What questions should I ask someone if I love the results they’re getting with their hair?

Jessica P.

WENDY SAYS:

Who is their stylist? What is their routine? (Not what products they use.)

CAMILLE SAYS:

“Where do you go to get your haircuts? What day is this for your curls? What’s your styling technique? What’s your drying technique?”

HEATHER SAYS:

“Amazing curls, do you go to a curl specialist?” (Honestly, the curiosity would be killing me!) I love beautiful curls and always want to give props to people who are nailing it.

CARLEEN SAYS:

“I love your hair! What techniques or hand movements do you use to hydrate and apply your products? Do you use a spray bottle during your routine? Spill the beans!”

I have a mix of gray and brown wavy hair. What are some ways to boost the shine in my gray that is OK for the brown too?

Alicia S.

HEATHER SAYS:

A cold water rinse might make a difference. Hot water blows the cuticle open, making the hair fluffy and dull. Cold water closes the cuticle down tight and compact, creating shine and uniform curls.

CARLEEN SAYS:

I know it sounds simple (or I might just sound like a broken record) but shine and healthy hair come back to hydrating the hair — getting water into your hair shaft. If you are dealing with yellowing of your gray/white, then a gentle shampoo with purple or blue pigments in it can help neutralize the unwanted warmth.

WENDY SAYS:

Clarifying regularly, at least every three months, will remove so much buildup that can lead to dullness. Environmental debris is a thing, even with curl-friendly products.

Also, deep conditioning at least once a month can really enhance the beautiful natural luster of our hair.

CAMILLE SAYS:

Gray is the absence of pigment, so it’s going to absorb light more than it reflects light. Shine is just a result of hair reflecting light. If your hair isn’t naturally shiny, embrace and celebrate what it can do. Remember, shine is not a reflection of health. And healthy hair is what’s most important.

Layers or no layers? Why?

Kathy B.

CARLEEN SAYS:

“Layers” is not a dirty word. I know you probably had some crazy haircut in the past (or maybe more than one!) and they used the word “layers” to describe what they did that left you disappointed and sad. Use photos and find a curl stylist who wants to be real and clear with you on what they can achieve with your density (how many hairs you have on your head) and curl type (s’wavy/wavy/curly). Your haircut needs to be 100% customized to you. It’s not McDonald’s where you can expect the same haircut when you request it by name (like a DevaCut, RëzoCut, Ouidad cut, etc.). You want a curl stylist who can help make your haircut dreams true or find goals that are realistic.

CAMILLE SAYS:

Definitely layers. That’s what gives curls a shape. Focus more on the silhouette and shape you like than on terms like layers to let your stylist know what you want for your own hair.

HEATHER SAYS:

Absolutely layers! Very few hair textures look best all one length. Curlies often have a trauma response to the word “layers” because they have had it done poorly on their precious curls while stretched or wet! Layering curls correctly is what makes them gorgeous and bouncy. Curl specialists have been through specific training to understand how to do this properly. Seek someone with the right training and you will love layers in your curls.

WENDY SAYS:

Definitely layers. Curls are stacked, and if not cut into layers, the hair looks shapeless and massive — not in a good way. Layering allows for each curl to be given a “home” to live and move in while complementing the curls around it.

How can you tell if you need moisture or protein?

Barbara A.

HEATHER SAYS:

The ultimate hair goal we all strive for is balanced, healthy hair. To achieve this, it requires both moisture and protein working together. If you were building a brick wall (nice and strong), would you just stack bricks? If so, you could push it right over and it would crumble. (Think of protein as your bricks, too much and your hair gets brittle and snaps.) If you just piled mortar, it would ooze out into a pile and not be an effective wall. (Too much moisture in hair and it goes limp.) Use these together and you get a strong, effective wall. The same is true about rotating moisture and protein in your routine. Too much of one or the other and you end up with an ineffective mess.

WENDY SAYS:

Moisture makes your hair soft and shiny/lustrous. Protein gives it bounce. If your hair is limp, it needs protein. If it feels rough, it needs moisture. My recommendation is to leave regular protein treatments to your stylist. Focus on moisture at home. If you are color-treated, you will need to incorporate an at-home protein treatment in between stylist visits.

CAMILLE SAYS:

I say defer to your stylist on whether or not you need protein. It’s really not something to be concerned about compared to hydration. Just focus on keeping your hair hydrated.

CARLEEN SAYS:

Use distilled water in your spray bottle and focus on the hydration step of your curl routine. If your hair feels dry and brittle, add moisture. If your curls seem straighter than normal, add protein. If you’re confused, welcome to the club. Most people really need both moisture and protein to keep a balance.

My wash-and-go routine is simple: shampoo, condition, style with mousse, then dry. It always comes out fantastic. But when I go to sleep with my satin scarf, everything is ruined. My curls are still popping, but my entire hair is squished even when I shake it out. What am I doing wrong?

Elyon B.

WENDY SAYS:

Try a styler with more hold — maybe a medium/light gel. To refresh, try a pump of gel. Emulsify it in your hands and add a trickle of water, then scrunch it into the curls from the bottom to help reinvigorate and plump them back up. Instead of a scarf, try a large bonnet. Your scarf could be causing the flatness.

CAMILLE SAYS:

I agree with Wendy that you may need to style with a product with more hold. Also be sure during the conditioning and styling that you’re fully saturating the hair with lots of water (as well as product). And it’s imperative that you get the hair fully dry on Day 1 using a hooded dryer or diffuser for best results.

CARLEEN SAYS:

HEATHER SAYS:

I sleep like the cartoon Tasmanian Devil and my hair gets all kinds of wild, especially if I have a shorter haircut. A couple things could be going on here:

1. You might need a stronger-hold product for wash day.

2. You might need to learn a refresh technique for multiple days that works best for you with results that make you happy.

3. You might need to lower your expectations and send yourself some love. I bet your idea of ruined is someone else’s dream hair.

Totally agree with Carleen. I was so hard on my “second-day hair” for years. I needed it to look groomed and perfect like “first-day hair.” I soon learned acceptance, mixed with a better refresh technique for second-day looks. Softer, fuller, with frizz working as a styling friend, ends up carrying me through manageable beauty.

How do you control/tame the frizz halo?

Laura P.

CAMILLE SAYS:

I don’t see halo frizz as bad. There’s always going to be a little frizz after Day 1. My suggestion is to work on getting the hair as hydrated as possible on Day 1, styling with gel for maximum hold, and fully drying. Then just embrace your hair in the days to follow.

WENDY SAYS:

Halo frizz comes from thirsty curls. Spray some leave-in conditioner and smooth and scrunch your curls.

HEATHER SAYS:

Halo frizz is typically dehydrated hair. The hair is so thirsty, it is seeking water from the air. Commonly when I see a frizz halo, clients are suffering from buildup of oils. Clarify the hair and discontinue all oils and heavy butters from your routine, and switch to water-soluble products. This typically makes a huge difference.

CARLEEN SAYS:

If this is just a simple halo frizz I see as the day goes on (especially if I am out and about), I would wet my hands with warm water and, with a petting motion, smooth down the frizz. “Be a good little frizz and lie down!” If it’s a bit “stronger” of a frizz, I might use a prayer hands motion to sandwich the frizz.

Got a question? Send it to our stylist panel

at stylists@readcurl.com.

Is the pandemic getting to

your head?

If you thought things couldn’t get worse, hair loss has emerged as a potential effect of COVID-19

WRITTEN BY LAUREN MAZZO

To mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic has necessitated social distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns. But people are inherently social creatures, and these protocols have left many of us with crippling loneliness, chronic anxiety, and insomnia.

Those are just a few of the prevalent side effects — but why not add one more to the list?

Now we’re losing our hair too.

Though many people have stopped chemically treating, dyeing, and heat-styling their hair — thanks to the relaxed aesthetic of sequestered living — hair health has not significantly improved. In fact, it seems to have gotten much worse.

Google searches for “COVID hair loss” have increased about 80% since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, while searches for “hair loss” have seen a boost of about 25%.

This is brought on by the one-two punch of pandemic life: Those who’ve been diagnosed with (and recovered from) the virus have reported hair loss as a side effect of their illness, while uninfected individuals are watching clumps come out in the shower due to mounting stress.

Whether you’ve battled the virus itself or its impact on the world around you (or both), here’s what you need to know if you’re losing hair as a result.

What more do we have to lose?

Interestingly enough, it’s common to shed hair after suffering through a major illness or even a strong fever, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). That’s not unique to COVID-19.

(Note: It’s technically hair shedding and not hair loss, as that’s when the hair stops growing for good.)

Medically dubbed “telogen effluvium,” this effect describes a circumstance when more hairs than normal enter the shedding (telogen) phase at the same time.

“Your hair follicles get almost shocked by stress, and their normal growth cycle gets interrupted,” says Dr. Alia Ahmed, a psychodermatologist at The Royal London Hospital in the UK. “You have thousands of hair follicles on your head, and they’re all at different stages of the growing process. When you have acute stress, a lot of them can move into the shedding phase.”

The stress can be mental or physical, and common examples include giving birth, having an operation, and losing 20 pounds or more, according to the AAD. The thing is, you may not even notice this mass exodus until a while after the illness or event. As many as 70% of the scalp hairs can be shed in large numbers, starting several weeks after the source of acute stress, and may continue for six to eight months after the “shock,” according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD).

Sam Roselli, a stylist at Gallery Salon in Rochester, New York, has seen this firsthand. “I just had a client who was losing her hair who had COVID-19 six months ago,” she says. “A lot of my clients have mentioned it’s happening to them, and clumps of hair will come out while I’m shampooing them or brushing their hair.”

Curly-haired 28-year-old Brad Abrey, also of Rochester, had COVID-19 in November and lost clumps of hair over the course of several months, eventually cutting it short to hide the loss.

“When I encountered my first COVID-19 client with severe hair loss, I was shocked,” says Heather Barclay, Curl Stylist Panelist and owner of Orange Salon in Austin, Texas. “I had no idea this level of hair loss was a side effect. As with everything COVID-19, I don’t know that we have enough time with it yet to know if this is long-term or temporary.”

All stressed up and nowhere to go

Because the physical and physiological effects of both COVID-19 and stress manifest in different ways for everyone, whether or not you experience hair shedding due to either condition is a veritable spin of the roulette wheel.

Unfortunately, many of our coping mechanisms have been taken away from us this year (travel, group fitness, social engagements, artistic outlets). And all the pent-up stress and anxiety from this rollercoaster of current events has nowhere to go — except, apparently, straight to our hair follicles.

“We know that the scalp is a stress-responsive area, meaning stress can affect the scalp,” says Ahmed. And because of that, “any condition affecting the scalp — like dandruff, scalp eczema/psoriasis, scalp folliculitis — can be impacted. And if not managed appropriately, it can cause hair quality to diminish and potentially increase hair fall.”

While these conditions don’t cause hair loss directly, they affect the health of the scalp, which in turn impedes hair growth or encourages shedding.

“Hair loss may also be seen as alopecia areata, an immune-mediated hair loss caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles and causing hair to fall out in rounded patches,” says Ahmed. While scientists aren’t entirely sure exactly what triggers alopecia areata, stress certainly exacerbates it. “When people have done biopsies of the areas where the hair loss happens, they’ve found byproducts of the stress cycle in the scalp,” she says.

To make matters worse, people are less likely to get help for these seemingly minor issues during the pandemic — further delaying a solution.

“There will be people that develop a new hair problem during this time and put off seeking a medical opinion due to fear of contracting the virus from a doctor’s clinic,” says Ahmed. “Delaying diagnosis and management of scalp and hair conditions can be damaging and affect the prognosis of the condition (and possibly increase the time it may take to improve).”

And like some kind of cruel joke, it can even be someone’s stress coping mechanism that is directly causing their hair shedding!

“People may not be caring for their hair as they usually do (with reduced salon visits, lack of motivation, inability to obtain products). And in the current environment, [they] can also develop hair-damaging, stress-related habits — such as smoking or hair pulling,” says Ahmed.

When it comes to hair pulling as a coping mechanism, it’s actually more common that you might think. The act can range from a minor act of self-soothing — like twisting your hair around your finger — to something more serious, akin to an obsessive compulsive disorder. The recurrent, irresistible urge to pull out hair from your scalp, eyebrows, or other areas of your body is called trichotillomania — and stress is a notable trigger, according to Mayo Clinic. If you have concerns about yourself or someone close to you, this behavior should be diagnosed and treated by a licensed medical professional.

“My hair has thinned itself out so much I have bald spots now. I didn’t have COVID-19, so I think it’s stress,” says Alexandra Russ, 32, from Buffalo,
New York. “I noticed that I pull my hair when I’m stressed now, which I never did before.”

Shed the stress instead

Before you panic over the strays on your pillow, keep in mind that the average person will lose 50 to 100 hairs a day, according to Mayo Clinic. But if you begin to notice significantly more hair loss than normal (especially in rounded patches, à la alopecia areata), it’s a good idea to chat with your doctor.

If you’ve experienced extra hair shedding as a result of having COVID-19, there’s some good news: You don’t need to do anything specific to treat it. The loss of those hairs through telogen effluvium, though unsettling, happens because there’s new hair growing beneath the old strand, pushing it out, according to the AOCD. So while you may have a thinner mane at the moment, your future is looking thick.

If you experienced shedding as a result of stress, know that it’s very likely not permanent. However, you should begin addressing your body’s stressors so that your hair can return to its former glory ASAP.

“Nourishment is everything; feed your body the best diet possible to recover,” says Barclay. “Your hair and nails are your ‘check engine light’ for your entire body. Start with the inside, and you should quickly see the results [everywhere].”

And if your hair has thinned, you can always visit your stylist to see how a cut or a treatment may help.

“Thin hair always looks better shorter, so we have to find a cute, current shape that is manageable for what hair you have right now,” says Barclay. “It’s probably the perfect time to seek out a curl specialist if you don’t already see one. They can guide you with the most clean and simple hair routine possible and give you a beautiful cut. With them, you can map a plan and have a professional on your team as your hair changes.”

As your hair grows back, try to make the best of the situation by indulging in a little TLC, Barclay says. Focus on acts of self-care you can perform to handle your stress today, rather than dwelling on its causes or worrying about what’s to come. She says: “The best thing we can do is handle the here and now.”

Tip: If you suffer from a dry and flaky scalp, look for selenium sulphide, piroctone olamine, or an antifungal treatment with ketoconazole or salicylic acid to help remove debris on the scalp, says Ahmed. If you’re hoping to nourish new hair growth as it returns, she recommends shampoos and conditioners with nourishing oils for dry or damaged hair, as well as products with UV protection and antioxidants.

STRESS AND HAIR LOSS

RELIEF Tips

Dr. Alia Ahmed is a psychodermatologist who treats the mind and the skin together. To help relieve stress and the possible hair loss that can come with it, she recommends:

• Eating a well-balanced diet including protein, carbohydrates, good fats, and natural sugars

• Drinking at least 10 cups of fluid a day to reduce the effects of dehydration (especially due to illness) on the skin and body

• Sleeping at least eight hours a night (which gives your skin time to repair itself)

• Engaging in regular exercise that’s manageable — so you’re more likely to stick to it

• Developing a nighttime routine that involves a one-hour screen-time ban and breathing exercises before bed

• Managing your environment (creating positivity around you using your favorite scents, music, or colors)

• Finding an achievable act that makes you happy and incorporating it into your morning routine, and doing another in the evening

• Working to accept your emotions (allowing yourself to feel a certain way but also thinking about why you felt it in the first place)

• Taking time out for yourself and engaging in
some form of meditation or mindfulness to help combat stress

• Having a positive mantra that you recite to yourself, especially during times you’re feeling low, such as, ‘I respect myself, I am worthy, I am unique, I will not give up’

• Telling yourself daily what you’re thankful for

• Removing the influence of things in your life that are emotionally draining or making you feel low about yourself

Dr. Sarb Clare

As an award-winning frontline senior doctor working for the National Health Service, Dr. Sarb Clare is leading a movement that empowers women — especially curly ones — to be the best version of themselves.

I am a frontline doctor and have spent the past year battling COVID-19 alongside my amazing National Health Service (NHS) colleagues in the United Kingdom. I have treated thousands of patients who are suffering from this deadly disease, which to date has taken the lives of more than 125,000 people in the UK and more than 3 million worldwide. These individuals are not numbers: they are daughters, mothers, uncles, friends — so much more than graphs and figures. The devastation and heartbreak often feels insurmountable, and it will be felt for generations to come.

I have been a doctor for 22 years — 12 years as a senior consultant — and this year has tested us all. It has tested the resilience of our values, our sense of self, and our worth in society. It has made us realize that life is short and we should grasp each day with vigor and not be consumed with materialism and living to please others.

It is estimated that 65% of the world’s population has curly or wavy hair, and a growing percentage of people are embracing their natural texture. Like the color of our skin, we are diverse in hair texture. However, rather than celebrating our differences as beautiful, society continues to enforce the notion that only people with straight hair are professional, competent, and serious.

Right now, curly-haired women are changing to conform to this notion. Instead, the systems that keep these lies in place need to change.

One of the solutions is “role modeling,” meaning we need to see women that represent us at the top. They need to be relatable, and they need to embrace their natural texture. It’s like the phrase: “If you can see it, you can be it.” Role modeling is the absolute key in solving many challenges women face.

As a senior clinician holding a leadership role, I am in a position of influence. I proactively use my position to encourage other women to rise and support and mentor others to achieve their dreams. I lead a movement called “Women Empowering Women,” which aims to empower women to be the best version of themselves.

Although we have many women in leadership and prominent media roles, I struggle to identify with them. We know over two-thirds of women have curly hair, but where are the women with curls? Where are the women embracing their natural texture? It starts by changing society’s misconceptions; but in addition, women need to shed the expectations society has set and be true to themselves. Being unique is our strength, and we should thrive on this.

Studies show women place their value and self-worth on what other people think of them, and it is only in their mid-40s that they reach the same level of confidence as their male counterparts.

This brings me to authenticity. Authenticity is fundamental; it is only when we are true to ourselves that we can ultimately be happy and content. Authenticity isn’t easy though. It takes courage, defiance, confidence, and maturity to be our authentic selves. Having role models and mentors helps speed up this process. Being vulnerable and being our true selves takes immense courage, but courage is contagious: When one person makes the first move, it creates a domino effect.

Over the years, I’ve learned to love my curls. I embrace them as they define me. I feel powerful like a lioness with my curls, authentic with them, and lost without them. They provide me the power I need to be who I am. Without my curls, I am a shadow of myself.

What is alarming is that I am the only woman in senior leadership in the NHS who wears her curls naturally. This is unnerving for me, as I am different from everyone else. As both a senior doctor and leader, I have faced prejudice for my curly hair. But after many years, I have realized it allows me to bring something different to the table, challenge the narrative, and rise against the norm society has created.

COVID-19 has amplified many discrimination issues around gender, race, and diversity. Seventy percent of health care workers are women, and yet only one-third are in senior leadership roles, which means these leaders do not have the insight, experience, and knowledge to represent many of the people they serve.

The majority of frontline workers are women, and they are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed for 6-foot-tall Caucasian men. Women tend to be significantly shorter and have narrower faces, which leads to ill-fitting masks and PPE, ultimately resulting in less protection. Women have been putting their lives at risk while caring for the sick and dying without proper protection, and it can be attributed to them not being represented in rooms where important decisions are made, where they might be able to raise concerns and influence key decisions that ultimately affect women.

We can extrapolate further from here. Surgical scrub caps in surgery and hard helmets in construction are not made for women, and they are definitely not made for the curly-haired population. To make this change, we need curly-haired women at the top of the food chain to influence, challenge, and represent the rest of us. We need curly-haired women in positions of power, and if they are there now, they need to embrace their curls and wear them naturally.

As a role model embracing and showcasing my curls, I am very proud to have inspired many other colleagues, friends, and juniors to stop straightening their curls and start their curly journey to be authentic to themselves. It is incredibly humbling to see the transformations in their hair — but most importantly, within them as individuals. The power and impact of these transformations from straight to curly hair, and in confidence and self-worth, are immeasurable.

Maybe this is your chance to find out for yourself, and become a role model in your own place of employment. Take the leap and uncover the true you.

Studies have repeatedly shown that job recruiters are biased against Black women with natural hairstyles. The recruiters perceived the women as less professional and less competent, and therefore they were less likely to recommend them for a job interview, as compared to Black women with straight hair or white women with curly or straight hair.

A Deep Dive Into Pool Hair

WRITTEN BY GINA MARIE RODRIGUEZ

As the days grow longer, it’s impossible to avoid daydreams of a quick dip in the pool on a balmy summer day. But where there’s a pool, there is chlorine (or salt water) — and the dreaded “swimmer’s hair.”

While a quick dip in crystal-clear waters might seem like it can’t hurt, the dry, damaged, tangled, and brittle hair we’ve all experienced after swimming tells a different story. Why does pool water ruin hair in the first place? Can the damaging effects of swimming (and sunning) be avoided? And more importantly ... how?

We know we should protect our hair while swimming, and Googling “how to protect hair from the pool” yields the standard precautions:

• Rinse off and wet your hair with tap water before entering the pool

• Apply a leave-in conditioner (or coconut oil) to the hair before swimming

• Use a swim cap to seal out most of the water

• Rinse hair after swimming and use a moisturizing conditioner

But — reality check — how often are people actually following these suggestions? And do they really work? Let’s take a look at the science behind these suggestions.

1. Rinse off and wet hair before pool use

Nearly every public swimming pool has signs that read “No Running,” “No Lifeguard on Duty,” and “Enter at Your Own Risk.” But you might also see one that says, “Shower Before Entering the Pool.” Why is that so important? It sounds annoying: that long walk to the shower, twisting the metal knob, and the blast of cold water! At most, the sign might elicit a shrug before you inch indifferently into the shallow end.

However, there is a reason for this protocol. For one, it helps prevent that “pool smell.” The strong chemical smell you’re used to encountering at public pools isn’t an abundance of chlorine, it’s actually the chlorine interacting with excess oils (and any topical moisturizers) from people’s skin. The smell might be accompanied by a visible residue on the surface of the water — like an oil slick — which can cause mold-like stains and clog filtration systems.

Pretty gross, right? It’s worth a few seconds under the spray to avoid swimming in a skin oil slick.

But in addition to being a common courtesy, it’s also helpful for your hair.

Curly hair can absorb a lot of product — and a lot of water. That high absorbency is also known as porosity. All hair is somewhat porous/absorbent, but not as much as curly hair, and damaged or dehydrated curly hair is the most absorbent.

And what do you think your curls are absorbing once they hit that cool pool water? Chlorine.

Most people know the positive benefits of using chlorine in swimming pools: It kills bacteria and algae while acting as a real-time disinfectant to keep kiddie potty slipups from ruining everyone else’s fun. But it also dries out your skin, and it’s damaging to hair — especially color-treated, highlighted, or dehydrated hair.

When chlorine enters water, it dissolves and becomes hypochlorous acid, which is highly attracted to keratin protein and sebum — the same protein and natural oils that make up human hair, skin, and nails. Hair, skin, and nails swell when they get wet; this means absorbing water, and along with it, dissolved chlorine. The hypochlorous acid gains direct access to keratin and sebum. It combines with them and solubilizes (dissolves) them, as the unprotected keratin breaks apart bit by bit.

The more damaged and dehydrated the hair is, the more hypochlorous acid seeps in, and more natural proteins and sebum are dissolved. This causes more damage and creates a vicious cycle of pool water hair destruction.

It might sound simple, but wetting the hair with clean water first will help “fill up” the hair and leave less room to absorb the pool water. This dilutes the damaging effects of chlorine.

But it doesn’t prevent those effects altogether. That brings us to the next point.

2. Pre-swim hair treatments

Hair that’s coated in oils or silicones will be less porous and absorbent, which is why so many “pool tips” include coating the hair with some kind of protective layer, like a leave-in conditioner, prior to swimming.

Of course, there’s a lot of debate about whether it’s healthy to use products like coconut oil, shea butter, and silicone for curly hair. They can get in the way of daily wear, but for a specific purpose, could they be helpful? What are the benefits and drawbacks of using them?

OILS

Coconut oil and shea butter, along with other oils that are solid at room temperature, contain high levels of the medium-chain triglyceride fatty acid called lauric acid, which is attracted to the hair strand and able to penetrate deep inside it. Most oils contain a combination of fatty acids that are small (short-chain), medium (medium-chain), and large (long-chain). Short-chain fatty acids penetrate hair strands but do not contribute to long-term conditioning and do not generally block water absorption. Long-chain fatty acids are very large and sit on the surface of hair, repelling some water absorption (but not all), and generally lead to a greasy and heavy feel on the hair.

Some oils that contain triglycerides are polar (magnetically attracted to the hair), while others are nonpolar and simply sit on the surface of the strand. Nonpolar oils can be stripped away by chlorine and salt in pool water and are therefore not very helpful in the long run. Coconut oil and shea butter both contain polar triglycerides with an abundance of lauric acid that can fill in the gaps of dehydrated hair, preventing further damage from the pool water.

As far as ease of application though, warmed coconut oil is easier, albeit messier, to apply to hair than shea butter (since the melting point of coconut oil is much lower), and raw shea butter is quite expensive and thick.

The downside of using raw oils and butters on curly and wavy hair is that they can block out hydration when not properly removed. Plus, most of the oily residues will easily leach out into the pool, leading to unsatisfied curlies and displeased pool-owners alike. Oils also do not protect the hair entirely from the sun’s ultraviolet rays (offering 20% protection, at most).

LEAVE-IN CONDITIONERS

If oils aren’t a great choice for pool hair protection, how about a leave-in conditioner? Not so fast.

All hair conditioners are formulated with conditioning ingredients that are magnetically attracted to the negative charge found in hair, and they leave behind a nice slip; that’s why they work so well. But some of those ingredients are easily rinsed from the hair, and some are not. In this instance, using conditioning ingredients that are not easily rinsed will yield better swimming pool protection.

SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

There are hair care products that have been specially formulated to protect against chlorine and salt water absorption, and they offer UV protection. Good pre-swim leave-in treatments can be used on either damp or dry hair. Spray-on products are easy to apply but require more attention to thoroughly coat the hair. Damp hair applications are easier to distribute through the hair than dry applications — and when they’re applied after the standard pre-swim rinse and squish, they can offer double protection against pool water absorption. Just be sure to use an ample amount and distribute it throughout all of your hair a few minutes before diving in.

SILICONES

Curl stylists generally recommend not using silicones on curly hair, but they may have a place in swim protection.

Most silicones coat the hair and can’t easily be washed off. With repeated use, silicone-containing products continue attaching to hair, leading to buildup.

Molecules of amodimethicone, however, have
positive charges, and are mainly attracted to damaged areas of hair. That positive charge also means amodimethicone that is already attached to the hair will repel any new amodimethicone molecules that get layered on top, meaning no buildup. Once the amodimethicone sticks to hair, it crosslinks with its neighbors and forms a more durable film that can withstand swimming pool water and gentle washing, but can be removed with stronger clarifying cleansers and post-swim shampoos.

3. Wearing a swim cap

Wearing a swim cap is a great alternative to pre-swim hair treatments, but really: Outside of a swim meet or the gym pool, who regularly pulls out their swim cap?

Maybe more of us should be. Modern swim caps can be cute. They offer 95% protection against damaging UV rays. And they block most, but not all, water from entering the hair — and for that reason, for the very best results, you’d still want to apply a pre-swim treatment or wet the hair prior to pulling on a swim cap. Opt for an extra-large cap to hold long or thick hair.

4. Rinse hair with clean water after swimming

The last recommendation on the internet’s standard precautions list is to rinse hair with clean water again right after swimming. That’s practical advice we can get behind: If any pool water did make it into the hair, speedy removal will minimize any further damage.

Focusing time and attention on healthy hair practices such as hydration, treating existing damage, and prevention of future damage from sun and pool water will benefit every person and every texture of hair.

However, the best defense is a good offense — so start preparing now. After all, the healthier the hair
at the beginning of summer, the better it will weather the season.

Learn the best ways to protect your hair

from the water and rays

Tip: That 20-second pre-swim rinse at the pool shower is simply not enough to ward off chlorine absorption. Healthy, natural hair can take up to 20 minutes to fully absorb tap water. Don’t have 20 minutes to spare? Speed up the process by squishing the water into the hair like a dry sponge under the faucet.

Tip: To block water absorption into the hair strand, liberal amounts of oil must be applied to dry hair at least 15 minutes prior to water exposure.

A common misconception is that chlorine in the pool causes hair to turn green — but it’s not all chlorine’s fault. The green color is caused by the presence of copper in a chlorinated pool. When copper and chlorine meet, they usually create copper-chloride. However, when they meet in the presence of water (like, say, a swimming pool) the molecules crystallize, creating copper chloride dihydrate, which is a bright blue-green color. If that chemical reaction meets blond hair strands, they’ll turn a pale green. Additionally, red hair will “brown out,” and brown hair can appear more dull.

RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES

Weeks before sun and pool exposure

• Double up on damage repair treatments. As a curl specialist and former Curl Stylist Panelist, I recommend Olaplex No. 3 and K18 Hair Masque to bolster your hair’s internal bond strength.

• Purchase protective hair coverings like wide-brimmed hats, as well as head coverings like a Buff UV, silk or satin wraps, and large swim caps for your dips in the water.

On pool days

Decide on your pool water protection method:

• Coconut oil prevention on dry hair (applied
15 minutes prior to exposure)

• Leave-in hair treatment on damp hair with amodimethicone, conditioning ingredients, and antioxidants and UV blockers to preempt damage

• Swim cap for full UV protection

After pool and sun exposure

• Rinse hair immediately after exiting the pool.

• Wash out pool water with swimmers’ shampoo/conditioner, or use hard water treatments as soon
as possible after swimming to remove damaging copper and pool chemical residue. (A swimmers’ shampoo is similar to a hard water shampoo. It’s slightly more clarifying to remove chlorine, but
still gentle, depending on the brand. These
products usually contain EDTA or something
acidic for chelation.)

• Continue using damage treatments regularly in preparation for the next pool day.

Do you think swimming in salt water is as damaging as a chlorinated pool?

CARLEEN SAYS: “I don’t think salt water is as bad as chlorine, but I still would recommend washing your hair ASAP [after swimming] to remove the cooties and salty yucks.”

WENDY SAYS: “We have salt bonds in our hair, so salt water can be good for fine, wavy hair. It helps in creating more texture and really defining waves. But too much exposure and the salt will dry out the water content within the hair, leaving it dry and brittle. In very curly or coily hair, the salt will create dryness by absorbing the water, leaving the hair dry, and can raise the cuticle, making it harder to retain moisture. Chlorine is still the worst of the two, in my opinion.”

Effects of the sun on the hair

No beach or pool day is complete without a bottle of broad-spectrum sunscreen for your skin. After all, exposure to the sun can lead to sunburn, peeling, pain, and even skin cancer!

But what about protecting your hair?

Hair is extremely susceptible to UV radiation and can take on damage due to prolonged exposure. If you add consistent exposure to chlorine or salt water, which is likely to dehydrate and potentially discolor your hair, you might be facing an end-of-
summer, length-sacrificing haircut if you want to get some of the pre-summer health and hydration back.

While most people know the warning signs of UV damage to the skin, not many pay attention to — or even are aware of — the damaging effects of UV rays on their hair.

Hair damage from UV radiation is associated with dryness, dullness, split ends, breakage, and a rougher hair surface (which can lead to frizz).

Luckily, healthy pigmented hair has some UV protection built in. Naturally pigmented hair contains whole melanins: eumelanin and pheomelanin. High amounts of eumelanin create black and dark brown hair, while low levels create blond hair, and elevated pheomelanin levels create red hair. All of the other colors in between are created by combinations of those two types of melanin. Hair that is high in eumelanin has more natural resistance to UV rays, but lighter hair that has been color-treated or highlighted loses that protection, while white or gray hair contains no natural UV protection at all and is very susceptible to UV damage.

For all hair colors and types, UVA rays affect the natural melanin in the hair and lighten it, leading to more UVA damage. UVB rays damage the hair’s disulfide bonds, physically weakening the protein structure inside the strand.

Another important note about UV rays is that once the pores of the scalp have been exposed and damaged by UV radiation, the production of new hair cuticles is stunted and can lead to hair thinning and hair loss that requires expensive treatment to recover.

There are many ingredients that product formulators and manufacturers use to protect hair from UV damage. Here are a few easy-to-spot UV blockers:

• Benzophenone-3 and -4

• Propanediol

• Polyquaternium-59 used with butylene glycol (not all polyquats offer UV protection)

• Cinnamates are UVB protectors derived from or related to cinnamon oil

• Octyl methoxycinnamate

• Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate

• Cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride

Sharing Our
Roots

Styles 4 Kidz helps multiracial families build confidence and cultural understanding

WRITTEN BY ERYNNE HUNDLEY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROXANNE ENGSTROM, HAWA IMAGES

In 2010, Tamekia Swint went to Poland on a mission trip. While there, she was asked to teach an elective on any topic she wanted. She chose hair braiding. Once she realized how much she enjoyed it — and her students gushed about how beautiful their hair was — a seed of an idea was planted.

About a year after returning to Chicago, Swint met Mary DuBoyce, a transracial adoptive mom who needed help with her two young daughters’ textured hair care. Swint generously gave DuBoyce instructions, guidance, and patience, and in return felt a sense of fulfillment. Overjoyed with Swint’s work, DuBoyce referred Swint to a network of adoptive parents, many of whom were also seeking a safe place to learn how to care for their transracial children’s hair without judgment and negative criticism. Swint wanted to create that place, so she began Styles 4 Kidz.

“I’m passionate about hair care education and healthy hair for kids, for them to get what they need to have healthy self-esteem and confidence,” says Swint, who also wrote Your Hair is Your Crown, a children’s book that highlights multiculturalism and the importance of embracing natural hair.

Over the past 11 years, her nonprofit organization has grown to serve hundreds of clients across the United States. Focusing on multiracial families, as well as transracial foster and adoptive families, Styles 4 Kidz has solidified its mission to build confidence in kids while also building a community for parents.

When parents come together to work through frustrations, anger, and shame around not knowing how to care for their children’s hair, they don’t feel so alone in their struggles, says Swint. Styles 4 Kidz provides a safe place to connect and learn at pop-up events nationwide, along with workshops and appointments for in-salon care at their home base in Chicago.

As of 2019, there were more than 500,000 children
in foster care and/or waiting to be adopted in the US. In foster care alone, there are more than 200,000
Black, Hispanic, or multiracial children. Styles 4 Kidz aims to help these children and their caregivers embrace the kids’ culture and heritage — and that goes far beyond hair.

“Multicultural kids experience a lack of confidence when their hair isn’t well-managed,” says Swint. “Kids need a supportive community among peers to feel a sense of cultural connection and identity. Most lack a place that is their own and where they can address these concerns.”

If a child’s culture isn’t a part of a parent’s culture, then Swint works to bridge that gap, helping children understand their culture and allowing parents to ask and answer potentially uncomfortable questions in a safe space.

She wants to make sure adoptive parents are able to help their children succeed, connect to their culture, and leave workshops feeling loved and valued. Her biggest advice for parents is to “be patient, develop any skill you have to practice, and give yourself grace to make mistakes.” She frequently states: “Practice makes perfect, so trust the process. Pour love into your fingers, and your children will thank you for it.”

She knows Styles 4 Kidz helps children feel more confident and take ownership and pride in their personal identities — because both the kids and their parents say so.

Merryl Brownlow has been a client of Styles 4 Kidz for more than eight years. She was introduced to the organization by a mutual friend when she expressed that she needed help caring for her daughter Sara’s hair, particularly as a white parent of a Black child.

“I knew that hair care was culturally incredibly important, and I knew I was not equipped to figure it out on my own,” says Brownlow, who found the program to be so much more than just hair care. “Styles 4 Kidz provides us with the comfort and confidence in knowing that we can better prepare Sara for the shoes she walks in as a young Black girl growing up in a complex and complicated world.”

Brownlow says the program also helped her and her partner “as white parents gain cultural competence in raising a Black daughter. We have gained insights into how to best advocate when faced with microaggressions and racism in ways that would not come naturally to us given our white privilege.”

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, and not every client walks in knowing what they need or with a genuine willingness to learn. Adoptive parents already face unique trials and challenges supporting their children, but for those parenting a child of a different race and culture, there are additional learning curves and gaps in access to education, resources, training, and a community of support, Swint says.

“Although there are a wealth of videos on natural hair on the internet, there is no specific information that addresses the transracial adoptive, biracial, or multiracial community’s hair care needs,” she says. “We break these barriers down, teaching parents how to pour love and affirmations into the fingers that work on their children’s hair.”

Styles 4 Kidz has served more than 200 families and 600 kids, and Swint says one of the greatest rewards of her career is seeing the long-term impact the program has had on children as they grow up. “We give these kids a role model to look up to, someone to talk to about anything, and a healthy person to set a successful example for them.”

That impact is just so important, she says, and it really is about a lot more than hair.

“Our hair is so much more than what grows out of our heads,” says Swint. She adds that it’s especially true within the African-American community: “It’s our culture, our identity; it’s a rooted part of who we are.”

Protective Styling: The Dos and Don’ts for Healthy Curls

WRITTEN BY VICTORIA SMITH

For many women with curly hair, this is the prime time to invest in a protective style. In the summer months, people hit the road on family vacations or start spending more time outdoors and don’t want to be held back by daily hair woes while on the go.

Whether it’s braids, twists, knots, or faux locs, protective hairstyles have been around for centuries, woven into the tapestry of both African and American histories.

Today, protective styles often cost more than $100 and can take up to 10 hours to complete. And the commitment goes beyond time and money; you also need to protect your investment. Sure, you might think that a protective style means you no longer have to worry about your hair — isn’t that the whole point? Well, textured hair expert and Curl Stylist Panelist Camille Janae wants women to think differently about their protective styles.

“I actually don’t like to call them protective styles because, in reality, the hair doesn’t need to be protected. I like to call them ‘alternative styles,’” says Janae.

As a curl educator and owner of Mahogany and Rose Hair Studio in Sacramento, California, Janae has seen it all. She helps her clients learn how to take care of their hair at home, and that includes at-home maintenance for protective styles.

She believes there is a lot of misinformation out there. For example: “There is a myth that protective styles help hair grow faster; however, that isn’t true. We just get to see the growth happening from our scalps when an alternative or protective style is worn.”

But most importantly, it’s essential to learn about protective style upkeep from the perspective of hair health. Janae recommends keeping the following tips in mind before and after wearing a protective style.

DO

1. Continue cleansing and conditioning hair.
Janae says this is one of the most common mistakes she sees women make after getting their protective style installed. “When you don’t continue to shampoo and condition your hair, it will become dehydrated, brittle, and even matted,” says Janae. “It’s important to not neglect your own hair while the style is in.” Cleansing the hair while styled in braids or similar styles takes a little practice. That’s why Janae suggests diluting the shampoo with water and applying the combination directly to the scalp using an applicator bottle with a nozzle tip.

2. Limit your wearing time to six weeks. Protective styles are a great way to keep your hands out of your hair for weeks at a time, but Janae says leaving them in too long could cause issues down the road: “Women often leave their protective styles in way too long. This causes the hair to become matted and extremely difficult to remove, which could lead to frustration.”

3. Use low tension. Unfortunately, it’s very common for women wearing protective styles to complain about head, neck, and shoulder pain after installation is complete and a few days afterward. This is typically caused by tension during the installation process.
Janae also finds that tension is often linked to alopecia due to hair coming out of the follicle. She recommends asking your stylist to loosen their grip a bit and be gentle at the hairline. “Protective styles shouldn’t be painful,” she says.

4. After removal, give hair some TLC. Once the style is removed, the hair should immediately be cleansed with a clarifying shampoo. Janae says this type of shampoo is made to strip away product buildup the hair may have accumulated over the past month or so. Once the cleansing process is complete, follow it with deep conditioning to restore the hair’s moisture. “Thoroughly deep condition your hair after shampooing. Take your time to really work the product down the length of your hair,” says Janae.

DON’T

1. Add too much extra hair. Adding heavy hair extensions to your style could play a major role in potential head, neck, and shoulder pain. “The hair ratio should be even. You don’t want to use 10 packs of hair if you already have thick hair,” says Janae. “You have to be careful along your hairline also.” The hairline is a very delicate area prone to breakage if too much tension is applied. Janae warns that braids, twists, and other styles along the hairline can cause hair loss if the section has too much weight.

2. Install excessively long styles. Yes, Lemonade Braids and Passions Twists are trendy, but Janae recommends wearing them at a shorter length. “That’s a lot of weight, and is one of the major reasons why women complain of headaches,” she says. “You can still style them in a cute way without them being so long that they become a hassle.”

3. Rush when removing the style. You should plan to spend as much time for the removal process as you did for the installation. “Don’t be aggressive,” says Janae. She said she finds women become impatient during the removal process and end up causing problems for themselves down the road: “Attempting to quickly remove your protective style could cause breakage, matting, tangles, or worse: you cutting your own hair off by mistake when trying to remove the extension.” At the end of the day, the health of your own hair should remain a priority. To pass time and calm your nerves, try watching a movie during the removal process. Alternatively, you could ask a friend to help, so you’ll be having some fun and be less likely to rush.

4. Forget to pre-poo your hair. Since protective styles are worn for weeks at a time, Janae says it could be helpful to pre-poo your hair between removing the style and starting the shampoo and conditioning process. “Pre-pooing will prevent matting and extreme tangling before hair hits water,” she says. Janae noted that once tangles come into contact with water, they will become extremely difficult to remove.

While Janae doesn’t have a favorite protective style that she recommends to her clients, she does have one that she asks them to stay away from to avoid damage.

“I’m not a huge fan of faux locs,” she says. “Since the person’s hair is completely covered from the extensions being wrapped around the length of the hair, there is no way to properly wash, condition, or hydrate the hair. In essence, it’s covered up for weeks at a time.”

This may sound ideal for women looking to protect their hair from environmental factors, but it can cause extreme dryness. Janae says that faux locs are also heavier than other styles, since the extension is wrapped several times down the length of hair to create the “loc’d” look.

No matter the protective style you may choose this season, the key to sporting a healthy style is to keep the care of your own hair in mind. This includes sticking with a low-maintenance schedule to help your hair flourish underneath the extensions.

What is pre-pooing and how does it work?

Pre-pooing, also called a pre-shampoo treatment, involves saturating the hair with a few products and ingredients to help prepare hair for the shampoo and conditioning process. It can help soften the hair while removing tangles, smoothing the way for a more pleasant and effective wash.

Janae recommends pre-pooing once a protective style is removed. To get the job done, you can use a variety of carrier (plant) oils — such as olive oil, coconut oil, argan oil, or jojoba oil.

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Pour pre-poo oils into an applicator bottle.

2. Split your hair into four sections.

3. Work the blend of oils into each section,
thoroughly coating each strand. You can detangle during this step if you didn’t already.

4. Two-strand twist each section before moving on to the next one.

5. Allow the blend of oils to sit on the hair for
30 minutes to an hour before rinsing and beginning your shampooing process.

THE SECRETS OF picture-perfect curls

WRITTEN BY CHRISTY NICHOLSON

Curls can be beautiful and wild, soft and romantic, or elegant and refined. For wedding hairstyles, your waves, curls, or coils are your most unique accessory. Yet curls are unpredictable, which can feel daunting for brides wanting to document their big day. When it comes to wedding photos, how can brides ensure their natural curls stand the tests of wind, time, and on-demand fabulousness? We asked professional photographers for their best tips on picture-perfect curls.

Natural or no?

For formal weddings, some brides prefer to straighten their curls or tuck them into updos or protective styles — but more and more are setting their curls free. Photographers say the decision to wear natural curls often depends on the type of wedding and the confidence of the bride.

Chloe Jackman struggled to find examples of brides with Afros when she got married four years ago. “I feel like straightened hair has become the standard for when you want to dress up for a special occasion, and I love challenging that,” says Jackman, who is a San Francisco- 
based lifestyle, portrait, and wedding photographer. “When I want to dress up, I spend my time perfecting my curls and making my hair as big as possible.”

Photographer Tor Hawley, who owns Tor Hawley: Creative in Phoenix, says women who are comfortable wearing their natural curls every day are more likely to choose a similar style for their wedding. “I personally find that natural curls are beautiful in photographs because they create shade,” says Hawley, who adds that curls protect the face from harsh highlights and shadows.

Choosing a style

Once you’ve committed to natural curls on your wedding day, the next step is to choose a hairstyle.

“My curly hair brides tend to wear their hair half-up, so it’s out of their faces but still emphasizes their curls,” says Sarah Beatty of Eyeris Photography in Nashville, Tennessee. “Half-up also allows for pretty hair decor or a place for your veil to sit comfortably.”

Claire Eliza, a destination photographer who is also the editor-in-chief for BridalMusings.com, says some styles need more maintenance than others. “Soft textured curls — no matter how tight or loose your curls are — tend to need fewer touch-ups for photos during your wedding day,” she explains. “Sleeker styles photograph just as beautifully, but you’ll likely want to touch up any flyaways ... to achieve that ‘perfect style’ from start to finish.”

“If you have a looser curl, pulling back one side or getting an updo that accentuates your curls can be a stunning option,” says Jackman. “If you have braids or [locs], there are beautiful ways to have them pulled up and pulled back. Curly hair is so versatile; dream up the most beautiful, intricate style you want, and it will be perfect!”

Whatever you choose, be sure to practice your style several times before your wedding day. Try your hairstyle on days with varying weather and humidity, especially if your ceremony or reception is outdoors.

Veils, flowers, and more

Trying to decide between a traditional veil or a bohemian flower crown? Veils and other accessories work best when you choose what feels beautiful for you.

Hawley says flowers and greenery add a magical feel to natural curls. However, she also loves the dynamic flare that veils add to photos and offers practical tips for the best placement: “If hair is in an updo, veil placement around the bun area is best. If hair is pulled back on a side, then the veil should go on that side.”

“If you want to wear a full Afro, I found that a birdcage-type veil can be a beautiful addition to your hair,” says Jackman, who also recommends that brides pin their hair back to one or both sides if they want to add decorative clips to their style.

The right products

Good hair products are a curly girl’s best friend, and it’s important to find something that can provide hold throughout the wedding celebration.

“For curls, gel is always going to give the best definition and hold for long days. Most curly girls know what their hair needs though, and should trust their gut,” says Hawley.

Find a hair routine that works and practice it in the weeks and months before the ceremony. “I would suggest a curly-haired girl start with a good product long before the wedding day,” says Beatty. “It’s not something to start the night before your wedding. Learn your curl pattern and what product keeps it from frizzing.”

Will it stay all day?

With any special occasion, there’s concern about how long curls will stay defined and frizz-free. And what happens when your perfect wedding curls meet wind
or rain?

Eliza recommends not letting worries about the weather limit the way you want to look on your special day. “That candid photo of you laughing while wind gusts in your face will probably end up being a favorite of yours. Wear whatever hairstyle you love the most — glam or natural or somewhere in-between — and you won’t regret it,” she says.

To ease the fears of anxious brides, Hawley says they can consider a lower-stress hairstyle (like an updo) for the actual ceremony, and then plan a second, more adventurous photo session for after the wedding day with their curls wild and free. “This way, you get to enjoy your day to the fullest, and get the dreamy portraits you see all over Instagram,” she says.

Be yourself

Ultimately, the key to photo-friendly curls is confidence and comfort. Choose styles and accessories that you love and find a stylist and a photographer who will support your choices.

“Do what makes you feel most beautiful and what will allow you to enjoy your day to the fullest extent,” recommends Hawley. “It’s your day; you get to be and look however makes you feel most you. You make the rules!”

Eliza agrees, adding, “If you feel beautiful in your natural curls, then girl, you’re going to be radiant.”

In Case of Emergency

Keep these must-haves in your bridal bag so your hair is ready for anything.

• Bobby pins

• Curl-friendly hairspray or finishing spray

• Shine spray to add magic

• Edge brush to tame those baby hairs

• Gel for edges and pesky flyaway strands

• Oil-dabbing sheets

• Smoothing brush

• Travel-size curl revitalizing spray

• Lots of deep breaths!

tips from CURL stylists

“Start looking for your bridal stylist at least six months to a year in advance. You want to get your dates secured for a trial and your wedding date.”

Michelle Stiver

Salon Aficionado, Laguna Hills, California

“If wearing your natural curls is important to you, find a curl specialist that knows how to start the style with your best curls possible. If you go to an ‘event hair specialist’ that doesn’t understand your natural curl, chances are they will change you to curling iron hair. Do your research; invest in the correct stylist.”

Heather Barclay

Orange Salon, Austin, Texas

“Get it styled like you’re going to wear it at least a few weeks before the event. That way you’ll know what to expect and can reevaluate pins and hair accessories as needed, if needed.”

Wendy Florencio

Flo Cuts Hair Lounge, Columbia, South Carolina

“Start practicing to do it yourself. Naturally wavy and curly hair can look super fancy with just a couple simple twists in place. You are born with that epic texture! Lucky you!”

Naturally Curly Hair & Color Expert Carleen Sanchez, Reno, Nevada

MEET GRACE

We’ve got her glammed up in a wedding gown on the cover of this issue, now get to know Grace Heffron,
a curly hair specialist from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Tell us about your own hair story. Have you always embraced it?

I grew up as the only curly-haired person in my family. My mother and sister have waves but nothing close to my hair. It all came from my papaw. My grandmother is a licensed “beauty operator” (as they used to say back in the day), but she hadn’t worked in a salon since the 1960s. She would take me on regular shopping trips to the professional distributor store to try anything and everything on my “poof,” but she had no idea what to do other than use a relaxer.

The day we walked into the store to buy my first relaxing treatment, the employee working the counter told my grandmother, “Do not do that to her! Here is something else to try instead.” While the product still did not help with my hair struggles, I still thank that random employee for talking us out of permanent straightening.

As I reached middle school and high school, it was the mid-2000s and I got my first pink CHI straightener. I used it religiously! I changed schools in high school and no one ever knew I had curly hair until a pool party one summer and I forgot my hair tie. It poofed up and I was so embarrassed by the comments, I went home and cried. On a daily basis, it took me an hour and a half to restraighten my hair that had been straightened the day before.

After years of straightening, I left for my freshman year of college and became so lazy about my long, thick hair that I wore it in braids for almost that whole year. One day I let it air-dry because my roommate was gone and I wouldn’t be seeing anyone that weekend. The ringlets my hair did were so shocking that they spurred me on my curly hair journey.

What made you decide to specialize in curly hair?

Just like many curly hair specialists before me, I became a curl specialist because of my own hair. However, I didn’t always want to do hair. I was an artist in high school and spent nearly five years going to college thinking I’d be working in an art museum or traveling abroad to teach.

During my college years, I was working on my curls and also looking to find a curl specialist to help me on my curl journey. At the time, I was living in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and going to school at the University of Arkansas. While Northwest Arkansas has grown and diversified significantly in the last five years, at the time the area was a very small, primarily white town where the term “curly hair specialist” had never been uttered. So I was looking at Dallas, Atlanta, any big city within 10 hours driving where I could find someone who would at least cut my hair dry. But the few people I found in 2013 were booked out for months and their starting price was well beyond what I could afford on top of driving six to eight hours to get there and stay the night.

A few years later, I heard there was a stylist who would dry cut in Fayetteville! I was beyond excited, so I made an appointment. It was the most tragic and traumatizing experience I had ever had in a salon.

Six months of growing out that cut, frustrated and completely over ever going to another salon again, I dropped out of college and applied to be a student at Paul Mitchell the School Fayetteville to become the first curl specialist in my area. If no one knew what I was talking about, then I would be the person my state needed so badly.

In school, I told all my teachers that I was only going to do curls. I was told repeatedly that it wouldn’t happen, stylists had to be able to offer everything in the salon, there wouldn’t be enough clients to only do naturally curly hair. They said I had to do straight hair and all other services as well. Four years after graduation and I have not had to offer anything in the salon but naturally curly hair services! It’s safe to say I have proved many people wrong.

One of the main reasons I chose this path was specifically because the place I called home was ignoring a large number of people who wanted to embrace their natural beauty. After a little time away working at a curly salon in NYC as a junior stylist, I opened my first salon in January 2020. As far as I have been able to find, my salon, Manely Curly Salon, is the first exclusively naturally curly salon in Arkansas.

What’s your favorite part of being a curly hair specialist?

My favorite part about being a curl specialist is when the clients fall in love with themselves. This is sometimes on the first visit, sometimes it takes a few months, but there is a moment of recognition I see in my clients when they realize how beautiful they are, and that is something no one can fake. Some of my favorite vocalized moments are: “Wow I’m actually beautiful,” “I never thought my hair could be pretty,” “I just feel like this is what I should have looked like my whole life,” “I’ve never left a salon feeling confident,” and “no one has ever explained this to me but it makes so much sense!” And of course the criers who immediately swell up in tears when they see their finished curls for the first time. That gets me every time.

What do you do for fun outside of work?

Outside of work I am a dancer; I teach and dance Latin dancing, mostly Bachata. I learned here in Arkansas where there are some pretty incredible dancers who have become my dance family. When I moved to NYC, I became involved with New York Sensual Movement, a dance company that hosts dance socials and congresses. This is how I met my best friend and partner Varun. We met dancing Bachata on a rooftop in NYC, and two years later we are now going to be teaching Bachata in Arkansas together! Before the pandemic, I was definitely wanting to fulfill my dreams of travel and even went to India for a month. I’m obsessed with cultural education and loved staying with my boyfriend’s family and friends in Punjab and Bengal. If you have never left your country, or even your state, I can’t recommend it enough! Other than that, my life is all about relaxing with my two puppies and my family (who are mostly close by).

What does your future look like in five years?

I’m not much of a five-year plan person because I’m a Sagittarius; I let life lead me in ways I could never have imagined five years ago. However, my long-term goal is to grow the curl family in Arkansas and all over! I’m starting to be more involved in education, and I would love to not only educate stylists to become curl specialists, but also the average person. I absolutely plan on expanding Manely Curly Salon and begin training assistants and stylists to become highly specialized curly stylists here in Arkansas.

I also want to educate people on what it means to love yourself in every way, and I want to make a change socially where I live. In my experience, many people are not educated on curly or natural hair, so I want to start a conversation with people in a safe space to learn that words like “poodle/noodle hair,” “bushy hair,” “nappy hair,” “sheep hair,” and others are damaging to people of all backgrounds and rooted in racism. They dehumanize people and make them feel like less of a person. And I want to educate people that you cannot touch anyone without their permission; this includes their hair.

I also want to show people that all hair is professional, and that no one has to alter their appearance to be beautiful and acceptable. These are mindsets handed down for generations that need to change.

How will I do all this? I’m not quite sure, but it starts with building a community of people who have and love their natural texture. This summer I will be holding curly meetups to gather people of like mind (and hair) in the same place. I have been planning this for over a year but had to put it off because of the pandemic. I want to build a community of people so that we as a whole can start effecting change where we live. Eventually, maybe within five years, I want to hold Arkansas’s first curl festival, where people can come have fun, meet new people, and learn from each other what it means to embrace our hair, share our different cultures around hair, and encourage others in their self-love journeys.

PLUMP UP

YOUR CLUMPS

WRITTEN BY OLIVIA JOHNSON

While “clumping” may not be the most elegant word, it’s an important part of our style vocabulary. That’s because clumping is essential when it comes to minimizing frizz.

Take a look at one of your curls. That’s not one single piece of hair! It’s made up of several strands that “live” together for a thicker appearance. Clumping is key to curl survival, ensuring your curls achieve definition and reduced frizz, retain moisture, and withstand their environment.

With some patience, practice, and maybe a few tools, you’ll be well on your way to encouraging clumping in your curls.

There are several methods for clumping your curls, and you may even use more than one in your conditioning and styling process. The only way to find out which ones work best for you is to try them out. Different techniques may give you different results, and it’s up to you what you’re trying to achieve with your styling.

“Some people need to focus on frizz reduction, and other curls need more curl enhancement,” says Carleen Sanchez, Curl Stylist Panelist and salon owner and educator in Reno, Nevada.

But regardless of the method you choose, you’ll want to start with clean, detangled hair that is very wet, says Wendy Florencio, Curl Stylist Panelist and owner of Flo Cuts Hair Lounge in Columbia, South Carolina.

“Apply a moisturizing conditioner that will help keep your curls clumped and rinse it out,” Florencio says. “For fine textures, use a lightweight conditioner. For medium to coarse textures, use a heavier conditioner, preferably a deep conditioner with no protein.”

“[Start by] focusing on the marriage of water and conditioner in your hair,” advises Sanchez.

Squish to condish

This curl clumping technique really focuses on that marriage. “Squish to condish” involves using your hands to simultaneously squish water and conditioner into the hair.

First, apply your conditioner to extremely wet hair. Then, gently cup your curls into your hands and squeeze (lightly) repeatedly as you hear a squishing sound. Being gentle here is key; you don’t want to squeeze the water and conditioner out, but rather encourage the combo into your strands.

Anjana Muralidharan, 31, of Kochi, India, has been using this method for six years and says it helps her “get juicy hydrated clumps.”

“After applying the conditioner, instead of rinsing it off under water, I scrunch in palms full of water to remove the extra conditioner. I do this till the curls are nicely clumped,” she says. “I recommend squish to condish to all those who like thick, hydrated curls.”

Squish to condish is most often used for creating clumps with conditioner. Other methods, such as the next one, are more often used to apply styling product.

Praying hands

With this method, the hair is smoothed between your palms from root to end.

First, emulsify a liberal amount of conditioner or styling product between your palms. Then, take a section of extremely wet hair and gently press your hands together (as though in prayer) at the root. Finally, gently slide your hands down to the end of your hair, ensuring that the section is evenly coated.

In hair that has already been clumped (by squish to condish, for example), this is a great way to apply products without disturbing the clumps you’ve already created.

Florencio recommends this technique for people with wavy hair. If you have tighter curls, this technique can be used to elongate them and help reduce frizz.

Finger coiling

Apply styling products evenly to your hair. Then, select a curl clump and wrap the hair around your index finger to create a spiral, gently twisting the hair as close to the root as possible. Release the clump, and continue with the rest of the hair.

Rake and shake

If you have tighter curls, you may want to try the “rake and shake” method, coined by Ouidad salon and brand founder Ouidad Stephen.

To do it, separate your hair into sections to facilitate even product distribution. Apply your products by raking them through each section of hair with your fingers. When your curls are evenly coated, go back to a small section and, with your fingers together, rake your fingers through to smooth the hair. Before you let go at the end of the strands, shake the hair to encourage the curl. If your hair is too short to shake with your fingers, try shaking your head from side to side. (It may help to do this in the shower and cover your face with a microfiber towel or a cotton T-shirt!)

Roping

If you want to try the roping technique, separate your hair into four or five sections, depending on the thickness of your hair.

Form a circle with your hands (your thumb and index finger should be touching) and apply your conditioner or styler in a downward motion. Now go hand over hand, as if you’re climbing a piece of rope.

Continue to reapply water and conditioner until the entire section is moisturized.

However you create them, curl clumps are an essential part of frizz-free curls that can last for days.

Is ‘curl training’ real?

As you create curl clumps over and over again, across weeks and months, can you train your curls to clump and spring up on their own?

In short: not really.

“I don’t like to use the term ‘curl training’ in my approach, because I feel it’s misleading,” says Camille Janae, Curl Stylist Panelist and owner of Mahogany and Rose Hair Studio in Sacramento, California. “I coach clients to maintain healthy hair practices regularly, and their curls show up as a result.”

Janae recommends consistently shampooing, conditioning, and styling your hair.

Florencio agrees, suggesting that the only reliable definition of curl training is “the journey your hair goes through to get to its curliest potential.” That process involves “going from dehydration to hydration, and the development of practices that will keep you in a hydrated state.”

Stylist Panelist Heather Barclay, owner of Orange Salon in Austin, Texas, says that once your hair is washed again, it returns to its natural curl pattern. But this is a positive, rather than a negative; it means that you can manipulate your curls into new looks with every reset.

“In their natural state, we can ... get amazing different results day to day,” she says. “It’s cool to know you can have the versatility of getting different looks with curly hair and we aren’t stuck with one vibe! Always explore.”

BEDTIME PREP

FOR DREAMY CURLS

Keep your strands smooth while you snooze

WRITTEN BY HANNAH COOK

How do you keep your curls intact all week without resetting every few days?

Make the most of your washes with a flawless bedtime routine.

Not only does protecting your hair overnight keep your curls looking fresh, but it also helps keep them healthy. On the other hand, rubbing those delicate tresses against rough, friction-prone materials (like regular cotton pillowcases) for eight hours a night can lead to dry, damaged curls — no thanks!

In a poll on Instagram, 61% of curlies said they protect their hair at night. Some of the most popular overnight protection choices include buffs, bonnets, silk pillowcases, and pineapples (all of which we’ll delve into throughout this article). However, some respondents said that despite protection, they struggled to keep their curls intact overnight; their biggest concerns were frizz, stretched-out curls, and knots.

If you find your curls rarely last into Day 2, perhaps it’s time to switch up your bedtime routine. Here are some tips on how to protect your curls overnight.

Put in the work on wash day

The first step to creating curls that withstand a night’s worth of tossing and turning is taking the time to style your hair on wash day, says Camille Janae, Curl Stylist Panelist and owner of Mahogany and Rose Hair Studio in Sacramento, California.

“What’s most important is styling hair carefully and intentionally on Day 1. Nothing that is done at night will help if the hair is not styled and dried thoroughly initially,” she says. “I feel that too much emphasis gets put on nighttime practices, and not enough on styling with intention — which makes a world of difference. I just recommend sleeping on a satin pillowcase and keeping it simple.”

Silk pillowcase

A silk (or satin) pillowcase is a staple when it comes to a bedtime routine for curly hair care. Silk pillowcases prevent curls from drying out overnight, keeping them soft and moisturized. Unlike cotton pillowcases, which are more textured and can therefore cause frizz and breakage, hair glides against silk pillowcases, minimizing friction, so the hair isn’t disturbed or damaged.

“I’m a big fan of a satin pillowcase, and satin or silk scrunchie pineapple, for wavy and less frizzy curl types,” says Curl Stylist Panelist Carleen Sanchez, a naturally curly hair cutting and color expert in Reno, Nevada.

Curl Stylist Panelist Heather Barclay, owner of Orange Salon in Austin, Texas, adds: “For short-hair curlies, adding a silk pillowcase or sleeping in a silk bonnet can make a huge impact on style longevity.”

Even if you opt to wear a hair bonnet or buff, investing in a silk or satin pillowcase is still a great idea. For those who wear a buff (see next page), sleeping on a silk pillowcase can help prevent slip-offs of your bonnet or buff, as there’s much less friction than when sleeping on a cotton pillowcase. Plus, even if there are any slip-offs, the silk pillowcase has you covered!

Silk scarf and silk bonnet

Silk (or satin) scarves and bonnets are great options for those who don’t want to invest in a silk pillowcase. (We get it, they can be pricey!) Others simply don’t like the feel of them on the skin, and a bonnet or scarf can minimize contact with your cheek or neck, concentrating the effect where it matters most: your hair!

SCARVES

There are various ways to wear a silk scarf to bed, but we’ll cover one of the most popular ways for curlies.

Begin by tying your hair in a pineapple toward the front of your head (see pineapple section at right). After pineappling, fold the scarf in half diagonally to make a triangle. Flip your head forward and place the longest side of the scarf at the nape of your neck, then bring the ends of the scarf toward the front of your head and fasten them underneath the pineapple. If there’s excess fabric, you can take it back to the nape of your neck and tie it again.

Some people leave the excess hair from the pineapple out, but for maximum protection, you can gently push your hair back into the scarf and tuck the flap of the scarf from the top of your head into the tied part at the front of your head.

BONNETS

With a bonnet, you can either loosely pineapple your hair first, then bring the bonnet over your head (starting from the back of your head), and gently tuck the curls in. Or, you can do the same, but without the pineapple. Some people find that securing the bonnet with bobby pins helps it stay on better overnight.

Buff

Also referred to as multifunctional headwear, gaiters, or “snoods,” and often donned by cyclists and hikers, the buff has become another staple for those with curly hair.

Barclay is one advocate. “For my long-hair curlies, I’m a fan of buffing the hair. This is simple these days — since the pandemic, neck gaiters are more accessible and work just fine for this,” she says.

“Gravity is always your friend. Starting with the buff around your neck, flip your head forward and get those curls cascading downward, then pull the gaiter over them like a huge tube headband to keep them all together,” Barclay says. “I know you might look like a conehead, but your curls are safe, and that makes for better curls tomorrow. This will also contain the ‘problem area’ at the back of the neck.”

Sanchez suggests using both a silk pillowcase and a protective hair covering. “For my curlier girls, I love a buff (hair tube) or a silk/satin bonnet or scarf combined with sleeping on a silk/satin pillowcase.”

However, if you go the buff route, she says: “Be sure to pull the buff down over your eyebrows, so it doesn’t just slide off during your sweet slumber.”

For tighter curls, Curl Stylist Panelist Wendy Florencio, owner of Flo Cuts Hair Lounge in Columbia, South Carolina, says, “Use a bonnet or a hair sleeve and fluff in the mornings.” And don’t pineapple. “Pineappling will stretch the curl pattern,” she says. “Make sure any fabric touching the hair is nonabsorbent, like silk or satin.”

Pineapple

If you’re not a fan of overnight headwear but can’t risk sleeping with your curls down, a pineapple is a great option.

Simply flip your head forward, gather all of your hair at the very front of your head (like a unicorn), and use a nonsnagging hair tie (like a silk scrunchie or spiral tie) to loosely create a ponytail. If you have high-density hair, you’ll probably only need to tie around it once. But if you have low- to medium-density hair, you may need to tie it twice. (Make sure it’s not too tight, though, as this could stretch your curls out.)

If you have long hair, instead of a “unicorn”
pineapple, a pineapple-bun (also known as a bun-apple) may help.

Sanchez explains: “You can tuck long curls in a hair buff or satin scarf, or I do a lazy bun-apple which is kind of a haphazard pineapple with the hair folded halfway.”

To do this, instead of pulling all of the hair through the tie on the last pass, just pull half through so the ends don’t come through and your hair sits in a loose bun.

Another way to manage longer hair is to use bobby pins. “For longer hair, try a very loose bun secured with bobby pins,” says Florencio, “or sleep with a bonnet or hair sleeve.”

The bobby pin hack can also be used with small claw clips and comes in handy for those with bangs, shorter face-framing pieces, or a top layer that’s easily stretched out. Try clipping that section separately from the pineapple (as pictured) for maximum curl protection. For those with shorter hair, a half-up pineapple or lots of clips can help keep the curls in place.

Add moisture/refresh your hair

If you find your curls dry out overnight, add moisture right before going to bed. You can do this by rubbing a little curl cream or leave-in conditioner into wet hands, then letting your product-coated palms lightly brush over your hair, before gently scrunching.

Or, if you’d prefer to refresh in the morning, Barclay has some tips.

“Refreshing the hair is all about moisture,” she says. “Curls are thirsty, so if you’re not hopping in the shower for a wash day, hit them with a mist (made with distilled water, a touch of water-soluble conditioner, and water-soluble gel). This is a great formula to infuse the hair with what it needs on the second day to pull those curls back together.”

However, you can encourage your curls manually, too, Barclay says: “Just twirl it around your finger to encourage the curl pattern. Scrunch the rest, and you’ll see it come back to life. This is a great opportunity to test different curl-enhancing creams (water-soluble, of course), volumizing foams, or light stylers. I find that scrunching a bit of those in right before diffusing makes a huge impact, but play around and figure out what your hair responds to best. Diffusing is important on refresh days, or you may find your hair will be a bit too limp.”

If you have shorter hair, notes Janae, it’s completely normal to need to refresh your curls more often. “Shorter curls may need to be styled more frequently, as the length leads to the style getting smushed more easily than longer hair.”

There is no one-size-fits-all method for overnight curl protection. As with everything that comes with caring for curly hair, it’s about trying out different techniques and seeing what works for you and your unique curls. But once you find it, you’ll be able to rock your curls with confidence for days!

Still have frizz?

That’s completely normal. Even with a refresh you may experience frizz. “Frizz is a part of the curly lifestyle,” says Florencio. “A little functional frizz adds volume and keeps the curls from looking overly polished, which isn’t always a great look. Lived-in curls are always more beautiful than perfect curls.”

How I protect my curls
at night

Hannah Cook, @hanzcurls

Protecting my hair overnight really helps keep my curls intact into Day 2 and beyond. I love the idea of bonnets and buffs, but I don’t always love having something on my head while I’m sleeping. So, the way I usually protect my curls is pretty simple: a pineapple and a silk pillowcase. The pineapple I do at night is a little different than your everyday pineapple. First, I section off the front pieces that can get stretched out, then I tie the larger section of hair into a pineapple bun. To finish, I secure the remaining front pieces with a few mini claw clips — it works every time! If I need to refresh in the morning, I’ll usually just take my hair out of the pineapple at the end of my shower and shake my curls out in the steam. So simple, yet so effective!

Adaptive

Curl Care

Building a balanced routine with chronic illness or disability

WRITTEN BY VIKKI PATIS

Learning to care for our curls can open up a world of self-love — but sometimes, there’s simply no amount of affirmational razzmatazz that can get you through a full hair wash. Both our physical and mental health can impact our energy levels. And sometimes, the best way to love ourselves is to say “no” to doing things that are just too taxing for us in that given moment.

So how do we build a curly hair routine that gives us flexibility to accommodate our varying energy levels, abilities, and needs?

We spoke to a few curlies who live with a disability or chronic illness about their methods.

Tools are your best friend

One of the first things you might hear when starting your curly hair journey is to never brush your curly hair. But sometimes we just don’t have the strength to pick through individual tangles with our fingers or a wide-tooth comb.

Thirty-three-year-old Emily Pomroy-Smith of Wiltshire, UK, who lives with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and other chronic illnesses, uses a silicone brush to cleanse her scalp more effectively while saving her energy. “I just can’t co-wash effectively due to my fingers dislocating,” she says, before referencing the Spoon Theory, a common metaphor among the chronic illness community that imagines spoons as units of energy: “Wash once a week, save spoons.”

When it comes to drying curly hair, there are a few options. “I only diffuse until the cast has formed,” says Hannah Mason, 31, who has chronic pain and fatigue, “then I air-dry the rest of the way.” She tries to sit for as long as possible while diffusing and rests between washing and drying her hair.

If you don’t want to or can’t hold a heavy hair-dryer for extended periods of time, hooded dryers or bonnet-
type attachments may be good options for you. Forty-three-year-old West Midlands, UK, resident Marion Baker, who has fibromyalgia, purchased a lightweight hair-dryer that’s easy to hold, and 38-year-old Dzesika Golden Alexander from Leicester, UK, who has chronic fatigue, balances her hair-dryer on the edge of a table so she doesn’t have to hold it.

Pick your battles

Some wash days seem to go on forever: clarify, deep condition, protein treatment, shampoo, condition, style, dry. Sometimes you just need clean hair! Product-free wash days and easier wash-and-go routines can really help when you have less energy. Amy Williams, who has been suffering with long-term effects of COVID-19, uses a jug to mix conditioner and water to help her “squish to condish,” so that she only has to lift her arms once. “A leave-in conditioner is essential for me,” says Williams, “styling products are not. Having tangle-free hair triumphs at the moment.”

That said, sometimes washing and styling your hair can be the best antidote to a bad day. Although it can be “just hair,” curls also can be a part of our identity, and spending a Sunday afternoon with a hair mask on can provide a bit of much-needed self-care. Becky Kenyon, who only has the use of one hand due to spastic congenital hemiplegia, says, “I treat wash day as a pamper day, and that really helps.” Sometimes, a curly hair routine can give us the opportunity to take an hour or two for ourselves and wash the day away.

Long-lasting results

Many curlies try to extend their wash day results, so that they can wash their hair less often. The need to maximize those wash day results can be even greater for people who find the cleansing process to be extra labor-intensive, energy-sapping, or time-consuming.

One trick is to give yourself options, so that every wash day doesn’t feel like a marathon — and you can weave full washes, or sporadic refreshes, more easily into your routine. Anna Bu, a 24-year-old from Yorkshire, UK, keeps notes on what products and methods to use on either a “good day” or “bad day.” This strategy both optimizes her energy levels and mitigates the brain fog that can come with chronic fatigue syndrome so that she doesn’t wind up just skipping wash days altogether during a flare-up. “I also prepare my styling products ahead of washing, so I don’t forget what I’m supposed to be using and have to struggle with wet hands,” she says.

But if you simply can’t manage, that’s OK. To help disguise an overdue wash day, there’s always a quick updo, or accessories such as headbands or scarves. And for some, even that becomes a daily burden they’d rather do without: which method to choose, how to make it look stylish, tracking how long it’s been since wash day. When 42-year-old Tamara Stewart from the East Midlands, UK, was struggling to maintain her waist-length locks due to fibromyalgia, she decided to cut them off. Now, she sports a short crop, which is consistently easier to manage without the fuss of extra accessories, in-between refreshes, or complicated wash routines.

Overnight protection is another potential solution
for long-lasting curls without a lot of wash work.
Using a buff, bonnet, or scarf can keep curls intact during the night; and for longer hair, a simple pineapple can do the same thing. “I [use] sleeping headphones due to tinnitus,” Bu says, “which means buffs don’t always stay on overnight, so I got a pretty satin pillowcase too.” She also “sleeps in the crunch” — meaning she lets the hard cast that her styling products create scrunch out as she sleeps. This not only protects her hair but also reduces the need to use her hands to “scrunch out the crunch” later.

Find your technique

Using the right technique for your energy levels at any given time can be vital for striking the balance between taking care of your hair and your physical health. Lynley Gregory uses the “flip, coat, scrunch” method while sitting on a shower seat due to a spinal fracture that left her with chronic pain and weakness on her left side. And really, you could modify almost any technique to suit your needs. “I have an autoimmune connective tissue disorder,” 50-year-old Gillian Boyd from Scotland says, “which means I often can’t close my hands to scrunch, so I use the palm of my hand.” Boyd says that plopping can also help her curls form without having to do a lot of scrunching. “Straight out of the shower, I put a shower cap on while I get dressed to give my hands a rest,” she says. You can also plop using a microfiber towel or T-shirt, and there are options that are easier to tie, such as a microfiber headwrap.

Heather Barclay, a Curl Stylist Panelist and owner of Orange Salon in Austin, Texas, says she tries to take chronic illness or physical limitations into account when advising her clients on their routines. “While a curly regimen can get fussy to get your best curls possible, that is typically going to be a turnoff to someone with physical challenges,” she says. “There are some incredible brands on the market now with one or two steps that can make natural curls look great with only air-drying.”

There are no rules

Only you can determine the right balance between taking care of your hair and your health. Chloe Archer’s sensory issues mean she doesn’t feel comfortable not using a sulfate shampoo, even though it’s typically frowned upon for curls. And 24-year-old Annie Appleby from Buckinghamshire, UK, washes her hair in the bath instead of the shower because hypermobile Ehlers-
Danlos syndrome makes it hard for her to stand up for extended periods of time. “It makes it difficult to stick to the true Curly Girl Method rules,” Appleby says. “But it’s easier for me to embrace my curls this way.”

The curly hair community includes people from all walks of life, and living with a disability or chronic illness can be draining enough without having the pressure of sticking to a certain routine or rules. Sometimes it’s necessary to make adjustments, and striking the right balance is key.

Personal Insights from the Author

Vikki Patis

I started embracing my curly hair after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2016. Trying to straighten it every day was just too exhausting. Now I wash my hair once or twice a week. As part of my routine, I use a brush to detangle, followed by a scalp brush and low-poo to cleanse. I try to combine treatments, so I’ll use a protein/moisture combo instead of separate products. And if I’m not feeling up to it, I’ll wash and style upright rather than upside down. I keep my hair just below shoulder-length hair with lots of layers; this takes less time to wash and style, while still being long enough for a nighttime pineapple. If all else fails, I’m happy to just rock a curly bun for a few days!

Inclusive content

While there has been a recent increase in talking candidly about mental health and how our hair can be connected to it, there are very few social media influencers who talk about caring for their curls with a disability or chronic illness. Scotland’s Marisa Evason, @marisascurls, recently published a video in which she only uses one hand for her hair routine from start to finish. She says she was inspired by one of her followers who only has the use of one arm. “This is not a fun challenge or a gimmick,” Evason says at the beginning of the video, which is available on her YouTube channel. “The purpose of it is to help people who genuinely only have the use of one hand or arm, either permanently or temporarily.” The video is filmed with Evason doing everything upright instead of upside down, and features the “split styling” technique coined by Sian Biddle, @wavycurlysian, which is an easier method of doing “squish to condish” upright. Including captions on Instagram Stories and Reels is another way Evason is trying to be more inclusive on her social media channels.

May is Williams Syndrome Awareness Month, and Innersense Organic Beauty is inspired to reconnect you with Morgan Starkman, the brand’s Director of Joy and the daughter of Greg and Joanne Starkman, the founders of Innersense Organic Beauty. Many of you have come to know Morgan from her frequent appearances on social media. If you haven’t yet, you will soon love her and her “special abilities.”

At 22 months, Morgan was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome. It’s a rare genetic condition that takes place at the time of conception, where 26 to 28 genes are spontaneously deleted on chromosome 7. Now, at 25, Morgan is full of life, love and laughter. A fan of Broadway musicals and Disneyland, Morgan is often in her office belting out song lyrics, spreading joy and calling Innersense Organic Beauty’s global community of salons and stylists for a quick hello.

“When Morgan was diagnosed, I was flooded with questions. I needed to know if Morgan’s disability resulted from something I did or something I was exposed to as a career hairdresser and platform artist. Could I have done something differently?” Joanne asked herself.

After searching for answers, Greg and Joanne realized the need for clean, pure, organic and non-toxic professional quality hair care products, which led to the birth of Innersense Organic Beauty. They made it their mission to create a product line of safe and healthy clean hair care products not only for their family but also for salon professionals and consumers.

Morgan’s Hair Care Must-Haves

Quiet Calm Curl Control was introduced in 2008 and was inspired by Morgan’s bouncy curls. Morgan has always had beautiful curly hair but without products formulated with proper nourishment, her curls lacked definition, hydration and shine. Greg and Joanne crafted this moisture-rich leave-in cream specially to hydrate, shape and define Morgan’s curls, while detangling and eliminating frizz from her textured hair (though it works on all hair types!).

Morgan is happy to share her hair routine — she is not shy about her Innersense Organic Beauty favorites! “Quiet Calm Curl Control of course, Color Awakening Hairbath, Color Radiance Daily Conditioner, and Sweet Spirit Leave In Conditioner, which is always in my purse or beach bag! I love washing my hair and leaving a little bit of conditioner in without rinsing all of it out. This is a great trick for creating beautifully clumped curls and locking in moisture,” Morgan explained with excitement.

Celebrate Williams Syndrome
Awareness Month

“Raising a child with special needs comes with unique challenges. I call it parenting with a twist. The Williams Syndrome Association (WSA) has supported Greg and me since the day Morgan was diagnosed,” said Joanne.

The WSA was formed in 1982 by, and for, families of individuals with Williams Syndrome to provide the resources and referrals families need along with a strong and supportive community for a lifetime. It is the most comprehensive resource for people and families living with Williams Syndrome, as well as doctors, researchers and educators. This association provides the latest medical information to help those with special abilities today and throughout their life. Innersense Organic Beauty celebrates the organization every May with a social media awareness campaign, cameos by Morgan, and branded, themed merchandise that implores the value of inclusivity and raises funds for this invaluable organization.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the special abilities that set us apart from one another yet unite us as one.

Shop Innersense Organic Beauty now

at InnersenseBeauty.com.

You can do hard things

After helping the curly community online, she embarked on a journey to become a true curl specialist. Follow along as Alyson takes Curl behind the scenes of becoming a curly hair expert — and changing lives in
the process.

Alyson Lupo

“You can do hard things!”

It’s something I tell my little girls all the time. Maybe even daily, now that I really think about it.

What a foreign concept it must be for them to fathom, when dinners magically appear on the table, the refrigerator is always stocked, and water flows from the tap without pause. An argument referee is always available. Cute, clean clothes abound.

Despite those overlooked conveniences, it’s still no match for our adult freedoms. I doubt any of us would go back to childhood.

Yet, it was tough to be the person in charge this spring, when I was hit with a double-whammy of surprises: the emergency removal of my appendix, followed immediately by a record-breaking, headline-making arctic blast that all but knocked out the power grid in Texas.

It was my turn to remember: We can do hard things.

So I knocked back some pain meds and jumped into prep mode. We put fresh batteries in the flashlights, gathered candles and lighters, planned meals around what we already had and what could be prepared without electricity, filled our bathtubs with water while we still had access to working pipes, and then ... bundled up to go have fun in the snow.

Maybe you’re wondering, what does any of this have to do with hair?

It has everything to do with living your life — and removing your hair from the center of it. I know: That’s a funny thing to hear from someone who has kept hair at the center of conversation for the last five years!

But after completing cosmetology school, enduring this pandemic, suffering a ruptured appendix and then a kidney stone, and surviving Snowpalooza 2021, I’m done trying to achieve perfection with my hair.

Maximum hydration, curl retention, protein/moisture balance, crown lift, volume versus definition: It’s all fascinating and a fabulous hobby — for when one has time for hobbies.

Maybe that time will come for me again one day. Maybe when the length returns to my locks!

Maybe you’re reading this because you also enjoyed that hobby at one point, but now you’re just looking for easy. Minimalistic.

You’re not alone.

But where to start? How do you pare down a hair care routine that took years to master? What stays, what goes?

Well, all hair types and lifestyles are different. Not everyone wants to cut it all off, like yours truly.

But for what it’s worth, here are my absolute nonnegotiables:

• Use quality products. They’re more concentrated, so they generally last longer, and they don’t build up like traditional big-box store products can.

• Keep your products dimethicone-free. It’s heavy, it’s not water-soluble, and it can suffocate your delicate strands with time.

• Wash your hair with something you like. Does it foam enough, or not at all? Does your hair feel good — not too dry, not too weighed down — after you use it?

• Use an in-shower, rinse-out conditioner. When it comes to hair, pH is everything, and the whole point of conditioner is to lower the pH of your hair after your tap water and shampoo have both raised it. You might even put a little back in as a leave-in conditioner, if it won’t weigh down your hair.

• Deep condition from time to time, if your hair likes it. I recommend a monthly routine.

• Pick a styling product that gives you enough moisture and control, and apply it on still-dripping wet hair to maintain definition. Squeeze a little water out with a T-shirt/towel/paper towel/just your hands to infuse a little more volume into your hair, before diffusing or air-drying.

• Above all: Set your expectations. To all my wavies out there, stop trying to turn your waves into something they are not. I think my friend, curl guru Atoya Bass, said it best: “Curlies wake up curly; wavies wake up straight.” Come to terms with your unique texture, and you’ll never have a bad hair day.

So I am giving you permission to make your hair care easy. Choose to like how it turns out no matter what. And then live your life, without giving your hair a second thought (maybe a third).

You can do hard things. But where your hair is concerned, you don’t have to.

Just breathe. Go with the flow.

And when it’s all over, don’t forget to play in the snow.

Because life is really beautiful, despite the hard things we sometimes must do.

Your hair doesn’t have to be one of them.

KINKY-CURLY CURLING CUSTARD

KINKY-CURLY SAYS: Curling Custard gives moisture and curl definition, hold, and brilliant shiny hair all in one product! It reduces bulk, defines, and elongates, and will bring out the natural curl or wave pattern you never knew you had.

SIZE: 8 oz.

PRICE: $17

WHERE TO BUY:
kinky-curly.com

Karen

San Antonio, TX

To me, a good styling gel is one that creates nice curl clumps and leaves a perfect gel cast with a firm hold. Kinky-Curly Curling Custard checks all the boxes! After the first use, my curls stayed defined for several days with shine and minimal frizz. As the product claims, my curls felt more hydrated with each use. I love that this product is made from all-natural ingredients and has a light, pleasant scent. I have medium-thick hair, and I realized that, with this product, even a small amount goes a long way to creating a firm cast and strong, lasting hold.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I would recommend this product for most hair types and to anyone who likes a firm hold for their curls.

Also used: TréLuxe Curl Renew & Restore Gentle Cleansing Rinse; Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Mask; TréLuxe Untie the Knot Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner, TréLuxe ReFlex Curl Styling Serum

Megan

Vine Grove, KY

My curls felt moisturized and looked super defined without losing volume after using this product. It does not weigh down my curls, and it also makes them less frizzy. I do not experience as much shrinkage and it brings out the colored highlights I have. Even my friends noticed how much bouncier my curls looked! I think this product does live up to the expectations I have heard; it is worth it! It makes second-, third-, even fourth-day hair easier to refresh through the week.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? It works well on my thick curls. I think every curl/wave type could benefit from this gel.

Also used: Motions Active Moisture Lavish Shampoo; Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Conditioner; Shea Moisture 100% Pure Argan Oil

Renee

Simpsonville, SC

This Curling Custard left my curls well-defined, bouncy, and shiny. It has incredible slip and a sweet, cake-like scent. A little definitely goes a long way, especially for fine-haired curlies. I was blown away by my volume and definition. My hair held up great throughout the day, and I was able to refresh with stunning results. I have used the product several times and have loved my results each time. This custard by far exceeded my expectations and you can’t beat the price point.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I would recommend this product for all curl types, and I am kicking myself for not trying it earlier on in my journey.

Also used: Innersense Organic Beauty Pure Harmony Hairbath and Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner; Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Repair & Protect Leave-In Conditioner; Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Gel; Authentic Beauty Concept Working Hairspray

ORIGINAL MOXIE VERSATOWEL

ORIGINAL MOXIE SAYS: Meet the next level in hair drying! The Versatowel combines the absorbency of microfiber with the anti-frizz properties of a T-shirt towel, and it’s incredibly stylish and versatile. The infinity loop design can be worn in virtually any style, from turban to scarf.

SIZE:


18-by-31 inches

PRICE: $36

WHERE TO BUY:
originalmoxie.com

Cindy

Freehold, NJ

I really love this Original Moxie Versatowel! I’ve always used a regular towel for my hair. I have tried microfiber towels, but they soak up too much water for my medium-
texture/medium-density hair. This towel was just right! I used it to microplop, and it did not cause any frizz at all! I even used it to “scrunch out the crunch” of my curl cast — again, no frizz!

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I would definitely recommend this towel for all hair types!

Used to style: Flora & Curl Sweet Hibiscus Curl Activating Lotion, Sweet Hibiscus Curl Defining Gel; Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Curl Activating Mousse

Kassie

Omaha, NE

I always love a nice big hair towel to help squish out extra water from my hair after styling and before drying. The Versatowel is extra fun: Not only can I use it to plop, but it also has been great for protecting my hair when I have to go outside in the rain or snow. This has been helpful because my hoods can often cause frizz or my hair gets stuck in zippers.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? Any curly-, wavy-, or kinky-haired person could benefit from a hair towel like this one.

Used to style: XMondo Wavetech Wave Foam

Sana

Newark, DE

I immediately liked the material used for the Versatowel. It was nice and smooth, meaning there was nothing for my hair to catch on to cause frizz. Since I have high-density waves, I use it in the hood style shown on their website. It absolutely cut down on my dry time, and it was great to be able to have it draped over my shoulders so I wasn’t stuck with a wet spot on my back from wet hair. Over a few uses, I figured out that half an hour is my sweet spot of absorbing enough water to cut dry time without it flattening my roots.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I would recommend it to anyone with high-density hair, curly or not, who likes to air-dry.

Used to style: As I Am Dry & Itchy Scalp Care CoWash; GVP Conditioning Balm; My Soigné Protein Leave-In; Jessicurl Spiralicious; Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Gel

MANE CLUB WAVY BABY

MANE CLUB SAYS: Wavy Baby is a texturizing wave spray to give you that effortless beachy look without all the effort, duh. This touchable formula creates piecey texture with buildable volume and a light matte finish perfect for any hair type.

SIZE:


5.3 fl. oz.

PRICE: $8

WHERE TO BUY:

maneclubnyc.com

Michelle

Cleveland, OH

I really enjoyed this product on my hair. I have 3A, low-
porosity, medium-density hair. I follow the Curly Girl Method and was pleased that this product met the requirements to be an approved product. The smell is similar to sunscreen (a chemical smell, not a tropical smell), but faded away once dry. It felt sticky on my hands, but it did not make my hair sticky, stiff, or crunchy. It helped amp up the curl definition and seemed to add shine as well! I used this on my wet hair after applying all my other products. I loved the fine mist spray.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I think this product was perfect for my hair type, and I would definitely recommend it to other curly girls.

Also used: Kinky Curly Knot Today; Biolage Curl Defining Elixir; Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse; homemade flax seed gel

Kristy

Colorado Springs, CO

This product exceeded my expectations. Used sparingly as a dry refresh, it smoothed frizz and added definition and volume. It went on a bit sticky, but left curls soft. As a damp refresh, paired with a leave-in conditioner, it gave added hold and clumping to Day 4 limp curls. The best use was on wash day — my usually fine curls had much more clumping and volume, and the curls were noticeably thicker and slightly looser. Used under a gel, cream, and foam, the results were incredible. The only downside is the strong, perfumed scent; I wish it came in unscented.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? Yes, I would recommend it to those looking for added texture and frizz reduction — used either on dry or wet hair.

Also used: Innersense Organic Beauty
I Create Hold, Inner Peace, and I Create Lift

Haley

Boulder, CO

I tested Wavy Baby to refresh dry, second-day curls, as well as on clean, wet hair, and was able to accomplish two very different looks. On initial application as a refresh, the product felt a bit sticky and stiff on my loose, wavy curls, but throughout the day it softened, and I was able to reestablish the texture and definition I had lost overnight. On wet hair, Wavy Baby gave me the beachy look it promised with feathery waves. I was impressed with how lightweight it felt, but I did find that I needed to add some cream to prevent frizz.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? If your hair isn’t prone to frizz, I would recommend Wavy Baby for that easygoing, beachy look.

Also used: Davines Love Curl shampoo and conditioner; Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Styling Lotion; Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Sculpting Gel

RIZOS CURLS LIGHT HOLD GEL

RIZOS CURLS SAYS: Our Light Hold Gel seals in moisture while offering flexible, flake-free, lasting hold and definition (without leaving hair crunchy) for shiny, frizz-free, voluminous curls. It also helps combat humidity and works great on all textured hair types, from curls and coils to waves!

SIZE: 8 fl. oz.

PRICE: $21.99

WHERE TO BUY:
rizoscurls.com

Barbara

Brandon, SD

The first time I used Rizos Curls Light Hold Gel on my fine, wavy/curly hair, I tried it on a wash day alone. I found that although it doesn’t leave a firm curl cast, my hair clumped really well and had great definition. However, I like a bit more volume at my roots, so I alternately tried it along with mousse. When I used the gel alone, by the end of the day I did have more frizzing than usual. My favorite way to use this styler was actually as a refresh by scrunching in the gel with very wet hands. This gave me optimal results.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I would definitely recommend Rizos Curls Light Hold Gel for curlies with a finer texture and curls on the looser side.

Also used: Innersense Organic Beauty Color Awakening Hairbath and Pure Inspiration Daily Conditioner; Ouidad VitalCurl+ Define & Shine Styling Gel-Cream; Kenra Volume Mousse Extra 17

Christina

Albany, NY

I tried the Light Hold Gel that promises long-lasting, flake-free hold while having clean, natural ingredients. Is there such a unicorn? First let me say, it doesn’t look like a gel. I’m used to gel being clear and sticky and this gel was not that. It came out like a lightweight cream and dissolved into my hair like butter on a pancake. After diffusing, my curls were plump and springy with no crunch to be found. My curls were so bouncy and tighter than ever!

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? It worked wonders on my hair, and I would recommend it to all curlies!

Also used: Rizos Curls Hydrating Shampoo, Deep Conditioner, Refresh & Detangle Spray, and Curl Defining Cream

Katie

Richmond, CA

This gel created great curl definition without weighing my hair down and never felt greasy or crunchy. Flaxseed always leaves my dry hair shiny and with minimal frizz, so I was happy to see that in the ingredients. I wish the gel was a little heavier, as my hair is really thick and long, so it didn’t quite form a cast when I air-dried, but when I used a diffuser it held my curls beautifully for a few days. I would definitely use it again and recommend this gel to curlies looking for shine and volume.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? Yes, but for super thick, long hair like mine, you might need to use more than you would a heavier gel and/or plan to use a diffuser.

Also used: Innersense Organic Beauty Hydrating Cream Conditioner

OLAPLEX No. 0 INTENSIVE BOND BUILDING TREATMENT

OLAPLEX SAYS: This professional-inspired treatment primes hair to absorb nourishment for maximum repair. With the highest dose of patented Olaplex technology in any take-home product, it rebuilds hair bonds, strengthens, and protects hair integrity. (Use as the first step in a two-part system with No. 3 Hair Perfector.)

SIZE:


5.2 fl. oz.

PRICE: $28

WHERE TO BUY:
olaplex.com

Michele

Porter Ranch, CA

The clean, moisturizing feel of Olaplex No. 0 told me right away that it makes the perfect base for Olaplex No. 3. Olaplex No. 3 has plenty of slip, so I had no concerns about breakage while distributing the product through my hair. After my first time using both products together, I couldn’t believe how my curls popped! My hair was bouncy and shiny like it was when I was a teenager! I guess I needed a bond restorer for a long time. My curls only became softer, shinier, and healthier with continued use. Olaplex really lives up to its claims!

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? Olaplex No. 0 and No. 3 are great for fine-haired curlies, especially those of us who struggle with frizz.

Used to style: Jessicurl Gentle Lather Shampoo

and Daily Conditioner; Not Your Mother’s Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Leave-In; Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Mousse; Ecoslay Orange Marmalade gel

Shauna

Spearville, KS

My medium-density combination of wavy and curly hair tends to be very dry, so I struggle to tame flyaways and retain moisture, especially
in the winter. Olaplex
No. 0 is essentially a primer for Olaplex No. 3. The product combination left my hair softer and shinier after the first use. The products also seem to make my other hair products work better, so I can get good clumps. The softness isn’t as noticeable between uses, but after using the Olaplex combo several times, I haven’t noticed as many flyaways. My curls are bouncier and more defined as well.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? I recommend Olaplex for all hair types of wavy and curly hair, especially if you have damaged hair.

Used to style: TRESemmé Botanique Nourish and Replenish Conditioner; Love Ur Curls All-in-One: Curly styler; Miss Jessie’s Jelly Soft Curls

Susan

Indianapolis, IN

True confession: I got bored in the long winter and blew my hair out straight for a few months. Usually when I do this, it takes me a few weeks to get my curls back to normal, but with this product set, it was like I never did the blowouts. In fact, I’d say it was better than normal, and just kept getting better the second week. I don’t think my curls have looked this good in a while. I’ve used No. 3 alone before. It was good, especially after highlights. But using
No. 0 before No. 3 is like magic, and a little goes a long way, so there’s value here too.

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

I absolutely recommend this product set to anyone who gets color or who (no judgment) sometimes like to do a blowout.

Also used: Innersense Organic Beauty Color Awakening Hairbath, Color Radiance Daily Conditioner, I Create Lift Volumizing Foam, and I Create Hold; Cult + King Tonik, SetSpray, Balm, and Jelly

Crystals, Cocktails, and Curlfriends

WRITTEN BY MIKHAYLA HUGHES-SHAW

We’ve all had bad haircuts. Carleen Sanchez remembers one her cousin gave her when she was 4 or 5: “He gave me the worst Beatles mullet, right before I got glasses. I had started the haircut as a mermaid, long hair, and then he said I kept moving so he kept cutting.”

That’s pretty traumatic for any kid. But if you’re cringing in solidarity, don’t worry: Carleen got way cooler. After graduating high school at 15, she entered the amateur snowboard competition circuit and grew into the professional competitions, focusing on Big Air/Slopestyle and Half-Pipe. She was the 1999 female world champion of mountain boarding.

While she flew through the air, her hair was usually flying behind her in two braids. She got used to the nicknames Peppermint Patty, Pippi Longstocking, and Punky Brewster.

Despite that early haircut gone wrong, Carleen says her cousin was her inspiration to join the beauty industry. “I always felt so beautiful after a beauty session in the home hair salon/garage with [him],” she says. “I even lived with him and his family while I was in beauty school.”

Now 42, Carleen has made it her mission to educate new stylists and service her curly clientele, or “curlfriends,” by honing in on textured tresses at her award-winning salon, Curly Hair & Color Expert Carleen Sanchez, in Reno, Nevada. She has nearly
20 years of experience in hair care, but about nine
years ago, she decided to pivot to strictly serve
wavy/curly clients.

“I prefer the wavy/curly clientele, because they are more fun. I have a lot of really fun, kind, and eccentric women,” she says, although there’s one person’s curls she’s dying to get her hands on: singer Al Yankovic.

Carleen became a curl expert because she wanted to help people who struggle to find the perfect stylist for their texture.

“I know they haven’t always been treated nicely in past salons,” she says. “So I really like to go above and beyond for their salon experience.”

That experience features a calming and personalized session for each client. She and her staff make it a point to create a welcoming and affirming ambiance for every appointment.

“We’ll use affirmation cards or we’ll do aromatherapy before each guest. We also use [essential oils] in the hot towels,” she adds. “We play music specific to what the client would like, [songs] that would make them want to sing along.”

Carleen describes the look and feel of her space as reflective of her own eccentric vibes.

“It’s like a whole different vibe than the typical salon. Everything is bright and colorful. I don’t have a white, minimalist salon,” she says. “It’s definitely more like a happy-fun-time, with colors like bright yellow and pink. We always like to have things to feel bright and happy.”

Carleen’s personal passion for self-care practices inspire the client experience that she offers. She takes self-love and self-care seriously.

“I make sure that I do pour into my own cup first so that I can give to my clients and to the people that are around me in my life. I actually have a checklist of things I know will make me happy or be good for my body,” she adds. “And then and it’s laminated and I will make check marks on it after I do certain activities.”

The list includes practices such as taking naps when needed, exercising, listening to guided meditations, sitting in her home sauna, taking painting classes, tending to her many plants, and creating digital vision boards on Pinterest.

She’s also a self-proclaimed lover of eclectic practices like working with crystals, doing ritual hair-brushing, and utilizing Reiki (a Japanese alternative medicinal practice that promotes healing).

“I love woo-woo stuff, and it actually all works,” she says.

She honed in on the crystal hobby even more during the pandemic, buying countless gems from a local shop in Nevada and online.

“My mom turned me on to buying crystals on Facebook. People have live [events] selling crystals. I caught [my mom’s] addiction, because she’s way even more of a crazy crystal lady than I am,” she jokes.

Carleen’s obsession with crystals and their benefits shows up in her work.

“We use crystals throughout the salon everywhere. We now actually do a thing where [if] people buy a certain amount of retail, they’ll get to pick their own crystal to take home with them,” she says.

Outside of the experience she creates for her clients, Carleen hopes her work impacts the next generation of stylists. When she attended cosmetology school 19 years ago, they didn’t teach students how to style naturally curly hair.

“They didn’t teach anything in beauty school about curly hair. They just taught me how to straighten it,” Carleen says.

She wanted to make sure her many curly clients had a positive experience early in her career, but did not feel equipped to properly care for their curls. As more women began to embrace their natural textures, she was compelled to educate herself.

“I’ve spent $15,000 on just naturally curly training outside of beauty school,” she says.

With that knowledge, she now educates other stylists who want to learn about curly hair to ensure proper care.

“Everyone says they can do curly hair, but then they whip out a flat iron and a brush and a comb, and you’re like, ‘You just make curly hair straight.’ That’s not doing curly hair,” Carleen says.

Carleen wants to help change the way stylists care for curls. She says her greatest passion is providing women with the training they need to succeed in the industry. She prides herself on her apprenticeship program, which allows emerging stylists to get hands-on experience with clients.

“Before the pandemic, I was actually working with three assistants,” she says. “I’d have three women working with me helping me take care of my guests. I do the cutting and the color application, and they will assist me with applying color. The guest is then assigned to one of them for the color processing time and then the washing and styling portion of the visit.”

Her well-paid apprenticeship helps young stylists grow their skills and gain experience. She believes interacting directly with clientele helps apprentices better understand the industry.

“It teaches the stylists how to work with curly hair, whereas in a lot of salons that have assistants, they don’t really do that much hair at all,” she explains. “My program is different, because they’re very much involved in the client experience.”

Carleen has mentored more than a dozen curly hair stylists who are now using their skills to help others feel confident in their curls. She is grateful to see the impact her training has made.

“In turn, they are helping thousands of curly girls to love themselves. That’s the best way I can give back to the curly community,” she says, “by teaching other people how to actually cut and care for curly hair and educate. I can help people have a successful career.”

Carleen shares some of her knowledge with the public too, by creating educational YouTube videos and posting curly content on social media. She’s happy to be part of a community of stylists sharing curly hair techniques and other resources online. She says having this information out there now is important.

Like many stylists, Carleen had to get creative to keep an income during quarantine. She built an island vibe patio to service clients outside and reconfigured her salon to allow for social distancing. Amenities like her snack and cocktail bars were put on pause for safety.

“I’m excited for when we can all be safe again without having to wear masks. It’ll be nice to get back to some sense of normalcy,” she says.

And, in the meantime, she continues helping her clients grow confident in their natural texture.

“I have a sense of purpose when I’m helping people,” she says.

CARLEEN’S TOP THREES

PODCASTS

• Self-improvement: Jim Fortin, Transforming Your Life From The Inside Out

• Wealth/abundance insight: How to Money

• Humor: Tig and Cheryl: True Story

ESSENTIAL OILS

• Lavender: “It relaxes and grounds me, also amazing for ouchies.”

• Rosemary: “For a healthy scalp environment and to encourage growth.”

• Lemon: “In my water canteen to promote wellness.”

CRYSTALS

• Labradorite: “To increase the magic around me.”

• Rose quartz: “For self-love and acceptance.”

• Amethyst: “I’m a sucker for the beautiful purple color, and it helps rid the mind of negative thoughts.”

‘WHAT RAISES MY SPIRITS’

• Happy music that makes me dance

• Sensory self-care, including essential oils, crystals, infrared sauna sessions

• Activities like riding bikes with friends, guided hypnosis meditations

• Quality time laughing with my friends and sweetheart, snuggles with my doggies

• Celebrating that the hairstylists I coach have thriving businesses