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13 Tips For Taming Frizz In Curly Hair

People with curly hair often complain about frizz. “My hair is a frizz ball!” “I look like a poodle!” “My hair is out of control!” “Hey I am over here behind my frizz!” “Help!” I hear these complaints and more nearly every week.

The first thing I usually tell my frizz-stricken clients is to take a deep breath, relax and know that curly hair will always have some frizz. It is ok. I love how in her book, The Curly Girl Handbook, Loraine Massey affectionately refers to frizz as a halo. It’s simply part of the deal that when you have been blessed with curly hair, then you will have some frizz too.

But frizz still seems to be the arch-nemesis of many a curly haired soul, and since I love my curly peeps, I am writing this blog to offer some help. There are steps you can take to minimize the amount of frizz in your hair.

Here are 10 tips for taming frizz:

1. Use a sulfate-free shampoo – Sulfates, such as sodium laurel sulfate, are harsh detergents that remove all the dirt from your hair, but they also strip your hair of its natural and beneficial oils. This dries out your hair and causes it to be more frizzy. I like Innersense Pure Harmony Hairbath, Ouidad Nourishing Oil Shampoo and DevaCurl Delight Low Poo.

2. Hydrate with conditioner – Applying a good hydrating conditioner to your hair after cleansing is a must. For medium to coarse curly hair, I prefer Innersense Hydrating Cream Conditioner, Ouidad Curl Quencher Conditioner and DevaCurl One Condition.

3. For 2C, 3A-3C and 4A-4C curls, use a leave-in conditioner for extra moisture. I like Innersense Quiet Calm Curl Control Cream, Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave In Conditioner and DevaCurl Decadence Leave-In Conditioner.

4. Apply a curl defining product when your hair is wet. After rinsing out your conditioner ring your hair out gently with your hands, flip your head upside down and apply your styling products, including your leave in conditioner, when your hair is dripping wet. If you like using gel, my favorite is the DevaCurl Light Defining Gel.

5. Use a microfiber towel or a t-shirt to ring out your hair. After you have scrunched in your favorite curl styler, then flip your head upright, create your part (I like zig zag parts for volume) and then use a microfiber towel or a t-shirt to squeeze out the excess moisture from your hair. Do not use a terrycloth towel which could rough up the cuticle of your hair and cause frizz.

6. When drying your hair with a diffuser, set the air speed on low and use either cool air or low heat.

7. Finish your styling with a few drops of essential oil to seal in the moisture, add shine and control frizz. I like Natulique Argan Oil and Innersense Harmonic Healing Oil.

8. Add a spray shine such as Natulique Ultra Shine Finisher with rose petal oil for extra hydration and shine. Curly hair absorbs more light than straight hair and so the more shine the better.

9. Be conscious of how you sleep on your hair. For the best chance of achieving frizz-free second and third day curls, place your hair in a “pineapple” on the top of your head. Either wear a bonnet made of silk or satin or sleep on a pillowcase made of silk or satin. In the morning, let your hair down, spritz with a curl revitalizer, scrunch and shape your curls with your fingers and you are good to go. My favorite curl revitalizers are DevaCurl Mist-er Right and Ouidad Botanical Boost.

10. Treat your curls to a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment as often as you can. Deep conditioning once a week would be great, but once a month is definitely better than never. A deep condition mask will infuse your curls with moisture and keep frizz to a minimum.

11. Once you have completed styling your hair, try not to touch it after that. If you are running your fingers through your hair, twirling it, or flipping it around, etc. you are breaking up your curls and creating frizz. I know its hard, but I am just saying.

12. Don’t put your purse strap on your hair. Also, if you are wearing a scarf, try to avoid wool because your hair will rub on it and get frizzy.

13. Don’t stress out if you have some frizz. Like I said earlier, having some frizz is a fact of life for curly girls. If you are stressed out, I can almost guarantee that your hair will get frizzier because you will be obsessing about it, touching it and making your problem worse. Also, frizz creates volume, and big hair is in. Try to celebrate your curly halo! You are a divine being my friend.

10 Things You Must Know If You Want To Grow Your Curly Hair Longer

Do you want to grow your hair longer? If so, you are not alone. Long hair seems to be a symbol of youthfulness, health, vitality, and fertility. Almost every day, I have clients who tell me that they want to grow their hair longer, and they often claim that they are having difficulty doing so. There are many reasons why you may be having difficulty growing your hair longer. Consider the following nine factors to maximize the length and appearance of your hair.

1. How quickly curly hair grows
The fact of the matter is that curly hair takes a longer time to grow longer because it grows in a curl, rather than straight down. But curly hair, as well as straight hair, usually grows about 1/2” per month. So with patience, and with a coordinated plan with your hair stylist, you can have longer hair.

2. Create a plan with your hairstylist
One of the most important things that you must do in order to grow your hair longer is to create an action plan with your hairstylist. It is vital that your hairstylist understands your goal, knows how fast your hair grows, and then cuts as little as possible off the ends of your hair that is giving you your length. The hair that is giving you your length is the hair that is growing below your parietal ridge. The hair that is growing above this, or wherever your stylist chooses to begin elevating, is the hair that your stylist uses to create an attractive shape. If you have curly hair, you don’t want a haircut where all your hair is the same length, unless you like the triangle look.

3. Don’t thin out or texturize curly hair
Do not allow your stylist to thin out or texturize your curls. Doing so makes the process of growing your hair out take much longer because it breaks up the ends of the curls and it creates frizz. Nobody wants their hair to have a frizzy and thin perimeter.

4. Plan regular haircuts
Split ends are your enemy. It is important to get regular haircuts when you are growing your hair longer in order to cut off split ends. Although split ends don’t look like they are going anywhere, they are actually splitting up your hair strand and making your hair shorter. When growing their hair longer, I recommend that my wavy clients (2A-2B) and curly clients (2C-3B) come for a haircut every twelve weeks, my super curly (3C-4A) clients come every four months, and my super curly (4B-4C) come every six months.

5. Hair density
The density of your hair plays an important role in how long you will want your hair to grow. If you are lucky enough to have thick curly hair, then you will be able to grow your hair longer without it looking too thin. However, if your hair is thin, then the longer it gets, the thinner it will look. I usually recommend that my clients with thin hair get a cut that maximizes the appearance of fullness rather than grow it so long that it looks too thin on the ends. Fullness is more attractive than length in these cases.

6. Spring factor
Your curl pattern plays a large role in how long your hair will grow. Very tight 4A-4C curls have a high spring factor and therefore take a long time to grow long. Looser 2A-2C waves achieve length more quickly because they have a smaller spring factor.

7. Curl pattern
Everyone’s curl pattern is unique. If the curls at the nape of your neck are tighter than the curls on your crown, then it will take longer for your hair to grow long because the hairs that are creating your length have a greater spring factor. If the curls at your nape are looser than those at your crown, then you will be able to achieve length faster. However, in both these cases, it is important that your stylist knows how to blend the differing curls together. For more information on this, see my blog on why it is important to cut curly hair dry.

8. Diet
Your hair is composed of water and protein (keratin). It is critical to drink plenty of water and eat a healthy diet when you have the intention of growing your hair longer. Just like your doctor tells you, the best foods for your body is also good for your hair, so eat lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy stuff.

9. Supplements
There are vitamins and minerals you can take each morning that can support healthy hair growth. A supplement with keratin, biotin, collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, all the alphabetic vitamins, or any combination of the above can help your hair grow longer and stronger. But even if your are taking supplements, it will require patience to grow your hair longer. The key to getting the best results is to be consistent with the supplements and commit to them daily for at least six months.

10. Genetics
Eventually, based on your genetics, your hair will grow as long as it will grow. The ultimate length that your hair can grow is is a factor of the amount of time your hair remains in the follicle before a new hair grows into the follicle and pushes the old hair out. This length of time is different for everyone and appears to be inherited genetically. If you are genetically predetermined to grow hair for 18 months before a new hair starts growing into the follicle, then you will be able to grow your hair about nine inches long before it falls out. If you can grow your hair for 60 months before a new hair grows in the follicle, then you can grow your hair 30 inches long. I know it’s not fair, but that is the way life is sometimes.

By coordinating with your hair stylist and following a plan, you will be able to maximize the length of your curly hair.

14 Things To Consider Before Cutting Curly Bangs

Cutting bangs is a big decision and if you have curly hair there are unique considerations that you need to take into account. Once you have cut bangs, it takes a long time to grow them out, so consider these 14 points before you make a final decision.

  1. What is your face shape? If you have a an oblong face then bangs can look great. Bangs can also look good on diamond, heart shaped, and oval faces. However, if you have a round or square shaped face, bangs can make your face look rounder and wider.
  2. Will bangs make your face look more oval? It is in our genes to see oval faces as the most attractive. The facial dimensions that we innately find most appealing are approximately 7:5 (height:width). As I mentioned above, bangs will make oblong faces look more oval, which is great. However, bangs can make square and round faces look wider, which isn’t as appealing.
  3. What is your curl type? There is a big difference between wavy bangs and super curly bangs. Wavy and swavy (straight wavy 2A) bangs can be challenging because they can sometimes look stringy. I usually cut wavy bangs thicker to make them look stronger. Super curly bangs are generally easier to style, however they have a greater spring factor. Because of this, it is critical that super curly bangs be cut when they are dry and in their natural curly formation.
  4. How thick do you want your bangs to be? Thicker bangs look better on longer face shapes. Whispier bangs usually look better on rounder and squarer faces. 
  5. How long should your bangs be? I usually like to cut bangs just below the eyebrows and above the eyelashes. However, if you have a round or square face, cutting shorter bangs can look better because they make your face look more oval.
  6. Do you want your bangs cut straight across or rounded down at the edges? I almost always advocate bangs that curve down slightly at the edges because I think this shape frames your eyes nicely. However, if you want a more retro look, bangs that go straight across all the way to the side hairlines can be fun.
  7. Will your bangs fall in your eyes? It can be sexy to hide your eyes behind wispy bangs, but nobody likes to have hair in their eyes. It’s up to you if you want to put up with hair in front of your eyes or not. Most of my clients don’t like hair in their eyes and usually sweep it to the side when the bangs are too long. But some of my clients insist on having their eyes peekaboo from behind their bangs.
  8. How often will you need a bang trim? Wavy bangs grow downward faster than super curly bangs, so wavy bangs will need to be trimmed more often. 
  9. Do you want your bangs textured or blunt cut? I prefer to blunt cut super curly bangs because texturizing these curls makes them look frizzy. With wavy hair, especially 2A and 2B, I will usually texturize the ends to soften them. I often blunt cut 3A, 3B and 3C bangs. 
  10. What is the direction that your hair is growing along your hairline? It is vital to examine the direction your hair is growing along your hairline to determine how your bangs will fall. If your hair is growing straight down toward your face then your bangs will fall straight down. However, this isn’t usually the case. If your hair is growing back up away from your face and toward your crown, then your bangs will pop up before they go down, so more hair will have to be cut into the bangs to give them weight and the bangs will need to be cut longer. If your hair grows toward the side of hair face then your bangs will probably split.
  11. What are your favorite facial features? If you have a big pretty smile, then bangs can bring attention to your mouth. Large symmetrical eyes can also be enhanced by bangs.
  12. What are your least favorite facial features? If you have a big nose, bangs may bring unwanted attention to it. I know because I have a big nose. But I am a guy and I don’t wear bangs.
  13. Is your face symmetrical? The symmetry of your face will usually be more obvious with bangs. If you have an asymmetrical face, such as one of your eyes is higher than the other, which is quite common, then straight across bangs will make the asymmetry of your face more evident. 
  14. How thick is your hair? If you have fine hair, then you will need to use a larger amount of your hair to create bangs. If you have thick hair, you can get away with creating bangs with a smaller amount of your hair. These decisions will affect the design of the rest of your haircut depending on how much hair is left behind after cutting bangs.

There is a lot to consider when contemplating cutting bangs. If you think that bangs are for you, then go for it! You will have an entirely new hairstyle in a matter of seconds.

Is It Better To Cut Curly Hair When It Is Dry or Wet?

Many of my new curly hair clients are surprised that I don’t shampoo their hair before I cut it.

“Are you going to cut it dry?” they ask, surprised when I don’t take them immediately to the shampoo bowl.

“Yes, I always cut curly hair dry,” I tell them, and then I explain why.

There are five main reasons why I believe cutting curly hair when it is dry is better than cutting it wet.

  1. Spring Factor – Every curl has a different spring factor. Spring factor is how much a curl will spring back after it is pulled out straight. For 2A-2B loosely wavy curls, the spring factor may be as little as half an inch. For 2C Botticelli curls, the spring factor is usually between 1-4 inches. For 3A-3C corkscrew curls, the spring factor is between 3-6 inches. Super curly 4A-4C can spring back 7-10 inches or more depending on their length. 4C curls have the greatest spring factor and will often spring back to 10-20% of their length when pulled out straight. When curly hair is cut wet, the stylist usually pulls the hair out from the head and cuts with tension. When hair is cut like this, it is virtually impossible to know where the hair will spring back to when it is dry. So the spring factor of curly hair is the number one reason to cut it dry.
  2. Knowing where the curls lie – When shaping the haircut, it is vital for the stylist to know where the curls will lie when they are in their natural dry state, and common sense will tell you that this can only be determined by seeing the curls when they are dry. This is particularly important when framing the face, since good hair design is about presenting the most attractive view of your face. A talented stylist will analyze your facial features and decide exactly where they want your curls to fall. This is usually the most important part of the haircut and it can only be done well when curls are dry and falling in their natural shape.
  3. Hair density – Judging hair density, especially around the perimeter of a haircut is a vital part of creating a beautiful shape. When hair is wet, it clumps together making density much harder to judge. It is far easier to judge hair density when it is dry. This allows the stylist to know where on the head they can begin elevating the hair to create the desired shape which will make your face look most attractive.
  4. Seeing the shape evolve as the haircut proceeds – When curly hair is cut dry, it is easier to see the shape of the haircut evolve throughout the haircut. This allows the stylist to make adjustments to the haircut throughout the process. I analyze the shape of the haircut throughout the entire cutting process and often make adjustments that I wouldn’t have seen if I was cutting the hair when it was wet.
  5. Finishing touches – Curly hair is a little different every day. This is why it is critical to make final adjustments to the haircut after the hair has been washed, conditioned and styled. At the end of the haircut, I ask my clients to stand in front of me so I can see their hair from every direction. I ask them to flip their head upside down and side to side and observe the curls from every angle, making any necessary adjustments to complete the haircut and give them the best possible look for their unique face shape.

My New Favorite Volumizing and Curl Enhancing Spray For Fine Wavy Hair

I have a number of clients with fine loosely wavy hair and many of them want the same thing: more volume, better curl definition and tighter curls. The first step in accomplishing this is a good haircut that balances volume with fullness along the perimeter. A talented hair stylist will be able to analyze your hair and determine how much of your hair needs to be left to grow to full length and how much can be used to created volume. 

Then after you have a good haircut, you need the right products to help you achieve your desired look of more volume, better curl definition and tighter curls. A top priority should be moisture because hydrated curls form ringlets with less frizz. First cleanse your hair with a sulfate-free cleanser. On fine, wavy hair, I like to use DevaCurl Delight Lo-Poo and then condition with DevaCurl Delight One Condition. These products are lightweight and provide just the right amount of cleansing and moisture for wavy hair. Next you need styling products. I like the DevaCurl Wave Maker for curl definition and moisture and DevaCurl Volumizing Foam for volume and hold. For an added boost of volume, add DevaCurl Believe In.

After you dry your hair with a diffuser, or let it air dry, then you can apply my latest favorite finishing product: Natulique Hygge Hair Spray Wax. Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah), which means cozy in Danish, is a lightweight spray wax that is non-greasy and easy to use. You only need a little bit of this spray wax to create dramatic results. Hygge adds volume to fine hair and can also help make loosely wavy hair a little curlier. 

The way to accomplish this is to spray Natulique Hygge Hair Spray Wax on your wavy hair from about 12” away and then, immediately after you spray a section, scrunch the hair in your hand and hold it for 3-4 seconds. Do this in three sections throughout your hair, once on each side and once in the back. You only need a little bit of Hygge to make a big difference. I agree with Natulique’s wording when they say that Hygge Hair Spray Wax “effectively, but gently, locks and holds shape for longer lasting layers, waves, bangs and curls while taming short hair and frizz for a touchable and flexible result without the greasy feeling of regular wax.”

Like all of Natulique’s products, it is made of Certified Organic and natural ingredients. Natulique Hygge Hair Spray Wax contains Certified Organic Broccoli Seed Oil which has a unique blend of amino acids that nourishes, protects, and moisturizes. It also contains Certified Organic Jojoba Seed Oil which is extremely rich in vitamins and minerals such as copper and zinc, strengthens individual hair strands and prevents dryness. It contains no parabens or paraffin, is gluten free, and is animal cruelty free. 

Come visit us at Devana Salon and we will gladly show you how Natulique Hygge Hair Spray Wax can help make your fine wavy hair look beautifully full and curly.

How To Eliminate “The Shelf” In Your Curly Hair

I had a client the other day who came to me for the first time. She was a beautiful woman in her mid-20s, and when she sat down in my chair I admired her curly hair. All curly girls have a unique curl pattern and like most curly girls, she had different curl types throughout her head. She had loose (2B) curls at the nape of her neck, medium size (2C) curls at the crown of her head, and tighter (3A) curls framing her face. I love this variance in curl texture and told her that I thought her hair was beautiful. Too me, the variance in curl pattern is what makes curly hair so attractive. Your curl pattern is as unique as your fingerprint, and no one else has your exact curl pattern.  

“I hate the curls around my face,” was the first thing she said. I examined the way her hair had been cut before and I could see why she was frustrated. The tighter curls around her face sprung up higher than the looser curls below them and created a “shelf”. All curly girls hate “the shelf” which looks like an upside down letter “L” on the side of their head. 

“It seems like I always have these shelves on the side of my head,” she said in exasperation. “Can you please get rid of them?” she pleaded. 

I explained to her why her hair formed a shelf. It is common mistake that hairstylists make who don’t understand how to cut curly hair that has differing curl patterns throughout the head. 

There are three primary reasons why a shelf is created in curly hair. The first and most common mistake that hairstylists make that creates a shelf, is cutting curly hair when it is wet. The problem with cutting curly hair when it is wet is that there is no way for the hairstylists to see how high the different curls will spring up when they are dry. And the problem is made even worse if some curls are tighter than others, because the tight curls will spring up higher than the looser curls. If the curls that frame the face are tighter than the curls below them, this is a guaranteed way to create a shelf. 

The second way that a shelf is created is when all the hair is directed straight up and the hair is cut square to the top of the head. Unless you are Sasquatch and you have long hair growing on your ears and on your cheeks, then cutting your hair this way will always result in a shelf on the sides of your head. To avoid this, the hair that frames your face must be left out and cut separately from the hair that is directed upward.

I will discuss the third mistake later. So back to my client with her unwanted hair shelf problem. To eliminate her shelves, I first framed her face by taking diagonal sections from her part to her ear, directing her curls slightly forward and down and cutting with zero tension. Then I moved to the back of her head to cut her looser 2B curls. I took horizontal partings from her nape and worked my way up the back of her head always cutting with zero tension until I was satisfied with the density of the perimeter of her hair. Then I began elevating her hair and continued cutting her slightly tighter 2c curls, again using no tension. I proceeded in this way up to the top of her head being careful to leave out the curls that I had already cut around her face. 

After shampooing, conditioning and styling her hair curly, I asked her to stand up so I could do some finishing touches on her haircut. Forgetting to do this part of the haircut is the third reason that a shelf is not spotted and eliminated. I asked her to stand up, and then flip her head forward allowing her hair to hang down. I looked at her hair from this angle and cut any extraneous curls that I may have missed in the earlier part of the haircut. Then I asked her to tilt her head to each side so I could make sure that her curls fall nicely along the side of her face and the tighter curls blend in nicely with the looser ones. If there is a shelf there, then this is a sure way to spot it. 

I then asked her to sit back down in the chair, applied some Natulique Organic Ultra Shine Spray and handed her a mirror so that she could look at her new haircut.

“I love it! The shelf is gone!” she exclaimed happily.

Mission accomplished.

Why naturally curly hair should be cut dry

I’m often asked if I cut curly hair dry, and why curly product lines like DevaCurl and Ouidad do or don’t recommend it. It is almost always best to cut naturally curly hair when it is dry. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Spring factor

Every curl has its own unique spring factor, which is the amount of distance that it will spring up after it is stretched. This spring factor cannot be ascertained when the hair is wet.

2. Curl pattern

In order to create a beautiful haircut that lasts a long time, it is critical for the hairstylist to be able to see where the curls spring to immediately after they are cut. It is common to have varying curl patterns throughout the head. When cut, tighter curls spring up more than looser curls. This can only be accurately judged when the hair is cut dry. If the hair is cut wet, then the hair may become uneven when it dries and tighter curls spring closer to their roots.

3. Shaping

My clients are often amazed when I cut their curly hair dry for the first time. The results are beautiful, and they get to see the shape develop throughout the cutting process. It is easier to see the shape of the haircut develop when the hair is cut dry because the curls fall exactly where they will remain.

4. Framing

Framing the face is much easier to do when the hair is cut dry for the same reason, the shape can be seen immediately.

5. One exception to the rule

An exception to this rule is when the hair is loosely wavy. In this case, it is often more effective to cut the hair when it is wet. This is because loosely wavy hair has a very small spring factor. Also, if you plan to straighten your hair a lot, it is best to cut it wet so that a neat perimeter shape may be created.

How do you get your hair cut? Have you been to a curly hair expert before?