I love curly hair. Heck I used to have some seriously long, curly hair back in the 80s. It can look great and it can look ridiculous depending on how it’s cut, how it’s styled and what products you use to finish the hair. Here in Seattle due to the constantly shifting weather (rainy, kind of rainy, overcast damp and soon to be rainy etc…) curly hair can be extremely challenging to keep smoothed out or straightened. No one wants to spend a half hour pulling their curl out into a coifed, brushed style only to have it explode into a giant frizz ball five minutes out of the door so over the years I’ve learned a thing or two about how to cut curls right so you can wear your curly hair curly and love it.
If you don’t cut layers, curly hair can easily grow into to either a mushroom or a Christmas tree depending on the length. If you do cut in layers however, it’s easy to end up with big chunky stair steps in your hair cut that just look silly. Texturizing (thinning hair by sliding the scissors or using a razor to remove bulk while maintaining length) can be helpful but if a stylist misjudges the amount to be removed or the starting texture of the hair it can be a disaster leaving the hair either frizzy, too thin on the bottom or both.
I’ve found that as with all my cuts, the right curly cut always begins with the right consultation. It’s important for your stylist to really sit down with you and understand your hair goals, what’s worked for you in the past and what you can’t stand. Once that’s established, a real understanding of the different types of curl is critical. Asian curly hair, Indian curly hair and Caucasian curly hair can all ad layers of nuance to the way a cut needs to be approached. Being able to “feel” the density and natural growth direction are other crucial factors. For this reason, it’s even more important that a person with curly hair be sure to ask for a stylist who has been cutting hair for many years. I’ve been cutting hair for 17 years now and feel like I’m only now really understanding the flow of curly hair on a truly intuitive level. Curly hair just doesn’t do well with a “best guess” approach so be sure your stylist knows it, likes it and has cut a lot of curly hair before you let them pick those scissors up. Most stylists offer free consultations so don’t be shy about asking to meet and ask a few questions first.
For styling, I recommend a professional styling creme as opposed to a spray, mousse or gel. While everyone has their own preferences, I find that often times those products are more likely to flake, make the hair feel too “crunchy” or simply offer insufficient frizz control. My favorite creme and the one I retail in my salon is Alterna Texturizing Glaze. This amazing product featuring hemp seed oil, organic botanicals and the best UVA/UVB sun and heat protection on the market leaves your curls feeling soft and bouncy with lovely definition and minimized frizz. Other cremes I like are Sabatian’s “Potion 9” and Bumble and Bumble’s “Curl Conscious.” Once you have your favorite creme worked through roots to ends, gently diffuse your hair (with a diffuser on the end of your blow dryer) with your head upside down for 3-7 minutes depending on length and density. Squeeze your hair as you go. Do not run your fingers through it. The second best option is just letting the hair air dry but this will often lead to frizziness later in the day as the water weight left in your hair will pull the curl out. Lastly (and most importantly) once your hair is dried to where you want it do not run your fingers through your hair… at all… ever. Running fingers through set curls will inevitably pull out the curl and frizz the hair.
Whichever way you decide to go with your curly hair in Seattle I recommend keeping it curly. It’s easier for you, it’s easier on your hair and in my opinion, makes for a sensational look!
Hair By Joey – Curly Blog from Joefurlan1 on Vimeo.
