The Expert Guide to: Curly Hair

The ‘80s and early ‘90s were all about big, curly hair and since fashion is reviving those colourful eras, beauty has followed. Curly hair is finally back on our radar after years of GHD addiction; an addiction that was in-part thanks to a perfectly preened Jennifer Aniston whose poker straight hair has been the benchmark for many since the late 90s. Until now, that is.

But with revival comes renewal. We can’t just copy the looks verbatim, no one today wants hair like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman or Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club. Instead it’s about soft volume and natural curls without the frizz. “Curly hair is great to have” says celebrity stylist Oribe . And with the summer fast approaching, curly hair can really come into its own with beachy textures and loose, silky curls. “It’s about embracing your hair” adds Oribe. But, if you’re a naturally curly girl, you’ll know embracing the real you can be tricky and the path is fraught with frizz, uneven haircuts and dry patches.

If you want to go au natural you need to arm yourself with a great stylist, the right shampoos, conditioners and styling products, while also ensuring you have your preening technique sorted for your curl type. Sounds complicated? It isn’t. You just need to arm yourself with the insider knowledge. And guess what? We have it right here.

The Directory

If you’re in the market for a new hairdresser, don’t make your decision until you have read our directory of the top stylists for curly hair.

Natalie Cole, Head Stylist and Head Technician based at Charlie Miller, Edinburgh
Natalie has naturally curly hair and really knows how to master the most unruly heads of hair. She is also a Kerastase Specialist which means that she has detailed knowledge of the products within the range and can recommend the most appropriate ones for curly hair.
Charlie Miller, 39 Frederick Street, Edinburgh, enq: 0131 225 1141

Jonathan Long, co-owner of Lockonego, London
Jonathan used to seek out curly haired customers to make him a better stylist at working with this hair type. This is one stylist who really ‘gets’ curly hair.
Lockonego, 394 Kings Road, London, enq: 020 7795 1798

Alfie Maher, Senior Stylist at Jo Hansford, London
Alfie is hairdressing institution Jo Hansford’s curly hair expert. High praise indeed.
Jo Hansford, 19 Mount Street, London, enq: 020 7495 7774

Kirsty Baughan, Art Director at Mahogany Oxford
Kirsty uses precision cutting and disconnection to create more space in the hair so it doesn’t sit like a birds nest. She also believes that adding colour in single sections in curly hair can take away the density of the shape. This knowledge and skill creates great results.
Mahogany, 30 Little Clarendon Street, Oxford, enq: 01865 552 494

Darren Hau at Headmasters, London
Darren is Headmaster’s afro and curly hair expert.
Headmasters, enq: hmhair.co.uk

Indira Schauwecker, stylist at Toni & Guy, Covent Garden.
Loves cutting curly hair; our Fashion Editor Emma Sells recommends Indira for a long-lasting and more directional haircut than you may be used to.
Toni&Guy, enq: toniandguy.com

Jen Deighton, stylist at Toni&Guy, Sunderland
Jen has been five times finalist for North Eastern Hairdresser of the Year. “For me, it is always really important to keep asking my clients how they are managing their curls and continue to tailor their cuts bespoke to them.”
Toni&Guy, Sunderland, enq: 01915 147 744

Paul Merritt, celebrity stylist opened a new VIP studio in London.
Celebrities fly in from far flung destinations for appointments with Paul. His studios are small and discreet: great for an extra special treat.
Merritt Studio, 37 Gosfield Street, enq: 020 7631 5018

Drags Vranic, Art Director Mahogany Oxford
Drags is a pro at creating hairstyles that work whether worn naturally curly or styled straight for two looks in one.
Mahogany, 5 Market Street, Oxford, enq: 01865 790 245

Nadia Buckley at John Frieda, London
Nadia is a curl expert, so whether you have mad frizzy or gentle curls - she's your girl. Oh, and she has curls herself so she knows exactly what it’s like to live with this hair type, not just to style it.
John Frieda, 4 Aldford Street, London, enq: 020 7491 0840

Steve Rowbottom, L’Oreal Professionnel Ambassador, Leeds
Steve is your go-to curly hairdresser in the north-west. He has worked with Helena Christensen in the past who has naturally curly hair.
West Row Hairdressing, 18 Thornton’s Arcade, Leeds, enq: 0113 245 6220

Maria Nowakaowska, Artistic Director at Mahogany London
Maria’s understanding of curly hair was inspired by 2 years working with thick curly hair in the Middle East.
Mahogany, 17 St George Street, London, enq: 020 7629 3121

Karine Jackson, former London hairdresser of the year and salon owner, London
Karine is a curl expert using special cutting and colouring techniques to bring out the best in your curls. She also only works with organic products.
Karine Jackson, 24 Litchfield St, London, enq: 020 7836 0300

Jamie Stevens, salon owner, Somerset
As well as working in Somerset, Jamie also works 3 days per week as Artistic Director at Errol Douglas in London. Errol won Afro Hairdresser of the Year three times.
Jamie Stevens Salon, Sedgemoor Road, Somerset, enq: 01278 683413

Ben White, stylist and expert in cutting curly hair at Eleven Hair, London
He uses a dry-cutting technique that allows him to get the best shape out of each individual type of curl.
Eleven Hair, 11 Blenheim Street, Mayfair, London, enq: 020 7491 2390

Jason Welch, Colourist at Eleven Hair, London
Ben is trained in a specialised colour technique that gives curly hair a better dimension by defining the curls with colour.
Rae Palmer, Schwarzkopf Ambassador and salon owner Southsea and Chichester

Rae is not only an expert with curls, she is also an ambassador for Schwarzkopf. She uses a precision cutting technique for curly hairstyles that are directional.
Rae Palmer, 76 Palmerston Road, Southsea, enq: 023 9242 6622
Rae Palmer Hair Boutique, 114-116 The Hornet, Chichester, enq: 01243 532 325,

A Permanent Solution

According to naturallycurly.com over 50% of curly heads turned age 30 before they learned to love their curls. So if your curls drive you crazy, you’re not alone. If you find the day-to-day chore of styling too much then a permanent blow-dry could be the answer.
These super blow dries aren’t going to straighten your hair or ruin your curl, instead they help to ensure hair is more manageable and eliminate frizz for up to four months, which makes the starting price of £150 seem almost bearable.

Daniel Hersheson was one of the first people to bring this form of styling, otherwise know as the Brazilian Blow Dry, to the UK. Instead of harnessing harsh chemicals as used during a reverse perm, these treatments use keratin - a naturally occurring protein in the hair - that restores and restructures damaged cuticles to help them relax and lie flatter, therefore making them easier to style.

Different salons will offer slightly different formulas. Daniel Hersheson includes cocoa and vitamins to condition, whereas Paul Edmonds’ version has amino acids and collagen that plump your hair and add moisture.

Richard Thompson claims that Mahogany’s 3 Month Blow Dry which contains 40% natural keratin (from New Zealand sheep, fyi) and no harsh chemicals “eliminates 95% of frizz” and lasts up to four months.

NanoKeratin System Treatment, from £150 for short hair, by Paul Edmonds. Enq: 0844 770 9410 / pauledmonds.com
Permanent Blow Dry, from £200, by Daniel Hersheson. Enq: 020 7434 1747 / danielhersheson.com
3 Month Blow Dry, from £155, by Mahogany. Enq: 020 7629 3121 / mahoganyhair.co.uk

Styling Suggestions

As with drying, styling is all about eliminating that frizz, while defining and adding shine to your curls. You also want to avoid the crunchy feeling caused by bad gels and sprays.

Sadly, there is no hard and fast rule for styling your curls. There are, however, some styling tips that are well worth road testing. One is bound to work for you. Before you start experimenting, Claire Dawson warns that “curly hair does not need to be overloaded with excessive products. Instead keep it simple by choosing a select few key professional products to help motivate the curl and enhance the shape”.

Maggie Bennett recommends applying Shu Uemura Satin Design, £20.99 to damp, combed hair and finishing with a spritz of L’Oreal Elnett Hairspray , £1.99 while your hair is still wet. “This gives the hair a plastic-like coating and keeps curls pliable, springy and bouncy. Then dry your hair gently with a diffuser” she explains. This is a great technique for heavy, course curls.
For fine, frizzy hair, Alfie Maher recommends Kerastase’s Oleo Nutritive Curl Spray, £17.50, “this will nourish the hair and define the curls, adding long-lasting protection against humidity”. For thicker hair, Alfie - like Maggie - also recommends layering more than one product. “Put a fifty pence piece amount of L’Oreal Spiral Slendour, £10.75 into wet hair followed by Kerastase Oleo Relax serum, £14.85 from roots to ends. Spiral Splendour will calm and define your curls, while the serum will take away frizz.”

Here are some tried and tested products that the ELLE team love:

Spiral Style Spray Gel, £4.79 by John Frieda Frizz-Ease at Boots
Best for: thick hair with tight curls
This leaves curls defined and shiny. The only downside? While it doesn’t look crunchy, it does feel a little on the crispy side.

Curl Define and Shine Mousse, £4.49 by Aussie
Best for: course, big curls
Many mousse products can leave hair looking far too ‘done’. This however, works to define curls, while leaving hair looking conditioned and shiny.

Silky smooth serum, £13.30 by Tigi S-Factor at lookfantastic
Best for: all curl types
Banish frizz and flyaways with this hard-working serum. Top marks.

Twist’R, £11.95 by S4U at Mahogany
Best for: all curl types
This lotion works well to make curls soft and bouncy. The formula contains UV filters making this a top summer choice. ELLE’s tester who trialled this product has fine, curly hair and found it a bit sticky and heavy on wet hair, but once dry, the curls were soft and frizz-free all day.

Drying you hair

There are differing ideas on how curly hair should be dried, so it is worth experimenting with each technique to find the one that best suits your hair.
Jonathan Long doesn’t believe in heat-drying curly hair. “You don’t use a diffuser to dry curly hair, that’s a common misconception, you should let it dry naturally”, he explains. If you are going to let your hair dry by itself, Claire Dawson, Educator at HOB Salons, suggests “for frizzy curls, divide the hair into three sections and using your fingers simply twist the hair in the same direction as your curl”. Alfie Maher also recommends this technique; “by twisting the hair, it allows moisture to be locked into the curls which removes the frizz”.

Leaving your hair to dry naturally is ideal if you have time on your side or the weather is warm; however, in the depths of winter, a hairdryer is often the only choice. So what is the best technique to employ?

If your hair is tangled, use a wide tooth comb and a spritz of detangling spray like Charles Worthington’s Results Sensitive Leave-in Detangling Spray, £4.39. “When you’re drying, the more artificial heat you use, the bigger and frizzier it’ll get, so tip your head upside down and use a diffuser. It spreads the air so it’s not concentrating the power on one spot” explains Jamie Stevens, whose clients include Elle MacPherson and Stella McCartney .

The other thing to remember is that a strong heat will dry out your hair, so make sure your diffuser is on a low heat setting. If you feel your hair frizzing up, Paul Merritt recommends filling a misting bottle with one part conditioner (your usual will do) to three parts water, shake it well to mix and use it to spritz on areas that start to frizz. You can do this while hair-drying and also throughout the day to keep frizz at bay. If you can’t be bothered to make your own, Bumble and Bumble ’s Curl Conscious Reactivating Mist, £17.40, is a good choice.

Another important point is that you need to minimise touching your hair. Too much touching and feeling will cause frizz. “Touch your hair as little as possible when drying it, otherwise you will shatter the curls” explains Ben White.

Lastly make sure you don’t over-dry your hair – another sure fire way to build frizz. “Only ever dry curly hair to 75%” adds Alfie.

Hair Washing How-to

Curly hair comes in so many different textures, shapes and sizes. The two main types according to Alfie Maher are “fine and smooth or thick and frizzy”, while the curls can come big and loose or tight and more like ringlets.
What all curly hair types do have in common is their tendency to dry-out and frizz-up. The key to avoiding frizz is to keep moisture in the hair - if it’s lacking in the first place you’ll need to add it. “In the summertime, curly hair tends to dry-out. It’s good to keep the hair really conditioned, so natural oils are great. You can also try a leave-in conditioner” says Oribe. S-Factor’s Papaya Leave-In Moisture Spray, £13.30 and Neil George’s Indian Gooseberry Treatment Oil, £32 have the ELLE team seal of approval. Our tester Natalie Barrow, ELLE’s Advertising Operations Executive, who has super thick, curly hair said the oil was “well worth investing in. It controlled frizz and added shine”

But first of all, you need to choose the right shampoo and conditioner. When cleansing super dry, curly hair Maggie Bennett, Senior Colour Director at Paul Edmonds recommends Kerastase ’s Oleo-Relax shampoo, £11.65 and masque, £21 which hydrates curly hair “lacking in moisture”. If your pocket doesn’t stretch to professional products then Paul Merritt suggests looking for over-the-counter shampoos and conditioners that claim to be moisturising or good at reducing frizz.
Katie Paydon, ELLE’s Digital Sales Manager, who has thick, curly hair recommends Pantene ’s Repair and Protect shampoo and conditioner, £2.19 each, “they leave my hair shiny, soft and frizz-free, without being weighed down or greasy like some heavier-formula shampoos and conditioners do”. She also recommends Herbal Essences ’ It's a Curl Thing shampoo and conditioner, £3.49 each, “I would definitely use these again; they left my hair shiny, soft and tangle free”.
While Natalie recommends the slightly pricier Shea Butter shampoo and conditioner, £18 each by Frederic Fekkai “These products are phenomenal; they give hair instant moisture and shine”.

For fine curly hair, ELLE recommends Herbal Essences It's a Curl Thing shampoo and conditioner as the best all-rounder and a great budget buy too. While Trevor Sorbie’s Curl Defining shampoo and conditioner, £1.95 each won’t weigh down even the finest curls, but will leave them frizz-free.
If you find yourself trying to avoid washing your hair because it looks better when it’s lived in, you can stop using shampoo every time. Richard Thomson, founder of Mahogany Hairdressing, suggests “not shampooing curly hair too much. Curly hair reacts much better when the hair is less clean, so rinse with hot water every morning but only shampoo every three to four days”. To keep it smelling fresh, Ben White from Eleven Hair suggests using a conditioner on the hair instead of shampoo. “Take a good quality conditioner, for example Redken Fresh Curls, £10.70, and wash it into the hair for five minutes, this will remove dirt from the hair.” Just ensure you rinse it thoroughly. If hair is really course, apply a leave-in conditioner to tame it before it dries.

To keep really course, dry hair in tip-top condition Paul Merritt recommends, “if you have a lazy day, load in conditioner, tie your hair back and leave it. This will give your hair a beachy look, plus your hair will be getting an intensive condition”. Do this once a week and try to leave the conditioner in until the next day before rinsing it out.

The Right Cut

Finding the right hairdresser is important for everyone regardless of hair type, but seeking out a stylist who ‘gets’ your curly hair is like discovering the Holy Grail.
“The haircut is very important because curly hair tends to go round. Usually, having some length will help to drop the curl” explains Oribe. However, Jonathan Long co-owner of Lockonego believes curly girls can still go short, “I cut up into the back of the hair and leave the length longer at the front for a gorgeous curly bob which looks great worn either curly or straight” he says. And that is the key; do you wear your hair curly all the time? Or do you still dabble with straighteners for special occasions? “I have to understand the needs of my client and then cut their hair accordingly” explains Paul Merritt, celebrity stylist. “If you wear it blow-dried, I’ll wash and blow-dry your hair then cut it. If you always wear it natural I’ll dry cut it, then wash and style it after. I think curly hair should be organic and look a bit lived-in. But, if you occasionally straighten your hair, I need to style it straight and be more methodical with my cutting technique, to enable you to wear it both straight and curly”.

Make sure that before you go for the chop, you book in for a consultation with your chosen stylist. Make sure they understand how you style your hair everyday and for special occasions.

“Try to avoid short layers unless you are going for a bob style” says Alfie Maher, senior stylist at Jo Hansford . “Curly hair needs as much weight as possible to maintain a shape, so stay away from thinning scissors and chopping into your hair” he adds. Also, ensure they dry cut your hair, especially if you always wear it curly as this will avoid any mistakes. Jonathan says that “every millimetre counts when cutting curly hair and, if your stylist does cut your hair when wet, you have to be careful not to overdo it”. In other words be strict with your stylist. “If you feel that when your hair is dry you could do with having 2-3 inches cut off, only ask for 1 inch - you’ll be surprised how much your hair jumps up”.