If you're a curly girl like me (when it comes to letting your hair do the work), you're always looking for new products, routines, and tricks (opens in new tab) to get your curls the way you want them. A good day of curls (open in new tab) is bouncy, healthy, and super cute, but the problem is, you never know what your hair will look like after a shower. The slightest change, like using a new shampoo or hair towel, can completely change my curl pattern. (Opens in a new tab) One day my curls are gorgeous and defined, the next day they are a mess. Sometimes my hair looks moisturized and healthy, other times my curls look too thirsty and slowly die. My hair is a minefield.

Now that I know more than I did when I first started my journey to understand curly hair, what I crave is consistency. I've swapped towels for T-shirts, eliminated sulfates, bought expensive silk hair ties, but something is still missing: a cult-favorite curl-styling method called the LOC Method is saving people's hair. If your current routine isn't working, here's everything you need to know about these three little letters: l.o.c.

Repeat after me: leave-in, oil, cream. Yes, LOC is an acronym for the steps a curly-haired woman should take when styling her hair after washing. Just as the proper order of skin care ingredients (open in new tab) is always debated (hint: sunscreen should always be used last), so is the proper order of hair products that keep curls looking their best.

The LOC method is especially appropriate for curls that are dry and absorb a lot of product. Hair is a porous material, so layering hair products in a specific order is very important. Even shower water soaked into the hair can affect the curl's response to washing.

Some new products, such as Aquis PreWash (opens in new tab), are designed to be applied to the hair before the shower to reduce the amount of water that seeps into the hair. following the order outlined in the LOC method will help maximize the effectiveness of the products

LOC is a product of the LOC method.

The "L" in LOC stands for leave-in conditioner, sometimes described as "liquid" in some places. Its benefits are twofold: first, it provides the moisture that many curls crave. In other words, it is very important to give your hair a T.L.C. Second, leave-in conditioners often act like a detangling spray. Not all curls can be brushed out when the hair is wet, but leave-in conditioner makes it easier to run your fingers through each strand so that you don't end up with a giant knot somewhere in your hair.

After showering, start using leave-in when hair is still wet. When spraying leave-in conditioner, it is important to thoroughly coat each strand of hair. Whether you comb with white teeth, a brush, or just your fingers, make sure that no part of the hair is not covered with conditioner. Sectioning and application is easy if you use alligator clips to secure a section of hair. Once the entire head is done, it is time for the "O."

If you are serious about moisturizing your hair, chances are you already have a hair oil. While it's hard to overuse leave-in conditioners, oil can quickly turn your hair from "moist" to "grease ball." Oil is great for locking the leave-in conditioner you put on first into your hair, adding extra moisture, and protecting your hair from pollutants and that dreaded bad guy, humidity.

To avoid over-applying oil, take a small amount in your palms, rub together, and apply oil sparingly to the ends of your hair, where signs of hair damage and dehydration are most likely to occur. If you feel you need more to coat your hair, continue with a little more. Not all hair oils are created equal. It is important to determine what your hair prefers and how much hydration it needs. When in doubt, less is more.

It may seem excessive, but after the leave-in conditioner and hair oil, there is one last step: the last step of the LOC method, the cream, whose purpose is to revitalize the curls and calm them down to their most bouncy and best condition. The cream not only locks in the moisture given to the hair in the previous two steps, but also creates additional definition.

Once again, part the hair and apply a small amount of cream to each section. As with the oil, it is important to start with a small amount and apply the appropriate amount until you are satisfied. The amount of product will depend on the degree of dryness of the hair, the porosity of the hair, and the length of the hair.

Once the cream is worked throughout the hair, allow the hair to dry naturally or use a diffuser; once you learn how to LOC, you won't have to worry about when to do it next.