Search Results: Michelle Breyer

Ginette Gilbert got her start as a braider at the age of 16. Over the years, she has developed a reputation for creating natural hair styles at Djea Natural Hair Spa, located in Conyers, Georgia. Her vision was to create an environment where clients could get the best natural hairstyles, with a focus on healthy haircare, color and locs.

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to become a stylist?

Ginette: I started at 16 years old part-time when I first moved to the state from Ivory Coast. I loved the versatility in the hair industry. I felt like I would not be bored by being a stylist

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to specialize in texture?

Ginette: I love the versatility of working with textured hair. About 65 percent of our clients wear locs, and the rest of our curl creations are braids. 

NaturallyCurly: Your salon specialists in locs, twists and braids. How did you learn your techniques over the years?

Ginette: I started as a braider working in a braiding shop, and I obtained my cosmetology license through an apprenticeship. I took a lot of classes, including at Kolour Kulture. Kolour Kulture started by Keya Neal, provides education for stylists interested in the science of hair color and how it interacts with various hair textures. 

NaturallyCurly: What is your favorite protective style?

Ginette: One of my favorites is finger coils.

1. I recommend sectioning your hair in to four to six sections.
2. I will use a leave-in conditioner and a moisture cream – sometimes an oil depending upon the hair porosity.
3. I will add gel, with lots and lots of water.
4. Then I will take really small sections, and will finger coil it with my hands.
5. Then I will either blow dry it or have them sit under a hood dryer .

There is no tension on the hair and they can wear it for up to three weeks.

NaturallyCurly: What is your process for creating some of these styles for your clients?

Ginette: First I have a consultation with the client. I listen and ask a lot of questions. Then I first visualize the style in my head before executing it.

NaturallyCurly: What are some tips for maintaining the health of the scalp when you’re wearing a protective style?

Ginette: I usually advise the clients to use either a leave in conditioner or a light oil for the scalp.

NaturallyCurly: Who are the stylists that inspire you?

Ginette: Locmamas, Leysah Carrillo, Misael Aponte and Essence China

NaturallyCurly: What are the biggest mistakes that curly girls make when working with their hair?

Ginette: The biggest mistake they can make is comparing their hair to someone else’s hair or assuming they have the same hair as someone because they have the same texture. The focus should be more on understanding your own hair and embracing your texture.

Over the past two decades, the curl revolution has been sparked by creative entrepreneurs who used their knowledge and passion to create products for women with textured hair. Courtney Adeleye has been a major force in this revolution, launching The Mane Choice in 2013. With a $500 investment, the registered nurse leveraged her science background to build a multimillion-dollar empire focused on healthy hair. 

Adeleye is passionate about giving back to the community that fueled her company’s rapid growth. Now The Mane Choice has partnered with MAV Beauty Brands, to launch The Generational Advantage Fund, a $30 Million Fund for Women. MAV Beauty Brands is a global personal care company dedicated to nurturing and growing founder-focused brands, including Marc Anthony True Professional, Renpure, Cake Beauty, and now The Mane Choice.

“I made this move to expand the company’s reach and ultimately create more opportunities for my community, so they can get on a path to creating advantage and wealth,” Adeleye says.

The Generational Advantage Fund builds on Adeleye’s other philanthropic efforts, including the “Pay My Bills” campaign and The Bawse Conference. Pay My Bills campaign is an Instagram-based giveaway where she paid off a bill of one of her brand’s followers each week, paying off hundreds of bills since she launched the endeavor. The Bawse Conference is a 3-day motivational event connecting aspiring business owners with successful female entrepreneurs.

The Generational Advantage Fund will focus on providing financial literacy programs to communities in need, fueling them with tools to succeed from generation to generation. To launch the fund, Adeleye has already personally committed to contributing $30 million to support business capital, mentorship programs and scholarships, among other initiatives. By expanding the reach of the brand, Adeleye will be more empowered to help diverse communities with an opportunity to share in the success and impact of The Mane Choice.

The Mane Choice offers a wide variety of hair care, body care and beauty products, including shampoo, conditioner, hair styling products, treatments, body wash, and body and hand lotion across multiple collections. Products are sold in over 30 countries around the world, in over 100 major retailers and through over 60,000 doors. The Mane Choice products are Holy Grail products for many curly girls, winning numerous NaturallyCurly Best of the Best and Editors’ Choice awards.

As a result of the partnership with Mav brands, The Mane Choice now has the opportunity to expand across North America. As a self-started entrepreneur, it was critical that Adeleye found a partner who shares the same DNA and mindset as The Mane Choice and also supports her brand’s desire to build opportunities for the community.

Cally Raduenzel’s salon Cally’s Curls & Co. has made a name for itself as one of the best curl salons in the country. Specializing in the Devachan method of curly dry cutting, the salon attracts a wide range clientele – from barista’s to college professors. When she’s not transforming curly girls, Raduenzel is performing with Cally and The Snag, her R&B, rock and soul band.

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to become a stylist?

Cally: My whole life, I was obsessed with three things: music, books and hair. When you are a curly person, it was always either an issue or your “crown.” And growing up in the ‘80s there were lots of perms, but nothing really great out there for naturally curly girls. So, when I became a hairstylist and discovered the The Curly Girll Handbook by Lorraine Massey, it changed my life and career. I knew I wanted to focus on curls to give curly people what they always wanted – great curls and options. My motto is “low-maintenance, high-impact” curls! 

Image:@callyscurls

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to specialize in texture?

Cally: I wanted to give my clients natural-looking styles that were beautiful, grew out well, that were easy to maintain and not stiff, frizzy or awkward looking. All my life, I wanted a softer, flowing, less bulky curl, with movement, and that’s what I strive for. Things have changed in the 19 years I’ve been doing curls, and now curly people embrace their texture and are not so obsessed with control and making their hair lay “flatter,like a mermaid.” Most curly people now are much more volume loving. They also don’t mind if it looks more natural and not shellacked or so perfect it almost looks fake. My bottom line is I’m overjoyed with all the options.

NaturallyCurly: How would you describe your technique?

Cally: I definitely love the DevaCurl cutting technique that Lorriane Massey taught me back when she was a lone voice in the world of curls. The technique has changed as DevaCurl has evolved. But I stay with the curl-by-curl dry cutting technique because of its logic. It helps keep the hair healthy without cutting too much length off. You can watch the transformation and the style takes a long time to grow out and maintains the shape from the inside out. This technique gives styles that are soft, flattering, one-of-a-kind beautiful. This kind of cutting considers that you can have more than one type of curl pattern on your head and brings continuity to the curls. 

I find the natural way a dry curl-by-curl cutting technique transforms the hair is the best outcome for someone who is wearing their curl natural all or most of the time. I can do a hybrid cut for people wearing their hair straight and curly, but I truly prefer to do the dry curl-by-curl cutting technique, and I try to get them to embrace what they were born with rather than straightening it. It’s an act of self-love to embrace your texture instead of trying to be someone you’re not. Where you cut is more important than how much you cut when it comes to curls. Keep watching your client as the cut is evolving. It’s a sculpture, not just a haircut when it comes to curls. 

Image:@callyscurls

NaturallyCurly: How should a client wear their hair when they come in for a cut?

Cally: We are cutting the hair dry so we need the curl canvas. It can’t be up in clips or ponytails when you come in for a cut. We also need it to be detangled. If someone’s hair is eally tangled it can take 45 minutes to detangle the curls before we can even cut it, and now the hair is in shock. 

NaturallyCurly: Who is your curl crush?

Cally: Kimberly Schlapman from Little Big Town has amazing curls. I also love Kenitra Swope, one of the stylists at Curls and Company who wears her 3c/4b curls in so many great styles.

NaturallyCurly: What is your philosophy about hair products?

Cally: I find Curly World by Lorraine Massey and DevaCurl to be the best. If there is too much oil, wax, and goop in the products, it’s hard to get a less frizzy curl outcome in the cut. If there are layers and layers of product on the hair, it will not move, shine, and have that show-stopping definition the client usually desires. So even the best haircut needs a clean, responsible product that won’t just shellac the hair. Steer clear of overly buttery/oily stuff unless you love the more “clumpy,” less-defined curl styles, which some folks do. 

Spray gels, slippery lotions (Innersense I Create Volume Lotion“> light gels are best for wavy air. If you use a cream, add water to it and make it milky before you apply so it’s not too heavy.Curly World Leave-In Lover Conditioning Gel is great and DevaCurl The Curl Maker Curl Boosting Spray Gel awesome for wavy girls. For tighter curls and coils, cleansing the scalp is so important. It will get itchy and uncomfortable the longer it’s not being treated. I suggest using Sham-Free Hair and Scalp Cleanseror Innersense Hydrating Cream Hairbath or DevaCurl Low-Poo or DevaCurl No-Poo at least two times a week. 

Image:@callyscurls

NaturallyCurly: Who are the stylists that inspire you?

Cally: Lorraine Massey and Evan Joseph are my Curl Rock Stars. 

NaturallyCurly: What are some of the hottest curl trends?

Cally: I’m not a huge fan of trends. Beautiful, touchable, curls will always be in style. I like stronger shapes with playfulness and pop – styles that look like they have form, shape, luscious texture and are easy to recreate at home. We have a stylist who is loving the Mona Cut and RezoCut. Boho bangs are very stylish. Just make sure you have the patience to play with them and find the right look for you.

NaturallyCurly: What are the biggest mistakes that curly girls make when working with their hair?

Cally: Mixing too many products that may not play well together. Using too many creams and butters may make the hair feel softer, but they may be creating frizz and if you over-detox and strip your curls to get rid of buildup. Find cleaner products that nourish the curls so you don’t have to detox.

NaturallyCurly: Can you share a few of your favorite curl tips?

Cally: 

•  Detangle with your soft, pliable fingers whenever possible so as not to break or “snap” fragile areas of the curls that can become abraded with a brush. Your hair is the most fragile when its wet so being too aggressive with only cause you problems down the line.
• Cleansing should be part of the detangling process. By the time you are conditioning, your job should be easier. Also, don’t use excessive heat. Wavy hair is like a soufflé. if you don’t give them enough heat they won’t rise and if you give it too much heat they will stay flat and won’t rise. 
• When rewetting second- or third-day hair, don’t be afraid to get it wet, and make sure you are adding enough product.
• If your curls tend to get flat, use a little diffusing at the root when you start drying.
• For volume at the crown, I love my clips. Just remember take them out the same way you put them in and open the clip wide so it doesn’t pull the hair. if you need volume at the root but are not great with the clips, headbands can work. They should be wide. Push them back a little then push it forward to create bend around the hair line (don’t use headbands that are too thin or metal headbands because they can break hair”>.
• A cool shot at the end of a diffuse will help the frizz to lay down.

Veteran hairstylist Antonio Soddu is thrilled about the prospects for Curl Friends, the line of hair products he created four years ago for curlyheads.

Since Boston-based investment company CP Baker & Co. acquired a majority interest in Curl Friends last month, Soddu said he decided to increase his involvement in the company. He serves as the company’s spokesman and chief hair consultant.

‘I want people to know there’s a person behind the product — a person who can help them resolve their problems,’ said Soddu, a curlyhead himself who also was one of the founders of Bumble and Bumble 25 years ago.

Soddu said CP Baker has the infrastructure, experience and finances to take his company to the next level.

‘Curl Friends will go where it’s supposed to go,’ Soddu said. ‘I feel energized and excited. I’m back in full force.’

CP Baker’s clients include companies in nutritional foods, general merchandise, e-learning and financial services industries.

Immediate plans are to overhaul customer service, fulfillment and the Web site. Other plans call for improvements to product packaging and expanded distribution.

‘We’ll be able to make the brand more vibrant,’ said Shelly Charbonneau, the company’s new senior vice president, who will oversee customer relations, operations and product management. ‘We have the resources to take it where it needs to go. We believe in it so much.’

Curl Friends will move its corporate headquarters from New York to Boston and has gotten a new management team. Gerry Heimbuch will remain as the company’s president.

The Curl Friends line currently includes Daily and Curl Clarifying shampoos, S.O.S. Extreme Conditioner, Curl Power Texturizing Mist, High Humidity Gel, Humidity Blocker, Low Humidity Cream, Anti-Frenzy Smootherator, Gooey Goo Wonder Wax and All Weather Shine.

Charbonneau said she’s happy that Soddu will be actively involved in the company. She calls him ‘an icon’ with invaluable passion and experience.

‘He has curly hair and understands curly hair,’ she said. ‘It’s a huge plus.’

Soddu developed the product to meet the needs of curly hair.

‘Curly hair fascinates me,’ he said. ‘I need the curl to be pliable, to be moveable. I need a line that would allow me and my clients to feel like they have hair on their head, whether they blow dry it or leave it natural.’

And he wanted a product that worked as well in a customer’s home as it did in the salon. He’s currently helping to develop several new products for the line.

‘We’re paying more attention to the differences in curly hair,’ Soddu said.

When it comes to special-occasion ‘dos, us curly girls have a built-in advantage over our straight-haired counterparts. When a straight-haired client wants an updo, stylists often have to create texture and volume, says Ouidad Master Artistic educator Chadwick Pendley, a recognized curl expert. Curly hair has built in texture, volume and movement, he says.

With the right products and a few tricks of the trade, you can create styles that will turn heads at holiday parties and family gatherings with relatively little effort.

Pendley shared some of his favorite, most-requested looks for wavy, curly and coily hair.

Wavy: My Tie

1. Evenly apply Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream or Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel to freshly washed hair.
2. Diffuse the hair until it’s completely dried.
3. Section the back of the hair from behind the left ear to the crown, repeating on the right side. This creates a diamond part.
4. At the nape, twist the hair up toward the crown using hairpins to secure it.
5. Spray some Ouidad Stylutions Going Up! Volumizing Texture Spray on the crown to create volume at the top of the head.
6. Take the left side and move it to the back of the crown, using pins to secure it and repeat on the opposite side.
7. Take the remaining top section and twist it into the back of the crown, tucking in all ends.
8. Take two small sections of curls from the front hairline and move them to the very back of the head.
9. Tie the two sections the way you tie your shoe. Take each end around and thru one additional time and gently pull outwards on each end.
10. Finish up with Ouidad Stylutions Revive & Shine Rejuvenating Dry Oil Mist for added shine.

Curly: Side Swept Curly Bangs

1. Start with dried, diffused curls. (To reactivate and refresh curls, spritz in Ouidad Advanced Climate Control® Restore + Revive Bi-Phase”>
2. Apply Ouidad Stylutions Clean Sweep Moisturizing Dry Shampoo to the roots from the mid shaft to ends to create expanded full curls.
3. Twist the back and the sides up to the crown and secure it with hairpins.
4. Apply Ouidad Stylutions Going Up! Volumizing Texture Spray and back comb to create more lift and volume.
5. Bring all curls forward, letting them fall over one eye.
6. Finish up with Ouidad Stylutions Revive & Shine Rejuvenating Dry Oil Mist for added shine.

Coily: Upswept Bun

1. Start with dry hair.
2. Apply Ouidad Stylutions Going Up! Volumizing Texture Spray at the roots and massage it in to create volume (the bigger the better!”>.
3. Make a ponytail on top of the head above the crown.
4. Make a bun, tucking in all pieces and securing them with a pin.
5. Leave out your bang/fringe area and move it to one side.
6. Finish up with Ouidad Stylutions Revive & Shine Rejuvenating Dry Oil Mist for added shine.

For extra bling, add some sparkly bobby pins or decorative clips. Don’t worry about every hair being in place. Textured styles look best when they’re perfectly imperfect.

About Chadwick Pendley: With more than a decade as a Ouidad Certified Stylist, Pendley trained at the Manhattan flagship salon with founder and with renowned stylist Ouidad herself. Today, in his role as Master Artistic Educator, he trains, inspires, and educates other stylists and is co-owner of the flagship salon, Ouidad by Chadwick and Igor, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

We’ve all had the experience of getting our hair done in the salon by a stylist who has a magical ability to create shiny, defined, voluminous ringlets. But when we get home, we can’t replicate the look, no matter how hard we try.

The key is to have the right products and techniques in your toolbox. We asked Ouidad Master Artistic educator Chadwick Pendley, a recognized expert when it comes to the art of creating beautiful curls, to share his tried-and-true styling tips.

1. Styling Starts in the Shower: Always use a moisturizing conditioner. Massage Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Conditioner, massaging it into every strand to penetrate the hair shaft.
2. Prime your curls: Immediately out of the shower – or even while you’re still in the shower – apply Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Detangling Spray to the mid shaft and ends, massaging it in with a downward smoothing motion. This helps to retain the moisture in your hair and prepares it for better styling application. Think about it like applying a skin-care primer for better, more even make-up application.
3. Apply Product Evenly: Start applying your styling product while your hair is dripping wet. Section your hair to ensure you are distributing it evenly with a downward, smoothing motion, working it all the way from the roots to the tips of your curls. This will also help to close the cuticle. When the cuticle is closed curls behave perfectly. Pendley recommends Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Featherlight Styling Cream, which creates frizz-free curls that are soft and touchable. “My clients refer to their curls as ‘naked’ when using this product,” Pendley says. “It feels as if nothing is in the hair, yet they behave perfectly every time. It’s a definite ‘go to’ for modern looks.”
4. Cut Back on Wash Days: Frequent shampooing can stress and dry out curls. Instead, freshen up your tresses with Ouidad Stylutions Clean Sweep Moisturizing Dry Shampoo. It’s perfectly formulated to keep your curls fresh and polished throughout the week. Not only will it help absorb oil, dirt and perspiration, it also promotes a healthy scalp. It doesn’t dry out curls or leave a residue.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Curls can become dry and parched, which can turn curls into frizz. Ouidad Stylutions Revive & Shine Rejuvenating Dry Oil Mist lightly moisturizes your curls, creating beautiful, shiny curls that command attention. I recommend using it daily – if not twice a day – depending on your curls’ needs. It won’t weigh down your hair. Every curly should have a can of Ouidad Stylutions Revive & Shine Rejuvenating Dry Oil Mist in her hand bag!
6. Bigger is Better: Today’s hottest curly looks are full and voluminous. To pump up the volume, spray on Ouidad Stylutions Going Up! Volumizing Spray, massaging it into the roots and mid shaft “Watch your curls open and expand like never before!” Pendley says. “This is my go-to- product right now in the salon, on set and anywhere else I’m styling curls.” Ouidad Stylutions Going Up! Volumizing Texture Spray also helps refresh curls throughout the week between wash days, without drying out your curls.

About Chadwick Pendley: With more than a decade as a Ouidad Certified Stylist, Pendley trained at the Manhattan flagship salon with founder and with renowned stylist Ouidad herself. Today, in his role as Master Artistic Educator, he trains, inspires, and educates other stylists and is co-owner of the flagship salon, Ouidad by Chadwick and Igor, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Cold weather can be a mixed blessing for curly hair. Frizz-causing humidity disappears. But the frosty cold winter air coupled with the blast of indoor heating can cause dry, frazzled locks.

That’s why stylists say deep conditioning is a must for curlyheads during the winter months.

‘Right now, you should be slathering on the deep conditioner if you have curly hair,’ says Richard Marin, spokesman for Salon Selectives, who has worked on the heads of such celebrities as Britney Spears and Jennifer Aniston as his clients. ‘Summer and winter are the harshest periods on the hair, especially curly hair.’

Deep conditioners generally differ from everyday conditioners in consistency and application.

Deep conditioners tend to be thicker, sticking to the hair rather than dripping off. They often contain more oils and lanolin. They may use words like ‘mask’ or ‘treatment.’ ‘Look for products that say ‘moisturizing,” Marin says.

While an everyday conditioner can be rinsed out immediately, most deep conditioners should stay on the hair longer — sometimes as long as half an hour. ‘You should keep it on the hair five to 10 minutes, at least,’ says Cheri McMaster, senior scientist for Pantene.

Many deep conditioning products are designed to be used with heat, which helps the conditioner penetrate the hair shaft.

Rowena Cutruzzola, national technical educational director for Toni & Guy, recommends putting a hot turban over the deep conditioner. She takes a face towel, runs it under a faucet, wrings it out and sticks it in the microwave for a minute. After making sure it’s not too hot, she wraps the towel around the head.

‘The heat expands the hair shaft and allows the conditioner to soak into it,’ Cutrozzola says. ‘As it cools, it seals it. The combination of the product and the heat produce instant results on curly hair.’

At a salon, a client will be placed under a hair dryer. Some stylists will use a flat iron to get the conditioner into the hair.

Because a deep conditioner can flatten out hair, Marin suggests using it before shampooing.

‘ I go with the basic theory that you should leave it on 10 minutes while in the shower or apply on dry hair before you shower and put a very warm towel on hair,’ Marin says.

You don’t need to use a deep conditioner every day, McMaster stresses.

‘Depending on the dryness and coarseness of the curly hair, some women may only need to do it once a month,’ McMaster says. ‘For others, they may need to do it every week.’

Monaé Everett’s client list reads like a who’s who of A-list celebrities: Michelle Obama, Serena and Venus Williams, Taraji P. Henson, Mariah Carey, Viola Davis, Connie Britton. She was one of the artists featured on Season 12 of “Project Runway and won Celebrity Hairstylist of the Year, let’s learn more about her journey and how she got to where she is today.

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to become a stylist?

Monae: I was always very opinionated about my own hair, and other people’s hairstyles. Other people would say “You shouldn’t judge if you can’t do better.” I took that as a personal challenge, and decided to enroll in cosmetology classes while in high school. I thought it would be exciting and lucrative to style hair while I was studying at my university. Little did I know I would fall in love with the beauty industry and would choose to remain a hairstylist after graduating college.

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to specialize in texture?

Monae: Since 65 percent of the world has textured hair, I found that most of my clients have wavy, curly and coily hair. In the beginning of my career, many people wanted to find the easy and healthy ways to straighten their hair. Overtime, more and more clients sought guidance in styling and maintaining their natural hair texture. 

Once I began focusing on working with celebrities and beauty brands, I learned that many hairstylists lacked the confidence and skill needed to provide textured-hair services to this high-end clientele. Many celebs, just like the everyday woman, want the freedom to style their natural hair and to look as beautiful sexy, and professional as their counterparts. I was happy to step into a position that allows textured styles to take center stage and set the trends.

NaturallyCurly: How would you describe your technique?

Monae: My technique is how I define the curls. I love beautiful hair and I find ways to create beautiful styles while keeping the strands healthy. When I am defining curls, I do the rake & shake technique. I find that this technique ensures each strand is evenly coated with water, moisture and products to produce an equal amount of luster and hold.

NaturallyCurly: How have you honed your technique over the years?

Monae: Over the years, my technique has changed to adapt to understanding how hair can be a political statement on beauty norms and how people are viewing their own individual beauty. I’ve mastered how to accentuate all textures from straight, wavy, curly, or coily texture. I’ve done this through having conversations with my models/clients about their hair and learning quick and painless styling techniques.

NaturallyCurly: You work on a lot of photo shoots, video shoots, etc. How do you create the looks? 

Monae: I start by figuring out what the client needs. I then talk to the model about the way she feels best wearing her hair. I make sure that whatever shape I create with the hair is done using products that care for and strengthen her hair at the same time.

NaturallyCurly: You work with a wide variety of textures. What are some of the different considerations when working with looser waves rather than tight coils?

Monae: Many times, with waves, I must focus on creating volume and fullness. If I allow the waves to sit closer to the head, it can look old fashioned and less styled. With coily hair I strive to ensure that the hair isn’t so wide that it takes over the screen or looks separate from the head. In both cases, the hair should accentuate the features of the model’s face without competing for attention in the photo or video.

NaturallyCury: Do you have a favorite textured-hair look you created? If so, what was it?

Monae: I love creating a “beanstalk” ponytails. It’s a great style that draws attention to the texture, fullness, and definition of curly hair.

NaturallyCurly: Do you have a curl crush? 

Monae: My current Curl Crush is Yara Shahidi! I was over the moon when given the opportunity to work with her and style those beautiful curls. I am also a huge fan of Daniella Perkins’ curls So it’s always a pleasure when I get to style her ringlets. I can’t wait to get the opportunity to style Teyonah Paris. And of course, Tracee Ellis Ross.

NaturallyCurly: Can you share a few of your favorite curl tips – things curly girl can do at home (clipping a certain way, styling a certain way, scrunching, etc.”> 

Monae:

• When drying curly hair, many times I use a heat sock on my blow dryer. The heat sock is even less invasive than a diffuser, if you happen to touch curls with the heat sock it’s less likely to frizz. 
• Since I love voluminous hair, I always use a blow dryer to lift the root of the curls at the crown. It gives a shuttle amount of lift.

NaturallyCurly: A lot of you styles involve using heat. What are your tips to protect hair from heat damage?

Monae: I use heat on many of my clients as a method to speed of the drying process and alter their curl pattern for the desired look. Every product that I use on the hair before thermal styling must have a thermal protectant. I layer thermal protectants because the hair’s health is the most important aspect of styling. I also avoid blow drying the hair completely straight if I am going to curl the hair.

NaturallyCurly: Who are some of the stylists who inspire you most?

Monae: My fellow hairstylist inspirations include Tippi Shorter, Ursula Stephen, Greggory Patterson, Micheal Dueñas, Tymothe Wallace, Michelle O’Connor, Sharon Blain, oh so many more. I’m really excited about where hairstyling is going and the popularity and camaraderie among hair stylists.

Pam and Carlos Garcia opened the doors to Salon San Carlos in Pensacola, Florida in 2009, and it has gained a reputation as one of the nation’s top curl salons. Now Garcia, who is a Ouidad brand specialist and educator, has clients who travel from as far away as Switzerland. Learn more about her journey to becoming a curly hair expert and the top tips for caring for your curls in even the most humid environments.

NaturallyCurly: How did you get started in the beauty industry?

Pam Garcia: I started cutting hair unprofessionally at 16 years old, coincidentally on curly hair. After going through college for three years and being miserable, I decided to pursue my dream of doing hair.

NaturallyCurly: What made you want to be a curly hair expert?

Pam Garica: I have always loved working with curly hair and the different curl types. Because the hair industry was not focused on letting curls be curly, I had the passion to step outside the box and Ten years ago, I started my journey of mastering curly hair .

NaturallyCurly: How would you describe your cutting technique?

Pam Garcia: I offer customized wet and/or dry free-form cutting. Free-form cutting is is done on dry hair, which allows you to see more easily how the hair falls.

NaturallyCurly: How have you honed for your skills?

Pam Garcia: Practice, practice, practice. I love to discover new ways of perfecting my skills, so I never stop LEARNING! In addition to be a Ouidad brand ambassador, I have received certification from Rëzo, Vivienne Mackinder, Aquage and L’ANZA.

NaturallyCurly: Who is your curl crush?

Pam Garcia: Diana Ross

NaturallyCurly: Your salon is in Pensacola, Fla., which gets really hot and muggy. What tips do you have to help curly girls cope with humidity?

Pam Garcia: Surrounded by beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, humidity can be up to 90 percent or more. Hands down the Ouidad Advanced Climate Control linegives the best protection with advanced technology that allows the product to absorb internally, creating a protective barrier against the environment, yet still giving soft defined frizz free curls.

NaturallyCurly: You do a lot of special occasion ‘dos at your salon. What are some of the fun ways people can dress up their curls and coils?

Pam Garica: One of my favorite looks is to create organic bun by pulling hair up or back in a loose pony tail and rolling the hair up. Decorative hair accessories like bobby-pins and barrettes add some bling.

NaturallyCurly: What are some of the tips you give clients how to care for their curls at home?

Pam Garica:

• For someone with an active outdoor lifestyle, you can protect and shield the hair the elements by putting your hair up and always using a protective leave-in conditioner, serum or oil on from the mid shaft to the ends of hair. Tuck your ends into the hair.
• When you’re going to the beach or pool, dampen the hair and apply conditioner and braid. (The hair is like a sponge, and damp hair doesn’t absorb as much water”> Shampoo and condition as soon as possible t remove the chlorine and salt.
• When using a water bottle to refresh curls, use distilled water, which is free from chemicals.
• Use a water filter on your shower
• Use products(Water soluble and alcohol free”>that do not build up, dry or dull the hair. If you are not seeing an improvement in how your curls look and feel, it’s probably not the right product.
  
  

NaturallyCurly: Can you share some of your favorite styling tips?

Pam Garcia:

• To control baby hairs and unruly curls around your hair line, apply leave-in conditioner first when hair is wet and then apply gel.Using the flat edge of the comb, press hair to head or press gel into hair with fingers and twist unruly curls into longer curls and allow to dry.
• To soften and volumize curls from scalp to ends without disrupting or frizzing, use a serum or oil. Apply 1 to 2 pumps in your hands, spreading a light sheen on both hands and between fingers. Start by gathering the hair from mid shaft to ends and pressing the oil or serum into the curls.
• To volumize at the scalp, massage at the roots. To separate and define individual curls, take small sections and twirl with your fingers.

Image: Getty

Your curls look amazing on wash day; they’re bouncy, shiny and defined. But how do you get 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and even 5^thDay curls? It’s one of the biggest challenges for us curly girls.

But armed with the right product and some tried-and-true techniques, it can be quick and easy to revive your curls without hopping back in the shower.

The new Curl Keeper Refresh Next Day Styling Spray from Curly Hair Solutions – the brand that brought us Editors’ Choice Hall of Fame frizz fighter Curl Keeper Original– Curl Keeper Refresh is a silicone-free, water-based miracle product loaded with curl-loving ingredients such as aloe, chamomile and calendula to transform flatty frizzy curls into fresh, defined, voluminous ringlets in five minutes.

Using Curl Keeper Refresh, here are some of the top tried-and-true techniques for reactivating your curls:

1. Sleep with your hair in a satin bonnet or a satin pillowcase to reduce friction.
2. Spray on Curl Keeper Refresh and flip hair forward and spray over curls. Lightly scrunch curls upwards. Allow hair to dry.

For a faster routine or to add volume, use a diffuser on your hair dryer’s lowest setting.

If your hair feels dry, rub an oil like Curl Keeper Dry Oil Elixer between our hands and smooth them lightly over your hair.

For added definition, use spray on Curl Keeper Refresh and finger twirl pesky ringlets.

For additional volume, – Flip your head forward and zhoosh up your roots. (For extra volume, flip your head forward and rub your fingers back and forth at the roots to fluff out your curls.”>.

Curl Keeper Refresh reactivates with water, so you can fill a spray bottle with water and spritz this throughout your hair. We swear by the Curly Hair Solutions H20 Water Bottle.

Curl Keeper Refresh is the latest invention from veteran Canadian hairdresser, who became obsessed with curls after giving a client a bad haircut. He made it his mission to figure out how to work with curly hair. He has spent more than two decades studying how curly hair looks when it’s wet and dry, how it shrinks and what makes it frizz. He uses The Curly Hair Institute, his Toronto salon, as a living laboratory for product development, finding out what his clients need and tweaking his formulas until they’re the best they can be.

Knowing that his clients needed a curl refresher, Torch worked hard to create the perfect formula. He wanted to offer something that superior to any other curl refresher on the market – a product that would make life easier for curly girls. The mix of ingredients in Curl Keeper Refresh revitalizes curls while offering hold to lock them in. It also neutralizes odor – a key benefit for curlies who like to work out.

Torch even put extra thought into the trigger and how it dispenses the product into the hair. The “mini trigger” is a step above a pump spray creates a fine-mist spray that distributes better.The unique formula of Curl Keeper Refresh reactivates with water, so simply re-wetting frizzy areas with wet hands can get you many fantastic frizz-free days between shampoos. 

Curl Keeper Refresh is available in the 8-ounce size as well as a 3.4 travel size to toss into your suitcase, gym bag or purse.

“It’s really a lifestyle product that is easy and quick to use with multiple benefits,” says Torch.

This post is sponsored by Curly Hair Solutions.

Image:Christo Fifth Avenue Salon

Walk into Christo Fifth Avenue Salon on any day of the week and you’re likely to see a cast member from a Broadway show, a fashion model of a Wall Street maven. Dubbed “The King of Curls” by The Wall Street Journal, Christo (he goes by his first name only”> and his 17-year-old salon in the heart of New York City have gained a global reputation. Curlisto, the curl products he developed, have become a holy grail for many curly girls. 

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to become a stylist?

Christo:  I was 11 years old when I told my dad I want to be like my uncle, who was a hair stylist in Cyprus in the capital Lefkosia. I would go to school sometimes, and most days I would skip just to be at the salon. The salon was my life and by the time I was 14 years old, I was a full-blown stylist. My uncle was taking me everywhere with him. He also was very tough with me, but he wanted to make me one of the best. By the time I was 16 years old, he took me to London to meet “his friend” as he called him. I didn’t know who it was, but it turned out to be Vidal Sassoon himself. Vidal was teaching some workshops, and I was one of the lucky students in this private class as part of a selected few trained to be the best today.

NaturallyCurly: Why did you decide to specialize in texture?

Christo: Being a Greek Cypriot influenced me. I grew up with curly hair myself and styled it like Bon Jovi. I think curly hair is its own specialty, and you must love it and be passionate about it. I grew up with curly hair myself and styled it like Bon Jovi.

Image:Christo Fifth Avenue Salon

NaturallyCurly:Do you cut hair wet rather than dry?

Christo: Christo Fifth Avenue is our curly hair salon, and we only cut the hair wet. I developed a texturizing technique called Diametrix. The hair is divided into 12 equal sections, which allows us to visualize every texture on the clients head of hair. This allows us to deliver the maximum results for their head of curls. The second part of Diametrix is diagonal angles, which is a sliding type of cutting technique.

This technique helps avoid that shelf type look that you see a lot on the streets, and the cut gives you the advantage to wear your hair the way it makes you feel confident and sexy. You wouldn’t want to wear the same suit every day, and the hair is you No. 1 accessory. 

NaturallyCurly: What are some ways to protect your hair when you want to straighten your hair?

Christo: We teach all of our clients to keep their curls healthy by doing their own deep treatments at home. Then you need to have the correct thermal protective product that protect hair from heat tools. I also tell clients the straight option is there, but definitely don’t abuse it. Wearing your hair every other week won’t damage it, but if you do it on a daily basis, will. Let’s be clear on that!

Image:Christo Fifth Avenue Salon

NaturallyCurly: You work with a lot of curly women who work in professions such as banking and law. How do you help them choose the style that will fit them best personally and professionally?

Christo:  As a curly hair salon in New York, I design styles for those are in a professional corporate field I help them stand out in the right way. that they like to stand but use it the right way.

I always have about a 15 to 20-minute chat with them to go over everything involved in their daily lifestyle. This helps me find them the style that fits them best. My clients look up to me not only for their hair but terms of their overall sense of style. It makes me feel good to help them achieve their goals and seeing them succeed.

NaturallyCurly: Can you share some of the unique considerations you have when working with celebrities?

Christo: We have celebs that come here every week or we go to them. Celebrities like any client expect to be treated with respect and confidentiality. I never ask them to do anything for me like take pics or post on social media unless they offer. More importantly I treat them the same as I treat the rest of my clients and they love that and definitely appreciate the discretion.

Image:Christo Fifth Avenue Salon

NaturallyCurly: You work with a wide variety of textures. What are some of the different considerations when working with looser waves rather than tight coils?

Christo: Every individual curl is different in textured hair and each curl has to be treated one by one. I use my judgment as a professional and expert with curls. The Diametrix Technique does give us the leverage to deal with every texture, but you must know and be trained to use it correctly. No one can cut curls without proper education. It’s like everything else in life and those that Pretend they know can cause a lot of damage. The women with curly hair and I see that all the time because I’m fixing bad haircuts. So please if you would like to specialize get the appropriate training. 

NaturallyCurly: What are the biggest mistakes that curly girls make when working with their hair?

Christo: First, stop believing everything you read. A lot of people have opinions out there especially on social media, magazines, etc. Most of the time they have no clue what is good or bad for your curls. Do not put something on your curls because it is trending or heavily marketed. Please stay away from hair oils! It causes one of the biggest problems suffocating the follicle. 

Also, stay away from heavy waxes or silicones which creates build up. It’s better to get a free consultation which we provide for anyone visiting the salon to get an idea about what will be best for their curls. Don’t shampoo more than 2 times or once a week but please do shampoo to avoid build up from the dirty environment we live in. 

Image:Christo Fifth Avenue Salon

NaturallyCurly: Can you share a few of your favorite curl tips – things curly girl can do at home (clipping a certain way, styling a certain way, scrunching, etc.”>

Christo: Curly hair roots are all connected so it’s best to style on wet hair. Section, section, section, and more sections and you will get amazing movement. Then, use duck bill clips to lift root curls while air drying or defusing. Do not touch curls until at least 70% dry and always use a finisher to make your style last. Twist in a french twist while you sleep so the next day will be a simple touch up. You could use some paste or pomade to protect your style this way. Also , use a microfiber towel which is better for curls so it doesn’t deplete all moisture from the curls. 

See my videos on christonyc.com on how to do easy styles for your curls!

NaturallyCurly:Do you have a stylist who really inspires you?

Christo: Yes, so many! Vidal sassoon, Alexandre de Paris, Robert Cromean, Paul Mitchell and many more. You never stop learning and watching whether from icons or young stylist. That train of inspiration comes from every talent and you have to make your pick and level of influence.

Curly girls in the South have been flocking to Robin Sjoblom and Atlanta’s Southern Curl Salon for more than two decades. With over 20 years of cutting and coloring experience, she is considered one of the top curl experts in the country and a Level 3 Deva certified stylist. Her favorite quote is from her friend Lorraine Massey, “Frizz is just a curl waiting to happen!”

NaturallyCurly: What inspired you to become a stylist?

Robin: I grew up in a salon owned family but wanted a career as a buyer for a retail store. I went off to college in London to pursue a fashion merchandising degree and also worked in a salon with a team that was all Sassoon trained. I loved that structure of cutting and fell in love with hair. I came home and apprenticed under one of the stylists at my parents salon and never looked back.

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to specialize in texture?

Robin: I’ve always been attracted to texture. I’ve never been able to walk through a store without touching everything. My favorite class in college was textiles. I loved all the fabrics and the way they felt. When I heard there was a class strictly about curls, I couldn’t wait to check it out. I was bored cutting straight hair- it felt like I was doing the same thing every day and I was ready for something new.

Image:@southerncurlatl

NaturallyCurly: How did you develop your cutting technique?

Robin: My first curly cutting classes were taught by Lorraine Massey and Shari Harbinger of Devacurl in NYC. At that time, there weren’t many options for curl by curl cutting so I returned over and over to the Devachan Salon to hone my skill. I guess I’d say I have Deva blood to the core in my cutting techniques. always learn something new each time I go. I’ve probably taken 15 classes including certification with Devacurl.

Another inspiration was Curly Hair Artistry. Scott Musgrave and the curl group showed me other ways to look at and study curls. Other classes have come and gone. My personal technique encompasses all of what I’ve learned, I just intuitively use what I’ve learned in whatever canvas I’m working on.

NaturallyCurly: You work with a wide variety of textures. What are some of the different considerations when working with looser waves rather than tight coils?

Robin: Each curl type requires a different approach. However, I cut all curl patterns in their dry and natural state. This allows me to see where their hair lives on a day to day basis. When I approach a wavy girl versus a super curly/ coily girl, I’m looking at her hydration level, density, condition of curls, and taking into account the shape she’s looking for.

Tension on curls is very important to consider. When a curl is over stretched, it can affect the final shape by 1 to even 8 or more inches! Hydration levels can affect the outcome of curls that are overly dry to begin with. If that is not taken into account, the final look will be much much shorter on a super curly/coily girl compared to a wavy girl. 

Finally, curls on a wavy girl live flatter and longer down the head while curls on a super curly or coily girl grow out of/off the head. This alone can affect the final look of the cut and especially the final color as well.

Color placement on a super curly/coily can look very patchy if the curl pattern is not considered. I approach every curly client with a fresh eye as no 2 heads are ever the same. Curl shapes are so much fun. From waves to spirals, S shapes and zig zags and sometimes there is a combination of these on one head! That’s the beauty of curly hair. 

Styling curls can be another challenge. A wavy girl typically has more moisture than a super curly/coily girl so the product approach is going to be different. A wavy girl has less definition than a super curly/coily girl as well.

A wavy girl needs more gel and less heavy leave-in conditioners than a super curly/coily girl and a super curly/coily girl needs more conditioner and leave-ins and less gel than a wavy girl. Wavies and loose curls can usually handle a micro fiber towel/t-shirt/plopping while super curly/coily girls tens to do better with shaking their curls out and not using a towel because it removes too much moisture.

All of the hair types can benefit from raking/smoothing/roping etc. as each of these techniques create a different outcome. You just have to find the one you like best. Or keep trying different techniques to create something different with your curls to keep it fresh and fun.

Image:@southerncurlatl

NaturallyCurly: What questions do you ask your first-time clients to make sure you understand their expectations/concerns?

Robin: When working with a new client, it’s imperative that you listen to what the client wants and doesn’t want. We ask for inspiration photos to give us an idea of what they are looking for. We ask what their lifestyle is, how much time they want to spend on their hair, what products they are currently using and what the ingredients are.

NaturallyCurly: How do you help clients get the same results at home that they get in the salon?

Robin: Southern Curl is an education-based salon. We give our clients a mirror when we style their hair so they understand which products we are using, why we chose them and how much we used, and how we applied it (rope/rake/prayer method”>. We then send clients home with a video and a folder full of notes on the step-by-step method of how we did their curls during their visit. We encourage them to bring their folder back each visit in case we change anything up from season to season.

NaturallyCurly: What are the biggest mistakes that curly girls make when working with their hair?

Robin: Some of the biggest mistakes people make when working with curly hair are- getting caught up in social media curl groups/YouTube influencers. There are so many opinions out there, and they are not always geared towards your hair. These opinions are not from professional stylists, they are based on their own hair.

Using brushes on curls instead of finger detangling can cause unnecessary breakage. Applying products to hair when it isn’t wet enough is also a common mistake. Water is your friend and helps reduce frizz and encourages clumping. 

Image:@southerncurlatl

NaturallyCurly: Can you share a few of your favorite curl tips – things curly girl can do at home (clipping a certain way, styling a certain way, scrunching, etc.

Robin: Clipping curls to add volume is a great tip. One or two rows clipped into little bumps give a natural lift to the top section of curls.

 Putting hair into a pineapple at night can help get second day curls! (Flip over and pull curls into a pineapple on top of the head. “>

If you are a wavy, diffusing is your best option. Lightly cup the bottom of the curls, being careful not to over crunch the ends and create “fish hooks”. When they begin to form and cast, them put the diffuser closer to the head to create volume. 

NaturallyCurly: Who is your curl crush?

Robin: Everyone has a curl crush. Mine is an IG Influencer who goes by @Curlsandblondies. We have “similar” curls (here are more formed”>, we are both super blonde, andwe both have a Maine Coon Cat! Lol. She’s super nice and we chat back and forth a good bit. 

NaturallyCurly: What has been your most memorable transformation?

Robin: My most memorable client experience was with a 16-year-old girl Emerson. The first time she came to me, I literally cried with her. She had flatroned her curls so much they were breaking at the scalp. Her bangs were almost gone. I told her and her mom she had to stop straightening or she wouldn’t have any hair left. Being 16, she was reluctant to listen to me.

I told them if they gave me a year of trimming and treatments, she would have her curls back.Every month she came in for a little trim. And an Olaplex /deep condition/ and original Moxie detox treatment. I respected that she wanted to keep length but always pushed her a little to get more damage off.

After about 7 months, we turned a corner and started to see her Natural texture- the smiles started to happen. It’s been over a year and we are finally where she needs to be. No more damage and an understanding of how to manage her curls. And she LOVES her curly hair. This is why I do what I do every day.

Many call Leysa Carillo Queen of Colorful Curls. Her IG feedis filled with a kaleidoscope of curls and coils. The Las Vegas-based stylist is known for creating beautiful blondes, vibrant colors and incredible curly cuts, gaining her worldwide attention and numerous industry awards. Stylists flock to her classes to learn her innovative techniques.

NaturallyCurly was thrilled to chat with Leysa about her unique approach to coloring and cutting curls:

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to become a stylist?

Leysa: I grew up as a professional dancer. That allowed me to perform in shows all around the world, which led me to Las Vegas. I was in love with dancing, performing, acting and modeling, but wanted to try something else in life. I became a hairstylist by accident. Cosmetology school was cheaper than college so that’s what I did. I never thought it would be what it’s become for me.

NaturallyCurly: What made you decide to specialize in texture?

Leysa:On my birthday ten years ago I walked into three salons looking to get my hair done. Every single one turned me away because the of the texture of my hair. I felt different, less, sad.

So I make a promise that after beauty school, I wouldn’t make my clients feel that way. I saw the lack of knowledge in the beauty industry about textured hair and heard similar stories to mine from so many curly clients. I wanted to help change that.

NaturallyCurly: How did you become a curl color specialist?

Leysa: Again, I wanted to be able to service people with textured hair just the same as straight-haired clients, and that included coloring. When I first starting out, I took a lot of education classes and wondered why the techniques being shown weren’t translating the same on my curly-haired clients, I would practice on models and my own hair to better understand how to treat curls until I felt comfortable doing it on paying clients.

I want everybody to be able to enjoy getting fun colors and feel good about their hair and natural texture. 

NaturallyCurly: What makes curly hair unique when it comes to color?

Leysa: The unique part of coloring curly hair is that every curl type moves differently. So you have to customize the color placement around that. Some curl types grow straight out of the head and have less movement, while others move more like straight hair. 

My technique is based on designing a unique look for everyone individually in a way that you’re going to walk out of the salon with your own identity and expression.

NaturallyCurly: What are the Do’s and Don’ts of coloring curly hair?

Leysa: You do need to do a detailed consultation to understand the client’s hair history, lifestyle and what products they’re using. You need to make sure the hair is healthy to start with. I never perform color on unhealthy hair. 

I always look at a client’s porosity because that will affect the color service. I always balance a client’s porosity before I color the hair. 

When a client wears her hair curly, I never straighten the hair to do color. I also never use heavy oils because it creates a coating on the hair and can affect the color processing. 

I never use anything higher than a 20 Volume developer for color process. The hair dye developer lifts the cuticle of your hair just enough for color to get in or out of the hair. 

NaturallyCurly: Can you share more about your coloring technique and what makes it unique? 

Leysa: I believe hair your can be any color of the rainbow. Youcan be as blonde as you want if your hair meets the requirements. 

My color technique is based on a balayage look using foils. inside the foil I use three colors to create a seamless blend that results in extremely beautiful hair for up to six month. The technique gives you this longevity. 

NaturallyCurly: What is the secret when it comes to lifting color out of curly hair?

Leysa: I have a lot of secrets, but my biggest secret is that I say “no” a lot. I will never color curls that are not ready for it. Prepping the hair and getting it healthy before color is more important than any technique.

NaturallyCurly:What products do you recommend for caring for colored-treated curls and maintaining healthy hair? Color safe shampoos and conditioners?

Leysa:First of all, stay away from pools and sun exposure. Also, no hot showers.

Alternate between color-safe, sulfate-free shampoos and cleansing conditioners on your wash days. When using conditioners, make sure to apply it evenly in small sections in order to thoroughly saturate the hair. Let it sit on the hair before you rinse.

A hydrating mask is my go-to product to use with every wash, leving it on for a minimum of 10 minutes or overnight.

NaturallyCurly: What are the steps to recovering damaged hair from bleach, heat or permanent hair color?

Leysa: A hair Cut is the only solution for damage from heat, bleach or color. Sometimes a protein/hydration treatment can help with damage. But in my professional opinion, when the hair cuticle and cortex is damaged, hair strength is gone and won’t come back, no matter what treatment you use. A cuticle without elasticity can’t retain anything. 

NaturallyCurly: How should clients prepare curly hair before a color appointment?

Leysa:  Always do a proper consultation with the hairstylist beforehand to talk about you’re wanting and to determine if that is realistic. (Bring a lot of photos to show what you’re looking for”>. You may need to do a detox treatment to eliminate buildup.

NaturallyCurly: Who are the stylists that inspire you?

Leysa: @sylvestre_finold @xpresioncreativos @trevorsorbie @ryojiimaizumi

NaturallyCurly: What are your tips for clients who have color-treated hair to keep it from getting damaged and to keep the color looking fresh?

Leysa: First, you need an in-depth consultation that allows your stylist to really understand you and what you’re looking for. This leads to picking the right color for your needs, such as a look with a softer grow out for someone who is lower maintenance or more pastel fashion colors for someone who likes switching up their look often.

Then you must be prescribed the right products for your individual needs. Lastly you need to routinely book trims and treatments between coloring to keep your curls healthy and beautiful. 

NaturallyCurly: What is your go-to curl regimen?

Leysa: Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, I like to customize the curl routine I use for myself and my clients depending on their lifestyle. I believe hormonal shifts, climate, color history and age all can affect what regimen is best for a person. 

My current routine is a good balance between moisture and protein. Maintaining a clean scalp is very important to have healthy growth. I stay away from any products with heavy oils or that would cause extreme buildup, and alternate between shampoo and cleansing conditioner to make sure I don’t strip natural oils. Instead of traditional conditioners, my preference is hydrating masks to give extra moisture, especially because I am blonde and live in a dry climate.

I also believe staying hydrated is necessary to maintain healthy curls and drink a lot of water. This is especially important if you are blonde or have fashion colors.

NaturallyCurly: What questions do you get asked most often by your clients?

Leysa: I think the questions I get most often are “How should I be styling my hair? “How can I achieve this color without damaging my curls?” and “How can I bring back my curls after color/heat damage?”

If you’re a curly in Texas, chances are, you’ve heard of April Kayganich based in Austin. And chances are, if you tried to get an appointment, you had to wait six months to get one. She’s that good.

She took time out of her busy schedule – and planning her wedding – to answer NaturallyCurly’s questions.

NC: How did you get started in the beauty industry?

April: It all began when I started cutting my hair at 10 years old because I was terrified to have anyone touch my hair. I had the option to go to Cosmetology school in high school, but my father didn’t think that was the best decision for a career. So I went to art school instead, which was another passion of mine. Being in college and sitting behind a computer did not make me feel fulfilled. 

I eventually dropped out at the end of my second year and moved back to Detroit from Los Angeles where I was in school. I found a job in the restaurant Industry and vowed to myself that I would put myself through hair school. I moved back to Detroit when I was almost 20, but didn’t get to cosmetology school until I was 26.

It took working and saving up money, moving to Texas at 23 and being at my lowest point emotionally to get me to that point. I wanted to make sure I was happy and that what I did was something I loved. Fast forward and it has been six years of me doing hair as a licensed professional, and I can’t see it any other way.

NC: What made you want to be a curly hair expert?

April: I wanted to be a curly expert because of what I went through when I was a child. Luckily, my mother knew how to take care of my hair. But when I got older, around middle school age, I noticed that no one else had curly hair at my school. I noticed that when we would go to the store, I would want products to control my curls and define them, but there was nothing. There was always that tiny section hidden amongst the “hair products” that was labeled “ethnic hair care.”

Let’s be clear: you can be any color and have curls, so that always confused me and made me upset. I am half African-American and half Serbian-Greek, and I inherited hair from my parents that I couldn’t appreciate until I was older. I was scared to go into any salon, so I started cutting my hair myself. From there, I would help my cousins pick out hair products and I would trim or shape my friends’ hair as well as any family members.

I want to be able to be a role model for anyone out there who is afraid to rock her curls because I didn’t have that when I was younger. I want to make sure that I can educate people so they can feel confident and know how to style their hair in a way that works for them. I don’t ever want anyone to feel alone because of their hair. I am here to change that.

NC: How have you honed your skills?

April: From Day 1, with anything I do, I always want to learn everything about it that I can, and I want to be the best. I am such a Virgo (if astrology is your thing. But I have worked long hours, taken so many classes, experimented on mannequins, connected with other stylists, taken time to draw and paint, which really helps my visualization skills. Most important, I have never stopped learning. This industry is constantly changing and that is why I want to be a part of that.

NC: What do you think is unique about your technique?

April: When I am doing color or cutting curls, I look at every single curl pattern on the head so that I am making them all work together. My background is in Sassoon, which is very mathematical. I love it because I can look at someone and see the haircut in my head. 

How I cut the actual curl is different than most people I have seen and I don’t cut every curl the same. I also don’t like to style curls so they are “perfect.” I think curls should have a little frizz and look lived in. To me, that is real life. I don’t see many stylists out there doing that.

I work on a client’s hair, I talk extensively with them before the appointment to make sure we are on the same page. 

NC: What inspires you to elevate your craft?

April: Both my clients and my personal goals, but mostly my clients because I wouldn’t be here without them and I want to always give them something fresh. I want to stay up to date on trends so I can put my own spin on their cut and color, be knowledgeable about techniques, know the latest terms and be able to create a look that is suitable for them while still being modern and unique.

I am also motivated by others who share their work on social media. It is so inspiring to see other stylists building their brands and putting their mark on the industry, and that encourages me to keep striving to be better than I was the day before.

NC: Who are some of the stylists that inspire you most?

April: There are so many! But if I had to pick, definitely Mona Baltazar because she is a true artist with texture and curls, Shai Amiel owner of Capella Salon, Haiya and the amazing Leysa Carrillo, whose color and cuts on curls are absolute MAGIC!

NC: What are your top curly hair tips?

April: Water! Your hair needs water. Make sure your curls are soaking wet before applying product. Stay away from towels, especially non-microfiber towels. And make sure to preserve your hair overnight by putting your hair in a pineapple with a silk scarf.

NC: What are you the CG questions/concerns you get the most from clients?

April: There are two questions/concerns that I hear all of the time: “How do I get more volume?” and “I want more curl definition.” Both are achieved by making sure you apply products correctly and that you are picking appropriate products for your hair type.

NC: What are your top techniques or tips that make a difference?

April: My No. 1 tip is to pick products that work best for your texture, not your curl type! Texture is the base of everything. (Find out your texture with NaturallyCurly’s Texture Quiz“>

Another tip that makes a huge difference is to be patient when you are styling/diffusing your hair. You have to make sure those dryers are on a low speed and a low heat when diffusing to avoid frizzy curls.

NC: Do you have a story about a curl transformation with a client?

April: One of my favorite things is to bring out a client’s “hidden” curl. The curl may be hidden because the hair is dehydrated, because they don’t know how to style the hair or because of damage from relaxer, I love being able to show people what their hair’s potential is.

My client Kristen came to me with almost all of her hair damaged from a relaxer. I had her come in every three months to cut off the straight ends, little by little, because she wasn’t ready for a big chop. By the time we got to the third – nine months in – she looked at me, gently grabbed my arm and said “Let’s just do it. I trust you.”

We decided if it got to be too much cutting, or the length seemed scary, she would let me know and we would stop. Well, we both were so happy to see these amazing curls peeking out! I think out of every transformation I have done, this one sticks with me the most. 

Embracing your curls is more than people think. It is about self-acceptance. It is about saying “I am okay with me and how my hair is and I don’t care what society thinks.” 

Some people call curly hair “unprofessional”, or “wild” or “messy.” But it isn’t any of those words. It is beautiful, period. It is strength, bravery and confidence.

NaturallyCurly.com caught up with Philip B during one of his whirlwind trips to Austin. He is traveling the country, training stylists how to perform his scalp treatments.

Philip B (he doesn’t disclose what the B. stands for”> is a 6-foot-4-inch bundle of energy, full of enthusiasm for his products and their power to transform troubled hair. At 35, he has built a successful haircare company and a loyal following. When he’s not traveling, he splits his time between his New York and Beverly Hills salons.

He wanted to create haircare products that used natural, eco-friendly elements. But more important, he says he wanted to create products that worked.

“I want every lady to get out of the shower and be so excited and call 10 friends screaming with joy,” he says.

His products are based on 20 years of work in the industry. At the age of 25, he says he started talking to chemists about what he wanted to do. He wanted formulations that were over 40 percent pure plant extracts.

‘They thought I was some crazy kid,’ he says.

In addition to the high price tag, a 40 percent formulation would get him in trouble with the FDA because they would be considered pharmaceutical products. He went down to 30 percent, but says his products still contain 10 to 20 times more natural elements that make them work better than what’s on the market.

Too often, he says, the money is spent on fancy packaging rather than what’s in the bottle.

‘You were buying a name, a pretty package and you were buying a dream,’ he says. ‘But what’s inside isn’t real.

In 1992, he launched his haircare line. Philip B decided to put his money into what’s inside the bottle. The bottles were plain white, with black lettering. Simple. Cheap. The money was spent custom ordering botanical extracts for his formulations. His first product was called Alchemy Volumizing Shampoo and 8 ounces cost a whopping $24. But the bottles blew off the shelves, he says.

Today, Philip B sells a full line of products, infused with such extracts as chamomile, peppermint and shea butter designed to balance, soothe and heal the scalp. Curlyheads have snatched up such products as his Botanical One step Conditioning Shampoo with African Shea Butter and his Botanical Deep-Conditioning Crème Rinse with African Shea Butter, Wheat Germ and Soy Protein.

I decided to see for myself what Philip B was all about so volunteered to be a model during one of his presentations at Bella Salon, one of Austin’s hippest salons on West Sixth Street. He was teaching the stylists how to do his oil treatments.

When I got there, Philip B, dressed all in black greeted me and I quickly changed into a leopard-spotted robe. And then he went to work on my scalp. I don’t think my scalp has ever gotten this much attention.

‘This is a facial for your scalp,’ he says of the one-hour treatment. ‘You can’t say there’s no benefit to doing this.’

He believes hair is like leather. It needs to be rehydrated and polished. That is especially true of curly hair. Because the cuticle is rough, it can look dull, with no shine.

With some trepidation, I watched him approach with a nylon bristle brush in hand. He brushed my hair like it’s never been, starting at the ends. He patiently jiggled and twisted the brush through my hair With thick, coarse curls, I looked like Frankenstein’s bride. We are talking big hair.

Philip B says good brushing is an essential step in his treatment because it helps loosen the scales of the scalp and distributes the natural oils. It also gets rid of buildup. With a good brushing, he says he can move oils four to six inches down the hair. If you’re like me, you rarely brush your hair.

Then he applied the oil in sections with a brush to my dry hair, squeezing it in. My hair sucked it up like a sponge. His Rejuvenator for Dry to Damaged Hair contains extra such oils as extra virgin olive, peanut, walnut, almond, jojoba and lavender. It’s designed to replicate human sebum.

I heard oohs and aaaahs as he combed away huge chunks of dead skin and product buildup. I know it sounds disgusting, but the other stylists were equally amazed. They even passed around a white flake from my scalp. I couldn’t believe all of this white buildup had been sitting on my head.

When my scalp was covered with oil, I was escorted to a dryer for 20 minutes where the oils really did their magic.

When I returned to the chair 20 minutes later, he applied some Botanical Volumizing Shampoo in sections. This shampoo felt like a cough drop on my newly clarified scalp. It contains 2.3 percent peppermint oil. He worked the shampoo through my scalp, gently squeezing it into the ends.

Then it was time for the shampoo bowl, where he rinsed it all out. Then he finished it off with some of his Botanical Deep-Conditioning Crème Rinse, a total 4-curl product. He ran a wide-toothed comb through my hair effortlessly. Then he ran a medium-toothed comb through my hair. Then to my shock, he ran a fine-toothed comb through my hair, without a single snag. I don’t think I’ve had a fine-toothed comb in my hair since I was an infant. My hair felt ‘like buttah!!!’

The oil treatment, he says, gives ‘silky, voluptuous, juicy curl.’ He’s right. When I returned to the office, I rushed over to Gretchen and told her to feel my hair. She was equally amazed at how soft my usually brilloesque hair felt. It stayed softer for more than a week. Philip B recommends at-home maintenance to really get the full benefits of the treatment.

He advises having the treatment about every month to six weeks for curly hair. He believes it reduces the needs for frequent trims because it keeps the ends in good condition.

The Philip B oil treatment runs $50 to $150, depending upon the salon and stylist. To find out where to get a Philip B treatment, call (800″> 643-5556.

Image: Nubia Suarez demonstrating the RËZO Cut at the Ron King Salon

Austin, TX – On a recent Sunday in Austin Texas, a group of stylists gathered around a model to watch curl expert Nubia Suarez of Utopia Salon demonstrate the dry cutting technique, the RËZO Cut, she developed for curly hair. The stylists, traveled from around the world to attend the two-day workshop at the Ron King Salon to learn new techniques for cutting and coloring textured hair. They all have discovered the advantages of being a curl expert, and the importance of continually honing their skills. 

Although more than 60 percent of the population has curly, coily or wavy hair, only a fraction of stylists are trained to work with texture. There is only one curl-trained stylist for every 32,000 curly people, according to DevaCurl, which has trained thousands of stylists at its Academy. And more curly girls are embracing their curls rather than relaxing and blowing them out. It’s not a trend; it’s a lifestyle,” says Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue, a New York salon that specializes in curly hair.

There are a variety of reasons for the shortage of curl experts. Most cosmetology schools provide limited training so stylists need to seek out additional training on their own. Some stylists don’t want to brand themselves as a curl expert because they think it may impact some of their other profitable services, such as blowouts. But that’s not the case. 

Image: Mayssa demonstrating the RËZOlites at the Ron King Salon

“You’re adding an incremental service to your repertoire,” says Kelly Heath, VP of Education at Devacurl. “If you don’t learn how to work with curls, you’re missing out on a huge consumer base. Many stylists are afraid of working with curls, which are more unpredictable than straight hair. With straight hair, you usually find more consistency on a head,” says LaDonna Dryer, a Paul Mitchell Salon owner texture expert. “With curl friends, you could easily have several curl types and textures on the same head. Others worry that it takes too much time to cut and style curly hair. While it may take more time in some cases, there are so many great benefits,” Dryer says. Stylists who have taken the time to work with curls say the effort has been worth it. “Every day you create a masterpiece,” says Suarez.

Benefits include:

More Clientele

According to a NaturallyCurly poll, 72 percent of curly women are willing to travel one two hours to see a curl expert, while 28 percent say they would be willing to fly to a salon to go to a skilled curl expert.

 “They come out of the woodwork!,” says Pam Garcia of Salon San Carlos in Pensacola, Fla., whose clients travel from as far away as Switzerland.

Valerie Frazee of The Mirror & I Salon in Round Rock Texas has been a stylist for 20 years. But she began specializing in curly hair for eight years after attending the DevaCurl Academy, and has gotten additional training with Curly Hair Artistry – a network of curl stylists around the world – and the Rezo Academy. She went from being 50 to 60 percent booked to being 100 percent booked overnight. My business shifted very quickly,” says Frazee. “The more training I got, the more I was in demand.”

Heath recalls a stylist who came to the Devacurl Academy without any previous training working with curls. After she completed two levels of training, she was booked out six months.

“It’s great to have a niche,” says Jhane Shephard-Howard of the Collective Salon in Birmingham, Ala. “It’s what sets you apart from everyone else.”

Image: Christo from Christo Fifth Avenue

Loyal Clients That Spread Love

When a curly girl gets a great cut and learns how to work with her texture, it can be lifechanging.

“If you do a good job, you will have a client for life and they will send all their friends to you,” says curl expert April Kayganich of Honeycomb Salon in Austin, who is booked out more than six months. 

Glenn Charles of Glenn Loves Curls in Dallas, Texas said he asked his long-time straight-haired long-time clients to review him. Only one out of 10 wrote a review. When he asked his curly clients to review him, 90 percent did.

“And they write long reviews!” says Charles, who began specializing in curls four years ago after 24 years of working with hair.

Valuable Services

Curl experts all say that they can charge more for a curly cut than a standard cut.

When you’re a curl expert, you give your the client the curly hair an experience – the consultation, the cut and a styling lesson, says Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue, a New York salon that specializes in curls.

Laura McGraw of the Laura Mcgraw Hair Studio in Pearland, Texas, who began specializing in curly hair eight years ago, said she charges new clients $150 and returning cliens $75. She charged $55 for cuts on straight hair. 

“I was able to stop working Saturdays altogether and still make the same amount of money,” says McGraw.

Image: Christo from Christo Fifth Avenue

Opportunity to Educate Clients on Using the Right Products

Curly girls are product junkies. When their stylist can show them how to use products to make their curls look their best, they are much more likely to purchase the products than their straight-haired counterparts.

“If you educate your clients and you have the tools and products to help maintain their curls to look their best, the products sell themselves,” said Pam Garcia of Salon San Carlos in Pensacola, Fla. “Ninety percent of my clients purchase products – literally everything you use on them.”

Impactful Experiences

Curl stylists say feel like they’re having a profound impact on their clients’ lives.

“The curly client is completely different,” says Tyciana Ndoma-Ogar of Just Divine Curls in Plano Texas. “They’re recovering from a lot of hair trauma. When you can cut their hair and give them a beautiful shape, you see the the transformation of their spirit. There’s nothing like it.” 

Dryer says she it is exciting to change the way a client feels about her hair – from fighting their texture to embracing it.’

“You see this excitement, joy and confidence when you finish their hair,” she says. “I can tell by the smile on their face if I’ve done my job or not. I’m always working for the smile.”

Kinship with other Curl Experts

Curl stylists have created a community, which includes chat groups, Facebook pages and gatherings.

“We lift each other up and support each other, says Jodi Brinkmeier of Helix Salon in Trophy Club, Texas, “ I know people from all over the country. And when my clients move, I already have somebody to send them to.”

How to Become a Curl Expert

Becoming a curl expert does require training. You need to be committed to learning completely new techniques than you might be used to. Luckily, there are a growing number of texture training programs available. They include: 

DevaCurl Academy:The Academy offers a wide range of classes that teach curly hair cutting and highlighting techniques. Over the next year, the Academy is adding new classes, including specialized techniques as well as business-oriented courses that will teach stylists how to brand themselves as a curl expert in the business of curls. 

Ouidad: Ouidad’s Salon Certificaiton offers training in its proprietary Carving and Slicing℠and styling methodology to enhance your curls to optimum perfection.Classes ithe Ouidad Experience, Curl Lab I & II, The Art of Curl and The Ouidad Certification.

Curlisto Diametrix:Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue created theDiametrix Cut, Cut is a technique that harnesses the natural volume and curl of curly hair. The stylist divides the hair into 12 equal sections, which helps reduce the pyramid-like shape. Then the hair is cut at a diagonal angle to reduces bulkiness and promote volume and body on the root and crown area. Christo offers free classes to salon professionals For more information, email info@christonyc.com”>. 

RËZO Academy: Master Stylist Nubia Suarez of Utopia Salon in Westfield, N.J. offers training in herRËZO Cutdry-cutting technique as well as RËZOLites, a technique for highlighting curls. In addition to offering training at Utopia Salon, she teaches classes at salons around the world.

Curly Hair Artistry: Owned and and operated by curl expert Scott Musgrave, Curly Hair Artistry (CHA”> offers in-salon training, online courses and mentoring in how to work with all forms of curly hair as well as courses on such topics as salon management, how to pre-qualify clients and all forms of building your business. Curly Hair Artistry is brand agnostic.

Raw Curls Academy: The Raw Curls Academy is a two-day workshop held both In Naples as well as at host salons nationwide. Curl expert Melanie Nickels leads the class, which includes wet cutting, dry cutting and curl-by-curl cutting techniques and when and how to use them separately and together on the same head of curls She also teaches an advanced class, which includes coloring and other advanced techniques as an ABCH American Board Certified Master Hair colorist and Educator for the organization.

The best curl stylists know that training is an ongoing process. They may take multiple classes from different curl experts to learn new technques. They pair that training with videos and other on-line training. And they practice. 

“Without pairing the knowledge and training with an abundance of practice, it does no good,” Dryer says.

Image Source: Getty Images/Deagreez

When award-winning news anchor Brittany Noble Jones switched from her “anchor bob” to a style that accentuated her natural texture, she was criticized and then fired from her Jackson, Miss. News station.

The newscaster began wearing her natural hair on air on WJTV-TV in March 2017 after learning she was pregnant.

“When I was pregnant, I wondered how I would teach my child to love their hair and I didn’t love my own,” Noble Jones told Today Style.

This kind of discrimination could become a thing of the past, thanks to a groundbreaking California law that other states hope to emulate.

On July 3rd, the groundbreaking Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN”> Act was signed into law by California Gavin Newsom. California became the first state to expressly include natural hairstyles in its anti-discrimination law.

“While anti-discrimination laws presently protect the choice to wear an afro, afros are not the only natural presentation of Black hair,” said California state senator Holly Mitchell, who introduced the Crown Act and sports locs.

Dove co-founded the CROWN Coalitionin partnership with the National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law and Poverty. On Dove’s website, the company says their mission is to “advance efforts to end hair discrimination and to create a more equitable and inclusive beauty experience for Black women and girls.”

In the US, the law does not currently afford protection for race-based hair discrimination, even if the hairstyle is inherent to racial identity. That’s why Dove co-founded the CROWN Coalition in partnership with the National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law and PovertyThe mission is to advance efforts to end hair discrimination and to create a more equitable and inclusive beauty experience for black women and girls by driving change in other states.

“Claiming success in California sets the stage for us to get legislation passed in other states,” Adjoa B. Asamoah, Unilever’s Chief Operating Officer, told Blavity. “The prospects of this being a nationwide push look good.”

The CROWN Act has been introduced in the state of New York under the leadership of New York by Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright and Senator Jamaal T. Bailey (New York 6209A”> and in the state of New Jersey by Senator Sandra Cunningham (Senate Bill 3945″>.

During Essence Festival last weekend, Bracey hosted a “Crowns & Conversations” event to not only celebrate California’s new legislation, but to also create a call to action for other Black women to push for similar legislation across all 50 states.

“These bills are only the beginning, as the CROWN Coalition is galvanizing support for legislation to end hair discrimination,” Dove says on its web site.

California’s CROWN Act observes that “the history of our nation is riddled with laws and societal norms that equated ‘blackness’ and the associated physical traits . . . to a badge of inferiority, sometimes subject to separate and unequal treatment.” It notes that this association permeated the workplace, where “professionalism was, and still is, closely linked to European features and mannerisms.”

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act now includes in the definition of race “traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles,” the latter including “hairstyles [such] as braids, locks, and twists.” Any California employers with grooming policies that prohibit protective hairstyles must now amend those policies and train hiring managers about the new law to prevent preconceived biases about natural hairstyles from influencing hiring decisions.

Accordingto research sponsored by Dove, Black women who wear their natural hair are:

• 80% more likely to change their natural hair in order to meet social standards at work.
• 50% more likely to have reported being sent home because of their hair
• 82 percent have been given grooming policies at work.

“We can see a world where we are all valued for who we are, a world where we express our individuality without any concern,” says Dove. “No woman should ever be “judged” or held back by her appearance.”

If the CROWN Act becomes the law of the land, stories like those of Noble Jones may become a thing of the past.

Noble Jones has filed a complaint against the station with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and hopes that her story helps spark change in the industry. WJTV-TV and Nexstar Broadcasting denied that her hair was the reason for her termination.

“I want to help news organizations diversify their product because America is counting on us,” Noble Jones told Ebony. “My story is so much bigger than hair.”

To find out how you can support the CROWN coalition and sign the petition to bring anti-discrimination hair laws to your state, visit https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/help-make-hair-discrimination-illegal.

Seven years ago, actress Michelle Hurd landed a role for a 7-story arc on “90210,” playing the mother of one of the main characters. She was driving home from the set after the first day of shooting – wearing her hair big and curly – when she got a call from the show’s producer.

“He said, ‘We love you, but our research says that for a woman of color to be credible as a business owner, you have to straighten your hair,’” she recalls. “I was shocked. How do you respond to that?”

Being under contract, Hurd had no choice but to straighten her curls. But she told her manager that for future roles, she wanted a say in how she wore her hair. It wasn’t the last time she would straighten her hair for a role – she spent more than 2 hours a day having her hair straightened for her role on “Daredevil” – but Hurd has become becoming increasingly confident in standing up for her curls.

“I’ve gotten really stubborn” says Hurd.

For more than three decades, Hurd’s curls have been one of her defining features, whether playing NYPD Detective Monique Jeffries in the first and second season of the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Renee Grover on “Hawaii Five-0” or Shepherd on “Blindspot.” She stars with Patrick Stewart appears this fall in “Star Trek: Picard.”

Hurd is especially passionate about her upcoming role in the movie “Bad Hair” – a “Get Out” style horror satire by director Justin Simien of “Dear White People” starring Hurd, Laverne Cox, Judith Scott and Vanessa Williams that puts the emotionally charged topic of women of color and their hair front and center.

“When I saw the script, I said “I need to be in this film,’” says Hurd. “I need to be a part of making that statement.”

The movie is an unvarnished look at women of color and their obsession with straight hair. Set in the late ‘80s – Hurd loved the wardrobe of jumpsuits and polyester dresses with padded shoulders – It follows an ambitious young woman who gets a weave in order to be accepted in music television. She discovers her new hair may have a mind of its own.

“It really goes to a place where it asks, at what cost are you willing to have straight hair,” says Hurd who plays “Auntie Maxine.” I’m really interested to see how our community takes it. Some people will be really offended and upset.”

Hurd’s hair has been a crucial part of her own life’s plot.

The daughter of a white German-Irish mother and a black Jamaican-Scottish father, 52-year-old Hurd was the youngest of three daughters. They all had varying degrees of texture. At that time, Farrah Fawcett was the standard of beauty.

“I didn’t have anyone saying that curly hair is pretty,” she says. “

Although she had a brief stint as a receptionist to support herself through college – “I sucked so bad they called and said’ Don’t send her out here again.’” – she has spent her entire career as an actress on stage and screen.

Initially, she worked in commercials. “There weren’t a lot of acting jobs for curly, beige girls like me.’ She recalls landing a campaign for Maxi Pads where she wore her hair curly.

“When it aired, I had so many curly girls of color thanking me for representing,” she says.

It wasn’t until she started getting TV roles that she started getting comments about her curly hair – requests to pull it back or straighten it. 

“There were a lot of hair issues,” she recalls. “My agents got calls asking ‘Can Michelle do something different with her hair?’ I knew that meant straightening it, which seemed ridiculous to me. I’m sure there were roles I didn’t get – roles that went to another actress with the ‘more accepted’ look.”

Hurd says she has come to terms with the fact that there are people in her industry who just don’t get curls, and that’s okay.

“If I’m consistent and true to myself, and if I’m doing my best work as an actress, then I’m fine,” she says. “I decided, I’m going to own my curls and I’m going to be proud of them.”

She concedes that there have been days when she’s tired of her curls and has wanted to cut them all off. But her hard -fought mane is now a key part of her, and she knows it sends a powerful message to the entertainment industry as well as society.

“If we buy into this homogenized ideal beauty, we undercut our strengths,” says Hurd. “Our strengths are in our individuality, our uniqueness. I want little munchkins as well as adults to be comfortable and proud of their hair. I want them to own their hair. I want them to know it’s beautiful and amazing.”