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For most of the year, NaturallyCurly’s articles focus on how gals can keep their waves, curls and kinks looking their best. But what about all the curly men out there? There are just as many of them, and they struggle with some of the same issues. So we designed “Man Week” to celebrate coily and kinky men. Every day, we will bring you a different article focusing on men, as well as video blogs by curly men around the country. We hope you enjoy it, whether you’re a curly man or a woman who loves curly men.
Our articles
Monday:
Find out how Eric Benet gets his curlicious kinks
Top 10 in 10: Curly Men We Love
Style Strategies for Curly Men
How to Get Your Man to Rock his Curls
NYC Man Gets Perm to Raise Money
Check out our video bloggers
Wesley Faulkner from Austin, Texas, is slowly taking over social media one twit at a time.
Ted Gibson
New York City’s Ted Gibson, who offers the most expensive haircut in the country at $950, has taken note of the economy, and has launched his ‘Recessionista Tuesdays’ at his Fifth Avenue Salon — kicking off March 10th. Every Tuesday, anyone can come into the salon and the Ted Gibson team will offer haircuts, single color processing for $75 and blow-outs for $40.
Renowned hairstylist and salon owner Philip Pelusi said he, too, has seen the focus shift to more bang for the buck during the economic downturn.
Pelusi said clients are opting for money-saving tactics like extending time between visits, partial highlights or getting services on “training nights” for the salon, which can trim their bill up to 60 percent.
“We are doing everything we can to accommodate the clients,” said Pelusi, whose Tela Design Studio in Manhattan has only seen a slight decrease in business.
Apply a thick, creamy conditioner. Separate your hair into sections, usually 4, and finger comb to remove any major knots. Then use a wide-tooth comb to detangle, starting at the ends and working up. This reduces breakage because you’re slowly and gently getting through tangles, and not pulling through them from the top. The more conditioner you use, the smoother — and faster — the process. Then rinse and style your hair as usual.
Dusty Simington loves working with curly hair.
I love cutting it, I love finishing it, I love everything about it,” says the celebrity stylist, who owns Salon Gregorie’s in Newport Beach, Calif., the largest independent salon on the West Coast.
Dusty Simington
Simington’s passion extends to all hair types, and has resulted in his creation of Kronos, a new product line designed to revitalize hair.
“Being in the business for 25 years, I’ve worked with every product under the sun,” says Simington, who has cut and styled the tresses of stars such as Tiffani Thiessen, Jenny Garth, Ryan Secrest and LeAnn Rimes. “A lot of my clients shared the same problems with their hair, and they were using products that temporarily masked the situation but didn’t address the main problems.”
The seven-product Kronos line, which took Simington three years to develop, uses “t-sfere technology” to repair the hair. Simington says he was in a bidding war with several large companies for this technology, and was able to acquire it because of Kronos’ ability to bring it to market the fastest. T-sfere technology allows the encapsulation of multiple active ingredients into a single microscopic sphere for a deeper delivery into the scalp, follicle and hair shaft. Each product contains a blend of active ingredients to moisturize, strengthen and protect the hair, says Simington, who was a national educator for other product companies before developing his own.
For curls, he recommends Hydress Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner. Another standout is Liquid Theory, a one-spray-does-it-all detangler that conditions, smoothes and detangles.“Many leave-in conditioners can make the hair feel greasy and heavy,” Simington says. “You can spray on an entire bottle of Liquid Theory and you’ll still have volume and shine.”
Kronos Phyx
And the superstar of the line is Phyx, a deep-conditioning overnight treatment that strengthens, rebuilds and repairs hair. It corrects damage, breakage, split ends and dullness.
Simington says he also has a mousse in the works that is perfect for waves and curls.
Simington became a stylist by accident, he says. It was the late ’70s and his five sisters dragged the 15-year-old surfer to get his first haircut at a salon to cut his long blond locks. They took Simington to the hottest salon in Newport Beach. Although he wasn’t so hot on the perfectly coiffed shag he received, he was completely in awe of the cool-looking hairstylists, with their Porsches and beautiful clientele.
“The atmosphere was so exciting,” recalls Simington. “I come from a long line of developers, and I was supposed to take up the family business. Instead, I had to tell my dad I wanted to go to beauty school.”
Simington says his father still refuses to call him a hairdresser, instead opting for “barber.”
The salon’s owner allowed him to come in and observe, and he began cutting his own hair. He discovered he had a keen eye for balance, and soon was cutting his sisters’ hair. He went to beauty school at 22, and has never regretted his decision. Eight years ago, he opened his salon, which now has 70 hairdressers, 25 assistants and 10 full-time receptionists.
“It was a dream come true,” he says.
In 1997, the father of four was named Master Stylist of the Year by the North American Hairstylist Awards. It is considered the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon a hairstylist.
One of Simington’s favorite parts of his job is teaching other hairstylists.
“Not only am I sharpening my own skills, but I get to watch others get excited,” Simington says. He has an advanced facility that teaches four different programs, including one that focuses entirely on curly hair.
“Once you really know how to work with curly hair, you have a curly clientele for life,” he says. “As far as cutting curly hair goes, you have to know its spring factor. You have to know how it will react when you cut it.”
A model shows a Simington/Kronos style.
Simington says he’s developed his technique through years of trial and error. He likes to take sections horizontally and cut niches away in a brickwork fashion, creating volume where it’s needed.
“When cutting curls, you want to create an even balance of density,” Simington says.
Styling is one of the most important parts of working with curls. Simington has what he calls a fool-proof method for styling curls that provides curl formation and volume on top.
“One of the biggest mistakes curlies make is to bend forward when styling their hair,” he says.
Instead, he suggests getting out of the shower with your hair soaking wet and leaning to the side horizontally and scrunching sections with a towel. Then apply product — curlies need to use a lot of product, he says — and use the same sideways scrunching motion. Then, either air dry or dry hair with a diffuser.
“I could talk for three days about curly hair,” Simington says.
Get the BeautyFix Makeup Bag with eight products, including Kronos Haircare, for $20 off – a 40% discount – when you click here.
Johnathan Torch, of the Curly Hair Institute, remind us, “It is very important with any shampoo to rinse your hair thoroughly.”
Try: Curlisto Matte Stay
Make sure that when you comb her hair, work in 1-inch sections, starting from the bottom working your way up one inch at a time.
Living Proof’s No Frizz — a popular line of frizz-defeating products — is a finalist for the “Edison Best New Product Award 2009”. The Edison Awards are among the most elite acknowledgments of excellence in new product development and in services that are technologically innovative, successful in the marketplace, and have societal impact.
Winners will be announced April 1 in Mountain View, Calif.
See more Grammy photos here!
This year’s Awards season trend continued Sunday night at the Grammys, with texture making an appearance everywhere. Whether it was Taylor Swift’s curly updo, Katy Perry’s retro waves or Yolanda Adams wild curls, it appeared the flat iron went into hiding. Even the men were rocking their curls, from the Jonas Brothers to Justin Guarini. And of course there was Robert Plant, showing that long curls aren’t just for girls.
We can’t wait for the Oscars!
- Style.com
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Breaking news on the home page of Style.com: Curls are back! We didn’t know they ever left, but it’s nice to see that there’s an acknowledgment that curls and kinks are stylish and beautiful — the season’s “loopiest trend!”
Of course curls — like skin color and eye color — are something that is always a part of us. So whether straight hair is declared “in” next season or not, we’re not about to go back into the curly closet!
Make the most of it by starting 2009 off the right way by keeping your curls as gorgeous as they can possibly be.
Curly hairstyles promise to be free of one very nasty F-word in 2009. Frizz! The fuzz ball look is most definitely out, not that it’s ever been in. Curly has now come to encompass wavy, curly and kinky.
Whether short, medium or long, the condition of the curl is more important than the length of the hair itself. Frizz, split ends, and lighter colored dry patches are all factors that will make a curly do ‘out’ regardless of style or length. In 2009, healthy curls are in!
Perhaps better referred to as ‘wavelets’ than ringlets, curls in 2009 are both wavy and curly at the same time. Long or short, the majority of 2009 curly hairstyles are not as tightly coiled as in previous years. They resemble a more finger-twisted curl than a curling-iron look and have adopted a more relaxed look that isn’t as “curl contrived” but still says “look at me.”
Borrowed from their hair texture counterpart, a hint of straightness will be seen on the heads of many curlies. Because the fringe look is all the rage, many curly hairstyles will be straighter at the top, sides and bangs and curls will fall into stretched-out twists. A style like this is casual yet sexy and can be fancied up or played down.
To really get the most out of your curls this year, here’s a word of advice: put away your basket of hair grease, wax, pomade and any other weighty product, because the wet look is out and heavy hair is most definitely out!
This year boasts of more gorgeous natural styles that use deep conditioner instead and products that hold the curl, tame the frizz and moisturize the roots to the tip. Anything that keeps hair looking wet for longer than 15 minutes out of the shower is out.
If you have to use several products to tame your curls and frizz, remember that lighter, freeer, fresher curls are the way to go. While softer, well-defined curls are all the rage this year, it doesn’t mean that tiny baby corkscrews and wild afros aren’t still a hot look. Quite the contrary. If there were ever a time for curls to shine, the time is now and since curly girls have grown more daring with their tresses over the past few years, 2009 will be reflective of this.
Tina Kissavos is a writer for Hairstylesdesign.com.
TAMPA, Fla. — Troy Polamalu has an air of greatness and hair of greatness.
He is the NFL’s Mane Man and many fans’ favorite player in football. At USC, he was one of the Men of Troy. He is the Troy of men with Pittsburgh.
He’s got down-to-there hair.
Polamalu, who starred in Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Phoenix Cardinals, could star in the musical “Hair.” Fans wear wigs to games honoring the Somoan. Cardinals fans don’t do that for Fitzgerald.
“This is the end of the road, where you want to be, what you play for all year,” Polamalu said. “Everybody talks about us needing to win to break the tie with the Cowboys and 49ers for most Super Bowl titles. That would be great. For me, though, I just want to get to 2-0 in the Super Bowl.”
Polamalu speaks so softly you would think somebody pushed the mute button on his TV remote control. He doesn’t carry a big schtick. He’s genuine as a natural pearl. He’s nice as your favorite elementary-school teacher, as much a family man as George Bailey. It’s a wonderful life.
Polamalu was born in Garden Grove, Calif., as Troy Aumua, but his mother, Suila Polamalu, raised her five children alone. All four of his siblings spent time in jail. Troy was fearful of the gangs and the drugs, and when his mother took him on a trip to Tenmile, Ore., to see relatives, the son begged her to let him remain behind.
Eventually, Suila returned to her native Samoa, and Polamalu was “raised by a community of relatives.” Several played football. He became the best. At Southern Cal, Polamalu was an All-American, and the Steelers traded two draft choices so they could grab him 16th overall in 2003.
Polamalu, who once visited his mother’s homeland and officially changed his name to honor her, understands his role on and off the field.
“There’s a duty among all from different cultures, especially for pro athletes who are in the limelight, to be a good influence for young people. I try to be.”
His air and his hair, and his football skill, are uniquely rare.
Larry Fitzgerald
After Sunday’s Super Bowl Game, Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald actually had better locks.
Polamalu-Fitzgerald. Who has the advantage on the field? Who cares.
Fitzgerald’s dreadlocks are more tamed and under control than Polamalu’s hair. Fitz usually wears his hair in a rubberband or hair tie, letting it droop from beneath his helmet as he dives to make spectacular catches.
Fitzgerald can be tackled by his hair legally, after the NFL deemed long hair part of the uniform. That’s minus points for Fitz because it’s gotta hurt having a 250-pound linebacker yanking on your hair trying to pull you down.
In a March 2006 NaturallyCurly article, we asked Polamalu about his hair:
Polamalu said he last cut his hair in 2000 at the request of one of his football coaches at the University of Southern California. Luckily for admirers of his hair, he has no plans to cut it again any time soon.“It’s become like a fifth appendage to me,” Polamalu said.
The fact that his hair stays in great condition despite his active lifestyle as a professional athlete is no accident. A few days before the big game, Polamalu talked about the routine he follows to keep his curls looking great — which includes some tips quite familiar to regular readers of NaturallyCurly.com.
Polamalu shampoos daily and conditions every other day. “When I condition, I make sure to comb the conditioner through it.” Favorite product? Pantene’s Hydrating Curls.
He’s got the potential to be a product junkie. “As you know, you have to rotate your products and use different shampoos and conditioners,” he said. Polamalu switches up every two weeks.
Polamalu doesn’t seem to experience too many problems with tangles, which could be due to the fact that he rarely wears his hair loose when he’s not playing football.
Off the field, he’s a soft-spoken and introspective family man who’d rather spend a quiet night at home with his wife, Theodora, as opposed to the stereotypical wild life of a professional athlete.
Fitting of his off-field personality, the private Polamalu usually sports a ponytail or a bun.
Polamalu admits he didn’t figure all of this out on his own. He credits Theodora, who also has a head of beautiful and healthy curly hair, with helping him find the right hair care regimen.
Oh, and in a statement that should forever endear him to many NaturallyCurly.com supporters, Polamalu said he’s never had the desire to straighten his hair.
And the award for the best curly hairstyle goes to . . .
Susan Sarandon
Although the majority of attention is paid to “who they’re wearing” one can’t deny the supporting role hairstyles play on the red carpet. Fortunately this year at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG”> Awards, there were a lot more hits than misses when it came to hairstyles and several of those “hits” were curly! This bodes well for a curly awards season!
When thinking of curly hair, one often conjures up thoughts of tightly coiled corkscrews, S curls or ringlets, but curly hair doesn’t always have to be completely curly for it to fall into the curly hair category, as we saw at the most recent awards shows. Loose curls were the theme of the evening and many curly haired celebrities opted for the more relaxed look sporting alluring “wave-lets” and curly updos rather than ringlets.
If there were an award for the sexiest curls, Demi Moore might have to take the crown for her Boticelli ringlets at the Golden Globes. Her hairstyle is a perfect example of how curls don’t have to shout; they can whisper. Parted down the middle, Demi’s long hair demands attention as it falls onto her shoulders in romantic spirals. This look doesn’t seem too contrived by a curling iron but rather a more naturally finger-twisted curl on damp hair set to air dry.
A close second would be Laura Dern at the SAG Awards, who opted for full sexy waves rather than the straight looks she’s worn in the past.
Laura Dern
Other stars who stole the red carpet with similar loose curls include Evangeline Lilly and Miley Cyrus at the Golden Globes and Tina Fey and Jenna Fischer at the SAG Awards. All wore loose waves, letting their hair fall freely down their back with sophisticated twists. This type of curl is lower maintenance than a tighter ringlet and is a perfect romantic formal hairstyle for any red carpet event.
Curly updos ruled the SAG Awards, with such stars as Eva Longoria Parker, Lisa Edelstein and Jennifer Carpenter rocking textured updos. This was a refreshing change from the tightly pulled-back updos that once dominated.
Pulled back in a high ponytail, Debra Messing allows her big wavy curls to cascade down her back in a bundle at the Golden Globes Exposing her entire face, Debra’s hair is swept back, falling into a set of curls almost as curvy as her figure in that stunning blue dress.
The style doesn’t need to be elaborate to make a statement. At the SAG Awards, Susan Sarandon showed how face-framing curls can look glamorous and sexy.
The award for the prettiest tighter curls goes to Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks, who wore beautiful ‘dos at both the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards. For the Golden Globes, red cascading curls reach shoulder length and her curly fringe falls into her face just above her eyebrows. Extra volume is created with fuller curls added at the top of her head and placed onto her forehead. At the SAG Awards, she swirled her curls into a sexy updo.
And let’s not forget the men. From Diego Luna to Mickey Rourke, long waves were a hot look for this year’s actors at both the SAG Awards and at the Golden Globes.
So forget whatever ideas you had about what a “real” curl is, be it tightly coiled corkscrews or twisted ringlets, by using these celebrities as an example with looser spirals. Overall, the girls with the curls have dominated so far on this year’s red carpets.
Tina Kissavos writes for Hairstylesdesign.com.
Chris Rock
When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl’s head!
Director Jeff Stilson’s camera followed the funnyman, and the result is “Good Hair”, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African-American hair culture that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this month. An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, “Good Hair” visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people.
Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter’s question.
What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn’t always benefit the black community and little Lola’s question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.
While the flick is “loaded” with Rock’s “wisecracking humor,” he reportedly takes a grave and honest look at the cultural pressures and identity issues that come with having “black hair.” Rock explains: “I have daughters, and I’m really dealing with them and their hair a lot, and my friends have daughters, and we talk about our daughters’ hair issues.”
In a Reuters Q&A, Rock adds: “I had no idea of the business of hair. I had no idea that it was as organized as Apple or Microsoft or General Motors. I had no idea the chemicals could be scary and damaging.”
The film, which is being produced by HBO but may get a theatrical release first, shows “neighborhood salons, businesses dealing in hair-care products and the streets of India, where human hair is a huge export industry for hair weaves.” In addition, Rock examines why some African-American women feel they need long, silky, straight hair to fit into white society.
Executive producer Nelson George says: “It’s this whole thing about approval. That approval is not simply, ‘I want white people to love me.’ It’s like, ‘I need a job. I want to move forward, and if I have a hairstyle that is somewhat intimidating, that’s going to stop me from moving forward.”
Kudos to “Glamour” magazine for showing a makeover that actually accentuates kinks rather than straightens them. Stylist David Evangelista used a conditioning mask and hair color to boost the model’s curly look.
