My Hair Routine for Dry, Curly, Color-Treated Hair: What Actually Works for Me
Finding a dry curly color treated hair routine that actually works has taken me a lot of trial and error. My hair tends to be dry, porous and frizz-prone, and adding color into the mix means I have to be especially careful about keeping it moisturized without weighing it down.
Over time, I’ve learned that my dry curly color treated hair routine doesn’t need to be complicated. I’ve put together a hair routine that focuses heavily on moisture, gentle handling and protecting my hair from unnecessary damage.
I’m definitely not saying this is the perfect routine for everyone. This is simply what I’ve been doing with my own hair and the products that have earned a regular spot in my routine.
And I’ve genuinely noticed a difference. My hair feels softer, is easier to manage, has less frizz and my natural curls have more definition than they did before.
**This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. I only share products I actually use, love or genuinely recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.**
My Dry Curly Color Treated Hair Routine
Why I Only Fully Wash My Hair Twice a Week
One of the biggest things I’ve learned about my hair is that moisture matters.
Because my hair already tends to be dry, I don’t want to constantly strip away its natural oils. Instead of doing a full shampoo and conditioner routine every day, I typically have two full wash days per week.
But my routine actually starts before I get in the shower.
My Pre-Wash Routine
Before most wash days, I use Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask as a pre-wash treatment.
Depending on how much time I have, I’ll either put the mask on the night before and sleep with it in my hair or apply it about 1–2 hours before washing.
When I’m doing the shorter 1–2 hour treatment, I’ll also use THE BELLE LIFE Rosemary Hair Oil Scalp Treatment on my scalp.
I personally don’t leave the rosemary oil on overnight because I’ve found that it can irritate my skin when it’s left on too long. That’s one of those little things I’ve learned through trial and error—more time isn’t necessarily better for me.
The Little Tool That Makes Scalp Oil So Much Easier
One thing that used to annoy me about scalp treatments was actually getting the product onto my scalp instead of all over my hair.
Then I found a scalp serum applicator, and it’s such a simple little tool, but it makes the process so much easier.
I can apply the oil directly where I want it without pouring product everywhere or completely coating my hair in oil.
It’s one of those inexpensive hair tools I didn’t realize I needed until I started using it.
Step 1: Shampoo
On a normal wash day, I wash my hair with Pureology Hydrate Shampoo.
Because dryness is one of my biggest concerns, I gravitate toward products designed to help maintain moisture rather than leaving my hair feeling stripped.
I concentrate shampoo primarily around my scalp and roots and let it rinse through the rest of my hair.
Step 2: Conditioner
Next, I use Pureology Hydrate Conditioner.
This has become an important part of keeping my hair feeling softer and more manageable, especially because my hair is both curly and color-treated.
I’m much more focused on how my hair feels now than I used to be. If my hair starts feeling rough, tangled or straw-like, that’s usually my sign that I need to pay more attention to moisture.
Step 3: Skip the Regular Bath Towel
This was such a simple change.
I try not to rub or wrap my wet hair in a regular bath towel because wet hair is more vulnerable to breakage and rough handling can also contribute to frizz.
Instead, I use The Perfect Microfiber Towel Wrap.
It gets the excess water out of my hair without me aggressively rubbing it dry, and it’s much easier to keep wrapped around my head while I’m getting ready.
Step 4: Scalp Serum
Once I’m out of the shower, I apply Plix Hair Growth Serum directly to my scalp.
And yes—the scalp serum applicator comes back out again.
I use it to help distribute the serum directly along my scalp rather than wasting a bunch of product in the lengths of my hair.
Step 5: Leave-In Conditioner + Detangling
Next comes one of my staple products:
Pureology Color Fanatic Leave-In Conditioner & Detangling Spray.
I spray this throughout my hair before styling. Because my hair tangles easily and tends to feel dry, having a leave-in product in my routine makes a noticeable difference in how manageable it feels.
From here, my routine splits depending on what I’m doing with my hair that day.
If I’m Wearing My Hair Curly…
When I’m embracing my natural curls, I apply Amika Curl Corps Defining Cream.
The biggest thing I want from my curly-hair products is definition without making my already-dry hair feel crunchy or rough.
Since getting more consistent with this routine, I’ve noticed that my curls look more defined and my hair doesn’t feel nearly as frizzy and unmanageable as it used to.
If I’m Straightening My Hair…
When I’m going to straighten my hair, I try to air dry it as much as possible first.
My thinking is simple: if I’m already planning to use a flat iron, I don’t necessarily want to add another round of heat if I don’t have to.
Once my hair is dry, I use my ELLA BELLA Titanium Slim Flat Iron with Infrared to straighten it.
When I Don’t Have Time to Air Dry
Real life doesn’t always allow me to sit around waiting for my hair to dry.
When I need to speed things up, I use my ELLA BELLA Ionic Hair Dryer with Diffuser.
And anytime I’m intentionally using heat, I use Beachwaver Great Barrier Heat Protectant Hair Spray as part of my heat-styling routine.
Heat protection is one of those steps I don’t like skipping, especially since my hair is already color-treated and prone to dryness.
What I Do on Non-Wash Days
Here’s another thing that’s a little different about my routine:
I still wet my hair in the shower.
On non-wash days, I’ll wet my hair, condition it and skip the shampoo. Afterward, I use the Pureology Color Fanatic Leave-In Conditioner & Detangling Spray again before styling.
This lets me refresh my hair and curls without doing a complete shampoo routine every day.
For my hair, that balance has worked much better than constantly shampooing.
Twice a Month: Clarifying My Hair
Moisturizing products, leave-ins, curl creams, serums and styling products are great—but eventually I start thinking about buildup too.
About twice a month, I swap my regular shampoo for OUAI Detox Shampoo.
I use it as a clarifying shampoo to remove buildup, and then I continue with the rest of my wash-day routine.
Because clarifying shampoo can leave my already-dry hair feeling different from my normal moisturizing shampoo, I make sure I follow it with the conditioning and moisturizing steps my hair likes.
What Has Actually Changed With My Hair
I didn’t put this routine together overnight.
A lot of it has come from paying attention to how my hair responds to different products and changing things when something isn’t working. The biggest thing I’ve learned from building a dry curly color treated hair routine is that consistency matters more than using a million different products.
My biggest struggles have always been:
- Dryness
- Frizz
- Rough-feeling hair
- Keeping my curls defined
- Managing color-treated hair without making the dryness worse
- Using heat without completely working against everything else I’m doing
Since getting consistent with this routine, I’ve definitely noticed a difference in my hair.
It’s more manageable. It feels softer. I have less frizz. And when I wear my natural curls, I’m getting better curl definition.
Is my hair suddenly perfect every single day? Definitely not.
But that’s not really my goal.
I’m trying to take better care of the hair I actually have—and find products and routines that fit into my real life.
My Dry, Curly, Color-Treated Hair Routine at a Glance
Twice a week: Full wash day with my moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.
Before washing: Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask + occasionally THE BELLE LIFE Rosemary Hair Oil Scalp Treatment.
After washing: Microfiber towel wrap → Plix Hair Growth Serum → Pureology Color Fanatic Leave-In.
Curly days: Add Amika Curl Corps Defining Cream.
Straight-hair days: Air dry when possible → heat protectant → ELLA BELLA flat iron.
When I need to blow dry: ELLA BELLA Ionic Hair Dryer + heat protectant.
Non-wash days: Wet → condition → leave-in → style.
Twice a month: OUAI Detox Shampoo followed by the rest of my moisturizing wash-day routine.
The Biggest Thing I’ve Learned
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from dealing with dry, curly, color-treated hair, it’s that my hair does much better when I stop fighting what it naturally wants to do.
For me, that means prioritizing moisture, being gentler with my wet hair, protecting it when I use heat and giving my curls products that actually help them do their thing.
I’m sure this routine will continue to evolve as I try new products and learn more about my hair—and when something earns a permanent spot in my routine, you know I’ll share it.
