refresh & Detangle Spray and Heat Protection Multivitamin Leave In compliment eachother and can be used together to get the moisturizing, healthy hair dose and heat defense of these two multi-tasking formulas.
✨Technique Tip: Use the Rake and Scrunch Method to ensure even distribution — rake the product through your hair using your fingers from just below the root to the ends, then scrunch upward toward your roots to encourage curl formation and definition.This step locks in moisture and creates a smooth foundation for layering your styling products.
The Definition Stage: Where Curls Come Alive ☀️
Stylers are the superpower behind defintion! The next step is to layer your styler to create the definiton and shape the style you desire. Get ready to style with Rizos Curls Curl Defining Mousse, Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream or Rizos Curls Curl Custard, depending on your desired level of hold, texture and hair density( thick or thin hair). Rake & Scrunch will work here for most textures but you will want to work in sections. Depending on thickness of your hair, you will want to make 2-4 sections to make sure that all your curls get equal styler love. Apply styler to each section and scrunch, scrunch scrunch to encourage those waves and ringlets to bounce up.
If you have tighlty coiled curls, especially thick, full coils the Shingling Method may be your best bet for top tier defintion. Each curl getting its indivual TLC time. This technique gives your curls the MOST staying power for multi-day- more than a week curls. The time investment really balnces out in the end.
✨Shingling Method: Take small sections and smooth product down each curl with your fingers from root to tip. This technique separates and defines each strand, giving your curls that “sculpted” look with minimal frizz.
Lock Mode: Activated..Let's Seal The Deal!
To seal your style, extend definition and add brilliant shine with hold, finish with either the Rizos Curls Light Hold Gel for soft, touchable curls, or the Rizos Curls Strong Hold Gel for long-lasting definition and humidity resistance.
We call products like gels Companion Products as they rarely stand alone but make great companions to stylers. With this in mind, you will want to lock in the defintion and frizz control provided by your styler of choice with a glazing application of gel. Begin application by flipping your hair forward and adding a layer to each section by running product on your open palms, down the length of your hair. This styling technique is widely know as the Prayer Hands Method and is a gentle approach to product application. This method does not disrupt the curl pattern but adds a protection layer to you style to lock it all in. With the Prayer Hands Method, you will want to follow with a light upward scrunch for extra bounce and hold.
✨Prayer Hands Method: For a gentler touch, smooth the product over your hair between your palms like you’re praying. This helps flatten the cuticle, reduce frizz, and evenly coat your curls without breaking them apart. Perfect application method for companion products.
Dry Time, Fly Time — Let Those Curls Rise!
The only way to see your end result of your curly creation is see your hair completely dry. Diffuse or air dry are your options and each has its benefits.
Diffuse: Use a diffuser attachment to dry curls gently, focusing on the roots first for volume. At about 90% dry, add some Rizos Curls Volumizing Hairspray to the roots and continue to diffuse. This will give incredible root lift for added height and volume. Fluff roots once completley dry with Rizos Curls Pink Hair Pick.
Air Dry: If you prefer, let your curls air dry for a more natural finish with less volume .Once dry, scrunch out any gel cast with a drop of the Rizos Curls Nourish Oil, leaving curls soft, shiny, and defined.
The Secret’s in the Sequence —The Perfect Order for Picture-Perfect Curls
Product layering order matters for mastering the ideal waves and curls. Layering products in this order ensures your curls are moisturized, defined, and protected — without feeling heavy or greasy. When done correctly, it will give your style staying power and resist frizz to get you more days of perfect curls between wash days.
Step 1:
Leave-In – for hydration and slip
Step 2: Stylers – for definition and moisture
Step 3: Companions – for hold and longevity
Step 4: Finishers – to seal and add shine and fine tune to perfection.
Only step left is to diffuse!
Mastering your curly hair routine takes time and experimentation, but once you find the right product combination and application technique, your curls will reward you with consistent, beautiful results.With Rizos Curls, you’re not just styling your hair — you’re nourishing it. Whether you love the precision of shingling or the simplicity of rake and scrunch, these methods help you achieve healthy, defined curls that last.