I have been working under a curl specialist for about a year and a half now. Growing up with curly hair and not knowing how to deal with it is one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to embracing your curlz. Whether I was behind the chair or in the chair, Jesse has taught me a number of things that would have made my curl journey a whole lot smoother. Here are seven things that I have learned while working for a curl specialist:
1. Different styling methods change the resulting curl pattern.
Although it may seem obvious, I did not realize that the various styling methods that I have seen actually resulted in a visually different outcome. I was under the impression that even though there can be multiple different curl types on one head, our curl type was our curl type and there isn’t any way to change it.
I thought different styling methods were simply personal preference and they all resulted in fairly the same thing. Of course I have since come to realize that this is not the case! Now I am not saying that a 4c curl can be styled to look 2b, but I am saying that there is some more flexibility than I previously thought.
2. Close fingers when raking
This next point is about one of the many popular styling techniques: raking. Although I was previously aware of this technique, I did not realize that I was making one small but important mistake. When locking the hair in between my fingers, I was being too gentle and not closing my fingers tight enough.
While it is important to treat our curlz with care, the soft touches were creating weak and fragile curl clumps that would dry puffy and undefined. While this may be the desired outcome for some, I prefer a more defined result. Holding my fingers tightly together while raking through my hair helps the products to clump the curls together more firmly - resulting in a firmer and more structured curl.
3. Style hair while it is soaking wet
As someone who despises wet hair, it is tempting to throw it up in a microfiber towel or cotton tee shirt (because we wouldn’t dare use a body towel on our curlz) and let the curlz dry a bit before having to run my fingers through it. However, once again I have learned that doing this causes unwanted frizz! A good tip to remember is the 80:20 rule. Curly hair NEEDS moisture. Although products can help hydrate, moisture really comes from water. Because of this, a typically good ratio is 80% water and 20% product in your hair. However, this is still personal preference.
4. Brush upwards
The next simple but effective styling tip is brushing my curlz upward. I always deal with flat roots and having very little volume. I thought this was simply how my hair grows until I learned that brushing your hair with the bristles facing downward weighs the curlz down. Brushing with the bristles facing up lifts the curlz up and creates more volume.
5. Double shampoo
Double shampooing is the equivalent of double cleansing your skin at night. The first shampoo represents the oil based cleanser. Its job is just to go through and get the initial top layer of dirt and grime. During the first shampoo it is important to really focus on the scalp. Using a cleansing brush or even really scrubbing with your nails can help remove leftover product, sweat, unwanted oils, and more.
Then with the second cleanse, you get any remaining dirtiness. This helps make sure the hair is thoroughly clean and can also help increase longevity in your wash days.
6. Clapping hair
When it comes to breaking a cast or the “crunch” out of the curlz, I always went with classic prayer hands and scrunching - along with vigorous hair flipping. Sometimes though, there is still some remaining crunch that does not seem to dissipate. Jesse taught me that this is when I can also try the clapping method to get rid of a cast. It is exactly what it sounds like. Clap your hands together over and over again on the cast and that typically helps break it up without causing that unwanted frizz.
7. Shampoo before condition
My last learning point I learned while observing a session with Jesse and a client. The client has very fine hair and has difficulties with getting the proper moisture for her curlz without weighing them down with a heavy conditioner. She also stated that she thinks her curlz look better when she only shampoos, but then of course her hair is dried out from the lack of conditioner.
With all of this combined, Jesse advised her to condition her hair before she shampoos. This way, her hair still gets moisture from the conditioner, and the shampoo can help remove any excess moisture.
It is important to remember that every single curl is different and unique. What works for one curly person may not work for everyone. It is important to try new things and experiment with your hair in order to figure out what works for you and what you like. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to do curlz, and there is no such thing as a “perfect” curl. I hope you can apply some of these tips to your curl journey like i did.
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