5 Tips On How to Have A Good Curly Hair Cut

If you have curly hair I am sure you can relate to having walked out of a salon totally bummed about what just went down.  Too many times I have left completely disappointed with my haircut.

And then it takes forever to grow it back out.  Right?

Ugh.

So before I knew it, not wanting to deal with a bad haircut led to my 3 year hiatus to hair grooming.  On the 3 year anniversary since my last haircut, I was contacted by Alisha.  Serendipitous?  Perhaps.  She answered every single question I threw at her, and walked me through the process she would do.  She wasn't the least bit deterred by my curl anxiety.  So eventually I agreed.  

And I'm so happy I did.

Before.  I have been doing the messy curls look for quite some time, but it was to the point that my curls really didn't have much shape, were definitely weighed down and my ends were getting too ratty. 

And after...

A bit more polished and cleaned up, and a little bit of bangs, which I love.  I feel current and my hair is much happier. 

So all of the questions and comments about my hair has got me thinking.  We all have different heads of curls but there are definitely ways to help guarantee a positive outcome when it comes to cutting them.  Here's what I think...

1.  Research the different techniques.  Two main curly hair camps are Deva vs. Ouidad.  

Having had both cuts, I can now say I prefer Deva.  The main reason is that a Ouidad cut tends to thin your hair out a lot.  I don't have thick hair, just a lot of body, and I want my hair big!  If you want your hair thinned, I think Ouidad is a great option, they focus on studying your hair pattern and thinning throughout the curl.

The other reason I prefer Deva is because they cut your hair dry while Ouidad cuts wet.  This is especially important to me because my hair is not very curly when wet which often leads to too much hair being cut off.  When my hair dries it shrinks up substantially.  

2.  Ask lots of questions.  A confident stylist will be happy to answer all of them.  I had heard that a Deva cut takes 3 hours, even these are questions I need to know.  

3.  Bring a picture of what you have in mind, and THEN ask the stylist how he/she thinks that would translate to your head of hair.  Sometimes what's in our head and what's in a photo is not the same thing.  Shocking.  Other variants are how thick your hair is and the curl type.  Realistic expectations are key.  There should definitely be an agreed upon plan before starting.  

This is the haircut I had in mind.  It was important for me to realize that my hair is not as thick as hers *sigh* and my curl pattern isn't quite that lose.  

4.  Go to your appointment with your hair styled, even if it means washing and styling just to go get it cut.  Honestly I think these are my very best hair days - it's a "please don't cut me off" ploy by my locks.  This is very important for your stylist to see how your curls fall, your problem areas, what you love about your hair, etc etc etc.  My last unfortunate haircut 3 years prior I had been at the pool all day (I know tough life) and came with my hair in a messy bun, this definitely did not help my success rate.  

5.  Don't be afraid to research your stylist.  Many have instagram accounts now.  A particular stylist that was recommended to me, upon researching his instagram account, only showed straight hair, or curly hair that he had straightened.  Don't get me wrong I have (almost) nothing against an occasional blowout, but if your stylist isn't celebrating your curls, and you wear your hair curly, there is a high likelihood that this cut isn't going to go well.  

After my hair cut with Alisha, she did a wonderfully thorough job of explaining the Deva technique, from washing and conditioning to styling.  I have to say I actually learned some great tips that I didn't already know.  

If you live in the Seattle area, I would highly recommend Alisha for a curly haircut.

And I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice on curls, it's a curl community.  You can see more of my curl talk under "the Curl files" up top.

photos by Jessica

best,
Kirsty

This post was done in partnership with Alisha, she is responsible for the cut, I am responsible for the gushing over her results.