I Wore My 4C Curls Out On Vacation For The First Time In 13 Years — Here’s My Routine

When I went natural 13 years ago, there was an extreme learning and acceptance curve I had to weave through. I didn’t know my hair texture for the first couple of years because I always stretched it with flexi rods. However, at some point, I decided it was time to get to know my coily, shrink-prone type 4 curls sans manipulation. It became cumbersome to wash, condition, roll my hair on the rods, and dry it for hours, all to make my coils reminiscent of the loose curly YouTubers I watched, because I didn’t think coils that sprang from my scalp were beautiful.

After making that choice, I learned to love my tightly wound curls, especially after my first curly hair cut. Giving my hair a shape made styling much easier and helped me look in the mirror and love the voluminous curly ’fro I saw. So, I thought my hair self-acceptance journey was over.

Well, until I looked back at my travel photos over the last 13 years. I noticed that my hair was always in braids when I traveled. Vacation braids felt like self-love and liberation, whether it was Fulani braids or itty bitty cornrows, reminiscent of Beyoncé during her Destiny’s Child days.

As I dug deeper into the why, I realized it’s because I still feel my tight curls can be challenging and too much to deal with on vacation. I’ve written countless stories about accepting my curls with their kinks and shrinkage. Still, I have work to do to undo the messaging about my hair that started at age 3, hearing over and over again how difficult my “nappy” hair was and my parents even being made to pay double at the salon for my press and curl.

After these moments of introspection, I knew it was time to wear my curls out for my upcoming two-week cruise across the Mediterranean. Here’s what I learned and how it went.

Wash Day

Wash day used to be an all-day adventure, but I’ve cut it down to about a two-hour venture from washing to drying. However, as I embarked on the Viking Star cruise ship and sailed the Mediterranean for 13 days, I wanted to swim in the heated outdoor pool that overlooked the ocean as we sailed. But I did mental gymnastics about whether this was worth the hassle of spending a couple of hours daily on my hair. Swimming is healing for my mental health, and with zero access to a pool at home, I decided it was worth every second.

After my first swim, I quickly realized the chlorine had zapped every ounce of moisture out of my hair. It felt like straw. Luckily, I’d brought along my go-to holy grail pre-poo, Hair Rituel by Sisley Paris Restructuring Nourishing Hair Balm, and smoothed it into each strand before getting my laps in the next time I went for a dip in the pool. Ebony Bomani, Pattern brand educator and stylist, says this step is a pre-swim essential.

“Applying a light oil or conditioner as a pre-poo adds an extra barrier of protection,” Bomani tells TZR. She also says wetting your hair with clean water first helps reduce how much salt or chlorine your coils and curls absorb. “I also recommend braiding or twisting your hair to minimize tangling and breakage while swimming. Not with extensions, but your own hair,” she says.

Replenishing moisture after each swim was a process, starting with Cécred's Hydrating Shampoo. The hyaluronic-acid-infused formula imbues my hair with moisture from the first sud, making it a breeze to detangle as I cleanse because the formula has such great slip. My hair immediately felt less strawlike and soft to the touch. I also use Amika’s Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Shampoo to keep my blond from going brassy.

To Condition Or Not To Condition?

Since the chlorine dried my curls, wouldn’t my strands need deep conditioning after each swim? Bomani says no. “Deep conditioning every single day is too much, as it can overmoisturize coils, leading to buildup and/or possibly breakage.” So, instead of intensive treatments, she recommends using a lighter conditioner every two to three days to maintain moisture, followed by a leave-in.

I alternated between Cécred’s Moisturizing Deep Conditioner (this comes in a travel size) and K18’s Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask. Using K18 cut at least 20 minutes off my wash day because it acted as a conditioner and a leave-in. With each of these, I used Pattern’s steamer to work the treatments into my hair for ultimate hydration.

Bomani recommends bringing a steamer on your trip. “Steam helps rehydrate and soften curls without the use of products,” she explains. Since I swam frequently, she suggested using steam two to three times a week for up to 15 minutes per day while on vacation, being mindful of how that makes my hair feel so I can make adjustments if needed.

What To Look For In Stylers

My first wash day on the cruise left a lot to be desired. My hair had great hold but felt like ramen noodles and looked like a coily helmet. First, I need to figure out which formula has the best ingredients for holding up in rain, humidity, et cetera, without making my hair crunchy and stiff. Bomani recommends aloe vera, glycerin (if the humidity isn’t too high), panthenol, and natural oils like avocado or argan. “These help attract and seal in moisture while protecting against environmental stressors,” she explains.

Product Layering 101

After two washes, I felt like I couldn’t get this right. Had trying to wear my curls out been one big mistake? Maybe? But I didn’t get frustrated; I saw this as the ultimate experience to help me figure out what my hair needed. I just had to get the layering down.

“Layering is your secret weapon against humidity and frizz,” Sharley Viola, associate director of brand and product education at Curlsmith, tells TZR. For type 4 curls, she recommends using products in this order: leave-in conditioner, a gel like Curlsmith’s Frizz Rescue Curl Retainer for a medium hold and frizz control, or for strong hold, the Curl Defining Styling Soufflé. She also suggests misting coils with a finishing hairspray. Hairspray isn’t typically in the convo when it comes to coily hair, but after using Bounce Curl’s Hairspray and getting longer wear out of my wash day without drying out my curls, I’m a fan.

My Final Styling Product Lineup

After the trial and error, I landed on the following product lineup: Cécred's Moisture Sealing Lotion as a leave-in, AG Hair’s Re:coil: Curl Activator (on sunny days), Innersense I Create Hold (on humid/rainy days), and Pattern Palo Santo Curl Mousse to lock everything in. I worked with each of these wet products with a tool that really came through with detangling and product distribution: Balmain Hair’s Detangling Spa Brush. While I use separate brushes at home for detangling and styling, this one does it all, which helped streamline my packing. Then, I finished my dry hair with Curlsmith Bonding Oil and Bounce Curl Hairspray.

How To Dry Coils On The Go

With coils, I have been advised to try my hair under a hooded dryer because it sets curls and helps wash-and-gos last. But the hooded blow-dryer attachments flattened my hair and dried it unevenly. So I knew diffusing was my best bet, but my hair was still so frizzy. That’s because I was drying it at the highest heat and speed. Both Bomani and Viola tell TZR that high speed and heat are no-nos.

“High heat and speed can rough up the cuticle, so gentle diffusing is key — just be patient and let the curls set,” Bomani shares. “However, if you’re tight on time and need to dry faster, use high heat and low speed. Just be sure that your hair is well-hydrated, conditioned, and protected.”

My Nighttime Routine

Now, let's move on to the simple part of this entire process. I band each section before I secure it under a satin turban. I band with scrunchies, like Bread’s Bread-Puff: Hair & Wrist Mini Scrunchie Set and Crown Affair’s The Silk Scrunchie No. 001 Set. Both are comfortable to wear, don’t snag or tangle my coils, and keep their shape after multiple nights of rest.

This method helps keep my hair stretched and is the best way to take my hair down in the morning so I can see what curls might need a little fluffing. I’ll add a touch of Hair Rituel by Sisley Paris’ Curl Care Cream to the ends because the formula adds moisture and revives curls without flaking.

Taking the time to do this on a two-week vacation was a giant beauty experiment that I had a great time with, and now I get to take that learning with me on the next one. I love being able to flex between braids and my curls, but I never want to lean into the negative messaging I’ve carried around my entire existence about my hair being too challenging to manage. Is it dense? Yup! Does it need lots of moisture, which means more care in my routine? Of course. But I proved my 4C curls are manageable and poppin’ even across the pond in the rain and humidity and drenched in chlorine.