The protein/moisture ratio may be one of the most frequently asked questions, and the truth is, I don’t believe you need to worry about this at all. In all my experience, I’ve never once considered this to be a factor in getting healthy hair, and the majority of my fellow curl-focused colleagues would agree.

Flip is a concept. You don’t have to flip your head forward, but this is my fave. You need to focus on getting the hair OFF of the scalp. Try brushing or combing the hair away from the scalp, and use your fingertips to loosen the hair gently. 

“The only consistent thing about curly hair is its inconsistency.” Yes, that’s my quote. Curly hair isn’t predictable, and you can get different results by doing the same routine and using your go-to products, especially if you are wavy. Sometimes you may get a slight bend and, on others, a surprise ringlet.  If you want to get as close to reliable as possible, I recommend spending more time on your wash days. Use sectioning, raking, and glazing type routine for complete saturation of products. It won’t be as fast or straightforward as flip, coat, scrunch but will give you a sense of more predictability. 

Refreshing is somewhat of a myth but before you give up all hope, let me offer some tips.  1. When your hair is all set on your wash day, leave it more curl-controlled and less shaken out. You won’t get as much volume, but you will get longer days without excess frizz. 2. Don’t expect it to be the same as your wash day. Adjusting this expectation will help ease some of your frustration.  3. You can use a wand. Yes, I said that. Apply a heat protectant (Innersense Love Prep Spray) and touch up the curls that have gone wonky. No need to curl the whole head. Usually, just a few key pieces will have you looking fresh in no time. 

First, make sure you’ve downloaded my FREE guide on communicating effectively with your stylist. These tips will help you even if you don’t have a curl specialist. Next, I would look to Readcurl magazine for their stylist finder. An excellent resource of some talented artists and beautiful inspo pics.  You can check out certification sites such as Devacurl, Rezo, Cut it Kinky, Ouidad, and Curly Hair Artistry; however, remember that just because someone has been certified does not mean they perform a lot of curly haircuts. Be sure to do your homework by looking at their social media and asking how many curly cuts they do per week/month.  Referrals from other curly folks are another excellent way to find a stylist in your area. 

There are a lot of variables that come into play here, and I have a Youtube video you can watch that will go into more depth if you want to dive deep. Volume at the root is tricky. Shorter layers won’t always provide this coveted look, especially if you are like me and have silky roots (I have a reel all about “silky roots,” if you are curious). Root lift volume is all about your stylers. Think of sea salt sprays, dry shampoos, texturizing sprays, hairsprays, and products like AG Dry lift. ( A one of a kind paste that adds grit to the hair) Diffusing or pinning is a MUST vs. air dry. Let go of your curl clumps and embrace some frizz. 

There are a lot of variables that come into play here, and I have a Youtube video you can watch that will go into more depth if you want to dive deep. Volume at the root is tricky. Shorter layers won’t always provide this coveted look, especially if you are like me and have silky roots (I have a reel all about “silky roots,” if you are curious). Root lift volume is all about your stylers. Think of sea salt sprays, dry shampoos, texturizing sprays, hairsprays, and products like AG Dry lift. ( A one of a kind paste that adds grit to the hair) Diffusing or pinning is a MUST vs. air dry. Let go of your curl clumps and embrace some frizz. 

We can discover this on our first wash/set most of the time.  If you’ve had years of flat iron damage, keratin treatments, or relaxers, then it will take time to heal your hair and discover your full potential curl patterns.  Many before and after pictures on social media can be misleading—showcasing hair that barely had waves magically transformed into tight ringlets after a designated amount of time following a particular set of rules.  The truth is that it was always their hair, and once they stopped with continual heat or chemical damage, the actual curl pattern emerged. I find this is not the case for most of my clients. Drastic curl texture or patterns do not happen for most of my clientele, and it is more of a subtle transition.