Time for Texture

BY LAUREN

From waves to coils, more than 50 per cent of us have some form of curly texture to our hair. So, it begs the question: Why isn’t this figure reflected in the number of salons and service providers who are willing and able to work with curly hair?

As more clients seek curly-hair services that allow them to comfortably and confidently embrace their natural texture, learning how to care, cut, colour and style curly-hair types is more crucial than ever.

“Understanding textured-hair education and being able to provide professional hair services to texturedhair clients is so important,” says Dani Lourdes, a Montreal-based natural- hair expert, salon owner and educator for L’Oréal Professionnel. “In our community, there are a lot of natural-hair girls who want to embrace it, but they don’t know how to and society doesn’t always accept it. It’s my goal to be able to inspire, educate and help other stylists to help them be able to better serve the textured-hair community.”

When working with textured hair, it starts with the basics. It’s important to be able to identify clients’ specific hair types, textures and concerns. While being able to properly serve curly-haired clientele includes understanding how to cut, colour and style their hair, it also means providing them with a safe and comfortable space to share their past struggles and provide them with customized products and solutions.

Breaking It Down

Regardless of the hair type or texture, we can all agree on the importance of a thorough consultation at every appointment. When working with textured hair, identifying your client’s curl type and pattern is the best place to start so you can ensure that you’re asking the right questions. “Some clients don’t know what hair type they actually have, and sometimes clients can have more than one hair type or texture,” says Lourdes. “Most clients know the Walker hair chart [that helps to identify hair types and textures from 1A to 4B], so this is what I usually use to identify my client’s hair texture. It’s good to use because they already know about it, but they might not know how to use it, so that’s where we can help them.”

Since each client’s hair texture is unique, it’s often a good idea to come up with a list of questions that are broken down by hair type so you and your team can have a good starting point.

“For my type 2 clients, I’ll typically start by asking them for inspiration pictures, as well as what they’re loving and not loving about their hair, and from there I’ll look at the inspiration pictures to see if they match their curl type,” says Elisha Gotha, a curly-hair expert, Joico educator and owner of The Curl Lounge in Toronto. “Since type 3 clients face different challenges—often frizz, dryness and shrinkage—in this consultation, I also ask what they’re looking for and what their goals are. I also make sure to ask how often they go to the salon and what products they use at home.”

Pro Tip

WHEN STYLING TYPE TWO HAIR, SCRUNCH ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ROOT OF THE HAIR. SINCE THIS CURL TYPE ISN’T AS TIGHT AS TYPE THREE OR FOUR, SCRUNCHING THE HAIR ALL THE WAY TO THE ROOT ENSURES THAT THE CURLS HOLD ALL DAY.

Wavy

2 type

Type 2 (wavy hair) may have less of a curl pattern than other hair types, but it still comes with its own set of challenges, which sometimes require different techniques and processes, starting with the cut.

“A lot of people with this hair type don’t even know that they have wavy hair, so this is a big part of the conversation,” says Ken-Dell Salter, a hairstylist and artistic educator for Matrix and Biolage, based in New Brunswick. “Before cutting, I ask the client how they normally wear their hair. If the client wears their hair natural half of the time and heat-styled the other half of the time, I’ll cut their hair wet so I can ensure that I create a cut that will look good both straight and wavy. If they wear their hair natural the majority of the time, I’ll start off the cut dry and then finish it when the hair is wet.”

Another tip for determining how you’re going to cut type 2 hair is based on the length desired by the client. Gotha recommends that if the client wants a short style, she would opt for a wet cut to be more efficient, but if they’re looking to keep her length, she would opt for a dry cut to see exactly how much she’s cutting.

To create more shape and texture in type 2 haircuts, layers often work well because they can offer the hair more volume and bouncier waves by removing some of the excess hair that may be weighing down the waves. “Most of the time, for type 2 hair, it’s mostly a layering and face-framing cut,” says Lourdes. “With this hair type, I’m doing a lot of smaller cuts, using a 90-degree angle to layer the hair.”

When it comes to styling, experts recommend reaching for lighter products and avoiding too many oils to prevent product buildup and avoid weighing down the hair. “Using heavy products can make the hair look greasy,” says Frank Cini, a Contessa 2023 finalist for Multicultural Hairstylist, ambassador for Goldwell and co-owner of Taz Hair Co. in Toronto. “Reaching for a curl-defining product that increases hydration helps to both enhance natural waves and curls while taming them at the same time.”

“I also advise my clients not to brush their hair when it’s dry and tell them not to touch it too much after it’s been styled, as this can disrupt the natural pattern of the waves,” he adds. It’s also recommended for those with type 2 hair to avoid air-drying. Instead, try diffusing the hair upside down to allow you to take advantage of gravity while controlling how much wave you’re getting and how well it holds.

“I start off with a leave-in conditioner and apply that to the hair upside down, and then I use a handful of volumizing mousse,” says Salter. “I like to rake the product into the hair because, that way, you aren’t risking the curls falling out.”

PRO TIP clients normally have medium-density hair and a tighter curl pattern, so I like to pull down the curl to see how much shrinkage that particular client experiences.”

GOTHA SHARES THAT WHEN IT COMES TO STYLING TYPE 3 HAIR, THE WETTER THE BETTER. BY STYLING THE HAIR WHEN IT’S WET, YOU’RE ABLE TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF FRIZZ WHILE ENSURING THAT THE PRODUCT IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED.

“Typically, type 3 clients want length,” says Gotha. “If they come to the salon regularly for trims, then I can start building shape within the hair with the cut. If they don’t get their hair cut regularly, then I like to let them know that I have to start with a trim and wait to build the shape. This hair type is more prone to spilt ends because their hair is usually finer and drier, so I hold off on the shape to preserve the length.”

Curly

For type 3 or curly hair, frizz, dryness and shrinkage will most likely be your client’s biggest concerns.

“I usually ask the client to come into the salon with their hair the way they normally style it on a daily basis,” says Salter. “This allows me to see where I need to adjust it. With this hair type,

“I like to cut off the length first and then determine where to place layers, depending on the look they’re going for,” she adds. “Straight, blunt haircuts are not really going to work for curlyhaired clients because they need that extra volume, but it just depends if they want the volume to be going outward or upward.” Salter says she prefers to start her cuts while the hair is dry to take some of the length off and then, after washing the hair, she can make any adjustments to it while it’s wet before styling.

Although layers can help add shape and volume to type 3 hair, it doesn’t mean that layering is the ideal recommendation for every client or that you have to add an abundance of layers during their first appointment.

As for styling type 3 hair, it’s all about moisture since dryness is often a big concern for clients. “You need a product that can help add moisture but also retain that moisture,” says Lourdes. “I like to use products with glycerine. Working in sections, I’ll start with a moisturizing cream and then add gel. The gel will help lock in and set the curls and offers more hold than a mousse would. Clients with curly hair want to be able to wear their hair for a few days without having to worry about the curls falling too much, and this will help them do that.”

“I like to start by applying a leavein conditioner or curl cream to damp hair,” adds Cini. “I also like to use a wide-toothed comb to gently detangle curly hair, and then I scrunch the curls to encourage their definition. To finish off the style, you can either let it air-dry naturally or diffuse the hair on a cooler setting.”

KINKY & COILY

While some may consider type 4 hair to be more challenging to work with, it comes down to understanding the texture and the struggles your client may have experienced in the past. “For Black women with 4C hair, they often have insecurities about their hair, and it can hard to get them to embrace their natural texture,” says Gotha. “Typically, 4C hair comes with density issues and tangles and that all takes time to deal with. That’s why when it comes to this hair type, not only do we, as stylists, have to know how to cut and colour textured hair but we also have to know how to really care for the hair. Knowing what all of the options

Always Learning

are and being able to provide the service without causing damage is also a key aspect in being able to service the curlyhaired community.”

Knowing what to offer your type 4

Although reading up on tips for working with textured hair is a start, the most crucial part to working with textured-hair clients is participating in education taught by other stylists who specialize in it.

“There are some good resources out there, but you have to do your research to find and take them,” says Gotha. “It’s not going to be as easy as finding a balayage class, but I recommend going to other stylists who specialize in curly and textured hair and learn from them.”

Whether it’s simply consulting with other stylists, actively seeking curl specialists to shadow or join your team or asking them to come to your salon for a group education class with your team, it allows you to have someone there who knows what they’re doing and who’s able to answer any questions that you or your team may have.

“Textured education is important to me because I don’t ever want to have a client sit down in my chair and not be able to service them or get them to their full potential,” says Cini. “I encourage other stylists to look for an artist that inspires them or to find a successful and experienced mentor so that they, too, can have their own form of success. You have to invest in your education. The more you participate in classes and the more you get out there and do it, the more passionate you become about your craft and the more e cient you become. This leads to becoming more comfortable and improving your quality of work on textured hair.”

“I was lucky to have a mentor who taught me about textured and curly hair,” adds Salter. “Finding a mentor who specializes in what you’re trying to learn is so helpful because you can get that one-on-one time to ask all the questions you have and learn as much as you can. Having someone to help you is always a good thing!”

If you’re still finding it di cult to find textured-hair mentors and education in your area, you may want to consider seeking it outside of your city, province or even country. “A lot of my education came from personal experience,” says Lourdes. “Finding classes, even outside of where you’re from, can be very helpful. I have travelled to the United States for education classes, which has helped me build on my existing knowledge. When it comes to learning about textured hair, I find the most valuable and useful education is in person.” clients is essential to ensure that you can serve any client that comes into your salon. Also, realizing that dryness and breakage are common concerns for these clients is a good starting place for the conservation. “If I have a 4C client who doesn’t really love their hair in a natural style, in terms of a defined curl, I’ll try to suggest something they will feel more comfortable in,” says Gotha. “I might suggest a silk press or blow it out and trim it and show them products I would suggest. It’s better for them to come into the salon more often and get a silk press, for example, done by a stylist than to do it themselves because we will take extra measures to reduce damage, make sure the hair is hydrated with products and trim the hair so they can continue to grow it out.”

OF THE HAIR,

PRO TIP SALTER SAYS THAT SHE PAYS CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE ENDS OF THE HAIR. IF SHE NOTICES THAT THEY ARE STRAIGHTER THAN THE REST OF THE HAIR, IT’S OFTEN A SIGN THAT THE CLIENT IS IN NEED OF A CUT.

“On the other end of the spectrum, there are 4A clients who do get that definition,” she adds. “With these clients, I usually do a tapered haircut to make it look very clean, so it has a nice shape when they’re styling it at home. Because they often don’t wash their hair as often as other clients, having that shape is important so they can continue to wear it as it grows and keep that shape.”

Cini shares that, most of the time, he opts for a dry cut on type 4 hair to ensure that the coils are evenly distributed and that the length is consistent. He also recommends avoiding the use of razors and thinning shears because they can make the hair frizzy and harder to manage.

“I wash and detangle the hair, then blow it out to get it as straight as I can and get more length because it can shrink anywhere from 75 to 85 per cent, depending on the client,” says Lourdes. “Because I straighten it out, I really have to be very careful with how much I cut off.”

For clients who want to wear their hair naturally, working in sections when styling is imperative because it’s important to distribute the product evenly throughout the hair. “I like to start with a moisturizing cream,” says Lourdes. “But after that, you have to seal it. Depending on the styling technique, you can use a gel, but keep in mind the heavier, the better. When I work with type 4 hair, I apply the product to very damp hair because, when it’s wet, it helps the product get absorbed a lot easier, and I make sure to really work the product into the hair.”

Full Treatment

When it comes to curly and textured hair, one of the most common hair concerns is breakage. Whether it’s from chemical, heat, environmental or another form of damage, addressing breakage at the core is crucial. Take a look at how these bond-building products can help your curly- and textured-hair clients.

Olaplex

Olaplex has put together a Curly Hair Kit for maximum repair on texturedhair clients. With this kit, the brand emphasizes something we already know: hydration is key for enhancing any curl pattern. The brand also has a hair quiz on its website for you and your clients to input details about hair concerns and desires to determine the best regimen for them. Some examples include weekly treatments of the brand’s No.8 mask to add moisture, shine, smoothness and body to curls, along with the No.0 and No.3 treatments to help repair damage for stronger hair. If a client uses heat to style or di use their hair, they can try using a mix of No.6 and No.7 for smooth and shiny hair with heat protection.

K18

According to K18, because of the uneven keratinization in curly hair, it can cause it to become more fragile. The brand recommends its K18Peptide, which is ideal for all hair types and textures to help repair damage by reconnecting broken keratin chains and restoring the hair’s core structure, which is responsible for curl’s strength and elasticity. Curly-haired clients can benefit from this because after their damage is repaired, their curl patterns will return and be strong, soft and bouncy. Using the brand’s K18 Pro Chelating Hair Complex in the salon can help remove metals and minerals from hair. Combine it with Detox Shampoo and Professional Molecular Repair Mist and Mask to reverse any damage while strengthening hair.

“I like to apply a leave-in conditioner and styling product to the hair,” adds Cini. “Since this hair type is generally thick and coarse, it’s important to use a product that will provide hold and definition, so you can use a hydrating serum, cream or gel. I also like to use a diffuser to help enhance the curls and coils, but I use a low heat setting to prevent any heat damage.” Cini also adds that sometimes he likes to finish the hair by scrunching it after it’s dry and then uses a pick or wide-toothed comb to fluff out the curls while creating volume.