by Tina Fitzgerald

Created on: April 05, 2010

As a stylist I am often trying new styles and cuts on various hair types. But in my experience the most challenging would be naturally curly hair. Many of my clients with curly hair generally like to leave it long with some slight layering. And quite often this works well. Unlike straight hair , naturally curly hair does its OWN thing. Its kinda going where its going! First of all when cutting you have to allow for the natural bounce your client has. Cutting off 1" when wet will most certainly appear to be 3" once dried. One way to prevent such shrinkage would be to let the hair fall naturally and cut while holding it loosely, not taunt like other hair types.When adding layers I like to point cut them which add some texture to the layers. It is never okay to thin out curly hair! Big NO NO! As the hair grows in the top will be much thicker than the rest. Kind of like putting your fingers in a birds nest.  Unless client demands it I never do it. And nobody loves texture as much as I do. But curly hair is textured enough as it is, and creating more only causes problems. By adding some long layers you add softness to the style and it  leaves that boxed in look behind. Adding a bang is also a great way to spice it up, I personally prefer a longer angled fringe  on my clients. This way they can leave it curly and it just blends in with the rest. When bangs are cut too short they usually become a bothersome and end up having to be flat ironed or clipped back on those very early mornings!  Right now that just from the beach look is really in, and many straight haired clients are trying to create that themselves. I'm one of them! So if you have naturally curly hair consider your self lucky. There are so many products available out there for you; whether you want to flat iron and free up the frizz. Or if you want to just add a little mousse or gel and get that sexy tousled look. The possibilities are endless.  So take out that ponytail and those bobby pins and find yourself a stylist who is going to make you love those springy curls all over again!

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