How to style them out like the pros.
The only thing better than big beautiful curls? Even bigger beautiful curls – and, we'll be seeing a lot more of them, according to top hair stylists.
"With so many of us exploring and learning about our natural hair during lockdown, it's no wonder a lot more women want to let their unique textures thrive," says award-winning hair artist and afro hair specialist, Charlotte Mensah. Going forward "we're going to see more natural hair fluffed our and allowed to do it's own thing," she says.
The mood, more than ever, is one of freedom and experimentation. We all want a fresh slate, we want to push our styles further and we want to go bold. "Particularly for girls with curls, last year showed a huge trend in the curly bob – a polished graduated bob for those with ringlets and very curly hair," explains Ricky Walter’s, founder of SALON64. "This look has progressed to The Mane – which allows curly hair to be bigger and better, while still holding its shape. It's best cut freehand without even using a comb," adds Ricky, who recommends incorporating shorter, scattered layers while retaining the length. The most important this is to "choose a stylist that understands your hair type so your shape works with your curls. The more layers, the more volume," says the team at The Curl Bar London.
And with the swinging '60s and '70s style infiltrating fashion and beauty trends once again this summer, we've seen some of our favourite influencers nod to the aesthetic with their own fresh twist. Pairing retro prints and halter-necks tops with foxy fluffy fros.
Of course, women have been celebrating their natural curl crowns for generations, but there's been a greater spike in searches around curl education and care over the past year. "At The Curl Bar London we have always seen our community come in requesting bigger hair, but ever since lockdown, we've noticed a huge shift in people wanting to love their curls more and learn techniques on getting big and beautiful curls," the team at Curl Bar London tells GLAMOUR.
If you're aiming for bigger, bouncier, bolder curls though, "it's important to make sure you have a great routine that hydrates your hair," say The Curl Bar London team. "To achieve a glossy look, you need to have healthy hair. Deep condition those curls weekly and invest in great products and styling techniques," they add.
As for extra tips you can implement at home to make the most out of your curls, Charlotte shares her tips below...
Wrap your hair in a silk scarf
"If you don’t wrap your hair before you go to bed, whilst you’re asleep the pillow will absorb the moisture from your hair. This means that when you wake up your hair will appear dry, resulting in the need to apply more products and heat in an attempt to banish frizz," says Charlotte.
Add moisture
"Afro and curly hair needs regular moisture to be added so moisturise, moisturise, moisturise with natural oils," she says.
De-tangle properly
"Starting from the bottom allows you to gently detangle each knot, rather than yanking your way through with a wide tooth comb or paddle brush which can cause damage," advises Charlotte.
Deep treatments
"It’s so important to apply a treatment every two weeks to help re-hydrate, strengthen protect and maintain hair health. Deep treatments [like Charlotte's Manketti Oil range] help to provide hydration to the hair, by caring for the scalp, taming frizz and adding shine."
Minimise heat styling
"Heat styling can wear away the hair’s cuticles, so it becomes dry, frizzy and breaks," says Charlotte, so limit the amount of time you use heat tools.
Trim regularly
"Even though its less obvious than with straight hair, afro and curly hair needs to be trimmed regularly every 6-8 weeks to ensure you have a better curl definition," says Charlotte.
Written by Elle Turner.
This article originally appeared on Glamour UK.
