About two months ago, I broke up with hot tools and cut off more than 10 inches of my hair to revive my natural curls, which fell victim to heat damage. While I thought the trickiest part would be getting used to my new shoulder-length bob , it was actually adapting to an entirely new hair-care routine that was difficult. For the first time in my life, I'd actually have to care about the products I put on my hair instead of using whatever shampoo I got for free at work. And as much as I thought perfect, bouncy curls were all about the styling products you put on after you shampoo, I learned that that pre-care is crucial.